| On
Kenya and Miguna Miguna, Inner
City Press Has Twice Asked UN,
No Answer, SG in Lisbon
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Video
UNITED NATIONS,
March 31 – After the Kenya
elections results the UN
praised on August 12 were
thrown out on September 1,
Inner City Press immediately
asked the
three top
spokespeople
of UN
Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres for
comment. There
was none then,
and when
Guterres took
some media
questions on
September 5,
Inner City
Press loudly
asked Guterres
if he has any
update to its
praise of Kenya's
now reversed electoral
win by Uhuru
Kenyatta.
Video here.
Now as
opposition
figure Miguna
Miguna has
been detained,
drugged and illegally
deported to
Dubai, Inner
City Press
has twice in
the past three
days asked
Guterres' top
three
spokespeople
this question:
"what is the
UN's position,
and what has
the UN done,
about the
detention then
deportation of
Kenya
opposition
figure Miguna
Miguna, and
the beating of
journalists
covering it in
the Nairobi
airport?" And
despite
belatedly answer
another
question
submitted at
the same time
- "the SG
is in Lisbon,"
it is now said
after repeated
questions -
there has been
no response at
all from Guterres'
three
spokespeople about
Miguna Miguna, while
Guterres'
resident
coordinator in
Kenya, Ban
Ki-moon's son
in law given the
job by Ban
without
recusal, continues
blocking the
Press and
others. This
is today's UN.
We'll have
more on this. On
March 9,
Inner City
Press asked Guterres'
lead spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric for
comment on the
Kenyatta - Odinga
talks, and if
he could claim
that
Obansanjo's murky visit
contributed in
any way. He
did. From the
UN transcript:
Inner City
Press:
if the UN has
any comment or
reaction to
President
[Uhuru]
Kenyatta and
Raila
Odinga.
They… they had
a meeting,
they had a
press
conference.
They've said
their various
things.
What is…
what's the UN
think about
that? Spokesman:
I think
anything that
will help ease
the political
tensions in
Kenya is to be
welcomed. Inner
City
Press:
Do you think
that… that the
visit by Mr.
[Olusegun]
Obasanjo, in
the same way,
had some role
in this? Spokesman:
I think the
role of the
Secretary-General's
high-level
mediators is
an important
one and, as I
said, I think
there are… for
any case, we
have a role to
play, and we
hope that our
role played a
bit part even
in anything
that moves in
the right
direction."
Bit parts. On
March 12, a
full three
days later,
the UN came
out with this
statement:
"The
Secretary-General
welcomes the
statement
issued jointly
by President
Uhuru Kenyatta
and Mr. Raila
Odinga on 9
March 2018
declaring
their
commitment to
work together
to strengthen
the unity of
the country
for all
Kenyans. The
Secretary-General
reiterates the
United Nations
support to
continue
working with
the Government
and people of
Kenya for
efforts
towards
consolidating
peace,
stability and
development in
the country." That
would be Sid.
On
February 6,
Inner City
Press asked
Guterres'
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq,
video here,
UN transcript
here:
and below. On
February 7,
after Miguna
was forcibly
ejected, Inner
City Press again
asked the UN,
video here,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: heard
your statement
that the UN
believes the
Government or
all sides
should comply
with the
law.
This person,
Miguna Miguna,
that I'd asked
you about
yesterday who
had been, at
that time,
arrested, he's
since been
flown out of
the country
against his
will on KLM,
purportedly
deported, but
he's actually
a Kenyan
citizen that
ran for office
and was fully
vetted.
So, I'm
wondering,
seems like…
does this… is
this something
that's caught
the notice of
the UN system,
that a major…
the main
lawyer for the
opposition
party that ran
for Government
has been flown
out of the
country
against his
will? Spokesman:
"Yeah.
It has caught
our
notice.
I don't have
anything to
add to what I
said yesterday
about this,
but, yes,
we're aware of
that." And?
From the UN's
February 6
transcript: Inner
City Press: I
wanted to ask
you again
about
Kenya.
It seems like Citizen
TV is still
closed.
A gentleman
I'd asked you
about before,
an opposition
figure, David
Ndii, has had
his passport
cancelled for
attending the
inauguration
or
self-inauguration
of Raila
Odinga, and an
opposition
lawyer, Miguna
Miguna, has
been
arrested.
I know that,
in an earlier
stage, Mr.
[Olusegun]
Obasanjo was
sent. Is
the UN
actually
trying to
defuse what
seems to be a
mounting
tension
between the
two sides in
Kenya? Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, we are
concerned
about any of
these
reports.
We want, once
more, for all
of the Kenyans
to maintain a
lawful and
peaceful
social and
political
environment.
And, in
recognition of
the critical
role of
security
agencies in
preventing
violence and
maintaining
law and order,
the United
Nations urges
law
enforcement
officials to
continue to
observe the
law and
respond
proportionally
in dealing
with protests. Inner
City Press:
Right.
Well, what
about, like,
locking up
these
opposition
people?
It seems… some
people are
saying they
might lock up
Raila Odinga,
which would
create a huge
outcry.
So, I'm just
wondering, is
there an
attempt by the
UN to sort
of…? Deputy
Spokesman:
We are in
touch with
different
officials to
relay our
various
concerns about
the situation." If
it's true that
someone in today's
UN is relaying
these concerns
- it doesn't
seem to be the
UN's resident
coordinator
Siddharth
Chatterjee, full
of praise of
the government
and himself -
it's not being
heard. Miguna
Miguna was forced
onto a KLM
flight from
Nairobi to
Amsterdam,
purportedly
"deported" to
Canada
in violation
of Kenyan law.
Inner City
Press asks,
Might KLM
pilots and flight
crews react
as some on
Luftansa have,
to the
placement of
non-consensual
passengers on
their
flights? What seems
clear is that
today's UN
can't be
counted on: its
approach to
planes has
British "Global
Communicator"
Alison Smale
flying down to
South Carolina
to praise a flightless
Chinese plane
for merely painting
on the side
the letters
"SDGs," then
refusing to
provide the
publicly-funded
video of the
photo op,
see
here. We'll
have more on
this. Back
on
January 30,
Inner City
Press asked
Guterres'
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
the cutting
off of TV and
radio from
covering Raila
Odinga counter
inauguration,
and about the
reported
arrest of
relatives of
blogger
Cyprian
Nyakundi.
After some
canned
language on
the former, Dujarric
told
Inner City Press to
ask the UN Country Team
about
Nyakundi. But,
Inner City
Press pointed
out, UN
Resident
Coordinator
Siddharth
Chatterjee
blocks
Nyakundi on
Twitter, just
as he blocks
Inner City
Press. The UN's
commitment to
free media and
criticism is
nil. On
January 31,
Inner City
Press asked
more, video here,
UN transcript
here and below.
