On Cote d'Ivoire at UN, S. Africa Proposes Elements on AU, Ukraine Copter Vote

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, February 4 -- As the UN Security Council met Friday about Cote d'Ivoire, the closed doors consultations left many questions hanging. After Inner City Press for three days asked the UN why the helicopters voted on by the Council on January 21 were still not in Abidjan, the reason became clear, not from the UN but Kiev.

Ukraine just approved the shift of copters from Liberia to Ivory Coast - click here. Why didn't the UN just say that?

Inner City Press asked Alassane Ouattara's Ambassador Bamba about the two journalists, reportedly Forces Nouvelles affiliated, whom the UN transported on January 28 from Bouake to Abidjan, where they were arrested as rebels. I don't have anything on that, Ambassador Bamba said.

Another Ivorian Mission source called the case an “outrage” - but the UN and Choi Young-jin have yet to. Mr. Choi has said he will talk to the Press after the consultations.

A Permanent Five member's Permanent Representative emerged and told Inner City Press that South Africa is proposing a Council press statement (actually, elements to the press) in support of the African Union mediation including South African President Jacob Zuma. Another diplomat shook his head and said this would “make Gbagbo happy.”

Following the Security Council's unceremonious ouster of the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General under Martin Nesirky, on Friday representatives of UNESCO and, it was said, UNICEF were told they could not even wait in the Quiet Room of the Council. Paranoia, one agency rep called it. And so it goes.

At UN, Rights Groups Grilled in NGO Committee by Iran, Morocco, Cuba

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 4 -- Iran trashed, and the US spring to the defense of, the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center in the UN's Committee on NGOs on February 3.

Ignoring admonishments that it was taking too much time, Iran's representative read into the record a 2006 Boston Globe article that the IHRDC received $1 million of the US's $3.5 million for democratization in Iran. The US representative broke in with a point of order. And then it was over.

In the abruptly cut off session, Iran didn't mention a 2009 article that the Obama Administration was cutting the funding. As of 2011, the IHRDC is said to receive 40% of its funding from the US and Canada. An Inner City Press correspondent's summary of the Q&A, different from the UN's more diplomatic and air-brushed version, is below.

Earlier in the week, Morocco opposed a Swiss-based Western Sahara human rights group, using procedural tactics concerning the law of NGOs in Switzerland, and a rule that an applicant must have a certificate more than two years old in order to apply for consultative status with the UN. But in Switzerland, as Cuba pointed out, NGOs do not have to register.

When a group for the disappeared in Algeria appeared to answer questions, Burundi asked why the representative why focus on the disappeared? Because my child was disappeared in 1997, came the answer. There was silence. Then Cuba asked for a delay, noting that the group's submissions were only in French. The Cuban delegate apologized for not knowing this language of diplomacy, while noting that he does speak Hungarian.

A group for the indigenous in Asia mentioned that it was working with refugees from Myanmar -- one wondered if this would block the group. The Association of War Affected Women of Sri Lanka was grilled by Cuba regarding whether its funding is “sustainable.”

The new way of opposing NGOs in the UN is on procedural grounds, by asking more and more questions, challenging certificates. Iran came right out and said that the IHRDC is a US-funded group trying for regime change in Iran. The group, in the 30 seconds given it, denied it, saying "We don't hold seminars to overthrow the Islamic Republic of Iran."

In Cote d'Ivoire, UN Silent on Copters & as Journalists Arrested After UN Flight

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 3 -- As the Cote d'Ivoire strategy of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and his ONUCI envoy Choi Young-jin is described as unraveling, the ONUCI Mission and UN no longer answer basic questions. Inner City Press has asked about events on January 28, in which two journalists flown from Bouake to Abidjan on a UN plane were immediately arrested.

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on February 3 said that “UNOCI has not comment on this,” and argued that the arrest did not take place in flight, but after landing. But if the UN can't even protect civilians or journalists the moment they get off a UN plane, how can they comply with their protection of civilians mandate?

Inner City Press had asked and is asking the UN to

“please confirm or deny the UN's / ONUCI's awareness of the arrest below, please explain how journalists could be arrested while flying on a UN operated flight, and regarding the helicopters voted on by the Security Council more than two weeks ago, please state between whom the “discussions” in your response of yesterday are taking place, and on what topic. Also, what were these helicopters doing with UNMIL until until two weeks ago, and now? The reported arrests:

“Sanogo and Charly left Bouaké for Abidjan at about 3 p.m. on 28 January aboard a flight operated by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Côte d'Ivoire (ONUCI). They were arrested on their arrival at the Abidjan air base by members of the Defence and Security Forces (FDS).”

