On
DRC New HCHR Bachelet Cites
Repression of LUCHA While UN's
Guterres Still Bans Press
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS GATE,
September 7 -- The
UN of Secretary
General Antonio
Guterres has been
nearly silent on the
DR Congo including
on oil drilling in
UN World Heritage
sites. Even so
Guterres has so
little gravitas
that the DRC
rebuffed an
attempted visit by
Guterres, under whom
the UN is spending
more than $1 billion
in public funds per
year in the
country. On
"the wish of the UN
secretary general to
visit the DRC… we
thought it was
inopportune at this
time,” DRC
diplomatic adviser
Kikaya Bin Karubi
said. After Guterres
made his ban of
Inner City Press
permanent on August
17 in a ghoulish
letter by Alison
Smale, despite the
last line in her
ghoulish letter
saying written
questions would be
answered, 24 in a
row were not.
Guterres' spokes- /
hatchetman Stephane
Dujarric for days
refused multiple
written questions
from Inner City
Press about the DRC
and about the undisclosed
Africa business
interests of
Guterres' son Pedro
Guimarães e Melo De
Oliveira Guterres.
The latter still
remains entirely
unanswered, but now
Dujarric's deputy
Farhan Haq has sent
Inner City Press
this one answer:
"Regarding tour DRC
question, 5-7, we
have some details
about the 3
September incident
from MONUSCO:
MONUSCO reports that
suspected ADF on 3
September ambushed a
MONUSCO patrol in
Ngadi, seven
kilometres north of
Beni (North Kivu),
resulting in
injuries to two
MONUSCO
peacekeepers. The
Mission reports
their condition as
stable. Two MONUSCO
armoured personnel
carriers also
sustained damage.
Meantime, the
mission reports the
situation as tense
in the Beni area."
By contrast here is
the September 7
statement from the
Office of still new
UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights
Michelle Bachelet:
"We are deeply
concerned about the
violent suppression
of peaceful protests
by civil society
organizations and
opposition political
parties ahead of the
start of the
electoral campaign
in the Democratic
Republic of Congo,
despite public
commitments made by
the Congolese
authorities to lift
the ban on
demonstrations in
place since 2017.
While some
improvements have
been seen in crowd
control and the
maintenance of
public order and
security, the
Congolese police has
continued to use
excessive force
against political
activists and
demonstrators that
has led to the
killing of one
political activist
in the southeast of
the country and the
arrests of dozens of
others.
On 1 September in
Lubumbashi,
Haut-Kananga
province, one man
was killed ahead of
a planned political
meeting of the
opposition platform
Ensemble pour le
changement. At least
nine other members
of the organization
were arrested. We
understand one of
these individuals
was released, while
some others have
been charged with
rebellion, criminal
association,
vandalism, insulting
a public agent and
arson.
Also in Lubumbashi,
on Monday 3
September, police
dispersed a
demonstration by the
citizens’ movement,
Lutte pour le
changement (Lucha)
who were handing a
petition to the
provincial offices
of the Commission
Electoral National
Independent (CENI)
protesting against
the use of the
voting machine. This
was part of a
nationwide protest.
At least 65
protestors were
arrested in
Lubumbashi,
Kinshasa, Bukavu,
Goma and Mbuji-Mayi.
In other cities such
as Beni, Butemboand
Kananga,
demonstrations took
place without
incident.
The September
incidents follow the
violent suppression
of protests in early
August in Lubumbashi
and Kasumbalesa. On
2 and 6 August,
security forces
dispersed protestors
using teargas and
live ammunition,
which resulted in
the death of a woman
and two boys aged 10
and 15. Three other
people were wounded
by live ammunition.
At least 55 people
were arrested in
Kasumbalesa and at
least 34 were
arrested in
Lubumbashi. Of these
89 individuals, 68
remain in pre-trial
detention, and have
been charged with
robbery, malicious
destruction,
incitement contempt
for authorities and
rebellion. Ahead of
the crucial national
elections on 23
December this year,
we urge the
Congolese
authorities to
uphold the rights to
freedom of
expression and
peaceful assembly.
Any allegations of
excessive use of
force by the police
and security forces
must be
investigated, with a
view to holding
those responsibleto
account. Justice
remains elusive for
victims of past
incidents of
killings and
injuries caused by
the excessive and
disproportionate use
of force by defence
and security forces
in demonstrations
since 2016. We
reiterate our offer
to support all
initiatives
contributing to
bringing the
perpetrators of
these violations to
justice." What and
how will Bachelet do
on this file, and on
the UN's own
censorship. We'll
see - two requests
were made to her and
her team, on both
human rights
including in
Cameroon and
relatedly on UN
censorship.
