Are there
unexplained
double
standards at
the UN on
humanitarian
access?
On July 16 in
“elements to
the press,”
the Security
Council on the
“humanitarian
situation in
Sudanese
states of
Southern
Kordofan and
Blue Nile...
urged warring
parties to
allow
humanitarian
access in
accordance
with
Resolution
2046” adopted
by the
Security
Council, more
than two years
ago.
(Inner
City Press has
put the full
"elements to
the press"
below.)
Inner
City Press
asked UN
Humanitarian
chief Valerie
Amos, and the
Council's
Rwandan
presidency for
July, if the newly
adopted Syria
model for
humanitarian
access
would be
applied to
Southern
Kordofan.
Amos
did not answer
that part of
the question
-- perhaps
because she
said she was
only answering
on Sudan and
South Sudan --
and the
Rwandan
presidency
said that no
member of the
Council had
suggested even
circulating a
resolution as
was done on
Syria.
OCHA
and many
Security
Council
members have
bemoaned the
lack of access
to Southern
Kordofan and
Blue Nile. But
why have no
steps been
taken, as on
Syria? Reports
under
Resolution
2046 are not,
as those
on Syria are,
put out in
advance in the
UN
Spokesperson's
office.
And a
request by the
Free
UN Coalition
for Access
to OCHA's head
of
communications,
previously in
the same position
for UN
Peacekeeping
boss Herve
Ladsous,
for a copy of
Amos' clearly
prepared
opening
remarks at the
stakeout on
Sudan and
South Sudan
(or "if not,
why not") was
not responded
to, whereas
Amos'
statements on
Syria can be
disseminated.
Update:
an hour after
FUNCA's
request he
replied, "The
written
statement will
be delivered
to media soon,
once the text
is aligned
with what was
delivered.
This is
standard
practice. I'm
not sure why
the 'if not
why not'
question."
It was more
than four
hours after
that, and long
after filing
of this and other
stories,
that OCHA
belatedly sent
Amos' Sudan
remarks -
after OCHA had
sent a number
of other
statements.
In fact, OCHA
has provided
to the media
near real-time
summaries of
information
given in
closed
consultations
to the
Security
Council on
Syria, for
example on the
morning of May
29. Why the
difference
with Southern
Kordofan?
Inner
City Press
also asked
Amos about a
critique of
Ladsous'
UNMISS mission
in South
Sudan, as
undermining
humanitarian
independence.
Amos gave a
thoughtful
answer about
the need for
escorts and
security,
given the
logistics
challenges.
But how will
this be
received at
the upcoming
humanitarian
summit?
After
the Rwandan
presidency
read out the
“elements to
the press,”
Inner City
Press asked
about the
status of
Rwanda's June
26 complaint
that Ladsous'
MONUSCO
mission had
flown the FDLR
militia's
leader from
Eastern Congo
to Kinshasa
before any
decision by
the 1533
Sanctions
committee on
giving a
travel ban
waiver (it was
denied).
Ladsous'
DPKO
has not even
responded to
the complaint,
was the
answer. On
July 15, UN
deputy
spokesperson
Farhan Haq
told Inner
City Press
that the FDLR
leader was
escorted back
to Eastern
Congo - but
then insisted
he hadn't said
that the UN
did the
escorting.
Who did, then?
Watch this
site..
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