On
Next SG, All
Top 4 Are Men,
Jeremic in
Second, Deputy
Deal, ICP
Hears
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 26
-- The fifth
round of straw
polling for
the Next UN
Secretary
General dealt
another blow
to the lofty
rhetoric on
gender, with
the four top
finishers all
men. Vuk
Jeremic of
Serbia edged
ahead of
Miroslav
Lajcak for
second place.
Inner City
Press has
heard Russia
might NOT veto
Antonio
Guterres if
Jeremic or
Irina Bokova
got the deputy
SG spot. Here
are the
results:
Antonio
Guterres:
12-2-1
Vuk Jeremic:
8-6-1
Miroslav
Lajcak: 8-7-0
Danilo Turk:
7-7-1
Susanna
Malcorra:
7-7-1
Irina Bokova:
6-7-2
Srgjan Kerim:
6-9-0
Helen Clark:
6-9-0
Natalia
Gherman:
3-11-1
Will
Bokova drop
out and
Georgieva run?
Russia is
counting the
Next Secretary
General ballot
in September,
and President
of the
Security
Council in
October, so
when Russian
Foreign
Minister
Sergey Lavrov
held a press
conference on
September 23
it seemed
clear he would
be asked for
Russia's view.
But despite
claims about a
desire for
transparency
in the sit was
not to be. Ten
of the eleven
questions
selected were
about Syria;
the other was
about
Palestine. As
it ended Inner
City Press
asked, Do you
have any
thoughts about
Next Secretary
General?
A lot, Lavrov
said. Then was
gone.
The
previous
evening at the
Serbian
mission
“frontrunner”
Antonio
Guterrez
whispered with
rival Vuk
Jeremic. Vine
video here.
Sources tell
Inner City
Press of the
possibility
that Russian
might NOT veto
Guterres (from
EU and NATO
member
Portugal), if
he selected
Jeremic or
perhaps Irina
Bokova
as
Deputy. We'll
see.
At the first
Q&A
stakeout of
this year's UN
General
Assembly
debate, Inner
City Press
asked
the President
of Cyprus
Nicos
Anastasiades
if he has any
view of the
Next Secretary
General
process,
whether or not
an agreement
on Cyprus is
reached by the
end of the
year when Ban
Ki-moon
leaves.
After
some
whispering
from staff,
Anastasiades
told Inner
City Press,
“No.” Vine
video here.
There was
laughter, and
Anastasiades
flashed Inner
City Press a
thumbs-up as
he went out to
his limousine.
He'll be in
New York a
full week. And
Inner City
Press, even
under Ban
Ki-moon's and
his Cristina
Gallach's
eviction and
restriction
orders, will
be here too,
asking about
Next SG. Watch
this site.
Nearly all of
the current
candidates to
replace Ban
Ki-moon as UN
Secretary
General, and
those who have
dropped out,
are active or
at least have
accounts on
Twitter. Now
Antonio
Guterres,
ahead in the
straw polls
but with
“Discourages”
which may well
include a
Russian veto,
has joined
Twitter. Is it
really him?
How will he
use the
account?
Vuk Jeremic
has tweeted a
photo with his
grandmother,
and of the
plane that
will fly him
to UNGA 71.
Irina Bokova
tweeted a
photo of
herself with
Forest
Whitaker.
Helen Clark,
ever active,
has been
tweeting from
the NAM
meeting in
Venezuela; she
has also
tweeted, or
really been
re-tweeted by,
Ban Ki-moon's
son in law
Siddharth
Chatterjee, to
whom Ban gave
the top UNDP
job in Kenya
without
recusing
himself.
Clark's UNDP
has yet to
answer who was
on the
selection
panel, despite
multiple Press
questions to
Clark's former
(and Ban's
current)
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric.
Ban Ki-moon,
tellingly, has
no twitter
account. In
fact, under
him this year
the UN ousted
and evict the
most active
social media
journalist in
the UN, now
confined to
minders. But
we digress!
Amid the
jockeying to
replace Ban
Ki-moon as UN
Secretary
General, there
has been
revisionism
and outright
mis-reporting
of what
happened ten
years ago when
Ban was chosen
as a suitably
weak Secretary
General.
Then, in 2006,
there were
only four
candidate in
the first
straw poll.
Even bland Ban
drew a
“discourage,”
which he
insisted was
from Ghana.
(Ban's theory
was that
Ghana's Kofi
Annan
preferred
Shashi Tharoor
to continue
his legacy, as
some surmise
Ban would
prefer a
cover-up
artist this
time.)
Last week
Inner City
Press asked
current
Council member
Venezuela
about
Kristalina
Georgieva
jumping in;
Ambassador
Rafael Ramirez
told Inner
City Press,
“It's too
late.” Vine
here.
In 2006 Prince
Zeid of Jordan
jumped in late
in the
process, as
did Latvia's
president,
drawing a
not-embarrassing
seven
“Encourages.”
Many say Sri
Lanka
convinced its
candidate to
withdraw to
help Ban, who
repaid the
favor by
covering up
40,000 deaths
in 2009 and
since.
The US,
according to
its them
Ambassador
John Bolton,
cut the deal
on Ban with
China, and
chided the UK
to not demand
the Department
of Political
Affairs job
(the UK lost
it.) Bolton
writes that he
told Ban to
demand the
resignations
of all high UN
officials.
That is even
more needed
this time,
particularly
in the
Department of
Public
Information
(become
Censorship),
Peacekeeping
and others.
In 2006
there was only
one round of
polling with
colored or
differentiated
ballots, in
early October,
and it was
sent to the
General
Assembly the
next week. And
this time,
after October
3? Watch this
site.
In the fourth
straw poll for
Next UN
Secretary
General,Antonio
Guterres and
Miroslav
Lajcak stayed
in first and
second place
(with 12 and
ten
encourages,
respectively)
despite
statements
commitments to
a female SG.
In fact, the
top four
finishers were
all men -- Vuk
Jeremic came
in third with
nine
encourages and
Srgjan Kerim
fourth, with
eight. Then
Susana
Malcorra and
Irina Bokova
tied with
Danilo Turk,
all with seven
encourages.
Helen Clark
had six,
Christiana
Figueres five,
and Natalia
Gherman but
three. So much
for commitment
to women.
UK Ambassador
Matthew
Rycroft said
the "absolute
minimum" is
nine
encourages and
no vetoes, so
some should
drop out, he
implied. Inner
City Press Vine here.
Here are the
September 9
results:
Antonio
Guterres
12-2-1
Miroslav
Lajcak 10-4-1
Vuk Jeremic
9-4-2
Srgjan Kerim
8-7-0
Irina Bokova
7-5-3
Danilo Turk
7-6-2
Susanna
Malcorra 7-7-1
Helen Clark
6-7-2
Christiana
Figueres
5-10-0
Natalia
Gherman 3-11-1
Compare to the
August 29
third straw
poll results:
Antonio
Guterres:
11-3-1
Miroslav
Lajcak: 9-5-1
Vuk Jeremic:
7-5-3
Irina Bokova:
7-5-3
Susanna
Malcorra:
7-7-1
Srgjan Kerim:
6-7-2
Helen Clark:
6-8-1
Danilo Turk:
5-6-4
Christiana
Figueres:
2-12-1
Natalia
Gherman:
2-12-1
In the run-up
to the third
straw poll for
Next UN
Secretary
General to be
held later
today, New
Zealand which
will be
president of
the Council in
September
announced it
will cede Next
SG powers to
Russia, which
will also hold
the Council
presidency in
October.
As we await
clarification,
candidate
Helen Clark is
now in
Cameroon,
after a stop
at TICADIV in
Kenya,
where Ban
Ki-moon has
named his own
son in law
head of the UN
system
without even
recusing
himself. New
Zealand's Key
is quoted that
“Obama has a
lot of respect
for Helen
Clark 'but
we'll see how
it goes.'”
In related
conference
news, Susana
Malcorra is
promoting the
“IV Reunión
Extraordinaria
de la Red
Iberoamericana
de Organismos
y
Organizaciones
contra la
Discriminación.”
Vuk
Jeremic by
contrast comes
to New York
for the voting
- perhaps
smart, given
the specific
targeting of
his candidacy
from Kosovo
last week.
Irina Bokova
is fighting
back against a
piece
in the Times
of London by
Andrew
Mitchell
promoting
Kristalina
Georgieva,
including saying
she is
“appalled by
the
'undignified'
campaign
against
her."
On August 23
Inner City
Press asked
August's
Council
President,
Ramlan Bin
Ibrahim of
Malaysia, to
explain this;
he said to
wait for “the
breakfast,” on
September 1,
for it to be
formally
presented.
Meanwhile
another
candidate has
dropped out:
Igor Luksic of
Montenegro. His letter
is here.
Along with Vuk
Jeremic of
neighboring
Serbia, he was
once of the
younger and
more
articulate of
the candidates
-- including answering
the Press on
his budget
back on April
12.
