On
Burundi, ICP Asked Why UNFPA
Aids Radio of Nkurunziza's
Wife, Response Evades
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS,
February 8 – Days after UN
Secretary General held an
initially undisclosed
meeting with Sudan's Omar al
Bashir, indicted by the
International Criminal Court,
his UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
in Burundi bragged about
supporting a government radio
station - run by the wife of
Pierre Nkurunziza. This comes
as Nkuruziza goes after independent
radio journalists like Jean
Claude Nshimirimana of Radio
Isanganiro - and, ghoulishly,
as Agence France Presse (AFP)
claims that Guterres "takes
aim at Burundi leader." Yeah -
takes aim with financial
support. In fact, Guterres
allowed Nkurunziza to deny
visas to UN staff and remained
quiet, like his part-time
envoy Michel Kafando, paid to
remain in Burkina Faso, as
pro-government as Guterres'
Francois Lounseny Fall on
Cameroon, from whom Guterres
accepted a golden statue, UN
"Gift Registry Number" not
disclosed. At the UN noon
briefing on February 7 Inner
City Press asked Guterres' deputy
spokesman, video here,
UN transcript here
and below. Having gotten
no answer, and seeing that
UNFPA's chief would meet at
2:45 pm with UN Deputy
Secretary General Amina J.
Mohammed (who also has yet to
answer Press questions
including on the UN's lack of
content neutral media accreditation
and access rules, rosewood,
Nigeria and Cameroon), Inner
City Press asked again on
February 8. Afterward, this
"response" which doesn't
mention Nkurunziza or his wife
or their crack downs, was
emailed to Inner City Press:
"Here is the reply frm UNFPA:
UNFPA, the United Nations
Population Fund, respects the
rights and freedoms of all,
including the media. UNFPA
also promotes reproductive
rights to end maternal deaths,
unintended pregnancies, as
well as violence and harmful
practices and women and
girls. The UNFPA Burundi
office upholds these
reproductive rights in
partnership with stakeholders,
such as civil society, media,
youth and religious leaders to
serve Burundi’s people,
including those living in
remote areas, to ensure no one
is left behind. With 90 per
cent of the population in
rural areas, UNFPA by
necessity works with several
media outlets, including about
10 radio stations, to relay
programmes on maternal health,
fistula, gender-based violence
and family planning to
hard-to-reach people,
vulnerable populations and
youth. Radio remains a vital
means of reaching people and
helping ensure that no one is
left behind in UNFPA’s work to
help Burundi’s people end
maternal deaths and reduce
poverty." So why did UNFPA
give equipment, of all places,
to Nkurunziza's wife's radio
station? This is a new low.
From the UN's February 7
transcript: Inner City Press:
it seems that the UN
Population Fund, UNFPA, in
Burundi has both funded or
given equipment worth some
50,000 euros to a Government
radio station, sponsored and
initiated by [President]
Pierre Nkurunziza's wife,
Denise. So, some people
are saying it seems strange
that, amid reports that the
Secretary-General is concerned
about Pierre Nkurunziza trying
to remain in power and the
fundraising for refugees and…
and deep concern about the
country, that the UN system
would be, in fact, giving
money to a Government radio
station. Is… is it… is
that the Secretary-General's
position of what the UN system
should be doing?
