UNITED NATIONS, June 1 – In the UN most decolonization fights are in the Fourth Committee or C-24. But Mauritius is moving for a UN General Assembly vote on June 22 to seek an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the dismemberment of the Chagos Archipelago by the United Kingdom in 1965.
Mauritius' “Aide Memoire” obtained by Inner City Press has a more than two page section entitled “Actions taken by the UK in violation of international law.” It recounts how the agenda item was put on the agenda of the 71st session of the General Assembly “on the understanding that it would not be considered before June 2017 and that thereafter it may be considered upon notification by a Member State.” It concludes that Mauritius will be submitting a draft resolution, and “would be grateful for the support of all Member States in its endeavor.”
On June 1 as Inner City Press staked-out of the General Assembly meeting, even with the still-required UN Department of Public Information minder, one well-placed state's Permanent Representative told it “there probably will be a vote.” Another, while sympathetic to Mauritius (or anti-UK), said it might set a tricky precedent for other states. We'll have more on this.
The day before on May 31 when the UN General Assembly's incoming President Miroslav Lajcak came to take questions in from the GA Hall, Inner City Press asked him as the last question about the bribery case involving former PGA John Ashe, and whether he would commit to disclose who pays for his travel and his staff, and try to codify this in a GA resolution during his year. Video here. Lajcak to his credit stayed and took the question, ending with “There will be no secrets.” If so, that will be rare in today's UN, where basic questions about who is paying who, which staff are seconded, go unanswered. Other questions to Lajcak were about US President Donald Trump. When the UN Security Council's 15 members traveled to Washington on April 24 for lunch with US President Donald Trump, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell in one of many curtain-raisers reported that only the Permanent Members ever chair the Council (false) and that the Elected Ten cannot vote (also false). Trump in five minutes of remarks now online herechided the Council for inaction on Syria, called for action on North Korea and hoped for cost savings and, more importantly, better performance. In one step for UN reform and transparency, a resolution was adopted on April 19 to henceforth webcast to the public the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, which Inner City Press has covered and critiqued for some time. Inner City Press notes that a similar, even more basic reform is needed: due process rules for journalists at the UN, where currently there are none. As to the NGO webcasting, US Ambassador Nikki Haley on April 19 said, “Today's vote will bring increased transparency and accountability to the United Nations. Now all of these meetings and votes will be open for the world to see. This major win at that will greatly assist organizations that stand up to oppressive governments around the world.” We agree: see below. But when will the needed reforms - any reforms - for content neutral accreditation of media at the UN, and due process of some sort before UN censors can throw the Press, happen? After the UN Department of Public Information gave Inner City Press two hours to leave, for having covered an event in the UN Press Briefing Room related to the Ng Lap Seng UN corruption case, there has been no appeals process. Pro-UN media only recently arrived have been given office space; Inner City Press' long time shared office is being given to an Egyptian state media Akhbar al Yom whose correspondent Sanaa Youssef rarely comes in and never asks questions. For fifteen months and for now ongoing, Inner City Press is required to have UN minders to cover events on the Conference Building's second floor, unlike other media. It is lawless censorship and must be addressed.
UNITED NATIONS, October 2 -- By the fifth day of the UN General Debate, when countries such as Syria and Sudan, Myanmar and Jamaica were scheduled to speak, the NY Police Department barricades were removed and life returned to normal, at least UN-normal, inside the Secretariat building.
UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric wouldn't tell Inner City Press if Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with Haiti's Martelly had even mentioned cholera, which UN Peacekeeping brought to the island. Ban's read-out with Sudan's foreign minister Ghandour did not mention the mass rapes at Thabit in Darfur, which UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous helped cover up.
When Inner City Press asked Dujarric about Ladsous so controlling the UNGA stakeout that he Banned questions to Mali's foreign minister Diop, Dujarric said not to worry, “It's a stakeout, just shout your question.” Duly noted.