On February 5,
Inner City Press
asked
Dujarric, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City Press:
in Kenya,
there was a
court order
saying to
reopen the TV
stations that
were closed
down during
Raila Odinga's
self-inauguration.
And not all…
two have
opened, but
Citizen TV has
not
opened.
People have
been tear
gassed as they
protest for
opening
it. And
I'm wondering,
what does the
UN think about
this, the
Government not
only closing a
TV station but
not obeying a
court order to
reopen it? Spokesman:
Look, I think
it's important
that there be
a climate in
which
journalists
can operate
freely.
I think, as we
said earlier,
it's important
that all
Kenyan
political
actors work
together to
uphold the
Constitution
and work
together to
strengthen
governance and
uphold human
rights and the
rule of law."
Yeah - where's
Sid, the
head of the UN
in Kenya,
other than
promoting
himself? From
the UN's
January 30
transcript:Inner
City Press: on
Kenya.
Yesterday,
you'd said,
you know, sort
of generally
that the UN is
concerned
about… the TV
stations are
still closed
there.
The blogger I
named has
actually since
been
arrested.
There's been
grenade
attacks on an
MP [military
policeman],
and another
one has been
arrested.
So, I know
that you
expressed
concern.
What exactly
is the UN… I
mean, I know
that Mr.
[Olusegun]
Obasanjo was
sent and then
left. Is
the UN doing
anything about
this? Spokesman:
"You know, I
think contacts
continue to be
had, and we
would want to
see an
atmosphere in
which media is
able to
operate
freely."
Really? When
Sid blocks the
blogger
(reportedly
since released
but facing
charges) and
Inner City Press,
and the UN
continues to
restrict Inner
City Press?
On January 26,
after the UN
answered Inner
City Press
that Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres sent
former
Nigerian
President
Obasanjo
to Kenya (and
this was
picked up, crediting
Inner City
Press, in an
article in
which
both Jubilee and
NASA denied
any contact
with Obasanjo),
Inner City
Press asked UN
Deputy Spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN video,
transcript here: Inner
City Press:
I also wanted
to ask you
about Mediator
[Olusegun]
Obasanjo's
trip to
Kenya.
There's now
reports in the
press there,
basically,
with both the
Government or
the Jubilee
Party and NASA
(National
Super
Alliance)
denying that
they had any
meeting with
him, so I
wanted to know
did he really…
did he
go? And who
did he meet
with?
Also is there
any comment on
the NASA
Coalition
announcing
what they call
"the authentic
results of the
August
election"
saying that
Raila Odinga
won? Deputy
Spokesman:
Well,
regarding
that, it was
in the context
of the
decisions by
the National
Super Alliance
that the
Secretary-General
asked former
President
Obasanjo to
visit
Kenya.
It's important
that Kenyans
continue to
uphold the
2010
Constitution,
and that the
opposition
carry their
political
activities
within the
confines of
the law.
We would like
to stress the
importance for
Kenyans to
work together
to strengthen
governance,
advance
inclusive
development,
and uphold
human rights
and the rule
of law. Deputy
Spokesman:
But did he
meet with any
representative
of the NASA
Coalition
while he was
there? Inner
City
Press:
I believe he
reached out
with a range
of
interlocutors
as part of his
work, and
he'll continue
to keep with
his various
contacts."
Interlocutors
but NOT Jubilee or
NASA? Who is
paying for
this? How
much? Back on
January 22,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric, UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press: I
actually want
to ask you
about one of the
things you did
comment on
on Friday, and
it was Uhuru
Kenyatta, the
President of
Kenya, being
named as a
Global
Champion of
Youth by
UNICEF [United
Nations
Children’s
Fund].
It's given
raise rise to
a lot of
controversy in
the country,
given the
unrest around
the most
recent
election
including the
killing of
youth by the
Government.
And I've come
to understand
that, at least
after… I
believe after
the briefing
that we had on
Friday, you…
you said that…
that there is
no appointment
or you
understood
there to be no
appointment.
Is there an
appointment or
not of this
controversial
appointment of
Uhuru Kenyatta
as a Global
Champion of
Youth
Empowerment by
the UN system? Spokesman:
I think that's
a question for
UNICEF.
My
understanding
is that the
Executive
Director spoke
about the need
for youth to
be engaged,
and the
President said
he would
support
that.
But, beyond
that, I'm not
aware of any
specific
appointment. Inner
City Press: Okay.
And I also
wanted to ask,
because you
confirmed on
Friday that
Mr. [Olusegun]
Obasanjo was
going there in
some capacity,
and it's also
reported that
he's going to
the
inauguration
of George Weah
in
Liberia.
How lengthy
was the trip
to Kenya? Spokesman:
No, I think it
was just a
couple
days.
I'm not… as
far as his
presence in
Liberia, I'm
not aware
that's UN
business." But
it's unclear,
apparently
by designed.
On January
24, Inner City
Press asked
Dujarric,
video here,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: You may
have seen that
Mr. [Olusegun]
Obasanjo, who
I know is at
least a
part-time
mediator for
the
Secretary-General,
has issued an
open letter
calling on
President
[Muhammadu]
Buhari not to
run for
re-election
and to
retire.
And I just…
I'm assuming
that's not as
a UN official,
but what I
want to know
is… Spokesman:
That would be
a correct
assumption. Inner
City
Press:
But my
question is, in
cases going
forward, given
that he was
sent to Kenya,
but it wasn't
announced from
here and he…
people sort of
intuited from
there, is it a
better
practice to
say when he's
going on a UN
mission or not
say…? Spokesman:
You know, I
think,
obviously, to
state again,
those reports
have nothing
to do with the
UN. He's
not a
part-time
mediator.
He's, like all
the other
members of the
committee, of
the group, he
is… they are
as-needed
mediators.
So, they get
called on per
case.
You know,
obviously, we
would like to
be as
transparent as
possible, and
there may be a
number of
other missions
that we would
like to
advance…
announce in
advance.
Sometimes,
it's best to
try to do
things
discreetly so
as not to
raise pressure
or
expectations,
but… and,
while we may
want to do
that, others
may announce
things for
us. So,
it's on a
case-by-case
basis. Inner
City
Press:
And… and
thanks.
And you
mentioned the
private
sector, and I
wanted to
know… I think
it was nine
days ago, the
Secretary-General
said he would
look into
whether China
Energy Fund
Committee… Spokesman:
Yes, I’m in
contact with
the Global
Compact.
If I have
something, I
will share it
with
you.
