On Darfur Rapes, Herve Ladsous Refuses, on Video Here, to Answer Press Questions About Cover Up, November 9 UNAMID Whitewash

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 4, more here -- Ten days after after the UN issued a statement on its internal investigation into charges it covered-up attacks in Darfur, its UNAMID mission there under Herve Ladsous on November 9 issued a statement that "village community leaders reiterated to UNAMID that they coexist peacefully with local military authorities in the area" and that no evidence of rape was found.

 On December 4, Inner City Press asked Ladsous, Why did UNAMID not say on November 9 that it was surrounded by soldiers? Video here,and embedded below.

  As is his habit, Ladsous did not answer on December 4, even with his UN Peacekeeping under fire for cover ups. It is a pattern with Ladsous. He refused Press questions for months about rapes in Eastern Congo in Minova by DRC Army units his UN Peacekeeping supports: video compilation here; Vine here.

  On the morning of December 4, Ladsous claimed to the Security Council that UNAMID's findings were "inconclusive" due to army presence. But his UNAMID's press release whitewashed the situation in Tabit and did not mention the army presence. The covering-up continues, with no credibility, as Ladsous did on the Minova raped by DR Congo Army units his UN Peacekeeping supports.

 On November 25, a wide range of groups in Darfur petitioned the UN Security Council about UNAMID's malfeasance. Inner City Press that morning obtained the letter (h/t) and put it online in full here, and below.

 While UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, when Inner City Press asked at noon, said he had not seen the letter, by 6 pm when Inner City Press asked November's Security Council president about the letter, he confirmed receipt.

  Quinlan said he had circulated the letter to the other 14 Council members -- as of 3 pm, one of them had not yet received it -- and that he expects the issues to be considered when the Security Council takes up UNAMID "next week, under Chad's presidency." 

 (On November 26, the UK Mission to the UN"s Arran Skinner told Inner City Press, "I can confirm that we received the letter indirectly. In terms of contents, on alleged rape cases, the Security Council issued a press statement calling for a full investigation. The UK initiated the call for a press statement and so agree that this issue needs to be looked at." Another Security Council mission has yet to confirm receipt or comment, but it's expected.)

  On Ban Ki-moon's report into UNAMID under-reporting attacks on civilians and even peacekeepers, Inner City Press asked and Quinlan repeated it should be taken up soon, the question is finding the right, credible (or disinterested) briefer. Watch this site for that. Here is the letter:

11/25/2014

Dear Gary Quinlan, Australia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations,President of the United Nations Security Council, November 2014

United Nations

New York, NY

c. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General
Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations United Nations

Dear Ambassador Quinlan,

As Darfuris in the diaspora, we have watched with great sorrow and growing anger the plight of our people in this ravaged region of Sudan. Darfur at one time commanded considerable attention in the United Nations, but no longer. 

The international community in general has drifted into an acceptance that somehow the UN/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is an adequate means of protecting millions of vulnerable civilians. It is clearly not, and the recent mass sexual assault on women and girls in Tabit, North Darfur, makes this all too clear.

But the disgraceful "investigation" by UNAMID of events in Tabit should be the occasion for our remembering that this is, in fact, a UN-authorized mission; it has UN Chapter 7 authority; it is deployed with a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) negotiated by the UN and African Union (February 2008), even as the agreement is now simply a travesty, violated at will by the Khartoum regime. It is not, however, simply the failing of UNAMID and the African Union that must be reckoned with. It is the Security Council, the Secretariat, and UN Department of Peacekeeping Affairs (UN DPKO) that must accept responsibility for a failing mission; and it is UN DPKO that must do most to explain what it will do in light of this failure.

It is in this context that we demand that the following questions be addressed forthrightly and expeditiously:

[1] UNAMID, even if augmented and re-directed along the lines recently suggested by Secretary Ban Ki-moon, cannot provide adequate security for the people of Darfur. We demand that plans be made immediately for an UN force that can adequately take on the "responsibility to protect" civilians at risk, per the September 2005 UN World Summit Outcome Document (§38, §39).

[2] We demand that the Security Council and UN DPKO confront the Khartoum regime over its countless flagrant violations of the SOFA.

[3] We demand that UN DPKO undertake a full review of UNAMID's performance to date. The context here should be the fact that more than 2 million Darfuris have been newly displaced since UNAMID took up its mandate in January 2008; we would remind you of how closely violence and displacement have correlated over the past decade of conflict. Moreover, insecurity has increased steadily for more than two years—this on top of the insecurity that prevailed so widely in earlie years.

