As
UN
Abandons Central African Republic, Bozize Asks Money for His
Army
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 2 -- When UN peacekeepers left Birao in Central
African Republic on November 15, the town was quickly taken over from
the government by rebels reportedly from the Convention of Patriots
for Justice and Peace, and civilians had to flee.
For its November
26
article, Inner City Press asked the UN what precautions had been
taken before leaving, and what would be done. So for the UN has not
answered the questions.
But
well placed
sources in the CAR and UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) describe to
Inner City Press a cynical and under-reported process in which CAR
President Bozize had tried to use the vacuum the UN left as leverage
to get outside funding for his army, while Chad has been allowed to
interview across the border with little or nothing said by the
international community.
According
to the
source, before the UN's MINURCAT mission left Birao, an offer was
made to President Birao of an expansion of the African peacekeeping
force elsewhere in CAR into the region around Birao -- all of it to
be funded by the European Union.
But,
the sources
say, Bozize said that this is the time to build CAR's own
capabilities. Rather than permitting any peacekeepers, even African
peacekeepers from neighboring countries, to protect civilians around
Birao, he held out for donors to fund the CAR army.
It
was not a
surprise then, the sources say, that rebels took over Birao. The
wildcard was the assistance of Chadian rebels who had been required
to leave their bases in Sudan's Darfur region.
Previously,
Chad
hosted Darfur rebels, and Sudan allowed Chadians seeking to overthrow
Idriss Deby to be based in Chad. Omar al Bashir and Deby reached an
agreement, and that ended.
So
the Chadian
rebels tried to move into CAR, just as Joseph Kony and the Lord's
Resistance Army did from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo. Due to the involvement of Chadian rebels in the takeover of
Birao, Chad's armed forces got involved.
But
no approval was
sought from the UN Security Council; in fact, no Council member has
mentioned the issue, and the UN appears to want to say nothing.
UN's Ban and Bozize, protection of civilians not shown
Inner
City Press asked the UN in writing on November 26, since the UN had
canceled its normal noon briefing. On November 30, Inner City Press
asked again, and was pointed to a canned and out of date statement by
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Transcript here.
On
December 2,
before publishing this article, Inner City Press against asked UN
acting Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, what is the UN doing to protect
civilians in Birao, and to confirm or deny Chad's involvement in
military actions in the CAR.
“We'll check
with
MINURCAT,” Haq said. Video here,
from Minute 8:04. But MINURCAT's
going out of business. From this many conclude: UN protection of
civilians, if it begins at all, ends with a whimper and not a bang.
Watch this site.
* * *
As
UN
Leaves Central African Town of Birao, Rebels Oust Civilians,
UN Has No Answers
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 26, updated below -- When Chad make it clear it wanted the
UN's
MINURCAT peacekeeping mission to leave its territory by November 30,
there was some discussion of the UN Department of Peacekeeping
Operations maintaining some of the Central
African Republic presence
of the MINURCAT force.
“It would have
to be re-named,” Inner City Press was told. It was never down, and
the UN peacekeepers turned over the town of Birao to the Central
African Republic armed forces (FACA) two weeks early, on November 15.
Days
later, the town fell to rebels of the Convention
of
Patriots for Justice and Peace, with numerous soldiers killed and
civilians chased out of town and into the bush.
On the morning of November 26, Inner City
Press on deadline was
the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
(OSSG) these questions:
“does
the UN acknowledge that its November 15 handoff of Birao in CAR led
quickly to a rebel takeover? How many have been displaced? What
advance planning did the UN do? What is being done now?”
The
OSSG had
decided to cancel its normal noon press briefing on November 26, a UN
work day, but said that it would answer questions. But as 6 pm passed
in New York City and the UN grew dark, no answer at all had been
provided to the above questions.
The
CAR is one of
the most neglected countries in the world, now by the UN as well.
An earlier presence in Birao, continuity not shown
Update
of
7:58 pm -- two hours after publication of the above, and ten hours
after the question on deadline was asked, the OSSG issued the
following:
Subject:
UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the recent rebel attack on Birao
in the Central African Republic
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not
Reply
Date: 2010/11/26
Statement
attributable
to the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General on the
recent rebel attack on Birao in the Central African Republic
The
Secretary-General
condemns the recent attack on the town of Birao in
the North-East of the Central African Republic by rebels of the
“Convention des patriotes pour la justice et la paix” (CPJP),
less than two weeks after the handing over of the United Nations
Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) camps to
the national authorities.
The
Secretary-General
calls on all concerned to exercise maximum
restraint to ensure the safety of civilians, as efforts are being
made by the national authorities to restore normalcy, and ensure
peace and reconciliation among all the parties concerned.
