After
UN DPI Ousts
ICP, Spox
Tells ICP Ask
DPI About
Corruption,
Disses GAP
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
February 29 --
After Inner
City Press was
summarily
ejected from
the UN, which
it has covered
for 10 years,
on February
19, the
ostensibly
deciding
official
Cristina
Gallach told
no less than
Nobel Peace
Prize laureate
Jose Ramos
Horta that
Inner City
Press would
still be able
to cover the
UN.
What she
didn't say was
that Inner
City Press'
ability to
cover the
unfolding UN
corruption
scandal in
which she has
played a role
would be
curtailed
under the
proposed
arrangement -
by design.
On
February 26
the Government
Accountability
Project, which
defends
whistleblowers,
wrote to the
US Mission to
the UN,
Ambassador of
Management and
Reform Isobel
Coleman, to
ask the US to
ensure Inner
City Press
gets back its
office and
Resident
Correspondent's
pass.
GAP letter
here.
GAP's
Beatrice
Edwards cited
the UN's lack
of due process
and of rules,
and the
seeming
retaliation
against Inner
City Press for
its reporting.
(There's also
the physical
ouster of
Inner City
Press, audio
here.)
Other missions
have openly
taken action:
what will the
US Mission do?
On
February 29,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric
another
question about
UN - this time
DPI - seeming
corruption,
and about
GAP's letter,
Video
here, UN transcript
here:
Inner City
Press: I'd asked
you previously
about
South-South
News,
which is
pretty much
in is in this
indictment of
Mr. [Francis]
Lorenzo and
Mr. Ng Lap
Seng as a
conduit for
funds for the
alleged
bribery at the
UN, why its
its footage
and a number
of its pieces
are included
in UNTV in an
archive, and I
checked
today.
They're still
there.
I wanted to
know, since
there's no
other med
non-UN media
that I can
find that has
its material
inside that
archive, why
is that, and
why does it
remain to be
the case,
given the fact
that it's
named as a
vehicle for
bribery?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
Obviously, I
think that's a
question you
can address to
my colleagues
in DPI.
Inner City
Press:
Okay.
They're not
communicating
too well.
Spokesman:
[Calls on
another.]
Inner City
Press: Again,
I'll keep it
very short,
but I wanted
to ask you,
the Government
Accountability
Project, which
you know,
which
represented
Mr. [Anders]
Kompass and
other UN
whistle-blowers,
has issued a
letter on
Friday in
which they
say they call
for I guess
I'll put it in
personal
terms for my
resident
correspondent
pass to be
returned and
my
office.
And they say
the action was
retaliatory in
response to
independent
critical
journalism.
I'd like to
know what your
response to
this respected
group reaching
that
conclusion is.
Spokesman:
My simple
response would
be no, and I'm
sure they will
get a response
from whoever
they addressed
the letter to.
We'll
see.
Meanwhile
in defense of
Ban and
Gallach,
anonymous
troll account
has taken to
tweeting, now
at Spanish
journalists,
that Gallach
is fine and
didn't throw
Inner City
Press out of
the UN on two
hours notice
without once
speaking to
it. But those
are the fact.
Among the new
troll
account's
followers are
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric and
four UNCA
board members,
plus Reuters
bureau chief
Louis
Charbonneau,
who has a
history with
this, see
here.
Because
as a working
journalist it
needed access
to cover the
February 25 UN
Security
Council
meeting about
North Korea,
and only in
connection
with filing a
lawyer's
letter telling
Gallach and
the UN not to
touch Inner
City Press'
office or
files, Inner
City Press
late morning
entered the UN
with a
so-called
"Green P"
non-resident
correspondents
pass.
At the
day's noon
briefing,
after asking
of Burundi,
Western
Sahara, Darfur
and the UN
corruption
scandals,
Inner City
Press asked
Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman
Stephane
Dujarric two
simple
question, to
which he said
#AskGallach. From the UN
transcript:
Inner City
Press: I'd
like this to
go smoothly,
so I'll do it
really
quickly.
