On August 29,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric (in
writing since
Dujarric
suspended all
noon briefings
after previously
throwing Inner
City Press out
of (t)his UN
Press Briefing
Room) to
“please state
whether the
Secretary
General asked
Han Seung-soo,
given his at
least two
board
memberships,
to make public
financial
disclosure.”
To
this, Dujarric
replied, “He
is under the
same rules as
other
envoys.”
So all UN
envoys can be
on the boards
of directors
of companies
in the UN
Procurement
data base,
with UN
contracts,
companies that
make sales to
countries to
which the
envoy gives UN
speeches?
While the UN
claims Ban
Ki-moon urges
his officials
to make public
financial
disclosure,
now Ban has
allowed the
names of the
officials who
refuse to make
any disclosure
to no longer
even be
mentioned on
the list of
officials.
On August 22,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
lead spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric to
explain who
decided to
make the
public
financial
disclosure
lists less
useful, and as
an example
about OIOS'
Carman
Lapointe. Beyond the Vine here,UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: if you
can explain,
on the public
financial
disclosure
list of the
Secretary-General,
which, until,
you know,
2015, the most
recent year,
always
included the
list of all…
of all
officials, and
then you'd
click it, and
it would say,
in some cases,
"I maintain
confidentiality".
Now that's
gone, so
there's no… I
mean, are
those forms
collected…?
Spokesman:
I have… I've
heard your
line of
questioning to
Farhan.
ICP
Correspondent:
It's on the
Secretary-General's
website.
Spokesman:
I don't have
any updates on
that. If
I do and when
I do, I will
share that
with you.
ICP
Correspondent:
He said to me…
his answer
was, “we don't
have…
Spokesman:
I know what
his… actually,
even on
vacation, I
sadly, at
noon, wherever
I was… would
tune in to
watch the
show.
ICP
Question:
So, then you
heard him say,
you know who
UN officials
are, so you're
supposed to…?
Spokesman:
As I said, if
I… I'm not
going…
ICP
Question:
Ms. Carman
Lapointe,
she's not
listed in
2015.
Does that mean
that she
didn't report
or was she
already off
the list?
Spokesman:
If I have
more, I will
share with
you.
Thank you.
A week after
Dujarric
refused to
answer that in
person, and
never followed
up, Inner City
Press on
August 29
asked in
writing: “As I
have
repeatedly
asked, please
state who
decided to
change the
Secretary
General's
Public
Financial
Disclosure
Page so that,
unlike in 2013
for example,
in 2015 those
officials who
“maintain
confidentiality”
(don't make
any public
disclosure)
are not even
named on the
2015 list.
Relatedly,
please state
whether OIOS'
Lapointe was
not on the
2015 list
because she
did not make
public
disclosure.
Will Jane Holl
Lute be on the
2016 list? Has
she filed
already and if
so please
provide the
form or why
not (including
in light of
Union Pacific
board
membership,
and state
compensation).”
Dujarric while
responding,
such as it
was, on Han
Seung-soo did
not respond on
the above.
Finally on
September 1 at
6 pm, Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Duajrric
provided this:
"On the
question of
listing online
those senior
officials who
choose to
participate in
the Voluntary
Public
Disclosure
Initiative
(VPDI) on the
Secretary-General's
web page, it
is important
to remember
that the UN
financial
disclosure
programme is
confidential.
The purpose of
the
confidential
programme is
for the UN to
ensure that
the discharge
by senior
officials of
their duties
and those in
sensitive
functions is
not influenced
by personal
interests.
The VPDI of
the
Secretary-General,
initiated in
2007, is
intended to
give
transparency
to this
assurance and
enhance public
trust in the
Organization.
As the VPDI is
not a
requirement,
only the names
of those
officials who
opt to
voluntarily
make a public
disclosure is
listed
online.
Prior to 2014,
the list of
VPDI
participants
included 1)
those
officials who,
having
complied with
their
disclosure
obligations,
chose to make
public a
summary of
their
statements,
and 2) those
who, having
complied,
chose to
publicly state
that they
complied but
wished to
maintain the
confidentiality
of the
information
disclosed.
A third
category
3) of those
senior
officials who
complied but
chose to not
participate in
the VPDI, for
various
reasons, have
not been
listed.
