At
UN, Evo Morales in Climate Change Fortress, No Zelaya,
USAID or Press Freedom Answers
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, September 22 -- With Bolivia joining Venezuela in supporting
Manuel Zelaya's stealth return to Honduras, and opposing U.S.
military base construction in Colombia, Bolivian President Evo
Morales held a nearly jam-packed press conference at the UN on
Tuesday morning. Then the moderator Enrique Yeves announced that
Morales would only take questions on climate change.
A
reporter tried
to ask, what do you think of Zelaya's return to Tegucigalpa, how
should it be handled? Morales refused to answer. At first it seemed
that he might turn to the topic after a few questions on climate
change. But those in the audience came up with questions on climate
change until Morales abruptly stood up and left the room.
In
the hallway
outside, as Morales and his entourage emerged from the UN's Protocol
Office, a reporter again asked, what about Zeleya? Morales gestured
toward the General Assembly Hall, down the second floor hallway from
which the press is barred. Military men followed in his wake.
Inner
City Press
had a number of questions ready, ranging from Morales kicking out
USAID programs, his purchase of a presidential plane from Russia, and
reported crackdowns on press freedom. None of the topics was allowed
to be addressed. Afterwards, one wag mused that in a sense, the
climate change issue has
become the last refuge for some scoundrels.
See, for example, the range of
corporate interests wrapping themselves in green on the UN's fourth
floor, which Inner City Press intends to cover later today without the
cooperation or consent of the UN Global Compact, which refused the
Press admission, despite Inner City Press covering the C.ompact more
closely than nearly any other media at the UN. Walls can be built of
green, and not only of money
Evo Morales and military man, answers to
non-climate questions not shown
Perhaps the Senior General of
Myanmar can avoid questions about
repression by talking about the climate. Sri Lanka's "bloodbath
on the beach" can be laundered into a story about erosion and
rising seas. We'll see.
Footnote:
without having gone down the road of asking climate questions just
for the sake of it, we note that Morales just signed a big gas
exploration deal with Repsol. One might ask, what safeguards are in
place? What does Morales think of the climate change positions of
China, with which he just reached bilateral agreements?
China
Shifts Forest Duties to Consumers of Furniture, as UNEP Offers Praise
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, September 21 -- As the UN Environment Program called China
an environmental leader Monday for planting 2.6 billion trees,
questions arose about the destruction of forests by China and other
countries praised by UNEP. Inner City Press asked China's Minster of
State Forestry Administration Jia Zhibang how the planting compared
to the effects on forest of, for example, China's rubber plantations
or Laos, or its export of old growth forest from the Congo.
Minister
Jia
Zhibang responded, through his translator, that "the Chinese
government does not encourage illegal logging in any of the countries
in which we have investments." He said, on illegal logging, one
should consider "consumerism," that China imports timber,
works on and exports it. We should "lead people," he said,
to use less endangered wood.
Then,
while UNEP's
Achim Steiner was responding to or rejecting Inner City Press'
question about what UNEP does to measure or verify how many trees are
being taken down by the countries it is praising, another member of
Minister Jia Zhibang's entourage rushed to the front of the room to
make additions, that "there are two aspects... countries are
sovereign to use their forests" but since wood that China
imports is then exported to other markets, other governments should
have adequate safeguards.
The
argument
apparently is that when China imports huge logs from the Congo,
contrary to agreements that supposedly require the working of the
wood to be done where it is felled, it is the ultimate consuming
country that should discover this.
Achim
Steiner's
answer was that UNEP is not in charge of measuring how many trees
come down -- he said FAO does that -- but rather, the Billion Tree
Campaign is about "empowerment," about people doing things
spontaneously. His materials list Myanmar as committing to plant 150
million trees. One wonders how spontaneous that is. Steiner expressed
dissatisfaction with the question, saying that the event was about what
people are doing.
The
next speaker,
Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai, said on the contrary it is an
important question, because it goes to the "commitment" of
governments. "We cannot commit and then go and do the opposite,"
she said.
UNEP's Steiner, with kids, forest destruction by
awardees not shown
UNEP then deigned to take one more question, from a
Chinese journalist who asked how much China has spent on the Billion
Tree Campaign. The response included the fact that Hu Jintao himself
planted five trees this year. And that it was over.
Footnote:
Also on the panel was a young boy, Felix Finkbeiner, who made the
audience laugh by saying adults talk a lot but do little. He
encouraged attendees to take photographs with him -- his photographer
was waiting, with a white backdrop and a laptop showing photos of
Felix with the UN's Doctor Pachauri, with UNEP "ambassador"
Gisele Bundchen.
This type of program seems of more interest to
Steiner's UNEP than looking at volumes of trees lost before offering
praise to countries which are, in fact, destroying forests. And one
continues to note Ban Ki-moon's replacement of Anna Tibaijuka by Achim
Steiner to head the UN in Nairobi, with the subsequent hoopla about the
UN's commitment to women in leadership, and even more questionable
commitment to a have a full time Special Adviser on Africa. Watch
this site.
