As Ban
Ki-moon's
Brother Mines
in Myanmar,
Moonlighting
Mentor Han
Seung Soo
Sells Gold
Mining
Equipment
There
By
Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
Series
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 13 --
Two weeks
after Inner
City Press
formally gave
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric a
link to an
Internet page
about Ban's
brother Ki-ho
engaged in
mining in
Myanmar's Shan
state through
South Korean
firm KD Power
-- as well as
Bosung
-- the
response has
been to have
the page
removed from
the Internet.
But it gets
worse. Now in
December 2016
Doosan
Infracore has
publicly
bragged about
selling
equipment for
gold mining in
Myanmar, at
the same time
as the killing
of Rohingya
and others
there. Press
release online
here.
So while Ban
and his “Good
Offices
adviser” Vijay
Nambiar do
little to stop
the slaughter
in Myanmar,
Ban's brother
Ki-ho is
mining there,
and a South
Korean firm
Ban's
moonlighting
mentor Han
Seung Soo is
on the board
of is selling
gold mining
equipment into
Myanmar. We'll
have more on
this.
This
comes after
Ban's son in
law Siddharth
Chatterjee,
promoted by
Ban without
recusal to the
highest UN
position in
Kenya, ordered
an article
about nepotism
removed from
the website.
In
fact, in Sri
Lanka Ban's
son in law is
implicated
in presumptive
war crimes,
the Jaffna
Hospital
massacre and
the crushing
of civilians
with tanks.
And it's from
him that Ban
took his
advice on Sri
Lanka, where
Ban oversaw
the killing of
more than
40,000
civilians.
Tellingly,
as the UN's
Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya, Ban's
son in law
Chatterjee has
remained
silent not
only on the
targeting of
South
Sudanese, but
on the
protests
profiled in a
study released
by Article 19,
here.
Ban's
son in law
ignores Ban's
supposed
“Rights Up
Front,” given
his action in
Sri Lanka (see
below) and
because he is
entirely
unaccountable:
he could only
be fired by
Ban Ki-moon,
his father in
law. Nepotism
is harmful.
On
December 3
Inner City
Press reported
the
ever-increasingly
likelihood
that Ban
Ki-moon's son
in law
Chatterjee was
involved in
crimes of war
in Sri Lanka,
which neither
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric nor
Chatterjee
himself when asked
in the UN
lobby was
willing to
answer.
For some time
Inner City
Press has
heard that
Chatterjee, as
part of the
Indian Peace
Keeping Force
in Sri Lanka,
was a war
criminal.
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric if
Chatterjee was
involved in
the Jaffna
University
raid, or the
Jaffna
hospital
massacre,
without
answer.
That is
precisely the
unit that
tried to raid
Jaffna
University (video here), and after
suffering
losses,
committed
atrocities
against
civilians, not
only at Jaffna
hospital but
also running
them over with
tanks.
Running
civilians over
with tanks and
crushing them:
a war
crime.
We'll have
more on this.
On
December 2,
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
blythely
announced that
Ban will
travel from
December 7 to
9 to receive
an
anti-corruption
award
presented by
the Emir of Qatar.
On
November 28
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric said
that he
understands
Ban Ki-ho no
longer works
for KD Power.
But when Inner
City Press
asked when was
the last time
Ban Ki-moon
spoke with his
brother Ki-ho,
Spokesman
Dujarric said
glibly that he
has no clue,
and hasn't
returned with
any answer.
While Team
Ban, including
the South
Korean Mission
to the UN
which on
November 10
asked Inner
City Press for
the
since-disappeared
KD Power link,
and the Bosung
links, think
they have
ended this
particular
inquiry into
nepotism by
asserting Ban
Ki-ho is no
longer with KD
Power, they
have not
answered even
once on
Bosung.
Inner
City Press has
submitted
questions to
Ban Ki-ho at
Bosung but
they have not
been responded
to.
Now
consider this,
from Kenya:
"government
has signed a
memorandum of
understanding
with two
Korean firms
for the
development of
the coffee
value chain.
The agreement
with Good
Beans Limited
and Bosung
Company to the
tune of Sh202
million will
see the
establishment
of a coffee
processing and
packaging
plant."
The UN has
refused to
answer on
Ban's nephew
"Dennis Bahn"
working for
Colliers,
which does
business the
UN as a
landlord in
New York (as
well as using
Ban's and the
UN's name to
attempt other
real estate
deal). The UN
has refused to
even look into
a Myanmar
government
report of
Ban's brother
Ki-ho on a "UN
delegation" in
Myanmar, where
he does
business. Now
this. Watch
this site.
On
November 30,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN
transcript
here: Inner
City Press:
there's one
thing I wanted
to ask you,
which is, I've
been ask… I've
asked both and
you Stéphane
several times
about the
business of
Ban Ki-ho in
Myanmar.
And the most
recent thing
that Stéphane
said was that
he… the
brother of…
Ban Ki-ho is
no longer with
KD Power, but
he's still
with
Bosung.
He's still
listed with
Bosung.
And so I
wanted to ask
you whether
there's ever
going to be an
answer on this
Government of
Myanmar
statement that
Bosung and a
UN delegation
toured the
country in
advance of
business,
because it
seems like…
and I've also
found that
Bosung does
some business
in
Kenya.
So I'm
encouraging
you, I guess…
I don't know
how… how
exactly you…
you clemence…
you collect
such
information,
but if… if… if
the brother of
the
Secretary-General
was on a UN
delegation, it
seems to be an
eminently
straightforward
question.
So I'm asking
you again…
Deputy
Spokesman:
We have no
information
suggesting
that he was
part of any UN
delegation.
So beyond
that, it would
really be a
question for
whoever is
employing him.
ICP
Question:
Bosung hasn't
answered
either.
I've written
to
Bosung.
That's what
you said to
do. So
I'm going to
keep… I mean…
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we don't
control
them.
It's up to
them to reply.
ICP
Question:
So who do you
ask, in terms
of the UN
delegation?
Can you tell
me who was on
the
delegation?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I have no
information
about a UN
delegation in
this capacity.
Are they just
not trying,
trying to run
out the string
and Ban's
clock?
Dujarric
has said he
would "buckle
up" and answer
the UN
delegation,
Bosung and
other
outstanding
questions, but
hasn't -- this
despite him on
November
29 telling
Inner City
Press that
earlier that
day he had
spoken with
Ban who said
he'll return
to South Korea
in
"mid-January."
(Notably,
Bloomberg View
controlled by
the same
Bloomberg who
Ban
made a UN
Special Envoy,
is now saying
Park should
hang on until
the end of the
year so that
Ban could run,
see
here: "If
she departs
near the end
of the year,
an election
for her
successor
could be held
in March. That
would allow
United Nations
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
time to finish
out his term
and, if he
wishes, run to
replace her.)
From scandal
to scandal -
we'll have
more on this.
Let's
review: Inner
City Press
discovered
that Ban
Ki-moon's
brother
Ki-Ho's firm
KD Power was
thrown out of
the UN Global
Compact, the
UN's
easy-to-stay-in
blue-washing
mechanism for
corporations.
See
here.
What does it
say about Ban
Ki-moon's
actual
commitment to
human rights
if he can't
even get his
own brother to
meet the
minimal
requirements
of the UN
Global
Compact? Inner
City Press
asked November
25 in writing,
to three of
Ban's
spokespeople,
and got no
answer.
So on
November 28
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner
City Press: on
the brother of
Ban Ki-moon,
Ban Ki-ho and
KD Power
Company,
there's a
letter.
They joined
the Global
Compact, and
the signatory
for KD Power
was Ban
Ki-ho.
They've been
expelled from
the Global
Compact as of
21 September
2015. So
given what the
Secretary-General
has said about
the Global
Compact, does
he find
anything
ironic that
his brother's
company for
which he
signed a
letter has
been
expelled?
And, two, the
brother,
Farhan [Haq],
in your
absence, said
ask these
questions
about the
mining in
Myanmar and
the UN
delegation to
the
companies.
I've now
written to the
email address
that's on the
brother's
thing, and
there's no
response.
Spokesman:
My
understanding
is that the
Secretary-General's
brother no
longer works
for the
company.
I think the
Secretary-General
would expect
the Global
Compact to
enforce its
rules in the
same manner
with every
company,
whether his
brother may…
had worked for
the company or
had not.
I think
that's… I
think the
Secretary-General
welcomes the
Global
Compact's
conducting of
its… and
enforcing of
its rules and
regulations
blindly.
