Ban's
UN Said
For-Profit
Event
Canceled, But
Merely
Postponed,
Cover Up
By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
Series
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 2 --
The UN was set
to play host
on August 2 to
a for-profit
event led
by a
group on
which a UN
Security
official is on
the board of
directors,
apparently
with the
approval of UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon, who
has yet to
address his
and his Under
Secretaries
General's role
in the Ng Lap
Seng / John
Ashe bribery
scandal which
resulted on
July 29 in a
20 month
prison
sentence for Sheri
Yan's, whose
father's
one-man show
Ban attended
in the UN
Secretariat
lobby.
On
August 1, when
Inner City
Press asked
about Jack
Brewer listing
himself as a
"UN Ambassador
for Peace and
Sport," Ban's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
said that the
event is
"canceled,"
there will be
no answers on
the three
prior events
or Sullivan
being on the
board or Jack
Brewer listing
himself as a
UN Ambassador
for Peace and
Sport.
"the decision
has been made
to POSTPONE
this Tuesday’s
(August 2)
Peace Summit
at the United
Nations... Our
team is
scheduling a
new date –
tentatively
during the
week of August
15, 2016. The
plan is to
select and
announce the
new date
within the
next few
days."
This is a
cover-up. This
is impunity.
This is Ban's
UN.
Last
week Ban's
deputy
spokesman Haq,
rather than
answer this or
which member
state or UN
Department is
the sponsor of
the August 2
event, accused
Inner City
Press of
“unethical”
Googling,
implying that
because Ban
and his USG
Cristina
Gallach
evicted
Inner City
Press as it
investigated
their links to
the Ng Lap
Seng scandal
-- see, for
example, this
OIOS
audit at
Paragraphs
37-40 and
20(b) --
Inner City
Press is now
precluded from
investigating
that or other
corruption in
Ban's UN.
As the
UN bribery
scandal
gathered force
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon called
for an audit
by the UN
Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services of
the Global
Sustainability
Foundation
(GSF), David
Ng Lap Seng's
Sun Kian Ip
Group and its
affiliates
including the
"World Harmony
Foundation"
and
pleaded-guilty
Francis
Lorenzo's
South South
News, among
others.
While as of
July 27 Ban
and his Under
Secretary
General
Cristina
Gallach still
have this last
"bribery
conduit" in a
UN office
after evicting
Inner City
Press for
investigating
it, and them,
more dubious
events are
scheduled for
Ban's UN. (Gallach, who appeared with Lorenzo,
spoke in the
GA Hall on
July 29 -
given her
retaliatory
evition of
Inner City
Press, it
would only
half cover the
event with one
of Ban's
minders.)
Rather
than answer
this simple
question, Haq
said he is not
aware of any
problem with
the
individual.
Does that mean
that Ban
Ki-moon has
given up even
pretending to
enforce UN
ethics rules?
Or that Ban
Ki-moon has
approved this
UN Inspector's
moonlighting
with entities
linked with
the UN's
Lorenzo / John
Ashe (RIP) /
Ng Lap Seng
bribery
scandal?
Even the
simple
question of
who sponsored
the use of the
UN on August
2, a mission
or a UN
department,
was
stonewalled by
Ban's Haq. He
said, ask the
group holding
the event.
Well, no. The
UN premises
are being
used, and this
requires a
sponsor.
So l'affaire
Matthew
Sullivan,
which Ban's
spokesman is
trying to stop
investigation
of by calling
even Googling
unethical, is
connected to
the Francis
Lorenzo UN
bribery
scandal.
Perhaps this
explains Ban's
spokesmen
stonewalling.
Lead spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
stonewalled
Inner City
Press'
previous questions
about
Montessori
Model UN.
On July 28
when Inner
City Press for
the second
time asked Ban
Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
about the
specifics of
for-profit
events in the
UN and
Sullivan's
presence on
the board of
directors of
the events'
sponsor,
rather than
answer Haq
tried to call
Inner City
Press'
research and
reporting
“unethical,”
going so far
as to ask if
it had started
research AFTER
it was Banned
from covering
UN meeting on
Haiti and
South Sudan.
In fact, Inner
City Press
reported on
the
“concussions”
event long
before Ban and
Cristina
Gallach ousted
it on February
19, and
Sullivan on
February 22
told Inner
City Press it
was Banned
from UN
premises
worldwide.
Haq's boss
Stephane
Dujarric
claimed that
day that
Sullivan had
gone beyond
the ouster
ordered by
Gallach. If
so, why did
Sullivan do
it?
Ban's
UN has become
a place where
officials at
all levels
think they can
sell access to
the UN, since
Ng Lap Seng so
easily bought
it. The
scandal, as
Inner City
Press will
shortly
report, are
connected.
Ban's UN's
response to
reporting is
to evict the
Press, then to
question
whether
Googling is
somehow
unethical. Vines here and here
and here
and
here. Then
video
here.
From
the UN
Transcript:
Inner City
Press:
yesterday I
asked you
about this
event that is
scheduled for
2 August and
you told me to
speak to the
group and Mr.
Sullivan
didn't know he
was on the
list, and
wouldn't speak
at it.
Since then
I've seen
there are at
least three
other events
at which he
did speak by
the same
group,
involving the
same group and
that he is on
board of
directors of
the sponsor of
the 2 August
thing, that
Jackie Brewer
Foundation.
So I guess
what I wanted
to know is,
one, to me it
seems strange
that he didn't
know that he
was listed by
them if he is
on the board
of
directors.
But I also
wanted to ask,
I've seen the
Secretary-General
orders called
outside
activities
that say staff
members should
not engage in
outside these
activities
without the
approval of
the
Secretary-General.
So I wanted to
know, since
this is a
private,
for-profit
company that
has had its
stock pitched
based on the
involvement of
UN DSS
(Department of
Safety and
Security),
whether the
Secretary-General
has, in fact,
approved this
or not?
And, if not,
what happens
next?
