In Other Media-eg CJR, Independent, Fox, New Statesman, AJE, FP, NYT,  CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR PFT

UNITED NATIONS GATE, January 22 – The United Nations of Secretary General Antonio Guterres has so increasing impunity and arrogance that it has killed two civilians in South Sudan and thinks that paying off their families is enough - this while Guterres mistakes DR Congo for Sudan, where civilians are also being shot. Now as New Zealand's David Shearer, the representative to South Sudan of Guterres who tells his staff that human rights questions to governments are "impolite," video here, burying a report on mis-management the public spent $100,000 on, NZ Defense Minister Ron Mark is headed to Juba - maybe he can play a role in ensuring accountability for the killing of civilians by troops under the command of his countryman Shearer, or at least get the buried report released. Or maybe act or say something on Guterres ongoing banning of Inner City Press, called out by Helen Clark, here. Ron Mark says he'll also meet with his "counterparts in Egypt, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and will be accompanied by the Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee, Hon Tim Macindoe"....   On the morning of January 21 Inner City Press asked Guterres' spokes- / hatchetman Stephane Dujarric, "January 21-2: On South Sudan, given UNMISS' statement that UN Peacekeeper(s) have shot and killed two civilians, please immediately explain what penalty there can be following the cited UN "investigation," and what the support alluded to by UNMISS consists of." Six hours later there was no answer at all, despite Dujarric now false promise on camera. To this has his and Guterres' UN sunk. Earlier on January 21, Guterres South Sudan mission UNMISS issued this statement: "During a security incident at a base operated by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in the capital Juba on Saturday, two civilian contractors were shot by a peacekeeper and died as a result of their injuries.  UNMISS promptly informed the South Sudan National Police Service of the incident. The Mission is taking steps to establish the facts of the incident that occurred at Durupi and has convened a review team comprised of representatives from UNMISS force, police and security services.  UNMISS deeply regrets the loss of life and is providing support to the families of the two men who died." That's the entire statement - nothing on what will happen to the those who killed the civilians. Because of immunity, South Sudan has no jurisdiction over them. Under past practice, if guilty they could just fly home - and probably be celebrated by the UN in their home country, as the staffer of UN Alison Smale's UNIC in Ghana openly celebrates the Ghana police who returned from South Sudan after sexual exploitation in Wau. Meanwhile Guterres as Inner City Press asked about his impunity and links with CEFC China Energy has had it roughed up and banned now 201 days; his spokesman Stephane Dujarric despite on camera promise has not answer any of its questions, including on South Sudan, in two weeks. We'll have more on this - and his: when youth leaders from South Sudan and DR Congo took questions on 26 October 2018, it was across the street from the UN and Inner City Press went to ask and live-stream. Video here. It asked about the performance of the UN Mission UNMISS. Inner City Press asked the spokesmen for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in writing, "South Sudan's Susan Kyunon Sebit William  told Inner City Press that UNMISS does not sufficiently protect civilians, particularly women, citing Terrain Hotel etc. What IS the UN doing? What did it learn?" Apparently nothing - these was no answer, more than six weeks later. How badly run is this UNMISS mission? Today, as Guterres after Inner City Press questions to him about UN corruption he encourages banned Inner City Press from a "UN Human Rights" event on December 10, we have another story from within the UN Mission in South Sudan. This comes as Guterres and his spokesmen, rather than answer questions about UN corruption from staff and Inner City Press instead rough up and ban the Press and refused all questions about the UN's use of money. Today we exclusively published below on this waste and cover up, document here for download on Patreon, here on Scribd. Then on the morning of December 17 Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres and his spokesman Stephane Dujarric, "December 17-3: On South Sudan, please immediately state the status of the $100,000 “independent” review of civilian staffing in UNMISS commissioned by SRSG David Shearer, the Terms of Reference of which were provided to Inner City Press by whistleblowers asking why the report has been buried. When will it be made public? Where is Wolfgang Weisbrod Weber? Elizabeth Lercara Chester? Anees Ahmed? How much did it cost?" Five hours later at close of business, Dujarric had not answered this or any other Inner City Press question. And here now a real story from within UNMISS, from sources who hate to see what SRSG Shearer and Guterres are doing to the UN: "Mr. Lee: You have written several articles about corrupt hiring practices at UNMISS under the leadership of SRSG David Shearer.  In the midst of your reporting, SRSG Shearer launched what he called an “independent” civilian staffing review.  The results of this review have not been released, even though the review was completed over a month ago.
The terms of reference for the review are attached.  The review was led by a former ASG supported by two senior staff (D1 and P5), and cost the mission approximately $100,000 in direct expenses, plus weeks of staff time.
Description
Estimated cost
Non-staff member senior consultant (former ASG)
$30,000
Two round trip business class tickets from NY to Juba ($7,000 x 2)
$14,000
DSA with accommodation for two consultants (30 days x $120 per day x 2)
$7,200
Special flights within mission (8 flights with same day return x $6,000)
$48,000
TOTAL estimated cost
$99,200
A final copy of the report was submitted privately to SRSG Shearer when the review team completed its month-long mission at the end of October 2018. No copy of the report has been distributed within the mission. Nor has copy even been shared with the senior management team, including the DSRSG and Chief of Staff—whose areas of work were included in the review.
