In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, July 21 -- The UN's lack of vetting of peacekeepers, exposed by Inner City Press then as credited by the Washington Post as to Burundi, has continued under Secretary General Antonio Guterres and, at least until now, his deputy Amina J. Mohammed, see below. Now the UN of refugee-centric Guterres stands by as Burundi refugees in Tanzania are pressured to return to danger. A visit to the Nduta camp was conducted, including Mkapa team member and Nkurunziza supporter Ken Vitisia, regarding whom Inner City Press has previously reported. While awaiting a promised "communique" from Mkapa's team, and the upcoming UN Security Council meeting, how will Guterres' Secretariat, and his part-time envoy Michel Kafando, react? They have yet to on Mayuyu. On July 21, the UN Peacebuilding configuration on Burundi met in Conference Room 6, with speakers ranging from Tanzania to France and the Netherlands. The Dutch urged the Security Council to take action - they share a seat with Italy - while the US made reference to media freedom, if not to Jean Bigirimana. Belgium emphasized that it has kept up 80% of its aid to Burundi. France waffled; they are the UN Security Council penholder but did little to get the 226 mandated UN Police deployed. Michel Kafando wasn't there; he and Mkapa should be in New York next week. The UN has been tellingly quiet on attacks on the press. From Reporters Without Borders: "On the eve of the first anniversary of reporter Jean Bigirimana’s disappearance, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Burundian authorities to release the findings of the investigation they promised last August and to do everything possible to establish what happened to this journalist. A reporter for the independent news website Iwacu, Bigirimana left his home in Bujumbura on the morning of July 22 2016 to meet a contact in Bugarama, a small locality about 45 km to the east in Muramvya province. He told his wife he would be back for lunch. She never saw him again. Bigirimana arrived in Muramvya, where several witnesses say they saw him being arrested by members of the National Intelligence Service (SNR). Policemen in Muramvya told friends of Bigirimana that they saw him being thrown, bound, into the back of a vehicle containing the chief of the SNR’s Muramvya office. The SNR initially acknowledging holding Bigirimana but later retracted." On July 18, Inner City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: Burundian refugees in Tanzania in this camp called Naduda were visited by members of [Benjamin] Mkapa's team, mediator's team, and some ambassadors to Burundi from Tanzania and Kenya.  Many of the refugees have raised questions that they were basically being encouraged to return to the country, which they see as unsafe.  Was there any involvement by Michel Kafando as a UN mediator?  Is he aware of this trip?  And what does the Secretary-General, with his interest in refugees, does he believe this is a propitious time to tell Burundian refugees in neighboring countries to return?

Deputy Spokesman:  Obviously, our position on all refugees is that they can only return to countries when they feel the conditions are safe to allow them to do so.  As you know, we abide by the idea that all countries should observe the principle of non-refoulement, and that's where we stand on that.  I'm not aware of any role that Mr. Kafando had in this.

  On July 7 Mohammed told the UN's Chiefs of Defense to only "send us personnel with spotless backgrounds." Video here, belated Note below. But will she accept the UN allowing Burundi's Colonel Mayuyu, which the UN itself repatriated for abuse, to be sent out to act on civilians in Somalia, in the UN supported AMISOM? It will be a test - one failed so far on ongoing censorship of the Press. On July 9, after Inner City Press published its story on the Chiefs of Defense, the UN Spokesperson emailed out a Note including that "The UN Deputy-Secretary General closed the conference by thanking the Chiefs of Defence [and] called on Chiefs to deploy personnel with spotless backgrounds and to pursue accountability." In the interim, this photo of the son of Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza with abuser Desire Uwamahoro. Spotless? Ten days after Inner City Press asked Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric about UN "pre-deployment" training for Major Gahomera, linked to the 12/12 massacre in Burundi, there has been no answer. Now it emerges that one of the Burundian officers that after Inner City Press inquiries in 2016 was repatriated from the UN mission in the Central African Republic, Colonel Mayuyu, is being sent back out again by Burundi, to the UN-supported mission in Somalia. Photographs here; September 16, 2016 Vine video still here. On July 6, Inner City Press asked Dujarric about it, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:  I had asked you maybe about 10 days ago about this Mr. Gahomera of the Burundian military getting training, but you'd said from this very podium back in September [2016] there was Alfred Mayuyu, if the name rings any bells… he's now being redeployed.  He was repatriated by the UN from the Central Africa Republic due to his military history.  And he has now showed up on a list that's been published to be deployed to AMISOM, which is a UN-supported peacekeeping mission.  So, I wanted to know… I guess I'm relating the two of them in saying: what is the UN's role in making sure that people it repatriates with credible evidence of abuse don't simply go--