[4] We demand that UN DPKO, in consultation with the Security Council and the Secretariat, formulate plans to provide adequate protection to the civilian population of Darfur. This must include contingency plans for a very rapid acceleration of what is already unacceptable insecurity for civilians and humanitarians.

[5] We demand in particular that UN DPKO ensure that UNAMID is prepared to provide adequate protection to the people of Tabit, especially girls and women, from retaliation by Khartoum for having had the misfortune of making clear to the world just how brutal this regime is.

[6] We further demand that UN DPKO instruct UNAMID to provide all necessary protection to humanitarian efforts to reach Tabit. Many residents have been badly traumatized and injured.

[7] We also demand accountability from those who are responsible for the failures that led to the brutal crimes at Tabit, and so many others over so many years. Accountability must extend to the leadership of UNAMID and the African Union Peace and Security Council, as well as to the UN DPKO. As part of this assigning of responsibility, there must be a full and competent investigation, authorized by the Security Council of how this atrocity crime was essentially white-washed by all parties, most notably UNAMID. But we must emphasize as well that we are deeply troubled by the silence of UN DPKO.

[8] We demand that UNAMID be guided by the "rules of engagement" for UNAMID in Darfur that have been previously negotiated. UN DPKO must ensure that these "rules of engagement" are widely understood and dictate the actions taken by UNAMID personnel.

[9] We demand that UN DPKO assess the possibility that insecurity is now so great that there will be an exodus of international NGOs providing critical relief aid to Darfuris. Many INGOs have expressed their deep concern for the safety of their workers in Darfur, more than 95 percent of whom are Sudanese nationals. The safety of these workers must not be discounted because they are African and Khartoum permits no news coverage of Darfur and no human rights reporting presence.

Would relief workers similarly threatened in other parts of the world be regarded in the same light as Sudanese relief workers?

[10] We demand that UN DPKO communicate with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in order to ascertain when a continued humanitarian presence by the UN might become impossible for security reasons.

[11] We demand that UN DPKO assess the implications for future UN peacekeeping missions if

UNAMID is allowed to continue to fail so conspicuously. The events at Tabit and the performance of UNAMID investigators bring this question into high relief.

[12] Most generally, we demand that UN DPKO speak forthrightly about its understanding of the limitations and weaknesses of present peacekeeping in Darfur and the provision of civilian security.

We remain troubled by the comments of the Under-Secretary General for DPKO when in spring 2012 he declared that security "conditions on the ground" had improved sufficiently that UNAMID could begin to draw down its forces (a figure of 4,000 personnel was promulgated at the time). This ghastly error in judgment was never acknowledged, even as by July of 2012 we saw a tremendous upsurge in violence, especially in North Darfur. How can we trust statements from UN DPKO when egregious errors are not acknowledged?

[13] We demand that the United Nations collectively develop an effective response to the gross deficiencies of UNAMID in protecting civilians and humanitarians. UN DPKO in particular must develop benchmarks for assessing UNAMID's performance and formulate emergency contingency plans in the event of a massive and precipitous withdrawal of humanitarian personnel.

These are matters of the deepest concern to us; to date, there are far too few answers from UN about why the Darfur genocide continues more than a decade after it began. We demand clear evidence that the people of Darfur will not be further abandoned.

Sincerely,

Darfur People's Association of New York

Darfur People's Association of Maryland

Fur Cultural Revival

Darfur People's Association of Houston

Darfur People's Association of Dallas

Darfur People's Association of Illinois

Darfur Human Rights - USA

Massalit Sons' Association - USA

Darfur Rehabilitation Project

Sudanese Revolutionary Front

Sudanese Opposition Forces- USA

Broad National Front

Justice & Equality Movement - Sudan

Sudan Liberation Movement - MM

Sudan Liberation Movement - Wahid

SPLM-N

Umma Party

Girifna

Sudanese Marginalized Forum - USA

Sudanese National Democratic Forum - California

National Sudanese Alliance - Philadelphia

Peace & Democracy Center - New Jersey

Democratic Alliance, USA

Federal Democratic Alliance

Sudanese Front for Change

Kush Liberation Movement

Democratic Unionist Party

Activists without Borders

Sudanese Congress Party

Darfur People's Association of Boston

Darfur People's Association of Indiana

Darfur People's Association of Utah

Darfur People's Association of Nebraska

Darfur People's Association of Seattle

Darfur Son's Union of Greater Washington DC

Darfur People's Association of Iowa

Darfur People's Association of Arizona

Darfur Women Action Group

Darfur Association of the United States

Darfur Self-reliance Organization - San Francisco, California

 Inner City Press on November 21 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric to explain UNAMID's November 9 press release in the context of the internal memorandum, put online here, that UNAMID knew Sudanese security was filming the interviews, had even put together a "committee" of Thabit residents to speak to UNAMID. Video here.