Thank you,
all." Back
on
January 19,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric,
video here,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I
wanted to ask
you if Mr.
Obasanjo is
headed to
Kenya.
There's this
stand-off
between Raila
Odinga and
Uhuru
Kenyatta, and
it said
that…
that I
guess… I
don't know if
he's… Spokesman:
It's
true.
The short
answer is it's
true. As
you know, the
political
situation in
Kenya is one
we've been
following
closely,
especially the
ongoing
preparation by
the
opposition,
the National
Super
Alliance, for
the
swearing-in
planned of in
January.
It's in that
context that
the
Secretary-General
asked the
former
president
Obasanjo who,
as you know,
is a member of
the
Secretary-General's
High-Level
Mediation
Panel, to
visit
Kenya.
It's important
that Kenyans
continue to
uphold the
2010
Constitution,
and that the
opposition
carry their
political
activities
within the
confines of
the law, and
we would like
to stress the
importance for
Kenyans to
work together
to strengthen
governance,
advance
inclusive
development,
and uphold
human rights
and the rule
of law. Inner
City Press:
And I wanted
to ask.
There's some
controversy
there
about…
remember
Roselyn
Akombe, there
was the whole
situation
where she… as
a… as a UN
staff member
on leave, she
called for a
boycott of the
elections.
It said that
she's actually
received a
promotion, I
guess, over
the possible
opposition of
the Kenyan
Permanent
Representative.
Is it true
that she's now
the Director
of Policy and
Planning of
DPA
[Department of
Political
Affairs]?
And UNICEF has
made Uhuru
Kenyatta,
despite this
controversy, a
Global
Champion for
Youth.
Are these
in… in
any way
related? Spokesman:
No, not at
all. Ms.
Akombe I think
has a new
job. And
as all staff,
they go
through a
process to get
that job."
We'll have
more on this.
The
UN's resident
coordinator
Siddharth
Chatterjee,
Ban Ki-moon's
son in law, is
of course
silent, other
than
self-promotion
including knee-jerk
defense of
Amina J.
Mohammed for
not answering
Press
questions
about her 4000
rosewood
signatures, for
which 98,000
people have
asked Ban's
successor
Antonio
Guterres to
investigate.
There's still
no
investigation
- nor any
comment on the abduction
of nine
Cameroon
opposition
officials in
Nigeria while
Amina J. Mohammed
is there.
On January 11,
Inner City
Press asked
Guterres' and
Mohammed's
spokesman Stephane
Dujarric,
video here,
UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press:
the EU is an
election
observer in
Kenya, and
yesterday,
they released
a report
pretty much
damning of the
process.
And I guess,
what I wanted
to ask you
about is they
were supposed
to launch it
in
Nairobi.
They were
basically told
you can't
come.
The Government
there has… has
rejected the…
the observers'
finding.
Some people
think that
they should
have said it
earlier but… I
guess what I'm
wondering is,
since the UN
is there with
a big
presence, if
they won't
comment on the
elections
themsel… I
mean in
Nairobi… if
they have no
view of the
fairness of
the elections
as they were
ultimately
held, do they
think that
their host
country of
UNON should be
open to… to
the actual
election
observers that
there were
coming and
releasing
their report
in a normal
way, or do you
think…? Spokesman:
"I don't have
the details… I
don't know the
details of
what was
accepted or
what was
refused, but
you can check
with our
colleagues in…
in
Nairobi.
And, as you
know, we were
not observers
in these
elections.
Your next
question,
sir." There
will be more.
On
December 4,
when Inner
City Press
began asking
Guterres'
spokesman
Stephane Dujarric
about
Kenyatta's
arrest of
David Ndii, Dujarric
not only
didn't answer
- he ran off
the podium
and out of the
UN Press
Briefing Room,
video here,
the same
Room he
evicted Inner
City Press and
still
restricts it
for pursuing
the UN
corruption pattern
in the room. So on
December 5,
Inner City
Press to make
sure it got a
UN answer
devoted its
first noon
briefing
question to
this - but UN
Headquarters
says it knows
nothing and
refers the
Press to the
Country Team
run by Ban
Ki-moon's
pro-Kenyatta
son in law Sid
Chatterjee.
From the UN transcript:
Inner City
Press: on
Kenya I wanted
to ask, a
critic of
President
Kenyatta David
Ndii,
he was
arrested and
have been
arrested and
charged with
incitement to
violence for
organising an
upcoming
event, 12
December by
Raila Odinga
and his NASA
(National
Super
Alliance)
coalition
which
continues to,
you know, they
boycotted the
election, so
my question
is: Does
the UN, which
is obviously
has a pretty
big presence
in Kenya and
had things to
say about the
election, what
does it think
of the
arrest…? Spokesman:
I'm not
familiar with
that
particular
case.
You may want
to reach out
to the right
colleagues,
Nasser Ega
Musa and the
UN country
team.
Your second
question?" The UN
transcript
omitted or
censored Inner
City Press
audibly
asking, "Sid?"
We'll
continue
to follow
this: the UN
is failing. Back
on
October
25, Inner City
Press asked UN
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: Even
before the
Raila Odinga
announcement,
there was this
controversy
around the
courts.
I know that
the UN and AU
have called
for, you know,
obeying the
courts, the
rule of
law. In
order to rule…
to rule on a
request to
postpone the
election, it
seems that
some judges
were
definitely
delayed if not
physically
attacked to…
to… to bring
about a
problem with
quorum.
So, I'm
wondering, is
the UN
actually…
it's… it's… it
made its
statement.
Is it
following
that?
Does it
believe that
the Supreme
Court was able
to deal in a
fair and
partial and
unimpinged way
with… with the
request to
postpone the
election? Deputy
Spokesman:
We're aware of
the reports,
but we don't
have any way
of verifying
those
particular
reports of
harassment.
We want to
make sure,
however, that
all those
involved,
including the
court system,
are treated
with respect
and are able
to go about
their work
without any
hindrance." Can't
confirm? Where
is Silent Sid
Chatterjee,
the son in
law of Ban
Ki-moon who
put him atop
the UN in
Kenya without
recusal? The
strange tenure
of Roselyn
Akombe, put on
"special
leave" by
Guterres' (and
Jeff Feltman's)
UN to work on
the IEBC, is
over. On
October 23,
Inner City
Press UN
Deputy
Spokesman
Farhan Haq
about it, UN
transcript here: This,
again, goes
back to Ms.
[Roselyn]
Akombe,
because, since
Friday,
there's been
an article in
the Nation in
Kenya in which
Raila Odinga
is quoted as
saying he was
in, quote,
constant
contact with…
with Ms.
Akombe, you
know, speaks
about death
threats.
