In UN
Sex Scandals
UNHCR Settled
On Charges
Under Guterres
As He Says
Justice
Reformed
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS,
June 6 – UN
Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres on
May 14 in
Vienna
told UN
staff that sexual exploitation
and abuse is
not relevant,
only sexual
harassment is.
This statement
was made amid
allegations
of physical
sexual abuse
by UNAIDS'
Luiz Loures,
and the
purchase of
sex by a D1 UN
official
in Somalia.
Are those cases
of harassment?
Inner City
Press asked
the UN to
explain
Guterres' statement,
below - and
then was
informed by
sources in
Vienna that
the #MeTooUN problem
there is wider
than
heretofor
reported. An abrupt
resignation at
the
International
Atomic Energy
Agency in
Vienna, of
Tero
Varjoranta, was
by
some like Reuters
linked
to
Trump's
pull out from
the Iran JPCOA
deal. But
Inner City
Press is exclusively
informed
it is more tied to
an incident witnessed
by many, and
inquired into
by press
pursuing the
impunity in
the UN system
for sexual harassment
and
abuse. On May
30 Inner City
Press asked
the spokesman
for Antonio
Guterres, Stephane
Dujarric, for
Guterres' view of a
reported cover
up at
UNHCR, which
Guterres headed for
10 years. UN
transcript here and below.
Now there's
more, and no
response
from Guterres'
spokesman when
Inner City
Press asked
him about it,
even six hours
later.
The UN on June 4
settled a case
filed by a
former
investigator saying
she faced
retaliation
for raising
concerns 15
years ago over
the handling
of a suspected
rape case. "In
the interest
of both
parties in
seeing this
matter
resolved, a
mutually
satisfactory
settlement has
been reached
today," UNHCR
(which
Guterres ran
for 10 years)
and former
senior
investigator,
Caroline
Hunt-Matthes,
said in a
joint
statement. All details
of the deal
were concealed,
but UNHCR said
it "accepts
there were
matters which
in hindsight
could have
been better
managed in
relation to
the
separation." Hunt-Matthes'
contract with
UNHCR was ended
after she
raised
concerns in
2003 over the
way
investigations
of suspected
sexual assault
and rape cases
were handled. Guterres,
"who was head
of UNHCR at
the time
Hunt-Matthes
was fired," recently
claimed zero
tolerance.
Really? On
June 5,
Inner City
Press asked
Guterres'
spokesman Stephane
Dujarric, UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press:
UNHCR, after a
lengthy period
of time, now
just this week
settling
retaliation
charges by a
woman who was
in charge of
investigating
rape cases at
UNHCR, Ms.
Caroline
Hunt-Matthes.
And it's
described both
as… as a
problem for
the UN system
in how long it
took to
resolve her
claim of
retaliation,
and it's also
linked by at
least one of
the media's
reporting on
it, not Inner
City Press,
with the
Secretary… the
current
Secretary-General,
António
Guterres, in
his tenure at
UNHCR.
So, I'm
wondering,
does the
Secretary-General
think that 15
years is too
long?
Is…
Spokesman:
I have not
been briefed
on the case,
so I will look
into it, and I
will comment
on it.
But I honestly
have not been
briefed on it." Nor did he
send any
response hours
later when he
closed his
office for the
day. So on June 6,
Inner City
Press asked
again, from
the UN transcript:
Inner City Press:
yesterday, I'd
asked you
about this
retaliation
case at UNHCR,
which UNHCR
settled for a
woman who had
said she was
fired for
urging a full
investigation
of the rape of
a Sri Lankan
refugee by a
UN staff
member.
And I wanted
to know, since
at least one
media has
linked it to…
to… said this
occurred on
the watch of
António
Guterres, what
is the
Secretary-General's
knowledge of
it and
position on
it?
Spokesman:
I would refer
you to… to the
joint
statement that
was issued by…
by Ms.
[Caroline]
Hunt-Matthes
and UNHCR, and
we have
nothing to add
to it.
Inner
City Press:
Does he
believe, as
the head of
the UN system,
that a 15-year
period to… to
resolve a
whistle-blower's
claim of
retaliation…?
Spokesman:
I'm not going
to get into
the details of
this
case.
That was
obviously
negotiated
between the
parties of
which the
Secretary-General
in his current
post had no
impact
on. It
is obvious
that these
issues need to
be dealt
quickly.
I think it is…
with that in
mind and with
other things
in mind that
the
Secretary-General…
one of the
first things
he did was to
ask for a
strengthening
of the
whistle-blower
policy, which
was done
fairly
quickly, and
his efforts to
combat the
issues of
sexual
harassment, to
combat the
issues of
retaliation
with systems
that are open
to staff,
where staff
can feel they
can come
through very
quickly and
directly.