Also on January 28, UN peacekeepers engaged with “young people” with “moderate force.” Inner City Press since then has been asking the UN and its Department of Peacekeeping Operations how young these people where and what safeguards were in place -- without answer.

So on February 3, Inner City Press asked the UN's Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy about the incident, and what rules apply to UN peacekeepers engaging with child soldiers or activists.

Ms. Coomaraswamy said she would call for the use of “minimal” force -- to be contrasts with the “moderate” force ONUCI says it used.

But when Inner City Press asked Ms. Coomaraswamy if her office had been notified by ONUCI or DPKO about their engagement with “youth people,” she said no.

Also, with the helcopters voted on by the Security Council more than two weeks ago still no in Cote d'Ivoire, Inner City Press has asked, among other things, “Regarding the helicopters for Cote d'Ivoire / ONUCI voted on by the Security Council more than two weeks ago, please state between whom the “discussions” in your response of yesterday are taking place, and on what topic.” Watch this site.

As IMF Urges Pakistan to Raise Tax, Dodges Food Prices, Cote d'Ivoire and, Belatedly, Bulgaria

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 3, updated -- With protests related to rising food prices and mis-government spreading worldwide, the IMF in Pakistan is reportedly urging the much-opposed government to raise taxes on agricultural income, and thereby food prices too.

At the IMF's fortnightly press briefing on Thursday, Inner City Press submitted four question, including about Pakistan, food prices and Cote d'Ivoire. IMF spokesperson Caroline Atkinson, calling three of the four questions “bilateral,” read out and answered only one:

“On Pakistan, can you confirm the IMF is accepting delay in the Reformed General Sales Tax, in exchange for the gov't raising other taxes, such as taxes on agricultural income? What impact could this have on food prices?”

To this, Ms. Atkinson said that what she would confirm was that the IMF had a team in Pakistan, working closely with the government “to get the program back on track” including “revenue raising measure so that they have the resources... especially after the floods." But what safeguards are there that this revenue raising won't further raise food prices?

Among the questions that Atkinson called “bilateral” was one directly on food prices:

“On Africa, what is the IMF's response to Botswana Central Bank governor Linah Mohohlo's statement that 'The IMF (International Monetary Fund) is also lagging behind. I am almost sure the problems of Africa will not reach the board of the IMF.' She added that higher food inflation in the continent squeezes the poor?”

One wonders how this is a “bilateral” question -- does that mean, not of general interest? Those in person at the IMF's briefing asked question after question about Egypt, even after Atkinson made it clear she would not answer, saying “we are not political experts.” She would not even answer if the IMF had been in contact this week with Egypt's finance minister.

In response to a question from an Israeli newspaper, Ms. Atkinson acknowledged the obvious, that events in Egypt would have regional impact. But here is another question she called bilateral:

“On Cote d'Ivoire, what is the IMF's comment on the recent sovereign bond default? What does the IMF think the impacts would be of Cote d'Ivoire breaking from the CFA and establishing its own currency? What are the IMF's plans on Cote d'Ivoire?”

At the end of the IMF briefing, Spokesperson Atkinson concluded, "I should just say that we've received some bilateral questions on Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire and Romania that will be answered bilaterally." This was the question about protests against the IMF also not answered at the briefing nor by embargo deadline:

On Romania, what is the IMF's response to 1000s of people protesting in Romania after “the government cut public workers' salaries, increased the sales tax from 19 to 24 per cent and cut child benefits to meet demands by the IMF”?

Recently at the UN, a wire service reporter proposed that other reporters at briefings should only ask questions in which “everyone” is interested. Perhaps the IMF has adopted this approach. But it goes around world trumpeting its interest in Africa, for example. How then are questions about Cote d'Ivoire and Botswana “bilateral”? Watch this site.

Update: later, this arrived:

From: IMF spokesperson
Date: Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 6:11 PM
Subject: FW: Inner City today--Romania
To: Inner City Press

Dear Matthew, Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. Below you will find our answer with regard to your question on Romania, which you can attribute to an IMF spokesperson.

“Following very large nominal wage increases during the economic boom period in Romania, public wages were cut 25 percent last summer. Adjustment of the public sector was necessary and the authorities decided on a combination of expenditure cuts and increases of revenues to put the public finances back on a sustainable path.”

In UN Forest Week, Maathai Dodges on UNDP, Sri Lanka Dispute

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 2 -- Alongside UN inaction on Egypt, and lack of follow through on Darfur and Cote d'Ivoire, it's forest week at the UN. Wednesday the UN Food & Agriculture Organization's forestry expert Eduardo Rojas-Briales told the Press that, as a region, Asia is doing well. He named as Asian countries going the wrong way on forests Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste.