Now since
Luksic
followed
through -- too
rare in the
today's UN --
we'll follow
up as well:
Luksic has
disclosed that
his “travel
expenses
during the
campaign were
34,626.44
euros and
costs related
to the
preparation
and
presentation
of his vision
statement and
the platform
at different
events were
24,204.89
euros,” for a
total of
58,831.33
euros. Will
the other
candidates
disclose?
As
noted, Susana
Malcorra met
with the
European Union
in New York
And more
recently met
with Angola);
Christalina
Figueres was
in Mali.
As we've asked
all
candidates,
who is paying
for that trip?
Last week the
Lancet
inquired how
the race may
impact global
health; watch
this site.
The third
straw poll for
Next UN
Secretary
General is now
set for
Monday, August
29, UN
Security
Council
president
Malaysia told
the press on
August 12. It
will still not
involved color
ballots which
would allow
one ot know if
a candidate's
discourages
involve
permanent,
veto-holding
members. Periscope
video here.
The second
poll happened
on August 5,
leaving
frontrunner
Antonio
Guterres now
with two
discourages.
Inner City
Press' Periscope
video
here. Second
round,
compared to
previous:
Antonio
Guterres:
11-2-2 (prev
12-0-3: one
encourager
left, P5
discourager(s)
came out)
Vuk Jeremic:
8-4-3
(prev 9-5-1:
one less
encourage, one
less
discourage, no
opinion grows)
Susana
Malcorra:
8-6-1 (prev
7-4-4: one
more
encourage, but
two more
discourage)
Danilo Turk:
7-5-3 (prev
11-2-2: four
encouragers
leave, three
more
discourage:
ouch)
Irina Bokova:
7-7-1 (prev
9-4-2: two
less
encourage,
three more
discourage)
Srgjan Kerim
6-7-2 (prev
9-5-1: three
less
encourage, two
more
discourage)
Helen Clark:
6-8-1 (prev
8-5-2: two
less
encourage,
three more
discourage)
Then with no
comparison for
discretion and
feelings,
Christiana
Figueres
5-8-2),
Natalia
Gherman
(3-10-2),
Luksic, Lajcak
- could there
be a
replacement?
The Security
Council's
decision
sources tell
Inner City
Press may well
not come until
October, when
Russia holds
the monthly
presidency of
the Council.
While Antonio
Gutteres led
in the first
round, sources
tell Inner
City Press not
only of P5 in
his “no
opinions” but
also of the
idea floated
of Guterres as
a Deputy
Secretary
General, along
the lines of
today's Jan
Eliasson.
There's been
outreach to
Bulgaria.
Inner City
Press again
hearkens back
to Ban Ki-moon
rejecting
Guterres'
request for a
mere one year
extension at
UNHCR. Is it
pay-back time?
On that front,
while FYROM's
Srgjan Kerim
did better
than expected
in the first
round, now
there are
detractors
pointing back
to a scandal
while he was
President of
the General
Assembly, in
which his
driver was
found with big
time (but not
Iran-sized)
cash, 750,000
euro, on the
Hungarian
border. Inner
City Press
reported it at
the time, and
has been
multiply
contacted
since.
On the issue
of dual
nationality,
first reported
by Inner City
Press,
outgoing
Council member
Spain is said
to have two
stealth
nationals in
the race (and,
as reported, a
desire to keep
an Under
Secretary
General spot
despite what
its Cristina
Gallach has
mis-done with
the Department
of Public
Information:
perhaps
Disarmament
this
time).
Which other
Council
members are
asking for
high posts
from
candidates?
Watch this
site.
And then there
were eleven,
running for
Next Secretary
General of the
UN. Former
Croatian
foreign
minister Vesna
Pusic on
August 4
dropped out,
saying the
results of the
first straw
poll show that
the Security
Council
members want
an insider.
This comes
after the
anticipated
expansion of
the field to
13 with Kevin
Rudd did NOT
happen; Rudd
was
Turnbulled.
But there are
still others
out there. And
the issue of
dual
citizenship,
involving
Spain, is
still in the
mix. The
second straw
poll is set
for August 5
and Inner City
Press, barring
further
censorship by
Ban Ki-moon
and Spain's
highest UN
official
Cristina
Gallach, will
be there.
As the UN
Security
Council on
July 21 held
its first
closed-door
straw poll on
the 12 current
candidates to
replace Ban
Ki-moon as UN
Secretary
General, Inner
City Press
asked UK
Ambassador
Matthew
Rycroft if it
was too late
for
Australia's
Kevin Rudd or
others to get
into the race.
Video
here.
Rycroft
replied that
it is not too
late,
candidates can
enter after
the first
straw poll
pursuant to
the Council's
earlier
letter.
Inner City
Press
understands
that some
Security
Council
members are
reaching out
to still
unannounced
candidates
beyond the
current 12 and
Rudd.
Meanwhile,
Council
sources
indicate that
among
ostensible
frontrunner
Gutteres'
three “no
opinions,” a
Permanent Five
member's veto
waits. Inner
City Press is
told France
supports Irina
Bokova, but
there is
opposition
within the
other P3.
So the real
politik
frontrunners:
Danilo Turk
and Helen
Clark, in this
view. But
others may
loom.
On the dual
nationality
front, we
immediately
report that
Vuk Jeremic
approached
Inner City
Press on July
28 to deny
what some
Council
sources
floated about
his dual
nationality.
Jeremic states
he is Serbian,
only Serbian.
Noted duly,
and
immediately.
Inner
City Press
asked
Ukraine's
Ambassador if
the issue of
Crimea arose
in the
Council's
interviews. He
responded that
a candidate's
position on it
will determine
Ukraine's
support. And
obverse, of
course, is
also true.
We'll have
more on this.
The second
straw poll is
set for August
5.
Below from
multiple
sources are
the results of
the first
straw poll;
Inner City
Press can also
exclusively
report that
questions have
arisen about
dual
nationality of
some
candidates,
including
Christiana
Figueres and
Susana
Malcorra
(Italy /
Spain),
beyond their
listed
countries
which
nominated
them. It
should be
noted that the
UN's “PHP”
forms require
such
disclosures.
On July 25,
Ukraine's
Permanent
Representative
to the UN
emerged from a
closed door
consultation
of the
Security
Council and
told the press
that the
second straw
poll, which
had been
scheduled for
July 29, would
not be held
then, but
instead in the
first week of
August. Asked
if he wouldn't
be on
vacation, he
said no. And
the others?
Or, les
autres?
After Ukraine
said no second
straw poll
this week,
Malaysia's
Ambassador
when asked
said, No final
decision. So
does the
Eastern Europe
Group want a
delay, to
regroup?
Kevin Rudd
continues to
push to get
into the race,
and Susana
Malcorra has
complained of
the results
being leaked.
There's talk
of “strategic
voting” --
which
Permanent Five
members were
among the
three “no
opinions” on
Gutteres? How
could a
country have
no opinion of
the long time
UNHCR chief?
From multiple
sources,
results of the
first straw
poll, in the
format of
Encourage -
Discourage -
No Opinion:
Antonio
Guterres:
12-0-3
Danilo Turk:
11-2-2
Irina Bokova:
9-4-2
Srgjan Kerim
9-5-1
Vuk Jeremic:
9-5-1;
Helen Clark:
8-5-2
Miroslav
Lajcak: 7-3-5
Susanna
Malcorra:
7-4-4
Christiana
Figueres:
5-5-5
Natalia
Gherman: 4-4-7
Igor Luksic:
3-7-5
Vesna Pusic:
2-11-2
After the
straw polling,
Ambassadors
said no
comment and it
went well;
Council
President Koro
Bessho said
much the same
on UNTV. Inner
City Press
asked him if
the actual
results had
been given to
the President
of the General
Assembly.
Bessho began
to say yes,
then
clarified, no.
The
"frontrunner"
Antonio
Gutteres is
the one
without a
Twitter
account; the
runner-up
Danilo Turk to
his credit
wants
whistleblower
Kompass back
in the UN.
It's worth
remembering
that Gutteres
was dissed by
Ban Ki-moon
when he asked
for one more
year atop
UNHCR. Sources
say Malcorra
and Andrew
Gilmour,
recently
promoted
without proper
process, were
involved in
the decision
on
Gutteres.
Revenge? Or
just more of
Ban's bad
judgment, like
he and his
head of
"Public
Information" Cristina
Gallachevicting
Inner City
Press as it
covers the UN?
US Ambassador
Samantha
Power, who
took no
questions,
named issues
for the Next
SG, from
counter-terrorism
to the
sustainable
development
goals.
One wondered
if the Obama
administration
has conferred
with Hillary
Clinton on its
position - and
what would
happen if the
Security
Council hasn't
decided later
in the Fall
and the US
presidential
race is still
open.
French
Ambassador
Francois
Delattre said
counter-terrorism
is a separate
issue; one
wanted to ask
him if France
is as before
linking Next
SG to an Under
Secretary
General
position,
different this
time than the
UN
Peacekeeping
that Herve
Ladsous has
nearly
destroyed.
Venezuela's
Rafael Ramirez
spoke at
nearly the
same time and
was asked if
he supports
one of the two
(for now)
Latin American
candidates. End of video here; we've noted
that Alicia
Barcena has
been in New
York.