Deputy
Spokesman:
As I told you,
he is not
appearing at
their
function.
He was not
aware of this.
ICP
Question:
Did you look
into it?
He is on the
board of
directors of
the group, so
I'm asking.
Deputy
Spokesman:
This person
who, by the
way, has
informed me
that you
apparently
have taken
some sort of
gripe with him
because he
tried to talk
to you at a
stakeout.
I'm aware…
ICP
Question:
It's not a
gripe.
I'm asking you
about an
official DSS
official on
the
board.
You are
cutting me
off. I
thought that
was
unprofessional.
I'm asking a
question, how
does this
regulation
apply?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I was actually
in the process
of answering
you, and then
you can
talk.
This is how
conversations
go: I talk and
you talk and
so forth.
ICP
Question:
Just that you
walk away, so
that is why
I'm making
sure I want to
ask, there are
number of
other
questions on
this.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Matthew, that
is not
fair. I
take a huge
amount of
questions from
you, as every
transcript and
every video
will
show.
Now, I have no
problem with
you asking
questions.
I do not think
that you
should try to
use the
briefing in
terms of
personal
vendettas
against
people.
If that is
what you are
doing, it's
unethical and
I would have a
problem with
that.
ICP
Question:
You can say
whatever you
want.
Okay, what I'm
asking, a
senior UN DSS
official is,
this is all
online, these
are all… you
could have
found them
yourselves
with ten
minutes of
Googling.
He is on the
board of
directors of a
group that you
said didn't
know put him
on the list
and there have
been three
separate
events, one
about
sneakers, one
about
concussions in
the NFL
(National
Football
League), and
these have all
taken place in
the ECOSOC
(Economic and
Social
Council)
Trusteeship
Chamber.
So my question
is for the
service of
this
individual on
the board of
directors of a
for-profit
company for a
for-profit
event, has the
Secretary-General
given
permission?
And, if not,
is this
reflective of
a lack of due
diligence as
in the Ng Lap
Seng case,
"Yes" or "No"?
Deputy
Spokesman:
First of all,
to the extent
that DSS ever
gives
briefings at
these, there
are briefings
about security
conditions.
Those are
standard;
outside of
those, I'm not
aware…
ICP
Question:
I urge you to
look at the
press
releases.
Deputy
Spokesman:
I'm not aware
of anything
that is not a
standard
briefing.
Second of all,
did you do any
of this
Googling
before you had
your
conversation
in the
corridors with
him?
ICP
Question:
Yes, I
have.
I've been
actually
following… I
wrote about
the concussion
event because
it's a joke
these events
take place in
the UN that
are raising
money, so I'm
now I'm asking
you about
these events
because you
said he didn't
know and it's
not
credible.
He has done
three
events.
Look at them
and see
whether there
were safety
concerns.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Like I said, I
have talked to
this person
and this is
what he said.
When after
publishing a
story exposing
the notice and
Sullivan's
listed
involvement
Inner City
Press asked
Bna's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
about it, Haq
said he had
spoken with
Sullvian who
said he had
not been aware
he was listed,
and is not
involved. Haq
refused ot
answer more
about the
event, and cut
off Inner City
Press'
questions. Video here.
This is not
credible. In
fact, Matthew
Sullivan is on
the board of
directors
of the group
holding the
event, which
is either a
violation of
UN rules or
was approved
by Ban "Fast
and Loose"
Ki-moon. The
applicable
rule:
"ST/AI/2000/13
Outside
activities
Section
2 Staff
members
engaging in
outside
activities
authorized
under the
present
instruction
shall make
clear to the
organizers and
participants
in such
activities,
including any
employers,
that they act
in their
personal
capacity and
not as
representatives
of the United
Nations.
Section 3
3.1
Under staff
regulation 1.2
(o), a staff
member shall
not engage in
any outside
occupation or
employment,
whether
remunerated or
not, without
the approval
of the
Secretary-General.
For the
purposes of
the present
instruction,
the expression
'occupation'
shall include
the exercise
of a
profession,
whether as an
employee or an
independent
contractor."
Here
is a photo
of Sullivan
with the
people he says
he doesn't
know listed
him for the
August 2
event.
There are been
other events
with Sullivan,
for example here:
"MagneGas
Announces
Panelists for
World Water
Day Summit at
the UN... The
Summit will
begin with a
welcome from
the CEO of
MagneGas
Corporation
Ermanno
Santilli and
Inspector
Matthew
Sullivan of
the United
Nations
Department of
Safety and
Security."
And another
("Reelcause,"
here in PDF)
and yet another:
"Discussing
the GTX
SmartSoles
with various
officials
including
Inspector
Matthew
Sullivan of
the
United
Nations’
Department of
Safety and
Security."
In fact, the
for profit
company has
had it stock
touted citing
UN Sullivan's
involvement, here:
DirectView
Holdings,
"facilitated a
number of
introductions
and
collaborative
meetings for
DirectView
executives
throughout the
course of the
week including
with the
United
Nations'
Inspector of
Operations
from the
Department of
Safety and
Security."
While Ban
Ki-moon cited
immunity /
impunity for
10,000 killed
by cholera in
Haiti, a
meting on
which Sullivan
Banned Inner
City Press
from on July
26, doesn't
this implicate
at least US
securities
laws?
Since the
above is
easily
available
online, Ban
Ki-moon's
Office of the
Spokesperson's
denial and
stonewalling
is worse then
negligent.
Under
Ban Ki-moon,
as shown in
the Ng Lap
Seng / John
Ashe case
investigation
of which
resulted in
Ban evicting
Inner City
Press from the
UN in
retaliation,
using
Sullivan,
everything has
become for
sale.
How high does
this
particular
scam go in the
Department of
Safety and
Security,
whose Captain
McNulty and
seven officer
physically
ousted Inner
City Press on
February 19? Audio
here;
McNulty initially
refused to
identify
himself.
DSS later cited
a non-public
Handbook to
justify Inner
City Press'
ouster, here.
