As UN and US Deal with Gbagbo Diplomats, Protesters Hit Angola Link, Council in DC

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 13 -- As in Abidjan Laurent Gbagbo's soldiers had a stand off with UN peacekeeping troops, across from the UN in New York a group of protesters Monday morning demanded that the UN do more to ensure Gbagbo leaves power.

The UN Security Council members were out of town, down in Washington with US Ambassador Susan Rice. But Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was at UN Headquarters, and was the target of a letter from the demonstrators.

They called for the full recognition of Alassane Ouattara as the winner of the delayed Ivorian election, and said that “Gbagbo has the lone support of Angola.”

“They have their families and their money there,” a protest leader told Inner City Press, predicting that in the best case scenario, Gbagbo will go into exile in Angola. Interestingly, Angola's co member of the Lusophone group Portugal is joining the Security Council on January 1.

Human rights rogue and Lusophone wannabe Equatorial Guinea is also in touch with Gbagbo, as is Benin reportedly.

Anti-Gbagbo protesters at UN Dec 13, UNSC and Gbagbo dips not shown (c) MRLee

Inner City Press on December 9 asked Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky if the UN is still dealing with Gbagbo's diplomats:

Inner City Press: after you read out the Security Council’s statement yesterday supporting ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States], which recognized Mr. Ouattara as the new President of Côte d'Ivoire; I just wondered, what does this mean toward, for the UN treatment of the existing Côte d'Ivoire diplomats who were appointed by no longer President, apparently in the international view, [Laurent] Gbagbo? Are they still, what’s the process, I guess? Do they continue to be viewed by the United Nations as the legitimate representatives of Côte d'Ivoire? The former Ambassador here is now the Foreign Minister under Gbagbo. So, I just wondered.

Spokesperson Nesirky: I think there is a set process; there is a Credentials Committee that handles these matters. And I think that that’s the route — speaking in general terms, not about this specific case. Okay, thank you very much, everyone.

Even asked again on Monday about the UN's dealings with Gbagbo's diplomats, Ban's spokesman Nesirky dodged the question.

At US Ambassador Susan Rice's holiday reception on December 9, the acting Permanent Representative of Gbagbo's regime was present. Inner City Press asked Ambassador Rice about it, and she said he wasn't “on the dark side.” So could he represent Ouattara? Watch this site.

At UN Amid WikiLeaks, of Brazil & Iran, Uribe & Other War Criminals, ICC & Sandwich 2ble Standards: UN Odds & Ends

By Matthew Russell Lee, News Muse

UNITED NATIONS, December 11 -- Amid UN news of Sudan, Haiti and Cote d'Ivoire there are smaller or happenstance happenings we'll try to cover at week's end. Yet another round of fumigation for bedbugs began in the press area on Friday, so this is written in exile.

At week's end on December 10 a diplomat with the Indian Mission to the UN said that Brazil's pro-Iran work with Turkey was a Lula project, not supported by the new president. This is like much of the info in WikiLeaks: second hand but interesting.

On December 8 a European nation's Permanent Representative was telling Inner City Press, a propos of WikiLeaks, that he assumes he is being spied on, that all countries do it. Then when his cell phone rang he showed it to Inner City Press. “I have to take this, the ASG is calling me,” he said referring to an Assistant Secretary General from his country. Who is spying on whom?

Smallest but most telling event of the week was during an International Criminal Court state parties side event on December 9. The organizers offered sandwiches out in the hall, to draw a crowd: surprisingly peppery chicken salad, roast beef or a fast disappearing vegetarian option.

A sign on Conference Room 8 said not to bring the sandwiches or other food in. But when Inner City Press looked inside, there were sandwiches everywhere, the plastic wrappers loudly opening, erudite attendees chewing. One wag remarked, here they are at the UN talking about the rule of law and they can't even enforce the rule written on the door.

At the ICC meeting Inner City Press met again Costa Rica's Jorge Urbina, previously Permanent Representative to the UN, now ambassador to the Hague. Much was made of the presence of President Santos of Colombia. But his predecessor Uribe does not seem any closer to prosecution.

Others noted that Uganda's ambassador to the Hague is in fact Dutch, just as Palau's Permanent Representative to the UN is not, in fact, from Palau. He pitched Inner City Press again last week about protection of sharks, hard to argue with that argument.

One who lost an argument, about the ICC Prosecutor's Office (non) sharing of evidence with the defense in the Lubanga trial, Beatrice le Frapper Du Hellen, has resurfaced with France's Mission to the UN. Some are noticing changes in France's positions on the ICC and its prosecutor. If the law is in fact what the judge ate for breakfast, France's speeches are whoever gets into the kitchen last.

Back to the rule of law: at the weekend, the former prime minister of Croatia Ivo Sanader was arrested for corruption. He was a sponsor of now UN human rights official Ivan Simonovic, appointing him as Justice Minister in 2008. How can one of the UN's top rule of law officials be so affiliated with a minister arrested for corruption, as well as with Franjo Tudman, accused post mortem of war crimes? But so it goes at the UN.