In the increasingly empty General Assembly Hall, Ghandour complained about the sanctions on his country. Syria's Walid al Moualem said that Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia all support terrorism. One expected rights of reply, at least at some point. Myanmar's foreign minister spoke surreally about a “culture of peace” with the Rohingya in Rakhine State. With the OIC's Madani, Ban Ki-moon did discuss Myanmar - but not Yemen, where OIC host Saudi Arabia is blasting away with airstrikes.
Inner City Press asked Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of the UK, penholder on Yemen, if he'd met with envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed. Yes, he said, back on October 1. Francois Delattre of France, penholding on such countries as Burundi and the Central African Republic, went into the Security Council affably but without news. Inner City Press, since Ladsous blocked Press questions to CAR's ministers, asked UN Spokesman Dujarric if the UN thought the violence in Bangui is a coup. Apparently not.
Turkish Cypriot leader Akinci met with Ban Ki-moon then did a stakeout; Inner City Press asked him about bilaterals with Sweden, the EU and New Zealand (no answer) and about hydrocarbons (long answer.) Many other such entities would like to be in the UN this week but are denied, even in what is increasingly called garbage time. Watch this site.
As the UN removes its maze of metal detectors until next year, and New York City traffic flows up First Avenue again, what did this week's UN General Assembly debate come down to?
Perhaps the moment of the week was US Secretary of State John Kerry finding Syria's Walid Moualem in the clubhouse of the Security Council's Permanent Five members, then looking around for another place to pass time. (Inner City Press first tweeted it, here.)
While Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov then made back to back statements at the Security Council stakeout without taking any questions, the next day October 1 Lavrov took an hour worth of questions, in the UN Press Briefing Room.
This UN Press Briefing Room became a battleground, with Brazil trying to follow France in reserving the front rows for its diplomats rather than journalists - they relented- and France innovating, in its way, by using seat-holders who rose to their feet to cede their place to French minister Laurent Fabius and, in one case, Segolene Royal.
As if in a parallel world, China made a number of financial commitments -- $2 billion to a South-South fund, money to UN women, training to the African Union - and drew praise in later General Assembly speeches, which were increasingly ill-attended. Once US President Obama left, after the briefest of photo ops with Russia's Vladimir Putin and a longer one with Raul Castro, much of the security was withdrawn and the air came out of the balloon.
UNITED NATIONS, July 8, video here, more here -- To fight piracy, EUCAP Nestor has seven or eight staffers in Somaliland, its head of mission Etienne de Poncins told Inner City Press on July 8. When Inner City Press asked about his line about coordinating with the Somali federal government, he replied Mogadishu hadn't objected to the staff in Hargeisa, but that Somaliland is not participating in some of EUCAP Nestor's workshops. Video here.
Inner City Press also asked Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary-General, European External Action Service, about the trust fund of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. He said it's small but mention assistance to legal proceedings in the Seychelles and Mauritius, for what he called the "legal finish" on piracy cases.
Back on 29 August 2014 Inner City Press asked the UN to clarify its position on Somaliland. While the UN Spokesman has yet to respond more than 10 days later, in the interim Somaliland officials came to New York and met not only with ambassadors but also Senior UN Political Affairs officials including Jeffrey Feltman. Still, no public answer to the Press. Who authorized the UN to have "secret" policies?
On August 29 Inner City Press asked:
Inner City Press: I wanted to ask about you gave the statement of Nicholas Kay about Somalia. And there is something I wanted to ask. A week ago he tweeted too that he had visited Puntand, Somaliand, Ethiopia and Kenya “all backed Somalia federalism”. So, this has risen to some concerns because the President of Somaliland has disagreed and said that is not what they said, that they accepted his visit purely on UN system humanitarian thing. So, he has tried to clarify it a bit and said he made something that wasn't quite clear, but he did respond. And I wanted to know, maybe he is busy with, obviously, fighting and stuff over there. From [the Department of Political Affairs] and the Secretariat's point of view, what is their understanding of the relationship between the political office on Somalia and Somaliland? Do they believe that this visit implies contrary to what the president says?
Spokesman Dujarric: Let's see what I can get on that.