But, in any
case, it
really calls
into question
the… the… the…
it would seem
important
since she is…
at least was
and presumably
still has a
post at the
UN, to have
some kind of
disclosure of
what… how this
took
place. I
asked on
Friday whether
the Kenyan
ambassador,
Mr. [Macharia]
Kamau,
demarched
António
Guterres for
the entire
situation
around Ms.
Akombe.
He said he
wasn't aware
of a
meeting.
So now, three
days later,
can you
confirm
that?
Because people
upstairs,
that's what
they say. Spokesman:
I have no
meeting to
confirm, as I
pointed out
the last time
you asked
this.
Regarding Ms.
Akombe, she is
on leave and
will continue
to be on leave
through to the
end of this
year. Inner
City Press:
My question is
this.
Okay.
That's
helpful.
But my…
there's a
staff rule
that says that
staff
shouldn't
engage in
politics.
And I
understand
that it's said
that she got a
waiver in
order to go
initially to
work at the
[IEBC], but is
that… is that
a carte
blanche? Is it
something that
needs to be
sort of
updated?
Because you
could… in… in…
in principle,
working for
IEBC could not
be a
violation, but
once it became
as political
as it did, was
there any
second review
by the Ethics
Office of
whether this
was putting
the UN in an…
in an
unfortunate
and… and…
position in
Kenya? Spokesman:
I'm aware that
the staff
member in
question did
work with the
Ethics Office
and keep them
informed as
she was taking
her special
leave." We'll
have more on
this. Inner
City Press
asked about
criticism of
Guterres,
including on
the 38th
floor, at noon
on October 20.
By 6 pm,
Guterres'
Department of
Public
Information
now run by Alison
Smale had sent
Inner City
Press a letter threatening
its accreditation,
based on the
embarrassment
of a UN
official of
what he said,
and undefined
reporting
while on the
38th floor.
(Haq refused
to answer on this;
we'll have
more). On
October 22,
this: "The
Secretary-General
of the United
Nations,
Antonio
Guterres, and
the
Chairperson of
the African
Union
Commission,
Moussa Faki
Mahamat,
continue to
closely
monitor
developments
in Kenya, in
the light of
the
forthcoming
presidential
election.
Recalling the
ruling of the
Supreme Court
of Kenya of 1
September
ordering the
holding of a
new
presidential
election, the
Secretary-General
and the
Chairperson of
the Commission
express the
United
Nations’ and
African
Union’s
commitment to
assist Kenya
in ensuring a
credible and
transparent
process and
upholding the
constitutional
process. In
this respect,
they call on
all
stakeholders
to cooperate
with the
Independent
Electoral and
Boundaries
Commission
(IEBC), as the
constitutionally-mandated
body to
conduct the
election. "
But IEBC figure Akombe,
and the chair,
cast
doubt on the
credibility of
the election.
Akombe's
IEBC tenure
should
never
have been,
given this in
the UN rules:
"In view of
the
independence
and
impartiality
that they must
maintain,
international
civil
servants,
while
retaining the
right to vote,
should not
participate in
political
activities." On
October 19,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric if
Akombe is back
working at UN
DPA - no, he
said - and if
the UN shares
her view on
the October 26
election, that
it cannot be
credit. That's
her view
alone, the UN
spokesman
said. Video here.
Now Inner City
Press is
exclusively
informed that
Kenya's
Ambassador to
the UN,
though not
disclosed
Guterres' schedule,
met with
Guterres about
Akombe, highly
critically.
We'll have
more on this.
Akombe
wrote:
"My decision
to leave the
IEBC will
disappoint
some of you,
but it is not
for lack of
trying. I have
tried the
best I could
do given the
circumstances.
Sometimes, you
walk away,
especially
when
potentially
lives are at
stake. The
Commission has
become a party
to the current
crisis. The
Commission is
under siege. It
has become
increasingly
difficult to
continue
attending
plenary
meetings where
Commissioners
come ready to
vote along
partisan lines
and not to
discuss the
merit of
issues before
them. It has
become
increasingly
difficult to
appear on
television to
defend
positions I
disagree with
in the name
of collective
responsibility.
I have
concluded that
I am no longer
making any
significant contribution
to the
Commission and
to my country
as a
Commissioner."
Now
back to the UN
as if nothing
happened?
On
October 13,
Inner City
Press asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
Kenyatta's ban
on protests
and was told
to ask the UN
team in Kenya,
headed by
Siddharth
Chatterjee the
son in law of
Dujarric's
former boss
and former
UN Secretary
General,
Ban Ki-moon,
UN transcript
here, and
below.
Chatterjee,
who was given
the job by his
father in law
without
recusal and is
inordinately
close with the
Kenyatta
government,
has said
little. But now UN
experts from
Geneva have issued
a statement
that
"Kenya must
lift its
newly-imposed
ban on
protests in
key cities,
end police
brutality
during
demonstrations,
and halt
attacks on the
judiciary and
civil society
in the tense
run-up to
presidential
elections on
26 October. Even
before this
ban was
imposed, we
were
witnessing a
pattern of
police
brutality and
excessive use
of force
against
protesters, as
well as
consistent
harassment of
judges and
threats to
civil society. The
ban means no
protests can
be held in
parts of
Kenya’s three
largest cities
- Nairobi,
Mombasa and
Kisumu - until
further
notice. The
experts said
there was
currently an
alleged
climate of
impunity for
law
enforcement
officers.. They
highlighted a
recent
incident on 28
September,
when 27
students and
staff at the
University of
Nairobi were
reportedly
injured when
police used
tear gas, beat
them with
wooden clubs,
robbed them
and threatened
them with
sexual
violence.
A few days
later, on 2
October,
police
reportedly
used tear gas
in a nursery
in Nyalenda,
injuring at
least three
children,
while protests
in some other
parts of the
country were
also met with
a heavy-handed
response by
security
forces. The UN
experts: Mr.
Michel Forst,
the Special
Rapporteur on
the situation
of human
rights
defenders; Ms.
Agnes
Callamard,
Special
Rapporteur on
extrajudicial,
summary or
arbitrary
executions;
Mr. Diego
García-Sayán,
the Special
Rapporteur on
the
independence
of judges and
lawyers; Mr.
Nils Melzer,
the Special
Rapporteur on
torture and
other cruel,
inhuman or
degrading
treatment or
punishment and
Mr. David Kaye." Now
if only UN
experts would
assess and
spotlight
those UN
officials who
are too close
to, and cover
up for
governments
who do these
things, as in
Myanmar, Cameroon
and elsewhere. From
the October 13
UN trancript:
Inner
City Press: You
often say, you
know, that the
UN stands
firmly behind
the right to
free
association
and… and
protests.