Is USG Peter
Drennan in on
this? Michael
"Mick" Brown,
who oversees
McNulty? There
are some fine
people in DSS,
but it must be
cleaned up,
and all
retaliation
reversed and
addressed.
How
about the
Department of
Management
which is
titularly in
charge of
these events
in the UN,
including
Andrew Nye,
Craig Boyd and
British
Assistant SG
Stephen Cutts?
Ban Ki-moon's
UN is corrupt
throughout,
and retaliates
against the
Press which
pursues and
reports on
it. The
UN's ouster
and eviction
of Inner City
Press, and
harassment and
censorship
since, has
been pure
retaliation.
Now what?
Here's the
notice for the
August 2
event,
followed by
the UN's
transcript of
Ban's Haq's
denials:
"COPsync
Co-sponsors
#Stand2Protect
Peace Summit
at the United
Nations
DALLAS, July
26, 2016
/PRNewswire/
-- COPsync,
Inc. (NASDAQ:
COYN),
announced
today that
they are
co-sponsoring
the
#Stand2Protect
Peace Summit
in conjunction
with UN
Ambassador
Jack Brewer,
the Blue Alert
Foundation,
the United
Federation for
Peacekeeping
and
Sustainable
Development,
and Trust 2
Protect. The
Summit will be
held at the
United Nations
Headquarters
on August 2,
2016, from
3:00 pm - 6:00
pm EDT.
The goal of
the United
Nations
#Stand2Protect
Peace Summit
is to bring
together
community and
global
leaders, law
enforcement,
politicians
and
influencers to
discuss real
solutions to
end the
growing
distrust
between
communities
and law
enforcement.
Prominent
speakers at
the Summit
will include
... Inspector
at the United
Nations
Headquarters
Mathew
Sullivan"
This is
a for-profit
company,
selling
services to
Police
Departments.
Why is UN DSS
Matty Sullivan
involved?
Inner City
Press after
publishing the
above asked
Ban Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq,
UN transcript
here and
below; video
here
Inner City
Press:
Yesterday,
there was a
public
announcement
by a
for-profit
company called
COPsync Inc.
that is going
to hold an
event in the
UN on 2 August
called “Stand
to Protect
Peace
Summit”.
And basically,
I mean, it's a
for-profit
company and it
sells products
and services
to police
departments.
And maybe they
have rented
out space in
the UN, maybe
you will find
this out, but
I wanted to
ask you about
is, they list
as a
participant as
part of their
pitch to
attend it the
involvement of
Inspector of
the UN
Headquarters
Matthew
Sullivan, a UN
DSS
[Department of
Safety and
Security]
individual.
So, I wanted
to ask you
either now or
later today,
what is the
UN's
involvement in
this
for-profit
event and how
is it
consistent
with the
commitments to
do due
diligence
after the Ng
Lap Seng
South-South
News scandal?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I actually
spoke with Mr.
Sullivan
earlier
today.
He has
confirmed to
me that he had
not heard of
this
particular
speaking
engagement
before, was
not aware of
it, and is not
participating.
ICP
Question:
They put it
out on PR
Newswire.
So, what is
this
involving?
Can you get an
answer?
They obviously
know who he
is, so what is
his
involvement
with the Jack
Moore
Foundation and
with these
individuals?
Deputy
Spokesman:
He is not
involved in
this.
That is what
he has told
me. For
anything
further, you
need to ask
them.
ICP
Question:
But, it's in
the UN, it's a
for-profit
event in the
UN, so I'm
asking in the
wake of the Ng
Lap Seng
scandal.
What is the
UN's
involvement in
this event
taking place?
Deputy
Spokesman:
First of all,
you are trying
to tie into
similar
things.
I don't speak
for this
company.
You would have
to talk to
that company
about what
they're
doing.
Regarding how
they do their
arrangements,
you would have
to ask
them.
Regarding Mr.
Sullivan, no,
he is not
involved in
this?
ICP
Question:
Are they
paying the UN
to use the
room?
It's being
held in UN
Headquarters,
2 August at 3
p.m.
Deputy
Spokesman:
This is not
something… the
UN does not
charge for the
use of the
UN. Yes?
ICP
Question:
Why are they
in the UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
You would have
to ask that
company.
Ban's Haq
said, ask
them. But they
have already,
according to
the UN, lied
about
Sullivan's
involvement.
The UN under
Ban Ki-moon is
a wild west of
corruption
that is not
being cleaned
up - instead,
Ban throws
about the
Press that is
asking about
it.
On July 1,
Inner City
Press asked
this Ban
Ki-moon
spokesman,
Stephane
Dujarric,
about the
superseding
indictment of
Ng Lap Seng to
include UNDP
and all acts
through
September
2015.
Paragraph 12
names the
Secretary
General.
Video
here; UN
Transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: the UN
bribery case
of Ng Lap Seng
has now had a
superseding
indictment
that accuses
Mr. Ng of
buying
benefits from
UNDP (United
Nations
Development
Programme) and
expands the
time limit of
the case up to
September
2015.
So, one, I'm
wondering if
you have any
comment on
this, as it
seems to be an
expanding
case.
And, two, I
want to
reiterate the
request now
for several
months that
UNDP hold a
press
conference, at
least on the
audit that it
released, and…
and state
where… why the
money that was
given…
Spokesman:
I think on
your… on your
second part,
you can
address that
request to
UNDP.
Inner City
Press: I
have.
Spokesman:
I have not
seen the new
indictment, so
I cannot
comment on it.
Inner
CityPress:
You had said
from here that
they would do
it. I've
spoken to the
head of the
office, and he
hasn't done
it. I'm
wondering, has
the Secretary,
Ban Ki-moon,
head of the
system…
Spokesman:
I know where
we are.
Inner City
Press:
Cover up.
Spokesman:
You're always
free and have
always been
free to
express your
opinions.
