On
Burundi CAR
Repatriations,
UN Belatedly
Confirms to
ICP, Spoonfed
AFP &
Reuters
By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
series
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 12 --
Two days after
Inner City
Press on
February 9 reported,
documented
and publicly
asked the UN
about the
repatriation
of Burundian
troops from
the UN Mission
in the Central
African
Republic,
Reuters
belatedly "saw" the
repatriation
and repackaged
it as its own.
The UN gave
Reuters a
response which
Inner City
Press had
publicly
requested from
UN Spokesman Stephane
Dujarric on
February 9.
At the
February 12
noon briefing,
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric to
belatedly
issue the
confirmation
of
repatriation
which it had
asked from him
on February 9
- he did - and
then asked him
why he had not
provided the
answer to the
media which
asked for it,
two days
before Reuters
and three
before
AFP.
Dujarric
claimed he had
only just
gotten the
answer. Video
here,UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I just
expected you
to have some
readout on the
repatriation
of Burundian
peacekeepers
from Central
African
Republic.
On Tuesday,
I'd asked you
about Jimmy…
you know,
Jimmy
Rusheshe,
Pierre
Niyonzima, and
you said I
will try to
get an
update.
Did you get an
update?
And I have a
follow-up on
that.
Spokesman:
Yes, my
understanding
is that those
three are
being
repatriated.
Inner City
Press:
And I guess my
question is,
given… this is
a pretty
high-profile
thing.
This is the
Office of the
High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights saying
that these
individuals
took part in a
crackdown in
Burundi.
I've seen
other DPKO
[Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations]
quoted
elsewhere
giving this
answer out to
other
media.
And I'm
wondering, why
didn't your
office… did
you check… how
long have you
had that
answer?
And what's the
policy on
actually
answering a
question
that's asked
in this room?
Spokesman:
The policy is
I don't like
to burden
myself with
content, so as
soon as I have
an answer, I
unburden
myself.
Inner City
Press:
Right.
So when… you
got this as
you were
standing at
the podium?
Spokesman:
I got this
earlier today,
and it's been
in my head
since this
morning.
Inner City
Press:
Can you
understand why
I'm asking?
Spokesman:
I
understand.
Okay.
Inner City
Press:
Is it
acceptable?
Spokesman:
Yes...
Really?
In fact, not
only had Inner
City Press
asked Dujarric
about these
Burundi
officers since
2015 - after
Inner City
Press put the
question in
writing on
January 29 to
another
Ladsous
spokesperson,
Nick Birnback,
this was received
as a response:
"Q: Beyond
sexual abuse,
what is the
status of the
deployment (or
nor) of the
Burundian
officials I
have asked the
Spokesman
about,
including
Niyonzima and
Rusheshe?
"A: UN
Peacekeeping
is looking
into the files
of these two
individual. We
will have
something to
say on this
issue in the
coming days."
But
despite Inner
City Press
being the
media asking
the questions,
UN
Peacekeeping /
Dujarric gave
the answer to
Reuters and
AFP.
Tellingly,
both Reuters
and AFP
ignored that
UN
Peacekeeping
had previously
been deploying
yet another
human rights
abuser from
Burundi, Gaspar
Baratuza,
until civil
society alerted
the Press
and the UN
begrudgingly repatriated
him.
UN
Peacekeeping's
Herve Ladsous
has, in fact,
gone out of
his way to
allow
Burundians to
"serve" in CAR
-- while
delivering the
pay to the
Nkurunziza
government --
including
through an
October 1
meeting with
the country's
vice president
on which Inner
City Press
also reported
and asked the
UN.
Inner
City Press has
in fact been
asking UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, at
numerous UN
noon
briefings,
about even
these most
recent
Burundian
troops, by
name,
since 2015.
Significantly,
while even
after Inner
City Press
published
proof of the
repatriation
on February 9,
Dujarric
replied at
that day's
noon briefing
he had no
information.
Apparently he
either didn't
seek or
disclose the
confirmation,
which Herve
Ladsous'
mission in CAR
then belatedly
delivered
up to Reuters.
This is how it
works: by
analogy, a
crime
syndicate.