Most recently,
you said that
about Gabon,
but I wanted
to ask
you. In
Kenya very
loudly the
Government has
outlawed
protests in
urban centres,
so in a way,
it's a pretty
broad ban on
protests, and
I haven't
heard anything
that… that the
UN in Kenya
said about
this.
Can you say
from here why
they haven’t
said it from
there? [cross
talk] Spokesman:
"Well, our
principle
stands, and I
think you have
the phone
numbers and
email
addresses of
all my
colleagues in
Nairobi and
you're free to
ask them."
Sid?
Who blocks Inner
City Press? On
October 6,
Inner City
Press asked
the President
of the General
Assembly's
spokesman
about Kenya(tta)
foreign
minister Amina
Mohamed being
now an advisor
to the PGA, and
some (mis)
reporting in
Kenya. Video here,
from the PGA's
summary:
"Asked about
media reports
in Kenya that
Kenyan Foreign
Minister Amina
Mohamed now
had a “UN
job”, the
Spokesperson
clarified that
membership on
the Team of
External
Advisors did
not mean that
the advisors
were United
Nations
employees or
staff. They
were serving
in their own
capacities
without any
salaries from
the United
Nations. Asked
whether any
team member
would be
lobbying the
President on
behalf of
interests in
their own
countries, the
Spokesperson
stressed that
the team
members would
only be
advising on
how to advance
the
President’s
priorities and
discussing
global issues
that were of
concern to the
President, the
General
Assembly and
the United
Nations in
general." In Kenya
the UN Development
Program, run
by Siddharth
Chatterjee the son
in law of Guterres'
predecessor
Ban Ki-moon,
has quietly taken
down the
web page
bragging about
its role in
the first
round of
elections,
which Inner
City Press cited
on September
27. The next
day, the webpage was
gone.
On October 5,
after Sid as
in his M.O.
used a proxy
to defend and
promote
himself, Inner
City Press
asked UN
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric: UN
Transcript here, Inner
City
Press: in
Kenya, I did
see… I
guess Farhan
[Haq] sent a
statement by
the… by
the U…
the UN
Information
Centre there,
but
things…
I wanted to
ask you about
this, because
we often hear
from Gordon
Brown in here
about attacks
on
schools.
And there's
been a widely
reported
teargassing of
a nursery
school in an
attempt, I
guess, to get
the Raila
Odinga NASA
supporters a
school…
a school was
teargassed.
So, I'm
wondering,
does
this… is
it only Gordon
Brown's job in
the UN system
or is the UN…
[cross talk] Spokesman:
"I have not
seen that
reported.
It is clear
that we and
the
Secretary-General
and others
have spoken
out whenever
schools have
been attacked,
but I will
look at that
report." Seven
hours later,
nothing.
Meanwhile,
UNDP's head of
governance
Sheila Ngatia's
twitter
account,
identifying her
as
UNDP, is "protected;"
it is reported
she is the
daughter of
Uhuru Kenyatta's
lawyer. The
UN is being exposed
in Kenya, as
being too
close to the
government as
it is in
Myanmar,
Cameroon and
elsewhere.
And all the
head of UN in
Kenya Sid
Chatterjee can
do is issue
threats to
people's livelihoods;
the UN in
New York,
rather than
restricted
Press for him,
should fire or
re-assign him.
The
New York City
Bar Association
has criticized
Uhuru Kenyatta for
his attacks on
the judiciary,
while the UN
in New York
and Nairobi,
under Ban
Ki-moon's son
in law
Sid, has
remained
tellingly
silent. It was
Chatterjee's
UNDP which was
still bragging
online about
its work on
the election,
including for
"transparency." Like
the
transparency
of Sid
being promoted
by his own
father in law
without
recusal, then
blocking and
bad-mouthing
the Press that
reports on it?
We'll have
more on this.
On
September 25,
Inner City
Press asked
Guterres's
spokesman, UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press: In
Kenya, the…
the UN staff
member on
leave, Roselyn
Akombe, has
said she's
facing death
threats.
There's also
reports of
investigation
of her role in
the… in the
Electoral
Commission and
the arrest of
a… of a member
of parliament
for allegedly
insulting the
President,
[Uhuru]
Kenyatta.
I'm just
wondering,
what is the
UN… the UN,
since it has
an office in
Nairobi and is
seeing these
things take
place,
including the
arrest of
parliamentarians
for verbal
insults to the
President,
does the UN
have any
response to
what's taking
place…? Spokesman:
I don't have
anything on
that.
You're welcome
to check also
with the
office in
Nairobi." But
the head of
the UN office
in Nairobi, Ban
Ki-moon's
son in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee,
blocks Inner
City Press.
Back on September 5
Guterres
stopped - and
then bragged
that his
official
letter (a
belated one on
Myanmar) will
be in
Dujarric's
office. Not a
single
question, or
even sentence,
was about
Africa, where
most of the
UN's
peacekeeping
operations
are.
On September 11, Inner City
Press asked Dujarric about
Uhuru Kenyatta saying if Raila
Odinga is elected president in
the re-run election on October
17, his party will remove him
from office: "even if he is
elected, we have the
opportunity in two months,
three months to remove him."
Dujarric wouldn't criticize
even this, and refused Inner
City Press' question on UN
Roselyn Akombe, except to
refer to some written request
that has never been shown to
the public. Then Dujarric
walked off; see this.
Back on September 5, three
hours after Guterres refused
its question, the UN sent
Inner City Press this:
"Regarding your question on
the Kenyan election process,
we have the following to say:
The United Nations takes note
of the Supreme Court’s ruling
on the 8 August 2017
presidential elections. The
Secretary-General's position,
as conferred in previous
statements and calls, has been
that parties should take their
grievances to Court and
respect the Court’s decisions,
which both Jubilee and NASA
have demonstrated today. He
reiterates his call on all
political leaders and their
supporters to respect and
abide by the ruling of the
Court, as the legal and
constitutionally mandated body
with the highest authority to
decide on this matter." On
September 7, Inner City Press
asked Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City Press: on Kenya
obviously, the drought
readout. But, as I'm
sure you know, beyond what you
emailed after the
Secretary-General's stakeout,
the election results were
thrown out, and now, there's
an enormous fight around the
Electoral
Commission. Given
that there's one on-hiatus UN
DPA [Department of Political
Affairs] staffer on the
commission and given that
person being now ousted from
the commission was a former
UNDP staffer, there are many
people in Kenya wondering what
the… if the UN is, in fact,
impartial in this case.
What is the UN's view of the…
of the Electoral Commission
dispute? And is Ms.