As US at UN Selectively Touts Its Advocacy for Gays, Positions on Executions Questioned

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- When a reference to protect lesbians and gays was removed from a draft resolution against arbitrary executions in the UN General Assembly's Third Committee, the US Mission was constrained in fighting it, since they wouldn't vote for the overall resolution due to continued use of drone attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere, according to advocates.

But early on December 10, the US Mission sent some reporters a notice that Ambassador Susan Rice would at 1:15 be announcing a US sponsored amendment to be introduced in the full General Assembly. This early notice did not address the US' overall position on the resolution against arbitrary executions.

As Ambassador Rice walked into the Security Council at 10:30 on Friday morning for meetings on Iran and Haiti, Inner City Press asked if the US would vote for the resolution on executions.

Not getting an answer, Inner City Press put the same question to US Mission staff, along with questioning the seemingly selective distribution of the early notice of Rice's 1:15 appearance.

The response was that the Mission would be issuing a formal notice. But what about the US position on the resolution against executions? Watch this site.

At UN, Condi Got Gambari Fired from Burma, Similar Suck Up to Sudan Still Unacted On

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 11 -- UN official Ibrahim Gambari was targeted for firing by the previous US administration, for being too close to the military government of Myanmar, to which he was UN envoy, a cable Wikileaked this week has shown:

“Mr. Gambari's inappropriate claims of success regarding peripheral issues, and his unwillingness to press the regime more forcefully for progress have caused us to conclude that his continued involvement undermines the good offices mission and should therefore be ended... USUN is asked to demarche SYG Ban or Ambassador Kim to seek Gambari's dismissal as SRSG for Burma. This demarche should occur as soon as practical.”

What happened next is telling: the overly dictator friendly Gambari was transferred by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to cover Darfur in Sudan.

There, Gambari has gone out of his way not to investigate or report on killing by the government of Omar al Bashir.

On December 9, Sudan's Ambassador to the UN praised the UN Mission in Darfur and the “seasoned diplomat” who is in charge -- Gambari.

What has the US Administration of Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice done about Gambari? So far, nothing.

During the Security Council's October 2010 trip to Sudan and Darfur, Susan Rice had multiple opportunities to give the Administration's view of Gambari's performance, but did not.

Gambari in Darfur with Susan Rice et al., Oct 2010, action not shown (c) MRLee

The Wikileaked cable, in which Condoleezza Rice directed a demarche to Ban or “Ambassador Kim” that Gambari should be take off the Burma file, resulted in that action. If the argument is that the current US Mission to the UN is working behind the scene on this, so far no results have been seen.

On Haiti, UN Role in Recount Unclear, US Mirrors UN On Cholera Origins

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- Fresh from the snafu of UN's involvement in Cote d'Ivoire's contested election, it remained unclear Friday what role if any the UN will play in the recount of Haiti's election, and the run-off.

Inner City Press asked first the UN Spokesperson, then this month's Security Council president Susan Rice, who also mirrored the UN's position on whether it introduced cholera to Haiti.

At Friday's UN noon briefing, Inner City Press asked the UN's Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: the President of the electoral council there said yesterday, in light of all these, the swirling fraud allegations, et cetera, he said that… he read a statement saying that the ballots will be recounted with international observers and electoral officials watching. So I wanted to know, will the UN be playing any role in this; will they be observing a recount? Will they certify the results?

Spokesperson Nesirky: As I said to you, Mr. Le Roy is briefing the Council, and as part of that briefing he said that they are awaiting clarification about the Commission’s terms of reference and membership. So that’s still not clear.

Less than an hour later, US Ambassador Susan Rice came to the Security Council stakeout position to read out a Council press statement. Inner City Press asked her:

Inner City Press: On the recount, did the Council discuss, and, separately, would the U.S. support some kind of a UN role in observing the recount and certifying the results? And also, on cholera, given the allegations that somehow the peacekeepers may have brought it, which may or may not be true, is there any reform that you can think of, in terms of sending people from one part of the world to another, in terms of what the DPKO can do better to just take the issue off the table?

AMBASSADOR RICE: The fact is that no one can determine conclusively where the cholera strain originated. And certainly it has been the U.S. view, and I think, appropriately, the view taken by the United Nations, that it is far more important at this crucial stage, when people are dying and contracting the disease in high numbers, to figure out how to prevent and treat the epidemic, rather than focus principally on its origins, which can never be medically determined with certainty.

With respect to the electoral process, obviously the Council did discuss, having heard Under-Secretary-General Le Roy's briefing, the importance we attach to the will of the Haitian people being respected, and that all efforts being made by the responsible Haitian authorities and by the responsible international monitors and observers is welcome to try to ensure that, as this process unfolds, that there is transparency and maximum support as needed and requested by the authorities to ensure that the ultimate result is free and fair.

We'll see.

As India Joins UNSC It Questions Myanmar Threat & Bashir Indictment

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- On issues ranging from Sudan to Myanmar, India joining the UN Security Council next month may work counter to what an Indian diplomat on Friday characterized as “Western” goals.

