Burundi
In UN Sex
Abuse Pincer,
Shakes Down
WFP, As
Shingiro Spins
Letter to AFP
By Matthew
Russell Lee,
Follow up to
Exclusives
UNITES
NATIONS,
November 15 --
The UN of Ban
Ki-moon can't
even handle
attacks on
Ban's own
envoys
correctly, or
keep its story
straight.
Burundi's
Pierre
Nkurunziza
government is
faced with
documented
allegations of
sexual abuse
and the
impending
repatriation
of
peacekeepers.
Inner City
Press can
exclusively
report that
the UN system
says it has
documentary
evidence of
sexual abuse
by no fewer
than 25
Burundian
“peacekeepers.”
Separately,
six other of
Burundi's
deployees are
failing the
human rights
vetting that
occurs but
which can, in
Ban's UN, be
overriden.
On this basis,
those closest
to this human
rights issue
urge, as
recommended by
the
Independent
Panel which
Burundi has
thrown out of
the country,
that no more
Burundian
troops be
deployed to
Central
African
Republic.
But UN
Peacekeeping
under Herve
Ladsous, the
sources tell
Inner City
Press, wants
to ignore this
evidence and
human rights
recommendations
and keep
paying the
Nkurunziza
government.
Meanwhile that
government has
taken to
demanding that
the UN World
Food Program
pay it money
to pay its own
Burundian
government
staff
ostensibly to
do UN work.
Not only is
WFP staying
quiet: now
they are using
another wire
service to
deny the
famine that
was exposed in
the OCHA email
that Inner
City Press
exclusively
published,
below. This is
what Ban
Ki-moon's UN
has come to,
despite claims
of “Rights Up
Front.” We'll
have more on
this.
On
October 20
Pierre
Nkurunziza
wrote a letter
to Ban
Ki-moon,
trying to
paralyze the
UN process.
Inner City
Press asked
about the
letter at the
UN noon
briefing on
November 11
and November
14. Then
a wire service
was found to
write only
about the
letter, not
about the
rapes or
repatriations,
no context.
What does Ban
care? He wants
to run for
office in
South Korea -
and maybe to
get term
limits
extended.
Inner City
Press on
November 10
reported from
Burundian
sources of
attempts by
the Pierre
Nkurunziza
government to
“PNG” or
persona
non-grata
Ban's Special
Adviser on
Conflict
Prevention
Jamal Benomar,
who covers
Burundi among
other
countries.
On November
15, for the
third time,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq to
confirm the
letter. This
time he
claimed he had
confirmed the
exchange, last
week. Video
here form
19:30.
But here's the
November
11 UN
transcript:
Deputy
Spokesman:
I don't have
anything to
say in
particular
about
diplomatic
correspondence.
What I do have
to say is that
Jamal Benomar
continues to
go about his
work as a
Special
Advisor,
including his
work on
Burundi.
Inner City
Press:
Did the
Secretary-General
write farewell
letters to
Heads of State
such as Mr.
Nkurunziza?
Does that --
seems like a
pretty --
Deputy
Spokesman:
I believe he
will be in the
process.
I don't know
whether that's
all written,
but I believe
that as he
ends his term,
he will be
writing
letters to the
various Heads
of State.
That's
confirmation?
Or cover up?
We'll have
more on this.
On
November 11,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq to
confirm the
“PNG” was in
fact a letter
replying to
Ban Ki-moon's
canned
farewell
letter as Ban
leaves
December 31
(seemingly to
run for
President of
South Korea
and get term
limits there
extended,
though both
dreams may be
dying).
But Haq
refused to
confirm, which
would have in
context
supported
Ban's envoy.
From the November
11 transcript:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you on Burundi
and I don't
know if you
addressed
this, but
there are a
lot of reports
floating
around that
Pierre
Nkurunziza has
written to Ban
Ki-moon asking
that Jamal
Benomar be
either -- I
guess he
couldn't be
replaced as
Special
Advisor on
Conflict
Prevention but
no longer be
the
interlocutor
from the UN
system.
And I will
also, that's
what is
reported
there, that he
has been
PNGed.
I've also
heard it may
have just been
a letter back
from Mr.
Nkurunziza to
Ban Ki-moon
responding to
a farewell
letter
saying:
and also your
Envoy is
leaving.
Can you
clarify
this?
Because this
is wide -- has
he been asked
to replace him
or is it just
an off-handed
comment in a
letter?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I don't have
anything to
say in
particular
about
diplomatic
correspondence.
What I do have
to say is that
Jamal Benomar
continues to
go about his
work as a
Special
Advisor,
including his
work on
Burundi.