Roslyn Akombe still on…?
Spokesman: She's still
on special leave. I
think the ruling of the
Supreme Court is something
we've taken note of. I
think the Secretary-General,
in an interview that he did
yesterday, I think said it was
a sign of democracy, of the
democratic process. From
the beginning, I think we have
been calling on parties who
had grievances to follow the
legal pathways. That has
happened. It is now up
to the Kenyans and the
established procedures to be
followed. Inner City Press:
So, I mean, just because as
you may have seen, the
President [Uhuru] Kenyatta of
Kenya has called the head of
the Supreme Court a "crook"
and said that if he wins on a
second term he will "take care
of the Court". So, does
that… I didn't see this
interview, but is that within…
within… in keeping with the
Secretary-General's saying
that everyone is following the
legal procedure?
Spokesman: "That would
not be." The dubious August 8
electoral results have been
thrown out by the Supreme
Court, because the
"Independent Electoral and
Boundaries Commission" IEBC)
“failed, neglected or refused
to conduct the presidential
election in a manner
consistent with the dictates
of the constitution." At the
UN, Secretary General Guterres
had very quickly congratulated
August 8 "winner" Uhuru
Kenyatta; since then Guterres'
spokesman Stephane Dujarric
has dodged and then refused
Inner City Press' questions.
On the morning of September 1,
Inner City Press asked
Dujarric and his top two
deputies: "On deadline, what
are the comments of the
Secretary General and,
separately, of the UN's
Resident Coordinator in Kenya,
and the USG of DPA, on the
throwing-out of the August 8
electoral “win” of Uhuru
Kenyatta? Again, what is the
status of Roselyn Akombe with
the UN, especially now?
Confirm or deny that the DPA
post held by Taye Brook
Zerihoun was offered to Monica
Juma, and separately if, after
August 8, she said she didn't
(any longer?) want the
position. Please now answer
Inner City Press' August 28
questions about Kenya, and the
entirely unanswered questions
from August 29 and August 30.
Please confirm receipt of this
email." But Dujarric and his
deputies didn't answer, didn't
confirm receipt or even put
out anything on Kenya. The UN
is corrupt. Will Kenyatta
still come speak at the UN
General Assembly high level
week on September 20,
scheduled as put online by the
Free UN Coalition for Access
(also cracked
down on by the UN), here?
What of the cravenly
pro-Kenyatta work of UN
Resident
Coordinator in
Kenya Siddharth
Chatterjee, the son in law of
former Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon whom Ban gave the job
without any recusal? When
Inner City Press asked its
questions, Chatterjee blocked
Inner City Press on Twitter
and UN Headquarters said that'
fine. The UN has become a
place of censorship for
corruption. We'll have more on
this. After the murder of
Kenyan electoral official
Chris Msando, Inner City Press
on August 1 put the question
at the UN to Secretary General
Antonio Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric, UN
transcript here
and below. Now on August 28,
Inner City Press asked three
UN spokespeople this: "In
Kenya, it is reported that
more than a dozen opposition
supporters were killed in
Kisumu. What is the Secretary
General's, or UN Resident
Coordinator Siddharth
Chatterjee's, comment and
action on this?" Hours after
submission - the Spokesman
canceled the noon briefing -
while one line responses were
offered to two other question,
there was nothing on this,
nothing at all. This is
today's UN. After Kenya moved
to de-register a second human
rights group, Inner City Press
asked lead UN Spokesman
Stephane Dujarric on August
15, UN transcript here
and below. Inner City Press
has learned, and exclusively
reports, that Kenya(tta)
foreign ministry official
Monica Juma has been offered a
top job in Jeffrey Feltman's
UN Department of Political
Affairs, to replace Taye-Brook
Zerihoun. She was granted six
months to "sit" on the job, to
help Kenya(tta), as one source
put it to Inner City
Press. On August 24,
Inner City Press asked UN
Spokesman Stephane Dujarric,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: Jeffrey
Feltman, being in Somalia...
they’re tweeting pictures of
him with Farmajo. But
what I wanted to know is,
given that he’s so close to
Kenya and… is he… where else
has he gone on this
trip? I was unaware that
he was there. And can we
get some kind of a readout of
this trip and whether or not
it will include Kenya and…
Kenya, if you have any update
as more and more people are
saying that the results that
were put online don’t line up
with what was announced and
what the Secretary-General
congratulated. Is there
any updated statement by the
UN? Spokesman: "Not, not
from us here. There’s a
calendar which is playing
itself out and there are
institutions that are at work
on this. And I’ll see what I
can get you on Mr. Feltman."
Which was, seven hour later,
nothing. On August 21 Inner
City Press asked UN Spokesman
Stephane Dujarric, UN
transcript here.
Five hours later, nothing. Now
the dismissive or vague
position of today's UN to
press freedom is further
exemplified by silence on the
reported detention at gunpoint
of blogger Robert Alai, here.
The UN's resident coordinator
in Kenya has for example
blocked the critical Press on
Twitter; UN Spokesman Farhan
Haq on August 19 had no
specific comment when Inner
City Press asked about
detentions by Morocco of
citizen journalists reporting
on the crackdown in Rif. (Lead
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric
evicted Inner City Press and
still restricts it, for its
coverage in the Press Briefing
Room of the UN bribery case
against now-conficted Ng Lap
Seng.) The UN is losing its
way, including in Kenya. On
August 18, Inner City Press
asked UN Deputy Spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript here. On
August 17, amid lack of
transparency about the
detention and itinerary of a
UN official on leave, Inner
City Press asked UN Deputy
Spokesman Farhan Haq, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: as you may
know in Kenya, the former or
future DPA (Department of
Political Affairs) employee
Roselyn Akombe, who has given
a leave of absence to work on
the Electoral Commission
there, attempted to leave the
country and was detained at
the airport. It’s now said
that she’s come to New York
for meetings. So, I
wanted to know two
things. Number one, is
she having any meeting with
the UN, since you said she’s
coming to New York on official
business? Number two,
when she was given this leave
of absence — it’s become quite
controversial. As you
know, the commission is
getting sued for being not
less than impartial — did the
Ethics Office look at this
granting of a leave of
absence? What’s her
current status with the
UN? And, also, it’s come
up because she appealed to the
US embassy there. For
purposes of UN, is she from
Kenya or from the United
States?
Deputy Spokesman: I
wouldn’t have any comment on
her nationality. I don’t
comment on the nationality of
staff members. But…
[inaudible]
Question: Given that the
person was detained and… okay.
Deputy Spokesman: But I
am aware that she was on a
leave of absence. At
some point, I believe, fairly
soon, it will be expiring and
then she will return to her
duties in the Department of
Political
Affairs.Question: So she
has no contacts in the UN
during this week?
