UN
Blind
to South Sudan Killings, Mute on Darfur & Kalma Camp Blockade
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 11 -- In both Darfur
and South Sudan, the UN can
barely keep up with events. On August 11 at noon, Inner City Press
asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about two troubling developments in
South Sudan: the killing of 23 people in Unity State, reportedly by
forces of renegade colonel Galwak Gai, and South Sudan's capture of a
Khartoum bound helicopter full of troops of rebel officer George
Athor from Jonglei State. Video here,
from Minute 14:16.
Nesirky,
as to
both, said “Let me find out. What was your other question?” Eight hours
later, no information had been “squawked” or added to
the transcript. The UN is spending $1 billion a year in South Sudan,
and can't even confirm widely reported spoiling by Khartoum, nor the
death of 23 people.
Kalma Camp
in
Darfur remains blockaded by the government. Inner City Press asked
Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes, who re-appeared for a flash
appeal for Pakistan, what the UN was doing about the enforced
starvation. Video here,
from Minute 8:14.
UNMIS copter, blindness not shown
Holmes
said that
fifty to sixty thousands IDPs remain in the camp, now without food or
water or fuel for water pumps. He said the UN is raising the issue to
the government -- great -- and that Ibrahim Gambari visited the camp.
But it has been at least nine days, and as much as 12, since the aid
groups got in. Why hasn't the UN spoken out more forcefully?
Regarding
Pakistan,
Holmes said that while there are areas the UN does not have physical
access to, it is trying to ensure aid to all places. Does it work
with Islamist charities? The politics do no concern us, he said. Then
why not speak out earlier and louder about Sudan's blockade of Kalma
Camp?
* * *
In
Darfur,
UN Has No Comment on Sudan Threats to Remove Kalma Camp, No
Response
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 10 -- As Sudanese authorities blockade and threaten
to forcible remove the Kalma Camp for internal displaced people in
Darfur, the UN has no comment on the removal threat. Neither
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon or his top humanitarian official John
Holmes have spoken with Sudanese authorities.
They
leave that to
Ibrahim Gambari, the joint special representative of the UN and
African Union, which is calling for indictments of President Omar al
Bashir for genocide and war crimes to be put on hold.
Days
ago, Inner
City Press wrote to Gambari's spokesperson asking for information and
comment on the blockage of Kalma Camp. After a delay, it emerged that
at this time of crisis, Gambari's spokesperson is on leave. It was
referred to the head of communications of UNAMID, who had not
responded.
An
officer in
charge promised a response about malnutrition before publication of
this article, which has not arrived. He said “several of the issues
you raise fall with OCHA's Area of Responsibility. Accordingly, I'm
working with them to make sure we cover everything.”
The
head of OCHA,
John Holmes, has yet to speak about the now week old blockade.
UN
Tuesday it was
announced that on the following day, Holmes will
launch an appeal about the floods in Pakistan. From where, a
journalist asked. Spokesman Martin Nesirky didn't know. Not from
Darfur, it appears. Video here,
from Minute 29:10.
So
what is the UN
doing? There is a lot of talk about protection of civilians and
“never again,” but 50,000 people are being starved by a
government in an area which the UN is spending $1 billion a year on a
peacekeeping mission. It is shameful. Watch this site.
, 
