UNITED NATIONS
GATE, August
26
– Inner City Press
on July 5 was banned
from entering the
UN, the day after it
filed a criminal
complaint against UN
Security for
physically removing
it from covering the
meeting about the UN
Secretary General
Antonio Guterres'
$6.7 billion
peacekeeping budget,
as witnessed and
essentially cheered
on by senior UN
official Christian
Saunders, tearing
its reporter's
shirt, painfully and
intentionally
twisting his arm and
slamming shut and
damaging his laptop.
On August 17,
Guterres' Global
Communicator Alison
Smale issued a
letter banning Inner
City Press from the
UN - for life. With
no due process. She
and Guterres have
put the UN in the US
Press Freedom
Tracker, here.
Smale said,
again, that the UN
would answer Press
questions to the
Spokesman Stephane
Dujarric and his
Office;
Dujarric said
the same on
camera.
On August
23
more
than three
hours before a
noon
briefing by spokesman
Stephane Dujarric,
after the July 26
noon briefing
had no
questions at all,
video here,
Inner
City Press submitted 1160
questions,
including why
it continues
to be
lawlessly banned
from entering
to ask
questions in
person:
"There
are more than
700+
questions
UNanswered.
And Monday
Sept 17,
Tuesday Sept
18, Wed Sept
19 and
Thurs and Fri
Sept 21, that
whole week, no
questions
answered. Nor
Sept 25, nor
28th - nor
October 2 nor
3. While
appreciating
and using what
was belatedly
sent on
August 7
and on March
28 in partial
request to
Inner City
Press'
questions
about the UN
bribery
sentence of
Patrick Ho of
CEFC and
CEFC's 2018
attempt to buy
the oil
company of
Gulbenkian
Foundation
which paid the
SG, no answers
on Dec 17 or
18 or 19 or 20
or 21 -
another FIVE
days in a row,
even as SG's
direct
conflicts of
interest and
failure to
disclose
emerge, and a
newest low. No
answers on
January 30 nor
31 nor
February 1 nor
4 nor 5 nor 6
nor 7 nor 11
nor 12 nor 13
nor 14 nor 15
nor 18 nor 19
nor 20 nor 21
nor 22 nor 25
nor 26 nor 27
nor March 1 -
27 (!) And now April 1, 3-30 (one
answer
in the
entire month -
corrupt), and
now May
1-13, 15-17,
21-31,
June
3-28,
and July 1-2,
8-31 and August
1-5,
8-23
many
questions.
No answers at
all during
those four
days of the US
v Ho trial
showing
corruption in
the UN says it
all. This ban
is just
censorship -
and Inner City
Press must be
allowed back
into the noon
briefing to
ask its
questions in
person and
follow up on
them.
August
26-1: On
Somalia and
Kenya, what is
the SG's
comment and
action if any
on that the
Somali
government has
accused the
Kenyan
military of
destroying
mobile phone
masts in the
south of the
country. It
wants the
African Union
to intervene
and
investigate
the attacks
which seem to
be aimed at
preventing the
militants from
communicating.
Somali
telecoms firm
Hormuud issued
a statement on
Saturday,
saying there
had been 12
such attacks
in the Gedo
region
disconnecting
up to 4,000
people.
Telecommunication
Minister Abdi
Anshur Hassan
said "an
enemy" had
openly
attacked the
Somali
economy
August
26-2: On Hong
Kong (and
China), what
is the SG's
comment and
action if any
on that Hong
Kong police
used water
cannon for the
first time and
at least one
officer fired
his sidearm
during pitched
battles with
protesters
Sunday, one of
the most
violent nights
in three
months of
pro-democracy
rallies that
have rocked
the
city.