Dujarric said
Inner City
Press is free
to say what it
wants . Yes:
from the
street, to
which Ban and
his Head of
Communications,
with an assist
from Dujarric,
first threw
Inner City
Press on
February 19 (audio
here) then
evicted its
files (Video
here.) On
July 1,
Dujarric at
noon said he
hadn't read
the
superseding
indictment.
Then he left
the UN just
after 3 pm,
with no
briefing for
six days. This
IS a cover up,
on which we're
have more.
The
audit of Ban's
Secretariat,
completed
early this
year but first
put online
by Inner City
Press,
directly
criticizes
Cristina
Gallach, the
Under
Secretary
General for
Communications
and Public
Information.
On June 29,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Farhan Haq, video here,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: Monday
down in… in
Federal Court,
there was a
hearing for
Mr. Ng Lap
Seng in the
ongoing case,
and Assistant
District
Attorney
[Daniel]
Richenthal
basically
widened the
case and said
they're going
to be… there's
more things
they're
looking at as
to Ng Lap
Seng, and he
also described
in more detail
a, quote,
conduit of
bribery taking
place within
the UN.
And I wanted
to know, since
you've said
you're
monitoring it,
what is the
UN's response
to the new
information
that was
presented on
Monday?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yeah, we are
aware of the
latest
information,
and, as I've
pointed out,
the situation
of South-South
News is under
review.
It continues
to be under
review, but
certainly, any
new
information is
useful in
light of that.
After the
above, a
corporate news
wire which has
a conflict of
interest on
this passed
through South
South News'
claims that it
has had "no connection with any government at any level"
- this is
false. But the
conflicted
corporate
wire, with its
own Permanent
seat on the
board of hte
UN
Correspondents
Assocation
which took
money from
Ng's South
South News,
merely passes
through the
denial. Call
it journalism?
We'll have
more on this.
On June 27,
former South
South News
reporter
turned
spokesperson
for John Ashe
and now his
family wrote
to the UN
press corps,
some of whom
she saw over
the weekend:
"Dear Friends
and Dear UN
and Media
Representatives,
I am kindly
forwarding a
Statement from
the Family of
the late John.
W. Ashe,
President of
the UN General
Assembly 68th
Session, at
the request of
his widowed
wife, Anilla
Cherian.I have
accepted to
forward this
Statement in
my personal
capacity and
in honor of
Ambassador
Ashe’s legacy
as a
long-serving
diplomat.
I will not be
addressing any
questions and
I do
appreciate
your
understanding.
It was very
nice seeing
several of you
over the
weekend. I
hope you are
all doing
well."
If the goal
was to
distinguish
South South
News from John
Ashe and Ng
Lap Seng, this
doesn't do it.
The audit
deals with
South South
News - which
as of June 27
STILL has a UN
office, photo
here,
UNlike Inner
City Press. In
Ban's UN one
only gets due
process if one
has money, or
pays money, as
South South
News did,
including to
the UN
Correspondents
Association
which then
gave Ng Lap
Seng a
photo-op with
Ban. Or as the
Saudis did to
get Ban to
remove them
from the Yemen
Children and
Armed Conflict
annex.
On June 27 in
Federal Court,
Assistant U.S.
Attorney
Daniel
Richenthal
said that
South South
News was a
conduit for
bribery
involving the
now
conveniently
(and
mysteriously)
deceased
former PGA
John Ashe.
(Some with
links to Ashe
try to erase
all trace, but
here
is one:
UNCA with
AAshe's
spokesperson
Konja,
formerly of
South South
News), which
one
wire-with-a-conflict
covering this
story never
mentions.
Compare to this.)
Meanwhile
while Inner
City Press can
only work with
minders, its
office given
to Akhbar
Elyom's
correspondent,
a former UNCA
presdient,
sits empty and
Gallach
gallavants in
Paris. We'll
have more on
all this.
Nor does Ban's
audit mention
that his Sri
Lanka adviser
Vijay Nambiar
and his
spouse, Ban
Soon-taek,
were both
present at the
founding of
the Global
Sustainability
Foundation;
the latter
took photos
with South
South News'
indicted
Vivian Wang at
the UN
Correspondents
Association
ball where
UNCA gave Ng,
from whose
South South
News it took
money, a photo
op with Ban
himself.
On April 16,
at Ban's and
his USG
Cristina
Gallach's
direction,
Inner City
Press' long
time UN office
in S-303 was
evicted and
five boxes of
files were
dumped onto
First Avenue.
Video
here and here.
On April 20,
the Free UN
Coalition for
Access sign on
S-303 was
removed (photo
here)
without the
consent of
Inner City
Press' office
mate, also a
FUNCA member,
who was told
that the lock
was being
changed,
presumably to
sell the
office to
someone else.
Inner City
Press
immediately
objected to
MALU, the DSG,
Chef de
Cabinet and
Spokesman,
putting them
on notice.
And lo and
behold it was
given to a
former UNCA
president who
never comes to
the UN, never
asks
questions:
Saana Youssef
of Egyptian
state media
Akhbar Elyom.
This is Ban's
UN.
UNCA,
at least under
Giampaolo
Pioli, openly
tells people
to pay it
money, it can
get them UN
official
space. This is
corruption.
Now
since the
eviction of
Inner City
Press, South
South News has
sent out a
press release
saying that
despite the
guilty plea by
its President
Francis
Lorenzo and
indictment of
its Vice
President
Vivan Wang, it
is clean - and
blames its
problems on a
"few
independent
journalists."
Wonder who's
referred to -
as the other
one(s).
Not Reuters,
which passes
through
without
analysis South
South News'
press releases
- and without
disclosing
that Reuters'
Lou
Charbonneau
and now
Michelle
Nichols have
occupied
Reuters'
permanent seat
on the
Executive
Committee of
the UN
Correspondents
Association,
which took
South South
News' money
then arranged
a photo op for
Ng Lap Seng
with Ban
Ki-moon.
South
South News'
founding is
described in
the John Ashe
and Ng Lap
Seng
indictment; it
is portrayed
through gauze
in the OIOS
audit. The
name South
South News has
appeared in
the Panama
Papers.