Spokesman:  I think that's a question first and foremost to be addressed to AMISOM.

Inner City Press:  I've also seen this document and Mr. Gahomera who I think is going to go to AMISOM, but it's a joint UN-AU predeployment training.  So, the UN's role is not just financial.  Isn't that an opportunity for the UN to vet abusers?

Spokesman:  I think as I said, that's a question first and foremost for AMISOM.

  Failure. That Michel Kafando was being pushed as (part-time) UN envoy on - but not in - Burundi was first reported by Inner City Press on April 20. Even as the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric refused to answer Inner City Press' question if Kafando had begun his "When Actually Employed" work, Inner City Press learned, and the UN then confirmed, that Kafando came to New York - then left on June 7. Now on June 26 UN "Pre-deployment" training will be given to Burundi military figures including Major Marius Gahomera, accused of killing seven youths as part of the 12/12 massacre. How can the UN continue to do no (effective) due diligence? On June 27, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric about this and another case, video here, UN transcript here: Inner City Press:  I wanted to ask you about Burundi.  On this issue of vetting that it was said a lot that vetting is taking place, there's a controversy now in Burundi that one Major Gahomera, who was charged with being part of the 12/12 massacre, is being trained as we speak today part of a UN pre-deployment training in Bujumbura.  And the documents have been made public.  So, they're wondering, what vetting takes place?

Spokesman:  I'm happy if you give me the… give me the name, email me the name and I will have…

Inner City Press:  Gahomera.  And there's one other one that's related.  It appears that one of the individuals repatriated from Central African Republic facing [Office of Internal Oversight Services] charges of sexual abuse there, a Mr.… a Major Sergeant Zepherin [sic] has just been redeployed to AMISOM, is it your understanding that --

Spokesman:  I don't have access to these individual cases.  What is clear is, if anyone is alleged to have committed sexual abuse, they need to face justice.  But, I will face… I will look at these two individual cases.  Thank you.

  As of July 5, nothing. And as Inner City Press alluded to on July 5, another dubious (re) deployment is looming: Mayuyu. On July 5, Inner City Press asked Dujarric, UN Transcript here: Inner City Press:  And on Burundi, I just wanted to ask you, the President of the Security Council, Liu Jieyi, had said there's a meeting on… on Burundi, and it's a little unclear to me whether it's only about the resolution that was to send the police.  It's almost a year or it's about to expire.  So, I wanted to know, I know there will be a meeting that day, but does the Secretary-General think that those police are still needed and should be deployed?

Spokesman:  The Secretary-General's reports outline his position.