ICP
Question:
Given… given
the still
unresolved
issue of…
while he was
engaged in
mining in
Myanmar, his
mentioning by
a government
website as
being a part
of a UN
delegation in
the country,
I'd like to
ask you, just
factually,
when's the
last time Ban
Ki-moon spoke
with his
brother?
Spokesman:
I have no
clue.
Yeah
- no clue.
Later on
November 28, a
senior Ban
Ki-moon
official came
to Inner City
Press, while
it was
confined to a
minder, aided
it for asking
about when Ban
last spoke to
his brother.
Might the game
have been to
have the South
Korean
mission, which
also asked
Inner City
Press for the
KD Power and
Bosung links
on November
10, make the
contact for
Ban?
KP
Power's
since-violated
“Letter of
Commitment” to
Ban Ki-moon
was signed by
his brother
Ban Ki-Ho, put
on Scribd here
by Inner City
Press, without
any disclosure
of the direct
family
relationship,
just as Ban's
son in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee,
whom Ban
promoted to
the top UN job
in Kenya,
never
discloses this
relationship
in his
self-serving,
human rights
up front-free
pieces which
are run by
Thomson
Reuters and
some others as
a way to curry
favor with Ban
Ki-moon.
Ban
Ki-moon can't
or won't even
get his son in
law Siddhart
Chatterjee,
whom he
promoted to
the UN
Resident
Coordinator
position in
Kenya, to
comply with
his post-Sri
Lanka failure
"Rights Up
Front" scheme.
Sidd stayed
silent amid
targeting of
South Sudanese
in Kenya, and
killings by
police. In
fact, the UN
and Sidd have
refused to
divulge his
role in
killings in
Sri Lanka.
Back
on November 9
Inner City
Press sent
Dujarric and
others this,
of which
Dujarric in
the hallway
confirmed
receipt - note
that the first
link was then
disabled, so
that it leads
nowhere:
"I am sending
three links
regarding Ban
Ki-moon's
brother Ki-ho
(through
Bosung and KD
Power) doing
mining in
Myanmar and
touring with a
UN delegation.
"Memorandum of
Understanding
with KD Power
of South
Korea, which
is managed by
Mr. Ban Ki-Ho,
brother of UN
Secretary-General
Mr. Ban
Ki-Moon, for
the
exploration of
Magnesium as
well as
cooperation in
power sector
in the eastern
Shan State of
Myanmar.
"
This
is Ban Ki-moon
censorship,
this time to
try to conceal
nepotism and
exploitation
of resources
in a war zone,
using the UN's
name.
Meanwhile
Ban's
spokespeople
have refused
to respond to
or even
comment on the
underlying
conflict of
interest, now
telling Inner
City Press its
only way
forward with
the story is
to contact two
South Korean
firms, KD
Power and
Busong
Powertec, that
Ban's brother
Ki-ho works
with. The
firms'
websites are
entirely in
Korean and
have no e-mail
contacts
except to the
webmaster.
Master of
censorship and
nepotism.
On September
27, Inner City
Press directly
asked
Chatterjee
about it, on Periscope. here.Vine
here.Chatterjee
hardly
answered the
long-standing
questions; nor
did Ban's
spokesman.
Neither set up
the requested
interview.
Now in
November,
Ban's
spokespeople
have refused
to answer
about Ban's
brother
Ki-ho's mining
in Myanmar
after Ki-ho
toured with a
"UN
delegation,"
referring all
questions to
websites in
Korean like this,
see below
On
November 21,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
lead spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner
City Press: I
wanted to get
to the bottom
of this.
This has,
again, to do
with the
Secretary-General's
brother
Ki-ho.
And I just
want to make
clear what I'm
requesting.
Farhan has
said, ask
certain things
of the two
companies that
he works with
in
Myanmar.
And most of
the websites
are entirely
in Korean, but
I'm doing my
best to do
that.
But my request
to your office
is, there is a
Myanmar
Government
website whose
URL I sent to
you, whatever,
12 days ago
that says
there was a UN
delegation
that he was a
part of.
What I'm
asking you…
and the
companies are
not going to
give it… is,
what was that
UN
delegation?
Is there… can
you… I guess
I…
Spokesman:
I have not
been able to
find any
information or
confirmation
of that, but I
will keep
looking.
Inner
City Press: I
wanted to ask
is to
understand
what you said
yesterday: so
now nine days
ago I provided
there were
three links,
these are
links to
Government
websites in
Myanmar, one
of which
refers to Ban
Ki-ho, the
brother of the
Secretary-General
and a visiting
delegation of
the United
Nations.
Yesterday in
the last
answer, you
seemed to say
you found
nothing on him
working with
the UN, but
the allegation
or what I'm
asking you to
confirm or
deny is, one,
that he does
business in
Myanmar,
mining,
through the
two companies
that I named;
and, two, as
the Government
of Myanmar
website
states, that
he was related
to this
visiting
delegation of
the UN. So I
want to
understand:
it's not
whether he has
a job with
you, I don't
think that he
does, why
would he have
been part of a
delegation of
the United
Nations and
was any
ethical review
done, given
that he is a
relative of
the
Secretary-General?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, I don't
have any
comment on
non-UN work
that is being
done by
someone who is
not a UN
person.
I wouldn't be
able to
characterize
what work
different
private
companies or
private
individuals
do.
That's outside
of my
purview.
I'm not aware
that he has
any
involvement
with the UN.
ICP
Question:
But what I'm
asking, I just
wanted to be
very clear,
the website of
the Government
of Myanmar
talks about
this as a
joint
delegation to
do business
involving the
brother on the
one hand and
the visiting
UN
delegation.
So all I was
asking you,
it's actually
just a
straight
factual
question:
since the
Government of
Myanmar said
this visit
took place and
the date is on
it and you've
been given the
link, who was
on the
delegation?
What was the
purpose of the
delegation?
Deputy
Spokesman:
He is not part
of a UN
delegation
that I'm aware
of, so I
wouldn't have
any
information.
It would be
information,
in other
words,
possessed by
someone else,
a company or
something else
but we as the
UN don't have
that.
ICP
Question:
For the UN
side of this,
the UN
delegation,
can you find
out who was
there?
I'm willing
to… if you
tell me which…
doesn't say
which agency,
if you tell me
who in the UN
system?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I'm not aware
of any UN
delegation
that
participated
in this work
so I don't
know who you
would go to
for
that. I
think you need
to go to the
companies for
which this
person works
and ask about
the work that
he did.
They are the
one whose can
speak for
him. I
cannot.
But while the
UN tries to
pass the buck
on this
scandal to Ban
Ki-ho's two
companies,
their websites
are entirely
in Korean. Click
here. When
Google-translated,
one get this:
"KD POWER is
currently
conducting an
off-grid
photovoltaic
power plant
project in
Khaloke
Village,
Yangon,
Myanmar
through the
Ministry of
Knowledge
Economy's
Korean Micro
Energy Grid
(K-MEG)
project."
So
again, Ban
Ki-ho IS doing
business in
Myanmar. What
was his role
in the "UN
delegation"?
This is a
scandal, amid
Ban's
Nambiar's
UNdisclosed
briefing about
"giving time"
amid
government
killing in
Myanmar. Watch
this site.
Inner
City Press: my
second
question on
Myanmar was,
it’s now eight
days ago that…
when Stéphane
[Dujarric]
asked, I sent
him links,
including to a
Myanmar
Government
website, about
Ban Ki-moon’s
brother
through KD
Power, engaged
in mining in
the country,
and with
Bosung
Powertec,
engaged in a
tour with a
visiting UN
delegation.
So I’m just
wondering,
this… the
South Korean
mission also
asked me for
the same
links, and I
gave them to
them.
I’m not sure
in what
capacity they
asked for
them, but it
seems like…
what is the
answer on the
brother of the
Secretary-General
engaged in
financial
activity in
Myanmar as
part of a UN
visiting
delegation?
Have you
determined
what was his
role in what
the Government
says is a UN
delegation?
Deputy
Spokesman
Farhan
Haq: I
haven’t any
information
about him
participating
in any UN
work.
Why
not?
On November 9,
Inner City
Press since
Ban's
spokesman had
refused to
answer asked
again, then
provided the
UN links and
to the South
Korean Mission
to the UN at
their request.
From the
November 9
transcript:
Inner
City Press:
I'd asked
about the
brother of the
Secretary-General,
and two
articles, both
of which
remain online…
they have not
been taken
down, one of
which says
that he's
involved in
magnesium
mining in
Myanmar, and
the other one
links him by
name to a UN
delegation
which toured
Myanmar.