*
* *
In China,
Misuse of UNDP for Chief Malik's
Family Foundation, Staff Complain
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, September 1 -- In China, the UN
Development Program's
resident coordinator Khalid Malik's wife Carter runs a non
governmental organization which uses the UN connection to raise
funds. According to whistleblowing UNDP staff who
have contacted Inner City Press, Malik urges donations to his wife's
NGO, and some think they are giving to the UN when they give to his
wife's NGO. One example of the (intentional) confusion is contained
in a Chinese newspaper article, which Inner City Press is putting
online here.
It is explained below by Inner City Press' sources in
UNDP in China.
The
UNDP staff
in China have complained in many forums about Malik, without any
improvements.
Their staff evaluations have gotten worse each year, including
alleging increases in sexual harassment. It is understood that
complaints have been filed with UNDP against Malik personally. Here
is an account from inside the UNDP in China:
Subject:
Nepotism in UNDP China…..poor leadership, bad global staff survey
results for fours years….poor staff perception, Mr. Khalid Malik
regime continues…..China is awaiting for him to leaving including
the government partners….
Dear
Mr. Lee, As
UNDP China staff, we are so impressed with your serious of articles
of Nepotism, stonewall….and
we are shocked to see what happened
with the whistleblower in RBAP [the Regional Bureau for Asia and the
Pacific], however we are not surprised either, as this sounds
familiar….It came to our attention of your mention about China, a
country full of spirit and inspiration, however UNDP China office is
not as pleasant as the bigger China. Here are some examples: UNDP
china has stayed at the bottom of global 140s countries from the past
four years under Khalid Malik regime….without any improvements, but
to him, everybody else is the cause of the problem, but himself. Most
importantly, more than a dozen staff, professionalism staff simply
have to leave because of Malik's unprofessionalism, unfairness,
selfishness, and abuse of authority……..same thing happen when
Malik was the head of UNDP Evaluation office….all those
professionals had chosen to leave….
The
UNDP China staff people’s question is 'how many years of bad Global
Staff Survey results it takes to take a senior person out of UNDP
China.' There is serious problem of abuse of authority, lack of
accountability in those high level post’….and they can do
anything they like, recruit people they like, promote people they
like, and punish those who tried very hard to maintain their
integrity….and all those senior people can do is to ‘get rid of
those people’ who did not agree with them through ‘reprofiling’,
or ‘restructuring’ and never realize “Leadership” is the
biggest problem, their own bad, unprofessional behaviors,
selfishness, have resulted in ‘bad staff perception’ as well as
‘bad government partners perception’ of UNDP China. Khalid Malik
and Subinay Nandy, are the root cause of problems.
We
would like to draw you kind attention to one Human Resources related
case on the recently recruitment of a P5 post for Bureau of
Development Policy . As we hear that Ms. Wang Xiaojun, the current
UNDP China staff was selected, based on her background, it is serious
against UNDP HR policy. Concerns were expressed to RBAP, to audit
office, and it is like you described in your article, it is
‘stonewall’. We want to raise our concerns on this matter as Ms.
Wang does not qualify for this P5 post:
1.She
has been in the team leader of HIV/AIDS starting from Sep 17, 2007,
so not even TWO year yet. In addition, she being the Team Leader of
HIV/AID and Governance starting from Feb 13, 2008. Because of her
promotion to this post, in China office we called it ‘incapable
leading capable’, all professional staff including Edmund Seattle
decided to leave, because it was an ‘insult’ to him. Because all
the professionals had choose to leave, Grace Wang inherited all other
people’s credit on HIV and Governance because it is all other
people, Edmund seattle, Diana Gao, Edward Wu, Li Jing, (all left)
laid the ground work.
2.Staff
perception about the HR issue can be found very clearly in the four
years of BAD GSS results on transparency, management integrity,
honesty, trustfulness, HR recruitment, selection, and promotion
process, of all these indicators are very slow for Four FULL years.
3.It
is UNDP HR policy and requirement that ONE has to be in his/her
current Post for a minimum of 3 Year to apply for the next…. She
has been team leader of governance only ONE YEAR and FOUR Months
(starting from Feb 13, 2008). This is AGAINST UNDP policy, there is
seriously suspect of abuse of authority in the hiring, selection
process….
4.Employing
such a person without relevant and solid experiences, knowledge,
proven competencies as a practitioner in UNDP HQ of BDP the policy
bureau is jeopardizing UNDP’s image and reputation (it has to be
the right person and qualified person for the right job).
5.UNDP
has the policy of rank in post and even with is and the interview,
this should be only part of the consideration as proven performance,
knowledge, results and competence to fit in the post should also be
considered and are critical. This is the most important thing. She
has not demonstrated the necessary and proven results, competencies and
knowledge for this high level P5 post which is obvious. Reference
check should also be made thoroughly not only with the Resident
coordinator Mr. Khalid Malik and Country Director Subinay Nandy, but
also with the peers of the UNDP China (all the team leaders and the
left ones who used to interact with her), Ms. Wang’s previous
supervisees Li Jing left the office because he thinks UNDP does not
have ‘governance’ in people selection, only those kisses can get
up or get the job, and the selection should be made in a transparent
and competitive process.