Responding to a question from Inner City Press about Sudan, the Indian diplomat said his country is sympathetic to African countries' request that the International Criminal Court indictment of President Omar al Bashir for genocide be “suspended for six months or a year.”

Pressed, he predicted that the matter would be taken up by the Council before or in connection with the South Sudan secession referendum, scheduled for January 9.

Thursday in Council consultations, Gabon challenged what ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo said about genocide. Later, Sudan's Ambassador trashed Ocampo at the Council stakeout, with no response from the US or any other Council member.

On the fight this week in the Security Council about whether the UN should have certified challenger Ouattara as the winner of Cote d'Ivoire's election, the India diplomat echoed Russian in questioning whether getting involved in elections and constitutions is a good precedent for the Council.

Inner City Press can again report, based on interviewing later on Friday, that China shares this position regarding Ivory Coast.

Asked about Myanmar, the Indian diplomat questioned whether the situation there -- “bamboo, rice and fish” as he put it -- is a threat to international peace and security.

On the other hand he pointed out that India this year did not oppose, but rather abstained from, the country specific human rights resolution on Iran. We don't favor stoning women, he dryly pointed out.

Inner City Press asked the diplomat how India's growing economic interests in Africa will interplay with its votes on the Security Council. The diplomat replied grandly that he sees very little connection, that his country and he hopes others take “a broader view.”

But, Inner City Press pointed out using the example of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India could vote with or against President Joseph Kabila of the DRC, where India has more and more interests. No, the diplomat disagreed, India would be voting for or against other Council member, not Joseph Kabila.

Even before joining the Security Council -- for the first time in 19 years, following what he called a depressing past loss to Japan -- India has been a major force in the UN budget process, especially on questions regarding peacekeeping.

On the topic of Security Council reform, the Indian diplomat predicted that a proposal for up or down voting will emerge in six months. He was dismissive of the so called UFC, United for Consensus, which he said has 12 members at most. He contrasted it to Africa with 54 (he singled out Morocco, Algeria and Egypt as important), Asia with 54, small island states and Least Developed Countries.

People in India will say I've lost my mind, in predicting action in six months, the diplomat said, they will know who I am. We'll see.

At UN, Israel's Reuben Trashes Ging on Gaza, Questions Erdogan Connections, Flotilla Report Delayed

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- Israel's current lead Ambassador to the UN didn't mince his words on December 9, about reports on the flotilla incident, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UNRWA's John Ging.

Inner City Press, introduced as such, asked Meron Reuben about what a Turkish diplomat had said earlier in the day, the Israel might turn in its report on the flotilla “in Hebrew, so the UN would have to translate it.”

Reuben scoffed and said it will be submitted in English and it will be a “proper report. We could have done a trumped up report but instead did a proper one. Our government won't come out smelling like a rose, I can promise you that.”

He acknowledged that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's panel, including former Colombian president Uribe, canceled its December meeting to wait for Israel's report, which he said will be submitted in 2011, “not at the very beginning of the year.”

After a pause, Reuben said “It would be interesting to see how connected Erdowan is to militant organizations connected to Al Qaeda.”

Earlier in the week at the US Mission to the UN, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley was asked about Erodogan's threat to sue the US diplomats who repeated unnamed sources allegations that Erdogan has secret bank accounts in Switzerland. As with most things WikiLeaked, Crowley declined to response in any detail.

Iner City Press asked Reuben about UNRWA's John Ging, who when Inner City Press asked last week about shutdowns of the Gaza power plant called it an “intra-Palestinian” matter about payment, and not any fuel blockade by Israel.

Israel was “not impressed” by Ging's report, Reuben said. Sources tell Inner City Press that Reuben has yet to present his credentials to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, being something of a recess appointment. How long will the recess continue? Watch this site.

Chez Susan Rice, Cote d'Ivoire Plots, Sudan Greets and Meats, UN Holidays

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- The Ambassadors of Sudan and Cote d'Ivoire were among the guests at US Ambassador Susan Rice's diplomatic holiday party Thursday night in the Waldorff Towers. The former, Dafallah Osman, had two hours earlier delivered a speech saying that humanitarian groups in Darfur were engaged in “espionage.”

The Ivorian charge d'affaires asked Inner City Press what now should happen to Laurent Gbagbo, who had appointed him. His interlocutor, another African Permanent Representative, predicted that Gbagbo will try to stay in power a la Robert Mugabe.

The Ivorian invitation, it was argued, was sent before Gbagbo ignored the election results, and the remnant Deputy Ambassador wasn't part of the “dark side.” But he was plotting how Gbagbo could stay in power, in Susan Rice's living room. This is diplomacy at the UN.

The crowd was laudably eclectic, including the Special Adviser for the Responsibility to Protect rushing to catch a train for Westchester, the Special Representative on Sexual Violence and Armed Conflict and a slew of Ambassadors, many of whom had stopped first at a Kazakhstan event.

The Ambassador of Serbia, a long time UN employee from Georgia and India, bragged about his country's Davis Cup tennis win over France. The Ambassador of Palau, from the Upper West Side, talked up his wife's country's move to create a sanctuary for sharks.