I noticed that
on Monday,
when I was not
able to attend
the briefing,
that you had a
little Q&A
about my
accreditation
status.
So, I just
want to state
one thing very
briefly.
A legal letter
has been
received by
DPI
[Department of
Public
Information]
to not touch
my office, not
touch any of
the files, but
I need to
cover the
meeting this
afternoon.
I'm just
stating that,
because I
thought it was
inappropriate.
But, my
question is as
follows:
Is it common
UN practice
to to tell a
journalist to
leave the
building and
give up
Resident
Correspondent
status without
ever once
speaking to
them? Is
that
considered an
investigation?
What is the
lowest
standard that
the UN can go
to to have
something to
be considered
a review of
the facts?
Spokesman
Dujarric:
I would
encourage you
to direct all
those
questions to
Ms. [Cristina]
Gallach and to
DPI.
Inner City
Press: I
have one more
question.
What are the
rules for the
use of
physical force
by UN
security?
Because on
Friday
evening, I was
pushed down
the escalator
and into the
street, and my
laptop was
thrown on the
street, and I
and I was
offering
absolutely
zero physical
physical so I
wanted to know
what is the
recourse for
someone to
whom this
happens?
That's my
question.
Spokesman:
I would
encourage you
to raise all
these issues
having to do
with your
accreditation,
your
treatment, and
so forth to
Ms. Gallach.
Question:
What are the
rights of
people not to
be pushed by
UN security?
Spokesman:
That's that
was my answer
to your
question.
Thank you.
Wait -
so the UN has
no protocols
on the use of
force? Or
DPI's Gallach
is in charge
of the use of
force, and
ordered it?
How can the UN
and USG
Gallach be so
contemptuous
to the most
basic forms of
due process?
Inner City
Press is
opposing all
this.
And so
now are a
range of
people from
around the
world, who
have signed a
petition to
immediately
restore Inner
City Press to
the UN
Resident
Correspondent
accreditation
it had for
nine years
until, without
any due
process, the
UN pass was
physically
torn from its
chest as UN
Security throw
its laptop
onto the
sidewalk in
front of the
UN (also owned
by the UN and
immunity from
US law
including the
First
Amendment).
UN cover-up
artists are
taking
advantage of
the dying
months of Ban
Ki-moon's
tenure to
remove a thorn
in their side,
because they
are worried
the new SG
won't want to
start out with
a fight.
-James Bone,
Shelter Island
Heights, NY
ICP has been
the only voice
for the
oppressed in
#Burundi,
#Haiti &
#Yemen at #UN.
-Eloge Tinya,
Lagos, Nigeria
Innercitypress
is the voice
of many
oppressed
Burundians and
many Africans
under
dictatorship.
I have decided
to stand with
the oppressed
and not the
oppressor, UN
needs to
practice what
it preaches by
setting free
innercitypress
to do his
work! -Lievin
Manisha,
Pineville, LA
ICP asked
questions that
will bring
clarity on the
agreement the
Prime Minister
of Dominica
signed in
Macau on
August 25,
2015 together
with Ng Lap
Seng and a UN
official.
-Hon. Hector
John,
Salisbury,
Dominica
I am signing
for UN to
restore
Matthew Lee
Inner City
Press right to
access to the
UN as a
Resident
Correspondent
to question
authorities
because it is
the
fundamental of
free speech as
the UN
preaches to
other
countries it
must first
practice
itself to set
example.
-Smret Kibrom,
San Gallo,
Switzerland
Freedom of
press. -Prem
Kumar, India
innercitypress
defends the
human rights
of Burundians
and help to
avoid
genocide,
please free
innercitypress!
- MICHAEL Tim,
London, United
Kingdom
I'm signing
because the
barring of
access to Mr.
Lee appears to
be at worst
motivated by a
reluctance to
engage with
and continue
to receive the
probing
questions he
asks, and at
best the
result of a
petty personal
vendetta based
on
unprofessional
antipathy
towards Mr.
