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By Matthew Russell Lee, Scope here, Vine here

UN GATE, Nov 2 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he has a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, and for retaliation. But on March 15 he took his administration's "press briefing" about UN sexual abuse off the record, in a room he has banned Inner City Press which most asks about it from for 486 days.

  Now on November 2, fully 12 hours after 50 Malians were killed, nothing from Antonio Guterres. He used public funds including Chapo's to travel with UN Security to Erdogan in Turkey and the coup leader in Thailand - and then he disappeared, presumptively to his real home in Lisbon. Sutton Place Periscope video here.

  The news, 12 hours ago, uncommented on by Guterres: "devastating raid that killed 49 Malian troops as well as a blast that led to the death of a French soldier who became the latest casualty in the conflict-torn region. Friday’s assault on a Malian military outpost at Indelimane in the eastern Menaka region near Niger killed 49 soldiers, wounded three and left 20 survivors, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) said Saturday.  On Saturday, French corporal Ronan Pointeau, 24, died after an armoured vehicle in which he was travelling hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near the city of Menaka, a French defence ministry statement said."

  On August 6, the UN sent out an alert that there was new information on its sex abuse complaint website. But there, at the top it was the same Morocco peacekeeper child rape - an outrage - and the other items from before. So was the new allegation buried in the data below?

  With Guterres banning the Press which asks about the UN's sexual abuse, on October 6 his mission in Mali announced "1 peacekeeper of MINUSMA killed and five others wounded in two attacks in Aguelhok and Bandiagara        Bamako, October 6, 2019 - A peacekeeper of MINUSMA was killed and four others injured in the explosion of an explosive device at their vehicle which was part of a security patrol in the vicinity of Aguelhok this morning. A Quick Reaction Force, supported by an air strike, was immediately deployed to the site of the explosion to allow evacuation and carry the injured to hospitals MINUSMA.   In a separate incident that occurred around 1 am today, peacekeepers of MINUSMA a temporary operating base in the area of Bandiagara in the Mopti region, were attacked by elements of an unidentified armed group and responded to this attack. One peacekeeper was seriously wounded, he was evacuated by helicopter to be managed medically.   The Head of the MINUSMA Mr. Annadif strongly condemns the upsurge of such attacks in recent times, particularly in the center. He extends his sincere condolences to the family of the dead soldier in the service of peace and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.   On this occasion, he pays tribute to all peacekeepers MINUSMA which, with other partners, work daily and often risking their lives to secure Mali."

 On August 7, Inner City Press asked: "  August 7-5: Please immediately state what is/was the new information on UN sexual exploitation and abuse referred to in yesterday alert - visiting the page, the top items remain Morocco peacekeeper child rape, Nigeria, etc - are new allegations being buried elsewhere on the data page? Please immediately explain, as Inner City Press remains barred from any entry of the UN to ask in person and follow up..."

  Now this, which we nearly immediately published in full, from Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq: "On question August 7-5...  The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has received an allegation of sexual exploitation and abuse. The allegation involves an employee of a contractor in the Mission, and refers to the attempted sexual assault of a minor that allegedly took place in April 2019. An investigation into the allegation is underway by OIOS. The mission offered appropriate assistance to the victim in line with the UN’s victim assistance protocols." 

  Since then, no updates, no answers, Guterres covering up child rapes and now the UN puts out this from UNGA Guterres bans the Press from: "  On 25 September, the United Nations hosted a high-level meeting on Mali and the Sahel on the margins of the General Debate of the seventy-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly. The meeting was opened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, together with the President of the Republic of Mali, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and the President of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mr. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, also President of the G5 Sahel. The President of Mauritania, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Ghazouani; the President of Niger, H.E. Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chad, H.E. Mr. Cherif Mahamat Zene; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, H.E. Mr. Sabri Boukadoum; the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France and Germany, H.E. Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian and H.E. Mr. Heiko Maas, and the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), H.E. Mr. Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, also took part in the inaugural session. The inaugural session was followed by a ministerial segment co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, H.E. Mr. Sabri Boukadoum; the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security, H.E. Mr. Smaïl Chergui; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mr. Alpha Barry; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mali, H.E. Mr. Tiébilé Dramé, and the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix.     2.         Participants discussed the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali (“the Agreement”) originating from the Algiers process and reaffirmed that it remains the cornerstone for ending the crisis in Mali." Not a word on UN sexual abuse. We'll have more on this.

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