Inner City
Press:
Did the
Secretary-General
write farewell
letters to
Heads of State
such as Mr.
Nkurunziza?
Does that --
seems like a
pretty --
Deputy
Spokesman:
I believe he
will be in the
process.
I don't know
whether that's
all written,
but I believe
that as he
ends his term,
he will be
writing
letters to the
various Heads
of State.
On November
14, Haq called
on first on
AFP, which
asked about
possible PNG,
with no
reference to
any letter.
Inner City
Press when
finally called
on asked
again about
the letter and
Haq said some
farewell
letter have
begun.
Later on
November 14
APF wrote
about the
letter,
quoting none
other than
Burundi's
often-absent
Ambassador
Albert
Shingiro.
Whistleblowers
leaked the
email below to
Inner City
Press; Inner
City Press has
asked the
listed author
for comment
and has still
received none.
The email is
below. On
November 8 at
noon, Inner
City Press
asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
it. The
UN internal
email says
famine. Having
asked, the
author and
Dujarric, we
re-publish the
email in full,
below.
From:
Nazzarena
Ferraro /OCHA
To: Micaela
Malena at
unhcr.org
Date:
07/11/2016
10:40
Subject:
Mouvements of
populations
from Kirundu
Muyinga,
Cankuzo et
Ruyigi.
Dear
Micaela,
We are trying
to follow up
at the inter
sector level,
on the
movements of
populations
across the
borders with
Tanzania,
during the
past two
weeks.
Such movements
would be in
connection
with the
latest
phenomena of
droughts,
insufficient
harvest and famine
in Kirundu
Muyinga,
Cankuzo et
Ruyigi.
According to
governmental
and UN
agencies,
populations
are attempting
to cross into
Tanzania from
various border
points.
Do you have
any
information
that you can
share with the
inter-sector
on these
movements of
populations?
Are you aware
of any
incidents
relating to
Tanzanian
custom
authorities
refusing entry
permission to
Burundian
individuals or
groups? (an
incident would
have occurred
at the entry
point in
Kasange, pls
see the
attached Map
for easy of
reference).
Do you have
any
information on
incidents
occurring at
the border
with Rwanda,
involving
Burundian
Citizens?
What are the
legal
provisions
governing the
relationships
between
Tanzania and
Burundi –
regarding
movements of
persons within
the territory
of the two
country?
Aren’t
Tanzania and
Burundi part
of the same
regional
Treaties or
Accords – East
African
Community and
others?
Then in this
case,
shouldn't
Burundian
citizens
allowed entry
into Tanzania,
regardless of
whether or not
they are
seeking
humanitarian
protection or
asylum ?
Grateful if
you could
share any
information
during the
inter-sector
meeting today
Nazzarena
Ferraro,
Humanitarian
Affairs
Officer, OCHA
Burundi office
|Bujumbura,
Burundi |UN
Office for the
Coordination
of
Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA)
On October 25,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
Video
here
On October 24,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press:
some
journalists
were arrested,
reportedly
while
investigating
mass
graves.
It was an
American
journalist,
J.C. [Julia]
Steers, and a
Burundian
journalist,
Gildas, and
their
driver.
This has gone
out all over
the
world.
There's a list
that's emerged
of enemies of
the State put
out by the
CNDD-FDD.
So what I
wonder is,
what… if he's
there and
these things
are taking
place, how… do
these
constructive
meetings
involve
talking about
journalists
being arrested
for trying to
document
[inaudible]…
Spokesman:
We're very
much aware of
the arrests of
the
journalists,
something
that's very
regrettable to
say the
least.
We understand
that both the
journalists
and the
driver, who
was also
arrested, have
now been
released.
We are in
touch with our
colleagues at
the Human
Rights Office
in Bujumbura
and trying to
look into the
exact
circumstances
of what has
happened.
It is clear
that there is
a need for the
media and the
press to be
able to
operate freely
in Burundi and
every other…
every other
place for that
matter.
ICP
Question:
And what about
the lists that
emerged?
Are there any
steps being
taken by the
UN to make
sure the UN
itself doesn't
target media
that are
listed on the
list?
Spokesman:
The UN is not
in the
business of
targeting
media.
At the UN in
New York, when
a photo of Burundi's
Ambassador's
empty seat
during the
first speech
by Ban's
successor
Antonio
Guterres is
tweeted out,
threats
including
death threats
ensue. Then
again, today's
UN has no
respect for
freedom of the
press, even in
its own
headquarters,
evicting
its perceived
critics and
restricting
them to
minders.
So where is
the US, UK, EU
and others?
Watch this
site.