Inner
City Press:
I guess the
reason that
I'd asked you
is, was he
aware of this
case during
his 10 years
at UNHCR, and
how would he
explain the
failure to…
to… to resolve
the… resolve
the case one
way or
another…?
Spokesman:
The system
went through
the way it
did, and
again, on this
specific case,
I would refer
you to UNHCR." Ah,
leadership. After
reading up,
Inner City
Press on June
7 asked
Dujarric, UN
transcript here: Inner
City
Press:
Yesterday,
you'd said, in
terms of this
settlement of
retaliation
claims by Ms.
[Caroline]
Hunt-Matthes,
you directed
me to read
their joint
statement.
So I read it,
but I also
note that… and
this is why
I'm coming
back to you
with
this.
She's barred
from speaking
beyond this
joint
statement as a
condition of
her
settlement.
And I'm
wondering,
first, does
the
Secretary-General
think, on
issues having
to do with
alleged
retaliation
for wanting to
investigate
rape, is it
appropriate to
put a gag
order on a UN
person?
And, also, she
did somehow
manage… and
I'm not sure
it's… it's
published, so
here's her
quote beyond
what they did
jointly.
She said, the
UN justice
system needs
to be placed
entirely
outside the
purview of the
UN, which
cannot be at
the same time
party and
judge.
So, that seems
to be
something on
which the
Secretary-General
should have a
response… it's
about the
system as a
whole.
Spokesman:
The system of
the
administration
of justice in
the UN was
reformed a few
years
ago. Its
judges are
independent.
The
Secretary-General
has no say in
how the judges
do their
work.
The
administration
represents
itself in
front of the
tribunals, and
staff do,
too. And
sometimes
rulings go
against the
administration.
Sometimes they
go for the
administration.
Inner
City Press: What
about this gag
order issue?
Spokesman:
I'm not going
to comment on
the specifics
of the case,
of which I'm
not aware." Still
not aware. From
the May 20 UN
transcript:
Inner City Press: I
wanted to ask
about the UN
and child
sexual abuse
past and
present.
I'm sure
you've seen
the report in
The
Independent
and maybe
elsewhere all
the UNHCR
report that in
OIOS [Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services], in
fact, which
had the names,
apparently, of
NGOs whose
staff members
were involved
in child
sexual abuse,
but chose not
to make it…
make them
public,
allegedly to
defend or to
protect child
witnesses.
Is that
something that
António
Guterres, as a
long-time head
of UNHCR,
supports?
Does he
believe that
the OIOS
report should,
even at this
late stage, be
released?
What's the
purpose of
withholding
the names?
Spokesman:
First of all,
I think the
case that's
referred to
occurred under
the leadership
of the High
Commissioner
before him,
right. So I
think any
questions you
should have
addressed to
UNHCR, but
from my
understanding
that the
report was
newt
published, a
summary of the
draft
assessment
report was
published as a
note for
partners and
made
available.
It can be
found both on
UNHCR and Save
the Children's
website.
I think if
you've looked
at the
progression of
how the UN
deals with
this issue,
since then and
since the
Secretary-General
has taken
office, I
think we've
seen great
progress in
terms of
transparency,
in terms of
creating a
climate where
people can go
and move
forward.
Obviously,
we're not
where we want
to be yet, but
I think great
progress has
been made.
Inner
City Press: it's
a 2002 report,
but I'm
assuming that
it was known
to him during
his 10-year…
10-year tenure
there, so
although the
report is
available, it
doesn't name
the
groups.
That seems to
be the key
issue.
Does he
believe it
should now be
released?
Spokesman:
As I've said,
this is an
issue for
UNHCR to deal
with and I've
given you a
part of the
answer.
Yes, sir." At
IAEA Inner
City Press'
sources,
understandably
afraid of
retaliation
in Guterres'
UN (which
continues to restrict
Inner City
Press) say,
"at a senior
management
retreat at the
start of the
year, the Deputy Director
General
was seen to
publicly 'kiss
a female
subordinate
long and hard'
and then was
seen retiring
to the bed
chamber with
the female
person.
Nonetheless,
Amano approved
a contract
extension for
the DDG
subsequently... In
my view the DG
also should
resign for his
cover up -
but he is
laying the
ground for a
fourth term
citing DPRK
denuclearization." Now, as
global media ask
restricted
Inner City
Press for more
information,
here is a bit
more - and
there is
more than
this - from
IAEA whistleblowers,
even as
corporate
wires cover
up: "It’s all
about
‘Kremsgate’ in
late 2017,
where the DDG
Tero
Varjoranta
acted in front
of up to 30
IAEA staff and
touched 2
women.
Senior
management -
including Director
General Amano
- have
known about
this since
about October
2017 and taken
no action. The
DG himself
knew of
this.
