On
Sudan, UN Email
Told Staff, Not
Public UNFPA
Rep Thrown Out
April 7
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, April
9, updated
-- The UN's
silence when
its officials
are thrown
out of a
country has
continued this
week, in
Sudan. After
the UN
informed some
of its own
staff, but not
the press or public,
it was the
Sudanese
Foreign Ministry
which first
disclosed the
expulsion. The
UN side of the
story is
awaited.
In an internal
UN e-mail
leaked early
on April 8 to
Inner City
Press by a
recipient, the
UN's Resident
Coordinator in
Khartoum, Ali
Al-Za'atari,
had informed
that
"Pam
Delargy, the
UNFPA
Representative
in Sudan, has
been forced to
leave
Sudan by the
goverment. Pam
departed
Khartoum in
the early
hours of
this morning.
The clear
reasons for
the government
decision are
still
unknown.
Indeed, since
Pam's return
in the first
week of March
2014
she has been
performing her
task and
taking it
forward. In
meetings
and several
events she has
had with
several
government
authorities
assurances of
continued
cooperation
were
reiterated.
What was ever
thought to be
an issue was
made clear has
no longer
become an
issue."
Given
this
last-quoted
cryptic line,
Inner City
Press has
asked the two
top
spokespeople
at UNFPA for
comment. None
has yet been
received, but
will be
published when
it is. [See
below.]
It is said it
may be
addressed at
the upcoming April
9 UN noon
briefing. But
that has been
called into
question
of late,
particularly
on Sudan: see April 8 briefing video, here.
Sudan Foreign
Ministry
Spokesman
Abubakr
al-Siddiq
said, "Because
she was not
abiding by the
country's
laws, and also
because she
was
interfering in
the country's
domestic
affairs in a
manner that is
inconsistent
with her
status as a UN
official."
The
internal UN
e-mail leaked
to Inner City
Press
continued:
"Her
stay in Sudan
was as such
expected till
she ends her
assignment the
normal way. On
Friday night
however, and
to our shock,
I was verbally
informed of
the government
decision
requesting Pam
to leave by 7
April. All
verbal and
written
attempts to
rescind the
decision or
obtain an
extension
continued on
Friday,
Saturday and
Sunday but
failed. I
shows that our
best efforts
to build trust
and relations
can be dashed
aside and for
reasons not
entirely
clear. Let me
assure
you that Pam's
dedication to
and love for
Sudan is
exemplary. Her
work to serve
the Sudanese
and their best
interests is
superbly
appreciated.
I, like you,
will miss her
active and
wise presence
in
Sudan. Best,
Ali
Al-Za'atari,
UN Resident
&
Humanitarian
Coordinator,
UNDP Resident
Representative,
Khartoum,
Sudan."
As
noted, Inner
City Press has
requested
comment from
UNFPA's two
top
spokespeople
and will
publish it
upon receipt.
, 