This lack of transparency surrounding the review team’s report is particularly concerning given that its results were intended to factor into the mission’s broader strategic planning efforts. Yet, these broader strategic planning efforts have been proceeding without benefit of the very costly staffing review.
It appears that SRSG Shearer disagrees with some of the report’s key findings and recommendations. The findings and recommendations apparently do not comport with the SRSG’s preconceived views of how civilian staffing should be restructured. As your recent reporting demonstrated, one of the SRSG’s primary goals is to put more of his “favorites” into senior positions, regardless of UN hiring rules, and consolidate more power within his own front office.
By confidentially sharing this information with you, I hope to bring more transparency and accountability to how decisions are being made at what is now the UN’s largest peacekeeping operation." And here is the document, for now, showing the team of long time UN insiders going all the way back to the UN's (failed) mission a Referendum still not held in Western Sahara: "Composition 14. The Review team will comprise of the following members:
a. Dr. Wolfgang Weisbrod Weber (Team Leader, external expert) b. Ms. Elizabeth Lercara Chester c. Mr. Anees Ahmed
15. The team will be supported by UNMISS Strategic Planning Unit and Best Practice Unit
(Point of Contact, Mr. Naoki Ishikawa).
Budget
17. The cost for the visit will be covered by UNMISS." So where is the product of this public spending? Who will be held accountable, including for Guterres' censorship of Press? Should be Guterres. Watch this site. On December 10 Inner City Press reported here about a UN official Inner City Press has long been told and reported about (from 2007 in Liberia to 2016 with Ladsous), Stephani Scheer (said to be 'Cindy', in the book about the Oil for Food scandal "Backstabbing for Beginners"). Because Guterres' decayed UN has reached the point where it physically ousts those who ask Guterres about (his) corruption and then refuses to response to written questions on such matters, here it is, as sent to Inner City Press, Guterres' USG Jan Beagle and other email address on which we will have more: "Hello Matthew, I sent this to you and UN official in the same address. Staff are crying here because the lady dismantled  the section after being exposed to get unnecessary benefits with retired former boyfriend of UN Staff member (Christopher Fathers). She is only remaining two weeks to retire but revenged the staff. You know She is an American but going to live in South Africa hiding USA taxation of her huge amount she got from the missions including Oil for food program in Iraq. [See above, and Backstabbing for Beginners. More from UNMISS staff:] The mother  of corruption in UNMISS is on the farewell this month. She  has been considered the most influential and monster  woman messing up the whole system. She had a plan  to get million dollars in the name of restructuring with her former boy friend Christopher but failed after  being exposed. Now she has  decided to abolish the GSS office at the last minute and fired those innocent staff members at  her retirement (see the attachment). The current SRSG does not have the knowledge on the administrative reconfiguration of different functions.  The mother of corruption has considered him as a small boy and did not share him any plan on reforming the staff structure. He only spent playing music and guitars with his fans while staff are severely affected and being suffered due to   maladministration . Majority staff have lost respect for the current SRSG [David Shearer] and his team. He is not proactive in identifying and  preventing potential staff problems.  The Secretary General of whistle-blower policy  has  officially been annulled in UNMISS. No guarantee for whistle-blowers in the UNITED NATIONS! Thank you Inner City for  becoming our voice!" No problem. Here's from the 7 December 2018 memo (Scribd; download on Patreon) from Scheer, as Director of Mission Support of UNMISS: "With the dissolution of GSS [some] staff could not be accommodated under the new functions as their qualifications and experience do not satisfy the requirement" -- unless they are cronies of Guterres, or Shearer, or Scheer. We'll have more on this. None of this stopped the UN's hypocritical and often absentee Secretary General Antonio Guterres from on December 3 while off on another junket issuing this: " The Secretary-General strongly condemns the brutal sexual attacks perpetrated against women and girls in the last ten days in the Unity region of South Sudan. These horrific acts are a distressing reminder of how, despite recent recommitments by South Sudan’s leaders to a cessation of hostilities and a revitalized peace agreement, the security situation for civilians remains dire, especially for women and children.
Rape and other forms of sexual violence have been a consistent feature of the conflict in South Sudan, used both as a tactic of war and a driver of forced displacement. The Secretary-General underlines that such predatory behavior against the most vulnerable is unacceptable.
The Secretary-General urges the leaders of all the parties to the conflict – and future leaders in the Transitional Government of National Unity – to ensure the safety of civilians and address impunity for these crimes through investigation and prosecution of perpetrators, including through the operationalization of the Hybrid Court, as an immediate priority.
The Secretary-General underlines that the only viable solution for the security and prosperity of the people of South Sudan is the immediate cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. The United Nations stands ready to support all national, regional and international efforts to that effect.
Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
New York, 3 December 2018." The UN under Antonio Guterres has further covered up rapes in CAR by its own "peacekeepers" from Cameroon, refusing to answer questions in a censorship pattern well known to each of the officials who on December issued this fwiw statement: "UN Special Representatives on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, and the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng strongly condemn reports of 150 women and girls brutally raped during a ten-day period (19-29 November) while making their way to collect food for their families near Bentiu, South Sudan. The violations took place in a Government-controlled area, reportedly carried out by young men in civilian clothing or military uniforms.  