  Dujarric said he wouldn't start now to comment on leaks. There are other leaks implicating UN Peacekeeping's Herve Ladsous. Is not commenting, like Ladsous has refused to answer Press questions, the right approach for the UN?

 Inner City Press on November 19 asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric what the UN would do in the wake of its (cover up) November 9 press release, and about bombing in North Darfur three days earlier.

 On November 20, UN Associate Spokesperson Vannina Maestracci was in charge of the UN noon briefing, and read out a statement that UNAMID is trying to verify the reports of bombing on November 16.  One has to wonder, are they mishandling this like the rape reports in Thabit?

  So Inner City Press asked, what is actually being done to get into Thabit, after the cover-up press release? Inner City Press asked about UNAMID's acting head Abiodun Bashua's reference to "rumors" of rape in Thabit - is that the UN's position? And why hasn't UNAMID accessed the site(s) of the November 16 bombings, four full days later?

 On November 21, Dujarric returned with an answer, that UNAMID had in this case done out and had found "craters." But apparently UNAMID drew no conclusions from that.

  Inner City Press at the November 17 UN noon briefing asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq about Sudanese forces having filmed UNAMID's interviews and to confirm the new blockage.

 Haq did not comment on UNAMID letting its interviews about rape be filmed by Sudanese authorities; he confirmed the blockage and said to expect a comment from Ban.

  And two hours later it came:

"The Secretary-General is deeply troubled about persistent allegations of mass rape in Thabit, North Darfur. The African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) visited Thabit on 9 November. However, the heavy presence of military and police in Thabit made a conclusive investigation difficult.  UNAMID has since then attempted to gain further access to shed light on what happened.

"The Secretary-General is concerned that after intense consultations with the Government in Khartoum and with local authorities in Darfur, UNAMID was yesterday denied access to Thabit. Only a full investigation by UNAMID will help shed light over these serious allegations. The Secretary-General therefore urges the Government of Sudan to grant UNAMID unfettered access, without further delay, to Thabit and its population so that these reports can be verified."

   Ban does not mention that his and Herve Ladsous' mission had this to say, on November 9: "Village community leaders reiterated to UNAMID that they coexist peacefully with local military authorities in the area. None of those interviewed confirmed that any incident of rape took place in Thabit on the day of that media report. The team neither found any evidence nor received any information regarding the media allegations during the period in question.”

  Who is going to take action, on whom, about that? Inner City Press and the new Free UN Coalition for Access are asking.

  On November 13, Inner City Press again asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq what had been done in the last 48 hours.Video here. 

 Haq was unable to describe any investigation done without Sudanese military presence; instead, he said that the Force Commander of UNAMID, already charged with cover-ups, spoke with Herve Ladsous, who refused to answer Press questions about 130 rapes by the DR Army in Minova. Video here.

  How to have confidence in this investigation?

On Halloween, UNSC on Iraq & Syria, No Video or Burkina Faso

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 31 -- Amid mass executions and coups d'etat, this now is how the UN Security Council is operating: issuing multiple Press Statements after hours on Fridays, on some topics but not others.

  Past 5 pm on Halloween, an email from UN Television told some of the press corps at the UN that two statements would be read out. The topics were not stated.

  Inner City Press ran to the Security Council stakeout and waited, with a handful of UN staff and UNTV contractors. It was suggested that, beyond Syria -- a statement on which had already gone online -- the second statement might be about the “change in government” in Burkina Faso, and the military taking control.

  But when Perceval arrived and read the second statement, it was about Iraq, ISIL's executions of Sunni tribesmen in Anbar, the same phrasing used in the US State Department's expressions of concern.

  Afterward Inner City Press asked Perceval if anyone had raised Burkina Faso (and, on Syria, if it was true that a video of the bombed IDP camp near Idlib had been shown to the Council members. On this, Perceval said no, not in formal consultations.)