Tajikistan is taking the chair, at least in New York, of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which sides with Sudan's Omar al Bashir over the International Criminal Court. “I am only the chair,” the Tajik Ambassador told Inner City Press. Israel's Ambassador also spoke at length, which may be a separate story.

In the US Mission residence's dining room there was turkey, ham and cheese and slew of ASGs, from Human Resources to ACABQ. Interesting art on the walls was said to be on loan for a program for US Embassies. The full USUN team was in the house, from the spokespeople to Rosemary DiCarlo through Brooke Anderson to Rick Barton and Ambassador Melrose, who covers the Budget Committee.

The US' big event this month will be Youth in the Security Council. Austria will have three youths there, but only if they can pay their own airfare. While they will fetchingly stay overnight with the Austrian Perm Rep, could this be just an event for rich kids?

Even in the US, schools are on hiatus when the event is being held. We'll see who shows up, and what scholarships are provided. It was a friendly event full of holiday spirit. And in Sudan, the UN Mission in Darfur covers up killings. UN Peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy told Inner City Press he will look into it. What will the US do? Watch this site.

On Darfur, As UNAMID Covers Up Killings by Sudan, ICC Reports Them

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- After the UN refused to release what it knows about the killing of civilians at Tabarat and the destruction of Soro and other villages in Darfur in September, the International Criminal Court's report unveiled in the Security Council on December 9 names 13 other destroyed villages (with Soro transliterated as “Souroo”), and has witness quotes what it calls the government sponsored killing in Tabarat (which it calls Tabra).

After ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo's presentation to the Security Council on Thursday, Inner City Press on camera asked both him and Sudan's Permanent Representative to the UN Dafallah Osman about the Tabra killings and the destruction of villages.

Sudan's Ambassador said that the killings were “tribal,” involving kidnapping and promises to pay blood money. He praised UNAMID and its leader Ibrahim Gambari (calling him a “seasoned diplomat”).

Inner City Press asked if he thought UNAMID should release what it knows about the Tabra killings. This, he did not answer, instead ranging from saying that Ocampo's report shows NGOs were engaged in “espionage” to claiming that Radio Dabanga was disseminating destabilizing and even “genocidal” information.

Ocampo had stood several yards away, unlike with the previous Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamed, whom Ocampo stood right next to during their final stare down. When Ocampo came to the microphone, Inner City Press asked him if he thought UNAMID was in essence covering up Sudan's and Bashir's acts by not reporting on them.

Ocampo said that UNAMID is under threat, that's why it doesn't report. This means that UNAMID is not reporting, which is its job. What will Ban Ki-moon, the Security Council and Obama administration do?

Earlier on Thursday, Mark Hanis of the Genocide Intervention Network / Save Darfur Coalition on a press conference call said Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden campaigned on (among other things) protecting civilians in Darfur, and named Samantha Power and Susan Rice as officials. Hanis called them “disappointing” so far. Inner City Press asked what UNAMID should do. Report, Hanis said. But UNAMID does not.

On both December 8 and 9, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about fighting and death in Darfur, including in Tabarat / Tabra:

Inner City Press: a request made to UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] for the report that they were supposed to do on the Tabarat killings of 2 September, near Tawilla, the one that the Secretary-General summoned Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari to speak about. Anyway, somebody that asked him was told that there is no report for external dissemination available on it, and I just wonder, what is the UN’s final finding? Did it do the right thing, in apparently not getting out to the site despite the warning by relatives of those killed? Are all such reports confidential, and in which case, how is the Security Council or the international community to assess the level of violence and killing in Darfur if these new reports never come out?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, that’s a very long question.

Question: This is the only time I’ll ask it, but if there is anything the UN can say about those killings, I’d like to know.

Spokesperson: Well, I hear your question, I think, and let’s look into what the Mission tells us.

More than a full day later, UNAMID has said nothing. When Inner City Press asked again about UNAMID on December 9, Nesirky claimed he had already answered questions, including about attacks the Sudanese government had just bragged about.

In assuming Presidency of the Security Council for December, Susan Rice told Inner City Press that UNAMID (and UNMIS) are required to investigate and report on attacks on civilians. Does that mean report to the public, as the ICC does? What will Susan Rice and the US Mission do?

The press had been told that Susan Rice would speak at the stakeout, where Ocampo and Sudan's Ambassador did. But she did not. A reporter given advance notice that she would not come was told that “one country” had blocked the elements to the press that she would have read. But she could have spoken, especially after what Sudan's Ambassador said, including denying things that the US Mission has previously said, about the Council's interlocutors being harassed and Radio Dabanga's Khartoum office being shut down.

Footnote: Inner City Press also asked Ocampo about Guinea -- he said he is watching “national proceedings” -- and Kenya, where witnesses are under threat. Ocampo answered by bragging that none of his witnesses have been injured. But how about retaliated against, given what Sudan's Ambassador said about the NGOs. Watch this site.