Eleven days later, nothing provided. But see this Somaliland announcement, here (hat tip Hargeisa-based Free UN Coalition for Access member Mohamoud Walaaleye)
"A delegation from Somaliland led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.E. Mohamed Behi Yonis, and included Ambassador Mohamud Jama travelled to New York during the first week of September for meetings with high-level officials at the United Nations. The Under-Secretary General for the Department of Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, warmly received Minister Yonis and his colleagues. Minister Yonis highlighted Somaliland’s positive achievements in combating Al Shabaab and maintaining a peaceful and stable nation. His Excellency requested further engagement from the United Nations through accurate reporting and better acknowledgment of Somaliland’s achievements. The meeting provided a good opportunity for Minister Yonis to brief Under-Secretary General Feltman about Somaliland’s relations with Puntland, progress with relations in Sool and Sanaag and the “Khatumo” rebel movement, the status of the Dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia as well as the recent visit of SRSG Nicholas Kay to Hargeisa."
We'll have more on all this.
The UN's envoy to Mogadishu Nicholas Kay travels more and works harder than most UN envoy. Still, when he tweeted that Somaliland supports Somalia "federalism," something seemed off.
Even more so when on August 24 the president of Somaliland Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo tweeted that "Somaliland will not host UNSOM political office" -- that is, Kay's office.
So Inner City Press asked Kay on what basis he'd said Somaliland supports Somalia federalism.
Kay to his credit responded, saying that "@innercitypress In Hargeisa I heard firm commitment to Somaliland's independence & also support for Somalia's state-building progress."
But the first part of that, commitment to Somaliland's independence, seems quite contrary to a support for Somalia federalism -- at least with Somaliland in it. Inner City Press replied, "But independence does not equal federalism, no?
As to Somalia itself, right after the UN Security Council visited Mogadishu, Somalia's Army and the UN-supported AMISOM force raided Radio Shabelle, jailing journalists.
On August 19 Inner City Press asked the UK Mission to the UN about the raid and the at least three journalists still in detention: Abdimalik Yusuf Mohamud, Owner of Shabelle and SKY FM, Mohamud Mohamed Dahir a/k/a Mohamud Arab, Director of SKY FM and Ahmed Abdi Hassan, Shabelle deputy head of news.
On August 20, the UK Mission's spokesperson Iona Thomas told Inner City Press that "the UK is concerned by reports of mistreatment of journalists in Somalia and we are urgently investigating the matter with the Somali authorities." We hope to have more on this.
Back on August 15 at the UN noon briefing, Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access asked if there is any UN response to this raid on independent media -- by UN supported forces.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq replied that there was no comment by the UN mission UNSOM under Nicholas Kay, and that Inner City Press should "check with AMISOM."
But they're the ones who did it. Inner City Press asked again: no UN comment on the closing down of a radio station?
Haq replied that he has no verification -- it is widely reported - and that he hasn't heard from UNSOM about it. Why not?
Similarly, little has been heard at UN headquarters from UNSOM about envoy Nicholas Kay's recent visit to Somaliland, of which Kay has said, "Pleased to be in Hargeisa. Excellent talks with HE Mohammed Younis and his colleagues. Good to see our significant UN team in Somaliland."
What is Kay's response to criticism of his approach to Somaliland, for example here, here and here. (Somali Embassy US saying "UN Envoy Nick Kay actions & policies are threaten the peace, Security, stability, sovereignty & territorial integrity of Somalia)? On this too we hope to have more.
Back on May 12 in an advance copy of the UN's report on Somalia, to be issued as S/2014/330, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says he is "concerned about the potential for confrontation between Puntland and 'Somaliland.' I call on both sides to avoid escalating tensions."
Many note that Somaliland, without the quotation marks Ban puts around it, has been more peaceful than Mogadishu for some time - and that the UN system raised tensions by, for example, handing Somaliland's airspace to Mogadishu.
Ban's report also says he remains "concerned about the continued export of Somali charcoal" and encourages "the Security Council Committee on Somalia and Eritrea to list the responsible individuals and entities."