Earlier,
Inner City Press
asked the UN on
August 8, banned
from the noon
briefing for the
36th day in a row,
"August 8-2: On DRC,
what is the SG's
comment on the
ruling party naming
as its candidate
Emmanuel Ramazani
Shadary who has been
targeted by European
Union sanctions and
accused of a
ruthless crackdown
on activists?"
Farhaq Haq wrote
back on this, unlike
on Patton Boggs and
Cameroon: "Regarding
your DRC question,
what we can say is
the following: We
take note of the
Government’s
announcement that
Emmanuel Ramazani
Shadary, Permanent
Secretary of the
Parti du Peuple pour
la Reconstruction et
la Démocratie
(PPRD,) has been
designated as the
Front Commun pour le
Congo (FCC)
candidate for the
upcoming
presidential
elections. We
welcome the
continued progress
towards the holding
of free, fair and
peaceful elections
on 23 December in
accordance with the
Constitution and the
31 December 2016
agreement."
This
comes as Guterres
has been silent on
Kabila's crackdowns
including on the
media, and as
Guterres himself has
on July 3 ousted,
and on July 5 and 6
and still banned
from the UN,
critical Inner City
Press. Fox
News story here
("UN roughs
up, ejects,
bans reporter
from
headquarters:
Caught on
tape");
petition to
Guterres here;
GAP blogs I
and II (“Harassment
of US Journalist
Intensifies at the
UN”).
On July 16,
while awaiting
the
"investigation"
the UN
promised,
Inner City
Press e-mailed
Guterres'
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq,
In DRC President
Joseph Kabila
replaced the
country´s army chief
in a military
shake-up at the
weekend that
included the
promotion of two
leaders accused of
human rights
violations. what is
the UN's comment on
this ongoing unrest
and injustice, given
the SG's "conflict
prevention" and
human rights
claims?" First
there was no
answer - Haq
couldn't have
been busy,
with Inner
City Press
banned there
were only four
questioners in
the day's noon
briefing. So
Inner City
Press asked
again, cc-ing
Guterres'
Deputy Amina
J. Mohammed
and his
Communicator
Alison Smale,
among others.
Haq replied,
"your email
has been
received and
we are
following up
on answers."
But by 4 pm,
nothing. This
is a pattern.
On
July 2 Inner City
Press asked
Guterres' deputy
spokesman Farhan
Haq, UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: in
the DRC [Democratic
Republic of the
Congo], the Virunga
and another park
that are both World
Heritage Sites, the
Government has just
announced that they
will be opening them
up for oil
drilling. I
wanted to know what
is the impact?
What's the effect of
something being a UN
or UNESCO [United
Nations Educational,
Scientific and
Cultural
Organization] World
Heritage Site, and
also does the UN
have any view of
opening up these,
you know,
environmental
treasures to oil
drilling?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, obviously
we're aware of the
rights of, the
sovereign rights of
Governments to their
territory. At
the same time, of
course, we have
concerns about World
Heritage
Sites. I would
refer you to UNESCO
for their
response.
They'll have to
evaluate the
situation following
this report." Then
nothing. On June 22,
Guterres' armed
guard ousted Inner
City Press from the
UN during an event
Guterres spoke at. Video
here,
story here,
new
petition here.
Posters of DR
Congo's holdover
president Joseph
Kabila as a
candidate for the
long promised
election were seen
and commented on by
many, but not the UN
of Secretary General
Antonio Guterres. On
May 30 Inner City
Press asked
Guterres' holdover
spokesman Stephane
Dujarric about them,
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask you on
the DRC. In
Kinshasa, there've
gone up posters
essentially
depicting Joseph
Kabila as a
candidate, seemingly
contrary to various
agreements, the
Constitution.
The country team
there, have they
seen these
posters? And
what do they make of
them in terms of
the…?
Spokesman: I
think everybody has
seen the
posters. I
don't have any
analysis at this
point. And
your last question?"
Dujarric canceled
the May 31 UN noon
briefing, in
exchange for
Guterres taking a
few (pre-selected?)
questions at 5 pm.
The UN is
increasingly
UNtransparent. In UN
Procurement, the
lowest bidder
doesn't always win,
the UN confirmed on
March 26 in response
to Inner City Press'
March 23 question.