The
Secretary-General
also reiterates his call on the international
community, including the Central African Republic’s bilateral
partners, to assist the national authorities in building the capacity
of the national defense forces, in order to strengthen State
authority throughout the country.
New
York,
26 November 2010
Back in
September
2010, before a UN "high level" event about CAR, Inner City Press
made inquiries about the UN's problems
with
nepotism
and even the hiring of mercenaries appear not to have
been solved.
In
late 2009,
Inner City Press had asked Ms. Sahle-Work Zewde, Special Representative
of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Head of the United Nations
Peacebuilding
Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) about a
series of BONUCA
hires of relatives of the head of the UN Department
of Political Affairs Africa II Division, Sammy Buo. She said she
would look into it, take action and report back.
Nine
months
later,
having heard nothing from her or about any changes, Inner City Press
asked her for an update. “I don't want to speak about the past,”
she said.
Inner
City
Press
asked, “But are the individuals, including the former employee of
the Executive Outcomes private military firm, still employed by the
UN in the CAR?” She would not answer.
How
can the UN
credibly preach transparency and anti-corruption if these are its
practices?
Inner
City
Press
asked the World Bank's representative for the region about the Bank's
and IMF's freezing of work with the Bank of Central African States.
She acknowledged the freeze, but said that the CAR hadn't been hurt.
If true, what does this way about the Bank of Central African
States' work?
Finally,
Inner
City
Press asked Jan Grauls, Permanent Representative of Belgium,about the
World Food Program's recent call for $15 million to feed 600,000
people in CAR. Ambassador Grauls distinguish humanitarian aid from
the peacebuilding funds he has been raising, but said that
agriculture is among the best way to disarm former rebels. We have
another question in and with Ambassador Grauls; watch this site.
UN's Ban and Ms. Zewde, action on nepotism in CAR not shown
Inner City Press
formally asked the director of DPA's Africa II Division Sammy Kum Buo
the following questions:
Mr.
Buo
--
I am writing a story about this morning's Security Council
session on BONUCA / Central African Republic. I am also covering
management issues in BONUCA and DPA and am writing for you to confirm
or deny on deadline each of the following [about BONUCA staffers]
Is
Gabriel Buh Kang a
relative
of
yours? A cousin?
Is
BONUCA
staffer
Ekei a relative of yours? Your niece?
What
is
the
status of Brindou Germain Kabran ?
When
in
CAR,
have you stayed with Brindou Germain Kabran?
Did
you
still
collect DSA? Please provide records.
What
can
you
say about the case of Gozo
Tshamala?
On
deadline, Matthew
Mr.
Buo is also
accused of hiring a former mercenary from Executive Outcomes, in
violation of UN rules. While Mr. Buo has refused to respond, Inner
City Press has discussed the matter with other Mission officials and
finally, on December 21, with Mr. Buo's boss in DPA, Haile Menkerios.
Mr. Menkerios confirmed he is aware of the issue. Inner City Press
asked Mr. Menkerios what DPA's response would be. It is a management
issue, Mr. Menkerios replied, that will be responded to in a
management way.
But has it
been?
Summary:
Subject:
BINUCA
From:
Name
withheld
due to retaliation concerns
To:
matthew.Lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
Dear
Matthew Please innercity should absolutely look into this matter which
is
serious WHAT IS GOING ON IN BONUCA/BINUCA?
DPA
has
created
a new mission called BINUCA to replace BONUCA starting
January 2010 in Central Africa Republic. For more than 9 years,
BONUCA a DPA led mission was plagued with nepotism and favoritism...
Of particular importance is the role played by Mr Sammy Kum Buo, the
Director of Africa II, very famous with his absence of political
judgment (remember Rwanda where he was advising the SRSG Booh Booh) who
had succeeded in appointing a niece called Ekei as Administrative
Assistant, a cousin called Gabriel Buh Kang in the finance section...
the recruitment of the security Officer, Antonio de Jesus a former
memeber of Executive Outcome was done in violation of all the
recruitment rule procedures. Buo is trying to maintain in the mission
his friend Brindou Germain Kabran where he lives when he is mission
in CAR despite he, receiving the DSA.. His fellow Cameroonian...
Marie Claire Bikia, recruited as administrative Assistant, is trying
to be promoted Gender assistant. She went several times in Turin for
gender training.
In
order
to
cover this integrity issues, Sammy Kum Buo with the support
of or not of Lynn Pascoe is currently deciding on the future of the
staffs by trying to impress upon the new SRSG, the Ethiopian
diplomat, Ms Zewde who is in her first experience in the UN and
doesn't know the administrative procedure. Sammy Kum Buo would like
to keep his cousin, niece and friends and sacrifying the other
staffs. This is UNACCEPTABLE Inner city press should try to raised
this issue
Consider
it
done,
or
started. Watch this site.
, 