Lee by the
'respectable'
wing of the
United Nations
press corps.
-Marlon
Ettinger,
Hastings-on-Hudson,
NY
I am signing
this petition
for Matthew
Russell Lee
and Inner City
Press be
restored to
the shared UN
office and
Resident
Correspondent
accreditation
they have had
for eight
years prior to
this
pretextual
incident. It
also requests,
as does the
Free UN
Coalition for
Access that
Matthew
co-founded,
that an
investigation
be launched
into how all
of this
occurred.
Moreover to
call for
aggressive
investigative
journalism at
the UN and to
tell the
leaders of the
UN that the
UN, too, must
live up to the
principles of
due process
and freedom of
the press.
-Martha
Fassil, New
York, NY
Comment l'onu
peut agir de
sorte alors
qu'ils sont
comme meilleur
modèle de la
démocratie, je
garde espoir
qu'on aura un
jour un vrai
dirigeants de
l'onu pour
tous. -Steve
Ndacasaba,
Montréal,
Canada
I'm signing
cause, want a
real
journalist who
tells it like
it is. No
agenda but the
truth. I am
supporting him
for standing
up for UN
bully. -Paulos
Welday,
Cambridge,
United Kingdom
Han er en
journalist som
forteller
sannheten til
verden.
Mussie Tesfay,
Oslo, Norway
UN should walk
the talk.
Practice what
you preach -
rule of law,
democracy,
freedom of
expression, of
press.
Reinstate ICP
Mathew Russell
Lee to full
resident
reporter.
-Seble Ephrem,
London, United
Kingdom
we need a
voice for
africa
redae medhane,
Kitchener,
Canada
Incredible.
This banning
is the exact
opposite of
the
transparency
and
accountability
that the UN
should be
defending for
all
institutions.
This must be
reversed.
Denis
Rancourt,
Ottawa, Canada
ICP is the
most reliable
source of
information at
the UN. The
other
corporate
media are
controlled by
the special
interest
groups. Thus
their
journalistic
integrity is
always
suspect. ICP
is voice of
the voiceless
- of course
unlike the UN
and its
sponsors and
financiers.
-tsehaie
mahary,
edmonton,
Canada
I express my
solidarity
with Mathew,
God bless you
friend
Mohamed
MAYARA, El
Aaiun, Western
Sahara
Matthew Lee
has been a
lone voice
asking the
difficult
questions in
the UN press
gallery.
-Martin Field,
Geneva,
Switzerland
I have seen
Matthew only
defending the
truth. He is a
journalist
with a genuine
journalist
ethics. He is
also the one
of the most
intelligent
and courageous
journalist. He
is a model how
other
journalist
should be. He
should be
given a noble
prize for what
he does not
get banned
from the UN.
-Yacob
Woldehiwot,
London, United
Kingdom
The UN cannot
be dismissive
of new media
as people get
their news
from new
media.The UN
cannot pick
and choose
media persons
according to
their whims
and fancies.
-soraya patel,
India
Shame on UN.
-ibrahim
alhaifi,
Sanaa, Yemen
I believe this
is censorship
of the press.
Shameful.
-Douglas
Smith, New
York, NY
I believe this
is censorship
of the press.
Shameful.
-Douglas
Smith, New
York, NY
I'm signing
because I
believe in ICP
to bring
balance to the
reporting of
UN activities
around the
globe. I also
believe in the
ability of Lee
to
investigate,
without fear
or favour, to
keep the UN
reputation
intact. -Saare
Tsehaye,
London, United
Kingdom
Because this
is censorship
on free press.
Inner City
stands for
Truth, Justice
& Peace
!!! -Aman
Kubrom,
Frankfurt,
Germany
How can the UN
be so
ridiculous?
Feridun
Akpinar,
Turku, Finland
For Truth
&
Transparency,
there must
always be
those who
Question more.
-Auet Melache,
Bolton, United
Kingdom
I am signing
because UN is
being unfair
and need to
take some
responsibility.