Spokesman: Well, this is
not about the
Secretary-General but about
projects done by the UN
Population Fund. I
believe the UN Population Fund
does a number of projects
throughout Africa in terms of
support for radio programmes
to put out and disseminate
their messages. This may
be in line with that, but
we're checking with them to
see whether this is in line
with other such efforts… Inner
City Press: They seem to say
that they've actually given
all of the equipment for the
radio station to function, and
it comes at a time where the
Government of Burundi is, in
fact… has locked up some radio
journalists, burned down some
radio stations in the past,
and is currently telling a
station not to report on… on
attempts by the youth militia
to… to make people pay them
money in a region of the
country. So, I guess I'm
just asking you more
pointedly, should the UN
system, if they're concerned
about freedom of radio press
in a country, be giving
equipment to a Government
station? Spox: Well,
that's a question to address
to UNFPA, but the UN system,
including the Office for the
High Commissioner for Human
Rights, has raised concerns
about the fair treatment of
media in Burundi and will
continue to do that." Nothing
more was answered; Guterres'
deputy SG Amina J. Mohammed
meets the head of UNFPA at
2:45 pm on February 8, after
Mohammed did not answer any of
Inner City Press' emails or
questions. Watch this site. As
the UN increasingly turns away
from the crisis in Burundi,
Inner City Press on January 17
asked UN Spokesman Stephane
Dujarric to explain the four
month delay in investigating
the killing of Burundi
refugees in South Kivu, video
here,
UN transcript
here: Inner City Press:
this announcement about an
investigation into Kamanyola,
where some 39 Burundian
refugees were killed, that
happened about four months
ago, so can you explain what
took so long, what triggered
this decision four months
after the fact to begin an
investigation now?
Spokesman: The decision,
I think, had been taken quite
a while ago to put an
investigation team
together. The security,
the security factors on the
ground did not allow for a
rapid… a rapid employment."
Inner City Press: I guess
you’ve probably seen that
Ugandan President Yoweri
Museveni, in meeting with, I
guess, a UN team about the
attack on the peacekeepers by
the ADF, has said that, quote,
the UN is preserving terrorism
in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo. It's a direct
quote, and I'm just wondering,
is there any response?
Spokesman: "Look, I
don't know if the quote is
true. I haven't seen the
quote directly. This
hasn't been said to us
directly. As a matter of
fact, I think MONUSCO [United
Nations Organization
Stabilization Mission in the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo] is a positive presence
in the DRC. It provides
protection to civilians,
including vulnerable groups,
refugees, displaced people, in
what, I think, no one would
disagree is an increasingly
dangerous and complex
situation on the ground.
We've seen it first-hand with
attacks on… on UN
peacekeepers. In addition to
working with… with the people,
for the people, and in support
of the govern… the Congolese
authorities, the UN is also
mandated by the Security
Council to conduct targeted
offensive operations aimed at
neutralising armed groups and
continuing to reduce the
threat posed by armed
groups. And I think
they're doing just that. "So
is the UN really protecting
civilians? Back on October 26,
Inner City Press put Burundi
questions to the UN Commission
of Inquiry, then to the
Ambassador to the UN of
France, the Security Council's
"penholder" on Burundi. Video
here.
On December 14, amid more
failure in the process, Inner
City Press asked UN Spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: I wanted to ask
you about Burundi. I
tried yesterday, and it has to
do with Mr. [Benjamin] Mkapa,
after the end of the most
recent round in Arusha, has
been quoted that the EAC [East
African Community] process has
failed. And, in Burundi
itself, Pierre Nkurunziza has
launched a process basically
campaigning for these
constitutional changes that
would allow him to stay in
power up till 2034. Mr.
[Michel] Kafando… I was
looking around to see if he
said anything. Does the
UN have any response to the
Mediator saying that the
process has failed and the
President basically seeking to
further extend his term in
office? Deputy
Spokesman: Well,
regarding that, what I can say
is that the East African
Community convened a session
of the Inter-Burundian
Dialogue in Arusha from 28
November to 8 December.
The Facilitator, former
President Mkapa, was supported
by the Joint Technical Working
Group, comprising the East
African Community, the African
Union, and the UN. At
the end of the session, the
parties submitted reports to
the Facilitator, Mr. Mkapa,
who will present them to the
Mediator in the coming
days. The Facilitator
plans to hold another session
in January. We reiterate
that genuine, inclusive
dialogue is the only
sustainable solution to the
political crisis and call on
all parties to commit without
preconditions. Special
Envoy Michel Kafando is
currently in Bujumbura meeting
with stakeholders, and he will
travel to Tanzania in the
coming days to discuss the
situation with the
Facilitator." Yeah. Will the
UN Security
Council and
Secretary
General review
any role for
Uganda's
President
Museveni in
the Burundi
"process,"
given the
statement by
the U.S.