So you said
you can't
verify
it. And
I wanted to
know, is that
can't or
won't?
Because it
seems like if
there's an
article
describing a
UN delegation
touring for
financial
reasons a
controversial
conflict zone,
it should be
able to be…
are you
willing to at
least look
into what the
delegation may
have been and
whether…
Spokesman:
You know, send
me the
article.
I haven't seen
the
article.
And, again,
please try not
to get the… my
double chin
with your
periscope.
It's very
annoying.
Inner City
Press:
Okay.
Maybe we can
lower the
podium....
After
the briefing
Inner City
Press sent
Dujarric and
others this,
of which
Dujarric in
the hallway
confirmed
receipt - note
that the first
link was then
disabled, so
that it leads
nowhere:
Hello.
I am sending
three links
regarding Ban
Ki-moon's
brother Ki-ho
(through
Bosung and KD
Power) doing
mining in
Myanmar and
touring with a
UN
delegation.
"Memorandum
of
Understanding
with KD Power
of South
Korea, which
ismanaged
by Mr. Ban
Ki-Ho, brother
of UN
Secretary-General
Mr. Ban
Ki-Moon, for
the
exploration of
Magnesiumas well as cooperation in
power sector
in the eastern
Shan State of
Myanmar.
"
2) " Bosung
Power
Technology
Co., a power
supply
material
manufacturer
where Ban’s
younger
brother Ki-ho
is a vice
president"
"Bo SungPowertec Co., Ltd,
BUYANG
INDUSTRIAL
Co., Ltd,
Germany
Recycle
Engineering
Co., Ltdand
visiting
delegations
from the
United Nations"
Who was
on the UN
delegation?
Was any
UN Ethics
office opinion
sought for Ban
Ki-ho's role
in a UN
delegation in
a war-torn
country in
which he does
/ gets
business?
Why / how
is this
appropriate?
Also for
Ban's
brother's
business
engagement in
the UAE with
Han Seung-soo,
UN official
who gives
speeches in
that capacity
in the UAE
while being on
the board of
Doosan, which
also does
business
there.
Inner
City Press is
still
requesting a
copy of the
Secretary
General's Oct
14 speech to
the Council of
Korean
American (for
which they
sought
$100,000
sponsorships),
his Saudi
water speech,
and list of
carbon
off-sets
bought that he
cited in his
SIPA speech.
There is
more to ask;
never received
any response
to the below.
Later, Inner
City Press
received this
from the South
Korean mission
to the UN:
"Korean
mission... I'm
writing to ask
your help. At
the UN noon
briefing you
mentioned Mr.
Ban ki ho had
tour with UN
delegayions
and there is a
published
article about
Mr. Ban's tour
with UN
delegation.
Could you
please send
the article or
provide the
link you
mentioned?"
Inner City
Press provided
the links and
more - but
again wonders
what is the
relation
between South
Korea's
Mission to the
UN and Ban
Ki-moon, now
that he wants
to run for
President of
South Korea.
We'll have
more on this.
Back
on November 7,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric not
only about
Western Sahara
- even as it
was again
threatened for
this - but
also about
Ban's brother,
video
here
Inner
City Press:
I’d asked you
last week
about the
Ethics Office,
and you’d said
there were too
many
connections in
terms of Han
Seung-soo and
Ban Ki-ho, but
I have one
specific
question.
I see you
waiting, so
I’m going to…
Spokesman:
Go ahead.
ICP
Question:
Okay.
And the
question is as
follows:
There’s a
published
article, whose
link I can
provide you,
which says
that Ban
Ki-ho’s… the
company Bosung
is involved in
magnesium
mining in
Eastern Shan
State in
Myanmar, which
is a highly
controversial
human rights
state.
And the
article states
that Bosung
went on a tour
with, quote, a
visiting
delegation of
the United
Nations.
So I think…
you may or may
not say this
is a
legitimate
question, but
if the brother
of the
Secretary-General
is on a
business
delegation in
Myanmar that’s
described by a
publication
there as being
with a
delegation of
the United
Nations, I’d
like to ask
you, who was
on that
delegation?
Spokesman:
I have… this
is the first
I’ve heard of
it. I
have
absolutely no
way to verify
the
information
you’ve shared.
Okay there:
Ban's brother
Ki-ho is vice
president of
electric
equipment firm
Bosung (a/k/a
Bo Sung),
which has been
on Myanmar
tours with
(unnamed) UN
officials. See
(and
translate)
this
government web
page, here:
"Industry,
Republic of
Korea Minister
U Maung Myint
Bo Sung
Powertec Co.,
Ltd, BUYANG
INDUSTRIAL
Co., Ltd,
Germany
Recycle
Engineering
Co., Ltd and
visiting
delegations
from the
United
Nations"
Ban's
former chief
of staff and
vanity press
book editor
Vijay Nambiar
is Ban's envoy
on Myanmar.
Did he go on
this trip?
In
terms of
mining, see
this:
"Bright Time
has signed an
Memorandum of
Understanding
with KD Power
of South
Korea, which
is managed by
Mr. Ban Ki-Ho,
brother of UN
Secretary-General
Mr. Ban
Ki-Moon, for
the
exploration of
Magnesium as
well as
cooperation in
power sector
in the eastern
Shan State of
Myanmar."
Is
the UN's
Special
Rapporteur on
human rights
in Myanmar
Yanghee Lee
aware of this
mining project
in east Shan
State, with
the brother of
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon? Is
the UN Ethics
Office?
Doosan
is providing
the nuclear
reactor. Ban's
friend and
mentor Han
Seung-soo,
whom Ban
appointed to a
senior UN
position
(which conveys
diplomatic
immunity) is
on the board
of directors
of Doosan and
has engaged
closely with
UAE on issues
of Korean
trade
promotion and
business.
Han has most
recently served
on the jury of
the UAE Energy
Prize.
Meanwhile,
Ban's other
brother Ban
ki-sang served
as an advisor
to Keangnam,
which
developed
properties
in UAE for South
Korean
expatriates
and
businesses.
On
October 6,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Farhan Haq
again about
Ban's nephew's
fraud
conviction,
and a surreal
email Ban sent
to UN staff
about...
fraud. Many
staff called
it hypocrisy.
Beyond
the Vine video
here,
second
half. From the UN
transcript:
Inner
City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about an
email that the
Secretary-General
sent, I think,
to all staff
about fraud
yesterday.
It was a blast
e-mail, a UNHQ
(United
Nations
Headquarters)
broadcast.
And it was
sort of
instructed
staff to… that
fraud is a
serious
matter.
There's
something
called the
2017
Leadership
Dialogue.
And I guess,
what triggered
the
e-mail.
In having read
it and
published it,
it's not
clear.
Is this
something
that's being
newly
announced?
Why was this
anti-fraud
e-mail sent
yesterday?
Deputy
Spokesman:
There are a
number of
internal
e-mails that
go out from
time to
time.
This is simply
another one of
those, and
it's on a
topic that the
Secretary-General
feels is
important.
ICP
Question:
And I guess…
because I'd
asked you this
before, and I
keep… I go…
you had said
that… to
somehow to ask
Colliers if
the individual
who's listed
in the
newspaper as
the nephew of
the
Secretary-General
as working for
them at the
time that the
fraud that he
was just
convicted of
occurred.
But I'm asking
you… I want
to, I guess,
just
reiterate.
As the UN,
doesn't the UN
have a duty,
if it has
existing
contractors…
and I just
went by 45th
Street
today.
The sign is
still up, so
the UN is
doing business
with
Colliers.
If a
newspaper,
widely
circulated,
says an
employee of
their company
was convicted
of fraud,
isn't there
some follow up
totally
outside of the
familial
relationship
of the
Secretary-General?
Deputy
Spokesman:
We do not
determine the
staffing of
Colliers.
You would have
to ask them
that.
Have a good
afternoon.
On October 2,
Ban's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
told Inner
City Press
that Ban has
had "no
contact" with
his own
nephew.
So
on October 4,
Inner City
Press asked
about Ban's
nephew's
connection
with UNDP's
property
manager, UN
transcript
here:
Inner
City Press: I
understand
that you'd
said the
Secretary-General
has had no
contact with
his nephew
Bahn Joo-hyun,
but given that
the article
says that the
acts that he
engaged in
were while he
was an
employee of
Colliers
International,
which, if you
remember this,
there was
back-and-forth.