Since
officials in
categories 2
or 3
were not
publicly
disclosing
their
pertinent
interests
anyway, from
2014 onwards,
option 2 (of
maintaining
confidentiality
of the
statement but
to be listed
on the
website) was
no longer made
available.
However, the
absence of a
particular
staff member
on the list of
public
disclosures
does not mean
that a staff
member has not
complied with
their
disclosure
obligations.
From the
perspective of
conflicts of
interest risk
management,
all officials
who have
fulfilled
their
financial
disclosure
obligations --
thus allowing
the
Organization
to proactively
vet for and
mitigate any
possible
conflicts of
interest --
are in
compliance,
whether
participating
or not in the
VPDI,
So what
changed after
2014? Some
ask, can you
say Han
Seung-soo?
On August 18,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Farhan Haq
about the
continued
decline of
transparency
under Ban, Vine here,UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: you've
referred a
couple times
in recent days
to the idea
of… of public
financial
disclosure by…
by
officials.
And I've seen
on the website
that Ban
Ki-moon says
that he urges
his officials
to do it, but,
of course,
it's not
required.
That I
understand.
But, what I've
noticed is
that until
recently, in
previous
years, there's
been a list of
all
officials.
And if you
click some
names, it
says, "I
choose not to
disclose."
For 2015, the
most recent
year, the
officials who
don't disclose
aren't even
listed.
So, it seems
like it's a
step
back.
And I wanted
to know, for
example, Mr.
Hervé Ladsous
was listed in
2013 as
declining to
disclose.
He's the head
of
peacekeeping,
as you
know. I
don't know how
the urging of
Ban Ki-moon
resulted in
that.
But, in 2015
he's not even
on the
list.
So, maybe you
know or you
can ask them,
how is it
decided to
drop the names
from the list
of officials
who choose not
to
disclose?
Because it
makes it even
more opaque,
obviously,
because you
can't even
tell that they
didn't
disclose.
They're not
listed, unless
you do
cross-reference
back…
Deputy
Spokesman:
No, well, you
know who the
officials of
the UN
are.
They either
choose to make
their
disclosure on
a voluntary
basis or
not.
That is their
decision.
However,
regardless of
whether they
make it public
or not, they
do make
disclosures to
the UN, and
those are
reviewed.
ICP
Question:
Right.
Was it
specific… was
it a change in
policy, from
all the years,
2000… for
example, Mr.
[Mathew]
Nimetz appears
in 2007, but
he doesn't
appear in
2015.
Mr. Han
[Seung-soo]
doesn't
appear.
So, who
decided… I
guess it's the
ethics… on
whose
authority was
it decided to
make it less
opaque which
officials are
not following
Ban Ki-moon's
ostensible
urging to
disclose?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, like I
said, there's
still
financial… the
public
financial
disclosures
are still
available, and
that's the
basic
point.
If they choose
to make them
public,
they're
available on
the website.
The conflicts
of interest
allowed by Ban
Ki-moon in his
UN are
extensive.
Today's
example
is
Matthew
Nimetz, Ban's
Personal Envoy
for the talks
between Greece
and the Former
Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia
(FYROM).
Inner
City Press: I
want to ask
you about a
financial
seeming
conflict of
interest that
goes… that,
hopefully,
they'll
actually say
whether
they've
approved it or
not. And
it has to do
with the
Special Envoy…
the
Secretary-General's
personal envoy
on the talks
between Greece
and the former
Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia, Mr.
[Mathew]
Nimetz.
It is part of
his public
disclosure
that he's a
principal in
General
Atlantic, but
what's not
said there is
that this
company
invests in
Studio
Moderna, which
is a
for-profit
company which
lists itself
as doing
business in
[former
Yugoslav
Republic of
Macedonia].
So… or
Macedonia, as
it calls
it. So,
I wonder, how
can a UN… how
can a
negotiator be
a principal,
not just on
the board of
directors, but
actively work
in a fund that
has an
investment
somewhere
between $50
and $500
million in a
company doing
business in
the country in
which he's
mediating?
Is that… so, I
want… I guess
what I'm
asking you for
is a
substantive
answer rather
than the same
answer that
they… they
check these
things and
restrictions
are… is there
any
restriction on
this in some
way?
Deputy
Spokesman:
The basic
point is that
the nature of
their
disclosures is
that all
participants
have the
voluntary
right to make
public
disclosures.
Beyond that,
they are
disclosures
that are
shared with
the Ethics
Office and
those are of a
confidential
nature.