Second Term Fever of Pillay & Ban Triggers Snub of Liu Xiaobo, "UN" Prize to Tiananmen General Chi Haotian

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 9 -- Why did Ban Ki-moon and now Navi Pillay hide from the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Liu Xiaobao? Because not only Ban but now also Navi Pillay want second terms in power, which China could block.

When Navi Pillay took the post as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, most understand that she wanted only one term. This was viewed positively, in that she could then do what she thought was right, without worrying about being blocked for a second term.

But recently, sources tell Inner City Press, Pillay has taken an interest in a second term. This, they say, and not any unbreakable other commitment, explains her controversial decision not to even attend the December 10 ceremony in Oslo to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo.

The UN has said that she has another commitment, and that the UN somehow wasn't invited. During Ban's recent four day visit to China, he did not mention the name of the Nobel Peace Prize winner. When his Under Secretary General Sha Zukang handed an award to the general in charge during Tiananmen Square, Ban did nothing.

Inner City Press asked then, and again on November 24:

Inner City Press: finally on this, there is this issue of the award that was given by Under-Secretary-General Sha [Zukang] to Chi Haotian, the General involved in the Tiananmen Square incident. I just, it was left — at the time it was said that, Martin Nesirky said that, Mr. Sha was on UN time while he was in China, but that the Secretariat hadn’t been informed that this award was going to be given. Questions continue. It’s been reported in China that this was a UN award or somehow given in his official capacity. What’s the UN’s final position on whether Mr. Sha was operating as an Under-Secretary-General when he gave it, and if he wasn’t, what’s going, what’s happened since?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq: Mr. Sha, I believe, tried to provide an explanation for his actions. At this point, I don’t have anything further to say about any UN response.

Inner City Press: He gave an explanation to the Secretary-General’s office?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: To the Secretary-General’s office.

Inner City Press: Was it acceptable?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson: At this point I don’t have anything further to say. We did receive an explanation.

Chinese media have reported that the general was given a “UN Prize” by Sha Zukang... What will the UN -- and Navi Pillay -- do? Watch this site.

As Haiti Burns and Suffers, UN Stonewalls on Voting and Cholera in Camp Corail

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- Amid protests of electoral fraud in Haiti, the UN finds itself hindered by increasing reports that its peacekeepers introduced cholera to Haiti. Meanwhile the UN refuses to answer questions, about whether the 100,000 people in Camp Corail were even allowed to vote, what precautions are being taken against a “cholera time bomb” there, even about how much it pays its spokespeople in Haiti.

This last question has been pending with Ban Ki-moon's spokesman's office since November 26. On December 8, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky questions about peacekeepers and cholera:

Inner City Press: There have been a lot of protests of the results that were just announced, and it’s said that the headquarters of [René] Préval’s party have been lit aflame, and the article says there was no UN peacekeeping presence. Has the UN’s terms of engagement or protection presence changed at all? Why were they not there while this party headquarters was burned down?

Spokesperson: Well, you say they weren’t there. Let’s check. As you just heard, the Secretary-General is concerned about the acts of violence. I just read you that statement. The unrest is continuing after the release of the election results. And as you know, MINUSTAH, the Mission, has a very clear role in supporting the Haitian National Police on the ground. Let me find out. I’m sure we’ll be able to tell you precisely what has been going on on the ground.

But six hours later, no further information had been provided by Ban's Spokesman's Office, about the violence or about cholera and Camp Corail.

Inner City Press: And I wanted to ask, there is also, there were reports about this camp, Corail, saying two things. Saying, number one, that there was no… 100,000 people lived there and that the polling station wasn’t open on 28 November, and also quoting the NGO that runs the camp as having warned Nigel Fisher that it’s a time bomb for [inaudible] having received no response by the UN’s cluster system. And I just wonder, what is… is the UN aware of this, of the lack of the ability to vote of 100,000 people in the camp as reported, and also of this… What’s being done to cut off the spread of cholera to this concentration of 100,000 people?

Spokesperson: Well, the first thing is that what the Mission has been saying and what the Secretary-General has also said is that there are formal channels. There are legal procedures to be able to appeal or to lodge complaints about the conduct of the elections, the preliminary results of which were announced last night. And there is a time frame for doing that, and that’s so any complaints that surface should be lodged and then they can be looked into by the appropriate authorities.

With regard to cholera, I think that this is an important point that the key task for humanitarian workers on the ground is to help those people and to avoid the further spread to the extent that it is possible. Now, as I understand it, an appeal was made for funding to help the people on the ground — $174 million was required and requested specifically for cholera, to help to fight this epidemic on the ground. So, it’s only 20 per cent funded. That makes the work of the humanitarian teams on the ground rather difficult. And of course, any tension on the ground — tension in Haiti as a result of unrest, because of the release of the election results — that also hinders the work of humanitarian staff trying to treat people and to prevent the further spread of cholera.