Reuters
UN bureau
chief Lou
Charbonneau
previously
wrote to
Dujarric
seeking to get
Inner City
Press thrown
out of the UN,
here. When
this was
exposed and
Charbonneau's
request was
published,
Charbonneau
using the name
of Reuters
cited
copyright to
Google to get
the leaked
document removed
from Google's
search,
shown here
by the
Chilling
Effects
project / EFF.
Perhaps in
light of this
history, the
February 11
story is
bylined not
from the UN -
but surely
Google, to see
that the story
had already
been reported
and asked
about the
"seen"
document
published,
exists
elsewhere. The
story was
dutifully
dumped on the
Daily
Mail,
Malaysia's Star
Online
and, yes, StreetInsider.com.
Exposed, it continues.
What is wrong
with Reuters,
and why does
it do what it
do? We'll have
more on this.
Since
this has
become a
pattern with
Reuters, at
least at the
UN, Inner City
Press asked
Stephen J.
Adler, Walden
Siew and Paul
Ingrassia and
othr Reuters
bigwigs to
state the
company's
policies. It
never
happened.
We'll have
more on this.
Amid killings
by the
security
forces in
Burundi, the
Pierre
Nkurunziza
government
with the
agreement of
UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous
has undertaken
to deploy
officers
allegedly
involved in
human rights
abuses into
Ladsous'
Central
African
Republic
mission,
MINUSCA, see
below.
Since
last year,
Inner City
Press has
repeatedly
asked the UN
about the
deployments of
Pierre
Niyonzima,
Jean Bosco
Mushimantwari
and Jimmy
Rusheshe.
After
weeks of
stonewalling,
Inner City
Press can now
report that at
least these
three are
being sent
back to
Burundi, per
OHCHR. But,
amazingly,
even after
Inner City
Press
published the
Feb 5 memo, UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric on
February 9
when Inner
City Press
asked refused
to confirm it.
Video
here.
Dujarric said
he would get
an update -
but five hours
later none was
provided. See
below.
But even when
caught
red-handed,
the games of
UN
Peacekeeping
and Burundi
continue, with
the switching
of military
grade of
officers whom
the Pierre
Nkurunziza
government
wants to
reward with UN
posts, often
for the abuses
they
committed.
Inner
City Press
asked
repeatedly
about
(mis-classified)
Gaspard
Baratuza, and
finally he was
rejected by UN
Peacekeeping
for a Public
Information
post in the
Central
African
Republic. The
UN has refused
to answer on
other
deployments -
and now, even
on deployment
which are
fully
documented.
On January 5,
after
publishing the
documents,
Inner City
Press asked
the UN about a
murder, and a
deployment.
Transcript
here.
Inner
City Press has
obtained the
UN and
Burundian
Mission to the
UN documents
keeping the
CAR post for
Burundi, by
mis-classifying
full Colonel
Adolphe
Manirakiza as
a mere Lt
Colonel. It is
signed by UN
Peacekeeping's
Maqsood Ahmed.
Running
this scam for
Burundi is its
reclusive
Ambassador to
the UN Albert
Shingiro, who
mocked his
countrymen
when they
protested in
front of the
UN, and blocks
the Press from
his Twitter
feed.
Inner City
Press: whether
you have
any... first,
any readout of
Mr. Benomar's
travels and
attempts to
speak with the
Government in
the
region.
I'm asking
you...
yesterday
there was… you
may have seen
it; you may
not have seen
it… there was
a protest
outside the
building by
Burundians,
and in speaking
with them,
they judge the
performance of
the
Secretariat as
weak.
And I wanted
to know, just
to get, I
guess, your
response to
that, and if
there's any
update on the
deployment of
these two,
Pierre
Niyonzima and
Jimmy
Rusheshe, both
of whom have
been linked to
the hospital
killings in
May…
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric:
On your second
part, no, I
have no update
than what was
given. I
know there are
discussions
going
on. I
don't have an
update to
share with
you. On
your first
part, I think
we can all
agree on the
frustration of
the Burundian
people as they
see the
violence
increase in
their
country.
