By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 12 --
When the UN
said that
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon would
hold a “press
encounter” at
noon on August
12, this
ensured that
there would be
no other
question and
answer
briefing for
the day.
But when Ban
arrived, his
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric said
Ban would take
only four
questions. The
first one was
pre-selected;
to the next,
on Ukraine,
Ban read a one
sentence
answer off a
note card.
This is
today's UN.
On
Gaza Ban was
not asked in
the four
questions if
he will set up
a Board
of
Inquiry --
Inner City
Press said the
phrase several
times at the
end but Ban
waved, or
waived: he did
not answer.
Ban's
three topics
did not
include the
stand-off in
Ukraine,
including
about aid
access, an
issue on which
one might
think the UN
could play a
mediating
role. But not
this UN.
Ban
began with
Iraq, saying
nearly exactly
the same
things as US
President
Barack Obama.
Ban said that
“Prime
Minister-designate
Haider
al-Abbadi now
has the
important task
of forming a
broad-based
government
acceptable to
all components
of Iraqi
society,” and
said “it is
imperative
that the
security
forces refrain
from
intervening in
the political
process.”
But
Obama and his
vice president
Joe Biden both
spoke with
Abbadi, or
Abadi as they
spell it. Did
Ban?
Of
Mount Sinjar,
Ban said that
“air drops of
food and water
are reaching
some of the
trapped
people.”
But what
coordinating
role, if any,
is the UN
playing in
these airdrops
by the US and
UK, as well as
in air
strikes? No
one asked. The
first question
was set aside
for the UN
Correspondents
Association, proud
to play
softball
soccer with
Ban.
On
Gaza Ban made
sure to say
““Israel’s
duty to
protect its
citizens from
rocket attacks
by Hamas and
other threats
is beyond
question.” He
added that “I
expect
accountability
for the
innocent lives
lost and the
damage
incurred” --
but did not
say, and in
the
pre-selected
questions was
not asked, if
he will set up
a Board of
Inquiry.
When he did in
2009, as
revealed in a
cable
published by
Wikileaks, Ban put in
his cover
letter --
first
published
by Inner City
Press --
exactly what
he was told
from across
First Avenue.
Ban's
third topic,
to the
surprise of
many, was not
Ukraine. It
was ebola, and
named his
previous bird
flu guru David
Nabarro -- a
fine man --
the UN's
coordinator on
ebola.
That's
a good
appointment -
but what about
Ban's
spokespeople
refusing to
confirm what
the UK has
announced,
that
Bernardino
Leon is
replacing the
ousted Tarek
Mitri as
“Ban's” envoy
on Libya?
The
UN's
non-answering,
and
selectivity
and
set-asides,
are now
opposed by the
new Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
which asked
Dujarric why
there would be
no regular
briefing (for
example on
topics like
South Sudan).
Dujarric
called this
normal,
deference to a
four question
"encounter."
We'll have
more on this.
What
about
allowing Ban's
adviser Ray
Chambers to
serve on a
commission for
Chris Christie
the governor
of New Jersey?
What about
unanswered irregularities
by UNDP and
Ban's UNAMA
mission and UN
Department of
Safety and
Security?
Dujarric said
he'd get back
with any
answers. We
are waiting.
Watch this
site.
, 