On October 13,
after the UN
Security
Council had a
closed door
meeting about
Burundi and
Inner City
Press just
outside the
Council asked
about leaving
the ICC and
the Mkapa or
Museveni
process, a
draft Security
Council press
statement was
proposed and
put “under
silence” until
10 am on
October 14.
But, Inner
City Press has
exclusively
just learned,
major changes
were proposed
- and accepted
by the drafter
and pen
holder,
France.
France's
approach to
Burundi can be
contrasted to
the
position(s) it
took on its
recent Syria
draft. We have
put
the marked up
draft online,
here.
We'll have
more on this.
Here's what
was accepted
and emailed
out past
noon:And On October 12, Inner
City Press
asked Erastus
Mwencha,
Deputy
Chairperson of
the African
Union
Commission, if
the AU vets
those whom the
Nkurunziza
government
sends to the
AU Mission in
Somalia,
AMISOM. The
answer was no
-- although
Mwencha did
say that
Burundi needs
an inclusive
dialogue.
On October 11,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
the reported
plan to deploy
Nkurunziza
guard
Ildephone
Habarurema to
the
peacekeeping
mission in
Somalia,
AMISOM, to
which the UN
provides
support.
Despite Ban
Ki-moon's
claims about
human rights
first and
vetting,
Dujarric said
the UN has no
role in
vetting to
whom it
provides
support. So
does no one
vet?
On September
20 when
Francois
Hollande the
president of
France, which
“holds the
pen” on
Burundi in the
UN Security
Council, came
to hold a
press
conference,
Inner City
Press went
early to ask
him about it.
But before the
press
conference
began, one of
Hollande's
Team not only
declared rows
of the UN
Press Briefing
Room
“reserved” --
she also
announced
there would be
only four
questions, two
international,
which she
pre-selected.
After
this staged
show, Inner
City Press
asked,
Burundi? What
will you do on
Burundi, and
cited the risk
of genocide in
the day's UN
report.
Foreign
Minister
Jean-Marc
Ayrault turned
and looked --
nothing.
Beyond
the Vine
video, here.
Inner
City Press
went to
formally tell
UN Spokesman
Dujarric, who
has in the
past lent out
the UN press
briefing room
to France, and
then to
others, and
got Inner City
Press thrown
out. Dujarric
said curtly,
“Thanks.”
We'll have
more on this.
"I know,
Matthew, you
had been
asking about
Lieutenant
Colonel Alfred
Mayuyu, and I
can tell you
that it is my
understanding
that he was
repatriated
from MINUSCA
(United
Nations
Mission in the
Central
African
Republic) this
morning.
With the East
African
Community
dialogue
process
stalled -- and
Kenya's
Ambassador to
Burundi Ken
Vitisia is
involved, even
as sources
tell Inner
City Press he
owns / runs
businesses in
Bujumbura.
We'll have
more on this -
and on the
role of Ban
Ki-moon's son
in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee,
who Ban
on August 26
made UN
Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya without
recusing
himself.
As to Ken
Vitisia,
despite or
related to the
scandal of
child
trafficking
from Burundi
on which we've
previously
reported,
Kenya's
Ambassador
recently tweeted
of Burundi,
“great
country
beautiful
girls .need to
visit to see.”
This was
co-directed to
a UN official.
Something is
very wrong
here. We'll
have more on
this.
Chatterjee
tweets thanks
to those who spread
his military
commander's
attack on the
Press and
to other
Kenyan
ambassadors
-what's his
view of
Vitisia, and
of his father
in law's
failure in
Burundi? We
can't ask:
Chatterjee
blocks Inner
City Press on
Twitter, photo
here.
Chatterjee
served in the
Indian Peace
Keeping Force
in Sri Lanka,
involved in
the Jaffna
Hospital
Massacre. This
is today's UN
under Ban
Ki-moon, and
may explain
UNconcern with
Burundi - or
with the
truth, for
example as
regards
Mayuyu. Watch
this site.
On September
4, Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric again
about Mayuyu
and was told
he would
"effort" an
answer on
September 6.
So Inner City
Press asked:
From the UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: I
want to ask
about Burundi
first... on
Mr. Mayuyu,
which I’d
asked you in
writing, I
just want to
nail this one
down…
Spokesman:
I’m waiting…
Everybody
wants to nail
everything
down.
I’m waiting
for some
information on
that case,
which I have
not yet
received.
On September
7, with
Dujarric not
having sent
Inner City
Press any
update, Inner
City Press
asked him
again - and
was told that
Mayuyu is fact
has NOT been
repatriated,
there are
“discussions
ongoing” with
the Burundian
government. From the UN
Transcript:
Inner City
Press: on this
question of
Burundian
military
figure Mr.