Inner City Press: I understand all that. I guess I just… it seems like this article that’s in the Min Post, I guess Minnesota, saying… quoting this guy, Brian Castro of the American Refugee Committee, saying it was raised in a cluster committee meeting, that he’s received no response and a request to interview Fisher went unanswered. Obviously he is busy, but I wonder if maybe you can get some answer from MINUSTAH what… I understand even despite the lack of funds… what is… can nothing be done, are they unaware of this warning by the NGO that actually runs the camp?

Spokesperson: You mean that particular camp?

Inner City Press: Yes, that camp.

Spokesperson: Let me find out. But I think the suggestion that nothing can be done is clearly not right. As much as can be done is being done. More could be done, undoubtedly, if all the funding was received. But as that funding continues to flow in, the people on the ground are doing, the people across Haiti from the UN and from NGOs as well, are doing their very best to help to fight this outbreak and to treat those who have already shown the symptoms of cholera. You said you had another question.

Again, six hours later, no information had been provided. Watch this site.

UN Council Agrees After 5 Days to Cote d'Ivoire Statement on Ouattara Win

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- After five days of negotiations, the UN Security Council at 6:30 Wednesday night agreed to a Press Statement, in light of ECOWAS recognition of Alassane Ouattara as the winner of Cote d'Ivoire's election. The Statement also deplores the suspension of non governmental media in Cote d'Ivoire.

Inner City Press has heard that the US urged SRSG Choi to declare Ouattara the winner, even before the Constitutional Council had made its statement - out of order.

Inner City Press asked African Ambassadors for their views as they left the Council chamber.

“We wanted the Security Council to support Africans' decisions,” Ambassador Rugunda of Uganda told Inner City Press.

“You see?” Gabon's Ambassador said. “A Russian contribution.”

Russia had held out -- several sources told Inner City Press that China supported Russia too. Chinese Ambassador Li Baodong told Inner City Press that the two parties should share.

Even Uganda's Ruganda said “we are not throwing Gbagbo out. He can stay, as opposition.”

With US Permanent Representative Susan Rice in Washington, Brooke Anderson was picked to read out the press statement. It was long, and Ambassador Anderson walked away from the microphone as Inner City Press asked, "Why did this take so long?"

While the US was reticent to explain, they pointed to elements in the text finally agreed, for example the section on free press, and mostly the inclusion of Ouattara's name. Something, they say, was accomplished. But what about the bombings in Sudan?

The US Mission has still not answered questions put to it last week and on Tuesday about murder and bombings in Sudan, including a call by the SPLM for a Security Council investigation... But that (apparently) is for another day.

At UN on Cote d'Ivoire, Russian Expert Stood Up to UK & Susan Rice, No “Note taker”

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- As the dust begins to settle on the Security Council's five day standoff over an ultimately bland draft Cote d'Ivoire press statement, Western countries' characterization of the Russian representative at Wednesday morning's session as a “mere” and even “meek” note taker has been contradicted.

In the December 8 consultations, after the UK harshly criticized the stance Deputy Permanent Representative Dolgov had taken the day before, the Russian expert Diana Eloeva said she “heard what one member said about [her] country and didn't like it.”

“Which member?” Susan Rice asked.

“Everyone heard it and knows who it is,” Ms. Eloeva calmly replied.

Diana Eloeva on Dec 8, showdown with Susan Rice not shown (c) MRLee

She is Russia's expert on Guinea Bissau, and traveled with the Council delegation to Timor Leste. She is from North Ossetia. And now, she has stood up to the UK and Susan Rice.

At UN, Cote d'Ivoire Deal Mirroring ECOWAS Looms, Battle for Credit Begins

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8, updated -- On Cote d'Ivoire as the Security Council inched toward a deal mirroring the ECOWAS statement but not declaring Ouattara the winner, battles were on for who would claim credit.

Mexico in morning consultation put forward the ECOWAS solution. But two African Permanent Representative were skeptical. “Not only Mexican,” said one. “We'll take support from anywhere,” the other said, smiling broadly.

US Permanent Representative Susan Rice was present for Tuesday's five hour fight, and even Wednesday morning's standoff with a lower level Russian. With a deal approaching she is absent. Cabinet meeting in Washington was the reason given. Who would read a belatedly agreed to press statement for the US? Another Ambassador.

Inner City Press directly asked Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Konstantin Dolgov if he would agree to “mirror ECOWAS.” He replied, “You are ahead of the Security Council!” We'll see.

Update of 5:15 pm -- the Security Council has taken a 15 minute break to print a new version, with sources saying a deal is near. Gabon's Ambassador, to whom Inner City Press asked about Mexico's role, said instead, “Russian contribution!” We still see a positive contribution by Mexico's PR Heller, who will be missed along with Austria's Ambassador on the Council once the countries leave in December. But will the Cote d'Ivoire deal be done this evening? UK's Lyall Grant has left.

On Sudan, As US Says No Abyei Referendum Jan 9, UN Silent, on Darfur Killings Too

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8 -- On Abyei, the day after US State Department spokesman PPJ Crowley told the Press “we have a recognition that that referendum will not go forward on January 9th,” the UN on December 8 declined to join in the recognition.