Attorney for
the Southern
District of
New York on
November 20
that bribes
were paid to
him, through
his relative
(and UN PGA)
Sam Kutesa?
Click here
for that and
watch this
site. On
November 20, after reclusive
envoy Michel Kafando briefed
the Security Council in the
open chamber then in closed
consultation, there was still
no read-out given at the
stakeout. Inner City Press
returned at 3 pm, and then at
4 after the India's Bhandari
won the International Court of
Justice election after the
UK's Greenwood withdrew, still
seeking a readout. And here,
Inner City Press was told, is
what the President of the
Security Council for November
had prepared to say: that the
members of the Security
Council support the EAC-led
dialogue, William Mkapa and
Michael Kafando (who left
without doing a stakeout);
that the remain concerned at
the lack of progress and
underline the importance of
adhering to the letter and
spirit of the Arusha
agreement. But, Inner City
Press would have asked the
president if he had delivered
these remarks, the Nkurunziza
government is revising the
Constitution inconsistent with
Arusha. But, it seems, the
Security Council and the
penholder, France, don't care.
On November 9 the ICC
announced its judges'
"decision authorizing the ICC
Prosecutor to open an
investigation regarding crimes
within the jurisdiction of the
Court allegedly committed in
Burundi or by nationals of
Burundi outside Burundi since
26 April 2015 until 26 October
2017." Later on November 9,
Inner City Press asked UN
spokesman Stephane Dujarric,
UN transcript here: Inner City
Press: I wanted to ask you, on
Burundi, as I'm sure you've
seen, the ICC (International
Criminal Court) judges have
voted to open an inquiry into
events between 2015 and '17
until recently. Given
that the Secretary-General has
an envoy and is involved in
it, do you have any comment on
it? And I'd sort of
expect you to actually read it
out. I've seen you bef…
in the past, although the ICC
is a separate entity, you
know, say…Spokesman:
The… as you say, the ICC is a
separate entity. What is
important for us is that we
welcome any steps that will
bring some accountability for
the crimes done against
civilians. Inner City Press:
Has the Secretary-General or
Mr. [Michel] Kafando seen the
statements by, I don't know
which Nyamitwe it was, but
calling this the last [d]ance
for the West and really
denouncing the decision to
open an investigation.
Spokesman: It's… the
decision was the ICC's and I
say… and, as I said, we
welcome any steps that would
help us bring closer to
accountability. "
Really? There is certainly a
lot of evidence. Here
is Inner City Press' exclusive
on French Mission lawyer
Beatrice Le Frapeur du Hellen
leaking a Security Council
draft resolution on Burundi,
including mocking
accountability provisions, to
Luis Moreno Ocampo. We'll have
more on this. On November 8
the UN Peacebuilding
configuration on Burundi met,
and heard Ambassador Albert
Shingiro brag that everything
is going well, no mention of
the move
to keep Pierre Nkurunziza in
power through 2034. These
constitutional changes, when
subsequently raised ever so
gently by other Ambassadors,
were questions only with
regard to Arusha, not
Nkurunziza's attempt to stay
on and on in power. What was
that again, about the UN
looking at underlying causes
of conflicts? Secretary
General Antonio Guterres said
this would be his focus, so
far UNseen in places like
Yemen and Cameroon. He said he
was for transparency, but
keeps the Press restricted
and even threatens
again. We'll have more on
this. On November 6, Inner
City Press asked Jean-Pierre
Lacroix, the fifth French
chief of UN Peacekeeping in a
row, why none of the 228
police the Council mandated
for Burundi more than a year
ago has in fact been deployed.