-Lynda
Charles,
Boynton Beach,
FL
He's credible
and follows
the ethics of
journalism to
the fullest.
-Amanuel
Tseggai, Stone
Mountain, GA
We need the
alternative,independent
and
investigative
media to be
present
everywhere.
-Marja
Konttila,
Solna, Sweden
I demand the
U.N.
unconditionaly
and ASAP to
restore access
to Inner City
Press`Matthew
Russell Lee to
the U.N. as a
Resident
Correspondent.
-johannes
abraham,
Germany
I believe in
press giving
independant
views on
ignored issues
Cyrilla
Bwakira,
Johannesburg,
South Africa
Ban is a tool.
-Michael
Klett, San
Francisco, CA
InnerCity
Press has been
very
professional
and a life
saver. His
reports on
different
issues around
the world
helped uncover
certain hidden
truths. If Ban
was in
#Burundi 2
days ago, I
can say it is
mainly because
of his
persistence of
bringing
Burundi to
light from the
repression of
de facto
president
Manirambona
Juma, Kirundo,
Burundi
Matt spells
out the truth
and exposes
the games
protecting the
outdated
system for
what it
currently
is.Matt
actually
supports the
principle of
the UN, those
within it,
support
themselves.
-Andy Wren,
Littlestone,
United Kingdom
Weil ich sihe
das innercity
einsige
unabhengige
median
vetretete vor
Stimmenloss.
-Iassu
nugusse,
Germany
Matthew
Russell Lee,
founder of the
Inner City
Press, is a
veteran
investigative
journalist I
have relied
upon on UN
news for the
past six
years. He is
truthful, and
pursues truth
in reporting
tenaciously
and with
integrity. We
need more
journalists
like him at
the UN to keep
us informed.
He and his
Inner City
Press must be
reinstated as
a fully
accredited
resident
journalist to
the UN. -Elias
Amare, San
Rafael, CA
We need
unbiased and
impartial
reporting from
the UN. -David
Macilwain,
Australia
Does the UN
have something
to hide? The
UN is also
obligated by
the same
principles and
norms it
preaches. I
demand the UN
to reinstate
Matthew
Russell Lee to
his desk so he
can do what he
does best-
pure
journalism. He
is the only
honest
journalist at
the UN
compound and
being the
voice of the
voiceless.
-Daniel Berhe,
Seattle, WA
I am signed
because ICP
thrown out on
the street by
the decorator
of UN media
Personnel with
out his
belongings
Shame UN.
-Yakob
Tesfaye,
Edmonton,
Canada
I am signing
this because I
want to learn
about the
corrupt UN
security
council.
TEKLU BAHTA,
NORTH CHICAGO,
I respectively
ask UNSG and
Mr Ban ki-moon
to reture Matt
to his post us
a dedicated
reporter in
the UN. I have
a huge respect
for the guy.
It would be a
travesty of
justice if a
reporter like
matt is out
the office of
the biggest
office in the
world when we
need a
reporter of
such kind.
-Kibrom
tekeste,
berkeley, CA
I'am signing
because I
believe in
freedom of
speach and
Free Press
Reporters/Journalists.
-Ndayizeye
APOLLINAIRE,
Gatineau
(Hull), Canada
The UN
repeatedly
acts like
human rights
protections
apply to
everyone but
themselves.
-Betsey Chace,
Cambridge, MA
Matthew is the
only bona fide
journalist
reporting on
UN. He alone
is rectifying
the defects
created by
system of
diplomatic
immunity. Why
makes his job
harder? Do you
have something
to hide from
him? He makes
UN a more
acceptable
organization
and indeed, by
genuinely
reporting he
makes this
world a better
place. -T
Chan, London,
United Kingdom
I am signing
for UN to
restore
Matthew Lee
Inner City
Press right to
access to the
UN as a
Resident
Correspondent
to question
authorities
because it is
the
fundamental of
free speech as
the UN
preaches to
other
countries it
must first
practice
itself to set
example.