The
Secretary-General,
through the
work of his
Special Envoy,
is very much
focused on
finding ways
to move the
political
dialogue
forward and to
obviously see
an end to the
current
violence that
we're
seeing.
He is
currently in
Kampala in
Uganda meeting
with local
officials, and
I believe
there will be
talks there
early next
week.
Inner City
Press:
Will your
office be
sending stuff
out during
this break?
Spokesman:
Obviously, as
I said, we'll
be fully
staffed.
If there are
updates to
share, we will
share them
with you.
Back on
December 17
Inner City
Press was
told, the
third time it
asked, that
the Burundi's
Army spokesman
Gaspard
Baratuza's
deployment to
the UN mission
in CAR had
been
suspended, and
Baratuza was
being
repatriated.
UN spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, who
has shielded
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon from
such Press
questions,
said "it's an
example of the
[vetting]
policy
working."
But
Inner City
Press has
obtained the
Burundi
government
document for
the deployment
not only of
Baratuza but
other officers
in Ladsous'
MINUSCA. Today
we focus and
ask about
Major Pierre
Niyonzima.
According to
Inner City
Press'
sources,
Niyonzima not
only defended
extrajudicial
executions, he
participated
in them.
On May 14,
they say,
Major
Niyonzima was
the Senior
army officer
who led the
attack on the
hospital where
those accused
of involvement
in the
attempted coup
were
slaughtered.
They say
Niyonzima
reports to
Guillaume
Bunyoni and
has been
involved in
killings in
Musaga,
Nyakabiga and
Mutakura.
We'll have
more on this,
and on other
deployees to
Ladsous'
MINUSCA,
including
Jimmy
Rusheshe.
On December 21
Inner City
Press asked
the UN's
Deputy
Spokesperson
Farhan Haq
about these
deployments,
and the
Burundian
government's
rejection of
the African
Union's
proposed
deployment, video here, transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: on
Burundi, as
you know, the
African Union
Peace and
Security
Council has
made this
proposal 5,000
peacekeepers
and set a
96-hour
deadline for
the Government
to
respond.
The assembly
has met and
rejected it
and said it
would be a
violation of
the
sovereignty of
the
country.
So, I wanted
to know, what
is the
Secretariat…
Mr. [Jamal]
Benomar, what
do they… you
think of both
the [African
Union Peace
and Security
Council]
taking a
seemingly
fairly
aggressive
protection of
civilian
stance and the
Government
rejecting
it?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first of
all, regarding
that, I
believe that
the
discussions
will continue
with the
African Union
and the
Government of
Burundi.
But, we
certainly
support the
efforts by the
African Union
and its Peace
and Security
Council to
deal with the
protection of
civilians in
Burundi.
We've made
clear our
alarm at
recent
developments
and the need
for there to
be additional
steps to bring
the tensions
on the ground
to a
halt. As
you know, the
Security
Council itself
has been
apprised by
the
Secretary-General
of various
options for
the way
forward, and
we await their
guidance on
that.
Meanwhile, Mr.
Benomar has
started some
of his
travels.
I believe he
was in
Washington,
D.C., in the
last few days,
and he is
expected to
head to the
region
shortly.
Correspondent:
And then…
thanks a
lot. I
wanted…
something a
little more
specific.
It has to do
with this
vetting of
troops from
Burundi, but I
guess you
could say
elsewhere.
I know it was
said last week
that Gaspard
Baratuza, a
Deputy
Spokesman of
the army, was
being
repatriated.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yes.
Inner City
Press:
But, I've
since seen a
letter… it was
his deployment
letter, but it
also involved
two other
majors in the
army who are
said to have
been involved
in the… the
assault on a
hospital in
May, right
after the coup
attempt in
which people
were killed in
their beds,
and these
involve Mr.
Pierre
Niyonzima and
Jimmy
Rusheshe.
And both of
them,
according to a
letter from
the Burundian
Army, are…
were being
deployed to
the UN in the
Central
African
Republic.
So, I wanted…
I guess I want
to ask you,
like, what
does the
vetting
consist
of? What
was the
vetting that
Mr. Baratuza
failed that
these two
individuals
apparently
don't fail,
given their
involvement in
extrajudicial
executions?