For
now, another
UN example. To
deliver
"personal"
invitations to
the South
South Awards,
which USG
Gallach
attended in
September
2015, South
South News
needed access
to the UN
during the
Septameber
High Level
week. So,
Inner City
Press is
informed,
South South
News personnel
got D or
Diplomat
passes through
Lorenzo's
Dominican
Republic
mission to the
UN. Back,
indeed.
Here
are an initial
two of many
photographs of
that event,
these by Luiz
Rampelotto of
Europa
Newswire via
Facebook,
including one
of now
indicted
Vivian Wang of
South South
News with Mrs.
Ban
Here's from
South South
News' press
release:
"It is
disgraceful
that a few
independent
journalists
are exhibiting
a lack of
professionalism
and
irresponsibility
by attacking
everything and
anyone they
believe is
linked to this
case. This is
often done by
insinuation,
guilt by
association
and baseless
assumptions
that disparage
many innocent
people and
organizations.
Irresponsible
assumptions,
fact-twisting
and
misinformation
serve to
distort the
perception of
the situation,
while
affecting our
hard work and
the work of
many innocent
people who
have
absolutely
nothing to do
with this
case.
These types of
attacks are
counterproductive
and
unprofessional.
We believe
these attacks
reflect poorly
on the
integrity of
the profession
of journalism
as a whole.
Not to justify
any illegal
activities,
but all sorts
of
organizations
worldwide have
been victims
of
unscrupulous
people, as
have other
organizations
facing similar
circumstances.
We as
employees will
defend our
hard and
honest work
and we will
defend the
commitment to
our goals and
objectives of
producing
quality
journalism to
inform about
these
important
issues. This
hard-earned
reputation has
been tainted
by some
unscrupulous
acts. Many
media and
administrative
professionals
have proudly
worked for
South-South
News and can
attest to the
integrity of
our media
operation.
This is a
complex case
in which many
players from
different
organizations
and events
have been
implicated, as
detailed in
the
Government’s
complaint. It
is working its
way through
the United
States
judiciary
system, as it
well should.
If you have
questions
regarding the
people
mentioned in
the US
Government
complaint, you
should contact
their legal
representatives
directly.
Again,
South-South
News is
continuing its
professional
day-to-day
functions by
providing some
of the most
comprehensive,
high-quality
coverage of
the UN and
disseminating
information on
global
development
issues."
The same
indicted
Vivian Wang of
South South
News with
David Ng Lap
Seng at the
same UNCA
event
On
this, Inner
City Press on
January 29
sought to
cover an UNCA
event held in
the UN Press
Briefing Room,
which was
nowhere listed
as
closed.
On February
19
Gallach,
without
recusing
herself,
unilaterally
deactivated
Inner City
Press UN
residential
correspondents
pass, and had
Inner City
Press'
reporter
physically
thrown out on
First Avenue
without coat
or passport. Audio
here.
This is
called
retaliation.
On the
afternoon of
April 12,
Inner City
Press while
with another
colleague
asked Ban
about
Gallach's
orders.
"That
is not my
decision," Ban
said quickly.
He is aware;
the ouster and
censorship
serve him, but
he says it is
not his
decision, just
as for example
Sri Lanka's
Mahinda
Rajapaksa or
higher profile
censors might.
On the
evening of
April 12
Gallach ordered
the final
eviction
of all of
Inner City
Press'
investigative
files on
Saturday,
April 16 at 10
am. This is
the face of
today's UN
corruption.
This is what
the UN
eviction order
sent to Inner
City Press
says:
Subject:
Office
To:matthew.lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
From: Tal
Mekel [at]
un.org
Date: Tue, Apr
12, 2016 at
6:47 PM
Dear Mr. Lee,
Further to the
letter to you
from Cristina
Gallach,
Under-Secretary-General
for
Communications
and Public
Information,
on 30 March
2016, we note
that you did
not remove
your
belongings
from the
office by the
6 April
deadline as
required.
As you have
still not
removed your
belongings, we
wish to inform
you that your
belongings
will be
packaged on
Saturday 16
April 2016 at
10:00 a.m.
After
carefully
packaging them
up, your
belongings
will be
forwarded to
Bronx NY
headquarters
address for
Inner City
Press that you
had listed in
your media
accreditation
application.
If you wish us
to forward
your packaged
belongings to
another
address
instead,
please let us
know as soon
as possible.
We request
your presence
during the
packing.
Please contact
the Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit (MALU) to
make the
necessary
arrangements.
If you are not
present, the
packing and
forwarding
will still
take place at
10:00 a.m. on
Saturday 16
April 2016.
Best, Tal
Tal Mekel
Acting Chief
Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit
United Nations
- S-250
New York, NY
10017
And here is
some of what
the OIOS
audit says,
about USG
Gallach:
"37. On 30
June 2015,
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
sponsored an
exhibition
titled “The
Transformative
Power of Art”
in the
visitors’
lobby at
United Nations
Headquarters.
This
exhibition was
curated by an
Italian
artist, whose
works were
displayed
along with the
works of other
artists
participating
in one of his
workshops.
38.
Exhibitions in
publicly
accessible
areas at
Headquarters
are governed
by the
Secretary
General’s
Bulletin
ST/SGB/2008/6,
which
stipulates,
inter alia, as
follows:
(a) The United
Nations
Exhibits
Committee,
which is an
interdepartmental
body of the
Secretariat
chaired by the
Under
Secretary
General for
Communications
and Public
Information
[Cristina
Gallach] is
the standing
body that
reviews and
authorizes
such
exhibitions;
(b) Any
proposal
originating
from an NGO or
foundation
must be
accompanied by
a written
communication
of support
from a
Secretariat
department or
office, a
separately
administered
organ or
programme of
the United
Nations, an
organization
of the United
Nations system
or a permanent
or observer
mission to the
United
Nations;
(c) Exhibit
proposals
focusing on a
specific
individual, or
originating
from a single
artist, shall
not be
permitted;
(d) The
Exhibits
Committee may,
at its
discretion,
reject a
proposal for
an exhibit in
part or in its
entirety, or
require the
elimination or
alteration of
any part
thereof; and
(e) The
secretariat of
the Exhibits
Committee
shall inform
the Assistant
Secretary
General,
Office of
Central
Support
Services, of
the
authorization
granted for a
proposed
exhibit.39.