Because it’s a big story in
Kenya that she’s come to New
York and she says she coming
to New York for work related
to the election. So, I
guess my question to you is,
does this New York visit have
any UN connection?
Deputy Spokesman: I
wouldn’t comment on her work
until she’s re-joined the
United Nations. She’s
not… at the time that she’s on
leave, she is a separate
individual. Ms. Akombe,
at some point, will re-join
the Department of Political
Affairs, and then she’ll be a
UN staffer.
We'll have
more on this - and on Juma.
From August 15: Inner City
Press: there've now been more
than one NGO shut down at this
period of time in which they
could be filing
petitions. And there's
many more… there are doubts
whether… whether substantive
or not, about how the results
were transmitted. So,
beyond this Kenya National
Human Rights Commission,
something called Africog
[phonetic] has also been
suddenly deregistered by the…
by the authorities. That
would be the winning candidate
or the said to be winning
candidate. So, I just
wanted to know, what… the
country team there, what do
they think of the closing down
of the NGOs in the country
during…
Spokesman: I don't have
enough information on these
particular NGOs. You can
contact the country team
directly. I know you're
been in contact with
them. What is clear for
us is that there are
constitutional means that need
to be respected as part of the
election for any appeals and,
obviously, echo the High
Commissioner's call for
restraint and for peaceful…
for supporting the right of
people to demonstrate
peacefully but a call for calm
and restraint.
On August 14,
Inner City Press asked
Dujarric's deputy Farhan Haq,
video here,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: there were
these two different
statements, one about
provisional results, then
final results, but, in the
country, one, how many people
does the UN believe have been
killed in post-election
violence? What's the
UN's reaction to Raila Odinga
asking for the UN to play some
role in looking into fraud he
says he's going to announce
tomorrow, Tuesday?
And there's a group called the
Kenya Human Rights Commission,
which has been deregistered
just before filing a petition
concerning the election.
Does the UN believe that the
current legal structures,
especially if you have
petitioners deregistered
moments before filing, is a
credible one? What does
the UN, given its presence in
Nairobi, think about the
deaths and this
deregistration?
Deputy Spokesman:
Obviously, we're concerned
about any violence. As I
just mentioned, what we've
been doing, including through
the Secretary-General, is
calling on all political
leaders to send clear messages
to their supporters urging
them to refrain from violence,
and that's a key part of this
process. You're aware of
our concerns in other previous
elections, presidential
elections in Kenya, and those
concerns continue to
apply. Regarding Mr.
Odinga's request, obviously,
we'll wait to see what he has
to say tomorrow and monitor
that, but I would point out,
as I just said, that the
Secretary-General called on
political leaders disputing
the election results to
address election-related
disputes through the relevant
constitutionally mandated
institutions, and that is
where we stand on that.
On
August 7, Inner City Press
asked Dujarric about the
deportation of two of Raila
Odinga's consultants, American
John Phillips, chief executive
of political consultancy
Aristotle, and Canadian
Andreas Katsouris. Dujarric
replied with generalities;
Inner City Press asked, so the
deportations are bad? There
was no clear answer. Now this:
on August 10 Inner City Press
asked Dujarric, UN transcript
here:
Inner City Press: In
Kenya, Raila Odinga, the
candidate, has said that
there's been hacking of the
system, but the President of
Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza,
has offered his
congratulations. What's
the UN's view? One, do they
think that the rule-of-law
process to review is being
conducted, is that process
over?
Spokesman: No, I, as far
as I know, the, the official
election results have yet to
be announced. We're,
obviously, watching the
situation unfold. We're
watching it closely. As
you know, the UN did not
observe, did not have a role
in observing the, the
elections. I think
what's important is that all
stakeholders, all people in
Kenya, allow the process to
follow its course and, if they
have any grievances, that they
channel those through legal
and peaceful means. We
reiterate the call of the
Secretary-General for
maintaining calm and ensuring
strict respect for human
rights and fundamental
freedoms, especially in this
time while people await, and
understandably await eagerly,
the official results. From the
August 1 transcript: Inner
City Press: in the run up to
the elections in Kenya, the
head of the electronic voting,
Chris Msando, has been
murdered and I wanted to know,
what is the UN… various
countries have expressed
concern, offered to send
investigators, has the
resident coordinator or anyone
in the UN system, what do they
think of this murder?
Spokesman: Obviously, I
think it’s, the fact that a
member of the electoral
commission was murdered, in
what appears to be such a
gruesome way, is shocking and
can only be condemned.
We hope that the perpetrators
are found and brought to
justice. I think Kenya
is entering a very, obviously
a very delicate period with
the upcoming elections, and we
would not want to see any
increase or violence or
disturbance.
Inner City Press: Can you say
what the UN's role, does it
have any role? I know
that there was somebody who
used to work at DPA
[Department of Political
Affairs] who is now working on
the elections as a Kenyan
national, but is there a UN
role?
Spokesman: I can
check. I'm not aware of
any role, but I'm happy to
check.
Twenty
three hours later, nothing.
But UN Department of Public
Information's Nairobi "UNIC"
has responded online that the
UN did speak out, attaching a
statement referring to the
"sudden demise" of Msango. He
was tortured and murdered.
That is NOT speaking out, and
is consistent with UN Resident
Coordinator Siddharth
Chatterjee's strikingly
pro-government blatherings in
the country, of the kind the
many say got the Resident
Coordinator in Myanmar removed
from the job - or "promoted,"
in UN-speak. Chatterjee was
named Resident Correspondent
by his father in law Ban,
without recusal. On August 2,
with Dujarric not having
provided any answer on the
UN's electoral role, Inner
City Press asked him again, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: the UN
statement, apparently the most
recent one, still calls it a
sudden demise and given that
the autopsy has shown that he
was both tortured and murdered
and the EU has called for an
investigation, is the UN
wanting there to be an
investigation?
Spokesman: Of course, of
course, there should be an
investigation. I think
anyone who is found murdered
deserves to have an
investigation into the
killings. I think in
this particular instance,
given the political climate in
Kenya and given the upcoming
elections, it's obviously
extremely important that,
following what has clearly
been the murder of a senior
member of the electoral
commission, that that be
investigated and the
perpetrators be brought to
justice.
Inner City Press: When
they called it a sudden
demise, they didn't yet know
it was a murder?
Spokesman: Listen, I
think, you’re, as I said, the
UNIC is obviously in contact
with you. You are free
to call.
Inner
City
Press:
They tweeted.
Spokesman: No, you know
their numbers are
public. You can go and
ask them directly. You
don't need me to be sandwiched
between you and them.