Deputy
Spokesman:
As we get
information…
if any
information
causes us to
have concerns
about
deployment, it
is reviewed in
that
light.
In that light,
Mr. Baratuza,
his suspension
was first
delayed, and
then he was
repatriated.
And so,
depending upon
the
information,
as we get it,
we'll act upon
it.
Inner City
Press:
So, does… I
guess what I'm
saying is does
the… either
the human
rights
presence of
the UN in
Burundi have
information
about those
who commanded
the assault on
this hospital,
it's called
Bumerec
Hospital, in
May and the
connection to
the people
that were
being
deployed?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Like I said,
we… yes, we do
have a human
rights
presence in
Burundi.
As we get
information,
we act upon,
and that
includes
anyone being
deployed.
On
December 16
Inner City
Press was
banned from
questions to
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon, but
learned from
the mission
MINUSCA that
Baratuza was
already in
Entebbe. Inner
City Press
asked several
Security
Council
members, then
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric on
December17.
Dujarric told
Inner City
Press
Baratuza's
deployment is
suspended and
he is being
repatriated:
"based on the
information
we've received
regarding the
Lieutenant
Colonel, his
deployment has
been
suspended, and
he will be
repatriated
back to
Burundi." Video here. Dujarric told Inner
City Press
this shows the
UN system
working - on a
day when a
report on
rapes was
issued showing
UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous not
sufficiently
vetting for
human rights.
We'll have
more on this.
Amid the
escalating
killings in
Burundi, last
weekend's
summary
executions in
neighborhoods
opposed to
Pierre
Nkurunziza's
third term
stand out. But
Burundi Army
spokesman
Gaspard
Baratuza was
quoted on
December 12
blaming all of
the deaths on
attempts to
steal weapons
to free
prisoners.
Inner City
Press had
heard that Mr.
Baratuza was
already in the
process of
being deployed
to the UN
Peacekeeping
mission in the
Central
African
Republic
(MINUSCA) even
when he was
giving these
quotes,
issuing
statements and
speaking to
state-owned
radio, and so
asked
MINUSCA's
acting
spokesperson,
“Is Gaspard
Baratuza of
Burundi's army
getting a
MINUSCA job?”
On
December 16,
hours before
UN Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon held a
rare press
conference,
MINUSCA's
acting
spokesperson
sent this to
Inner City
Press:
"To:
Matthew.Lee
[at]
InnerCityPress.com
From: Vladimir
MONTEIRO [at]
UN.org
Date: Wed, Dec
16, 2015
Subject: ICP
question:
Gaspard
Baratuza of
Burundi's army
getting a
MINUSCA-related
post?
Cc: FUNCA [at]
funca.info
"No decision
related to Lt
Col Baratuza's
deployment can
be taken
before we
finish looking
into the
matter. We can
confirm that
Lt Col
Baratuza is in
Entebbe but he
has not yet
deployed to
MINUSCA.
Regards. VNM"
There are some
questions
about
Baratuza, a
Colonel in
Burundi's
Army, being
listed by the
UN as “Lt.
Col.”
Despite
multiple
follow-up
questions by
Inner City
Press, Mr.
Monteiro -
previously a
spokesperson
for the UN
electoral
mission in
Burundi -
replied that
“This is what
we can say
about this
issue.”
But the UN
should have to
say more.
Inner City
Press has
repeatedly
asked the UN
how its
Department of
Peacekeeping
Operations
under Herve
Ladsous vets
those who
deploy to UN
missions;
Inner City
Press exclusively
reported
on an October
1, 2015
meeting in
which Ladsous
told Burundi's
Vice President
Joseph Butare
that he is
“pragmatic” on
human rights.
Ban
Ki-moon and
his spokesman
declined to
take Inner
City Press'
questions on
December 16,
as they did on
December 14. Vine here. But concerned
members of the
UN Security
Council have
now been asked
about Baratuza
by Inner City
Press. Watch
this site. Follow @innercitypressFollow @FUNCA_info
, 