OIOS noted
that the
exhibition
held of 30
June 2015 was
not in
compliance
with these
provisions.
The Exhibits
Committee did
not authorize
the exhibition
because it did
not receive a
proposal in
accordance
with (b)
above. The
Chef de
Cabinet of the
Office of the
President of
the
sixty-ninth
session of the
General
Assembly
informed the
Exhibits
Committee of
the
President’s
decision to
host a series
of major
cultural
events, which
included an
exhibition,
reception, and
concert. The
Committee
informed the
Office of the
President that
the exhibition
was not in
accordance
with the
regulations
for exhibits
in publicly
accessible
areas at
Headquarters,
but the Office
of the
President
decided to
proceed with
the exhibition
anyway.
Therefore, the
Exhibits
Committee did
not accept,
reject or
alter the
“proposal”.
40. OIOS notes
that the
Exhibits
Committee only
had an
advisory role
in the matter,
and in the
circumstances
described, it
could not have
possibly
prevented the
staging of the
event.
However,
considering
that the
exhibition was
attended by
the
Secretary-General
and other
senior
Secretariat
staff despite
its
non-compliance
with the
Secretary-General’s
bulletin on
exhibits, the
perception
that the NGO
was given
preferential
treatment or
favour (that
too without
performing any
due diligence
checks) could
have an
adverse impact
on the
Organization’s
reputation.
This risk is
aggravated by
the
allegations in
the criminal
complaint
against Sun
Kian Ip group,
with whom this
NGO is
affiliated."
While Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric has
said this
audit will not
be made public
until April
22, on April 6
as a
full text
exclusive
Inner City
Press
published the
audit while
noting
affiliates the
UN audit
omitted, and
portions of
the audit that
some involved
seem to be
trying to
cover up,
including not
only as to the
Department of
Public
Information,
but also the
Global Compact
and other
back-doors
into the UN,
including but
not limited to
"Friends of
the UN."
Beyond
the Under
Secretary
General of the
Department of
Public
Information's
responsibility
for exhibits
in the
Visitor's
Lobby such as
the one
indicted Sheri
Yan's Global
Sustainability
Foundation
held on June
30, 2015, she
was also in
charge when
GSF was
allowed,
without any
due diligence,
to on March
25, 2015
sponsor an
event entitled
"Unveiling of
the 'Ark of
Return'
Permanent
Memorial."
Audit at
Paragraph 20
(b).
Inner
City Press asked
the UN about
DPI's
engagement
with the
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
around the Ark
of Return in October
2015. To
be diplomatic,
this should
have led to /
required a
recusal.
DPI, the audit
says, was
"associated"
with Ng Lap
Seng's and
Frank Liu's
World Harmony
Foundation
through
something
called the
"Friends of
the UN" based
in Los Angeles
/ Santa
Monica. We'll
have more on
this.
As
Inner City
Press
demonstrated
even before
publishing the
audit, the
Global Compact
as of April
2016 lists
Ng's World
Harmony
Foundation as
a member,
despite the
October 2015
indictments.
Now we
note that the
Global
Compact,
represented at
Ng's Macau
event in
August 2015,
has a
representative
who because
not a UN staff
member kept
the iPad Ng's
Sun Kian Ip
foundation
gifted. What
kind of "anti
corruption" UN
Global Compact
is this?
On April 11,
after
publishing the
above, Inner
City Press
asked Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
it, and when
Ban will
answer
questions. Video here, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press:
onthis OIOS
inquiry, I
want to ask
you
something.
One of the
entities
controlled by
Mr. Ng Lap
Seng is World
Harmony
Foundation.
I don’t know
if it was you
or Farhan
[Haq] last
week that said
it’s still a
member of the
Global
Compact, but
it also seems
to partner
with DPI
(Department of
Public
Information)
is associated
through
something
called Friends
of the United
Nations, which
seems to be
based in Santa
Monica,
California.
It’s a little
unclear.
Can you say,
is this one of
the ground
balls that you
guys are going
to be running
down, in terms
of what other
groups enter
through that
way?
Also, what
explains World
Harmony
Foundation six
months after
the indictment
still being
part of the
Global
Compact?
And one other
Global Compact
question.
The audit
specifically
says that, of
the iPads
given out at
the Macau
event in
August, the
representative
of the Global
Compact has
not returned
it, said that
he’s not going
to return
it. He’s
not a staff
member and
he’s keeping
it. It’s
right in the
audit.
And so I
wanted to
know, since
the Global
Compact said
it’s about
transparency,
anticorruption,
is this
okay?
And why isn’t
he a staff
member if he’s
representing
the Global
Compact?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I don’t
know.
That’s a
question you
should… in
terms of World
Harmony,
whether or not
they’re still
a member, is a
question you
can ask of the
Global
Compact.
Obviously, as
we said, the
audit is an
initial step,
and other
issues are
being pursued.
Inner City
Press:
But are they
going… I mean,
I guess Global
Compact, UNDP
(United
Nations
Development
Programme),
are they going
to hold a
press
conference?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
You should ask
them.
They have
press people,
like the
Secretariat,
and they’re
there to
answer
questions.
Inner City
Press:
And the
Secretary-General,
you said he’ll
be in the room
tomorrow, but
he won’t
speak.
Looking at the
list of press
conferences,
it seems like
the last one
was December
of last year…
Spokesman:
He will have…
there will be
some sort of a
press
conference…
there will be
a press
conference,
probably on
Friday, tied
to the climate
event.