Candidates to
replace Ban
Ki-moon as UN
Secretary
General worked
it on July 13,
with Vuk
Jeremic,
Christiana
Figueres and
Danilo Turk
debating at
CUNY, Miroslav
Lajcak meeting
with the
Secrurity
Council then
opening a
photo exhibit
on the floor
below it, and
Helen Clark in
DC.
Now on July
17, Kevin Rudd
has made his
move. Julie
Bishop went
public with
Rudd's request
for
Australia's
nomination to
be Next SG;
Rudd on
Facebook said
“I respect the
internal
processes of
the Australian
Government. I
respect the
fact that the
Government has
many other
priorities at
this time,
having just
been returned
to office.
This is a
matter for the
Prime
Minister, the
Foreign
Minister and
their
colleagues at
a time of
their
choosing.”
Existing
candidate
Bokova put off
UNESCO's
decision on
Jerusalem
until October,
citing the
failed coup in
Turkey.
Meanwhile, as
Inner City
Press first
reported,
Security
Council
members are
reaching out
to candidates
beyong the 12
announced -
and beyond
Rudd - to for
a Next SG.
We'll have
more on this.
On July 13,
weaknesses in
Ban Ki-moon's
final years
were apparent
in much of
what was said.
Jeremic said
peacekeeping
is failing and
that an SG
need a
backbone - to
Inner City
Press this
connoted Ban's
back-down to
Saudi Arabia,
removing them
from the Yemen
Children and
Armed Conflict
list.
Danilo
Turk recalled
chiding
diplomats for
being
unresponsible
on vacation
during an
August of
scorched earth
in Kosovo, and
said an SG
needs to do
that. Figueres
returned to
the topic of
Haiti; even
Helen Clark
speaking in DC
chided the
UN's
performance in
Syria, at
least during
the first
three and a
half years.
Video of
Clark's
presentation here.
(Whether UNDP
has done
better since
then, and why
UNDP and Clark
have yet to
hold a press
conference on
UNDP's role in
the Ng Lap
Seng UN
bribery
scandal
remained
unaddressed.)
Security
Council
president for
July Koro
Bessho of
Japan said the
Council met
earlier in the
day with
Lajcak, after
meeting Kerim
on July 8th,
Pusic, Gherman
and Gutteres
on the 11th
and Malcorra
on the 12th.
Gallach
without once
speaking to
Inner City
Press - but
having been questioned by it on her
role in the Ng
Lap Seng
scandal, a
role noted in
OIOS'
audit at
Paragraphs
37-40 and
20(b) - ousted
and then
evicted Inner
City Press
this year,
purporting to
give its
long-time
workspace to
an Egyptian
state media
which rarely
comes to the
UN and never
asks
questions.
This must be
reversed.
On July 14,
Figueres will
do her
interactive
dialogue with
the General
Assembly then
a stakeout.
Unless subject
to
Gallach-triggered
censorship
like on July
12, audio here,
Inner City
Press will be
there. Watch
this site.
Before ten
candidates for
Next UN
Secretary
General were
asked
questions in a
General
Assembly Hall
given over to
Al Jazeera,
Inner City
Press asked
the UN and the
President of
the General
Assembly (PGA)
why there was
no UNTV
stakeout in
front so other
journalists
could ask
questions.
None was
provided but
Inner City
Press was told
to just go
there after
the debate and
ask questions.
The debate had
questions
mostly from Al
Jazeera - no
mention of
Saudi / Yemen
or the Ng Lap
Seng UN
bribery case
-- and from
ambassadors.
Whereas Al
Jazeera had
not asked the
first panel of
five
candidates
about
peacekeeper
sexual abuse,
Liechtenstein
to its credit
did. But the
follow up on
the firing of
whistleblower
Kompass was
not put to
Susana
Malcorra on
the first
panel, who was
involved in
the firing.
Likewise on
Haiti cholera,
without follow
up Helen Clark
said that she
wouldn't
comment on
reparations
because there
is a case in
the courts.
But in this
case, the UN -
or really, the
US for the UN
which refuses
to show up in
court - is
arguing for
immunity. So
the obvious
question to
candidates
would be,
would you
waive
immunity? Not
asked.
Christiana
Figueres
raised her
hand on giving
an apology,
but again said
no to
reparations.
Ultimately,
that's
impunity. Here
is a fast
write-up of
(some of) the
debate, with
Inner City
Press / Free
UN Coalition
for Access
commentary in
italics:
Vesna Pusic:
I’ve done a
lot of
jobs…but I
truly believe
in
development,
human rights.
And I want to
do this
because I
believe in
countering
cynicism.
There’s a lot
of cynicism in
politics
today.
ICP /
FUNCA: Much
cynicism about
the UN springs
from its
impunity for
rapes, cholera
and
corruption.
Gutteres: I
want to help
end human
suffering,
reduce
conflicts. We
have terrible
threats like
terrorism,
climate
change, and
ordinary
people don’t
have enough of
a voice. We
need greater
leadership and
values. The
Secretary
General must
be a solid,
ethical
reference. ICP
/ FUNCA:
Currently not
the case.
Malcorra: We
need a UN
that’s much
closer to the
people, driven
by the issues.
We need a
secretary
general who’s
ready to lead
and to listen.
Jeremic: We
live in an era
of great
challenges:
the UN is the
only
organization
where we can
address our
global
challenges.
But there’s a
great need for
UN reform.
ICP / FUNCA:
On reform,
agreed.
Gherman:
....Moldova…we
must also work
to find common
ground and
unity…
Vague question
about what
kind of
leadership is
needed at the
UN
Pusic: In
today’s world,
there’s too
much emphasis
on being
popular.
Instead, we
need deep
conviction,
perseverance,
and courage.
Gherman:
Secretary
General’s job
is to draw
attention to
issues that
would
otherwise go
unnoticed.
Guterres:
Communication
is so
important. And
unfortunately,
the UN does
many important
projects, but
doesn’t
communicate
well. We need
to speak
clearly, in
ordinary
language,
without
relying so
much on
jargon. ICP
/ FUNCA:
Gutteres has
no Twitter
handle, it
seems.
Jeremic: When
I was a young
man, I
witnessed the
consequences
of a
catastrophic
failure of
diplomacy. I
fought for
democracy and
human rights.
We need an
action-oriented
leader, with
concrete
plans. This is
not time for
speeches, it’s
time for
action.
Question about
the situation
in South Sudan
– should the
UN
peacekeepers
be doing more?
ICP /
FUNCA:
Question
failed to
included not
only locked
gate in Wau,
but cover up
of deaths.
Malcorra:
What’s
happening in
South Sudan is
“deeply
disturbing”.
There’s a lack
of leadership.
The UN mission
has a mandate
to protect
people. But it
doesn’t have a
mandate to
fight, or to
try and stop
the fighting
between the
parties. In
the end it’s
up to the
leaders of
South Sudan.
Question about
whether
“international
justice” (the
International
Criminal
Court) is
biased against
Africans
Guterres: The
courts need to
pay more
attention to
non-African
issues.
Jeremic: This
is a critical,
significant
issue, and we
need to work
towards a more
perfect
justice.
Malcorra: We
need to do a
better job of
engaging with
African
countries to
see whether
the Rome
Statute needs
any changes.
Africa needs
to be more
engaged, not
less. ICP
/ FUNCA: Her
Kenya example
was nitty
gritty.
Gherman: Peace
is justice,
and justice is
peace…the
current
situation is
regrettable.
Pusic: The
system isn’t
perfect, but
it’s the best
we’ve got.
Question about
increasing the
UN’s capacity
to address
violence
Jeremic: We
need to devote
greater
resources to
conflict
prevention. We
need to move a
lot of staff
away from New
York, and into
the field, so
that there’s
less paper
shuffling and
more action. ICP
/ FUNCA: Was
Jeremic's 20%
proposal the
reasons
Figueres at
the end
praised UN
staff?
Question about
gender parity
(should there
be an emphasis
on giving
women more
jobs at the
UN) Everyone
says yes,
gender parity
is important;
the women
candidates
stress this a
lot more than
the men.
Gherman: we
have to lead
by example –
inspire member
states towards
gender parity
by choosing a
woman to be
SG.
Closing
statements
Pusic: I’ll
answer the
question about
women in
public
positions: I’m
a woman and a
feminist, and
I think this
is important,
because the UN
was dominated
for 70 years
by men.
Gutteres: I’ve
served at the
UN for more
than 10 years
as high
commissioner
for refugees.
I feel obliged
to present
myself as
candidate for
SG.
Malcorra: this
is a time when
the UN needs
to INSPIRE. We
need a leader
who can
inspire,
listen, and
deliver. I
think I can do
that.
Jeremic: we
are living in
difficult
times, but I
do believe in
the UN.
If you want
more of the
same old
things, I’m
not your
candidate. But
if you want a
rejuvenated,
reinvigorated
UN, then
support me.
Gherman:
Whatever we
do, we have
one major
ally: the
people. If we
manage to
bring back the
relevance of
the UN to the
people, win
their hearts
and mind,
we’ve created
a good
partnership.