  Guterres has left New York again. On June 20, Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Delattre, as transcribed by the French mission: Inner City Press: What about the deployment of the police? Is that your goal to actually see this deployed? Delattre: C’était en effet un élément important de la résolution 2303 dont nous souhaitons bien sûr la mise en œuvre. Cette composante de police, et de manière générale la présence renforcée sur le terrain de la communauté internationale, constitue de notre point de vue un élément important pour à la fois donner à la communauté internationale des yeux et des oreilles et pour lui donner aussi un levier vis-à-vis de nos objectifs prioritaires que sont un meilleur respect des droits de l’Homme, l’engagement d’un dialogue politique réellement inclusif et le respect de l’esprit et de la lettre des Accords d’Arusha, qui doit plus que jamais être la boussole des différents acteurs concernés. Periscope video here. And here is Burundi PR Shingiro's speech, also in French. Inner City Press on June 19 asked Ninette Kelley, Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) New York Office about UNHCR's annual Global Trends report saying refugees from Burundi have increased 39%, and IDPs increased four-fold. Should the UN be scaling back to a part time envoy, the mandated UN Policy not deployed? Video here, from 7:25. On UNHCR's stated concern about naturalized former Burundian refugees in Tanzania, she said UNHCRC would revert. Kafando and Guterres, in Central Asia for a week, have said nothing about the most recent examples of hate speech by the ruling party's youth wing / militia. Burundi's Ambassador Albert Shingiro, last seen at Australia's June 8 event promoting the Aussie candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council, complete with wet bar and wire fish sculptures, will presumably be present on June 20 - as will Inner City Press. On May 30, Guterres was set to meet Kafando at 11:30 am, with video of imbonerakure militia hate training online.

pic.twitter.com/06ZrcBW08t

What would Guterres and Kafando say about it? Inner City Press at the May 30 noon briefing asked, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: I noticed that the Secretary-General's meeting with Michel Kafando today, and I wanted to ask, there are reports of the ruling party militia in Burundi training children to denounce opponents as lice... And I wanted to know,does either Mr. Guterres or Mr. Kafando have a response to this?

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric:  We stand clearly against hate speech.  This is the first occasion for Mr. Kafando to meet with the Secretary-General in his new role.  He's also having other… whole series of other meetings at headquarters.  And if we have more to share, we will.

  Seven hours later, nothing. The mediation is in shambles: William Mkapa has said his documents were leaked by the EAC Secretariat of Liberat Mfumukeko to his / Nkurunziza's Burundian government. And Mfumukeko has been accused, by an inquiry of most of the EAC, of misusing EAC funded for disproportionate travel to Burundi and otherwise. (Mfumukeko says since Burundi did not participate in the review it is not an official EAC investigation). We'll have more on this.

 On May 23, Inner City Press asked the UN about it, transcript here: Inner City Press: on Burundi, I'd asked you before whether Mr. [Michel] Kafando had started yet, and I didn't understand the answer.  Has he started?  Is it true that he'll be coming to New York next week?  And does the Secretariat or DPA [Department of Political Affairs] intend to comply with the timeline and file a written report with the Security Council about Burundi in June?

Spokesman:  As a matter of policy, we… we do our best to follow the instructions and mandate given to us by the Security Council.  It is my understanding that he will be here next week to meet with officials in DPA.  And so he'll be here next week.

Inner City Press: And can you ask DPA whether they've agreed not to file a written report?

Spokesman:  I think that was my first answer. 

  Extremely troubling, sources still tell Inner City Press that the UN's Department of Political Affairs has agreed with France to simply drop the requirement of a written report in June to the Security Council about Burundi, including human rights. "They are selling out," as one soure put it. Tout est a vendre. After repeated no-comments, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on May 5 confirmed the appointment. Inner City Press immediately asked, is it part-time? Yes: transcript below. He's had nothing to say about the dubious pro-Nkurunziza outcome of the "inter-Burundian dialogue." On May 18, when Inner City Press asked Dujarric about Musaga, he wouldn't even say if Kafando has begun work and is being paid. From the UN transcript: Inner City Press:  In Burundi, there's been grenade attacks followed by mass arrests in this Musaga neighborhood, which is one of the most involved in protests against the Government.  So, particularly, given the mass arrests, I'm just wondering… I'd asked you before a couple of Burundi questions… has Mr. [Michel] Kafando begun his work yet, and if so, what does he say about these developments?

Spokesman:  I don't have an update on Burundi, but I'll see what I can get for you.