Inner City
Press: this
OIOS [Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services]
audit, I
obtained it,
published it
and I want to
ask just for
today, two
specific
questions
about
it. One
is, it talks
about funds
going to this
thing called
UNPAN, which
I've heard of,
but it seems
to be pretty
obscure.
And in looking
at its
website, it
claims to be
publishing
articles they
say were
published in
December 2016,
which hasn't
actually
occurred
yet. So,
there's
something a
little… What's
been done on
the
recommendations
as to… to
UNPAN and the
use of its
name by the
entities that
were
audited....
Spokesman:
The recommend…
the audit, I
think, as all
of you have
seen now,
includes
recommendations
and includes
the status of
those
recommendations,
and we're
following
through with
them.
Inner City
Press: I'd
asked Farhan
[Haq]
yesterday
about the 30
June 2015
event in the
Visitor's
Lobby, which
has a section
of the whole
audit about
DPI
[Department of
Public
Information]
being in
charge of it,
not doing
it. I
want to ask
you about
another event,
which was 25
March, this
unveiling of
the Ark of
Return permit
memorial,
which they
said was no
due diligence
done of the
Global
Sustainability
Foundation.
It seems like,
in this audit,
they make
these two
findings about
DPI, these two
events, but
it's only
looking at it,
I guess,
institutionally.
As I've asked
you, when
Global
Sustainability
Foundation was
founded in
this building,
a senior
adviser of the
Secretary-General
and his spouse
were present…
Spokesman:
I mean, I
think…
Inner City
Press:
Does this
audit look at
individuals or
only
entities…?
Spokesman:
The audit
looks at…
looked at the
systems.
When there are
issues related
to
individuals,
further
investigations
are being
done.
Inner City
Press:
Right.
But, it seems
like they only
mention the
individuals
that were in
the criminal
complaint.
There was
nothing…
Spokesman:
You know, the
audit… I think
the audit
speaks for
itself and
outlines how
we're
following up
with it.
There is
a need for
follow up.
The
audit cites
Ng's
Interntional
Organization
for South
South
Cooperation's
engagements
with, or
capture of,
the UN agency
UNPAN, the UN
Public
Administration
Network. A
visit on April
8, 2016 to UNPAN's
website
finds them
featuring
articles they
say were
publishd in
December 2016
- that is, in
the future.
Ironically,
the article(s)
address the
topic of
corruption.
That is
today's UN.
The audit for
example does
purport to
cover South
South News,
but not the
big money
South South
Awards held in
September 2015
at the Waldorf
Astoria
including the
Under
Secretary
General of the
Department of
Public
Information
(DPI) Cristina
Gallach.
(Inner City
Press in
October 2015
questioned Ms.
Gallach about
her
participation
in the South
South Awards,
video
here. On
February 19,
2016 Gallach
ordered Inner
City Press to
leave its long
time office
and stripped
its Resident
Correspondent
accreditation,
without once
speaking to
it. This is
the subject of
an April
5 letter to
Ban Ki-moon
from the
Government
Accountability
Project,
demanding that
this “crude
and heavy
handed”
retaliation be
reversed,
watch this
site.)
On April
7, Inner City
Press asked UN
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq a
first round of
questions
about some of
the
limitations of
the audio, video here,
Inner City
Press: I've
now obtained
and published
this OIOS
audit of
selected NGOs
and related
entity that
you said will
come out on 22
April.
And there's
different
things I want
to ask you
about it, but
main thing I
want to ask
about is,
there's an
entire section
that runs from
paragraph 37
through
paragraph 40
that it's
about an
exhibit they
say was
improperly
held in the
Visitor's
Lobby on 30
June
2015.
And it goes
through a lot
of detail, and
it says that
the
Under-Secretary-General
of the
Department of
Public
Information is
in charge of
the exhibits
committee and,
I guess, in
charge of the
space.
And somehow,
this exhibit
was held in
violation of a
number of the
rules that
apply to
it. What
I'm wondering
is, what is
the
response?
Obviously, it
seems like you
guys have had
access to this
audit even
before it was
sent to Member
States.
What is the
thinking… the
way they walk
through it is
they say… it
seems strange.
If she's in
charge of the
space and the
exhibit took
place without
complying with
the rules,
what is the
response to
her
responsibility
for
that?
And what steps
have been
taken?
The audit
doesn't say
that any steps
have yet been
taken to
address that.
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
Well, with
regard to the
specific cases
referred to in
the audit,
actions being
taken to
determine
responsibility
and any
follow-up and
any measures
that may be
deemed
appropriate.
And so, we'll
continue to
study that.
Inner City
Press:
And who
decides? In
getting the
audit, there
obviously is a
long section
about
South-South
News, but I
noticed that a
related entity
of which
there's been a
lot of
coverage is
South-South
Awards.
And it's
unclear, it's
not mentioned
once in
here.
And this is
something
that… I mean,
the
Secretary-General
received the
South-South
Award.
This is an
entity that's
absolutely
connected to
Ng Lap Seng
and Frank
Lorenzo et
al. So,
the question
is, who… maybe
that's OIOS,
but who
decided on the
scope of this
audit, the
date that it
would start, 1
January 2012,
and the
exclusion of…
of… one of the
things that
people
covering this
scandal have
focused on are
these glitzy
events in the
Waldorf.
The
Under-Secretary-General
of DPI did
attend in
September, but
prior to that,
Ms. [Susana]
Malcorra took
an award for
Ban
[Ki-moon].
Why is this
not in the
audit?
And will there
be an audit of
South-South
Awards going
forward?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq: I
think the
audit is what
it is.
It's prepared
by the
professional
people in the
Office of
Internal
Oversight who
deal with
audits.
And you can
evaluate the
results for
yourself.
Inner City
Press:
And just one
other thing I
wanted to ask
about, because
I know I'd
asked Stéphane
[Dujarric] and
you, going
back to
October, about
the inclusion
of South-South
News content
in UN
Television
archives.
And,
eventually,
you came back
with this
answer that it
was due to
Habitat.