There was an
internal
investigation
that supported
the above
facts. There
are numerous
witnesses in
the Department
of Safeguards.
The two
women have
been badly
impacted by
the incidents.
Witnesses are
scared to talk
due to lack of
protection.
The issue fits
well into the
global ‘you
too’ dialogue.
The
perpetrator
resigned
without
sanction, and
returned to
his home
country
Finland. With
all of the
usual UN
benefits and
no
repercussions.
The two
female victims
and the 30 odd
witnesses are
left
traumatized
and with no
faith in the
UN system." For
now,
rightfully so.
This is today's
UN, which
confines Inner
City Press to
minders while
serving
corporate wire
services pan seared corvina
and wine, in
exchange for
no questions
on the UN's
sexual harassment
scandal. On
May 17, Inner
City Press
asked Guerres'
deputy
spokesman, UN
transcript here, Inner
City Press:
Earlier this
year, I asked
a number of
questions
about UNFPA in
India and the
allegations of
sexual
harassment and
abuse against
a Diego
Palacios there
and there's
just been a
large press
conference of
NGOs
(non-governmental
organizations)
in India, both
saying that
the…
asking that
the
Secretary-General
remove
immunity from
Mr. Diego
Palacios and
also tying it
into the
situation at
UNAIDS (Joint
United Nations
Programme
against
HIV/AIDS) with
Michel Sidibé,
but I wanted
to know an
update from
you.
They seem to
say at this
press
conference
that Mr.
Palacios
hasn't really
even been
interviewed,
that there's
not…
that the UN
hasn't acted
in any way on
this detailed
allegation of
sexual
harassment.
Are you aware
of what UNFPA
has done, if
the
Secretary-General
is aware of
and may act on
this request
that immunity
be removed,
particularly
given the
inaction by
the UNFPA?
Deputy
Spokesman:
As far as I'm
aware at this
stage, it
remains in the
hands of the
UN Population
Fund, and
they're the
ones who are
looking into
this, and
we'll leave it
in their
hands.
Inner
City
Press:
Recently,
there was an
abrupt
resignation of
a Deputy
Director
General of
IAEA
(International
Atomic Energy
Agency) in
Geneva, Tero
Varjoranta,
and we've been
hearing
various
reasons for
it, and since
the
Secretary-General
was just in
Vienna, is he
aware of any
quote "#MeToo
issues” at
IAEA, and if
so, what did
he do while
he's there?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I don't really
have any
comment to
share on
this. As
far as I'm
aware, the
International
Atomic Energy
Agency said
that he had
stepped down
for personal
reasons, and
so that is the
information we
have on that."
Really. Guterres'
statement
was made at a staff Town
Hall meeting
for which he
was 45 minutes
late. After he
said it, a
staff member
complained
that her application
to set up a
#MeToo club
had been denied and
would Guterres
help? He did not
say yes. So on
May 15 in New
York, Inner City
Press asked
Guterres'
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press: At
yesterday's
town-hall
meeting in
Vienna, one of
the questions
from the floor
was from a
self-described
victim of
sexual
harassment
within the UN
system, and
she asked
Secretary-General
whether he
supported the
idea of a "me
too" club, I
guess, within
the UN in
Vienna.
He didn't seem
to say
yes. He
seemed to say,
well, if I
understand it
better.
She said, do
you support
it, and they
just moved
on. Can
you say now
does the
Secretary-General
support the
idea?
She was
apparently
rejected by
the UN in
Vienna to set
up this, such
a club.
Does he
support that
idea, and will
he follow up
with the staff
member who
asked him this
explicitly in
the town-hall
meeting?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first,
we are trying
to get input
from all staff
about what
needs to
happen in
order to deal
more
effectively
with sexual
harassment,
including
through a
survey of
staff, and so
we will try to
evaluate what
staff broadly
say and see
what steps
need to be
taken." Oh. Guterres
also on May 14
said his
attempted
reform of the
UN development
system had
"passed
silence," with
but without
assessed
contributions.
On May
15 Inner City
Press also
asked Haq: He
also seemed to
say that, I
don't know if
that the
assessed
contributions,
that the
reform of the
development
system had
passed through
silence
procedure; it
still has not
been voted on,
but he seemed
to say that
it's passed,
but without
the Resident
Coordinator
system being
funded through
assessed
contributions.
What is his
plan, given
that it seems
like that he
thinks that
now it's going
to be approved
by the General
Assembly,
hasn’t passed
through, what
is the plan to
actually fund
these resident
coordinators?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first,
we will see
what the final
results are
once the
Member States
agree on
it. We
hope in the
coming days we
will be able
to provide
some details
about what the
development
reform is
about. " Back
on May 14 in
New York at
the UN noon
briefing Inner
City Press
asked
Guterres' deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq if
Guteres doesn't
think the
Loures cases
is about
sexual abuse,
beyond harassment.