Their plaque
is still up on
the FF
Building on
45th
Street.
I wanted to
know, this is
a UN question
as opposed to
a
Secretary-General,
if he doesn't
speak to
him. Is
this
individual, a
nephew of the
Secretary-General,
still employed
by
Colliers?
If so, does
this finding
by a court
trigger any
review of the
UN's contracts
with Colliers?
Deputy
Spokesman:
You would have
to check with
Colliers
whether he's
an
employee.
I wouldn't
comment on
someone who is
not UN
personnel.
Amid all this
- and while
refusing to
answer basic
questions -
Ban Ki-moon
has found a
group to
praise and
flatter him,
with
photographs no
less. This was
sent to Inner
City Press
this afternoon
by an amazed
recipient, we
publish it
here:
"Dear
colleagues,
UNCA is
pleased to
inform you
that a Photo
Exhibition
presenting the
10 years of
United Nations
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon,
will take
place at the
end of
November.
Submissions
are now open
to all UN
photographers
to send their
photos of Ban
Ki-moon in
action during
his tenure.
There will be
a total of 25
photos
selected to be
exhibited at
the opening of
the event with
the attendance
of the
Secretary-General.
Cia
Pak,
Scannews, will
coordinate the
submissions.
Please see the
instructions
below on how
to submit your
work.
Best regards,
Giampaolo
Pioli
UNCA
President"
Meanwhile,
"court has
ruled a nephew
of U.N.
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
pay $590,000
in damages to
a South Korean
construction
firm that was
at the center
of a major
lobbying
scandal last
year. The
Seoul Northern
District Court
recently
handed down
the sentence
to Ban
Joo-hyun, son
of the U.N.
chief's
younger
brother Ban
Ki-sang, on
charges of
fabricating
documents that
allegedly
expressed the
Qatari
government's
intention to
buy a
high-rise
building
belonging to
the firm,
Keangnam
Enterprises
Inc.
"Ban Joo-hyun,
who was an
executive of a
U.S. real
estate
investment
company at the
time, is
accused of
receiving the
money from
Keangnam
Enterprises in
2014 in
exchange for
arranging the
sale of the
skyscraper in
Vietnam to the
Qatari
government. In
the process,
he reportedly
told Keangnam
that he could
use the
influence of
his uncle to
directly
contact the
Qatari king."
Ban's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq on
October 3,
when Inner
City Press
asked,
declined
comment except
to say that
Ban has "no
contact" with
his nephew.
His brother's
son? We'll
have more on
this.
Inner
City Press was
informed by
whistleblowing
UN staff that
Ban is now
attempting,
contrary even
to a new
feather-bedding
rule his
issued to
place his
staff wherever
they want in
the UN system,
to place his
longtime
personal /
appointments
secretary Eun
Ha (Isabelle)
Kim as a P-3
Professional
in the UN
Office of
Protocol.
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric on
September 29
said he has
"no idea"
about such a
position,
while accusing
Inner City
Press of
dragging
people -- Kim?
Or Mr Ban?" -
through the
mud. Video
here.
On
September 28
Inner City
Press
published
more, from
even more
complaining
staff. They
tell Inner
City Press
that Ban
ALREADY broke
the rules,
promoting
Isabelle Kim
from General
Service to a
P-2
professional
position, and
now ordering
the Office of
Protocol to
create a P-3
post for Ms.
Kim. Staff are
angry that the
rules Ban
applies to
them do not
apply to those
close to Ban.
On September
28, Dujarric
told Inner
City Press
vaguely that
there are many
many to move
from G to P,
General to
Professional.
(Inner City
Press
previously
asked Ban's
deputy about
UN Staff Rule
4.16 (ii)
which states
the following:
"Recruitment
to the
Professional
category of
staff from the
General
Service and
related
categories in
the United
Nations
Secretariat:
recruitment to
the
Professional
category at
the United
Nations
Secretariat of
staff from the
General
Service and
related
categories
having
successfully
passed the
appropriate
competitive
examinations
shall be made
within the
limits
established by
the General
Assembly. Such
recruitment
shall be made
exclusively
through
competitive
examination."
So did Ms. Kim
take and pass
this required
competitive
exam? Dujarric
didn't answer,
in fact ran
off the podium
to avoid Inner
City Press'
follow up
question, to
confirm or
deny Ms. Kim
is Mrs Ban's
niece. Video
here. From
the
UN transcript:
Inner
City
Press:
I've asked
Farhan [Haq]
about this
kind of
indirectly,
but I wanted
to ask you
directly to
get a
confirmation
or
denial.
We've received
sort of
complaints
from a variety
of staff
members that a
longtime aide
of the
Secretary-General
Eun-ha Kim, or
Isabelle Kim,
may be in line
for a P3
position in
Protocol.
The reason I'm
asking you
this is
because it's
not… it's more
than one
person that
said this
would be
wrong.
Their question
is, how does a
person go from
general staff
to
professional
staff?
Is it through
a competitive
exam, and if
it's not, what
is the
loophole…?
Spokesman:
I'm not going
to… I mean,
you know, you
may want to
drag…
Inner City
Press:
It's not
dragging.
Spokesman:
…drag people
through the
mud.
Inner City
Press:
So you say.
Spokesman:
And I'm not
going to go
into the
details of
individual
staff members'
cases, because
I don't think
it's fair for
anyone who
works in this
organization.
But all the
rules are
being
followed, and
this case does
not involve
the
Secretary-General.
ICP
Question:
You say
dragging
through the
mud, but my
question is,
I'm saying
staff members
at var… a
variety of
levels have
said, since
this G to P
wall, which
they think is
wrong, applies
to them and
you have
people with
PhDs that
can't do it,
they're
extremely
interested to
know how
somebody close
to the
Secretary-General
could do it?
Spokesman:
There are
various ways
of people to
go from G to P
in this
organization.
ICP
Question:
I read Farhan
a rule that…
Spokesman:
And I've seen
it, and I'm
telling that
you all the
rules are
being
followed.
ICP
Question:
Is there
currently a
P-3 post in
protocol that
exists?
Spokesman:
I have no
clue.
Thank you
Ms. Kim, we
note, was with
Ban (and Han
Seung-soo and
others) up to
fifteen years
ago, when Han
was President
of the General
Assembly and
Ban, his chief
of staff.
Also
on that dream
team: current
South Korean
ambassador to
the UN and Ban
promoted Oh
Joon, former
Ban promotee
Yoon Yeocheol,
Kim
Bong-hyun
who previously
told Inner
City Press to
cover Ban more
positively,
and others - click here for the
list, still
online for
now.
Inner
City Press
also asked Ban
Ki-moon's in
law if he had
been present
at and played
a role in the
Jaffna
Hospital
massacre in
Sri Lanka. He
did not deny
this --
rather, he
said it was
not
"pertinent."
He said he
would answer
at an
"opportune
time."
Inner
City
Press:
the
Secretary-General's
son-in-law,
Siddharth
Chatterjee.
I know I'd
asked you in
writing, maybe
ten days ago
to be able to
ask him the
questions that
your office
hadn't
answered.
And I did find
him in the
lobby
yesterday, and
he said to me,
"Oh, we'll
find an
opportune
time."
So it wasn't
clear to me…
and he also
said, as to
some of the
questions,
"They're not
pertinent."
I don't know
if that
referred to
whether who
the selection
panel was or
who the other
candidates
were.
But it led me
to want to ask
you, did your
office, in
fact, ask him
ten days when
I asked you
whether he
would answer
the
questions?
Because it
seemed like he
was unaware of
the
request.
That's how he
came off.
Spokesman:
I think
everyone is
aware of your
interest in
speaking to
Mr.
Chatterjee,
and it's not…
you're welcome
to contact
whomever you
want and
request an
interview.
Whether or not
they grant you
one is really
up to them.
ICP
Question:relatedly,
because
there's now…
I've seen this
controversy
around the
resident
coordinator
for
Syria.
And some
people are
saying it's
Mr. Ali
Al-Za’tari to
replace Mr.
[TYacoub El]
Hillo.
And I just
wanted to
know, was the
same process
used?
Can you say a
little bit
more about the
inter-agency
panel, DOCO…?
Spokesman:
The
inter-agency
panel… every
resident
coordinator
goes through
the same
process with
the
inter-agency
panel. A
recommendation
is then sent
to the
Secretary-General,
whether it's
Mr. Za’tari or
any of the
other
ones. I
told you
many-a-times
on his… on Mr.