Mayuyu that
I'd asked you
about that
you… first
you'd said it
wasn't on any
roster.
Then it was
said that he
had been
repatriated.
Now some are
saying he
hasn't been…
Spokesman:
No, I didn't…
I didn't… I
think… I
didn't say he
had been
repatriated.
ICP
Question:
So what was
the meaning of
that?
Spokesman:
I said we are
repatriating
him. The
discussions
are ongoing
with the
Government of
Burundi.
As soon as we
have a date, I
will let you
know.
ICP
Question:
Has he joined
the military
observing…
Spokesman:
I'm not aware
of what his
specific role
is.
So the August
5 statement
was mislead,
and the August
24 statement
of “immediate
effect” became
inaccurate,
unless two
weeks can be
considered
“immediate.”
On
September 7
when Inner
City Press was
asking
Dujarric about
nepotism and
Ban Ki-moon
signing the
letter to name
his own son in
law Siddharth
Chatterjee to
the top UN job
in Kenya,
Dujarric said
“ridiculous
accusation”
and walked
out. This is
Ban Ki-moon's
UN. Beyond
the Vine video
here.
Now on August
29, when Ban
Ki-moon's
report is due
on getting
access for the
African Union
observers,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric (in
writing since
Dujarric
canceled the
noon briefing
for the week)
“On Burundi,
please deny or
confirm that
Ban's
Secretariat
has met with
the Permanent
Three members
of the UNSC
and,
separately,
provide a copy
or link to the
SG's report on
Burundi due on
August 28 (on
deployment of
AU observers,
resolution at
para 11).”
To
this, Dujarric
has replied:
“No. Can not
confirm.”
So
where is the
report? Inner
City Press is
told that,
with no
movement
toward
deploying any
of the 228
police in the
July 29
resolution,
the Permanent
Five members
-- France, US
and UK -- met
with “the
Secretariat.”
We'll have
more on this.
Back on
August 24
Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric, if
the August 5
answer was not
intentional
misrepresentation,
what does it
say about UN
Peacekeeping's
“vetting”
under chief
Herve Ladsous
if they can't
even find the
name of a high
profile human
rights abuser.
Vine
II here.
This, Dujarric
did not
explain.
Beyond
the Vine here.
He said not to
“extrapolate
from this one
incident” -
ironic, in
that he, USG
Cristina
Gallach and SG
Ban used a
simple event
Inner City
Press wanted
to cover as a
pretext to
evict it.
We'll have
more on this
Inner City
Press will
continue on
this.
On August 24,
it also asked
about new mass
graves found
in Burundi. UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about
Burundi, the
one about Mr.
Mayuyu, which
I've asked
about…
Spokesman:
I have an
answer for
you.
ICP
Question:
You do?
Good.
Also, there's
been a report
also in Radio
Publique
Africaine
about mass
graves.
The group
APRODH, run by
Mr. Mbonimpa,
said they
found
mass graves,
including of
people who dug
the graves
buried to
eliminate
witnesses.
So, I wanted
to, I guess,
get that one
in the
hopper.
But, on Mr.
Mayuyu…
Spokesman:
I can confirm
from our
colleagues in
peacekeeping
that
Lieutenant
Colonel Alfred
Mayuyu from
Burundi, who
was deployed
to UN
peacekeeping
mission in
Central
African
Republic as a
military
observer in
July this year
is to be
repatriated
with immediate
effect.
The Permanent
Mission of
Burundi has
been notified
of the
Secretariat's
decision.
ICP
Question:
This is not to
be
mean-spirited,
but, on 5
August,
standing where
you are,
Farhan said,
Mayuyu is not
on any
roster.
And so, I'm
left
wondering…
I don't
believe
necessarily
that there's
any kind of
misrepresentation,
but how can
the mission
not know
who's…?
Spokesman:
I can only
give you the
information I
have… I have
now. I'm
not sure if
those were
Farhan's exact
words.
I'm sure he
was speaking
with the
information
that he had at
the
time.
The point is
that we looked
into the
matter, and I
can confirm
that
information to
you this
morning.
ICP Question:
f the mission
is not able to
actually even
run a name…
run a name
through its
roster…?
Spokesman:
I think you're
extrapolating
from this one
incident.
Again, ironic,
in that he,
USG Cristina
Gallach and SG
Ban used a
simple event
Inner City
Press wanted
to cover as a
pretext to
evict it.
We'll have
more on
this.But Inner
City Press
will continue
on this. Watch
this site.
Shouldn't the
UN
Spokesperson
be expected to
provide an
explanation
why his Office
told
the Press
a
controversial
Burundian
colonel was
NOT with UN
Peacekeeping
when a
respected
radio station
in Burundi says
the colonel
was
repatriated?