Second panel
Helen Clark --
with her own
video edits --
The UN has
many
challenges –
development,
environment,
peace and
security. We
have to work
to implement
the agendas on
climate change
and
development.
But we really
have to get
better at
preventing
conflict and
resolving
conflict. And
I have the
vision to lead
this
organization
to make a
better, safer,
fairer world.
Danilo Turk:
We need to
renovate the
UN. For that
we need
experience,
commitment,
and vision.
And I have
great
experience in
human rights,
political
issues. It’s
important to
develop
partnerships
with civil
society,
academia, and
the business
community.
Figueres: I
know this work
is difficult,
because I’ve
done it. I was
behind the
most
ambitious,
unanimous
climate change
agreement.
That was
possible
because we
worked
together with
patience and
determination.
Igor Luksic:
We have to be
ready for the
new challenges
that the world
presents. In
my part of the
world there
were
challenges,
massacres. We
have developed
a transitional
experience
that can show
the world
examples of
what the world
today needs.
The UN faces
major
challenges. We
have to work
on gender
parity, but we
also have to
prepare the
world for the
youth.
Bokova: There
are 2 reasons
I became a
candidate for
this position.
We in eastern
Europe have
gone through a
profound
change, we are
deep believers
in
multilateralism
and in
democracy
because of
that. I think
that this
experience
means that I
can lead the
UN.
Question about
the importance
of
geographical
rotation:
Bokova:
Geographic
rotation is
very
important, for
the culture of
the UN, for
the
representation
of all the
countries. And
I have done it
by example at
UNESCO.
Clark: My
country
belongs to the
group called
“Western
Europe and
others.” My
little country
has never had
a Secretary
General. I
think we need
a global
search for the
best talent.
Turk:
Geographical
rotation is
crucial. If we
want fair and
decent
processes, we
need to work
on the basis
of
rotation.But
the Secretary
General must
serve the
whole UN, not
only his
regional
group.
Luksic: I
think it’s
right for the
Eastern
European group
gets the
chance to
offer
candidates.
But this is
about the
challenges
we’re facing
in today’s
world
Figeres: we
need to open
up the field
as wide as
possible to
all
candidates.
Q about the
practical
functioning of
the Security
Council
Clark: The
Council is
outdated, it
still reflects
the reality of
1945 and not
today’s
reality. I’d
like to help
change that.
Figueres: A
good SG will
help the
Council
members move
towards the
true common
goal of peace.
Q: How would
you move
things forward
on Israel and
Palestine?
Bokova: We
need to build
trust. There’s
a lack of
political
process, lack
of
negotiations.
Without trust,
this will be
impossible to
resolve.
Q: on Syria,
what would you
tell people
affected by
this conflict?
Turk: The UN
has really
lost
credibility in
Syria. We need
to step up
humanitarian
assistance,
the Secretary
General needs
to work to
come up with
more specific
proposals
before
September.
Luksic:
Secretary
General always
needs to take
the lead and
be proactive.
People are
becoming
disillusioned
in the UN, the
way it does
nothing but
issue press
statements and
express
concern. We
need more
honest
discussions.
Question about
sexual abuse
committed by
peacekeepers -
from
Liechtenstein
Figueres: I
believe in
zero tolerance
for sexual
abuse.
Immunity
cannot be
impunity. All
those who’ve
been found
guilty of
sexual abuse
must be held
to account.
Clark: We must
make sure all
troops are
fully trained.
Any hint of
abuse must be
reported and
taken
seriously, any
suspected
abuser must be
suspended and
sent home to
be prosecuted
and punished.
If countries
don’t do that,
the UN has to
stop accepting
troops from
those
countries.
Luksic: We
have so many
more
peacekeepers
than we used
to, and the
peacekeeping
budget is
huge. But
there’s
nothing more
shameful than
the idea that
peacekeepers
abused
civilians.
Those
contingents
should be
removed right
away and the
guilty should
be punished.
The UN has to
be a moral
leader.
Turk: We have
to learn a
lesson from
the story of
Anders
Kompass... I
hope we can
bring Kompass
back to the
UN.
ICP /
FUNCA: But Al
Jazeera didn't
put the
Kompass
question to
Malcorra,
who was
involved
Q about
implementing
the agenda for
development
Bokova:
adopting the
sustainable
development
goals was a
very big
achievement.
But to make
the system
adequate and
comprehensive,
we need
involvement of
the Secretary
General.
Q: about the
migration
crisis
Figueres: We
have 65
million
migrants
today, the
largest number
ever.
Migration
isn’t just a
humanitarian
issue; it has
to do with
peace and
security and
development.
We have to
make sure
migrants are
treated with
dignity. We
have to share
global
responsibility
for the
situation, and
we have to
look at the
root causes of
migration.
Turk: We have
to implement
and enforce
international
law on
migration. We
have to make
sure migrants
have the right
to work.
Clark: The
refugees who
have come to
my country are
good people,
looking for a
fresh start.
People don’t
flee their
homes for no
reason. Any of
us in their
situation
would flee.
Turkey has
allowed
refugees to
work; other
countries are
moving in that
direction, and
I give them
credit.
Luksic: We
need to focus
on
development.
Q about
reducing
gender
discrimination
and violence
against women
Bokova: there
is nothing
more important
than education
– for girls
and women. It
empowers girls
to continue
with their
lives.
Q about Haiti
and the UN’s
involvement in
bringing
cholera to
Haiti: Raise
your hand,
would you take
responsibility
for bringing
cholera to
Haiti and
apologize to
the Haitian
people?
Only Figueres
raised her
hand, and said
the reputation
of the UN has
been
tarnished. It
was
unintended;
but we have to
be responsible
even for
unintended
consequences.
The UN is not
in a position
to pay
compensation.
But it is in a
position to
make sure the
disease is
eradicated.
ICP /
FUNCA: Isn't
this still
impunity,
then?
Clark: We have
a case before
the courts in
this country.
We can’t
comment on
that yet.
Cholera is
still in
Haiti, and the
critical thing
now is to
rally support
now.
ICP /
FUNCA:
Moderators
should have
asked, Would you
waive
immunity?
Q about UN
reform,
Banburry piece
Bokova: we
need to become
more
efficient. We
need to give a
bigger part of
the budget to
human rights
and political
missions.
Turk: We
welcome
criticism of
the UN, we
have to find
ways to
address it and
reform. I’d
like to meet
with the
Office of
Internal
Oversight to
find ways to
improve.
Clark: many
people working
in the UN are
upset by the
culture of
waste and
bureaucracy;
this needs to
be reformed.
Luksic: We
need to review
the budget and
identify
inefficiencies.
It was
recently found
that 70
percent of
development
funding is
mis-spent.
Bokova: I did
a great job at
UNESCO
managing with
a reduced
budget, I
could do the
same as
Secretary
General.
CLOSING
REMARKS
Bokova: I will
fight for
dialogue,
tolerance,
peace. The UN
should instill
the feeling of
a common
community of
values.
Luksic: We
need to bring
back a sense
of optimism,
engage with
young people,
extend
partnerships.
Figueres: The
UN staff has
called for
increased
leadership,
and I would be
deeply honored
to lead that
team.
Turk: The UN
can be
criticized,
but we have
wonderful,
hardworking
people in the
secretariat.
We have to be
humble, but
also proud.
Clark: These
are issues
I’ve worked on
all my life,
and I’d relish
having the
chance to
carry on that
work and try
to build a
better future.
After the
“debate,”
which entirely
omitted the
obvious
question of
outgoing
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon
dropping Saudi
Arabia from
the UN's Yemen
Children and
Armed Conflict
list was never
asked by Al
Jazeera, and
even the name
of former PGA
John Ashe
indicted for
bribery
including of
Ban's
Secretariat,
Inner City
Press ran to
go ask those
questions in
front of the
GA.
But it
was not
possible: the
UN Media
Accreditation
office was
closed, and no
UN security
officer on
duty at the
turnstile that
Inner City
Press'
Ban-reduced
pass no longer
opens.
The eviction
was for
seeking to
cover an
event, nowhere
listed in
writing as
closed, to
pursue the Ng
Lap Seng UN
briber case;
the ouster and
eviction order
were by
Cristina
Gallach whose
participation
in Ng's South
South Awards
Inner City
Press asked
her about, and
whose lack of
due diligence
of Ng's Global
Sustainability
Foundation as
it sponsored
the UN's
slavery
memorial are criticized
in the UN's
own audit.
This is
today's UN: it
must be
cleaned up.
As the UN and
UNDP bribery
scandal
gathered force
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon called
for an audit
by the UN
Office of
Internal
Oversight
Services of
the Global
Sustainability
Foundation
(GSF), David
Ng Lap Seng's
Sun Kian Ip
Group and its
affiliates
including the
"World Harmony
Foundation"
and South
South News,
among others.
The now
expanded case
has
implications
for Helen
Clark, head of
UNDP running
to replace
Ban, and the
also-running
Susana
Malcorra,
formely Ban's
chief of
staff.