August
26-3: On West
Papua (and
Indonesia),
what is the
SG's comment
and action if
any on that
thousands of
protesters
were expected
to take to the
streets in six
regions of
West Papua on
Monday, one
week after
violent
demonstrations
flared across
Indonesia’s
easternmost
provinces,
leaving one
dead and
dozens
injured. Papua
journalist
Victor Mambor
claims he has
faced
intimidation
and harassment
for reporting
on the
internet
blackout
sanctioned by
the government
amid
escalating
protests in
Papua and West
Papua.
August
26-4: On the
DRC, prior to
the SG's
visit, what is
his comment
and action if
any on that
the new
cabinet in the
DRC announced
on Monday
morning seven
months after
the
inauguration
of President
Félix
Tshisekedi,
reflects the
continued
influence of
former leader
Joseph Kabila.
Forty two of
the 65 members
of the cabinet
come from the
FCC, his
coalition
which holds
the majority
in both houses
of
parliament.
This leaves
President
Tshisekedi's
side holding
just one-third
of ministerial
posts...
Defence - Ngoy
Mukena, a
close ally of
Mr Kabila
Mining - Willy
Samsoni, a
member of Mr
Kabila's
coalition and
an ex-mines
minister in
Haut Katanga
province
Finance - Sele
Yalaghuli,
also a Kabila
stalwart, and
an ex-director
general of
taxes
August
26-5: On
Cameroon, on
which
Guterres,
Amina J.
Mohammad and
the
spokespeople
have refused
to sent even
canned
statements
(which
embolden Paul
Biya) to
banned Inner
City Press'
questions,
what is
Guterres'
comment and
action if any
now that the
Yaoundé
Military Court
has set
September 6 as
the date for
the beginning
of its trial
of opposition
leader Maurice
Kamto. The
Cameroonian
opponent will
be tried
alongside
several of his
supporters for
"insurrection
and hostility
against the
country".
August
26-6: On Sri
Lanka, what is
Guterres'
comment and
action if any
on this Xinhua
report (and
how many
office space
in the UN does
he give to
Xinhua?)
-
The Sri Lankan
Foreign
Ministry said
on Wednesday
that the
appointment of
Shavendra
Silva as the
island
country's new
army chief was
a sovereign
decision by
the head of
state and
dismissed
concerns over
the
appointment by
foreign
entities as
"unwarranted
and
unacceptable."
August
26-7: On
Zimbabwe, what
is the SG's
belated
comment and
action if any
on that a
Zimbabwe
opposition MP
is due in
court to face
charges...Also
on that,
now,
Zimbabwe human
rights lawyer
Douglas
Coltart on
Monday said he
was suing the
police after
he was beaten
up for no
reason.
Coltart was
arrested last
week while
accompanying
his clients
outside the
finance
ministry
offices...
August
26-8: On
China, Hong
Kong and Weibo
that UN
partners with,
what is
Guterres'
comment and
action if any
on that Xu
Xiaodong has
paid another
price for
speaking out
in support of
Hong Kong
people during
the ongoing
protests –
this time on
social media...
August
26-9: On press
freedom and
Tanzania, what
is Guterres'
comment and
action if any
on that a
journalist has
been arrested
in Tanzania
for publishing
fake news
about alleged
police abuse
of suspects in
custody.
Mr Joseph
Gandye works
for Watetezi
TV, a station
established
last year by
the Tanzania
Human Rights
Defenders
Coalition...
August
28-10: For the
UN conference
Aug 26-28 in
Utah, please
immediately
state the
cost,
including the
assessment of
carbon
emissions for
the travel to
Utah. How is
outgoing USG
Smale
traveling
there? What is
her last day
in the
position? And
is Melissa
Fleming no
longer the
spokesperson
for
UNHCR?
August
26-11: On the
repatriation
of Rohingya
from
Bangladesh to
Myanmar, what
is Guterres'
position on
the system
that will give
returnees non
citizen,
"Bengali" ID
cards? ...
What did
Guterres do on
this while at
UNHCR?