Chatterjee
that the
Secretary-General
stayed away
from that
process.
We do expect
the new
humanitarian
coordinator,
resident
coordinator,
to arrive in
Damascus very
early next
month and to
take up his
position.
There is an
acting…
somebody
acting in that
stead until
his arrival.
ICP
Question:
But in the
same way that
I asked you
whether UNDPA
(Department of
Political
Affairs) and
the
Secretariat
was… played a
role in the
Kenya resident
coordinator,
because it
seems that
it's clear
that they did
in Syria… so
did they in
Kenya?
Spokesman:
I will not go
into any
further detail
than I already
have.
Further?
Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric has
refused to
provide basic
information
about the
promotion, and
about
Chatterjee's
military
activities in
Sri Lanka. Nor
has he
responded to
Inner City
Press' written
request for
information or
to interview
Chatterjee, a
UN official
who blocks
Inner City
Press on
Twitter.
But
Ban Ki-moon's
son in law has
hung around
New York for
more than a
week, meeting
with bankers
and set on
September 27
to meet Ban's
deputy
Eliasson. Ban
didn't recuse
himself from
promoting his
son in law,
but does this
side-step.
Inner City
Press at noon
on September
27 asked Ban's
deputy
spokesman if
Chatterjee, as
resident
coordinator,
will answer
questions on
the way up or
down. “We'll
certainly
convey your
request.” Vine here.
While less
than an hour
before
Chatterjee's
visit to his
father in
law's 38th
floor there
was no answer,
Chatterjee
appeared in a
staged
Facebook Live,
where he said
“the Secretary
General”
without
disclosing
that Ban is
his father in
law. Vine
here.
So
Inner City
Press went to
ask Chatterjee
about it.
First, it told
the UN Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit (MALU),
to avoid any
pretextual
action as in
February of
this year by
Ban's head of
communications
Cristina
Gallach. Then
it set up in
the lobby.
After getting
other quotes
or responses
from
Ambassadors
and a foreign
minister,
Chatterjee and
other man came
down.
Inner City
Press asked,
Who were the
other
candidates?
Who was on the
panel? No
answer. Inner
City Press
asked about
the Jaffna
Hospital.
Chatterjee
turned back
and said he
would set up a
time to talk -
strange, Inner
City Press has
been
requesting
that for some
time - but to
“turn that
off,” meaning
the authorized
Periscope.
Vine
here.
Inner City
Press remained
to ask more
questions. At
a certain
point the
minder(s),
officers and
elevator man
left - and
then the cars
left. It was
over.
But Ban's
increasing
lawlessness is
not limited to
his son in
law, nor to
his mentor Han
Seung-soo, who
despite
MOONlighting
as a UN
official and
board member
of Standard
Chartered Bank
and Doosan,
this week
dodged Inner
City Press'
questions
unlike Jacob
Zuma and
Sheikh Hasina,
here.
Exposing or
even inquiring
into the ever
increase
irregularities
in the Ban
Ki-moon
administration
give rise, as
Inner City
Press found
earlier this
year and
during this
General
Assembly
debate week,
to
retaliation.
Ban
and Gallach
are giving
Inner City
Press' long
time work
space to an
Egyptian state
media, Akhbar
Al Yom, whose
representative
Sanaa Youssef
rarely comes
to the UN --
contrary to
the stated
requirement
for resident
correspondent
accreditation,
which has been
stripped from
Inner City
Press -- and
never asks any
questions.
During
UNGA debate
week, Inner
City Press
could only
cover a
meeting on
Yemen if accompanied
by a minder(Gallach
was asked
about this, on
camera)
who asked who
Inner City
Press wanted
to interview;
it was locked
out of the
media
"bullpen" then
urged,
mid-edit, to
leave the
small "focus
booth" it's
been reduced
to using. Team
Ban has been
informed of
all of this,
responding
that "time"
will somehow
solve it. How?
On
September 23
Ban's and
France's head
of
peacekeeping
Herve Ladsous
said openly,
"I never
answer your
questions,
Mister" when
asked about
rapes;
Ladsous' UN
spokesman got
Ban's UNTV to
keep the
microphone
away from
Inner City
Press. Video
here.
After
being told
that Ban's son
in law is in
New York,
Inner City
Press has
asked Ban's
spokespeople,
fully four of
them:
"This
is a request
to interview
the UN's
Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya Siddarth
Chatterjee,
appointed to
the job by his
father in law
Ban Ki-moon,
in light of
[him saying /
Tweeting to
another of his
father in
law's
officials,]
“Look forward
to seeing you
at UNGA." It
seems he has
appeared at
the Princeton
Club in NY.
"Since
the OSSG has
declined to
answer several
questions
about Resident
Coordinator
Chatterjee,
this is a
request for
the interview.
Please advise
asap."
So
far, nothing.
Chatterjee, as
we've noted,
blocks Inner
City Press on
Twitter -
strange, for a
UN Resident
Coordinator.
Instead
of answering
the earlier
questions,
Team Ban
arranged for
Chatterjee's
military
commander
Dalvir Singh
to slam in Huffington
Post Inner
City Press'
“accusations
of human
rights
violations
against
Chatterjee.
Major
Chatterjee was
a star member
of my
battalion, the
10th Para
Special
Forces, and at
no time was my
battalion or
any member of
my unit ever
involved in
any form of
human rights
violation.”
"Ban
last month,
his son-in-law
sit da-Kenya
resident
coordinator of
the United
Nations
whether the
chatter in the
decision to
appoint. The
United Nations
Office of the
resident
coordinator as
the national
diplomatic
missions to
individual
countries hit
greets.
Chapman, Mr.
ban's youngest
daughter,
popping
Hyun-Hee's
husband.
Hyun-hee and
Chae was
elected
Secretary
General of the
UN ban popping
were married
in 2006.
Hyun-Hee Mr.
currently
UNICEF Kenya
Office is
known to be
being worked
on.
This
has never been
a textbook
case of '
human
resources '
Office, saying
the issue
would be
raised by the
professional
journalist
Matthew Lee of
inner city
press, the
media. Lee
shunned the
press ban this
personnel
(recusal) not
to apply
points to
criticize. He
said, "would
call into
question the
qualities of
chatter, nor
at the UN for
a long time,
one of those
who deny that.
But he is
considering
ban evasion
law that might
have the
application
lies, "he
said.
India
is a special
forces work on
the chatter
when the
matter was a
Huffington
Post Moon vir
Singh retired
warden
contributed
from popping
"always was a
priority
public than
himself," and
Office
personnel are
raised
allegations of
the accused
journalists.
He was working
as a
journalist for
the
"qualification
(credential)-RI,
suspicious and
ethics
awareness as
the UN's
bloggers" and
not "evil?" is
appealed
Not
on the basis
of the human
rights abuses
of false
attacks
". Lee,
the reporter
himself the
last few
years, a
series of
critical
reports about
the ban were
taken with
them, and
because of
this, the UN
resident
journalists
deprived of
his or her
eligibility
status.”
On
September 17,
as Inner City
Press covered
the UN
Security
Council
meeting on
Syria, under
Ban's eviction
order it was
first locked
out of the
UNSC stakeout,
then told to
leave the UN
by a UN
Security
officer. This
is Ban's UN.
We'll have
more on this.
On
September 15,
Inner City
Press again
asked Ban's
spokesman
about
Chatterjee's
record in Sri
Lanka -- no
answer - and
the panel that
"recommended"
him to Ban. Vine here,UN
transcript
here, with
the UN using
many more
"inaudibles"
than on other
questions:
Inner
City Press:
the last you
answered about
promotion of
the
Secretary-General’s
son-in-law
into the top
post in Kenya
was that you
hoped that at
least the
agencies or
some
information
about this
inter-agency
panel could be
provided, and
I think it
should
be. So I
wanted to know
do you have
now any
information on
that…?
[inaudible]
Spokesman:
I don’t have
an update, but
if I have
something, I
will share it
with you.
ICP
Question:
And I’d asked
you in writing
about… it goes
back some time
but about the
son-in-law’s
activities in
Sri Lanka as
part of the
Indian
peacekeeping
force.
And since he’s
gotten his
commander to
write an op-ed
saying that
questions
about this are
unreasonable…
[inaudible]
Spokesman:
Whatever words
I’ve had to
say about… on
this issue, I
have
used. I
really have
nothing else
to add…
[inaudible]
ICP
Question:
Right, but you
said… the last
thing you said
was you would
look into the
inter-agency
panel…
[inaudible]
Spokesman:
I have
nothing…
[inaudible]
Yes, that I
said. On
the rest, I
have nothing
else to add.