  On Burkina Faso, Perceval indicated that while it was serious, it might not be a threat to international peace and security. She said that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has spoken, presumably for the member states But did he? Earlier on October 31 at the UN's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Stephane Dujarric:

Inner City Press: the UN seems to in peace processes work pretty closely with Burkina Faso. So I wonder when, if you can maybe say, when the President began to talk about changing term limits and going beyond his current 27 years of rule, did anyone in the UN system say, maybe it's a bad idea, maybe it's time… maybe your Government is too strong, maybe it's time for somebody else? Or was it hands off? What was the view of that?

Spokesman Dujarric: I think it's… first of all, I doubt that there were any consultations by the President and the UN on what his decisions were, what the parliament's decision was going to be, you know, so I think we're trying to imagine conversations that were not had.

Inner City Press: What I'm saying is, the UN has actively asked the Burkina authorities to play a role in a variety of regional conflicts; it seems like there are kind of discussions, and also by making that request, they're saying that this 27-year person is a…

Spokesman: I think, you know, Burkina Faso has a role to play in the regional… in keeping regional peace. I think every country in any region has that role to play.

Inner City Press: What's Mr. Chambas doing there?

Spokesman: He was sent by the Secretary-General. He'll be meeting with key stakeholders. He arrived this morning. Obviously, the situation is changing at a very rapid clip, and he will be talking with key stakeholders.

Ah, the UN. Watch this site.

Footnote: As the Free UN Coalition for Access complained earlier in the month, the stakeout was not announced by the UN Spokesperson's Office, but only via email to broadcasters using UNTV. On the afternoon of October 31 incoming UN Security Council president Gary Quinlan of Australia, in a panel about sanctions, said, “Please, let us speak to the media.” FUNCA agrees - we'll have more on this.

   

UN Peacekeeping Inaction on Video of S. Sudan Militia With Stolen Cattle: Now What?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 17 -- The UN and its Department of Peacekeeping Operations under Herve Ladsous claim to be doing a lot to protect civilians and bring accountability. The claim is wearing thin, now in South Sudan as well.

There were the incidents in Pibor, and the UN's long silence about how many were killed. 

  Now, just as Inner City Press twice this week asked the UN about photographic evidence of its Congolese Army partners mutilating bodies, today we highlight a video depicting UNMISS peacekeepers in “Manyabol, Jonglei on July 14, 2013 narrating as 'thousands and thousands' of members of a government supported militia thought to be returning home from ethnic violence in Jonglei state marching past them and government troops with stolen cattle after violent clashes which have already led to hundreds of wounded. No action was taken to stop them or even to make this sighting public.”

  While further inquiry proceeds, what will UN Peacekeeping do?  Its and Ladsous' claims are belied by the MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where after 135 rapes by the UN's partners in the Congolese Army, the UN continues to support the two units, the 41st and 391stBattalions. 

 Ladsous sought to cover up the rapes for months, repeatedly refusing Press questions about them. Video compilation here.

  Now for nineteen days they have refused to answer a simple Inner City Press question about whether the units of the Congolese Army they support include those depicted in the new Group of Experts report engaged in rape, looting, arming the FDLR and child soldier recruitment.

  They acknowledged receipt of the question in June when Inner City Press exclusive put online the full text of the Group of Experts report, and said they would answer. But since then: nothing. Given what Ladsous is turning DPKO and the UN into -- a stonewalling duo which refuses questions on the implications of its own Group of Experts report, responding only to visual evidence, we run the video above.Watch this site.

   

After Ban Ki-moon's Peacekeeping Chief Ladsous Won't Reply on DRC Rapes, Ban's Spokesman Tells Inner City Press It's "Personal"

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 29 -- When Herve Ladsous, the chief of UN Peacekeeping, held a press conference on Wednesday, Inner City Press asked him for an update on the mass rape of 135 women in Minova in Eastern Congo, committee by the UN's partners in the 41st and 391st Battalions of the Congolese Army. Video here. And embedded below.

Ladsous, who covered up the rapes by repeatedly refusing to answer any questions or provide any information about them in response to Inner City Press questions starting in November 2012, on May 29 the Day of the Peacekeeper said to Inner City Press, on camera, "You know I do not respond to you."

Inner City Press suggested to Ladsous that he pretend the question was asked by someone else, and provided an update, since it is an important issue for UN Peacekeeping. But he did not. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's deputy spokesman Eduardo Del Buey turned to another journalist, who did not ask about the mass rapes in Minova.

At the noon briefing after Ladsous left, Inner City Press asked Del Buey if Ban Ki-moon finds Ladsous' refusal to answer particular media's questions acceptable.

Del Buey said he wouldn't get involved in "personal issues."