Lacroix, who should speak more
at the stakeout, to his credit
answered, saying that this was
due to the lack of
responsiveness of Burundi but
that efforts to deploy
continued. How? Earlier on
November 6, Inner City Press
asked UN Deputy Spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: I wanted to ask
you about Burundi. The
President, Pierre Nkurunziza,
had solicited a proposal for a
constitutional
amendment. And, under
this amendment, basically [he]
would be able to now remain in
power until 2034. It
would involve two seven-year
terms, but it's not
retroactive, so it would
basically start the clock
again for 14 years. I
know Mr. [Michel] Kafando…
I've seen at least a
photograph of him there with
Mr. Foreign Minister [Alain
Aimé] Nyamitwe. Does he
have any view given that a lot
of the bloodshed has been
about this contested current
term, what about until
2034? What'shis view on
that? Deputy Spokesman:
"Well, Mr. Kafando was, in
fact, in Burundi, I believe,
last week. We'll try to
get an update about his
activities there." Six hours
later, nothing. The CoI's
press conference at first had
only one media: Inner City
Press, whose accreditation is
again being threatened by the
UN of Antonio Guterres and
Alison Smale, as the former
mishandles Cameroon as well,
and the latter runs
interference. The UN called
and emailed upstairs to those
whom they haven't, as they did
with Inner City Press, evicted
from their offices. Finally a
lone media, French, joined
Inner City Press - and was
called on first by the UN.
When it was Inner City Press'
turn - there was no one else
to call on - Inner City Press
asked about the failure to
deploy the 228 police the UNSC
mandated, about the
"disappeared" journalist Jean
Bigirimana, and about Pierre
Nkurunziza staying in power
back 2030, as the UN is also
blessing in Togo. Commisioner
Françoise Hampson said she was
surprised by the failure to
follow through; she said
Bigirimana's disappearance is
before the relevant UN Working
Group. Reine Alapini-Gansou
said the African Union human
rights observers should be
deployed. Fatsah Ouguergouz
acknowledged that Guterres'
part time envoy Michel Kafando
hasn't even met with the
Commission. Inner City Press
ran to the Security Council
and asked French Ambassador
Francois Delattre about
Burundi- he didn't answer,
despite answering on four or
five other issues. Video here.
We'll have more on this. Inner
City Press on October 23 asked
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres' deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq about the reported
extradition or abduction of
Burundian opponents of Pierre
Nkurunziza from Tanzania to
Burundi. While at the noon
briefing Haq had no answer,
less than an hour afterward
his office sent Inner City
Press this: "Further to your
question at noon, we have the
following to add: We have
learned of the reported arrest
and extradition, still to be
confirmed, of four senior
leaders of the Popular Forces
of Burundi (FPB) in eastern
Tanzania on Saturday, 21
October 2017. We are aware of
concerns over the
circumstances of the arrests
and extradition and are
seeking further details.
If the events are confirmed,
we call on the concerned
authorities to ensure
that due process is followed
and the rights of those
individuals are respected. We
also stress the need for
transparency in this matter."
Does the UN see no role for
anyone but Nkurunziza forces,
or the Tanzanians' allegedly
involved, to investigate?
We'll have more on this, while
under the UN's October 20
threat to Inner City Press'
accreditation for actually
covering UN news with
Periscope, here.
When Guterres met on September
25 at 4 pm with Burundi's
foreign minister Alain Aime
Nyamitwe (as well as his
brother Willy Nyamitwe, with
whom Kenya Foreign Minister confused
him, Ambassador Albert
Shingiro and others), Inner
City Press went to cover it.