But for the
July 12
"debate"
involving this
duo and all
but two of the
other
candidates,
current
President of
the General
Assembly
Mogens
Lykketoft's
spokesman Dan
Thomas told
Inner City
Press he would
be surprised
if the bribery
case came up.
Why not?
On July
11 Inner City
Press asked
Lykketoft why
there will be
no UN
Television
stakeout in
front of the
GA hall for
the debate.
Thomas
answered, that
the candidates
will be too
tired. Who
decided? Inner
City Press
requested that
a UNTV
stakeout be
set up; Thomas
said “you are
the only one
to ask.”
Inner City
Press replied,
“Take a poll.”
Later Inner
City Press was
told by UNTV
sources that
they can only
distribute
video of the
debate in the
GA Hall for
ten days after
it; “after
that it's all
Al Jazeera,”
one of the
sources said,
disgusted.
Privatization
of the UN?
We'll be
asking.
Update of July
12: The Office
of the PGA
says the UN
will still
have rights to
the video Al
Jazeera shoot
after ten
days. Duly
noted - and
requested.
Inner City
Press asked
them, and then
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman, for
a copy of the
agreement.
Neither has
provided it;
the latter
said that's a
question for
DPI, on which
he has refused
to answer why
DPI sponsored
an event in
the UN by the
"Malko
Investment
Group." Nor
has South
South News
content being
in UNTV's
archives been
explain. We
reiterate, a
UN privatized
and worse.
On July 7
Inner City
Press asked
Figueres about
the
peacekeeper
rapes in
Central
African
Republic,
about the Ng
Lap Seng UN
bribery case
spreading to
UNDP, and if
the UN should
pay
reparations in
Haiti for
cholera.
Figueres said
immunity
cannot be
impunity, but
that the UN
cannot pay
individual
reparations.
Some ask,
isn't that
impunity? In
fairness,
Periscope
of audio
here.
Inner City
Press asked
PGA Mogens
Lykketoft's
spokesman Dan
Thomas if he
expectes the
Ng Lap Seng
case to be
asked about
during the two
hour "debate"
with Al
Jazeera on
July 12.
Thomas said it
is such a
"specific"
issue he
didn't expect
it to be
raised. Video
here. Thus
the UN is
never
reformed.
Figueres'
informal with
the General
Assembly will
be July 14,
3-5 pm.
The UN
Development
Program began
its own audit,
which Inner
City Press
published here,
and asked
Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric for a
press
conference
about.
Next SG
candidate
Helen Clark,
having run
UNDP for the
last seven
years, has not
held a press
conference on
it.
Susana
Malcorra,
Ban's former
chief of staff
also vying for
Next SG, in
2014 accept
one of Ng Lap
Seng's South
South Awards.
Inner City
Press reported
this back in
October 2015
-- and was
physically
ousted from
the UN in
February 2016
(audio
here), and
its long time
office evicted
in April 2016
(video
here).
The pretext
for both was
Inner City
Press seeking
to cover, in a
UN Press
Briefing Room
event that
even the UN
says there was
no written
notice of
being closed,
Ng's links
with press
corps
insiders: his
entities
bought
inflated price
seats and got
face time with
Ban Ki-moon.
With
pretextually
reduced
access, Inner
City Press
nevertheless
asked Malcorra
about the Ng
Lap Seng case.
Malcorra tried
to write it
entirely off
to holes in
the PGA's
office; now a
ponderous
profile of
Malcorra
doesn't even
MENTION the Ng
Lap Seng /
John Ashe
case, as the
UN's ouster
and eviction
of the Press,
Ng's table-
and slavery
memorial-buying
and Gallach's
lack of due
diligence were
not mentioned.
Who's the
insider? This
is today's UN.
But
these
questions must
be asked and
will be
pursued.
So will the
impact of the
expected
Figueres for
Next SG
announcement
by Costa Rica.
Watch this
site.
On July 1,
Inner City
Press asked
this Ban
Ki-moon
spokesman, who
was previously
spokesman for
UNDP's Helen
Clark, who
running to
replace Ban,
about the
superseding
indictment of
Ng Lap Seng to
include UNDP
and all acts
through
September
2015.
Paragraph 12
names the
Secretary
General, who
has tried to
minimize the
scandal, most
recently
offering
unequivocal
praise to John
Ashe (RIP)
unlike even
Ashe's
successor as
President of
the General
Assembly Mogen
Lykketoft.
Helen Clark's
UNDP,
meanwhile, has
still not held
the press
conference
about the
scandal that
Dujarric
repeatedly
told Inner
City Press
would take
place once
UNDP's audit
was released.
To some it
appears
Dujarric is
covering up
not only for
his current
boss Ban
Ki-moon, but
now also his
previous boss
Clark. This is
today's UN.
If there are
eleven and
prospectively
more
candidates for
Next SG, and
one of them
presides over
a UN agency
just named
explicitly in
a bribery case
in which
several
defendants
have already
pleaded
guilty, how
long can this
issue be swept
under the UN
rug, even if
Dujarric uses
the UN podium
to cut off and
shout down
questions?
Even as
members of
Helen Clark's
troll army
provide nasty
"defense,"
along with UN
scribes, to
complement
Clark's more
sunny social
media persona?
Others have
noticed that
Dujarric, who
reappeared as
Ban's
spokesman
after doing
the same for
Kofi Annan
(after a
period with a
no show job in
the UN's 1B
basement then
for Clark) may
be positioning
himself to
continue at
the podium if
Clark wins.
Only in the UN
system is this
even possible.
We'll have
more on this. Video here; UN
Transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: the UN
bribery case
of Ng Lap Seng
has now had a
superseding
indictment
that accuses
Mr. Ng of
buying
benefits from
UNDP (United
Nations
Development
Programme) and
expands the
time limit of
the case up to
September
2015.
So, one, I'm
wondering if
you have any
comment on
this, as it
seems to be an
expanding
case.
And, two, I
want to
reiterate the
request now
for several
months that
UNDP hold a
press
conference, at
least on the
audit that it
released, and…
and state
where… why the
money that was
given…
Spokesman:
I think on
your… on your
second part,
you can
address that
request to
UNDP.
Inner City
Press: I
have.
Spokesman:
I have not
seen the new
indictment, so
I cannot
comment on it.
Inner
CityPress:
You had said
from here that
they would do
it. I've
spoken to the
head of the
office, and he
hasn't done
it. I'm
wondering, has
the Secretary,
Ban Ki-moon,
head of the
system…
Spokesman:
I know where
we are.
Inner City
Press:
Cover up.
Spokesman:
You're always
free and have
always been
free to
express your
opinions.
Dujarric said
Inner City
Press is free
to say what it
wants . Yes:
from the
street, to
which Ban and
his Head of
Communications,
with an assist
from Dujarric,
first threw
Inner City
Press on
February 19 (audio
here) then
evicted its
files (Video
here.) On
July 1,
Dujarric at
noon said he
hadn't read
the
superseding
indictment.
Then he left
the UN just
after 3 pm,
with no
briefing for
six days. This
IS a cover up,
on which we're
have more.
The
audit of Ban's
Secretariat,
completed
early this
year but first
put online
by Inner City
Press,
directly
criticizes
Cristina
Gallach, the
Under
Secretary
General for
Communications
and Public
Information.
On June 29,
Inner City
Press asked UN
spokesman
Farhan Haq, video here,
UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: Monday
down in… in
Federal Court,
there was a
hearing for
Mr. Ng Lap
Seng in the
ongoing case,
and Assistant
District
Attorney
[Daniel]
Richenthal
basically
widened the
case and said
they're going
to be… there's
more things
they're
looking at as
to Ng Lap
Seng, and he
also described
in more detail
a, quote,
conduit of
bribery taking
place within
the UN.
And I wanted
to know, since
you've said
you're
monitoring it,
what is the
UN's response
to the new
information
that was
presented on
Monday?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Yeah, we are
aware of the
latest
information,
and, as I've
pointed out,
the situation
of South-South
News is under
review.
It continues
to be under
review, but
certainly, any
new
information is
useful in
light of that.
After the
above, a
corporate news
wire which has
a conflict of
interest on
this passed
through South
South News'
claims that it
has had "no connection with any government at any level"
- this is
false. But the
conflicted
corporate
wire, with its
own Permanent
seat on the
board of hte
UN
Correspondents
Assocation
which took
money from
Ng's South
South News,
merely passes
through the
denial. Call
it journalism?
We'll have
more on this.
On June 27,
former South
South News
reporter
turned
spokesperson
for John Ashe
and now his
family wrote
to the UN
press corps,
some of whom
she saw over
the weekend:
"Dear Friends
and Dear UN
and Media
Representatives,
I am kindly
forwarding a
Statement from
the Family of
the late John.
W. Ashe,
President of
the UN General
Assembly 68th
Session, at
the request of
his widowed
wife, Anilla
Cherian.I have
accepted to
forward this
Statement in
my personal
capacity and
in honor of
Ambassador
Ashe’s legacy
as a
long-serving
diplomat.
I will not be
addressing any
questions and
I do
appreciate
your
understanding.
It was very
nice seeing
several of you
over the
weekend. I
hope you are
all doing
well."