Therefore, I
cannot go into
the details.
ICP
Question:
Right, but
from the
outside, can
you see why
some people
would say this
has the
appearance of
a conflict of
interest to
have a
financial
stake in a
country you're
mediating
around?
Deputy
Spokesman:
What I can say
is the Ethics
Office works
specifically
with officials
to make sure
that there is
none.
ICP
Question:
What about
appearance?
This is what…
the World Bank
says…
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yes, Linda?
With Ban
Ki-moon's
spokespeople
refusing to
answer basic
questions --
and instead
accusing the
Press of
“bullying” for
asking --
Inner City
Press on
August 15
reported that
and asked Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
about that
Ban's Special
Envoy for Road
Safety Jean
Todt is
simultaneously
listed
on the board
of directors
of Groupe
Lucien
Barrière SAS,
whose
businesses
include
casinos,
luxury hotels,
restaurants,
and bars in
France and
Switzerland,
and online
poker in
France.
Ban's Special
Envoy Todt is
also listed on
the board of
directors of Gaumont SA which
“produces and
distributes
films and
television
programming,
operates movie
screens and
publishes 'Le
Point' news
magazine and
has as
subsidiaries
Gaumont
Production,
Cinemas de
l'Est, and
Societe
d'Exploitation
des Cinemas
Angevins.
There was
previous push
back on
Formula 1,
including as
relates to Bahrain and Todt's
comments about
the Paris
terrorist
attack -
but Ban's
“Road Safety”
representative
on the board
of directors
of a
for-profit
company owning
bars?
Inner City
Press: I'd
asked you how
many other
boards Mr. Han
Seung-soo is
on that do
business with
the UN, and
you seemed to
not answer
that. I
wanted to ask
you about…
there's
another
special… given
that you won't
answer that,
there's
another
special… the
Special Envoy
on road
safety, Mr.
Jean
Todt.
According to
public
records, he's
on the board
of a group,
Lucien
Barrière,
which… whose
businesses
include bars
and online
poker.
And what I
wanted to know
is, first, I
guess, just
factually,
whether the
Ethics Office
has signed off
on these two
outside board…
there's
another board
that he's on
that's
movie
theaters.
But, the
contradiction
between road
safety and
being on a
for-profit
board of a
company that
runs bars
seems
extraordinary.
So, I wanted
to know, has
the Ethics
Office signed
off on
this?
And will the
UN live up to
what the World
Bank says,
which is that
outside board
memberships
by… by its
officials are
made public as
a matter of
course to
avoid the
appearance of
conflicts of
interest?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I've explained
to you how the
Ethics Office
goes about
this in
general, and
I'll look into
what
specifically
they're doing
about Jean
Todt.
Twenty four
hours later,
from the
podium, Haq
read this: "I
was asked
yesterday
about any
disclosures
made by Jean
Todt, who
serves as a
Special Envoy
of the
Secretary-General
for Road
Safety and
holds a
dollar-a-year
contract.
I can say that
he is in
compliance
with the UN’s
disclosure of
interest
requirements,
including the
disclosure of
his non-UN
activities.
In receiving
the
Secretary-General’s
approval for
non-UN
activities
with
conditions,
Mr. Todt has
been informed
of related
restrictions
for his non-UN
activities in
order to
prevent and
manage
conflicts of
interest.
Under
applicable
Staff
Regulations
and UN
policies,
disclosure
statements are
confidential
and will be
accessible to
and used by
the
Secretary-General,
the Ethics
Office or by
offices or
persons
specifically
authorized in
writing by the
Secretary-General.
Public
disclosure is
voluntary.
And that is it
from me."
Inner City
Press:
I wanted to
ask you about
this Jean Todt
thing, because
yesterday,
what I was
asking about
was not just a
possible
financial
conflict of
interest, but
the idea of
sort of a
thematic
conflict of
interest, in
the sense that
the company
he's on the
board of,
publicly
listed, owns
bars, and he's
the Special
Envoy for Road
Safety.
So, I wanted
to know, is it
within the
Ethics Office
mandate to
look at this
type of
thematic
contradiction,
or are they
simply looking
for possible
either… either
conflict of
interest in
contracting
with the
UN? Do
they look at
speeches given
by envoys,
where
companies that
they're with
can make
money?
How… I just… I
want to know
what kind of
restrictions
they're
imposing.