Meanwhile
Ban's son in
law is using
the first
place his
military
commander
dumped his
piece to run
propaganda
interviews
linking
himself to the
SDGs.
Singh's
/ Team Ban's
piece from its
first
version to
its second
picked up
links to Team
Ban's raid on
Inner City
Press' office,
and material
from the UN
Censorship
Alliance.
These
suggestions
came from
within Ban's
UNHQ.
Dalvir Singh
wrote “To
attack the UN
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon
who happens to
be
Chatterjee’s
father-in-law,
using his
service in Sri
Lanka is not
only absurd
but deserves
to be
condemned in
the strongest
possible
terms.” And
then the
threats began.
This is a new
low.
In
Ban's cases,
these
"familial
dealing"
include not
only the son
in law
promoted
without
recusal or
transparency,
now lashing
out at the
Press by proxy,
but also the
nephew,
"Dennis Bahn,"
with a company
managing UN
real estate,
during the
name of the UN
and his uncle
to drum up
more business,
see below.
Now
there is a
scandal and conviction
in South Korea
with Ban's -
and his nephew
Bahn's --
fingerprints
all over it.
"South
Gyeongsang
Governor Hong
Joon-pyo was
found guilty
Thursday of
taking money
from the late
businessman
and politician
Sung Wan-jong
and sentenced
to 18 months
in prison,
ending his
presidential
ambitions.
Hong, 62,
stood trial on
charges that
he accepted
100 million
won ($91,601)
from the late
Sung, former
chairman of
the Keangnam
Enterprises."
Ban's brother
Ban Ki-sang
was a
consultant to
Keangnam for
seven years;
Ban's nephew
Dennis "Bahn
Joo-hyun said
to a contact
at Keangnam
that he would
invite his
high-profile
uncle to a
social
gathering,
where members
of the Qatar
Investment
Authority
would be
present."
For
alleged
violation of
of the ICSC
Standards, UN
system
whistleblowers
such as Moncef
Kateb of WIPO have
been fired.
But Ban does
it openly:
something
about a fish
and from the
head, see also
below.
The
response to
Inner City
Press'
questioning
has been, as
happened in
2012, threats.
To this has
the UN
descended
under Ban.
After
Inner City
Press asked
about the
textbook case
of nepotism of
Ban and his
son in law, video here, Ban's spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric replied
that an
inter-agency
advisory panel
had been
involved,
before Ban
signed the
letter
appointing his
own son in law
to the post.
But Dujarric
has refused to
say who was on
the panel, or
who the other
candidates
were. Nor has
he provided
any
information
about
Chatterjee's
activities in
Sri Lanka.
This
is a new low
for Ban
Ki-moon's UN,
widely viewed
as having
failed in Sri
Lanka in 2009,
and on Yemen
and Burundi
and elsewhere
in 2016.
In
terms of
answering
basic
questions,
when Inner
City Press
last year asked
about the
questionable
real estate
dealings of
Ban's nephew
Joo-hyun
“Dennis” Bahn,
with a company
managing the
45th Street
building of
UNDP and who
used the name
of Ban and the
UN to do
dubious
business,
Ban's
Spokespeople
said they
would not
answer
questions
about Ban
relatives who
are not UN
staff. (Then
Ban and his
USG Gallach
evicted Inner
City Press, NYT
here, petition
here.)
Now they won't
answer basic
questions
about Ban
relatives who
ARE officials
of the UN,
promoted by
Ban without
recusal.
Now we note
that a New
York
underwriter
has put out an
alert
about “Joohyun
Dennis Bahn”
--
“Bulletin:
NYSA000340
To:All New
York State
Agents, Office
Counsel, and
Managers
RE:Louis
Cho, Joohyun
Dennis Bahn,
Dennis Bahn
Effective
immediately,
all
policy-issuing
offices are
instructed not
to accept any
orders or
close any
transactions
involving the
people listed
below without
prior written
approval of
Stewart Title
Insurance
Company Agency
Legal
Services.
Louis
Cho
Joohyun Dennis
Bahn
Dennis Bahn
In the
event you have
an open order
on the people
listed above
please email,”
etc. It's all
in the family.
So is the
sense of
entitlement:
in the midst
of this, only
last month
Ban's nephew
posted this,
about buying
his (seemingly
many)
Mercedes:
"I
have been
purchasing my
Mercedes from
Benzel-Busch
for many years
especially
with Giovanni
Barbaro. This
dealership
provides great
service and
Giovanni is
there to work
with you all
the time. Once
he lent his
own company
car as a
loaner when
there wasn't
one available.
Great overall
experience and
I would highly
recommend this
dealership as
well as
Giovanni."
Ironically,
Ban appointed
a UN Special
Envpy on Road
Safety, Jean
Todt, who is
on the board
of directors
of a company
which runs
cars and even
online poker.
A fish rots
from the head.
When
Inner City
Press first
reported on
Ban accepting
Sri Lankan
military
figure
Shavendra
Silva as an
adviser, and
the background
to the
screening of
the Sri Lankan
government's
war crimes
denial film
"Lies Agreed
To" inside the
UN, the results
included death
threats and
attempts to
get Inner City
Press out of
the UN --
repeated, more
disgustingly,
in 2016.
In
September 2016
an ally of
Ban's son in
law
Chatterjee,
Dalvir Singh,
has called
this series of
articles,
despite Ban's
spokesman's
stonewalling
and refusal to
answer, unfair
--
"scurrilous,
unfounded and
mendacious
accusations"
by a
"blogger."
Dalvir
Singh wrote
that Inner
City Press, “a
blogger of
questionable
credentials....
has hurled
scurrilous,
unfounded and
mendacious
accusations of
human rights
violations
against
Chatterjee.
Major
Chatterjee was
a star member
of my
battalion, the
10th Para
Special
Forces, and at
no time was my
battalion or
any member of
my unit ever
involved in
any form of
human rights
violation.”
Thou dost
protest too
much. Beyond
the Jaffna
University
heli-drop on
October 11,
1987, there
was the Jaffna
hospital
massacre ten
days later on
October 21,
1987.
Here is the
Wiki-time line
(some say this
may explain
Ban's
willingness to
let the Saudi
led Coalition
off the UN's
Children and
Armed Conflict
annex for
attacks on
health and
other civilian
facilities in
Yemen)
"October
21, 1987 - 11h
– The hospital
environment
came under
cannon fire
from the
vicinity of
Jaffna Dutch
Fort and from
overhead
helicopters.
11h30
– A shell fell
on the
Outpatients
Department
(O.P.D)
building.
13h – The
chief
consultant on
duty was
informed that
Indian troops
had been
sighted at
nearby Shanti
Theatre Lane.
13h30
– A shell fell
on Ward 8,
killing seven
persons. The
chief
consultant who
went out with
another doctor
to survey the
situation
spotted some
empty
cartridges,
suggesting
that persons
had been
firing from
inside the
hospital
premises.
14h – The
chief
consultant's
attention was
drawn to the
presence of
some armed
LTTE fighters
inside the
hospital. The
chief
consultant
went with Dr.
Ganesharatnam
and asked the
group to leave
the premises.
The leader of
the group
agreed and
they left.
14h5 –
The chief
consultant was
informed that
another group
of LTTE men
had come
inside. Dr.
Ganesharatnam
requested that
the chief
consultant go
with another
doctor to
speak to the
LTTE group and
ask them to
leave. It is
not clear if
the LTTE men
ever left the
hospital.
14h,
16h – A few
staff members
left the
hospital for
lunch through
the back door.
16h –
Staff heard
shooting for
15-20 minutes
from the
vicinity of
the gasoline
station on
Hospital Road.
No retaliatory
fire from the
hospital was
heard.
16h20
and onward –
According to
an eyewitness,
the IPKF
entered the
hospital
grounds
through the
front gate,
came up along
the corridor
and warned
everybody
inside the
hospital. The
IPKF fired
into the
Overseer's
office and
other offices.
The eyewitness
saw many of
his fellow
workers
killed,
including the
overseer and
an ambulance
driver. The
eyewitness
also saw a
soldier throw
a grenade at a
man, killing
several
people.
According
to another
eyewitness,
the IPKF came
into the
Radiology
room, which
was filled
with people
including the
patients
evacuated from
Ward 8, and
fired
indiscriminately.