When Inner City Press asked him for details, he tied the forest backsliding to conflict, in Myanmar and Sri Lanka. There he said the conflict came to an end, but only recently.

Later on Wednesday, however, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the UN Palitha Kohona took issue with the FAO report. He said that because on the conflict, forests “just grew” and “no one could go hunting.” Then he cut away to speak to President of the General Assembly Joseph Deiss.

The venue was a reception by Croatia presenting photos and even a video of its forests. The country's deputy prime minister, speaking in Croatian, said people should come not only for Zagreb and the coastline, but the trees. He handed out hearts carved of wood and painted red and green.

Speaking for the UN was China's Sha Zukang. Afterwards Inner City Press asked him about China's role in logging in the Congo, where huge trees are ripped out for cheap furniture. “Some trees have to come down,” he said, described massive replanting in China.

Sha Zukang's staffer disputed that the Amazon rainforest is shrinking. Inner City Press asked her about EarthFirst, putting metal spikes in trees that face the chainsaw. People who only say no, she replied, are stuck in the 1950s.

Above her the ceiling of this UN General Assembly entrance hall was peeling. There were salmon sandwiches, red and white white, the forestry ministers of Turkey and other countries. The 13 year old boy famous for his photos of “Stop Talking, Start Planting," Felix Finkbeiner, was there.

Earlier on Wednesday, Wangari Maathai of Kenya spoke. Inner City Press asked her about criticism of the REDD and REDD+ programs. She said that indigenous people were being taken into account.

When an enterprising reporter asking about a UNDP study saying the green jobs are not being achieved -- a position echoed by former UN climate envoy Yvo de Boer -- the UN moderator cut the question off, saying that of course Ms. Maathai couldn't answer for UNDP. Why not let a Nobel Peace Prize winner speak for herself? But the UN protects itself. as some forests are ravaged. Watch this site.

In Cote d'Ivoire, UN Copters Absent After 2 Weeks, UN Passes Buck to Licorne

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 2 -- Two weeks after the UN Security Council with fanfare passed a resolution to send three attack helicopters and troops to Cote d'Ivoire, the UN on Wednesday confirmed to Inner City Press that the helicopters had not yet arrived.

The UN said “discussions” were ongoing, without saying with thom these discusses were. With defiant leader Laurent Gbagbo? With Alassane Ouattara holed up in the Golf Hotel?

Others have questioned, if the UN Mission in Liberia could so easily give these helicopters up, what was the US-supported Mission doing with them anyway?

India's Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, on his way out of the Security Council on Wednesday morning, told the Press that the issue of the helicopters would be addressed with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon when he returns from his long trip to Switzerland, Addis Ababa and London.

Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq to confirm the helicopters had not arrived, and why, asking the UN in writing:

“Can you state the status of getting the three helicopters (and peacekeepers and other equipment) called for in the most recent Cote d'Ivoire resolution of the Security Council into Abidjan? If they are not in, what are the obstacles? What is the time frame? What assistance is the UN requesting?”

While awaiting response, Inner City Press asked this month's Security Council president Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti to confirm that the helicopters had not yet arrived, and how the Council follows up. She said she was not aware but would look into it.

Later on Wednesday, the UN sent this answer:

From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 1:24 PM
Subject: Your question on UNOCI
To: Inner City Press

Regarding a question on whether helicopters from UNMIL have been transferred to UNOCI: Discussions are continuing on the issue of helicopters and they have yet to arrive in Cote d'Ivoire.

Where are these discussions? With whom?

UN & Licorne, which UN says "supports ONUCI" then won't answer

The UN has rebuffed other Cote d'Ivoire questions. Day after day since January 22, Inner City Press asked:

“In Abidjan, much is being made of the stated discovery of assault helicopter parts in a shipment supposedly of food for the Force Licorne peacekeepers. This is a request that the UN and its mission in Abidjan, which is sure to have seen the now day-old story, state its understanding of what was in the shipment, respond to criticism”

After ignoring the question for more than a week, the UN finally dodged it, telling Inner City Press “On Cote d'Ivoire, your question should be addressed to Force Licorne.”

But France's Licorne is there under a UN mandate, and the scandal surrounding it impacts the UN presence. Watch this site.

Amid Protests, UNDP Suspends Egypt & Tunisia Programs, Ban Ki-moon Vituperates

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 2 -- As in Cairo peaceful demonstrators are beaten while the police and army watch, the UN's responses have been at cross purposes.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said “I once again urge restraint to all the sides.” The UN Development Program defended its work with Egypt's police, but also told Inner City Press that all of its programs in Egypt have be put on hold.