Deputy
Spokesman:
I brought what
you'd said to
their
attention, and
this is their
reply. ...
Inner City
Press: I want
to ask you…
and I want to
try to, I
guess, do it
in a generic
way, about the
staffing of
the PGA's
[President of
the General
Assembly]
office.
When a PGA
comes in and
brings in his
own… his or
her own people
to… and makes
them UN staff
for the year,
does this make
them UN staff,
i.e., they're
in the system
and then get
promoted from
there?
And I'm asking
because at
least in… in…
about a
particular
case of a John
Ashe personal
assistant who
came in and
then became
the assistant
to Ms.
Catherine
Pollard, who
is now working
in the
Executive
Office of the
Secretary-General.
And the
question is,
is this a sort
of a backdoor
way in?
What is the
status… does…
does… and I
ask it because
also Mr.
[Mogens]
Lykketoft has
brought in a
speechwriter.
This is a
question that
arose in this
room. Is
the
expectation
when somebody
becomes a UN
staff member
for the year
of a PGA
service that
at the end of
the year
they're back
just like any
other person
trying to
enter the UN
system, or
have they
effectively
entered the UN
system simply
by being
tapped by the
PGA?
Deputy
Spokesman:
No. I
mean, they can
apply for UN
jobs after
they've
finished their
time.
And some of
them, as you
noticed, have
applied for UN
jobs.
But, they can
go back to
national
service or UN
jobs. It
goes either
way.
ICP
Question:
But, they're
not… they
don't have a
leg up on
people that
are not
already in the
UN system or
do they?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I wouldn't
call it a leg
up. They
have
experience in
the
system.
That is
something in
itself.
But, beyond
that, they're
not part of
the system
inherently.
ICP
Question:
Given the John
Ashe case, can
you say, maybe
not now, but
at some point
later today
or, I guess,
tomorrow from
the podium,
how many staff
members
brought in by
John Ashe,
given that,
may he rest in
peace, he was
charged with
bribery at the
UN, now
currently work
in the UN
system?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I wouldn't be
aware of that,
depending upon
where they had
gone. I
mean,
obviously,
some of them
may be in the
system.
Some have gone
back to
national
service.
Vine
here.
Han Seung-soo
is a UN public
official, and
it is now
demonstrated
that he sits
on at least
two "boards of
companies with
profit-making
arms" with
which the UN
has awarded
contracts
during Han's
UN public
service.
Some of these
contracts,
such as the
global banking
contract cited
in a UN
document in
April 2016,
are
substantial.
Inner City
Press: I'll
speak and then
I'll be sure
to be
quiet.
Have you
verified to
your own
satisfaction
that Han
Seung-soo is
listed on the
website of
Standard
Chartered Bank
as an
independent
outside… on
the board of
directors and
that Standard
Chartered Bank
has not only
the brokerage
contract but
also a master
servicing
contract, and
how is it
consistent
with any pla…
any
legitimate
conflict-of-interest
rules that
a person can
be in both of
these
capacities at
once?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
I've been in
touch with the
Ethics
Office.
They are
satisfied with
the
cooperation
that they're
receiving, and
I've provided
the details
that we have
about the
cooperation
that they've
been receiving
from Han
Seung-soo.
This Ban
Ki-moon / UN
spokesman is
trying to say
that Han has
been given
waivers to sit
on outside
boards.
But this is
contrary to
best practices
as documented
by other
public
organizations.
Can the UN say
with a
straight face
that the
waivers given
to Han by his
former
protege, Ban
Ki-moon, are
appropriate
and are in the
spirit of
the
standards
promoted by
for example
the World Bank
and the OECD?
The World
Bank, with
which Ban
cavorts, says
"the
declaration of
interests
program for
the Bank
Group’s Senior
Management
Team and Vice
Presidents
includes
public
disclosure of
summaries of
their annual
declarations
of interests.
Public
disclosure of
this
information
helps
demonstrate to
stakeholders
that, in the
discharge of
their official
duties and
responsibilities,
the Bank
Group’s senior
managers are
not, and do
not appear to
be, influenced
by any
consideration
associated
with their own
private
interests."
Ban has
refused to
disclose which
boards Han is
on; the two
Inner City
Press has
identified
each certainly
show the
appearance of
conflict of
interest, and
the thing
itself.
The OECD notes
for example
that
"Germany’s
policy also
requires
federal
Ministers and
Parliamentary
Secretaries of
State to
restrict their
non-ministerial
activities.