Those who
pretended to
be dead by
lying on the
floor escaped
the attack.
Throughout
the night a
few bursts of
fire and
grenade
explosions
were heard.
October
22, 1987 -
8h30 – Dr.
Sivapathasundaram
was seen
walking out of
the hospital
with three
nurses. They
were walking
with their
hands up
shouting, "We
surrender, we
are innocent
doctors and
nurses."[3]
Shots were
fired; Dr.
Sivapathasundaram
was killed and
the nurses
injured.
11h –
An Indian Army
officer turned
up at one of
the wards and
was confronted
by a doctor.
The doctor
explained the
situation to
the officer
and later,
with help of
the officer,
she called out
to her
colleagues and
those who were
injured to
come out with
their hands
up. About 10
staff members
who were alive
were escorted
out. They
found their
colleague Dr.
Ganesharatnam
dead. Later in
the day all
the dead
bodies in the
hospital were
collected and
burned."
Amnesty
International's
1988 annual
report cites
reports of the
Indian Peace
Keeping
Force's rapes
of Tamil women
and
extra-judicial
executions.
Was it from
his son in law
that Ban took
his advice on
Sri Lanka,
before sending
Vijay Nambiar,
brother of
general Satish
Nambiar, for
the “finish”
in 2009?
More to the
point, what is
the
relationship
between Dalvir
Singh's screed
and Ban
Ki-moon? Ban's
son in law has
grateful
re-tweeted
Dalvir Singh's
article;
beyond the
continued
stonewalling
and eviction
of Inner City
Press, the
Guardian wrote
that the only
time Ban got
upset in their
interview was
in defense of
his son in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee. So
Ban Ki-moon is
responsible...
We'll have
more on this.
Dalvir Singh
says of Inner
City Press "I
have noted
that he seems
to be obsessed
with Major
Chatterjee
since 2007
when his
father-in-law
Ban became the
UN
Secretary-General."
If true
- that is, if
not ghost
written by
Chatterjee, or
his father in
law's
handlers, note
the citation
to the UN
Censorship
Alliance - why
would this
Indian
military
figure be
"noting" Inner
City Press'
coverage since
2007? And
doesn't this
just indicate
that Ban
Ki-moon's
ouster and
eviction of
Inner City
Press in 2016,
through Ban's
USG Cristina
Gallach, is
blatant
retaliation
for coverage?
This is
censorship.
This is Team
Ban's response
to questions
and stories
about the John
Ashe and Ng
Lap Seng case,
DPI Gallach's
failure to do
due diligence,
all leading to
ouster and
eviction.
Dujarric
refused to say
who was on the
inter-agency
panel; he told
Inner City
Press to "ask
UNDP," which
in term told
Inner City
Press to ask
something
called the
"DOCO" which
doesn't have a
spokesperson
and has not
answered
questions
submitted
three days
ago.
Dujarric
didn't answer
any of Inner
City Press'
questions
submitted on
Friday
September 2 at
noon, then
rejected
in-person
questions
calling them
"ridiculous
accusations."
Dujarric
canceled his
briefing again
on September
9. Meanwhile
Ban's son in
law
Chatterjee's
response is to
block Inner
City Press on
Twitter, photo
here.
This
is Team Ban's
response to
questions and
stories about
the John Ashe
and Ng Lap
Seng case, DPI
Gallach's
failure to do
due diligence,
all leading to
ouster and
eviction.
Turns
out
Chatterjee, to
get previous
stories
buried, as
offered
goodies only
his father in
law can dole
out - we'll
have more on
this. And on
these places
in Sri Lanka
during the
time frame:
Velvettiturai;
Kokuvil;
Jaffna
Hospital;
Manippai;
Sandilippai;
Chunnakam,
Mallakam,
Uduvil,
Manipay,
Maruthanamadam
and Inuvil;
tellingly,
journalists of
“Eezha Murasu”
and
“Murasoli.”
We'll have
more on these.
Meanwhile,
while blocking
Inner City
Press, Sid
Chatterjee's
followers show
/ tell Inner
City Press Sid
is re-tweeting
US Power, and
photos of his
father in law,
here.
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric who
was on the
panel that
proposed Ban's
son in law to
him -- through
DPA, it now
appears
-- to
assess if they
were
independent
from Ban, and
who the other
candidates, at
least on the
short list,
were.
Dujarric
has refused to
provide this
information,
and has
refused all
other Inner
City Press
questions
about Ban's
son in law,
including
about his
activities in
Sri Lanka as
part of the
Indian Peace
Keeping Force.
As Ban's
spokesman
knows, Ban was
in Sri Lanka;
the story
can't wait.
So Inner
City Press
reported that
it has been
told of
Siddarth
Chatterjee
posing with
dead and
disfigured
Liberation
Tigers of
Tamil Eelam;
this has been
described as a
war crime.
Inner City
Press twice
this week
asked Dujarric
to describe
and comment on
Ban Ki-moon's
son in law's
activities in
Sri Lanka; it
is all the
more pressing
given the most
recent UN
promotion
without
recusal. Inner
City Press
also asked
what forms and
rules apply, a
question also
ignored by
Dujarric with
respect to a fundraiser
held in the UN
with Ban's
past envoy to
Sri Lanka,
Vijay Nambiar.
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric to
comment in
this context
on this,
authored by
Ban's son in
law Sid
Chatterjee: no
answers.
And so in
common
journalistic
practice, to
assist reader
in deciding
whether to
believe or not
believe these
reports of
Chatterjee
posing with
dead and
disfigured
combatants in
violation of
the Geneva
Conventions,
we disclose
that one of
the sources
clearly has an
interest:
Chatterjee's
ex-wife Shirpa
Sen.
She is
a medical
doctor; she
has said
Chatterjee
threatened her
to stop
providing any
information to
Inner City
Press and an
Indian
journalist
whose
publication
Chatterjee got
to remove
a report about
one of his
promotions
under Ban from
the Internet.
(Censorship
seems to run
in the
family.)
The
allegation is
that
Chatterjee
dropped her
and then saw
his career
path advance
under his new
father in law,
Ban Ki-moon;
he made
threats to
make the
issues of the
past go away.
We disclose
this because
readers have a
right to know
of the
interest or
animus of the
source of
information.
Here is another
online report;
here on a
court website
is the decision
on the divorce
appeal.
And here is an
earlier report
of Inner City
Press asking
Ban's
spokespeople
about
Chatterjee's
military
record, in Sri
Lanka Ban's
2009 visit to
which Inner
City Press
covered
in-person
(Inner City
Press has
since been
BANned,
restricted.)
A direct
comment of any
kind from Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman,
requested all
week, would
have been
preferable.
But
Ban and his
Under
Secretary
General for
Public
Information
Cristina
Gallach should
not be able to
censor by
throwing the
Press into the
street, New
York Times
here,audio
here.
Likewise
Ban's
spokesman
cannot be
allowed to
prevent a
timely article
by simply
refusing to
even
acknowledge
questions
submitted in
writing,
especially
after he began
the week
telling Inner
City Press
(and the Free
UN Coalition
for Access
which asked
for in-person
briefings)
that he would
be answering
questions all
week.
Ban
Ki-moon's
Spokesman did
not answer
these
questions, nor
on September 2
even
acknowledge
receipt of
them. Inner
City Press has
asked: "This
is a request,
given that the
SG signed the
letter
appointing his
son in law Mr.
Chatterjee UN
Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya, for the
disclosure of
who was on the
inter-agency
advisory panel
and who the
other
candidates, at
least on the
short list,
were
also - please
state when and
in what
capacity Mr.
Chatterjee
was, as you
say, in a
senior role in
UN Peace
Keeping."
This gave rise
to this curt
answer: "All
your questions
need to be
directed to
DOCO. "
So Ban's
Dujarric
referred the
questions
about Ban's
son in law to
UNDP, which
refers then on
to DOCO. When
one Googles
DOCO, one gets
"DOCO The
Donut &
Coffee
Company."
Amid
these UN
scandals,
corruption and
nepotism, Ban
Ki-moon is now
on a two week
tour seemingly
meant to
preview how he
could be as
South Korean
president,
visiting
Singapore,
Myanmar, now
Sri Lanka,
China and
Laos.
For
Ban Ki-moon's
visit to Sri
Lanka, which
is seen as one
of the (many)
major failures
of his UN
tenure, Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, "On
the SG's son
in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee,
please
describe in
activities in
Sri Lanka
including with
the IPKF --
locations, and
if available
confirmed
kills --
including in
light of this
piece he
authored."