Attending for the UN was
rarely seen or heard from
part-time envoy Michel
Kafando, as well as Department
of Political Affairs boss
Jeffrey Feltman. But there
appeared to be no one from UN
Human Rights, despite or
perhaps because of attacks on
the OHCHR in country. Inner
City Press uploaded photos to
Alamy, here
- but waited to issue a
written report until receiving
read-outs. But the UN
Spokesperson's Office of
Stephane Dujarric called its
end of day lid at 6:30 pm,
having issued a read-out for a
meeting that happened after
Burundi, but still nothing on
Burundi. Kafando got your
tongue? It was 9 pm when the
UN issued this: "The
Secretary-General met with
H.E. Mr. Alain Aimé Nyamitwe,
Minister of External Relations
and International Cooperation
of the Republic of Burundi.
The Secretary-General
expressed condolences over the
Burundian refugees recently
killed in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and hoped
that the authorities of both
concerned countries will be
able to shed light on the
tragic incident. The
Secretary-General and Minister
Nyamitwe discussed the
inter-Burundian dialogue
process. The Secretary-General
exhorted the Government to
seize the current momentum to
fully engage in an inclusive
dialogue. He reiterated the
full support of the United
Nations, through his Special
Envoy, to the East African
Community (EAC)-led
facilitation. The
Secretary-General encouraged
the Government to address the
concerns related to human
rights in Burundi and ensure
more effective protection of
civilians." In other photo op
and read out news, days after
the UN Security Council banned
textile exports from North
Korea, the country fired
another missile over Japan's
Hokkeido. On September 23,
North Korea's Foreign Minister
Ri Yong Ho delivered this
speech in the UN General
Assembly hall, then came to
meet UN Secretary General
Antonio Guterres, USg Jeffrey
Feltman and others. There was
a photo op, well attended by
wire services and largely
Japanese and some South Korean
photographers - and Inner City
Press. Periscope video here.
Inner City Press asked the
North Korea Mission to the UN
if the international legal
conference they have been
asking for was discussed; the
North Korean Mission to the UN
told Inner City Press its
“Foreign Minister raised that
issue during the meeting. He
also told UNSG to be most
impartial, not to take
one-sided.” We'll see. Back on September
21, this speech in the UN
General Assembly Hall, by
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang
Yi, as transcribed in English
by Inner City Press: "The
situation on the Korean
peninsula is now a focus of
international attention. The
19 September this year, that
is two days ago, marks the
12th anniversary of the
2005, September 19 joint
statement of the 6 party
talks. At that time, the 6
parties, China, the United
States, Russia, DPRK,
RoK and Japan, with China
being the chair, made
concerted efforts, the two
main parties concerned, the US
and DPRK made the decision,
and we had formulated the
roadmap for denuclearization
of the peninsula. The DPRK
undertook to abandon its
nuclear programs, and the US
undertook to normalize its
relations with the DPRK. All
parties committed to setting
up a peace mechanism for the
peninsula. The statement
opened up new vistas for
regional peace and stability.
12 years have passed. Some
think things have changed on
the peninsula and the
statement has become outdated,
but we believe things
following the progressing
trend of the times never
become outdated, and decisions
on the right track never
become obsolete. If there is
any change, anything we need
now, it is denuclearization
that is more comprehensive,
more thorough, and more
irreversible. There should be
no new nuclear weapon state
whether it is in the north or
the south of the peninsula,
whether it is in Northeast
Asia or other parts of the
world. We urge the DPRK not to
go further on a dangerous
direction. We call ont eh US
to honor its four no
commitment, and we call on all
parties to play a constructive
role in easing tensions.
There is still hope for peace
and we must not give up.
Negotiation is the only way
out. Parties should meet each
other halfway by recognizing
each other’s legitimate
concerns. In China’s view, the
day when the denuclearization
of the peninsula is realized
should also be the day when a
peace mechanism is
established. China is always a
force for peace. We have made
tireless efforts for a
peaceful resolution on the
Korean peninsula. Whatever
changes may take place,
however long it may take,
China will stay firmly
committed to denuclearization
of the Korean peninsula and to
regional peace and stability."