It would seem
so. But it's
not the case
in today's UN.
On August 22,
Inner City
Press asked
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's lead
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric for
just such an
answer:
To: Stephane
Dujarric [at]
un.org
From: Inner
City Press
Date: Mon, Aug
22, 2016 at
3:13 PM
Cc: Farhan Haq
[at] un.org,
FUNCA [at]
funca.info
Subject: Press
Q again about
Burundi's
Mayuyu - I was
told "not on
roster," now
RPA says he's
repatriated:
confirm/deny,
explain
"I have asked
your Office
repeatedly
about
Burundian
Lieutenant-colonel
Alfred Mayuyu
being deployed
to MINUSCA in
the Central
African
Republic
despite his
human rights
record in
Burundi,
including in
connection
with Dec 12,
2015.
I was told, by
Farhan Haq,
that Mayuyu
was not on any
MINUSCA
roster.
Last week I
heard Mayuyu
was in fact
being
repatriated
(with the
flight paid
for the UN,
not Burundi)
and aimed to
ask at today's
abruptly-ended
briefing.
Now the below
has been
published by
Radio Publique
Africaine,
that Mayayu IS
being
repatriated.
Please
immediately
confirm or
deny, and if
confirm,
please explain
why I was
told, after
repeated
questions,
that Mayuyu
was not on any
roster."
With no
email
response, even
just to
confirm
receipt, from
Dujarric Inner
City Press at
the August 23
noon briefing
asked again, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about this
Burundian
Lieutenant
Colonel Mr.
Mayuyu.
I’d asked a
couple of
times here and
was told he’s
not on any
roster, and
now Radio
Publique
Africaine in
Burundi has
reported that
he was
deployed and
has been
repatriated.
So what is
the… what are
the
facts?
And if he was
there, why was
it said from
this podium
that he wasn’t
there?
Spokesman:
I hope to have
something on
that a bit
later today or
tomorrow.
Inner City
Press:
How can the
mission not be
able to say?
He’s a
commanding
officer…
Spokesman:
As I said, I’m
trying to
harvest facts.
Since Dujarric
has a history
of rushing out
of the
briefing room
with questions
unanswered,
Inner City
Press began a
Periscope
video.
Dujarric said,
gesturing at
Inner City
Press'
Periscoping
phone, “You
know it’s also
live on the
web.”
Inner City
Press:
I
understand.
But I have to
be ready…
Spokesman:
Of course.
Inner City
Press:
to…[inaudible]
Spokesman:
And I want
people to see
that I am the
lazy Spokesman
that you say I
am.
Inner City
Press:
All
right. I
did email
about Mayuyu…
Spokesman:
I’m
lazy.
That’s what I
can tell you.
The
reference was
to a hashtag,
#LazySpox
a/k/a (in
French)
#DroleDePorteParole.
And eight
hours later
and counting,
still no
answer of any
kind.
On July 29 the
UN Security
Council
adopted a
resolution to
send up to 228
UN Police to
Burundi, with
four
abstentions:
China, Egypt,
Venezuela and
Egypt.
Surprisingly,
Russia voted
yes. Here
is the French
text;English
is
below.
Minute before
the UN
Security
Council was to
vote on the
draft
resolution to
send up to 228
police to
Burundi,
French
ambassador
Francois
Delattre spoke
with his
Chinese
counterpart, tweeted
photo here, while
Angola's
ambassador
spoke with US
Ambassador
Samantha Power
and her
deputy, David
Pressman.
(Blurrier
photo tweeted
here.)
But what has
been done on
the resolution
so far? Alexis
Lamek, deputy
ambassador of
its author,
France, first
declined to
answer Inner
City Press'
question, said
he would
revert, Vine
here, and
see below.
On August 22,
Inner City
Press asked
again and
Lamek said,
“We are
speaking with
the different
stakeholders,”(Vine here) saying after Inner
City Press
followed up
that includes
the
government.
Ban
Ki-moon's
Spokesperson's
Office under
Stephane
Dujarric told
Inner City
Press, after
repeated
requests about
Ban's head of
peacekeeping
Herve Ladsous
taking Lt. Col
Alfred Mayuyu
into the UN
mission in the
Central
African
Republic
MINUSCA
despite human
rights abuses
that Mayuyu
was not on any
roster of the
UN. That said
publicly on
August 5 and
never
supplemented.