6.One
key factor is that UNDP China Resident coordinator will leave (all
government partners are waiting for his departure after Six years in
China) and favoritism should be avoided for promotion and
international assignment for UNDP HQ and in China Country Office. UNDP
China HR function is ONLY an implementer of all those action
from Khalid Malik and Subinay Nandy, HR transparency has been of
complain of staff for many years. UNDP China has poor GSS results
for years and HR related issues has lots of problems and issues on
performance assessment, recruitment and promotion in terms of
fairness and transparency.
Mr.
Khalid Malik, Mr. Subinay Nandy, and Mr. Selim Jaham, all from south
Asian countries of Pakistan, the other two all from Bangladesh, want
to promote their favorite person Ms. Grace Wang Xiaojun, and export
their favorism, nepotism, abuse of authority from Khalid Malik China
regime to HQ…
Inner
City Press is
attaching to this article documentation
of the staff's assessment of Malik from 2005 to 2008.
Khalid Malik, at the mic, holds check, wife's
foundation and staff anger not shown
Here again is a description from
UNDP
staff in China of
Conflict
of interest between Khalid Malik’s wife private foundation Yunnan
Mountain Handicraft Center with Khalid Malik’s using of UN, UNDP,
private sector funding and other resources to benefit his wife's
foundation.
Khalid
Malik has had pretty long interests in Tibet and everybody does.
However, his behaviors have made staff suspicious of his real motives
whether it is to concentrate on development or using this as an
excuse to get benefit for himself or his wife and his family using
UN’s name and his position in UN.
1.In
2007 UN Day, using UN resources, most likely private sector resources
mobilized (Private sector contribution to RC), an UN Day event was
organized by inviting Naxi Guyue (a band from Yunnan Lijiang, headed
by Yuan Ke) around 50 people to conduct a performance. This is
justified of supporting of culture development in Yuannan.
2.However,
Khalid Malik’s wife has a personal foundation in Yunnan called
Yunnan Mountain Handicraft Center, www.ymhfshangrila.com
3.This
is not the first UN Day in years time….people are discussing
whether the choice of each UN day is Mr. Malik’s decision or his
wife’s, and what is the real purpose Advocate for UN or using UN or
UNDP’s resources to benefit his own personal interests, building
connection in both tangible and intangible terms.
4.The
news clip proves that right after the Naxi Guyue music performance on
Oct 25, 2007 in UN compound, the head of Naxi Guyue Mr. Xuan Ke
announced publicly to donate rmb 100,000 ($15,000USD) to his wife’s
private foundation. The title of the article in Chinese is ‘Mr.
Xuan ke donates rmb 100,000 to UN’, but it actually donated to
Carter Malik’s private foundation.
5.There
are also two evidences that two workshops had been organized in Ms.
Malik’s foundation in Yunnan, with multiple government official
been invited….The funding of these workshops are very
unclear….based on UNDP rules and procedures….and policies, it is
very inappropriate to use any public resources including money or
intangible resources such as name, brand for personal purposes. We
did heard from some government partners who was invited saying that
they believed it was an UNDP meeting, however, it ended up in his
wife foundation…..
6.The
other clips have shown the activities of UNDP project in partnership
with All China Federation of Industry and Commerce….in Yunnan….but
as time accumulated, (since we did not know from the beginning why he
is so much interested in Yunnan)….now become more clear that
anything in Yunnan connected with his wife’s interest in
Yunnan….and potential connection with government officials,
business, and benefits for his family using agency resources
including UN, UNDP, private sector funding…..for his potential
network for future.
7.Despite
Culture is not an UNDP mandate, Khalid still insisted to formulate a
UNDP project on culture….and handcraft making….all related to his
wife interests…most important of all, all these was used purposely
for his application of job in UNWTO….which are very much focusing
on tourism…culture….aspect. However, all these things everybody
knows in UNDP, China, HQ….however, it is in such a grey area to be
used as evidence against Khalik….but it happens all the time.
8.Ms.
Malik foundation is recruiting for interns…and there are five of
them all working in Mr. Malik’s private promise in UN compound.
However, the network is not fast enough with five people working at
him home and she requested IT to upgrade their home network. It was
done with UNDP XB resources of RMB 6000 ($900). Everyone staff knows
that XB china is almost gone….however, this is not the only time
that their personal expenses were changed to UNDP XB
account….(finance have all the record). This is an integrity
issue….all these expenses adding up together may be or may not be
very big, however, this is Fraud and Abuse of authority of
inappropriate use of UNDP funds…..
UNDP's
Office
of Audit and Investiations is already supposedly
investigating the
Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific's having given a job to the
daughter of the UN's envoy to the Congo Alan Doss, who was until
July
1 a UNDP staff member and therefore needed and asked for "leeway"
for the hiring of his daughter.
UNDP
appears to be stalling the
investigation, which involves personnel long acquainted with Doss;
UNDP has also declined
to provide a press conference by Administrator
Helen Clark, and tries to micro-manage who can interview her. At an
appearance in UN Headquarters basement by Malik, UNDP rushed him off
for other interviews. Other questions
to UNDP have remained
unanswered since August 13. Watch this site.
, 