Back on September 15 Russian
Ambassador Nebenzia said, as
transcribed by Inner City
Press: "we made a statement, a
press statement by the
president of the Security
Council condemning the recent
launch, calling on the DPRK to
stop it, and also, which is
important, reiterating the
need for political and
diplomatic solution of the
crisis, early... We’re
discussing that we’re in a
vicious circle. We have a
provocation, a resolution,
then another provocation. Many
people raised the issue that
we have to think outside the
box. There is the China
Russia road map of the 4th of
July, which is at the moment
the only political proposal on
the table... Take away this
morning’s Secretary of State
Tillerson’s statement,
our American colleague
said that Russia and China
should quickly implement the
sanctions measures provided
for in 2375. To which we said
that we are responsible
members of the international
community and we honestly
implement resolutions that we
adopt in the Security Council
but this resolution also
provides for political
measures that should be
implemented equally in that
sense we called on our US
partners and others to
implement the political and
diplomatic solutions that are
provided for in the resolution
and without implementing this
we also will consider it as
non-compliance with the
resolution, not fully
implementing the resolution.
We were considering what
elements we might include in a
resolution that would be on a
political side.. One way or
another, we are including them
in the resolutions we have
already adopted. We would
possibly like more. We’ll see
what happens. I think people
are keen to discuss it during
the high level -- one way or
another it will come up, both
in the debates and in the
meetings. We think that
threats, tests, launches
should be stopped and we
should engage in meaningful
negations. Many serious
American actors are saying
there is no way but to sit at
the table and come to think
how to resume the six party
talks. I think it was Madeline
Albright who was referring to
it recently and some others as
well. There are serious
analyses in the American press
of the issue, which came out
in the last few days before we
adopted resolution 2375. Many
people around the world
understand that there’s no
alternative to this in the
end." US Secretary of
State Rex Tillerson the day
before said, "North Korea's
provocative missile launch
represents the second time the
people of Japan, a treaty ally
of the United States, have
been directly threatened in
recent weeks. These continued
provocations only deepen North
Korea's diplomatic and
economic isolation. United
Nations Security Council
resolutions, including the
most recent unanimous
sanctions resolution,
represent the floor, not the
ceiling, of the actions we
should take. We call on
all nations to take new
measures against the Kim
regime. China supplies North
Korea with most of its oil.
Russia is the largest employer
of North Korean forced labor.
China and Russia must indicate
their intolerance for these
reckless missile launches by
taking direct actions of their
own." When Nikki Haley spoke
on North Korea's hydrogen bomb
test in the UN Security
Council on US Labor Day, she
called for a vote on new
sanctions on Kim Jong Un's
government on September 11.
They passed 15-0, after
reducing the cut into North
Korea's oil and dropping a
proposal travel ban and asset
freeze on Kim Jong Un. Now on
September 14 North Korea has
fired another missile, right
over Japan's Hokkeido. And the
UN was holding... a fashion show,
in its General Assembly lobby,
introduced by its new head of
"Global Communications" who
has yet to even respond to emails
about her Department's
imposition of UN minders on
the independent Press. We'll
have more on this. Back on
September 11, spinning on
background, a US official
familiar with the negotiations
said, before the vote, that
"Kim Jung Un doesn’t have that
many assets that are out there
and vulnerable anyway." Now
you tell us. On September 6,
the US draft came out, saying
it would among other things
BAN oil exports to North Korea
(see language below); CNN is
still using that term (but see
new
draft and language
below). The vote is slated for
6 pm on September 11; mid
morning when Inner City Press
asked Italy's Ambassador
Sebastiano Cardi about the oil
provisions, he said he
wouldn't comment on the
"details." Video here.
At 3 pm, French Ambassador
Francois Delattre said "The
bottom line is simple: the
threat of DPRK has changed in
scope, scale, and its very
nature. We’re facing not a
regional but a global threat,
which unites us. We fully
support the resolution
proposed by the US. We think
it’s a robust resolution, a
needed step towards the
firmness I was just referring
to. Our deep belief is that
only a firm reaction of the
Council can open the path to a
political res. Our firm
attitude today is the best
antidote to the risk of war. I
think the conditions are met
to go for a vote. We
completely support the
resolution as it is. By
definition this is a
compromise to get everybody on
board. We believe we have
a strong, robust
resolution and it is a needed
and important step with
respect to the firmness that
is the condition for a
political solution tomorrow."