  Five hours later, like clockwork, Dujarric left having provided no information - except a veiled threat / denunciation of publishing leaks. What will Kafando say about William Mkapa going along with Nkurunziza's arrest warrants against his opponents, problematizing any trip to Entebbe in Uganda? On May 16, Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here: Inner City Press: about Burundi.  There's two things have happened.  One, the intra-Burundian dialogue is over with a move to now amend the Constitution.  Some people say it would allow now for a fourth term for Pierre Nkurunziza.  And also, a group of the opposition members have written to… to Mr. [Benjamin] Mkapa very upset that he's asked them to sign a legal waiver to go to the next round of talks, which would basically, they think, allow them to be arrested on what they call trumped-up arrest charges by Nkurunziza, the same issue that took place in Tanzania.  So, I wanted to know, do you… either does the Secretary-General's Office have a comment on this or his new part-time envoy, Mr. [Michel] Kafando…?

Spokesman:  I don't have anything on Burundi today.

  And six hours later as he left, nothing. From today's letter: "we were surprised to find that the invitation to the session scheduled from 24 to 25 May 2017 contains several clauses that exclude civil society leaders. In effect, it is not normal for the facilitator's team to request some associations to nominate representatives who are not under arrest warrants... The organizations concerned* urge the Facilitator and the Mediator in person to address the situation and remove all ambiguities and guarantee the effective inclusiveness and security of the participants in the dialogue session dedicated to civil society in exile in Entebbe as well as the future sessions."

   Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric if when Guterres met Yoweri Museveni he even brought up Burundi. No, was the answer. What happened to "preventative diplomacy"? What happened to the UN Security Council's resolution to send 226 UN Police to Burundi? When Security Council member Sweden's Permanent Representative Olof Skoog entered the Council on May 8 and Inner City Press asked him about Kafando being part-time, Skoog expressed surprise, saying "I think this is a full time job." UNTV boom mic video, put on YouTube by Inner City Press, here. So did the UN Secretariat (and penholder France) not tell Security Council members this important information about the When Actually Employed envoy to Burundi, a country where the UN says there is a risk of genocide?

* The signers: 1. ABR, Sé Patrick Nduwimana, President 2. ACAT, Sé Maitre Armel Niyongere, President 3. APRODH, Sé Pierre Claver Mbonimpa, President 4. FOCODE, Sé Pacifique Nininahazwe, President 5 .FORSC, Sé Maitre Vital Nshimirimana, President 6. OPB, Sé Innocent Muhozi, President

   On May 9, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Antonio Guterres' holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, UN transcript here. The Pierre Nkurunziza government's Ambassador to the UN Albert Shingiro insists that Kafando was not named Special Envoy on Burundi but Special Envoy "in general who Guterres could send to Burundi or elsewhere." Photo of Shingiro's tweet here. This is a new low, on which we'll have more. From the May 5 transcript.

After publishing the exclusive, on April 21 Inner City Press asked French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre about it. He smiled and said "bonne question." Then Inner City Press asked the UN's holdover spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who refused to comment. From the UN transcript: Inner City Press:  I wanted to ask you on Burundi.  Inner City Press has reported and I believe has some confirmation from the French Mission that there is a proposal by France and possibly the EU for an UN envoy to Burundi, specifically Burundi only, not conflict prevention:  Michel Kafando, the former transitional President of Burkina Faso, and I wanted to know from you whether the Secretary-General has discussed this proposal with the proponents and if he thinks given the urgency of the situation if it’s a good idea and what the next steps would be?

Spokesman:  I have no comments on that.

  But later on April 21 a UN official told Inner City Press that Burundi's Pierre Nkurunziza has approved it. Another diplomat told Inner City Press that Burundi's Ambassador Albert Shingiro was summoned to the UN Department of Political Affairs. We'll have more on this. The UN has sunk so low that the lead spokesman for Secretary General Antonio Guterres Stephane Dujarric on April 10 refused to even take a Press question about Burundi, where the UN itself says there is a risk of genocide. When Inner City Press said "Can I ask a question about Burundi," where there increased hate speech amid a warning from other parts of the UN of a threat of genocide," Dujarric replied, "No, we're done." Video here, contrasted. 

More here.

***

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Search innercitypress.com  Search WWW (censored?)

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

 Copyright 2006-2015 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for