Vine
here;
Video
here, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
on
Burundi,
I'd asked you
about
Lieutenant
Colonel
Mayuyu,
deployment…
people
continue to
say that he's
actually being
deployed to
CAR (Central
African
Republic), and
they've linked
him to a unit
that was
involved in…
in… in torture
and other
abuse in
December
2015. So
what… is that,
in fact, being
re… I don't
know if you
looked into
it, but I did
ask it
here. Go
ahead.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yes. I
did look into
that. As
far as I'm
aware from our
colleagues in
MINUSCA
(United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission in the
Central
African
Republic),
they're not
aware that
this person is
on any of
their
rosters.
They're
continuing to
check to see
whether it was
under a
different name
or something,
but no.
At this point,
we don't have
that.
Last week
Inner City
Press heard
that Mayuyu
was, in fact,
repatriated
from CAR, with
the UN and not
Burundi paying
for the
flight. Since
Dujarric's
office, beyond
participating
in evicting
Inner City
Press from the
UN, and refusing
questions
on
restrictions
since, didn't
even
acknowledge
its last round
of written
questions,
Inner City
Press intended
to ask
in-person at
the August 22
noon briefing.
But Dujarric
left abuptly.
Now, RPA
reports Mayuyu
has been
repatriated.
Inner City
Press has
asked Dujarric
and his deputy
Farhan Haq,
who gave the
August 5
answer, in
writing for an
explanation.
Watch this
site.
On August 19,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq
what if
anything the
UN has done
about the
abduction by
government
security of
another
journalist.
Haq said the
UN hopes he
“found” - so
the UN didn't
even contact
the
government? Vine here; UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: on
Burundi, I
wanted to ask
you, there's
now a call…
there was
obviously Jean
Bigirimana.
There's
another
journalist,
Gisa Steve
Irakoze, of a
radio station,
one of the few
independent
radio stations
in the
country, has
been abducted,
the word RSF
uses, by the
National
Security
Agency.
And I wanted
to know… it's
kind of a
pressing case…
is the team on
the ground,
rather than
just a later
report, are
they in any
way involved
in trying to
ask the
Government to
release this
journalist
who's also
diabetic and
hasn't eaten
in two days by
some accounts?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we're
aware of the
latest
reports, and
we are
concerned
about any
efforts that
would harm the
right of
Burundians to
the freedom of
expression and
any crackdowns
on the
media.
So, of course,
we hope that
this will be
resolved and
that the
person will be
found and
found safely
soon.
On August 18,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Farhan Haq, Vine here and here,
UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you about
Burundi.
There have
been… first,
there's some…
there are
various Tutsi
members of the
army, some who
are out of the
country, who
are basically
trying to…
saying they
don't want to
go back
because they
face
imprisonment
or
killing.
There's…
there's… some
nine have gone
missing.
Six have been
killed.
So, I wanted
to know
whether this
is something
that the
Special
Adviser or the
team on the
ground is
concerned
about, a
seemingly
ethnic split
in the army,
and how this
also impacts
the impending
deployment of
800 Burundian
troops to the
Central
African
Republic.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, as for
the deployment
of troops,
that's a
process that
is under way,
and we'll see
how that is
carried out,
but it will
follow the
normal
guidelines for
vetting.
Regarding the
situation on
the ground in
Burundi, the
Special
Adviser does
continue to be
in touch with
the Government
and other
sides.
We are trying
to work with
the various
communities to
make sure that
the country
continues to
deal with its
problems in an
inclusive
manner.
Continues??
On August 8,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I'd
asked before
about this
journalist
from Iwacu
called Jean
Bigirimana,
and now his
publication,
Iwacu, seems
to indicate
that his body
has been
found.
And there are
number of
press freedom
organizations,
human rights
organizations
saying that it
has to be
investigated.
With the UN's
presence
there, what
steps has it
taken since he
was
disappeared
and the
publication
went public
with his
disappearance?
Has anything
been done by
the UN on this
case?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we do
monitor the
situation of
human rights
in the
country.
We don't have
any particular
report on this
case to share
at this
point.
But they are
looking into
the
circumstances
of all of the
potential
human rights
violations in
the
country.
Obviously, any
harassment,
let alone
killing, of
any journalist
merits a
strong
reaction and
would need to
be fully
investigated
by the
authorities on
the ground.
I wanted
to ask on
Burundi,
something new
and then one
as a follow-up
question.
There's
reports there
of a mass
grave of 12
bodies being
unearthed in
Ngozi, and so
I wanted to
know if it's
something that
has reached
your office or
if the UN's
going to have
any role in
examining
that.
And also, I'd
asked you
about
Lieutenant
Colonel
Mayuyu,
deployment…
people
continue to
say that he's
actually being
deployed to
CAR (Central
African
Republic), and
they've linked
him to a unit
that was
involved in…
in… in torture
and other
abuse in
December
2015. So
what… is that,
in fact, being
re… I don't
know if you
looked into
it, but I did
ask it
here. Go
ahead.