But it's not personal, Inner City Press responded. What if Ladsous openly refused to answer any questions about, for example, Haiti? There, Inner City Press also asked, MSF has found the UN's vaunted cholera response, ostensibly making up for the lawless dismissal of the legal claim of victims of the UN having brought cholera to the island, what does the UN say? The UN believes itself.

Del Buey ended the briefing. Later when Ban Ki-moon did a rare question and answer stakeout at the UN in New York, he said he would focus on Africa. But the two questions Del Buey selected were about Syria. Inner City Press said, what about DRC? Ban to his credit paused, and Inner City PRess managed to ask about DRC - watch this site.

French-Drafted CAR Statement Silent on Bozize Arrests, No Call to Disband Like M23

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 4, updated with video -- When the Central African Republic press statement of the UN Security Council was read out by Council president Masood Khan of Pakistan Friday at 6 pm, there were three journalists present. 

  While UN Television hustled and set up their camera, there was no live UN webcast of the statement. (Inner City Press has uploaded video, here.) This is how far CAR has fallen, compared to Syria and Libya before it.

  After Khan finished the statement and turned to leave, Inner City Press asked him two questions, which he graciously took. First, Inner City Press asked how many countries the UN has been informed have sent troops into CAR, beyond Gabon?

Khan said this was discussed, but he did not have a list.

Second, Inner City Press asked about the arrest of people perceived to support the Seleka rebels, including at least two ex parliamentarians. Khan referred to a portion of the statement about targeting of ethnic groups, but would not go beyond it.

Back on January 3, after a briefing of the Council by UN Department of Political Affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman, Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Gerard Araud, what about the Bozize government's arrest of people perceived to support the Seleka rebels?

Araud replied, "That would be one of the messages of the Council."

But it does not appear to be in the press statement. The more vague "targeting of ethnic groups" is not the same thing; it does not mention the government. The CAR statement calls on the "Seleka coalition" to withdraw from towns it has taken over. 

But it does not call on these rebels to "disband," as the French drafted text on the Democratic Republic of Congo called on the M23 mutineers. What is the difference?

France's deference on CAR stands in contrast to its active stance on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it has called the M23 mutineers outlaws, was critical of UN official Susana Malcorra meeting with them, and has not deferred to the Kampala process.

On CAR on January 3, Araud told the press, that "the goal is to have a political agreement in Libreville [on January 8, then] a national unity government."

But some of the rebels say they haven't heard of the talks, or don't believe in them. Watch this site.

On Sri Lanka, UN's Ban Ki-moon Meets Samarasinghe, Not on Petrie Report but LLRC, Climate Change

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 16, updated -- As questions mount about the United Nations' "Petrie Report" into the UN's own acts and omissions in Sri Lanka in the final stages of the conflict in 2009, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's schedule for October 16 listed, at 11 am, "Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and Special Envoy of H.E. the President of Sri Lanka on Human Rights."

  Inner City Press went to the photo opportunity. Accompanying Samarasinghe was, among others, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona. The UN side included Ivan Simonovic, the New York representative of High Commissioner on Human Rights Navi Pillay.

  Before the Press was asked to leave, Ban Ki-moon and Samarasinghe agreed that they had not met since last October. Ban mentioned President Mahinda Rajapaksa; Samarasinghe said that he is in Kuwait. Then it was over.Video here.

  An hour later Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if the meeting did, in fact, relate in any way to the overdue Petrie report.

  No, Nesirky said, it was about the Sri Lankan government's own Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission and about climate change. (Samarasinghe is, after all, "Minister of Plantation Industries").

  Nesirky promised that a read-out would be emailed later to all. He took only one more question from Inner City Press, about Afghanistan, and then no follow ups.

  Unresolved is how Petrie could be working on this report -- still unfinished, according to Nesirky -- and at the same time for a Norway funded project in Myanmar. 

  Inner City Press first asked and wrote about this; then when the Irrawaddy asked Petrie he answered that he supervised three other UN officials -- which ones? Werethey full time? -- and was paid "When Actually Employed." This has been noted in Sri Lanka's Nation on Sunday andDaily Mirror.

   That status does not excuse any conflicts of interest, or by its terms waive Article 100 of the UN Charter. It would have been better for the UN to answer questions on the specifics of Petrie's status and team, and to state that the report will be made public, as past similar reports have been. We'll see -- watch this site.

Update of 5:23 pm - After 5 pm, that is, six hours after the meeting, Ban Ki-moon's office issued the following readout:

Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and Special Envoy of the President of Sri Lanka on Human Rights

The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and Special Envoy of the President of Sri Lanka on Human Rights.

