Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the United Nations to Wall Street to the Inner City

On Bangladesh, UN's Ban Urges FM to Engage Opposition After Letter Lost

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, February 19-- Amid the violence in Bangladesh, UN official Oscar Fernandez Taranco appeared on the schedule of US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal on February 11, to meet at 3:45 pm. Inner City Press surmised, since Taranco was previously sent to Dhaka for the UN, that it was about Bangladesh.

   While Taranco has been Banned from going, on February 18 the UN issued this read-out:

"The Secretary-General met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali, and discussed cooperation between the United Nations and the Government of Bangladesh.
The Secretary-General thanked Bangladesh for its contributions to the work of the United Nations, in particular to peacekeeping operations. He also expressed his concern regarding the loss of lives and political violence that have occurred in Bangladesh since the beginning of 2015.
The Secretary-General encouraged the Government of Bangladesh to seek concrete ways to de-escalate the situation and to engage constructively the opposition, for the long-term stability and development of the country."

 This comes after it emerged that Ban Ki-moon sent January 30 letter(s) to the country, even though the government there says they only got the letter much later. What explains the delay? On February 18, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Duajrric:

Inner City Press: I asked about Bangladesh yesterday and there was some response.  Now, it's been confirmed by the Government there that they received a letter from the Secretary-General.  They said they received it two days ago, but in other accounts, it was dated 30 January, and the Government there is saying they're asking the UN Resident Representative why it was lost in the mail for two weeks.  But one, can you confirm the letter?  Can you say a little bit what's… what you can, what's in it?  And also is it true that it took two weeks for Ban Ki-moon's letter to reach Sheikh Hasina?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I can check on the letter and see what we can tell you about the letter.  The standard procedure for these letters is, if there was such a letter, is that the letter is transmitted through the Permanent Mission here and then the Permanent Mission transmits it back to capital.

Question:  Right. They quote from the letter that the Secretary-General is thanking Sheikh Hasina for the country's contributions for peacekeeping.  Some people think it puts the UN kind of in a tough spot.  Like, what's the balance between thanking for much-needed peacekeepers and also trying to hold somebody accountable for violence in the streets?

Spokesman:  Well, I think you could do both, but I will look at the letter for you. 

   Twenty three hours later, no answer. Back on February 17, Inner City Press asked UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq:

Inner City Press: there was a report that Mr. [Oscar Fernández-]Taranco is going there on a visit, and this was denied by the Permanent Mission here, Ambassador [Abdul] Momen, who said he has not spoken to him.  Can you… is Mr. Taranco seeking to go to the country, and why hasn't he spoken with the Permanent Representative here in New York?

Deputy Spokesman Haq:  Well, right now on the first question:  There's currently no plan at this point for Mr. Fernández-Taranco to travel back to Bangladesh.  He has been there before.  He has been tasked by the Secretary-General to be in contact with the Government and the opposition and he will continue with those efforts.  But, at this point, like I said, there's no travel to announce.

  Back on February 12, Inner City Press asked UN Department of Political Affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman if Taranco in Washington had been addressing Bangladesh. Feltman genially replied, yes, that among other issues. Even though Taranco, as a product of the UN's so-called Five Year Rule, moved to the Peacebuilding Department, he is still the UNHQ's man on Bangladesh.

 Later at the February 12 noon briefing, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, saying he was answering Inner City Press' questions from the day before, confirmed that Taranco's meeting with the US State Department's Biswal had addressed Bangladesh. Was that so hard?

On February 11, Inner City Press had asked Dujarric: UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on February 11 said:

Inner City Press: Mr. Taranco is still involved in this issue.  I notice that he's meeting this afternoon with Nisha Biswal, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia.  Is it fair to assume that that's what that meeting is about?  And how would you characterize it?

Spokesman Dujarric:  I think it's not fair to assume anything.  I'll now see if I can actually get you some facts, as opposed to assumptions.

 But seven hours later, there was nothing. Then on February 12, Feltman then Dujarric.

When on February 5 Inner City Press asked the UN, which uses Bangladesh soldiers as peacekeepers, this ensued:

Inner City Press: In Bangladesh, the… things seem to be getting worse.  Former Prime Minister has been charged with arson and… which she says she doesn't do.  The power's been turned off to the opposition party and basically the authorities are using violence on protestors.  So, I'm wondering, what's the response of the Secretary-General?  Is there any [Department of Political Affairs] or other UN involvement in trying to mediate it?  And with senior military officials making statements about what they'll do to civilians, what's the impact on Bangladesh as a peacekeeping contributing country?

Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq:  Well, the political process is separate and apart from the issue of peacekeepers in UN missions, who are under the control ultimately of the mission.  Regarding the situation in Bangladesh, we've made our concerns known.  As you know, officials, including the senior officials from our Department for Political Affairs, have repeatedly visited Bangladesh, trying to meet with the leaders there and make sure that the crisis can be resolved peacefully.  As you know, we continue to have our concerns that that hasn't happened and that there has been violence.  We have continually encouraged and continue to encourage the authorities to allow for peaceful protest and for the right to peaceful assembly.  And beyond that, we'll continue to be in touch with the leaders of the two main parties, trying to make sure that they can resolve their differences.

  So what if anything is the UN doing? Watch this site.

 Follow @innercitypress Follow @FUNCA_info