Inner City Press: Investigative Reporting from the United Nations

With Ban's Son-in-Law Leaving UNOPS, Now Said in Line to Lobby UN for IFRC

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive

UNITED NATIONS, May 18 -- When the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's son in law Siddharth Chatterjee in 2009 was given the top Middle East job for the UN Office of Project Services in Copenhagen, issues of nepotism were raised by the Press and angrily denied by Ban's spokesmen at the UN.

In March of this year when Inner City Press asked about Chatterjee leaving UNOPS, where sources described him as ineffective and called “the furniture,” the UN first tried not to answer, then said

“Chatterjee left his position as UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East in July 2010 and, after taking accumulated annual leave, went on special leave without pay until 31 May, of this year, 2011. The end of the special leave without pay coincides with the end of his period of secondment to UNOPS from UNICEF.”

Some thought that this leave from the UN system meant an end to nepotism, an end to Chatterjee trading off his connection to the top man in the UN system.

Now, multiple sources tell Chatterjee is lining up to be given the job of “chief diplomatic officer” for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, overseeing a “New York Delegation to the UN” based at 420 Lexington Avenue.

That is, IFCR is reportedly hiring Ban Ki-moon's son in law to lobby (or engage in “diplomacy” with)... Ban Ki-moon.

Ban and spokesman, son in law not shown, previous questions not answered

Here is the UN's transcript of the March 15 noon briefing:

Inner City Press: I asked a simple question whether the son-in-law of the Secretary-General was still being paid by UNOPS, [United Nations Office for Project Services] as well as whether his educational things may be being paid. Farhan [Haq] said, “Ask UNOPS”. So, I sent them an e-mail, I don’t have an answer, but I also notice that Farhan is listed as the New York Spokesman for UNOPS on their web page. So, I just, I think you may… maybe you have an answer to it and so then all of this is now moot, but, what is the answer?

Spokesperson: It is, Matthew. First of all, UNOPS will probably be sending you the e-mail saying what I am going to say, which is that Mr. [Siddarth] Chatterjee left his position as UNOPS Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East in July 2010 and, after taking accumulated annual leave, went on special leave without pay until 31 May, of this year, 2011. The end of the special leave without pay coincides with the end of his period of secondment to UNOPS from UNICEF. And during his special leave without pay, Mr. Chatterjee does not receive any payments or funding from UNOPS. And for your information, a new Regional Director for Europe and the Middle East joined UNOPS on 4 October 2010. That’s what I have for you, okay.

After that, Inner City Press sent these follow up questions to Haq and Martin Nesirky.

They responded, “please contact UNOPS. The information provided at the briefing today came from UNOPS.”

Inner City Press then sent the follow to UNOPS, still with no response:

Hello. Yesterday I was told to “ask UNOPS” about the S-G's son in law and I emailed Copenhagen questions (although Farhan Haq is listed as New York contact for UNOPS).

I have yet to receive any e-mail response from UNOPS, so I had to ask at the noon briefing, and Mr. Nesirky read out a response, saying he expected I'd get an email from UNOPS. I still haven't, so I emailed Nesirky and Haq, UNOPS New York contact. Now I get a reply to that saying “ask UNOPS.” This seems like a run around: I would like an answer, in writing, today, to the below:

1. You said that Chatterjee is on leave without pay until May 31, 2011, when his secondment from UNICEF runs out. Will be remain in the UN system as a staff member after May 31st?

2. UN staff rule 5.3(a)(i) says that "Special leave may be granted at the request of a staff member holding a fixed-term or a continuing appointment for advanced study or research in the interest of the United Nations, in cases of extended illness, for child care or for other important reasons for such period of time." For what reason did the UN approve leave without pay for Chatterjee?

3. Who made the decision to place Chatterjee on leave without pay?

Watch this site.

* * *

Petition on Sri Lanka War Crimes Is Fake Carried Into Empty Building by UN Staffer, Nambiar Stonewalls

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 18 -- On the second anniversary of the bloody end of the conflict in Sri Lanka, outside the UN in New York chants of “UN, UN, Never again” and “Ban Ki-moon, Act Now” echoed off the white metal building where Secretary General Ban's office now is.

Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky if the UN's envoy to Sri Lanka Vijay Nambiar would be willing to answer some questions, about his role in the final stage of the conflict, watching Unmanned Aerial Vehicle footage and telling surrenderees to come out with white flags, whereupon they were killed.

No, Nesirky replied, Nambiar would not be taking questions from the press, even after he spoke to the Security Council the next day.

Out on Dag Hammarskjold Park when Inner City Press went out into the rain after this inter-change to cover the protest, the name of Nambiar came up. Leaders of the demonstration said the UN had promised to at least send an official to meet them inside and accept a petition from them. The UN had asked, they said, that there be no press coverage.

For that reason, Inner City Press did not stand with them in the lobby of the General Assembly as the time for the meeting or encounter came and went. Inner City Press was speaking with another journalist, about another topic, when a staffer of the UN Department of Political Affairs working under Tamrat Samuel belatedly met the Tamil group.