Rather than e-mail
the statement to
Inner City Press
which asked, UN
Secretary General
Antonio Guterres'
spoksman Farhan Haq
waited to read it
out at the March 26
noon briefing, and
then refused to
answer questions
about it. See
transcript, and
below. Today's UN is
corrupt. Now it's
even clearer: after
ousting the low
bidder PPI, UN
Procurement has let
in a company,
Aeronautics Ltd
a/k/a Aeronautics
Defense Systems,
which is under
investigation and
had a contract
canceled in Romania
in 2017, like one in
Poland in 2012, and
Mexico in 2009. On
April 27, after
publishing the
above, Inner City
Press asked
Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I
had asked you before
about the
procurement of
drones for MONUSCO
[United Nations
Stabilization
Mission in the
Democratic Republic
of the Congo] in the
DRC, and I think the
upshot of this
back-and-forth is
that the low bidder
doesn't necessarily
get the bid, but
it's since emerged
that a… a company
has been allowed in
as… as now, the
presumptive
front-runner,
Aeronautics Defence
Systems, which will
actually banned
from… had contracts
terminated in
Romania in 2017 and
Poland in 2012, so
many… the people
that are… that are,
you know, following
this to see how
money is being
spent… what's the…
the… it's one thing
to say, you know,
the low bidder, we
can investigate them
and not do them, but
then how can a
company be brought
in…?
Spokesman:
Look, I don't have
all the facts on the
top of my
head. What I
do know is that
obviously, it's
always the lowest…
it's the low bidder
with the best
possible bid.
I mean, you know,
what the process
is. All
vendors go through a
vetting
process. I
have no information
on this particular
company or know
whether or not they
are, in fact, part
of the bidding
process.
Inner City Press: Is
past… is past record
of completion or
termination of
contracts part of
the…?
Spokesman:
Everything is looked
at in the
procurement
process."
Really? Inner
City Press was
exclusively informed
that in the bidding
for the UN's
Democratic Republic
of the Congo UAS or
Unmanned Aerial
Systems (drones)
program, the low
bidder is being
displaced by more
favored companies,
unilaterally, by UN
Procurement chief
Dmitry Dovgopoly.
The
story, exclusive to
Inner City Press,
goes like this: out
to bid is a $50
million contract to
provide Unmanned
Aerial Systems
services to the UN's
MONUSCO in the DRC
for a term of five
(3 + 1 + 1) years.
The present company,
Leonardo, has a
contract which
expires in November.
PPI beat out
Leonardo, CAE,
Thales, Qintetiq,
Airbus and Trans
Capital.
But
shortly after our
award, UN
Procurement chief
Dmitry Dovgopoly
refused to approve
the agreed upon
terms and demanded
PPI perform a
demonstration flight
prior to contract
signature. Inner
City Press covered
Dovgopoly and
similar tricks back
when he was at the
“D-1” level, and
received pushback
and is currenty still
restricted to
minders in the UN
for pursuing
its anti-corruption
coverage
into the UN
Press Briefing
Room,
its work space
purportedly assigned
to a no-show
Eygptian state
corresponent Sanaa
Youssef who has not
asked a question in
ten years.
On
March 23, Inner City
Press asked Stephane
Dujarric, spokesman
for Antonio Guterres
who had Inner City
Press evicted from
the UN Press
Briefing Room then
its office, and
still restricted,
about this, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: on
UN Procurement, I
wanted to ask you
something. It…
it seems like
there's a… there's a
contract for the
drones, or aerial
unmanned systems?
Spokesman:
Unmanned.
Inner City Press:
And there was a
declared winner,
and… and somehow the
winner… the… the…
the low bidder is
now being told that
they're not getting
the contract, and
that Mr. [Dmitri]
Dovgopoly of UN
Procurement seeks to
do sole-source
negotiations with
people that had
higher bids. I
wonder if you can
get a statement from
them what the status
of that is?
Spokesman:
I'll see… I'll see
what I can get."
But
when Dujarric got UN
Procurement's
misleading line, he
didn't email it to
Inner City Press.
Instead, on March 26
his deputy read out
at the briefing:
"Stéphane [Dujarric]
was asked some
procurement
questions last
Friday. I can
say that the
requirement for
unmanned aerial
services was the
subject of a request
for proposals - or
“RFP”. Under
RFP exercises, the
Organization may
award a contract to
the proposer
offering the best
value for
money. This
requires an
evaluation of both
the technical and
financial offers of
each proposer.