Inner City Press asked incoming Security Council President Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti if Ban's Department of Political Affairs chief Lynn Pascoe would or even could raise Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen in the so-called “horizon scanning” briefing set for February 23.

She said one or two issues would be negotiated in advance. Given the composition of the Council, and Ban's need for votes for a second term, it seems clear that the protests against autocrats will not reach the Security Council.

She was asked, what it would take to put it on the Council's agenda, the takeover of the Suez Canal? There was some laughter in the press room, but no answer.

Inner City Press asked both Ban's spokesmen and UNDP the following, beginning on January 30:

“Please provide Ban Ki-moon's view on UN system programs like “BENAA” with Egyptian authorities which NGOs say ban credible human rights lawyers from giving lectures to the police because of their political opposition to the NDP, and instead invites MOI officials complicit in torture to give human rights presentations. Also, please state the status of UN system programs in Egypt.”

Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky on January 31 declined to answer but said that he'd made inquiries. Inner City Press re-sent the question to UNDP, adding a request to “please state the status of UNDP programs in Egypt and Tunisia, and if Administrator Clark has any comment on calls for democratization in Yemen, given that she just traveled there.” On February 2 UNDP answered the Egypt and Tunisia but not Yemen) questions:

Subject: RE: Stephane- Hi, questions re Egypt (and Tunisia) programs, response to critique of BENAA, any comment on democratization in Yemen, Somalia follow up, thanks
From: Spokesman Dujarric [at] undp.org
Date: Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 10:51 AM
To: Inner City Press

Matthew, The BENAA Programme aims to help strengthen the culture of Human Rights among government officials. The project has so far trained 1000 Judges, 800 prosecutors and 3500 police officers including security officers on basic Human Rights issues including "What the Egyptian Constitution says on Human Rights", Egypt's obligations to international and regional agreements and conventions on human rights; and what treaty bodies are reporting on Human Rights in Egypt. The training is delivered by University professors, international experts and local NGOs. The absolute majority of the trainers were independent trainers. There were some training sessions that were conducted by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on issues of obligations to international agreements. The project is also supported by the Governments of Holland and Sweden as well as the European Union.

Currently all UNDP projects in Egypt are on hold.

On Tunisia: GEF programmes and MDG related programmes – maternal health and poverty reduction are ongoing. All other programmes are on hold and will be reviewed, in consultation with national partners, to reflect the national priorities and needs.

What Helen Clark had and has to say about Yemen, where Ali Abdullah Saleh the ruler for 32 years now tells protesters he'll leave in 2013, remains to be seen. Watch this site.

Footnote: the reason for Ban's statement “I once again urge restraint to all the sides” may be the demarche to his office by Egypt's Ambassador Maged Elaziz, complaining that Ban didn't also blame protesters for violence.

Egypt's Ambassador has been trying to get a UN system job for some time. But Ban's deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on February 1 confirmed to Inner City Press that he had complained. Then, another statement by Ban “urg[ing] restraint to ALL the sides.”

When UN Flew Haroun, No Reimbursement or Flight Manifest, France vs UK

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- When the UN flew International Criminal Court indictee Ahmed Haroun to Abyei, they did not even ask for reimbursement from the government of Omar al Bashir, also indicted by the ICC for genocide as well as war crimes.

The UN admitted this to Inner City Press after rebuffing the question for two weeks. It still refuses to say who else was on the plane with Haroun.

Meanwhile on February 1, French Ambassador Gerard Araud confirmed to Inner City Press that it was the French Mission to the UN which complained to the UN Secretariat of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about flying Haroun.

Araud said, “there is a question, and I think it is a legitimate question, he is on ICC so it is really...” His voiced trailed off. Really uncomfortable? Really outrageous?

As to who made the decision to fly Haroun, Araud indicated he didn't know. He could, one assumes, find out informally: Frenchman Alain Le Roy is the head of UN Peacekeeping.

Inner City Press has been asking the UN since January 19, after it got spokesman Martin Nesirky to confirm the flying of Haroun by the UN Mission in Sudan, for the specifics of the assistance it provided to Haroun, who decided on it and who was on the flight:

“what type of aircraft was used to fly ICC indictee Haroun to Abyei? Who else was on the flight? How much did the flight cost? Are any of the costs being recouped, or asked to be recouped? Who made the decision to transport Haroun in a UN plane despite the ICC indictment? With whom did this person confer, at UN headquarters? When will Ms. O'Brien of OLA do a briefing?”

After simply ignoring the question for 10 days, on January 31 the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations forwarded this response: “On Ahmed Haroun, we have provided you with our answers previously and have nothing further to add.”

