UN's
Pascoe
Admits Failure
on #Kony2012,
Joins Ocampo
in Praise, Ban
Silent
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
March 9 --
While UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon and
his
spokespeople
have had
nothing to say
about the
#Kony2012
phenomenon,
except to
belatedly
direct Inner
City Press to
a months-old
report,
on Friday
Ban's outgoing
Political
Affairs chief
Lynn Pascoe
praised
the video and
initiative.
Inner
City Press
asked Pascoe
to respond to
critiques of
the 29 minute
film including
that it
misrepresents
the conflict
in Uganda and
now Central
Africa. Video
here, from
Minute 13.
But
Pascoe said
that the
attention the
video is
getting will
be helpful,
after less
than
successful UN
mediation with
President
Chissano, and
ostensible
coordination
between UN
Peacekeeping
mission which
as Inner City
Press reports
can barely do
their current
jobs in South
Sudan and the
Congo.
Pascoe
said, "I
watched it, I
was impressed
with the work
that was done.
I believe
that one of
our biggest
problems with
the LRA has
been getting
attention to
it.... We've
been working
closely with
the African
Union, without
great success.
These are
ferocious
crimes that
need to
be finalized."
Also
outgoing
International
Criminal Court
prosecutor
Luis Moreno
Ocampo has
also
praised the
film -- not
surprisingly,
perhaps, since
he is in it.
What does his
successor
think? Watch
this site.
Footnote:
Pascoe's
comments came
at a press
conference on
UN
guidelines for
mediators on
sexual
violence.
Inner City
Press asked
why the UN
team
to Syria
includes no
women, but
includes Congo
envoy retread
Alan
Doss. "He may
go in," Pascoe
said, while
playing up
women's
essentially
back-office
role.
The third
panelest Ould
Abdullah did
not answer,
but off camera
told Inner
City Press of
his recent
work
on the Sahel.
The UN's
sexual
violence in
conflict
expert Margot
Wallstrom
spoke more
directly,
saying that
the
UN must do
better. With
this, we
agree.
, 