On their way in to the morning
Security Council meeting on
Colombia the Ambassadors of
the UK and Sweden spoke to the
press. The UK's Matthew
Rycroft said, This afternoon
on North Korea we will be
voting on a draft of the US
circulated last night, it’s a
very robust resolution and the
UK supports it wholeheartedly.
[Watered down?] "It’s called
negotiations, and that’s what
we do. There’s a significant
pride in keeping the Security
Council united, and I hope
today’s vote will be united.
The version on the table is
strong, robust." Sweden's Olof
Skoog said, "We certainly
support the draft as it stands
now." The US proposed asset
freezes on five individuals
including Kim Jong Un and
seven entities; now it's one
person (not Kim Jong UN) and
three companies. On oil, here
is what the September 10
revised draft says: "Decides
that all Member State shall
not supply, sell, or transfer
to the DPRK in any period of
twelve months after the date
of adoption of this resolution
an amount of crude oil that is
in
excess of the amount that the
Member State supplied, sold or
transferred in the period of
twelve months prior to
adoption of this resolution,
unless the Committee approves
in advance on a case-by-case
basis a shipment of crude oil
is exclusively for livelihood
purposes of DPRK nationals and
unrelated to the DPRK’s
nuclear or ballistic missile
programmes or
other activities prohibited by
resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874
(2009), 2087 (2013), 2094
(2013), 2270 (2016), 2321
(2016), 2356 (2017), 2371
(2017) or this resolution;
(New)" And here was the US
original draft: "Ban exports
of crude oil, condensate,
refined petroleum products,
and natural gas liquids tothe
DPRK: Decides that all Member
States shall prohibit the
direct or indirect supply,
sale or transfer to the DPRK,
through their territories or
by their nationals, or using
their flag vessels or
aircraft, and whether or not
originating in their
territories, of all crude oil,
condensates, refined petroleum
products, and natural gas
liquids; (New)." Would Russia,
for one, vote even for this?
Haley had at the begin of the
September 4 meeting recounted
24 years of history. (Inner
City Press asked UK Ambassador
Matthew Rycroft on his way in
about Myanmar and the
Rohingya, here.)
Russia's Ambassador Nebenzia
called Haley's an "excursion"
into history and reiterated
his country's and China's
freeze for freeze proposal.
China's Liu Jieyi said, as
transcribed by Inner City
Press: "The Chinese government
resolutely opposes and
strongly condemns the nuclear
test of the DPRK in violation
of the UNSC resolutions.
Achieving the denuclearization
of the Korean peninsula and
maintaining the nuclear
non-proliferation system and
peace and stability in
Northeast Asia, this is the
firm stance of the Chinese
government…we strongly urge
the DPRK to face up swuarely
to the firm will of the
international community on the
issue of the denuclearization
of the peninsula and earnestly
abide by the resolutions of
the council…The situation of
the peninsula is deteriorating
constantly as we speak,
falling into a vicious
circle. The situation must be
resolved peacefully. China
will never allow chaos and war
on the peninsula. The parties
concerned must strengthen
their sense of urgency…take
practical measures, make joint
efforts together to ease the
situation, restart the
dialogue and talks, and
prevent further deterioration
of the situation on the
peninsula. The proposal by
China and Russia of a 2 track
approach, which promotes the
denuclearization of the
peninsula and establishment of
a peace mechanism in parallel,
the suspension for suspension
initiative, which calls for
the DPRK to suspend its
nuclear and missile activities
and for the US and the RoK to
suspend their large scale
military exercises and step by
step concession from Russia
are the basis on which brought
countries jointly proposed a
road map to resolve the
issue.…we hope the parties
concerned will seriously
consider this and actively
respond to it. China calls
upon the International
Community to jointly and
comprehensively and fully
implement the relevant
resolutions of the SC on DPRK,
firmly push forward the goal
of denuclearization of the
peninsula, and maintain peace
and stability on the
peninsula." Earlier, Haley
said, "Kim Jong Un's abusive
use of missiles shows he is
begging for war. War is never
something the US wants. But
our patience not unlimited....