The following
activities are
forbidden by
the law for
federal
Ministers and
Parliamentary
Secretaries of
State while
they are in
office:
-Occupying
another
salaried
office.
-Practising
another
profession or
commercial
occupation.
-Acting as a
paid
arbitrator or
undertaking a
consultant
activity
outside the
courts.
-Holding an
honorary
public
position,
without
government
permission.
In general
the law also
prohibits
sitting on
boards or
supervisory
boards of
companies with
profit-making
aims."
Has is
on two such
boards, Inner
City Press has
identified;
Jane Holl Lute
on another,
for $250,000 a
year.
When Inner
City Press
asked about
this and how
many OTHER
board Han is
on that do
business with
the UN, Ban's
spokesman
Farhan Haq cut
off the
questions and
claimed Inner
City Press was
“bullying”
him. Video
here; UN Transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: Mr. Han
Seung-soo is
also on the
board of
Standard
Chartered
Bank, which
was awarded,
according to
the… the most
recent report
of the… on the
Chief
Executive
Board's
proceedings,
Standard
Chartered Bank
was awarded
the UN's
master
servicing
banking
contract.
So I wanted to
know… I mean,
this is why I
think I was
asking for
kind of a more
comprehensive
response from
the Ethics
Office in
terms of what
restrictions
they've placed
on Mr. Han
Seung-soo,
because if, as
is reflected
by the bank's
website, he's
on the board
of a bank
that, in fact,
has this major
contract with
the UN, can
you please
describe to me
what possible
restrictions
deal with
this?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I've described
to you how the
Ethics
Office's
guidelines
work and that
those
guidelines
apply to Mr.
Han
Seung-soo.
He has engaged
and informed
them of a
number of his
business
dealings, and
they have
taken those
into account.
ICP
Question:
How can you be
on the board
of a… of a… of
a bank that
has a con… you
just made a
point of
pointing out
that Doosan,
although it's
listed in
procurement
contract…
procurement
database,
didn't have
contracts
during this
particular
period of
time.
But if… I'm…
I'm informing
you that the
Chief
Executive
Board's report
said that
Standard
Chartered Bank
has this
contract with
the UN, and
he's on their
board.
So is he still
on their
board, or is
he somehow
half on their
board?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I've described
to you what
the series of
procedures
are, and those
are what
applies to him
as well as to
other special
advisers.
ICP
Question:
So how is…
Deputy
Spokesman:
We're not
going to
interfere with
their own
outside-of-UN
lives by going
into all of
their details
at great
length, but
the Ethics
Office has
been dealing
with this, and
they have a
series of
guidelines,
and he's aware
of them and is
in compliance…
ICP
Question:
How can you be
on a board of
a
corporation…?
Deputy
Spokesman:
You keep
interrupting
me.
ICP
Question:
All
right.
I'm asking
because I see
you already
looking away,
and I want…
this is a very
simple
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
I'm looking at
someone else
who is raising
a hand.
But, please,
behave
yourself.
You need to
understand
that when
someone is
asking a
question, you
allow them to
answer.
I've actually
lost my train
of
thought.
So I'll have
to gain it…
ICP
Question:
I'm asking…
I'm willing to
because I have
a follow-up
question…
Deputy
Spokesman:
Because the
continued
interruptions…
you're doing
it again…
actually break
people's train
of
thought.
He has been in
touch with the
Ethics
Office.
And, like I
said, they
have a series
of remedies
for the steps
which I've
detailed.
Beyond that,
this is what
we have.
ICP
Question:
What other
boards is he
on?
That's my
follow-up
question.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Matthew,
Matthew…
ICP
Question:
It's
simple.
It's simple,
because he's
on the board
of a bank that
does business
with the UN…
I'm finishing
my
question.
You're cutting
me off.
Deputy
Spokesman:
No…
ICP
Question:
My question
is, how many
corporate
boards that do
business with
the UN…
Deputy
Spokesman:
Matthew, when
I start to say
something in
reply to your
question and
then you cut
me off, then
don't accuse
me of cutting
you off.
ICP
Question:
Right, you
tried to call
on someone
else, and I
was asking
another
question.
How many
boards is Han
Seung-soo on
that do
business with
the UN?
Deputy
Spokesman:
At this stage,
you're
actually just
trying to
bully
me. To
be honest,
I've given you
a wealth of
information
about this,
including
details about
how the Ethics
Office goes
about
it.