August
26-12: On UN
child rapes -
alleged - what
is Guterres'
answer, which
you refused to
provide after
banned Inner
City Press
asked you and
others in
writing on the
morning of
August 19 that
you
"immediately
provide all
if-asked and
additional
information
about the new
allegation of
SEA announced
at 11:01 am
today, of
child rape by
a Cameroonian
"peacekeeper"
in DR Congo,
and a separate
child rape and
also sexual
exploitation
by Gabonese
peacekeers in
CAR, as well
as the
previously
unanswned
question about
exploitation
by Tanzanian
peacekeeper -
and also why
previously
published
charges are no
longer in the
data to which
UN
Peacekeeping
Conduct and
Discipline
points,
including what
if being done
for these
victims and
any steps
taken to avoid
this constant
repetition of
abuse despite
the SG's
ostensible
commitments...
August
26-13: In
light of the
death of
Jeffrey
Epstein,
accused of sex
trafficking
along with
Ghislaine
Maxwell who
was allowed to
promote her
now closed
charity in the
UN Press
Briefing Room,
as Inner City
Press asked
without any UN
response on
July 22,
please
immediately
disclose all
UN
interactions
with his
Ghislaine
Maxwell's
TerraMar
Project and
relatedly,
with Paolo
Zampolli.
August
23-13: Given
that the SG's
public
schedules for
August 2,
August 5,
August 6,
August 7,
August 8,
August 9,
August 13,
August 14,
August 15,
August 16 and
August 19 were
entirely
blank, not
even "all
appointments
internal" as
before but
just blank,
where WAS
Guterres and
how much did
it cost the
public? How
much will his
three country
trip cost? Who
is going on
it? Since
public
officials from
Trump to de
Blasio to
Corey Johnson
all disclose
where they
are, and given
the UN system
travel
scandals at
UNRWA, UN
Women and
previously
UNEP, explain
why Mr.
Guterres' lack
of
transparency
is not part of
the problem.
Given the
Secretariat's
communication
failures,
state when
exactly Ms.
Fleming takes
over from
Alison Smale,
whether Ms.
Fleming is
still has
stated on her
profile at
UNHCR (Chief
Communications
@Refugees as
of August 7)
and if she is
answering
some/any of
her e-mail
there. She is
being written
to there was a
second time
today, well
before the
Sept 5
deadline for
UN "approval"
to cover UNGA
week.
August
26-14: On
press freedom
and Cameroon,
on which you
refused to
answer on
August 13
despite saying
the office was
staffed and
answering, now
more specific:
what is the
SG's comment
and action if
any, post
golden statue,
to that Paul
Atanga Nji,
territorial
administration
minister, says
Cameroon's
journalists
are becoming
highly
unpatriotic.
"They have one
main
objective,
just to
sabotage
government
action, to
promote
secessionist
tendencies,"
said Nji. "I
urge them to
be
responsible.
Those who do
not want to
respect the
laws will be
booked as
being
recalcitrant
and will be
treated as
such"... Now
that the US
Court of
Appeals for
the Second
Circuit has
ruled against
public
officials
blocking
critics on
Twitter even
if the
official
claims their
account is
private, what
is the
justification
for UNSG
Spokesperson
Stephane
Dujarric, with
the UN flag in
his profile
photo and
Guterres
promoting
content,
blocking Inner
City Press?
What is SG
Guterres'
response /
reaction to UN
DSS and
Guterres'
actions on
Inner City
Press being
listed in the
U.S. Press
Freedom
Tracker, here...
In the UN,
what has the
accountability
been for Lt
Ronald E.
Dobbins and
those those
refused on
camera to give
their names?
What is each
of yours -
particularly
the SG's -
response to
the letter
written and
sent by
Burundi
activist
Manisha
Lievin? To the
April 15
letter to the
SG, DSG and
USG Smale for
which receipt
has not even
been
acknowledged,
other than a
single lawless
line from
MALU: "Your
media
accreditation
request, with
reference no:
M66561081, has
been
declined"?