They exchanged views on the post-conflict situation in Sri Lanka. The Secretary-General noted the Government’s latest efforts on accountability as well as the steady progress on resettlement issues. He also emphasized the need to find a political solution without further delay to the underlying factors of the past conflict.

They also discussed cooperation between the Government of Sri Lanka and the United Nations in related areas and beyond, including on efforts to combat climate change.

Wall Street March Urges Bankers Behind Bars, But It Has Not Happened Yet

By Matthew Russell Lee

 

WALL STREET, September 15 -- Amid chants of "Bank of America, bad for America," marchers headed Saturday at dusk from Manhattan's Washington Square Park south on Broadway toward Wall Street. Video here.

 

Police on foot, scooters and in vans trailed them, then suddenly plunged into the crowd just north of White Street. Inner City Press, inside the march, was grabbed then released by NYPD. The march continued south to Zuccotti Park, the past and perhaps future Liberty Square.

 

There, marchers were allowed single file past NYPD and Brookfield Office Properties security officers into the park. There were mic checks about Occupy Trinity, and the upcoming September 17 attempts to shut down the New York Stock Exchange.

 

How much has changed in the year since Occupy Wall Street began here. Banks are near failing in Spain; austerity is protested there and in Greece. Some euphoria about the Arab Spring has dissipated among extremist attacks. Still Syria was cited among the marchers' chants.

 

A sign in the crowd read "Bankers Behind Bars." This has not happened. As Inner City Press noted from Washington on Thursday, while the Department of Justice brags of some fines that it has levied, Citigroup executives like Robert Rubin have escaped unscathed, still pontificating about foreign policy and the Euro. Still there are attempts to try to hold these to account. Watch this site.

At UN, Protection of Journalists Is Selective, Based on Content & Medium

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, September 7 -- When on the topic ofprotection of journalists the Qatari National Committee for Human Rights brought a delegation to the UN on Friday, it seemed a no-brainer to ask if they included in their definition of journalism state media in Syria and Libya, where Gaddafi's TV channel was bombed by NATO. 

 Or, on the other hand as Inner City Press also asked, bloggers like those prosecuted by Bahrain, Abduljalil Alsingace and Ali Abdelemam.

  

The answer came from Jim Boumelha of the International Federation of Journalists: "some in the professional do not accept bloggers." Video here.

  Gamfranco Fattorini of PEC noted the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions Chris Heyns uses the Council of Europe's 2007 definition of journalism; he cited back to the Munich declaration on 1971. Bloggers, it should be clear, are not included in that 40 year old definition.

  Inner City Press also asked Somali's Omar Faruk Osman if UN envoy Augustine Mahiga does enough on protection of journalists. "The UN has done for us very little," he said, noting killings right next to where the UN is, without visits.

  The Qatari Committee, meanwhile, through the outgoing Qatari President of the General Assembly, says it will be seeking a "new instrument." The session was delayed for 20 minutes waiting for the PGA, who came with his chief of staff and deputy, as well as his two spokespeople.

  PGA Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser's prepared remarks, we note, say that "Freedom of information, which is a fundamental right inherent in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, became subject to threat and suppression." Yep.

   Afterward an attendee mused that Qatar probably paid for the journalists' visit to New York. Qatar wants its hand in everything --  but does it protect journalists? Will it promote a needed Freedom of Information rule at the UN? Watch this site.

As Ban Belatedly Speaks From Myanmar, It's Promise of UN Money, on Jazz Day

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, April 30 -- After the Myanmar silence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was blamed by his deputy spokesman on limited Burmese "infrastructure," belatedly a read-out of Ban's meetings with the Thein Sein government was issued.

  In it, Ban expresses his commitment to work with the Government including "UN technical assistance and help to mobilize financial support for Myanmar's first population and housing census in 2014."

  So who would pay? It's reported that 

 

"in the two years leading up to the data-collection period, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) will be assisting in surveyor training and drafting survey documents. UNFPA's country representative Mohamed Abdel-Ahad called it an especially steep challenge due to the amount of time elapsed since the last census...Abdel-Ahad said workers expect to carry out the census in April, 2014. The United Nations is expected to at least partially cover the estimated $53-million cost."

The Thein Sein government, even as it denies voting rights to and shoots at the Kachin, is being lavished with debt forgiveness and other funds. Still Ban's buying friendship, and nice quotes, with UN money. What's new?

[One thing's new on April 30 at the UN: Jazz Day, video here.]