Inner City Press followed up, insisting that

“UNMIS and you should answer yes or no whether the UN has sought reembursement from the Goverment of Sudan for flying ICC indictee Ahmed Haroun to Abyei. If the answer is no, please simply state so. These are after all publicly financed resources, public money.”

Finally on February 1, the UN addressed the question of reimbursement, saying it had not even been requested:

Subject: Your question on Ahmed Haroun
From: UN Spokesperson [at] un.org
Date: Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 2:17 PM
To: Inner City Press

In accordance with its mandate, the Mission provides the necessary support to those key players in their pursuit to find a peaceful solution. In this context, at the request of the Government and on a space available basis, UNMIS provides seats on its flights to Government officials on official business related to the peace process, without any financial implications to the Government and at no additional operational costs to the mission.

This response does not answer who else was on the plane. In fact, footage exists of Haroun arriving back in South Kordofan on a large UN plane, arranging to be filmed so as to use the UN to undermine the ICC and its indictment. Was the plane otherwise empty? Would it have otherwise flown from Abyei to Kordofan? The UN should provide answers to these questions.

Also on Febuary 1, Inner City Press asked Nesirky's deputy Farhan Haq about Abyei:

Inner City Press: the Sudan Tribune, in an article about Abyei, quotes a UN official who couldn’t give his name because he is not authorized to speak to the media, but has a direct quote saying that UNMIS had heard reports of an armed group with rocket-propelled grenades and machetes amassing north of Difra and Abyei. And says, “but the patrol was not permitted to meet the group”. So, I wanted to know, who would be stopping UNMIS from carrying out its protection of civilians duties in Abyei? Would that be the… it is just, it seems like it is a pretty serious statement by a UN official. Is there some way to find out who stopped… whether the UN has access throughout Abyei and who stopped this particular patrol?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: Well, first we’ll have to see whether the details of that are correct. But we’ll check with our colleagues in UNMIS whether they have reported any blockages.

Inner City Press: And also just now in front of the Security Council, the French Permanent Representative, [Gérard] Araud, said, or I guess confirmed, that he had demarched the Secretariat about the use of UNMIS air assets to move Ahmed Haroun, saying that, you know, he is indicted by the ICC [International Criminal Court] as a war criminal. So, I wanted to know, can the Secretariat confirm that it… who was demarched and what’s their response?

Acting Deputy Spokesperson Haq: I wouldn’t have any details to share on that. On that, what I can tell you is that we have already spoken out about the transport of Ahmed Haroun. We made it clear the necessity of that particular task given the violence in Abyei at the time and I don’t have anything further to say beyond what we have already shared on that.

Perhaps emboldening Ban Ki-moon's Secretariat is the position of the UK. When Inner City Press asked UK Permanent Representative Mark Lyall Grant about UNMIS flying Haroun around, he said that he wouldn't second guess the UN.

On February 1, Inner City Press asked UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parhan about France's demarche, and whether it would be correct to infer that the UK and France have a different position when it comes to requesting answers from the UN about human rights issues.

“I wouldn't want to speak for France,” Parham said, then pointed back to Lyall Grant's “no second guessing the UN” stakeout. Parham added, “There are operational issues where it's right not to second guess.” He said it is not possible to define where this line is. Inner City Press asked if the UK's line might be a certain dollar (or Euro) figure, or number of casualties? Parham laughed and shook his head.

People close to the UK Mission say that Lyall Grant has indicated that the UK is not entirely opposed to the idea of suspending the ICC's case against Bashir, at least for a year under Article 16 of the ICC's Rome Statute, if beyond the Southern Sudan referendum he were to recognize the ICC -- for example by turning over Haroun. We hope to have more on this.

Still, if even the Permanent Five members won't question the Secretariat on the issues they say they think are important, like accountablity, who will? Watch this site.

Amid Filipino Peacekeeping Scandal, UN in Manila Says HQ Is On It, But HQ Denies It, As Did Sri Lanka Petition

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- With scandals in the Philippines brewing about the skimming of UN salary payments to peacekeeping troops and a $5 million payment from the UN gone missing, the UN in New York on Monday told Inner City Press is it a local Filipino matter.

Then the UN's resident coordinator in the Philippines Jacqueline Badcock on Tuesday was quoted that the issue was "not something the UN deals with locally but at the level of the UN headquarters" and that she was "following up the matter with the UN headquarters."

It seemed clear that “UN headquarters” should then have an answer. But on Tuesday in New York when Inner City Press asked deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq about Ms. Badcock's buck passing, he insisted that Monday's written answer is “the line” and remains the case: it is purely a Filipino matter.

So was Ms. Badcock lying? Or will we be hearing more from the UN?