The lowest bidder,
therefore, will not
necessarily be
successful. In
the MONUSCO [United
Nations Organization
Stabilization
Mission in the
Democratic Republic
of the Congo]
exercise, there was
no “declared
winner”. One
of the proposers,
whose financial
proposal was the
lowest, had been
issued a “notice of
consideration of
award”. The
award was subject to
successful contract
negotiations.
Unfortunately, no
contract was
concluded because
the UN technical
experts rescinded
the original
technical evaluation
of this vendor after
learning of
information which
rendered the
technical proposal
non-compliant.
Any suggestion of an
intention to enter
into 'sole source'
negotiations is not
correct."
Then after more
read-outs and
questions about the
expulsion of Russian
diplomats (Inner
City Press story
here), Haq called on
Inner City Press.
Video here. Here's
how the UN transcribed
it, intentionally
chopped -up,: Inner
City Press: I
have other stuff,
but I wanted… on the
answer that you're
reading to what I
asked on Friday, my
question, I guess,
is this. Is…
is… the… the… number
one, the low bidder
says that… that they
were subjected after
they were deemed to
be the low bidder,
if not awarded the
contract, to
additional checks
that the previous
winners had not been
subjected to,
namely, Leonardo and
Thales. The
main question… you
seem… maybe sole
source is the wrong
word. I've
been informed that
Mr. [Dmitri]
Dovgopoly has sought
permission from
Mr. Christian
Sau… Mr.… excuse…
Mr. Saunders to
inform the… the
losing bidders or
the higher bidders
of exactly how much
money the UN has to
pay for this
service, basically
instructing them on
how to submit a
winning bid so there
can be done by… by
November. And
it seems… that seems
wasteful.
Beyond whatever the
rights of the… of
the initially low
bidder was, it
doesn't seem to… way
to… to conduct
procurement is if
you're holding a
bidding one to say
here's how much
money we have; tell
us how you can spend
it. So, I
guess I… I don't
know if you're…
maybe you're reading
a statement, and I
wish it could have
been sent to me so I
could have… could
have narrowed down
the issue. But
it… there seems to
be irregularities in
the procurement of
these drones and…
and the main
question being, why
is the low bidder in
this case being
subjected to tests
that others weren't
submitted to?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Regarding what you
said, like I said,
the offer had been
rescinded after we
learned of
information which
rendered the
technical proposal
noncompliant.
And, regarding the
process, this is a
process that
involves procurement
and our Office for
Legal Affairs, who
have both reviewed
this matter.
Inner City
Press: And are
they informing the
bidders of how much
money there is for
them to bid for the
full amount, then?
Deputy
Spokesman:
This is as much as
I'll say about that
procurement process
at this stage."
Today's UN is
corrupt.
In this
case, Dovgopoly is
said to be lobbied
by European
interests, see the
list of bidders
above. As Inner City
Press
reported, the
UN drone program was
pushed by Herve
Ladsous, the fourth
of now five
Frenchmen in a row
to run UN
Peacekeeping.
Dovgopoly's
“ditch the winner”
campaign has
included two site
inspections and the
demand for a
demonstration flight
prior to deployment,
none of which was
performed with
Leonardo or Thales.
PPI tells Inner City
Press it agreed to
all demands and
began manufacturing
of aircraft with its
contractors.
Dovgopoly canceled
the demonstration
flight a month
later. The
manufacturing of
aircraft has been
suspended as a
result.
Dovgopoly
has
reportedly since
alleged that PPI
misrepresented a
relationship with
one of its proposed
vendors, which PPI
denies. Dovgopoly
has sent PPI notice
rescinding the
notice of
consideration for
award and requested
permission to
directly negotiate
with competitors due
to the urgent need
to provide MONUSCO
with airborne ISR
capability as soon
as possible. He has
requested permission
to inform vendors of
the allocated
budget, and allow
vendors to revise
their technical
proposals to
“accommodate the
financial
constraint.”
Inner
City Press
understands that the
UN's Headquarters
Committee on
Contracts has ruled
the losing
competitors' bids no
longer valid since
the Request For
Proposals was from
October 2016. It
seems Dovgopoly
wishes to discloses
how much money is
available and allow
vendors to inform
the UN services they
can perform and
dictate the price.
Paying more for
less! But it has
happened before, as
Inner City Press.
And now, under
Antonio Guterres.
We'll have more on
this.
***
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