This is a
formal request
for the UN's
explanation of
grounds for
this denied,
and since
SGcentral, the
SG's chief of
staff and
Deputy SG and
USG Smale
haven't even
confirmed
receipt of the
April 15
letter much
less
responded, for
reconsideration.
AGAIN,
immediately
explain how it
is legitimate
to ban from
enter into the
UN the media
that has been
asking about
these and
other
questions,
with no
hearing or
appeal - and
respond that
Inner City
Press on
August 24
applied like
100s or 1000s
of others to
cover the
upcoming UNGA
high level
week and how
it is possible
that a media
that closely
covers and
uncovers the
UN could be
denied entry,
other than
(SG)
censorship.
June
14-5: Since
the SG claimed
publicly that
the mansion he
lives in
"cannot" be
sold, please
immediately
provide any
and all
documents with
such a
restriction,
and separately
explain why
the concept of
cy pres or
reformation of
donor intent
has not been
explored.
Separately,
Boutros
Boutros Galli
wrote in his
book that the
building was
given by
Arthur
Houghton
through the
United Nations
Association of
the USA. What
actual
inquires, with
UNA-USA or any
successor to
Houghton or
Corning Glass,
has Guterres
made?
June
11-1: On
Cameroon, what
is the SG's
comment and
action if any
on this report
from Chinese
state media:
"YAOUNDE, June
10 (Xinhua) --
Cameroon's
House Speaker
of National
Assembly
Cavaye Yeguie
Djibril on
Monday
denounced
foreign
interference
in the
country's
internal
affairs which
he referred to
as
"conspiracy."
"Cameroon has
become an
object of
conspiracy
intended to
destabilize
the country.
To justify
their
interference
in internal
affairs, the
conspirators
pretend to
denounce it."
Again, how
many offices /
desk does the
Secretariat
give to
Chinese state
media inside
the UN?
May
15-3: On the
Public
Financial
Disclosures
for 2017
belatedly
published over
the weekend of
April 27-28,
please state
why Mohammed
Ibn Chambas,
like the
Executive
Secretary of
the UN
Biodiversity
Convention,
Cristiana
Paşca-Palmer,
UNICEF's
Henriette
Fore, with
documented
links to
ExxonMobil and
others, USG
Mark Lowcock
(undisclosed
while the
Secretariat's
speaker at the
UNSC Arria on
Cameroon),
UNCTAD's
Mukhisa
Kituyi, UN
Women's
Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka,
UNOG chief
Michael
Moller, UNDP
chief Achim
Steiner,
Heidi Mendoza,
Adama Dieng,
UN Security
chief Peter
Drennan,
Rosemary
DiCarlo and
Nicholas
Haysum, is not
even on the
list. OIOS
chief
Inga-Britt
Ahlenius
reported - why
not Mendoza?
Where IS
Mendoza? Isn't
it a bad
practice for
the UN's head
(anti)
genocide
definition
official to
conceal from
the public
even cursory
financial
disclosure?
Did DiCarlo
decline to
make any
public
disclosure
despite being
the UN's top
political
officer? What
is the even
plausible
applicability
of this line
from SG
Guterres' web
page: "Please
note that
given the
multi-cultural
environment of
the UN and the
often security
sensitive
locations
where UN staff
are either
working or
come from,
full public
disclosure may
not always be
a viable or
sensible
option for
certain staff
members"? Why
has Guterres
changed the
previous
system in a
which a
"choosing not
to disclose"
statement was
upload and
listed, to one
which helps
conceal who
reports and
who does
not?
Again, state
why
considering
the UN bribery
conviction of
Patrick Ho of
CEFC, and
CEFC's attempt
to purchase
the oil
company of
Gulbenkian
Foundation
which paid Mr.
Guterres in
2016 was
omitted from
his online
public
financial
disclosure
covering 2016,
and why
Guterres has
not even
started an
audit of CEFC
in the
UN.
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