From
UN,
Sudan's Abdalmahmood Says Farewell, Ban Calls Him "Memorable," Others
Say "Jovial Goebbels," Trimmer of
Ocampo
By
Matthew
Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED
NATIONS,
July 23 -- Sudan's Ambassador to the UN is finally leaving,
after months of rumors and fight back, and just as his President,
Omar al Bashir, successfully flaunts the International Criminal Court
warrants against him by visit ICC member Chad, without getting
arrested.
That
perhaps is a fitting cap to Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem
Mohamed's time at the UN, during which he calls ICC Prosecutor Moreno
Ocampo a rapist and a menace, only to be threatened with ICC
prosecution.
Back in
May, when
reports
had it that he was being ousted from the post due to his age
and enemies in Khartoum, Inner City Press asked if it was true. The
President is behind me, Abdalmahmood replied, he said I am the man
who trimmed Ocampo. Article here.
Later,
Abdalmahmood
said he would only return to Khartoum to a job higher
than his post at the UN. At a reception for Venezuela's independence
two weeks ago, he intimated that the end was near, but said he would
be sure to tell Inner City Press to what post he would return.
Now
on July 23, he
appears on Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's schedule, at 3:30 p.m.,
“farewell call.” So it's official: the Abdalmahmood era is over. At the
time of this writing, it has not been reported any other other English
language media included in Google News.
After
his meeting
with Ban Ki-moon, Abdalmahmood told Inner City Press it was a
“cordial” meeting in which Ban “said I am one of few most
memorable Ambassadors in the history of the UN!”
On
his next job,
Abdalmahmood told Inner City Press that “contacts are continuing
with Khartoum to identify new position as many entities are
competing, I will inform you shortly.” He indicated he may stay in
the United States for now.
Abdalmahmood holds
forth before Ocampo, trim job not shown
During
the
Venezuela reception, Abdalmahmood was greeted by many diplomats,
including an elderly Indian ex Ambassador who Abdalmahmood introduced
as central to the fight against apartheid. Abdalmahmood was posted in
India for years, a stay he described one night while watching a
fashion show combining tall Indian models with Untouchables who had
traveled to New York for the event.
Once
in the
Khartoum airport during a visit by the Security Council, a wispy
French journalist accused Abdalmahmood of defending genocide.
Abdalmahmood demanded, who are you? The journalist backed away --
trimmed, as Abdalmahmood might put it.
Many
human rights
advocates who visit the UN consider Abdalmahmood disgusting, worthy
of prosecution. More than one likened him to Joseph Goebbels, leading
to the come back: a jovial Goebbels.
Others say he
has just be doing
his job, defending his country and president, and with some aplomb.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But now Abdalmahmood is
leaving.
This,
we can say:
the UN will be a less interesting place without him.
* * *
It's
Khartoum
or NY for Sudan's UN Rep, Trimmer of Ocampo, Ban's
Darfur Drip
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
May 11 -- As the supposed peace deal between the Sudanese
government of Omar al Bashir and the Justice and Equality Movement
rebels falls apart and the UN has no comment, Sudan's Permanent
Representative to the UN Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad has faced
his own rebellion back in Khartoum.
For
the second
time this year, his detractors have announced that he is losing his
job in New York. On May 8 it was reported that
"The
Sudanese
government has relocated its ambassador to the United
Nations (UN) Abdel-Mahmood Abdel-Haleem in a surprise move after his
tenure was extended on an exceptional basis last March by president
Omer Hassan Al-Bashir. The pro-government Al-Rayaam newspaper said
that Abdel-Haleem was summoned to Khartoum last Thursday and that he
will likely be replaced by Dafalla Al-Haj Ali Osman."
Seeking
confirmation,
Inner City Press sent Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem a text
message on May 9. He replied, "Will call you in a couple of
hours as I am boarding a train to New York." Clearly, contrary
to the report, he was not in Khartoum.
On
May 10 and May
11, supporters of Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem who requested to be left
unnamed told Inner City Press that it is his position he will keep
the post at the UN or return to Khartoum "only as a minister."
It is said
that Omar al Bashir told Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem's
opponent that he wants "powerful people" as ministers, and
that Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem was "the only one who trimmed
Ocampo," meaning the chief prosecutor of the International
Criminal Court.
Sudan's Rep and Ocampo, trimming not shown
Meanwhile,
when
Inner
City Press on May 11 asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about
development in Sudan, Nesirky portrayed the events as routine, a
"drip, drip" --
Inner
City
Press: On Sudan, the Government has called for the arrest of JEM
[Justice and Equality Movement] leader Khalil Ibrahim, and JEM has
responded by saying if he is arrested, they will renew outright war
in Darfur. I wonder if Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari, UNAMID [United
Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur], Mr. [Haile] Menkerios, the
Secretary-General, does anyone following this have anything to say
about this deterioration of conditions?
Spokesperson:
I’m
sure my colleagues on the ground are following every twist and
turn that is happening to the best of their ability, but we don’t
need to comment on every single media report that comes out about the
twists and turns that you refer to.
Question:
I
mean, it seems like the JEM is the major rebel group in Darfur,
and when they threaten to go back to war…
Spokesperson:
I’m
familiar with who they are and what they are. But we can’t
take a kind of a drip, drip approach to this, okay.
Drip
drip,
indeed.
Watch this site.
, 