We reiterate the messages of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for South Sudan, David Shearer and call on the Government of South Sudan to urgently denounce these abhorrent acts, swiftly launch investigations and ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and held accountable.

Accountability is critical to obtain lasting peace and reconciliation among the communities in South Sudan we therefore call on the Government to take all appropriate measures to end the chronic impunity prevailing in the country. We also call on the Government to uphold its primary responsibility for protecting and ensuring the safety of its population, irrespective of their ethnic or political affiliation.  We further urge the Government to ensure that all victims receive essential medical, psychosocial and legal support necessary for their recovery.

It is very disturbing that sexual violence remains rampant in the country. This year, in particular, has been marked by an alarming increase in the number of rape cases perpetrated on vulnerable women and girls, despite the signing of the Revitalized Peace Agreement in September 2018." But why have they allowed Guterres censorship on the very issue of sexual abuse? We'll have more on this.  Today's UN bans Press. When "the Role of Conventional Arms in Preventing Conflicts" was debated across First Avenue frm the UN on October 25, Inner City Press went, to ask a question. Video here. It asked UN Peacekeeping official Thomas Kontogeorgos what the UN has done about its negligent loss of weapons and ammunition - which Inner City Press asked about IN the UN before being banned as cover up by SG Antonio Guterres and his USG Alison Smale. Kontogeorgos to his credit answered, only somewhat evasively, that DPKO "provided inputs" to the Small Arms Survey, and now UNPOL passes information to INTERPOL (the disappearance of whose head Guterres has said nothing about, despite written questions from Inner City Press.). At the end of the IPI program, Youssef Mahmoud spoke about the elephant(s) in the room, selling arms. Afterward Dr. Mihaela Racovita of SAS told Inner City Press they are trying to make further inroads with DPKO, for example with the mission in Mali. We hope to have more on this - the lawless ban by Guterres and Smale, for reporting on UN corruption, is not helpful. But we will not stop. Back on September 5, hours after in the UN Security Council chamber UK Ambassador Karen Pierce said she supported the morning's meeting about Nicaragua due to refugee flows, across the street from the UN Inner City Press asked her why this logic didn't apply to the confict in the former British Southern Cameroons and the flight of Anglophones from state violence into Nigeria. Periscope video here.

     Pierce replied that a country is less likely to end up on the Security Council's agenda if it is taking some positive steps. But given 36 year Cameroonian head of state Paul Biya's torching of villages, what are his positive steps? A sceptic might point to the natural gas deal he signed with UK-based New Age, which UK Minister Liam Fox bragged around as showing UK companies can still get deals after Brexit.

   Also on the panel on the "Culture of Peace," moderated by Kevin Rudd, was Secretary General Antonio Guterres' head of policy planning Fabrizio Hochschild. When Inner City Press began a question to Hochschild, who had spoken with gruesome examples from Colombia of the need for opposing sides to humanize each other though “dignification,” Rudd cut it off.

Stepping off the crowded elevator at ground level Inner City Press endeavored to ask Hochschild the questions, both Cameroon and whether Guterres and his opaque Global Communicator Alison Smale, purporting to ban Inner City Press from the UN for life without once speaking with it, should engaged in some dignification. He declined to answer -- declined to dignify the question, so to speak -- then said “Ask Steph.”

It was a reference to Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, who Smale has twice written would answer Inner City Press' question but who has refused to for a full week.

  This as Inner City Press, already banned from the UN for 64 days amid its questions on Guterres' inaction on Cameroon with the country's ambassador Tommo Monthe heading the UN Budget Committee, has an application pending to cover the UN General Assembly as it has for the past 11 years. Dignification, indeed. We'll have more on this.

***

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

UN Office: S-303, UN, NY 10017 USA

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Search innercitypress.com  Search WWW (censored?)

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2019 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for