On Monday, Inner City Press submitted a written question to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations in New York:

“a news magazine in Phillipines uncovered a UN-related scam by the Philippines military:

'The magazine has also reported on a practice by the military of skimming a certain percentage off the salaries being paid by the United Nations to Filipino soldiers sent on peacekeeping missions to other countries. Officials in 2006 defended the practice, saying that it was meant to recover the expenses incurred by the military in sending these troops to peacekeeping missions.'

Question: Do DPKO, Alain Le Roy and the UN think that the practice by the Phillipines military of skimming a certain percentage off the salaries paid by the UN to its solders is appropriate, yes or no?

The answer came not from DPKO but from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Office of the Spokesperson Martin Nesirky:

Regarding your questions to DPKO, we have the following to say:

On your question about Filipino troops: This is a national matter. The UN reimburses governments, not soldiers, and we rely on the Member States to disburse the funds in accordance with their national norms and standards.

This seemed a strange answer, in light of the scandals being discussed in the Filipino House, where "$5 million from the United Nations remains unaccounted for, according to former government auditor Heidi Mendoza who testified yesterday before the House committee on justice."

So rather than immediately write an article with this UN answer, Inner City Press asked a follow up at the UN's February 1 noon briefing, citing a Filipino article reporting that

“MANILA, Philippines—The United Nations office in Makati City on Tuesday said it was taking up the alleged UN fund misuse issue with the agency's headquarters in New York City. UN resident coordinator Jacqueline Badcock on Tuesday told the INQUIRER the issue was 'not something the UN deals with locally but at the level of the UN headquarters.' Badcock said she was following up the matter with the UN headquarters.'”

But deputy spokesman Farhan Haq insisted that yesterday's answer is “still the line,” that it is a local matter.

So in another example of UN buck passing, the local office “on the ground” says the scandal has been referred to UN Headquarters, then UN Headquarters denies it, and refers back to the local office. Which is it?

Footnote: another example took place this week when on January 31, Inner City Press was told by Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky that “we are not aware” of the receipt of a petition about a disappeared journalist in Sri Lanka, Prageeth, about which Inner City Press had been asking for a week.

Then the UN in Colombo told the local press the letter had already been received. On February 1, Haq said the letter had “now” been received. But did the Spokesperson's Office even check before its January 31 denial?

Or did the UN in Colombo, headed by Neil Buhne, not tell headquarters about the petition's receipt? It was reported on January 24, but denied in UN Headquarters on January 31. It take a week for the UN to tell the truth? And how long now on the Philippines? Watch this site.

In UN Council, Whole Lot of Nothing Predicted: No Egypt or Gbagbo Sanctions, No DPRK Report

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- As protests spread from Egypt to Sudan and even Albania, February's UN Security Council president Brazil undertook Tuesday to meet with each of the Council's members about the month's program of work.

Just outside the chamber, Inner City Press asked Ambassadors questions as they emerged, starting with whether Egypt might be considered in the Council, at least in the “horizon” or big-picture briefing by the Department of Political Affairs.

Without exception, the Ambassadors said that it would not be considered. “It'll be talked about, but not here around the horseshoe table,” India's Permanent Representative Hardeep Singh Puri said on his way out.

On his way in, when Inner City Press asked about the month's “hot topics,” he said that the hot topics would not be dealt with in the Security Council. Some wonder: then why want so badly to be on the Council?

The morning began with Bosnia, January's president, passing the torch to Brazil -- or the “hot potato,” as Bosnia's Ivan Barbalic put it to Inner City Press.

Next came Russia, with its usual troika of Vitaly Churkin, Konstantin Dolgov and the ubiquitous Vladimir. Asked about the truth of the US pushing additional Cote d'Ivoire sanctions in the Council, Churkin said no, given the African mediation efforts, no new sanctions would be discussed.

France's Gerard Araud, next in line, agreed that additional sanctions would not proceed in light of the African mediation -- which includes Chadian president Idriss Deby. Inner City Press asked Araud -- and UK Deputy Permanent Representative Philip Parham -- about Sudan international justice issues, which will be the subject of a separate story.

India's Hardeep Singh Puri said, of Sudan, that there might be one meeting instead of the planned two about the Southern Sudan referendum, and that Brazil's Permanent Representative Ribeiro Viotti-- he called her by her first name Maria Luiza -- would consult, “as a mature member,” and decide.

Asked if he envisioned the draft resolution on settlements by Israel being considered, he said on the record that he did not, that leaving it “in blue” for an extended period of time would not be a problem.

Many Arab Ambassadors are saying this as well, noting that the US under Barack Obama is under pressure to veto the resolution, and that “would not help anyone.”

