Amid
Death
in Darfur, UN Silent, Awaiting
Permission 15
Miles from Killing
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 4 -- Do the restrictions on movement the Sudanese
authorities impose on the UN conflict with the UN's
mandate to
protect civilians in Darfur?
With
reports of
over 50 killed by janjaweed in the predominantly Fur village of Tabra
in North Darfur, and 10 more dead in the camps of West Darfur, the UN
with its two billion dollar peacekeeping missions in Sudan has yet to
say anything.
On
the morning of
September 4, Inner City Press sought comment and confirmation from
the joint UN - African Union mission in Darfur, UNAMID, from the
spokesperson for UNAMID chief Ibrahim Gambari and from UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon's two top spokespeople.
More
than three
hours later, the only response was from the spokesman traveling with
Ban in Austria, who replied that they are aware of the media reports.
There are UN peacekeepers in Tawilla, a mere 15 miles away from
Tabra.
But
sources tell
Inner City Press that the peacekeepers in Tawilla before even trying
to reach the site of the killing waited for orders from Gambari's
office in Al Fashir, which had to seek permission from the Sudanese
authorities.
Peacekeeper in UN base in Darfur, permission
and protetion of civilians not shown
Twenty
miles
separated the UN peacekeepers in the Congo from the villages where
240 rapes took place earlier this month. Now, 15 miles separate UN
peacekeepers from the site of 58 killings in Darfur, but response is
delayed seeking permission. Some protection of civilians.
Here
are some of the
questions Inner City Press has pose to the UN:
“Has
UNAMID yet gained access to the site of the mass killing in North
Darfur? If not, why not, and how is this consistent with the
Mission's protection of civilians mandate?
“What
is the UN's estimate of casualties? Who's responsible? What will
UNAMID be doing?"
Is there any comment from
Garbari, the S-G, or Spokesman for the S-G? What about the delayed
malnutrition information about Darfur?
Watch
this site.
* * *
At
UN,
Darfur
and Kalma Camp Belatedly Discussed, No Rice, No
Understanding? Elements to the Press Expected, Not on Relocation
By
Matthew
Russell
Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August
23 -- After weeks of starvation of the Kalma Camp in
Darfur, the Security Council took up the matter for a second time on
Monday morning. Weeks ago, Alain Le Roy of the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations was charged with coming to a “full
understanding of the facts” of violence in the Kalma Camp.
But
no
understanding of any kind, much less a full one, has yet been
announced. Nor, it seems, has either the UK or US sufficiently
planned for an outcome of the Monday meeting. A non Permanent Five
member's spokesperson, on the way into the meeting, said that
informal polling showed a lack of support for even “elements to the
press.”
US
Permanent
Representative Susan Rice was noticeably absent -- or AWOL -- while
Sudan's new Permanent Representative worked the crowd. He promised to
do a stakeout Q&A about not only the Kalma Camp, which South
Darfur authorities now seek to close down and split in two, but also
about “the new strategy.” This refers to Khartoum looking away
from the so called Doha process, which neither the JEM nor Abdul
Wahid faction rebels are taking part in.
For
the briefing on
Kalma Camp, outgoing humanitarian chief John Holmes and DPKO's deputy
Atul Khare walked into the Council. DPKO's spokesman told Inner City
Press that UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky had been given a written
update on Kalma before the August 20 noon briefing. But Nesirky did
not read out the update, apparently only willing to do so in response
to a question.
Khare in the Council, Susan Rice, UN update and
understanding not shown
With his announced
regime of limiting questions, this
becomes more problematic -- and emblematic, too, the UN Secretariat's
seeming cover up of civilian suffering. Watch this space.
Update of 11:30 a.m.
-- Not only Sudan's new Permanent Representative, but now the UN's Atul
Khare as well, will be doing stake outs.
Update of 11:56 A.M.
-- Inner City Press asked Sudan's Perm Rep six questions and will write
them up later. Sources tell Inner City Press there WILL be an "elements
to the press" after the meeting, calling for humanitarian access,
supporting UNAMID. But nothing on the relocation of the Kalma camp.
* * *
In
Darfur
as
Kalma Camp Faces Closure and IDP Sorting, UN Spokesman & DPKO
Silent,
OCHA in Sudan Concerned
By
Matthew
Russell
Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
August
22 -- In South Darfur the Kalma Camp, which the Sudanese
government blockaded and starved for two weeks with
surprising little said by the UN, is now slated to be closed,
officials said over the weekend.
The
remaining residents, estimated
by the UN at 50,000, will be separated into two camps in Bileel. Some
wonder from past practices if the governmental sorting will be
along political or ethnic lines, presaging further blockages and
attacks on internally displaced persons.
On
August 20,
Inner City Press asked the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
for its update on the Kalma Camp. DPKO said it had provided an update
that day, and every recent day, to UN spokesman Martin Nesirky for
his noon press briefing.
But Nesirky
has decided to only provide the
Darfur information if he allows a question on the topic; later on
August 20 he chided Inner City Press to not tell
him about rules or
asking questions. “It is my briefing,” he said.
Contacted
again
on August 22, DPKO still did not provide the update it gave Nesirky
on August 20, but said it would do so on August 23.
Thus
Inner
City
Press reached out to the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs spokesman in Sudan, Samuel Hendricks, who
provided the following update:
Subject:
Re:
Press
request re Kalma Camp
From: Samuel Hendricks at
UN.org
To: Inner City Press
Date: Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 2:31 PM
Mr.
Lee,
Thanks
for
your
message. Latest info on Kalma as follows... Estimate of
current camp population thus remains around 50,000; location of many
Kalma residents remains unconfirmed... Motorized water pumps are
functioning; fuel shipment will be needed in coming days, NGO will
seek permission to transport.
Food
distribution
in
neighboring Bileil camp for Kalma IDPs still awaiting
provision of list from camp leaders (sheikhs); distribution
contingent on proof of Kalma residence (ie, ration cards).
Regarding
the
issue
of closure/movement of Kalma camp: Local media has reported
Gov't identifying new site for Kalma IDPs. Humanitarian Team (UN and
NGOs) in South Darfur will meet to discuss issue of proposed new
site, as there are various implications. The UN cannot support any
movement of IDPs that is not voluntary or otherwise appropriate.
Kids in Darfur between
two UN vehicles, "don't tell
me about rules"
Until
such
a time as a suitable location and facilities are
established, and decision reached on movements in full consultation
with IDP community of the camp, IDPs in Kalma camp should continue to
have access to humanitarian assistance as required.
But
will
this
statement of UN principle be implemented by DPKO and envoy Ibrahim
Gambari? The government is already claiming that the NGOs have
approved the new sites, and the sorting process.
IDPs continue
to
insist that Gambari threatened to turn six of them over to Sudanese
authorities if they did not agree to government patrols of the camps.
The UN denies this. We'll see. Watch this site.
, 
