At
UN, No Answers on Sudan Election Flaws Hostage Takers of
Peacekeepers
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, April 19 -- On Sudan, the UN on Monday dodged questions not
only about irregularities
in the elections to which it ostensibly
provided technical assistance, but even about its own peacekeepers
taken hostage.
While it appears that the hostage takes are government
affiliates faux rebels in Darfur, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky
doggedly maintained that the UN is working with the government to
secure their release. He did not disclose whether the UN or South
Africa, from which the peacekeepers come, is considering paying
ransom, financial or political.
From
the April 19
UN noon briefing transcript:
Inner
City Press: the so-called Sudan troika -- it’s the United Kingdom,
Norway and the United States -- they put out a statement this morning
by the United States State Department, saying that the elections in
Sudan failed to meet international standards, and this, the quote I
wanted to ask you about: “We regret that the National Elections
Commission (NEC) did not do more to prevent and address such problems
prior to voting.” Since it was described that the UN was providing
technical assistance to the NEC, what does the UN say of this
criticism implicitly of its own work, working with the NEC and the
statement that elections didn’t meet international standards?
Spokesperson
Nesirky: I think there are two things here. One is that, most
importantly, the elections, despite the reported irregularities and
other difficulties, took place without any major incident of
violence. I think that’s important to note. The second is that,
you’ve mentioned it yourself, the UN’s role was indeed to provide
technical assistance. And the UN did so. It was for the National
Election Commission actually to conduct the elections and that’s
what they did. Anything beyond that is trying to divide things a
little bit, and I don’t think that that’s the way that we would
see it. We would see it as the UN providing electoral assistance,
technical electoral assistance, and then it was for the National
Election Commission to then conduct the elections.
Inner
City Press: But how does the UN judge the efficacy of its technical
assistance other than by the performance of the entities to which it
provides technical assistance, you know what I mean? I am not
actually trying to divide it. I am trying to say, if you’re in the
business of helping the entity, what’s the response to the
criticism of what they, are you saying that the NEC didn’t follow
the advice of the UN or…?
Spokesperson:
No, I said what I said. Matthew, I think one of the points here is
that we’ve said all the way along that this is extremely complex
and an extremely challenging exercise for all concerned. And what
we’ve been providing is advice on fairly technical matters,
including voter registration, and the counting, and tabulation and
announcement of results, and training plans and materials, this kind
of thing -- and helping to provide assistance, technical assistance
for voter education. But ultimately, it is the National Election
Commission that makes the decisions and then runs the process.
UN's photo of an anonymous hand voting in Darfur, fairness not shown
Inner
City Press: Also on Sudan, I wanted to -- last week there were these
reports of a ransom demand for the missing peacekeepers, and the
group that’s listed as making the demand turns out to apparently be
kind of a Government proxy; it’s really a rebel group. It was
accused of being a pro-Government entity in Darfur. I’m wondering,
since this time has gone by, what can you say about the status of
these peacekeepers? And there is one South African media account
saying that the UN has requested a media ban of any discussion of
this hostage taking. Is that accurate or not accurate?
Spokesperson:
What I can tell you is that our colleagues on the ground there are
clearly very well aware of the fact that four of our peacekeepers,
police officers as you pointed out, South African nationals, are
missing. We are clearly in contact with the Government of Sudan and,
as in all such cases, it’s the host Government that is the one that
is responsible for helping to ensure that people being held or
missing are returned safely.
Inner
City Press: Okay. So, I mean, this idea that there is a media ban,
is there a media ban?
Spokesperson:
I have told you what I’ve told you, which is that the United
Nations is working with the host Government; it’s for the host
Government to do its utmost as in all such cases to help to ensure
that people who work for the United Nations are returned.
But
the kidnappers,
it appears clear, are a government affiliated militia... Watch this
site.
Footnote: US
President Barack Obama was meeting Scott Gration on April 19 about the
elections, but nothing has yet been announced. Watch this site.
* * *
UN
Slammed for Bias by Darfur Rebels, Deferred Answer About Rebel UN
Selected
By
Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, April 14 -- Questions about the UN in Sudan focus not only
on the dubious
quality of electoral technical assistance, but also
impartiality. Most recently the Justice and Equality Movement has
criticized the UN's handpicking of representatives of internally
displaced people, arguing that the selections are intended to make
Omar Al Bashir look good.
The UN feigns surprise, and then offers
vague denials. From the April
14 noon briefing transcript:
Inner
City Press: on Sudan, the Justice and Equality Movement [JEM] has
raised concerns about the way in which UNAMID [African Union-United
Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] and the Joint Mediator [for
Darfur], Mr. [Djibril] Bassolé, are selecting IDP
representatives
for the Doha process. They are saying, I guess according to them,
that the selection is untransparent and is being done in a way that
is pro-Government and slated to make things look better than they are
in Darfur. I wanted to know… and you can read it; it is by Ahmed
Hussein, the spokesman of JEM. What I am wondering is what is the
UN, UNAMID, and Mr. Bassolé’s criteria for selecting IDP
representatives? And I also wanted to just follow up of yesterday’s
-- how do we get questions answered by Mr. Bassolé, including
his
recruitment of a seeming UN staff member to be a representative in
the Doha process?
UN's Ban and Bassole, recruitment of IDP and "rebel"
leaders not shown
Spokesperson
Nesirky: Well, Mr. Bassolé’s office has informed us of the
following: Dr. Al-Tijani Al-Sissi [Ateem] is a former employee of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). He has never
been employed by any UN entity headed by the Joint Chief Mediator. He
is taking part in the negotiations now in his personal capacity and
no longer has any institutional links to the United Nations. The
Mediator is aware that Dr. Tijani was a UN staff member and that he
has resigned. That is what I have for you from Mr. Bassolé’s
office.
[The
Spokesperson later added that UNAMID has taken note of the criticism
from JEM and believes that its approach to civil society selection is
methodical and well thought out.]
Inner
City Press: The reason it would be good to be in touch with that
office is that ECA has said that in February of this year, that when
he travelled to Doha, he was still an ECA staff member. He was
invited by the Joint Mediator. So the question really is, in what
capacity was he invited? Was he already invited as a participant in
the talks reportedly representing the Fur people, or was he invited
as a UN staff member? And if he was invited as a participant, how
does it square with the UN staff rules, because he did not stop
getting paid until March? Who paid for his travel?
Spokesperson:
Matthew, you asked me that question after the briefing yesterday,
and you also asked Nick Birnback the same question, and both of us
have said we will find out and give you the information. If I had
had it to give to you now, I would have given it to you. What I have
given is what I have.
And
so we'll wait
for more. Watch this site.
, 