Inner City Press had asked Crowley about Sudan, including the referenda and bombings, regarding which the SPML has asked for an investigation by the UN Security Council, led this month by the US.

Crowley did not answer about the bombings, but called the South Sudan referendum among the most important issues of the first half of 2011. He added on “the situation on Abyei... we have a recognition that that referendum will not go forward on January 9th, but we continue to encourage the parties to work on a solution to Abyei.”

At the UN's December 8 noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky if the UN and its Mission in Sudan UNMIS agree or disagree with the US assessment.

Nesirky woodenly repeated that Abyei is important to the UN, just as he has repeated platitudes from the UN Mission in Darfur, UNAMID, about looking into Khartoum's actions and statement, in order to speak with the Bashir government behind the scene.

In fact, the lone Darfur rebel group which signed a deal with Bashir has now broken it off and had its offices raided. UNAMID won't confirm this. Inner City Press is informed that when asked for the results of its inquiry into peacekeepers' inaction while civilians were killed in Tabarat near Tawilla in early September, UNAMID said there is no report for public dissemination.

Nesirky on Wednesday called this a "long question" -- it has been a long story, including a claim by Ban Ki-moon himself that he was taking the killings and protection of civilians by UNAMID seriously, ending in a whimper: no public report.

Also, the US Mission has still not answered questions put to it last week and on Tuesday about murder and bombings in Sudan, including a call by the SPLM for a Security Council investigation...

Here is the US' transcript of December 7 Q&A with PJ Crowley on Sudan (and Yemen) --

Inner City Press: Thanks a lot. Matthew Lee, Inner City Press. I wanted to ask about Yemen. You were asked, I think back on December 15th, if the U.S. was involved in any military operations in Yemen. And you said no. And obviously, the cables have sort of confirmed air strikes at least as early as December 17th. I understand maybe you’re going to say that you – the question was only about the Houthis. Can you just say – I guess is it –

MR. CROWLEY: Well, in fact, the question was about the Houthis.

Inner City Press: Does that –

MR. CROWLEY: I went back. I was asked about this earlier, and I went back to the transcript of last year. And the question started with the Houthis claiming that the United States had bombed them, and the answer to that question was no. Remember, in Yemen, there are multiple conflicts, and thankfully, at least for the moment, the conflict between the Yemeni Government and the Houthis has been resolved – or not resolved, but it has been arrested. But there is a conflict between the Yemeni Government and al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. If you go back to a number of cases where we have been asked about particular issues, we have given a different answer that the United States supports Yemen’s counterterrorism efforts without being specific. So I understand that there is some confusion over how I answered that question, but I answered that question in the context of whether the United States was involved in the Yemeni action against the Houthis, and the answer to that was and remains no.

Inner City Press: And also on Sudan, I wanted to ask you – there’s some who are saying that the government started bombing – has been bombing in Darfur for some weeks and has actually now twice bombed South Sudan. So some people are wondering why the U.S. – obviously, the focus is on the CPA and the referendum, but is the U.S. thinking of naming an envoy, as some of the activists and NGO groups have said? What is the U.S. view of – are things going – what’s this bombing mean? Does it mean that the government is trying to stop the referendum? And what does – during your Security Council presidency?

MR. CROWLEY: I’m delighted that you brought up Sudan, and I think probably working off of the question of accomplishments in 2010, we can look to probably what might well be the most significant story that we face in 2011. We are now 30 days away from a referendum about the future of Sudan. We are encouraged by the voter registration that has been ongoing in preparation for that referendum. And we have made it clear to the parties that their future relationship with the United States depends on working cooperatively towards a successful and credible referendum on January 9th.

And secondly, depending on the outcome of that referendum and the will of the people of South Sudan, who through the CPA have earned the right to have a voice in their future, we have made it clear to leaders in Khartoum and Juba that they must cooperate in the post-referendum phase. And should the people of South Sudan vote for independence, it’ll be incumbent upon them to work effectively and cooperatively leading to the creation of a new nation of South Sudan next July.

This is arguably the most compelling – one of the most – if not the most compelling story that the world will face in the first half of 2011. And we understand the risks quite compellingly that if this goes well, it has the ability to transform and have a very positive effect on many challenges around the region, not the least of which is the situation in Darfur. And if it goes badly, we understand that there is a significant risk of a return to civil war. We are doing everything in our power, working, again, cooperatively with the international community, to try to make sure that the referendum on South Sudan moves ahead constructively.

We continue to press the parties with respect to the situation on Abyei. I think we have a recognition that that referendum will not go forward on January 9th, but we continue to encourage the parties to work on a solution to Abyei. Our Special Envoy Scott Gration has just – is returning to the region today and will be engaged over the next several days in Khartoum, in Juba, in Darfur. He will also be in Doha where the Qataris have led a very effective process to garner international support for this effort. So this is something that we have been committed to since the Obama Administration came into office, following up on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that was negotiated during the last American administration, and we are committed to do everything in our power to see this referendum come off peacefully and credibly.