The idea of "freeze for
freeze" is insulting. When an
ICBM is pointed at you, do not
lower your guard. Enough is
enough. The incremental
approach has not worked. We
must "quickly enact the
strongest sanctions here in
UNSC. We have kicked can down
road long enough. There is no
road left." Two days before
today's reported North Korean
nuclear test, incoming UN
Security Council president for
September Tekeda Alemu of
Ethiopia held a long press
conference at the UN and only
mentioned North Korea once,
per the UN Department of
Public Information's summary,
here.
Will the Security Council and
its president still leave New
York for five days? This
as some on the
UN Security
Council, and
UN Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres or at
least his
spokesman Stephane Dujarric have no
problem with
or comment on
the UN's own
World
Intellectual
Property
Organization
helps North
Korea with a
patent
application
for social
cyanide (WIPO
site here).
On
Capitol Hill
on June 28,
Rep. Chris
Smith (R-NJ)
urged US
Ambassador to
the UN Nikki
Haley to act
on WIPO,
including its
retaliation
against
whistleblowers.
Haley spoke
about
reviewing
peacekeeping
missions,
which is
needed - as is
a review and
reversal of
the UN's lack
of protections
for free
press, and
continued
restrictions
on
investigative
Press. At the
day's UN noon
briefing Inner
City Press
asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN
Transcript here. The UN
Secretariat
also backed up
WIPO on May 26
when Inner
City Press
asked,
transcript here and
below. Inner
City Press on
May 16 began
to ask US
Ambassador to
the UN Nikki
Haley about it
(video
here). On
May 17, Nikki
Haley replied
to Inner City
Press'
question: "All
parts of the
UN system need
to support the
Security
Council in its
efforts to
respond to the
grave threat
of North
Korea’s
weapons of
mass
destruction
programs.
Sodium cyanide
is banned for
export to
North Korea by
the Security
Council. A
common sense
reaction would
be for WIPO to
inform the
Council of
such patent
applications.
Its failure to
do so may have
dangerous
consequences.”
Inner
City Press on September 1
asked Ambassador Alemu four
questions, including on
Burundi (on the Council's
agenda) and the Oromo
Protests, a major human
rights issue. Video
here.
But
when the UN Department of
Public Information wrote up
the press conference, it did
not even MENTION Burundi, much
less the Oromo protests. See
UN document here.
What is wrong with UN DPI, a corrupt
UN Department which spends
$200 million a year in public
funds, but doe not even has
any rules, content neutral or
otherwise, on how it accredits
and/or restricts
the independent press which
covers the UN? Where is the
new head of DPI, Alison Smale?
In response to Inner City
Press asking why Burundi,
where even the UN says there
is a risk of genocide, is not
on his September Program of
Work nor on the agenda of the
Council's visit to Addis
Ababa, Alemu on September 1 -
not covered by the UN - said
that you can't compare Burundi
to Central African Republic,
that Burundi has “strong state
institutions.” But it is that
very “strength,” which some
say the country shares with
Ethiopia, and with until
recently military-ruled
Myanmar about which Inner City
Press also asked, that has led
to the human rights
violations. In this context,
Inner City Press asked Alemu
about the Oromo protests - and
crackdown - in his country. He
diplomatically chided Inner
City Press for not having
asked in private, saying that
social media has played a
dangerous role. Meanwhile the
UN brags about its
(propaganda) social media
work. We'll have more on this.
Alamy photos here.
***
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