And I just…
I've pointed
out to you
that there's a
number of
things that
have nothing
to do with
Habitat, a
number of
inclusions
that you just
search UNTV
for
"South-South
News".
But, I do
notice in this
audit that
there is a
reference to
South-South
News and
Habitat.
So, I wanted
to know, was
this finding
that you said
of people
looking into
how it got in
there, was it
basically just
taken from
reading the
audit, or was
there a… a… a…
an analysis,
either by your
office or DPI,
of how the
many other
inclusions of
South-South
News and UNTV
archives took
place?
Deputy
Spokesman:
No, our office
had checked
with
DPI.
That was prior
to us knowing
about the
results of the
audit.
Similarly,
using timing
as a basis of
omission, by
stopping the
audit at
January 1,
2012, OIOS did
not address
the issue of
Ng's South
South News
getting a
photo op
directly with
Ban Ki-moon in
December 2011
at the UN
Correspondents
Association
ball at
Cipriani's
42nd Street
after giving
money to UNCA
including for
a two page ad
spread in
UNCA's “ball
book.”
While
Dujarric's
deputy Farhan
Haq allowed
four UNCA
board members
from Reuters,
France 24 and
Agence France
Presse to seek
to rebut this
including by
directly
addressing
Inner City
Press in the
noon briefing
on April 6,
the cut-off at
January 1,
2012 is
problematic,
especially as
related to Ban
Ki-moon
himself.
The
audit goes out
of its way to
say that Ban's
Executive
Office of the
Secretary
General did
not know when
a letter to it
was modified
to add the
name of Ng's
firm and of
South South
News. How is
that possible?
And again, why
was Ban's
direct dealing
with Ng cut
out from the
audit by a
matter of
days?
Many of the
irregularities
in the audit
are things
first reported
by Inner City
Press, such
as Yan's
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
funding the
UN's slavery
memorial,
including an
engagement
with Gallach's
DPI which even
the audit
criticizes
while DPI
tries to deny.
Undeniable is
that Gallach
chaired the UN
Exhibits
Committee
which allowed
the bogus
“Transformative
Power of Art”
exhibit on
June 30, 2015.
How does
Gallach's no
due process
ouster of
Inner City
Press on
February 19,
2016, when
Inner City
Press was
thrown into
the street and
its laptop on
the sidewalk
by eight UN
guards, look
now that the
audit is out?
Even with the
audit
inexplicably
omitting the
South South
Awards -- Ban
Ki-moon got
one of the
awards -- the
audit chides
DPI for lack
of due
diligence for
its slavery
event, and
Gallach as
chair of the
Exhibit
Committee
which allowed
the Jun 30,
2015
“Transformative
Power of Art”
exhibit.
"The
Government
Accountability
Project
complained
about Lee's
fallout in a
Feb. 26 letter
to the U.S.
Permanent
Mission of the
United
Nations.
'The action
targeted
Matthew Lee
alone, and
appears to be
retaliatory in
response to
independent,
critical
journalism,'
wrote Beatrice
Edwards, the
project's
international
program
director.
UNCA, the
group whose
meeting Lee
got in trouble
for recording,
has denied the
appearance of
unfairness.
'UNCA stands
for press
freedom and
vehemently
defends rights
of journalists
at the UN and
around the
world,' the
statement
says."
Really?
Where? It was
the Free UN
Coalition for
Access asking
this month
about the UN
requiring
minders, not
only in UN
Headquarters
but also in
South Sudan.
The Courthouse
News
continues:
"Lee blasted
what he
described as
'post-hoc'
justifications
for his
ouster, which
he compared to
a Franz Kafka
novel.
'Initially,
they tried to
say that I
secretly
filmed a
closed
meeting,' he
said.
'That's fallen
apart because
the meeting
wasn't
recorded as
closed.' Lee
laughed off
allegations
that he
entered a
restricted
area to
secretly film
the meeting,
which he
broadcast via
a popular
web-casting
platform.
'It's hard to
say that a
Periscope
live-streaming
with my arms
up is secret,'
he said.
By downgrading
his
residential
correspondent
credentials to
a second-tier
status, the
U.N. has
restricted
Lee's freedom
of movement,
forced him to
be chaperoned
by a minder."
That's
right, a UN
minder
courtesy of UN
Communications
chief Cristina
Gallach and
ultimately,
Ban Ki-moon.
In terms of
violations,
and cover up,
see Paragraphs
37 through 40
of the OIOS
audit.
Inner City
Press on April
5 asked if
Ng's World
Harmony
Foundation is
still part of
the UN Global
Compact;
deputy
spokesperson
Haq said he
would check
but never came
back with an
answer. On
April 6 Inner
City Press
asked again
and Haq said
yes - now we
see it is
confirmed and
criticized in
the audit.
Worse while
Inner City
Press from
October 2015
on asked
Dujarric and
Haq how South
South News got
its content in
the UNTV
archives run
by Gallach's
DPI, Haq
belatedly
mentioned only
one use,
connected to
HABITAT. Now
we see the
HABITAT -
South South
News
interaction is
listed in the
audit, which
it seems Haq
consulted
before
answering (and
whatever else
he did with
the audit).
But why
didn't OIOS
look into
South South
News' OTHER
inclusions in
DPI's archives
of UNTV? Watch
this site.
Another
question, now
more poignant
with the full
audit online,
is why the
wire services
reporters from
Reuters and
Agence France
Presse, on the
Executive
Committee of
the UN
Correspondents
Association
which took
Ng's South
South News'
money and then
gave Ng a
photo op with
Ban Ki-moon,
didn't even
MENTION that
DPI, their
partner in
censorship,
was listed and
criticized in
the audit.
Not only
the South
South Awards,
but the the
Gallach-approved
bogus
exhibition
criticized in
detail in the
audit is
nowhere in
their reports.
Hence the
April 6 threat
and April 6
noon briefing,
video here.
We'll have
more on this Follow @innercitypressFollow @FUNCA_info
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