Ban
Ki-moon's
Dujarric
replied, six
hours later:
"It's not for
me to comment
on a staff
member's
writings on an
activity that
preceded
employment
with the UN."
This
seems a
strange
position for
an
Organization
ostensibly
concerned with
human rights.
Could
Shavendra
Silva work for
the UN? Well,
he WAS an
adviser to
Ban.
In
fact, some UN
officials are
required to
sign pledges
regarding
their human
rights
records. So on
September 2 at
noon, Inner
City Press
asked
Dujarric:
"On
the Secretary
General's son
in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee's
activities in
Sri Lanka, you
have not
answered on
what he DID,
stating only
that “It's not
for me to
comment on a
staff members
writings on an
activity that
preceded
employment
with the UN.”
In this light,
please confirm
or deny that
there is a
place a policy
under which UN
officials
including USGs
and ASGs
(please
specify what
level the
Secretary
General's son
in law is at,
as Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya) must
certify
compliance
with human
rights, and
state whether
this covers
time before UN
employment."
Inner City
Press has also
asked
Dujarric:
"This
is a request
that your
Office confirm
or deny that
the Secretary
General did
not
specifically
mention the
UNHRC
resolution
during his
meeting with
Sri Lanka
President
Sirisena, in
light of a
public report
that “The
President told
us that Ban
did not
mention the
UNHRC
resolution
even in the 10
minute
one-to-one
meeting he had
with him. In
fact Ban
expressed
satisfaction
about the way
the Sri Lankan
government is
handling the
issue of
reconciliation,”
a reliable
source in the
President’s
Office" said.
No
answer. This
is Ban
Ki-moon's UN.
Including
in light of
the recent
non-recusal,
we linked
to and
quote this Sri
Lanka piece by
Ban's son in
law Siddarth
Chatterjee:
“The
Sri Lankan
Army deserves
all our
respect,
gratitude and
admiration.
These are men
who have
proved worthy
of their
calling, and I
pray that
their fortunes
reverse and
they are able
to inflict on
the Tamil
Terrorists(not
Tigers, as
tigers have
honour too), a
final decisive
blow, that
puts the LTTE
in the dust
bin of
history. It is
a period that
calls for
strong nerves,
single-mindedness
(of purpose)
and intuitive
convictions
that success
can still be
yours after
these
reverses. They
are men of
sterling
character, and
I hope they
overcome and
demolish the
LTTE, this
organization
of
pathological
tyrants and
killers.”
Among these
Sri Lankan
Army heroes
are several
who would be
put on trial
for war crimes
by any
legitimate /
international
investigation,
an issue which
Ban is
skirting.
We'll have
more on this.
In advance of
Ban's latest
junket, he or
his propaganda
team granted
selected
interviews to
prepare the
ground --
“interview”
conducted in
writing,
without
disclosure of
who wrote the
answers.
Pro-Ban
editorials by
out of date
diplomats were
arranged (for
example here,
see comments).
But how can
blatant
nepotism be
explained
away?
Inner City
Press on
August 26
asked Ban's
spokesman
which of Ban's
aides it was
who spun the
Korea Times on
Ban's chances
to become
South Korea's
president in
2017, video
here.
Under
Ban the UN has
become so
lawless that
Ban's
son-in-law
Siddharth
Chatterjee was
just named
UN Resident
Representative
in Kenya
without Ban
recusing
himself.
Inner City
Press reported
and asked
about this on
August 25. On
August 26,
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
confirmed that
Ban had not
recused
himself, had
in fact signed
the letter
giving his own
son in law the
job, see
below.
It was
repeatedly
reported that
Ban would be
in Kenya today
for the 6th
Tokyo
International
Conference on
African
Development
Summit,
TICADIV or
TICAD6. Inner
City Press
asked Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric if
Ban would go
there and was
told to wait
with bated
anticipation.
Now Ban is NOT
there - right
after his
promotion of
his own son in
law there was
exposed.
How
is this
acceptable in
an
international
organization?
Or this: Ban's
mentor Han
Seung-soo is a
UN official
allowed to be
on the boards
of directors
of Standard
Chartered,
which has UN
banking
contracts, and
Doosan which
makes sales to
countries Han
gives “UN”
speeches to.
On August 25,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric if
Ban had
recused
himself from
any role in
his
son-in-law's
promotion, video here.
Inner
City Press:
Mr. Chatterjee
was named the
UN
representative
in
Kenya.
So I wanted to
know, what’s
the process
for the naming
of a resident
representative?
And given this
he’s the
son-in-law of
the
Secretary-General,
was there any
recusal
made?
I’m not saying
he’s not
qualified.
I’m not saying
he’s not a
long-time
official.
I’m just
wondering what
is the
process…[inaudible]…
for someone
being named…
Spokesman:
The regular
process was
used.
The fact that
he is, indeed,
the son-in-law
of the
Secretary-General,
I think, does
not take away
anything from
his very
strong service
over the
years…
Inner
City Press:
I’m asking
about the
process.
Spokesman:
Thank you.
Dujarric's
only response
is that
Chatterjee is
qualified.
That was not
the question.
After Inner
City Press
highlighted
this, Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric
returned on
August 26 with
a
"supplemental"
statement,
which still
confirmed that
Ban had not
recused
himself, had
in fact signed
the approval
of his own son
in law for the
promotion. Video here.From
the UN
Transcript:
Spokesman
Dujarric: I
also just
wanted to give
you a little
bit more
details on the
issue you had
raised
yesterday with
Mr. Chatterjee
and expand on
what I'd
said.
Mr. Chatterjee
was chosen
through the
regular
process which
is basically
that the
candidates are
chosen by an
interagency
advisory panel
which… which
does not… and
especially in
this case… did
not involve
the
Secretary-General.
I think he has
been fully
aware of the
situation and
has kept well
away from the
selection
process.
For RCs, the
candidates are
chosen and
recommended by
the
interagency
panel.
The name of
the
recommended
candidate is
then given to
the
Secretary-General
to sign off
on. He
does not
involve
himself… and
as I said,
especially in
this case…
involve
himself in the
selection… in
the selection
process.
And I would
just, again,
reiterate Mr.
Chatterjee's,
I think, very
strong
qualifications
in his career
with ICRC and
the UN over
the years.
Inner City
Press: I
looked into
it, too.
It seemed like
they sent it
to the UNDG
Chair and the
Secretary-General.
That's why I
was asking
yesterday.
Spokesman:
No, I
understand.
The
Secretary-General…
the
Secretary-General
is very aware
of the
sensitivities
of this case
and has stayed
well away from
it. The
final
signature…
because the
way this works
is the
Resident
Coordinator
represents the
UN, and it
needs the
agreement of
the host
country.
So, the letter
of
appointment,
in a sense,
has to be
signed by the
Secretary-General.
But, his name
is given to
him by the
interagency
panel.
Nor
have the
questions
about Han
Seung-soo, who
refuses Ban's
supposed call
for public
financial
disclosure,
been answered.
Instead, Inner
City Press
which has
asked about
each of
Chatterjee's
promotions
though the UN
system under
Ban (for
example to
and from
UNOPSincluding
censorship
by the son in
law, like Ban)
and in the
past ten
months about
Ban's and his
head of
communications
Cristina
Gallach's
links with
the John Ashe
/ Ng Lap Seng
UN bribery
scandal, was
ousted from
the UN in
February 2016
(audio
here) and
had its
investigative
files evicted
onto First
Avenue in
April
(video here).
NYT
here.
Since then
Inner City
Press has been
BANned
from covering
UN events
on the second
floor unless
it has a
minder which
stays with it
all the time;
sometime Inner
City Press is
told there are
not enough
minders, and
coverage is
entirely
prohibited.
This is
censorship
under Ban
Ki-moon.
Gallach's
DPI is giving
Inner City
Press' long
time shared
office to an
Egypt state
media, Akhbar
Al Yom, whose
UN
representative
Sanaa Youssef
rarely comes
to the UN, and
never asks
questions -
Dujarric
refused to
confirm this
obvious fact,
saying he
"does not take
attendance" --
but who is a
former
president of
the
Ban-friendly
UN
Correspondents
Association.
Inner
City Press put
the question
of recusal to
Ban's
spokesman
Dujarric
entirely
civilly,
without
(there)
calling into
question
Chatterjee's
qualification
or history
(including in
Sri Lanka, to
which Ban
Ki-moon was
then headed
for a visit).
Watch this
site.