And I did, I think you had
asked about the UN's role,
and… and UNDP is, through an
electoral cycle, based
2015-2018 project called
Supporting Electoral Processes
in Kenya, supporting various
Kenyan institutions to prepare
for credible and peaceful
general elections in
August. The project
focuses on strengthening
institutional and legal
framework for the electoral
process; increasing the
participation of voters,
parties and candidates in the
electoral process with an
emphasis of women, youth and
people living with
disabilities; promoting
efficient and transparent and
peaceful elections; and
strengthening electoral
justice. The UN has also
engaged the importance of
peaceful and credible
elections, both for the
country and the region, by
working consultation with
regional organizations and the
wider international community.
Back on February
17 as the UN discussed
enforced disappearances with restricting
the Press' ability to cover
them, Inner City Press
asked UN deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq why the UN's
Resident Coordinator in Kenya
Siddharth Chatterjee, Ban
Ki-moon's son in law promoted
by him without recusal, was
silent on at least two cases.
UN
Transcript here and
below.
Siddharth Chatterjee has two
days later reached out to seek
an agreement, in advance, to
publish whatever he chooses to
send in. Inner City Press in
turn requested, as it did in
person in New York in
September, an on camera
interview which it would
publish live and in its
entirety.
Along with
the above, and what Chatterjee
was doing recently in Addis
Ababa lobbying in connection
with the race for top African
Union post, Inner City Press
has conveyed in advance
questions ranging from whether
or not Chatterjee previously
got an article about one of
his promotions taken off the
Internet after making an
illegal offer of a job in his
father in law's Secretariat to
his role in the Jaffna
Hospital Massacre and other
specific war crimes in Sri
Lanka. We hope to get answers
to these questions and to
publish them. Watch this site.
From the UN's February 17
transcript:
Inner City Press:
it's the tenth anniversary of
this Convention on enforced
disappearances. So, I'd
asked you, I think, on Monday
about this… these case of two
South Sudanese who have
disappeared in Kenya.
You said you're aware of the
reports so, two things.
One, I'm wondering, who in the
UN system is engaging with the
Kenyan Government or the South
Sudan Government about
that? Why hasn't the
Resident Coordinator in Kenya?
I mean the Nigeria one is
speaking about when Boko Haram
will be done. Has
anything been said by the UN
in-country about these people
that have been disappeared
presumably by the Government
and returned to South Sudan?
Deputy Spokesman: Well,
first of all, I believe that
there are Special Rapporteurs
dealing with this particular
situation. There's… one
of our human rights
instruments deals with the
question of
disappearances. And so
they're looking into this
matter, and we'll try to get
information from them first
and foremost. And then
other parts of the system can
work on that as needed.
Inner
City Press:
Sure. And then can I,
there's a high-profile
case in France of a
22-year-old person that was
arrested on video and has said
to have been raped or
sodomized during the
arrest. His name is
Theo. And there have
been riots in France for
several days on it. I've
checked at least everything
that's been sent out by the
Office of the High
Commissioner for Human
Rights. I haven't seen
anything. Is the UN
aware of this case? And
what do they think of… of both
police treatment of people in
France and of how the protests
are being dealt with?
Deputy Spokesman: Well,
regarding protests, of course,
we want to make sure that the
freedom of expression and the
freedom of peaceful assembly
are upheld. Beyond that,
this is a case that,
ultimately, the judicial
system would need to look
into, and we'll have to see
where they go with that.
Back on
January 25 with at least these
two South Sudanese threatened
with deportation by Kenya,
Inner City Press asked UN
spokesman Stephane Dujarric
for the UN's response. From
the UN
transcript:
Inner City Press:
extradition questions, not
South Korea extradition but
are you aware of the impending
extradition of South Sudanese
human rights lawyer Samuel
Luak, who defended Pagan
Amum? Basically, a
number of highly respected
groups are saying that, if
he’s deported, he will face
unjust treatment. So I’m
wondering, has the UN…
Spokesman Dujarric: I, I
have, don’t have an update
here, but, again, you can
check locally with the
mission.
Inner City Press: So
that would be the resident
coordinator? I’m talking
about in Kenya.
Spokesman: In Kenya, you
can check with the UN
Information Centre in Nairobi.
Dujarric
was until December 31 the
spokesman for Ban Ki-moon, who
before he left the UN promoted
his own son in law Siddharth
Chatterjee to the top UN post
in Kenya, as Resident
Coordinator.
In
December as Kenya detained
journalist
Jerome Starkey,
Ban Ki-moon's
son in law
Chatterjee was
entirely
silent. Like
his father in
law has proved
to be with the
Press in New
York, he
is at heart a
censor. But it
makes a
mockery of Ban
Ki-moon's post
Sri Lanka
claims of
"Rights Up
Front," even
as Ban
angles to run
for President
on South
Korea.
In
fact, in Sri Lanka Ban's son in
law is implicated
in presumptive war crimes,
the Jaffna Hospital massacre and
the crushing of civilians with
tanks. And it's from him that
Ban took his advice on Sri
Lanka, where Ban oversaw the
killing of more than 40,000
civilians.
Ban
is allowing those scribes
who ignore this and praise him
to sell access to him on
December 16 for $1200 on Wall
Street. We'll have more on
this.
Tellingly,
as the UN's Resident Coordinator
in Kenya, Ban's son in law
Chatterjee has remained silent
not only on the targeting of
South Sudanese, but on the
protests profiled in a study
released by Article 19, here.
Ban's
son in law ignores Ban's
supposed “Rights Up Front,”
given his action in Sri Lanka
(see below) and because he is
entirely unaccountable: he could
only be fired by Ban Ki-moon,
his father in law. Nepotism is
harmful.
On
December 3 Inner City Press
reported the ever-increasingly
likelihood that Ban Ki-moon's
son in law Chatterjee was
involved in crimes of war in Sri
Lanka, which neither Ban's
spokesman Stephane Dujarric nor
Chatterjee himself when asked
in the UN lobby was
willing to answer.
For some time Inner City Press
has heard that Chatterjee, as
part of the Indian Peace Keeping
Force in Sri Lanka, was a war
criminal. Inner City Press asked
Ban's spokesman Dujarric if
Chatterjee was involved in the
Jaffna University raid, or the
Jaffna hospital massacre,
without answer.
In the UN lobby, Chatterjee said
he would
answer at an “opportune time.”
He has not answered.
Chatterjee had his commander, Dalvir
Singh, write a defense on
Huffington Post and
elsewhere, identifying himself
as the commander of Chatterjee
and of the 10th Para commandos.
And
that's the problem. More here
and here.
***
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