At UN on Cote D'Ivoire, Russia Remains Firm, Sends "Note Taker," Test for Rice?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 8, updated -- On Cote d'Ivoire, after Security Council president Susan Rice and Russian Deputy Permanent Representative Konstantin Dolgov debated for five hours on Tuesday, on Wednesday Russia sent a much lower ranked official to the Council's consultations, described as a Second Secretary.

“The Russians don't have any new instructions,” Inner City Press was told by the Ambassador of a Permanent Five member, whose Mission gushed angrily that “the African members are begging Russia to agree, if Gbagbo doesn't leave there could be violence.”

Whether a belated Press Statement by the UN Security Council would be the determinant in Laurent “le Boulanger” Gbagbo leaving is dubious. But Russia's unmoved position is noteworthy.

Recently China was similarly unmovable on North Korea, stating upfront that it would not agree to the word “condemn” in any statement about the shelling of the Korean island. But, a Western diplomat compared, at least China saved everybody's time. “Dolgov liked to debate,” the diplomat said. “And Susan Rice took the bait.”

Across First Avenue in the US Mission on Tuesday, State Department spokesman PJ Crowley bragged to foreign correspondents about what the US was accomplishing in the Security Council about Cote d'Ivoire. But what is being accomplished? Watch this site.

Footnotes: Inner City Press has also learned that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon took part in an emergency meeting with the UN Deparment of Safety & Security on December 4 about UNOIC and his close ally, Choi Young-jin. The range of telephone calls Ban may have made to buttress Choi's position is not yet known.

Also, the US Mission has still not answer questions put to it last week and on Tuesday about murder and bombings in Sudan, including a call by the SPLM for a Security Council investigation...

Update of 12:53 p.m. -- the Russian diplomat characterized by her Western Security Council counterparties as a “note taker” is in fact an “expert,” for example on Guinea-Bissau. At Wednesday's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked UN Secretariat spokesman Martin Nesirky if the lack of any correction below Council President Rice's final statement in Tuesday's open meeting meant that the Secretariat had denied Russia's request. Ask the Americans, Nesirky again said, then after being pressed added that he will see if Security Council Affairs has any more to say. Watch this site.

As Sudan Bombs, UN Stonewalls, US Dodges

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 7 -- On Sudan, the UN turns away from killing and abuse while the US downplays it. On December 7, Inner City Press asked the UN spokesman, the US' PJ Crowley and the US Mission to the UN about bombings by Khartoum, with a range of evasive answers and non-answers.

At the UN's Tuesday noon briefing, Inner City Press asked spokesman Martin Nesirky:

Inner City Press: There have been — the SPLM [Sudan People’s Liberation Movement] has come out and said that, now Monday and Tuesday of this week, that Khartoum has bombed West Bahr El-Ghazal State and they’re calling for a UN investigation and saying this could throw the referendum off track. What has UNMIS [United Nations Mission in Sudan] done to investigate it and what does UN say to this call for an investigation?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, as far as I know from UNMIS, they have been informed by the SPLA [Sudan People’s Liberation Army] that an aerial bombing took place yesterday, 15 miles north-east of Timsaha. And a monitoring and verification team led by UNMIS is on the ground trying to verify the incident. So that’s as much as I have at the moment.

Inner City Press: What about this thing that I asked you yesterday about the transitional Darfur regional authority being raided by the Sudanese authorities in Darfur? Does Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari or UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur], have they been able in the many hours since that happened to confirm it?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I don’t have anything specific for you on that at the moment, no. Okay?

[The Spokesperson later added that, at this stage, the Mission is looking into the possible implications of recent statements and actions by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Armed Forces and will discuss it with the Government.]

Actually, it's NOT okay -- the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General delivered this belated (non) response not at the briefing or by email afterward, but by an in-house squawk system not audible at the Security Council where Inner City Press and other reporters were.

When US Ambassador Susan Rice emerged from the Council and delivered a short statement about Ivory Coast, Inner City Press asked one question on that topic, then asked repeated, “A question on Sudan?” Ambassador Rice smiled but walked away from the microphone.

Inner City Press conveyed the question -- what will the US do about the SPLM's call for a Security Council investigation of the bombings, during this month when the US is the Council President -- but four hours after delivery, there was still no answer. We will report it when one arrives.

US State Department Spokesman PJ Crowley came to New York on Tuesday to address reporters, largely about Wikileaks. Inner City Press asked about Crowley's December 15 negative response to a question if there were “any” US military operations in Yemen, in light of the December 17 drone attacks in Yemen (Crowley said his response was only about the Houthi), and about Sudan and the bombings.

Crowley barely addressed the bombings, but said that the South Sudan referendum would be one of the biggest events of the first half of 2011, and could help or hurt the situation in Darfur. But what about the situation now, and the UN's and envoy Ibrahim Gambari's inaction?

Inner City Press asked Human Rights Watch's Richard Dicker about Gambari's recent actions, attending Bashir's inauguration and negotiating to hand over to Bashir five supporters of Fur rebel Abdel Wahid Nur. Video here, from Minute 41:30. Dicker said that it seems “Gambari is violating policy.” Seems? Watch this site.