The next Ambassadors spoke, among other things, about the new report on North Korea: when would the 1718 Committee consider it? It has been circulated, was the response, and will follow the normal procedure. Inner City Press asked for a response to the cynic's view that China will not want the report to proceed anytime soon. “That's a cynic's view,” was the response.

The wild card for the month will be the Department of Political Affairs briefing. Inner City Press asked if it would include reference to Egypt and Tunisia, even Jordan and Yemen. “Probably not,” came the response. “That is too big picture.” And so it goes in the UN Security Council.

At UN, Empty Talk of Egypt and Culture Wars on Lesbian Rights, of Muslim Peacekeepers and Decay under Ban

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 1 -- Amid protests by Egyptians in Cairo, New York and elsewhere, the UN Security Council held its end of presidency reception Monday night, hosted by Bosnia in a rooftop space a half dozen blocks from the UN.

That Egypt is the big world news but not present in the Security Council, nor meaningfully addressed by the out of town Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the talk of the night.

Inner City Press asked the Permanent Representative of one of the Council's permanent members why Egypt had not even been mentioned in consultations. “It's an internal matter,” he said. “We're following it closely, it's a question of timing and that it must be done without violence.”

The spokesman for a Western member said that “the capitals are studying it, they have to get their own positions clear before even thinking of acting through the Council.”

The UK has been most clear, in statements by David Cameron and foreign minister William Hague: Mubarak is a “friend of Britain” and the prospect of Muslim Brotherhood involvement in a subsequent government is abhorrent. To some it echoes the Cold War: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. For thirty years of “emergency” rule.

There were of course other topics. Inner City Press, which reported earlier in the day on attacks in the ECOSOC Committee on NGO on a women's group from Serbia which mentioned discrimination against lesbians in its application for consultative status, asked Serbia's Permanent Representative about the group. He was jovial but hadn't heard of this new Serbian showdown.

The irony is that after Serbia's lower down representative spoke in favor of the group, so did the US and Bulgaria, as well as Belgium and the EU. On the other side were Pakistan, Russia, Sudan and Morocco.

Inner City Press asked Morocco's Permanent Representative about his country's opposition to to the group, the Autonomous Women's Center. “It must be on behalf of the OIC,” he said. Later another Moroccan said his country represents the Arab Group this year in the NGO committee, replacing Egypt whose staffer famously said of a gay rights applicant for consultative status to the UN, “We've asked questions but we just can't get any straight answers from them.”

Now that Egyptian regime is on the rocks, despite its long time Permanent Representative trying to act otherwise at the UN on Monday, delivering a speech to the UNDP executive board as if nothing was happening.

So while the world sees and talks about a wave of change sweeping the Arab world, this leaves no mark inside the UN, where Arab countries like Morocco score points by opposing gay rights.

There was talk of Islamic peacekeeping, with an Asian Muslim country's Permanent Representative telling Inner City Press his country has offered troops to Somalia's Transitional Federal Government if the force ever “gets blue hatted,” or comes under UN command. He said that same of Afghanistan: his country will only send soldiers if the UN is in charge, not ISAF.

While several members characterized Bosnia's presidency in January as rather sleepy, its reception got higher marks from the crowd of diplomatic Epicures, noshing on Kobe beef sliders and burek like Bosnian pastry filled with meat and spinach.

The Bosnian missions first couple ended the evening by dancing, as the lights of midtown Manhattan flickered through the glass roof. Their Deputy was congenial, having served her country through thick and thin.

Inner City Press' question to the Perm Rep about a new documentary about UN peacekeepers in Bosnia buying women -- where was the Autonomous Women's Center then? -- met with a smiling “I'm not working tonight.” But of course he was. And through the course of January he got more accessible and comfortable at the Council stakeout, to his credit, unlike some in the UN.

The deterioration under the Ban Ki-moon “regime” as one called it was also in the air. A well placed Council source recalled “Martin [Nesirky] got excluded from the Council's consultations and all we got was a letter from [Vijay] Nambiar.” Ban's chief of staff Nambiar was in attendance Monday, but chief adviser Kim Won-soo did not seem to be. Susan Rice was nowhere to be seen, nor it appeared was her UK counterpart Mark Lyall Grant.

The Permanent Representatives of France, China and Russia were all present, along with those of just left Council members like Austria and Turkey. Israel's prime minister is much concerned of regime change in Egypt. Israel's hard line Permanent Representative was not seen at that reception Monday night, but earlier on Monday Israel joined the defense of the Serbian group on lesbian rights. And so it goes at the UN.

Footnote: earlier on Monday several dozen UN correspondents discussed the lack of information coming out of Ban Ki-moon's UN, unfavorably comparing Ban's answering in New York to what he does, for example, while in Addis Ababa the last few days, including a France 24 interview against deferring announcing a campaign for a second term.

Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky was reviewed, called alternately rude and “in a tough spot” not getting any information from Ban. We'll address this going forward - later today, and in this new month when Brazil heads the Council, holding a debate on Security and Development on February 11. Watch this site.

As in Sri Lanka Media Is Burned Down, UN “Is Not Aware” of Petition about Disappeared Journalist, Silent for 1 Week

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 31 -- As in Sri Lanka the office of Lanka-e-News was burned down and the UN had no comment, nor would the UN on January 31 even confirm receipt of a petition from the wife of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, disappeared on January 24, 2010.

A year after the disappearance, January 24, 2011 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spoksman Martin Nesirky

“What is the UN's response to this -

'The wife of a Sri Lankan journalist believed to have been abducted a year ago has urged the United Nations to help trace him, saying she believed the government was complicit in the crime. Prageeth Ekneligoda was critical of the government's conduct during its civil war with the Tamil Tiger rebels, who fought for 25 years for an independent homeland. Prageeth's wife, Sandya, handed a letter to the world body's office in Colombo on Monday that accused the government of having no interest in finding her husband.'

Will the UN help? Does the UN have any response to this case, or the other unresolved attacks on journalists in Sri Lanka, including those Ban commented on but some say did not follow up on?”

For an entire week, Ban's spokesperson's office refused to even confirm receipt of the question, which Inner City Press re-submitted each day. On the morning of January 31, Inner City Press asked:

“What is the UN's comment and action on this - 'the arson attack on Lanka-e-News office located in Malabe, Colombo district... Benet Rupasinghe, news editor of lankaenews.com, said his office was set on fire at around 2.00 a.m. by a group of unidentified persons who destroyed everything in the office...“It is not in a possible state to continue website operations,” he said. Last week priests and journalists appealed to the United Nations to find Prageeth Ekneligoda, a Lanka-e-News journalist who disappeared on Jan. 24 last year.'

Still requesting UN confirmation of receipt, and response to, this petition to the UN about the case of disappeared Prageeth Ekneligoda.”

Still having no answer or confirmation of receipt, Inner City Press asked the questions in person at the January 31 UN noon briefing. Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said “both are questions you sent by email.” Yes -- but they were never answered or even acknowledged.

Earlier this month Nesirky ended a briefing (on January 21) by saying it would only take questions from Inner City Press if it “acted appropriately” -- apparently meaning, no questions about compliance with UN rules. Nor about Sri Lanka?

On January 31, Nesirky said he would see if there's anything further on the burning down of Lanka-e-News, that freedom of the media is vital, and that “we're not aware of a petition being handed in.”

The petition was reported in Columbo, in the Canadian Press and elsewhere. Major press freedom organizations have spoken of it, just as another belatedly prepares to speak out on the burning of Lanka -e-News. So the UN under Ban Ki-moon is not aware of it? Watch this site.

At UN, Jabs at NGO on Lesbian Rights from Pakistan, Sudan, Russia, Morocco

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, January 31 -- In the UN's committee on non-governmental organization on Monday morning the application for accreditation of the Autonomous Women's Center, which mentioned discrimination against lesbians, was questioned and opposed by Pakistan, Morocco, Russia and Sudan.

Pakistan's representative asked sarcastically if the discrimination of lesbians was “against men.” He mocked the application's reference to disability, asking if “lesbianism is a disability.”

This followed not only previous fights in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs but December's debate after which lesbians and gays were added to a UN resolution against extrajudicial executions from which the US abstained. In the run up to that vote, not only the United Arab Emirates for the Arab Group and Tajikistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference but also Benin for the African Group urged that the LGBT amendment be opposed.

Now late January, some of the opposition has become more technical. Morocco argued that since the Autonomous Women's Center changed its name in 2009, it has not been in operation for the two years necessary for accreditation. Serbia, where the group is based, spoke in its defense.

Russia and Sudan, where women including a UN staff member have been sentenced to whipping for wearing pants, both joined the opposition to the Autonomous Women's Center. Sudan specifically joined in the opposition of Pakistan.

Pakistan's representative later in the session said that whatever UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon may have said, it was on his own behalf, not on behalf of member states. Pakistan argued in the ECOSOC Committee on NGOs on Monday that discrimination against gays and lesbians is “not recognized by the UN.”

In the past, Ban has dodged such questions by saying “it's up to member states,” or that he won't speak on particular application or motions pending for a vote before UN bodies. He has been out of town for days, but one wonders what if anything he will have to say about the mocking of gays and gay rights in the UN's North Lawn Building, three floors beneath his office, on January 31. Watch this site.