Bax
Bought
Anti-Aircraft
Gun in
Somalia, Could
Reappear
Elsewhere?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee,
Exclusive
series
UNITED
NATIONS,
August 10, updated
-- Two months
after Inner
City Press
asked UN envoy
to Somalia
Nicholas Kay
about the UN
Office of
Project
Services
report(s) on
UN figure
David Bax on
which it has
exclusively
reported, this
time that Bax
while in
Somalia
purchased an
anti-aircraft
gun SA-7 (video
here),
Inner City
Press was told
by sources on
August 7 that
Bax has been
terminated for
"unauthorized
purchase of a
weapon."
But
terminated
throughout the
UN system?
Given
how this makes
the UN system
look, Inner
City Press
thought the UN
spokesman,
Stephane
Dujarric,
would at least
confirm, or
try to deny,
this report
and provide
the UN's
perspective.
Instead, when
Inner City
Press asked,
Dujarric
repeated said
to "ask
UNOPS."
So Inner City
Press asked:
"At
today's UN
noon briefing
I asked the
spokesman to
confirm or
deny that Mr
Bax's contract
has been
terminated /
is over, and
that there has
been a finding
on the alleged
purchase of a
weapon in
Somalia. I was
told to 'ask
UNOPS' and was
later by the
Spokesperson's
Office
provided with
your email as
UNOPS'
spokesperson.
The above
question is on
deadline,
thanks."
Then on August
10, this:
"Mr
Lee, Thank you
for your
message. There
have been
allegations of
misconduct
against
members of
personnel on
UNOPS
contracts in
connection
with projects
in Somalia
over recent
years. UNOPS
takes such
allegations
seriously. We
have systems
and process in
place to
manage
investigations
of such
incidents.
As a rule, we
do not divulge
names of
subjects of
investigations,
nor do we make
investigation
reports
public. The
reason for
that is simply
that personnel
who are
subjects of
investigations
or interviewed
in connection
with them
should be able
to expect full
confidentiality.
In this case,
the
investigation
has been
completed. We
can confirm
that the
person
concerned is
no longer an
employee of
UNOPS.
Jon Lidén |
Director |
Communications
Practice Group
| Copenhagen,
Denmark |
UNOPS"
The
investigation
is completed,
and Bax is no
longer an
employee of
UNOPS. It
shouldn't have
to be asked,
but given the
many
(intentional)
loopholes in
the UN's "zero
tolerance"
policies,
could Bax
re-appear, as
a directly UN
Mine Action
Service
staffer or
otherwise?
Inner
City Press:
UNOPS did
respond, I'm
happy to say,
but I want to
ask you
something and
you'll see
why. On
the question
of whether,
faced with
reports of
having
purchased an
anti-aircraft
gun, Mr.
[David] Bax
was let
go.
They've
said:
"The
investigation
is
completed.
We can confirm
that the
person
concerned is
no longer an
employee of
UNOPS."
I don't want
to
misunderstand
this as being
that the two
being
connected, but
the reason I
want to ask
you is if, in
fact, it was
found, as I've
heard, that he
did buy an
anti-aircraft
gun, does this
mean that he's
banned from UN
employment, a
zero-tolerance
policy, or can
a person
working for
UNMAS [United
Nations Mine
Action
Service], but
technically
employed by
UNOPS be fired
by UNOPS and
reappear as an
UNMAS
person?
So, I'm
asking… how
does it work?
Spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric:
It's a good… I
would almost
concede that
it's a good
question.
I don't know
if there's
such a ruling
as a lifetime
ban from
working at the
UN. But,
clearly, when
people… and I
don't… I'm not
commenting
specifically
on this case,
because I
don't know the
details of how
he was let
go.
Obviously, I
would hope
that, when
people apply
for a job
within the UN
system, there
is a minimum
of reference
checks, which
would then
show that some
person has
been let go of
the UN system
in…
Inner City
Press:
The reason I
ask is
because, in
the sexual
abuse context,
sometimes the
UN without
naming who the
people are
will say
proudly,
they'll never
serve with us
again.
So, it seems
like buying…
although this
is not…
Spokesman:
I can't…
Inner City
Press:
…civilian
personnel.
Spokesman:
I can't answer
that question
at this point,
on this
day.
Goodbye.
It's been a
pleasure.
Inner
City Press
also asked the
UNOPS
spokesperson:
"For
reasons that
should be
obvious -
alleged
anti-aircraft
gun purchase
etc - would
like to know
if Mr. Bax
could simply
reappear under
an employment
contract with
UNMAS instead
of UNOPS.
Also, if
other(s) from
UNMAS in
Somalia are
similarly no
longer working
for UNOPS?
Also
interested in
UNOPS work on
bridges in
South Sudan -
unclear if the
work is funded
by the South
Sudanese
government,
from within
the UN system
or otherwise?"
Update:UNOPS'
Jon Liden
wrote on
August 13,
2015:
"On the first
question, just
to be
absolutely
clear,
by answering
this question
UNOPS is not
affirming or
denying that
Bax is no
longer with
UNOPS due to
any
malfeasance on
his part.
"In general
terms, it is
always up to a
hiring unit to
do background
checks on
applicants,
and if an
applicant has
been fired
from a
previous job
but does not
disclose it
and the hiring
unit does not
do background
checks, that
applicant
could be
hired.
However,
should an
applicant be
untruthful in
submitting a
UN personal
history form,
and that would
include not
disclosing the
reason for
leaving a
position, that
act in and of
itself would
constitute
serious
misconduct
warranting
termination.
"On South
Sudan, the
article you
linked to
refers to
bridges that
are being
rebuilt by
UNOPS. UNOPS
became aware
that one
bridge
collapsed at
the final
stages of
construction
(it was not
yet open to
the public).