Sara Haile,
Alexandria, VA
Matthew Lee
is, far and
away, the
hardest-working
and most
dogged of any
journalist at
the United
Nations. His
arbitrary
expulsion is
both
outrageous and
a reflection
of the fact
that things
are not as
they should be
at the United
Nations, and
certainly not
what YOU would
expect. -
alberto
martin, New
York, NY
He is the best
one, for the
world in the
UN which tells
us the truth.
So if he is
out of his
work then the
UN only
remains with
out the truth.
ghebreyohanis
michiel,
bachenbülach,
Switzerland
Burundi medias
burned by
violent/genocidaire
regime;our
genuine source
of information
from UN was
ICP:fair,not
sided.Pls,Reestablish
ICP in its
rights!
Ange Nganji,
Bujumbura,
Burundi
I'm signing
because I
believe in the
freedom of the
press. I often
reads Matthew
Lee's work
which reports
on difficult
topics and
events that
need covering
and exposure.
He should be
reinstated at
your earliest
convenience.
Rebecca Myles,
New York, NY
I'm signing
because I'm an
advocate for
real,
independent
journalism and
condemn the
UN's decision
to remove
Inner City
Press's access
based on a
nonsensical
pretext!
-Hermon
Gebrai,
Northamptonshire,
United Kingdom
I appreciate
Inner City
Press'
persistent and
prepared
journalism at
the United
Nations.
-Brian
Concannon Jr.,
Marshfield, MA
Freedom of the
press. -Luiz
Rampelotto,
New York, NY
18 hours ago
The UN needs
to be held to
standards of
openess,
transparency
and freedom of
the press.
-Samuel
Horton,
Silsden,
United Kingdom
Lee should not
have been
expelled, it's
a disgrace to
the UN.
-Richard
Johnson,
Potomac, MD
It's unfair to
throw someone
out like that
with out
hearing from
his side of
history.
-Hermon
Tsegay,
Slough, United
Kingdom
Such a crck
down on media
in an
organization
promoting
freedom of
speech and
information is
really awkward
and clearly
disgraceful
and
unacceptable.
-Florent
Nduwayo,
Kibungo,
Rwanda
This is
another in a
long line of
incidents
conclusively
evidencing the
UN's complete
and utter
disrespect for
the laws of
its HOST
country, the
US, in
particular the
1st
amendment!! UN
IMMUNITY =
IMPUNITY--END
IT NOW!!
Journalists
are the
ultimate
whistleblowers,
and I am well
aware of how
UN
whistleblowers
like Mr Lee
are persecuted
and suffer
grievous harm
at the hands
of rogue UN
officials. The
treatment of
Mr. Lee is an
outrage.
How ironic
this has
happened just
as the US
House Committe
on Foreign
Relations is
today, on 24
Feb, holding a
hearing about
the gross
mistreatment
of
whistleblowers
at the UN and
WIPO. Congress
must act now
to cut off 15%
of US
appropriations
to the UN this
year on
account of its
failure to
protect and
encourage UN
whistleblowers
like Mr Lee,
as provided
for in US law,
as it already
did to WIPO!!
-ted beacher,
Geneva,
Switzerland
ICP is doing a
great job. UN
should
support,respect
and promote
free speech.
-Kalu Thapa,
Kathmandu,
Nepal
There are
more...
But the
UN
Correspondents
Association,
at least its
15 Executive
Committee
members,
issued a
February 22
statement in
context fully
supporting the
throwing of
Inner City
Press into the
street, the
seizure of
passport, the
Banning, all
of it. We
wonder if
these scribes'
employers know
about this.
For now
we reiterate
the obvious:
the UN Press
Briefing Room
is
presumptively
open to all
press. If
Spokesman
Dujarric, or
DPI's Gallach,
wants to lend
it to their
friends, at
least provide
a notice so
journalists
hungry for
news don't get
excluded and
get nothing. Follow @innercitypressFollow @FUNCA_info
, 