Inner City Press did not interrupt the brief exchange, but did take a picture of the petition being handed over. [Later, the UN requested that even a photograph not be published. Hence this:]

In UN lobby May 18, '11 waiting for next UN assistant (c) MRLee

After that, the UN staffer walked not toward the North Lawn building with Ban's office in it, but rather into the General Assembly, toward the entirely closed Secretariat building.

Mystified, Inner City Press followed and watched as the staffer looked behind him, stopped then reversed his steps. He had walked purposefully toward a dead end to give the impression of resolve. But with the Tamils having left the General Assembly building, he walked again the length of the lobby and toward the North Lawn building.

Inner City Press followed him and asked, what will happen with the petition? He shrugged, “can't really say.”

Since some Ban staffers have been telling Inner City Press that Ban would do “something” about the UN Panel of Experts report alleging tens of thousands of civilians killed, Inner City Press asked what to expect. Again, there was no answer.

Inner City Press told him it was Ban or Nambiar, really, who should be answering press questions. This seems undeniable. But Ban has not held a press conference in months, and is heading out of New York again, first to Cote d'Ivoire.

A sign out on Dag Hammaskjold Plaza read, "UN: Libya - yes! Ivory Coast - Yes! Why not Sri Lanka?" Why not indeed. Watch this site.

Here is from the UN's May 16 noon briefing transcript:

Inner City Press: at this meeting on Buddhism this morning, Wimal Weerawansa, it’s reported, it’s under the Colombo page, that the Minister of the Sri Lankan Government who led the protest against the UN compound in Colombo was present here. I don’t know if it’s true or not, I just know it’s reported in the press there. Is that the case, is the UN aware of Wimal Weerawansa, and what do you say about that?

Spokesperson Nesirky: And what would be your problem if that person was there?

Inner City Press: No, I want to know, did Ban Ki-moon meet with Wimal Weerawansa, and if so, would you have any…?

Spokesperson Nesirky: I have no idea. As you would have also seen if you went there, there was a lot of people and I do not know. I suspect that the Secretary-General moved on to other appointments without working his way around the room, Matthew.

Inner City Press: No, my point is the UN accredits people to come into the building. Since this is an individual that the UN condemns his organization of a blockade of UN staff in Colombo…

Spokesperson: Well, as we’ve said before, peaceful demonstrations are legitimate. Where someone has crossed the threshold and the authorities have taken action against them, that would be a different matter. But peaceful demonstrations are not against the law.

Question: Didn’t you condemn the Wimal Weerawansa sponsored demonstrations at the time?

Spokesperson: The point I am trying to make is that if people are demonstrating, they are legally entitled to demonstrate, and the demonstrations are peaceful, then they are legitimately entitled to do that. If I have any information about this person’s presence, and as you yourself said, you don’t know for a fact that that person was there. But you’ve seen reports.

Question: These are reports I am asking you to check with DSS [Department of Safety and Security] whether a pass was granted for Wimal Weerawansa…?

Spokesperson: Yes, yes, Matthew, I hear, and as your dutiful servant, I will take a look and find out, okay?

But after that, Nesirky never provided any answer, even nine hours later.

From the Panel of Experts report:

The "White Flag" incident

170. Various reports have alleged that the political leadership of the LTTE and their dependents were executed when they surrendered to the SLA. In the very final days of the war, the head of the LTTE political wing, Nadesan, and the head of the Tiger Peace Secretariat Pulidevan, were in regular communication with various interlocutors to negotiate surrender. They were reportedly with a group of around 300 civilians. The LTTE political leadership was initially reluctant to agree to an unconditional surrender, but as the SLA closed in on the group in their final hideout, Nadesan and Pulidevan, and possibly Colonel Ramesh, were prepared to surrender unconditionally. This intention was communicated to officials of the United Nations and of the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as to representatives of the ICRC and others. It was also conveyed through intermediaries to Mahinda, Gotabaya and Basil Rajapaksa, former Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona and senior officers in the SLA.

171. Both President Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Basil Rajapaksa [sic?] provided assurances that their surrender would be accepted. These were conveyed by intermediaries to the LTTE leaders, who were advised to raise a white flag and walk slowly towards the army, following a particular route indicated by Basil Rajapaksa.[sic?] Requests by the LTTE for a third party to be present at the point of surrender were not granted. Around 6.30 a.m. on 18 May 2009. Nadesan and Pulidevan left their hide-out to walk towards the area held by the 58th Division, accompanied by a large group, including their families. Colonel Ramesh followed behind them, with another group. Shortly afterwards, the BBC and other television stations reported that Nadesan and Pulidevan had been shot dead. Subsequently, the Government gave several different accounts of the incident. While there is little information on the circumstances of their death, the Panel believes that the LTTE leadership intended to surrender.

On the morning of April 21, Inner City Press asked Ban's top two spokesmen to "please state the role of Mr. Nambiar in reviewing the report." No response has yet been received, more than 60 hours later. We will have more on this. Watch this site.

These reports are usually also available through Google News and on Lexis-Nexis.

Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund. Video Analysis here

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

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