It immediately
checked the
two other
bridges built
with similar
design and
found that
these were
also not of
satisfactory
quality. These
bridges have
therefore
never been put
in use. UNOPS
prides itself
on delivering
excellence.
Regardless of
how difficult
the
circumstances
are (in this
case, war and
the natural
conditions of
the sites) ,
its work
should be of
high quality.
Therefore,
UNOPS is
rebuilding all
three bridges
– which were
originally
financed by
USAID – at its
own cost. It
has also
strengthened
its quality
control
procedures,
not only in
South Sudan,
but across its
African
portfolio."
Inner
City Press:
one is about
UNMAS.
David Bax who
used to be the
Somalia guy
for UNMAS and
was moved to
Gaza for
demining, I
wanted to ask
you straight
up, I’ve heard
that UNOPS
after this
investigation
has decided to
terminate his
contract based
on a finding
of improper
purchase of
weaponry,
which would be
an
anti-aircraft
gun.
Given the
imperative of
the UN
personnel not
being
perceived as
buying
anti-aircraft
guns, will
you… can you
confirm it now
or will you
today confirm
it or not?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I can’t
confirm.
The gentleman
you mentioned
worked for,
was contracted
for by
UNOPS. I
would
encourage you
to talk to
them.
Inner City
Press:
I’ve heard
there is a
communication
from UNOPS to
UNMAS since
all the work
that he did
was for UNMAS?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
That I
understand,
but his
contract was
with UNOPS...
I can’t speak
for them...
I’m the
Spokesman for
the
Secretary-General
and not the UN
system.
I do amplify
the message
from the UN
system and I’m
always happy
to get a
promotion, but
I’m not sure I
can shoulder
that
responsibility.
I will find
you a press
contact in
UNOPS in
Copenhagen.
We can both go
there.
Meanwhile a
senior UN
official has
told Inner
City Press it
was internally
disclosed that
Bax contract
was over.
Others say the
finding
include "abuse
of authority,
sexual
harrasment as
well as
unauthorized
purchase of
weaponry."
This is
something on
which the UN
system,
whether UNOPS
or UN Mine
Action Service
with which Bax
worked not
only in
Somalia but
also Gaza,
should speak.
Watch this
site.
Back on June
8, after Inner
City Press
asked about
Bax, Kay was
handed a piece
of paper and
read out that
this
allegation is
under
investigation
and therefore
he can have no
comment at
this time.
Inner City
Press replied
it has heard
the UNOPS
report is
finished, and
asked in any
event if it or
a summary will
be made
public. Kay
said what he
had read was
all he could
say.
Inner
City Press
also asked
Somalia's
prime minister
and Maman
Sidikou,
Special
Representative
of the
Chairperson of
the AU
Commission for
Somalia about
the geographic
scope of the
AMISOM
mission,
including in
Somaliland and
Puntland
(there was no
answer on
either) and
about US
stated plans
to send an
ambassador.
Watch this
site.
When the UN
Mine Action
Service held
its annual
press
conference on
April 1, Inner
City Press
wanted to ask
UNMAS Director
Agnes
Marcaillou
about landines
in South Sudan
and UNMAS'
promotion of
multiply-accused
deminer David
Bax from
Somalia to
Gaza.
But also at
the press
conference
were Japan's
Deputy
Permanent
Representative
and the Dutch
Permanent
Representative
Karel van
Oosterom, who
it was said
had to leave
early, to meet
with Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon.
So Inner City
Press first
asked van
Oosterom if
Dutch Queen
Maxine, in
Myanmar, would
be raising the
landmine
issues in that
country.
No, van
Oosterom said,
the Queen is
in Myanmar in
her capacity
as UN Special
Advocate for
Inclusive
Finance for
Development.
But he (and
UNMAS'
Marcaillou)
assured that
she and other
Dutch official
raise the
landmine issue
wherever they
go.
Later, Inner
City Press
asked
Marcaillou
about the
reported use
of landmines
in South Sudan
and about the
disposition of
the
investigation(s)
into David
Bax, who
whistleblowers
in Somalia
alleged shared
DNA
information
about Somalia
bombers with
US
intelligence,
as well as
engaging in
conflicts of
interest. (Video and background
here.)
Marcaillou
spoke
passionately
about South
Sudan, where
UNMAS found
cluster bombs
were used but
could not find
by whom. She
said UNMAS
coordinated a
statement on
the landline
allegation, by
IGAD with the
UN Mission
UNMISS. Later
she said that
UNMAS dogs
were used to
check if
explosives
were being
brought into
UNMISS
protection of
civilians
site.
On Bax, the
answer was
less
convincing.
Marcaillou as
she did last
year
pointed to an
investigation
by the UN
Office of
Project
Services - but
this time
acknowledged
that she had
not seen the
whole UNOPS
report.
This
is the case
even though
Bax is a UNMAS
employee -
it's that
UNMAS
outsources its
human
resources
activities to
UNOPS. But
shouldn't
Marcaillou as
UNMAS director
have access to
investigative
reports about
UNMAS
staffers?
We'll have
more on this.
Footnote:
After the
briefing,
Inner City
Press mused
whether the
Netherlands,
running for
one of two
Western
European and
Other Group
seats on the
UN Security
Council
against Italy
and Sweden,
would be
upping its
contributions
to UNMAS.
Karel van
Oosterom replied
that
“currently,
tender process
under way for
for years
2016-20. Share
UNMAS will
depend on
quality its
proposals.”
This level of
detail is
appreciated.
And wouldn't
one think that
assessment
would include
UNMAS'
transparency,
including
whether it
demands and
gets access to
investigative
reports about
UNMAS staff
like Bax and
the issues
raised? We'll
have more on
this.
, 