Haq
seemed to say
Guterres uses
these terms
based on the
identify of
the victim, not the
use of force
or economic
pressure.
#MeTooUN?
Days
after first
banning the
Press from his
photo ops with
Al
Sharpton
and new
Political
Affairs chief
Rosemary
DiCarlo then
prohibiting
Inner City
Press'
livestreaming
of a photo op
with Finland's
foreign
minister even
though UN
Television
shot video
and audio
there, the UN
in Vienna is
promoting
this, with no
mention if
Periscope is
allowed or
not:
1.
Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Chancellor Sebastian
Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 12.55 p.m.
please arrive by
12:30 p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Chancellery,
Marmoreksalon,
Chancellery
2. Joint press
stakeout with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Chancellor Sebastian
Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 2.15 p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Chancellery, Grauer
Ecksalon,
Chancellery
3. Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
President Alexander
Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 2.35 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg,
Ballhausplatz, 1010,
Vienna
4. Joint press
stakeout with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
President Alexander
Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 3.10 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg,
Ballhausplatz, 1010,
Vienna
5. Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Foreign Minister
Karin Kneissl
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 3.30 p.m.,
please arrive by 3
p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Foreign Ministry,
Minoritenplatz 8,
1010 Vienna
6. Photo opportunity
for the arrival of
the
Secretary-General at
the Vienna
International Centre
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 4.10 p.m.,
please arrive by
3.45 p.m.
Venue: Plaza, Vienna
International Centre
Guterres'
lead spokesman
(speechwriter?)
Stephane
Dujarric
appeared to be
with him,
kissing cheeks
in Vienna. And
what of the
growing
#MeTooUN
issues while
he is in
Vienna? Is
Guterres going to take
his absurd
restrictions on and
censorship of the
Press on the road? Or
create a double
standard where the
restrictions apply
only inside UN
headquarters? How long
will he continue his
rote expressions of
support for UNAIDS'
Michel Sidibe, who
threatened staff with
retaliation for
speaking about against
Luiz Loures? And given
the statements, when
will Guterres have to
start recusing
himself? Watch this
site. Last month
Guterres slightly
delayed his trip to
Saudi Arabia, but not
by much. After
accepting a $930
million check from the
Saudi Crown Prince and
in remarks not
mentioning the
civilians deaths
caused by Saudi
bombing of Yemen, now
Guterres has delivered
again, remarks
praising Saudi
Arabia's counter
terrorism work. Some
find it ironic; some
call this trip "Blood
Money II." But duty
called. Before he
left, Guterres who
refused actually
pointed Press
questions with
dismissive wave of the
hand, delivered a 20
minute interview to
Saudi aligned media.
Now there, he is
quoted with more
praise of Saudi, by
the Saudi Press Agency
(to which his UN has
given office space and
full access while evicting
and
restricting the
independent Press).
The UN has yet to send
out a transcript of
Guterres' craven
remarks quoted by the
Saudi Press Agency,
sending so far only a
speech beginning "Your
Excellency, Foreign
Minister al-Jubeir,
Your Excellency,
Ambassador
Al-Mouallimi, I want
to express my deep
gratitude to the
Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia for its
generous support to
the United Nations
Counter-Terrorism
Centre, a support
without which the
Centre, would probably
never have been able
to be born. And I
thank Ambassador Al
Mouallimi for his able
chairmanship of this
Advisory Board... I
recently launched the
United Nations Global
Counter-Terrorism
Compact, which I
signed with the heads
of 36 UN entities, the
INTERPOL and the World
Customs Organization."
INTERPOL, of course,
is used by some
governments to arrest
or travel ban their
opponents. We'll have
more on this. Only a
week before as
Guterres took off on
his trip to China,
Inner City Press which
has pursued the UN
bribery scandals of Ng
Lap Seng and now the
China Energy Fund
Committee asked
Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric on
April 6 if Guterres
will address any of
these issues during
his five days in the
country. Dujarric was
dismissive, and ended
the briefing. Video here;
UN transcript
here and below.
This cutting off of
public quesitons
happened after
Guterres gave a
private (self)
promotional interview
to China's state media
Xinhua, touting the
trip and China as
"absolutely essential"
on the North Korea
nuclear issue.
Dujarric race off the
podium made it
impossible to ask him
for Guterres' opinion
on if the gifts given
to Kim Jong Un on his
recent train trip to
China violated the
UN's 1718 sanctions.
Then again, the UN's
own World Intellectual
Property Organization
helped on North
Korea's cyanide
patents without
telling the 1718
Committee, and
Guterres has been as
hands-off with WIPO's
Gurry as he has been
with UNAIDS' Michel
Sidibe on the sexual
harassment and
retaliation scandal.
We'll have more on
this.
***
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