If the goal
was to
distinguish
South South
News from John
Ashe and Ng
Lap Seng, this
doesn't do it.
The audit
deals with
South South
News - which
as of June 27
STILL has a UN
office, photo
here,
UNlike Inner
City Press. In
Ban's UN one
only gets due
process if one
has money, or
pays money, as
South South
News did,
including to
the UN
Correspondents
Association
which then
gave Ng Lap
Seng a
photo-op with
Ban. Or as the
Saudis did to
get Ban to
remove them
from the Yemen
Children and
Armed Conflict
annex.
On June 27 in
Federal Court,
Assistant U.S.
Attorney
Daniel
Richenthal
said that
South South
News was a
conduit for
bribery
involving the
now
conveniently
(and
mysteriously)
deceased
former PGA
John Ashe.
(Some with
links to Ashe
try to erase
all trace, but
here
is one:
UNCA with
AAshe's
spokesperson
Konja,
formerly of
South South
News), which
one
wire-with-a-conflict
covering this
story never
mentions.
Compare to this.)
Meanwhile
while Inner
City Press can
only work with
minders, its
office given
to Akhbar
Elyom's
correspondent,
a former UNCA
presdient,
sits empty and
Gallach
gallavants in
Paris. We'll
have more on
all this.
Nor does Ban's
audit mention
that his Sri
Lanka adviser
Vijay Nambiar
and his
spouse, Ban
Soon-taek,
were both
present at the
founding of
the Global
Sustainability
Foundation;
the latter
took photos
with South
South News'
indicted
Vivian Wang at
the UN
Correspondents
Association
ball where
UNCA gave Ng,
from whose
South South
News it took
money, a photo
op with Ban
himself.
On April 16,
at Ban's and
his USG
Cristina
Gallach's
direction,
Inner City
Press' long
time UN office
in S-303 was
evicted and
five boxes of
files were
dumped onto
First Avenue.
Video
here and here.
On April 20,
the Free UN
Coalition for
Access sign on
S-303 was
removed (photo
here)
without the
consent of
Inner City
Press' office
mate, also a
FUNCA member,
who was told
that the lock
was being
changed,
presumably to
sell the
office to
someone else.
Inner City
Press
immediately
objected to
MALU, the DSG,
Chef de
Cabinet and
Spokesman,
putting them
on notice.
And lo and
behold it was
given to a
former UNCA
president who
never comes to
the UN, never
asks
questions:
Saana Youssef
of Egyptian
state media
Akhbar Elyom.
This is Ban's
UN.
UNCA,
at least under
Giampaolo
Pioli, openly
tells people
to pay it
money, it can
get them UN
official
space. This is
corruption.
Now
since the
eviction of
Inner City
Press, South
South News has
sent out a
press release
saying that
despite the
guilty plea by
its President
Francis
Lorenzo and
indictment of
its Vice
President
Vivan Wang, it
is clean - and
blames its
problems on a
"few
independent
journalists."
Wonder who's
referred to -
as the other
one(s).
Not Reuters,
which passes
through
without
analysis South
South News'
press releases
- and without
disclosing
that Reuters'
Lou
Charbonneau
and now
Michelle
Nichols have
occupied
Reuters'
permanent seat
on the
Executive
Committee of
the UN
Correspondents
Association,
which took
South South
News' money
then arranged
a photo op for
Ng Lap Seng
with Ban
Ki-moon.
South
South News'
founding is
described in
the John Ashe
and Ng Lap
Seng
indictment; it
is portrayed
through gauze
in the OIOS
audit. The
name South
South News has
appeared in
the Panama
Papers.
For
now, another
UN example. To
deliver
"personal"
invitations to
the South
South Awards,
which USG
Gallach
attended in
September
2015, South
South News
needed access
to the UN
during the
Septameber
High Level
week. So,
Inner City
Press is
informed,
South South
News personnel
got D or
Diplomat
passes through
Lorenzo's
Dominican
Republic
mission to the
UN. Back,
indeed.
Here
are an initial
two of many
photographs of
that event,
these by Luiz
Rampelotto of
Europa
Newswire via
Facebook,
including one
of now
indicted
Vivian Wang of
South South
News with Mrs.
Ban
Here's from
South South
News' press
release:
"It is
disgraceful
that a few
independent
journalists
are exhibiting
a lack of
professionalism
and
irresponsibility
by attacking
everything and
anyone they
believe is
linked to this
case. This is
often done by
insinuation,
guilt by
association
and baseless
assumptions
that disparage
many innocent
people and
organizations.
Irresponsible
assumptions,
fact-twisting
and
misinformation
serve to
distort the
perception of
the situation,
while
affecting our
hard work and
the work of
many innocent
people who
have
absolutely
nothing to do
with this
case.
These types of
attacks are
counterproductive
and
unprofessional.
We believe
these attacks
reflect poorly
on the
integrity of
the profession
of journalism
as a whole.
Not to justify
any illegal
activities,
but all sorts
of
organizations
worldwide have
been victims
of
unscrupulous
people, as
have other
organizations
facing similar
circumstances.
We as
employees will
defend our
hard and
honest work
and we will
defend the
commitment to
our goals and
objectives of
producing
quality
journalism to
inform about
these
important
issues. This
hard-earned
reputation has
been tainted
by some
unscrupulous
acts. Many
media and
administrative
professionals
have proudly
worked for
South-South
News and can
attest to the
integrity of
our media
operation.
This is a
complex case
in which many
players from
different
organizations
and events
have been
implicated, as
detailed in
the
Government’s
complaint. It
is working its
way through
the United
States
judiciary
system, as it
well should.
If you have
questions
regarding the
people
mentioned in
the US
Government
complaint, you
should contact
their legal
representatives
directly.
Again,
South-South
News is
continuing its
professional
day-to-day
functions by
providing some
of the most
comprehensive,
high-quality
coverage of
the UN and
disseminating
information on
global
development
issues."
The same
indicted
Vivian Wang of
South South
News with
David Ng Lap
Seng at the
same UNCA
event
On
this, Inner
City Press on
January 29
sought to
cover an UNCA
event held in
the UN Press
Briefing Room,
which was
nowhere listed
as
closed.
On February
19
Gallach,
without
recusing
herself,
unilaterally
deactivated
Inner City
Press UN
residential
correspondents
pass, and had
Inner City
Press'
reporter
physically
thrown out on
First Avenue
without coat
or passport. Audio
here.
This is
called
retaliation.
On the
afternoon of
April 12,
Inner City
Press while
with another
colleague
asked Ban
about
Gallach's
orders.
"That
is not my
decision," Ban
said quickly.
He is aware;
the ouster and
censorship
serve him, but
he says it is
not his
decision, just
as for example
Sri Lanka's
Mahinda
Rajapaksa or
higher profile
censors might.
On the
evening of
April 12
Gallach ordered
the final
eviction
of all of
Inner City
Press'
investigative
files on
Saturday,
April 16 at 10
am. This is
the face of
today's UN
corruption.
This is what
the UN
eviction order
sent to Inner
City Press
says:
Subject:
Office
To:matthew.lee
[at]
innercitypress.com
From: Tal
Mekel [at]
un.org
Date: Tue, Apr
12, 2016 at
6:47 PM
Dear Mr. Lee,
Further to the
letter to you
from Cristina
Gallach,
Under-Secretary-General
for
Communications
and Public
Information,
on 30 March
2016, we note
that you did
not remove
your
belongings
from the
office by the
6 April
deadline as
required.
As you have
still not
removed your
belongings, we
wish to inform
you that your
belongings
will be
packaged on
Saturday 16
April 2016 at
10:00 a.m.
After
carefully
packaging them
up, your
belongings
will be
forwarded to
Bronx NY
headquarters
address for
Inner City
Press that you
had listed in
your media
accreditation
application.
If you wish us
to forward
your packaged
belongings to
another
address
instead,
please let us
know as soon
as possible.
We request
your presence
during the
packing.
Please contact
the Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit (MALU) to
make the
necessary
arrangements.
If you are not
present, the
packing and
forwarding
will still
take place at
10:00 a.m. on
Saturday 16
April 2016.
Best, Tal
Tal Mekel
Acting Chief
Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit
United Nations
- S-250
New York, NY
10017
And here is
some of what
the OIOS
audit says,
about USG
Gallach:
"37. On 30
June 2015,
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
sponsored an
exhibition
titled “The
Transformative
Power of Art”
in the
visitors’
lobby at
United Nations
Headquarters.
This
exhibition was
curated by an
Italian
artist, whose
works were
displayed
along with the
works of other
artists
participating
in one of his
workshops.
38.