That's what
we've
got.
Yes.
Carole?
“Early in
2016, the
master banking
services
agreement
between the
Secretariat
and Standard
Chartered Bank
will be the
first such
global
contract to be
signed,
enabling
United Nations
system
entities to
access banking
and treasury
services in 28
countries from
Standard
Chartered Bank
and its
subsidiaries.”
(undocs.org/E/2016/56)
So Ban Ki-moon
and his Ethics
Office let
Ban's mentor
and adviser
Han Seung-soo
serve as UN
Special
Adviser for
Water and
Disaster Risk
Reduction and
give speeches
in that
capacity while
Doosan, on
whose board
Han sits,
sells water
desalinization
equipment to
the same
countries he
speaks to for
the UN.
Han is on the
board of
Standard
Charter bank,
awarded the
UN's master
banking
services
contract. This
is Ban's UN.
On August 9
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Farhan Haq
directly about
Han Seung-soo
giving
speeches at UN
special
adviser on
water while
Doosan, which
he directs,
makes sales
including but
not limited to
water
desalinization
equipment in
the same
places. This
is a blatant
(mis) use of
the UN, by Ban
Ki-moon's
mentor.
The UN left
Ban Ki-moon's
webpage down
for August 9,
and as of 9 am
on August 10
has still not
put the August
9 transcript
online. Haq
read out some
generic
advocacy
points from
Ban's Ethics
Office, that
restrictions
are
custom-designed
for particular
conflicts of
interest, but
would not
disclose a
single
restriction on
Han Seung-soo.
Anyway, the
public record
speaks for
itself. Watch
this site.
After Inner
City Press
asked, on
August 8 Ban
Ki-moon's
Deputy
Spokesman
Farhan Haq
said, "I was
asked last
week about
Special
Adviser Han
Seung-soo and
his dealings
with a company
named Doosan
Infracore. Mr.
Han disclosed
this outside
interest to
the
Organization,
and the Ethics
Office
provided
advice on the
matter.
Mr. Han was
informed of
the
restrictions
on his
involvement
with the
company in the
context of the
nature of his
contract with
the
Organization,
under which he
serves on a
"when actually
employed"
basis.
The measures
put in place
serve to
ensure that
the UN staff
rules and
regulations
are adhered
to, that there
is no conflict
of interest,
and that the
Organization's
interests are
fully
protected."
Inner City
Press: I want
to ask, given…
you said that
there's some…
advice was
given to him
about how to
operate to
comply with
the
rules. I
wanted sort
of… sort of
throw in a new
fact, which is
that Doosan
also does
business and
has large
contracts
with, for
example, Saudi
Arabia.
So I'm
wondering, can
you provide a
little more
detail on what
the safeguards
are for… for a
UN Special
Adviser to be
on the board
of a
for-profit
corporation
that deals
not… not only
does business
with the UN
but which does
business with…
with countries
with… the
Secretary-General
himself had
said, like,
Saudi
financial
threats caused
him to change
policy
essentially.
So I'm
wondering…
Deputy
Spokesman:
That's… those
are two very
separate
issues.
ICP
Question:
So you
say. I'm
simply asking
you, can you
describe what
the safeguards
are?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Like I said,
there are
safeguards put
in
place.
He brought
this to the
attention of
the UN
organization
in 2015, last
year, at a
time, by the
way, when
Doosan did not
have business
dealings with
the United
Nations.
Over that
period, since
then,
guidelines
have been
prepared to
make sure that
there is no
conflict of
interest and
that the
organization's
interests are
protected.
But, like I
said, this is
part of the
way the
process works
in terms of
dealing with
officials,
including
those, like
Mr. Han
Seung-soo, who
are on a
when-actually-employed
basis and are
not full-time
employees.
ICP
Question:
Okay. Is
it possible to
know what
these
guidelines
are?
Deputy
Spokesman:
These are the
details I've
gotten.
I just got
them over the
past hour.
After
publishing
these links,
Inner City
Press on
August 4 asked
Ban Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
about it, and
about Jane
Holl Lute for
the second
time -- this
time, answered
unlike the
five days of
questions
about UN
Security
Inspector
Matthew
Sullivan being
on an outside
board of a
corporation
which has held
events for,
among other
things,
sneakers in
the UN.