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yes. I
did look into
that. As
far as I'm
aware from our
colleagues in
MINUSCA
(United
Nations
Multidimensional
Integrated
Stabilization
Mission in the
Central
African
Republic),
they're not
aware that
this person is
on any of
their
rosters.
They're
continuing to
check to see
whether it was
under a
different name
or something,
but no.
At this point,
we don't have
that.
Regarding a
mass grave in
Ngozi, of
course, we're
concerned
about any
reports of
mass graves,
and I'll look
and see
whether we
have anything
further about
this
particular…
Back on May 31
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
Dujarric about
press freedom
in Burundi, video here, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: on
Burundi, on
press freedom,
there was… on
30 May, the
Minister of
Public Safety
put out a
statement
basically
accusing
various
journalists,
some by name,
of promoting
of crime and
violence.
And so I
wonder whether
the
Secretary-General’s
statements
that he made
in Korea about
free… freedom
of expression,
etc., apply
there and also
in
Egypt.
I’m waiting
for a
statement
there…
[inaudible]
Spokesman:
They apply
across the
board.
We, obviously,
have seen the
reports of new
charges being
brought
against the
Union of
Journalists in
Egypt.
We remain
concerned at
the
situation.
We’re
following it
closely.
Nizar?
So, no answers
on Burundi. On
May 30 the
Minister of
Public
Security Alain
Guillaume
Bunyoni issued
an order
denouncing
journalist
Esdras
Ndikumana and
unnamed social
media users.
And what has
the UN of Ban
Ki-moon said?
Nothing. This
even as Ban
Ki-moon,
campaigning in
South Korea,
purported to
support press
freedom. (Korean
article here,
robo-translation
here.)
We'll have
more on this.
The new
Secretary
General of the
East African
Community
Liberat
Mfumukeko is
also, now, an
Ambassador of
Pierre
Nkurunziza's
government. It
is, even some
participants
tell Inner
City Press, "a
joke." But it
is no joke.
On April 21,
amid
published
reports of up
to 150 people
detained
in Mugamba,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
it. He said he
hadn't heard
of it but
would check.
An hour after
the briefing,
this was sent
to Inner City
Press:
From: UN
Spokesperson -
Do Not Reply
un.org
Date: Thu, Apr
21, 2016 at
1:46 PM
Subject: Your
question on
Burundi
To:
Matthew.Lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
Cc: Stephane
Dujarric [at]
un.org
"Regarding
your question
at the noon
briefing: Our
human rights
office was
informed that
on 20 April
2016,
following a
security
incident that
occurred in
Mugamba
commune,
Bururi
province (an
exchange of
gunfire
between
unidentified
armed men and
military
elements,
during which
two people
including a
military lost
their lives),
three persons,
including a
teacher, were
arrested by
the police and
detained in
Mugamba police
station. No
charges were
retained
against them
and they were
finally
released on 21
April 2016
following an
intervention
by the
Regional
police
commissioner."
Is that
all that
happened?
Dujarric also
at the April
21 briefing,
when Inner
City Press
asked why its
office has
been seized -
to be resold,
it seems -
while that of
South South
News, named in
October 2015
in the U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York as Ng
Lan Seng's
vehicle to
bribe the UN,
still has its
office, said
“You have been
afforded quite
a lot of
courtesies.”
Like ouster
by eight UN
DSS guards?
Five boxes of
files dumped
out onto First
Avenue?
In a
smaller but
similar way,
the UN on
February 19
told Inner
City Press
that if it did
not move eight
years of
investigative
files out of
its UN office,
even the offer
of a reduced
non-Resident
Correspondent
accreditation
would be
withdrawn.
Now
while
threatening to
throw or move
everything
out, the UN is
making even
more troubling
"offers."
Perhaps this
is why the UN
Secretariat
cannot
criticize
Pierre
Nkurunziza's
Burundi;
instead Ban
Ki-moon
praised
Nkurunziza for
half
re-opening a
mere two of
four radio
stations he
closed. New
low for the
UN.
Ban
Ki-moon, his
deputy and
chief of staff
have received
this
sample letter
to reverse
Gallach's
outrageous
decisions,
concluding,
"Your decision
to restore
ICP's full
accreditation
and office
will be highly
appreciated by
many
Burundians
crying out for
peace and
protection
while
promoting the
freedom of
press in
Burundi." As
of this
writing, still
no response
from Ban.