Exhibitions in
publicly
accessible
areas at
Headquarters
are governed
by the
Secretary
General’s
Bulletin
ST/SGB/2008/6,
which
stipulates,
inter alia, as
follows:
(a) The United
Nations
Exhibits
Committee,
which is an
interdepartmental
body of the
Secretariat
chaired by the
Under
Secretary
General for
Communications
and Public
Information
[Cristina
Gallach] is
the standing
body that
reviews and
authorizes
such
exhibitions;
(b) Any
proposal
originating
from an NGO or
foundation
must be
accompanied by
a written
communication
of support
from a
Secretariat
department or
office, a
separately
administered
organ or
programme of
the United
Nations, an
organization
of the United
Nations system
or a permanent
or observer
mission to the
United
Nations;
(c) Exhibit
proposals
focusing on a
specific
individual, or
originating
from a single
artist, shall
not be
permitted;
(d) The
Exhibits
Committee may,
at its
discretion,
reject a
proposal for
an exhibit in
part or in its
entirety, or
require the
elimination or
alteration of
any part
thereof; and
(e) The
secretariat of
the Exhibits
Committee
shall inform
the Assistant
Secretary
General,
Office of
Central
Support
Services, of
the
authorization
granted for a
proposed
exhibit.39.
OIOS noted
that the
exhibition
held of 30
June 2015 was
not in
compliance
with these
provisions.
The Exhibits
Committee did
not authorize
the exhibition
because it did
not receive a
proposal in
accordance
with (b)
above. The
Chef de
Cabinet of the
Office of the
President of
the
sixty-ninth
session of the
General
Assembly
informed the
Exhibits
Committee of
the
President’s
decision to
host a series
of major
cultural
events, which
included an
exhibition,
reception, and
concert. The
Committee
informed the
Office of the
President that
the exhibition
was not in
accordance
with the
regulations
for exhibits
in publicly
accessible
areas at
Headquarters,
but the Office
of the
President
decided to
proceed with
the exhibition
anyway.
Therefore, the
Exhibits
Committee did
not accept,
reject or
alter the
“proposal”.
40. OIOS notes
that the
Exhibits
Committee only
had an
advisory role
in the matter,
and in the
circumstances
described, it
could not have
possibly
prevented the
staging of the
event.
However,
considering
that the
exhibition was
attended by
the
Secretary-General
and other
senior
Secretariat
staff despite
its
non-compliance
with the
Secretary-General’s
bulletin on
exhibits, the
perception
that the NGO
was given
preferential
treatment or
favour (that
too without
performing any
due diligence
checks) could
have an
adverse impact
on the
Organization’s
reputation.
This risk is
aggravated by
the
allegations in
the criminal
complaint
against Sun
Kian Ip group,
with whom this
NGO is
affiliated."
While Ban's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric has
said this
audit will not
be made public
until April
22, on April 6
as a
full text
exclusive
Inner City
Press
published the
audit while
noting
affiliates the
UN audit
omitted, and
portions of
the audit that
some involved
seem to be
trying to
cover up,
including not
only as to the
Department of
Public
Information,
but also the
Global Compact
and other
back-doors
into the UN,
including but
not limited to
"Friends of
the UN."
Beyond
the Under
Secretary
General of the
Department of
Public
Information's
responsibility
for exhibits
in the
Visitor's
Lobby such as
the one
indicted Sheri
Yan's Global
Sustainability
Foundation
held on June
30, 2015, she
was also in
charge when
GSF was
allowed,
without any
due diligence,
to on March
25, 2015
sponsor an
event entitled
"Unveiling of
the 'Ark of
Return'
Permanent
Memorial."
Audit at
Paragraph 20
(b).
Inner
City Press asked
the UN about
DPI's
engagement
with the
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
around the Ark
of Return in October
2015. To
be diplomatic,
this should
have led to /
required a
recusal.
DPI, the audit
says, was
"associated"
with Ng Lap
Seng's and
Frank Liu's
World Harmony
Foundation
through
something
called the
"Friends of
the UN" based
in Los Angeles
/ Santa
Monica. We'll
have more on
this.
As
Inner City
Press
demonstrated
even before
publishing the
audit, the
Global Compact
as of April
2016 lists
Ng's World
Harmony
Foundation as
a member,
despite the
October 2015
indictments.
Now we
note that the
Global
Compact,
represented at
Ng's Macau
event in
August 2015,
has a
representative
who because
not a UN staff
member kept
the iPad Ng's
Sun Kian Ip
foundation
gifted. What
kind of "anti
corruption" UN
Global Compact
is this?
On April 11,
after
publishing the
above, Inner
City Press
asked Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric about
it, and when
Ban will
answer
questions. Video here, UN
transcript
here:
Inner City
Press:
onthis OIOS
inquiry, I
want to ask
you
something.
One of the
entities
controlled by
Mr. Ng Lap
Seng is World
Harmony
Foundation.
I don’t know
if it was you
or Farhan
[Haq] last
week that said
it’s still a
member of the
Global
Compact, but
it also seems
to partner
with DPI
(Department of
Public
Information)
is associated
through
something
called Friends
of the United
Nations, which
seems to be
based in Santa
Monica,
California.
It’s a little
unclear.
Can you say,
is this one of
the ground
balls that you
guys are going
to be running
down, in terms
of what other
groups enter
through that
way?
Also, what
explains World
Harmony
Foundation six
months after
the indictment
still being
part of the
Global
Compact?
And one other
Global Compact
question.
The audit
specifically
says that, of
the iPads
given out at
the Macau
event in
August, the
representative
of the Global
Compact has
not returned
it, said that
he’s not going
to return
it. He’s
not a staff
member and
he’s keeping
it. It’s
right in the
audit.
And so I
wanted to
know, since
the Global
Compact said
it’s about
transparency,
anticorruption,
is this
okay?
And why isn’t
he a staff
member if he’s
representing
the Global
Compact?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I don’t
know.
That’s a
question you
should… in
terms of World
Harmony,
whether or not
they’re still
a member, is a
question you
can ask of the
Global
Compact.
Obviously, as
we said, the
audit is an
initial step,
and other
issues are
being pursued.
Inner City
Press:
But are they
going… I mean,
I guess Global
Compact, UNDP
(United
Nations
Development
Programme),
are they going
to hold a
press
conference?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
You should ask
them.
They have
press people,
like the
Secretariat,
and they’re
there to
answer
questions.
Inner City
Press:
And the
Secretary-General,
you said he’ll
be in the room
tomorrow, but
he won’t
speak.
Looking at the
list of press
conferences,
it seems like
the last one
was December
of last year…
Spokesman:
He will have…
there will be
some sort of a
press
conference…
there will be
a press
conference,
probably on
Friday, tied
to the climate
event.
Inner City
Press: this
OIOS [Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services]
audit, I
obtained it,
published it
and I want to
ask just for
today, two
specific
questions
about
it. One
is, it talks
about funds
going to this
thing called
UNPAN, which
I've heard of,
but it seems
to be pretty
obscure.
And in looking
at its
website, it
claims to be
publishing
articles they
say were
published in
December 2016,
which hasn't
actually
occurred
yet. So,
there's
something a
little… What's
been done on
the
recommendations
as to… to
UNPAN and the
use of its
name by the
entities that
were
audited....
Spokesman:
The recommend…
the audit, I
think, as all
of you have
seen now,
includes
recommendations
and includes
the status of
those
recommendations,
and we're
following
through with
them.
Inner City
Press: I'd
asked Farhan
[Haq]
yesterday
about the 30
June 2015
event in the
Visitor's
Lobby, which
has a section
of the whole
audit about
DPI
[Department of
Public
Information]
being in
charge of it,
not doing
it. I
want to ask
you about
another event,
which was 25
March, this
unveiling of
the Ark of
Return permit
memorial,
which they
said was no
due diligence
done of the
Global
Sustainability
Foundation.
It seems like,
in this audit,
they make
these two
findings about
DPI, these two
events, but
it's only
looking at it,
I guess,
institutionally.
As I've asked
you, when
Global
Sustainability
Foundation was
founded in
this building,
a senior
adviser of the
Secretary-General
and his spouse
were present…
Spokesman:
I mean, I
think…
Inner City
Press:
Does this
audit look at
individuals or
only
entities…?
Spokesman:
The audit
looks at…
looked at the
systems.
When there are
issues related
to
individuals,
further
investigations
are being
done.
Inner City
Press:
Right.
But, it seems
like they only
mention the
individuals
that were in
the criminal
complaint.
There was
nothing…
Spokesman:
You know, the
audit… I think
the audit
speaks for
itself and
outlines how
we're
following up
with it.
There is
a need for
follow up.
The
audit cites
Ng's
Interntional
Organization
for South
South
Cooperation's
engagements
with, or
capture of,
the UN agency
UNPAN, the UN
Public
Administration
Network. A
visit on April
8, 2016 to UNPAN's
website
finds them
featuring
articles they
say were
publishd in
December 2016
- that is, in
the future.
Ironically,
the article(s)
address the
topic of
corruption.
That is
today's UN.
The audit for
example does
purport to
cover South
South News,
but not the
big money
South South
Awards held in
September 2015
at the Waldorf
Astoria
including the
Under
Secretary
General of the
Department of
Public
Information
(DPI) Cristina
Gallach.
(Inner City
Press in
October 2015
questioned Ms.