So does the UN
only answer
when it can
say that Yes,
Ban Ki-moon
approved? On
August 5,
Inner City
Press asked
again, video
here,UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press:
Yesterday I'd
asked about
Han Seung-soo
and whether
he's the
Special
Adviser.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yes, yes, he
remains
Special
Adviser.
I've put in a
request to the
Ethics Office
to see whether
he's made any
notifications
of different
business
dealings.
I believe he
may have done
some, but I'm
trying to get
it from the
Ethics
Office.
Alas, at this
time of
summer, there
are some
offices that
are… will be
harder to get
replies back
from so I'll
let you know
once I have
it.
Question:
Sure. I
guess I want
to
understand.
There's a rule
that says a
person needs
approval from
the
Secretary-General
for
outside.
Does that
apply here, or
is it just a
matter of
saying that
you're doing
it?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first I
need to check,
again, whether
the Ethics
Office has had
any
notifications
of any other
activities.
Three days
later, no
answer from
the UN - even
as Doosan's
Saudi business
is exposed:
Doosan, "a
South Korea
power
equipment
maker, said
today that it
signed a 1.1
trillion won
($1.2 billion)
contract to
build a power
and
desalination
plant in Saudi
Arabia." This
is Ban
Ki-moon's UN
see new
film here.
Inner City
Press: I
thought you
might have
it.
Yesterday, I'd
asked
Stéphane, and
he'd said it
was not an
unfair
question,
whether the
Secretary-General
approved the
service of
Jane Holl Lute
on the Union
Pacific's
Board.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Oh, yes.
Yes, we
checked, and
the answer is
yes, she did
seek approval
and did
receive it.
ICP
Question:
And what I
wanted to ask
as a second
question,
which is that
the special…
is Mr. Han
Seung-soo
still the
Special
Adviser on
Water and Risk
Reduction?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I believe he
was appointed
that some time
ago.
Whether he
still has that
portfolio or
not, I would
need to check.
ICP
Question:
Because what I
want to know
is that he's
also on the
board of
directors of a
South Korean
firm, Doosan
Infracore,
which is
listed in the
UN procurement
database as
doing business
with the
UN. So,
I wanted to
know if maybe
you can get
like… actually
send me the
answer,
whether, in
fact, if these
two services
are
concurrent,
whether it's
been approved
by the
Secretary-General
and whether…
whether
there's some
special kind
of safeguards
that he recuse
himself from
business
involving the
UN or whether
it's possible
to be a UN
Special
Adviser on the
board of a
company that
does business
with the UN.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first
and foremost,
I'll need to
check what his
status is,
whether he's
an adviser or
not.
Have a good
afternoon,
everyone.
The UN was set
to play host
on August 2 to
a for-profit
event led
by a
group on
which UN
Security
official
Matthew
Sullivan 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.
Now Ban's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
having retured
from two weeks
away, has flat
out refused to
say whether,
as UN rules
require, Ban
Ki-moon
approved UN
Security
Inspector
Matthew
Sullivan's
presence on an
outside board
of directors.
Video
here.
On August 3,
after
publishing the
above, Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric about
it. Video
here,UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I'm
going to go at
this a
different
way. On
this… the
issue that
there is a
rule saying
that the UN… I
mean, I can
quote from it,
but saying you
should receive
permission for
outside
engagements.
Rather than
ask about the
one you've
refused to
answer on, I
want to ask
you
this.
Jane Holl Lute
apparently was
hired in
February 2016
for this post
or put into
the post of
sexual abuse,
bring it under
control.
In April of
2016, she was
named to the
board of
directors of
Union Pacific,
which seems to
pay $250,000 a
year.
So, on this…
in this case,
can you say
whether this
outside
engagement was
approved by
the
Secretary-General?
Spokesman:
I can check if
that outside
engagement
exists and see
what I can
say.
Inner City
Press:
There was a
press release
by…
Spokesman:
I
understand.
I have not
seen the press
release.
Inner City
Press:
Do you
acknowledge
it's a fair
question to
ask whether…?
Spokesman:
I'm not saying
it's not a
fair question.
Inner City
Press:
When you
answer that
one, maybe you
can answer the
other one.
If
Ban's Office
answers, as it
should, in
this case, why
has it refused
in the case of
UN Security
Inspector
Matthew
Sullivan and
the for profit
event? Watch
this site.
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.
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
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:
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
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.
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
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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