On March 25,
Inner City
Press' sources
reported to it
that "Around 4
am today,
heavily armed
police
surrounded the
zone of
Musaga,
searched homes
without
warrants,
arrested
around five
young men and
killed an old
man by
shooting him
purposeful on
First Avenue
Musaga. Among
the arrested
young men, two
are related as
a sister and a
brother -- the
shocking story
behind these
two is that
the old
brother Arnaud
was shot and
killed by the
police during
the
demonstration."
Meanwhile to
cut off
further
protests, the
government is
regulating SIM
cards - and,
some say, the
French firm
SG2 may be
engaged in
wire tapping
in
Burundi:
"several
technicians of
local
companies have
confided that:
'We were
obliged to
provide SG2
with some 200
free numbers
and to
authorize
their
technicians to
access our
networks. They
connected
their own
systems. We
are sure that
they have the
technology to
carry out
phone-tapping.'
Since the
introduction
of this
system,
international
calls to
Burundi have
become very
expensive, and
Burundians in
the diaspora
now choose to
use Skype or
other calling
systems
(Viber,
WhatsApp,
etc). Soon
people will do
this for local
calls as well,
to avoid being
tapped."
When Burundi
was belatedly
discussed at
the UN Human
Rights Council
in Geneva on
March 22, the
UN Special
Rapporteur on
extrajudicial,
summary or
arbitrary
executions
Christof Heyns
urged the
government of
Pierre
Nkurunziza
against
reprisals on
those who talk
with the UN
Panel of
Experts. But
how will that
be enforced?
On March
22, Inner City
Press was
entirely
unnecessarily
restricted
from reaching
the UN
Security
Council
stakeout to
cover a
meeting on
Western
Sahara, Periscope
on YouTube
here. What
will the US
Mission do?
In
Geneva, Heyns
had to leave;
Rwanda and
South Africa
were added to
the speakers'
list, but only
for the
afternoon
session. Watch
this site.
A week ago
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
about UN (in)
action in
Burundi. UN
transcript
here.
A week
later from
Dujarric, who
threw Inner
City Press out
of the UN
Press Briefing
Room, there
has been no
answer, as on
so many Press
questions to
Ban Ki-moon's
UN on Burundi.
So on March
21, Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric's
deputy Farhan
Haq, UN
transcript
here.
As Burundi's
Pierre
Nkurunziza
government
stepped up the
killing and
censorship of
opponents, its
lobbyists in
the U.S.
capital,
Scribe
Strategies,
were paid
$60,000 to
among other
things set up
interviews
with
US-government
broadcaster
Voice of
America and
the French
government's
France 24.
Nkurunziza's
party the
CNDD-FDD paid
Scribe
Strategies
$59,980 on
November 10,
2015. Scribes
has this month
disclosed, for
the six month
period ending
January 31,
2016, that in
exchange for
this money it
arranged for
example for
Nkurunziza's
adviser to be
"interviewed"
on Voice of
America and
France 24.
Scribe
Strategies
also, during
the reporting
period, was
paid to
arrange for
Sam Kutesa, a
former
President of
the General
Assembly who
was involved
with many of
the same
donors named
in the
corruption
case against
his
predecessor
John Ashe, to
be
"interviewed"
by Voice of
America about
his tenure as
PGA, during
which he was
as now foreign
minister of
Uganda.
On
February 19,
Inner City
Press was
thrown out of
the UN on two
hours notice.
Audio
and petition
here. On
February 22
Inner City
Press was told
it was Banned
from all UN
premises.
After three
days reporting
on the UN from
the park in
front of it,
and stories in
BuzzFeed
and Business
Insider,
Inner City
Press
re-entered the
UN on a more
limited
"non-resident
correspondent"
pass, under
which on March
10 UN Security
ordered it to
leave the UN
as it worked
in the UN
lobby at 8 pm.
Video
here; UN
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric's March 11
justification
here.
The
underlying UN
rule only says
that
non-resident
correspondents
can only come
into the UN up
until 7 pm.
But the UN's
goal, it
seems, is to
prevent or
hinder
coverage of UN
corruption,
which usually
doesn't take
place in the
UN Press
Briefing Room.
(January
29, 2016
and September
8, 2011 --
Frank Lorenzo,
UNdisclosed
-- are notably
exceptions.)
Lobbying the
deciding UN
official,
Under
Secretary
General for
Public
Information
Cristina
Gallach, were
the honchos of
the UN
Correspondents
Association,
including
France 24 and,
as in 2012,
Voice of
America.
Scribes
Strategies'
disclosures do
not (have to)
mention the
Nkurunziza
government's
lobbying in
and around the
UN. We'll have
more on this.
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,
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 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?”
Ultimately,
after the
questioning,
he didn't.
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.
, 