Gallach about
her
participation
in the South
South Awards,
video
here. On
February 19,
2016 Gallach
ordered Inner
City Press to
leave its long
time office
and stripped
its Resident
Correspondent
accreditation,
without once
speaking to
it. This is
the subject of
an April
5 letter to
Ban Ki-moon
from the
Government
Accountability
Project,
demanding that
this “crude
and heavy
handed”
retaliation be
reversed,
watch this
site.)
On April
7, Inner City
Press asked UN
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq a
first round of
questions
about some of
the
limitations of
the audio, video here,
Inner City
Press: I've
now obtained
and published
this OIOS
audit of
selected NGOs
and related
entity that
you said will
come out on 22
April.
And there's
different
things I want
to ask you
about it, but
main thing I
want to ask
about is,
there's an
entire section
that runs from
paragraph 37
through
paragraph 40
that it's
about an
exhibit they
say was
improperly
held in the
Visitor's
Lobby on 30
June
2015.
And it goes
through a lot
of detail, and
it says that
the
Under-Secretary-General
of the
Department of
Public
Information is
in charge of
the exhibits
committee and,
I guess, in
charge of the
space.
And somehow,
this exhibit
was held in
violation of a
number of the
rules that
apply to
it. What
I'm wondering
is, what is
the
response?
Obviously, it
seems like you
guys have had
access to this
audit even
before it was
sent to Member
States.
What is the
thinking… the
way they walk
through it is
they say… it
seems strange.
If she's in
charge of the
space and the
exhibit took
place without
complying with
the rules,
what is the
response to
her
responsibility
for
that?
And what steps
have been
taken?
The audit
doesn't say
that any steps
have yet been
taken to
address that.
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq:
Well, with
regard to the
specific cases
referred to in
the audit,
actions being
taken to
determine
responsibility
and any
follow-up and
any measures
that may be
deemed
appropriate.
And so, we'll
continue to
study that.
Inner City
Press:
And who
decides? In
getting the
audit, there
obviously is a
long section
about
South-South
News, but I
noticed that a
related entity
of which
there's been a
lot of
coverage is
South-South
Awards.
And it's
unclear, it's
not mentioned
once in
here.
And this is
something
that… I mean,
the
Secretary-General
received the
South-South
Award.
This is an
entity that's
absolutely
connected to
Ng Lap Seng
and Frank
Lorenzo et
al. So,
the question
is, who… maybe
that's OIOS,
but who
decided on the
scope of this
audit, the
date that it
would start, 1
January 2012,
and the
exclusion of…
of… one of the
things that
people
covering this
scandal have
focused on are
these glitzy
events in the
Waldorf.
The
Under-Secretary-General
of DPI did
attend in
September, but
prior to that,
Ms. [Susana]
Malcorra took
an award for
Ban
[Ki-moon].
Why is this
not in the
audit?
And will there
be an audit of
South-South
Awards going
forward?
Deputy
Spokesman
Haq: I
think the
audit is what
it is.
It's prepared
by the
professional
people in the
Office of
Internal
Oversight who
deal with
audits.
And you can
evaluate the
results for
yourself.
Inner City
Press:
And just one
other thing I
wanted to ask
about, because
I know I'd
asked Stéphane
[Dujarric] and
you, going
back to
October, about
the inclusion
of South-South
News content
in UN
Television
archives.
And,
eventually,
you came back
with this
answer that it
was due to
Habitat.
And I just…
I've pointed
out to you
that there's a
number of
things that
have nothing
to do with
Habitat, a
number of
inclusions
that you just
search UNTV
for
"South-South
News".
But, I do
notice in this
audit that
there is a
reference to
South-South
News and
Habitat.
So, I wanted
to know, was
this finding
that you said
of people
looking into
how it got in
there, was it
basically just
taken from
reading the
audit, or was
there a… a… a…
an analysis,
either by your
office or DPI,
of how the
many other
inclusions of
South-South
News and UNTV
archives took
place?
Deputy
Spokesman:
No, our office
had checked
with
DPI.
That was prior
to us knowing
about the
results of the
audit.
Similarly,
using timing
as a basis of
omission, by
stopping the
audit at
January 1,
2012, OIOS did
not address
the issue of
Ng's South
South News
getting a
photo op
directly with
Ban Ki-moon in
December 2011
at the UN
Correspondents
Association
ball at
Cipriani's
42nd Street
after giving
money to UNCA
including for
a two page ad
spread in
UNCA's “ball
book.”
While
Dujarric's
deputy Farhan
Haq allowed
four UNCA
board members
from Reuters,
France 24 and
Agence France
Presse to seek
to rebut this
including by
directly
addressing
Inner City
Press in the
noon briefing
on April 6,
the cut-off at
January 1,
2012 is
problematic,
especially as
related to Ban
Ki-moon
himself.
The
audit goes out
of its way to
say that Ban's
Executive
Office of the
Secretary
General did
not know when
a letter to it
was modified
to add the
name of Ng's
firm and of
South South
News. How is
that possible?
And again, why
was Ban's
direct dealing
with Ng cut
out from the
audit by a
matter of
days?
Many of the
irregularities
in the audit
are things
first reported
by Inner City
Press, such
as Yan's
Global
Sustainability
Foundation
funding the
UN's slavery
memorial,
including an
engagement
with Gallach's
DPI which even
the audit
criticizes
while DPI
tries to deny.
Undeniable is
that Gallach
chaired the UN
Exhibits
Committee
which allowed
the bogus
“Transformative
Power of Art”
exhibit on
June 30, 2015.
How does
Gallach's no
due process
ouster of
Inner City
Press on
February 19,
2016, when
Inner City
Press was
thrown into
the street and
its laptop on
the sidewalk
by eight UN
guards, look
now that the
audit is out?
Even with the
audit
inexplicably
omitting the
South South
Awards -- Ban
Ki-moon got
one of the
awards -- the
audit chides
DPI for lack
of due
diligence for
its slavery
event, and
Gallach as
chair of the
Exhibit
Committee
which allowed
the Jun 30,
2015
“Transformative
Power of Art”
exhibit.
"The
Government
Accountability
Project
complained
about Lee's
fallout in a
Feb. 26 letter
to the U.S.
Permanent
Mission of the
United
Nations.
'The action
targeted
Matthew Lee
alone, and
appears to be
retaliatory in
response to
independent,
critical
journalism,'
wrote Beatrice
Edwards, the
project's
international
program
director.
UNCA, the
group whose
meeting Lee
got in trouble
for recording,
has denied the
appearance of
unfairness.
'UNCA stands
for press
freedom and
vehemently
defends rights
of journalists
at the UN and
around the
world,' the
statement
says."
Really?
Where? It was
the Free UN
Coalition for
Access asking
this month
about the UN
requiring
minders, not
only in UN
Headquarters
but also in
South Sudan.
The Courthouse
News
continues:
"Lee blasted
what he
described as
'post-hoc'
justifications
for his
ouster, which
he compared to
a Franz Kafka
novel.
'Initially,
they tried to
say that I
secretly
filmed a
closed
meeting,' he
said.
'That's fallen
apart because
the meeting
wasn't
recorded as
closed.' Lee
laughed off
allegations
that he
entered a
restricted
area to
secretly film
the meeting,
which he
broadcast via
a popular
web-casting
platform.
'It's hard to
say that a
Periscope
live-streaming
with my arms
up is secret,'
he said.
By downgrading
his
residential
correspondent
credentials to
a second-tier
status, the
U.N. has
restricted
Lee's freedom
of movement,
forced him to
be chaperoned
by a minder."
That's
right, a UN
minder
courtesy of UN
Communications
chief Cristina
Gallach and
ultimately,
Ban Ki-moon.
In terms of
violations,
and cover up,
see Paragraphs
37 through 40
of the OIOS
audit.
Inner City
Press on April
5 asked if
Ng's World
Harmony
Foundation is
still part of
the UN Global
Compact;
deputy
spokesperson
Haq said he
would check
but never came
back with an
answer. On
April 6 Inner
City Press
asked again
and Haq said
yes - now we
see it is
confirmed and
criticized in
the audit.
Worse while
Inner City
Press from
October 2015
on asked
Dujarric and
Haq how South
South News got
its content in
the UNTV
archives run
by Gallach's
DPI, Haq
belatedly
mentioned only
one use,
connected to
HABITAT. Now
we see the
HABITAT -
South South
News
interaction is
listed in the
audit, which
it seems Haq
consulted
before
answering (and
whatever else
he did with
the audit).
But why
didn't OIOS
look into
South South
News' OTHER
inclusions in
DPI's archives
of UNTV? Watch
this site.
Another
question, now
more poignant
with the full
audit online,
is why the
wire services
reporters from
Reuters and
Agence France
Presse, on the
Executive
Committee of
the UN
Correspondents
Association
which took
Ng's South
South News'
money and then
gave Ng a
photo op with
Ban Ki-moon,
didn't even
MENTION that
DPI, their
partner in
censorship,
was listed and
criticized in
the audit.
Not only
the South
South Awards,
but the the
Gallach-approved
bogus
exhibition
criticized in
detail in the
audit is
nowhere in
their reports.
Hence the
April 6 threat
and April 6
noon briefing,
video here.
We'll have
more on this Follow @innercitypressFollow @FUNCA_info
, 