These advance copies have been known to be changed before "final" release, in a process for which a description, and then proposals for reform, were provided here and then here.
In this advance copy, Ban "strongly recommend[s] to the Council an extension of the mandate of UNSOM for one year to 3 June 2015."
When on April 23 UNSOM envoy Nicholas Kay along with AMISOM head Mahamat Saleh Annadif took questions at the UN, Inner City Press asked them about the new Ugandan guard unit, about the Somalia Eritrea Monitoring Group and about Somaliland including its disputed airspace. Video here from Minute 14:23.
Kay said, "at the moment we're absolutely clear obviously on the international legal position vis-a-vis Somaliland, it's not a recognized state by anyone. But they have a very strong sense of their own statehood and aspirations to independence."
Kay referred to the Turkey-facilitated talks between Somaliland and the Somali government in Mogadishi, including about airspace. He said that UN funds and programs operate in Somaliland. But UNSOM does not: Somaliland points to the mandate it was given by the Security Council.
On the Ugandan guard unit, Kay said they will protect the UN but work with AMISOM. But in March, AMISOM spokesperson Ali Aden Houmed was quoted by Voice of America that "we do not have the fact of what these forces are and they are not part of us... UN and Uganda had been conducting 'a secret negotiation.'" Neither Kay nor Mahamat Saleh Annadif addressed this.
On sanctions, after Kay recounted improvements in reporting and "information" that are underway, Inner City Press asked if the Somali letter requesting the ouster of SEMG coordinator Chopra has been withdrawn. Kay said he has not seen the letter. Well here it is: Inner City Press exclusively obtained, reported and published it. Has it been withdrawn?
UNITED NATIONS, October 24 -- This is the tale of two special rapporteurs on human rights of the UN system, on two countries under sanctions: Iran and Eritrea.
Iran rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed of the Maldives devotes what he Thursday called the longest section of his report to the impact of sanctions. Inner City Press asked him about financial restrictions making it difficult to import medicine, even to transfer funds to charities working after earthquakes.
Shaheed acknowledged that the banning of Iran from the SWIFT payments system has had an impact. Other sources tell Inner City Press there are law firms preparing reseach on just this issue.
On the other hand the UN's rapporteur on Eritrea, Shelia Keetharuth of Mauritius, has produced a 21-page report which mentions the word "sanctions" only once, there calling it a "targeted" sanctions regime.
Inner City Press asked Keetharuth why the impact of sanctions was not included in her report, and what she thought the impacts were. Video here, from Minute 11:07.
She replied that she has only the mandate since November 1, 2012 -- that is, in seven days, for an entire year. No time?
The question arises: does the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights not give rapporteurs any training?
UNITED NATIONS, December 15 -- As the elections for International Criminal Court judges moved past 7:30 pm on Thursday, after Costa Rica's former Permanent Representative to the UN Jorge Antonio Urbina Ortega dropped out there remained five candidates for three seats.
The top three vote getters, two rounds after Urbina's withdrawal, were Olga Venecia Herrera Carbuccia from the Dominican Republic with 77 -- four more than the 73 votes needed -- Howard Morrison of the UK with 66, and Chile Eboe-Osuji of Nigeria, with 63.
Each had increased vote counts from the tenth to eleventh to 12th round. Numerous representatives of state parties said this was a perfectly UN solution: of the three seats, one to Latin America (done), then one to Europe and one to Africa.
But the "other" European, Bruno Cathala of France whose country as exposed by Inner City Press offered to trade its vote for an unqualified candidate in order for one more vote for Cathala, refused to drop out, as did the candidate from Mauritius.
The floor was open for withdrawals, but in the French seat Ms. Frappeur, formerly at the ICC, did not stir. Rather, she was seen whispering feverishly to the representative in the seat of Benin.
Earlier on Thursday Inner City Press asked outgoing ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo if this vote trading was any way to choose ICC judges. He said that as prosecutor he would not comment. The former and now current presidents of the Assembly of State Parties both condemned the practice. But a practitioner remains in the race, as it get uglier with each round. It will continue. Watch this site.
