In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon IMF
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE / SDNY COURT, June 4 –  Inner City Press on 5 July 2018 was banned from entering the UN, two day after it was physically removed from conducting interviews outside meeting about the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' $6.7 billion budget.

  Then Guterres' Department of Global Communication, run by Melissa Fleming, issued a letter banning Inner City Press from the UN - for life. With no due process, no right of appeal.  Guterres has put the UN in the US Press Freedom Tracker, here. Guterres' Spokesman Stephane Dujarric falsely promised on camera that he would be answering banned Inner City Press' questions - but see below.

     On June 4 after Guterres refused to answer but the IMF did answer, here, and before an amateur UN noon briefing by Stephane "French Whine" Dujarric, previously the face of UN lies on cholera in Haiti, now amid his and Guterres' cover up COVID-19's spread by the UN to and in Mali and in South Sudan with a national staff bus without social distancing -- Inner City Press asked Guterres, here and now of an official flying out while under quarantine and internationals "working out" in Tomping, Inner City Press submitted yet more questions (blocked by Dujarric's screener Florencia Soto Nino on +1 917 226 7816 and Dujarric himself on +1 917 622 7652; he directed some favored scribes to Eri Kaneko on +1 917 208 8910) including asking for an immediate response about the UN South Sudan transcript leaked to it and the basis on which it continues to be lawlessly banned from entering to ask questions in person. Now also on the basis for withholding publicly funded UN video from the Press. There was no answer from Farhan Haq on +1 917 592 4591, not even a confirmation of receipt, and now UN official like Hua Jiang, Eri Kaneko, now on screen Jennifer Confilio, Adam Smook, Marisela Rivera and others to be named taking public money for a UN briefing blocking email questions about the UN's spread of Covid 19 - May 21 Inner City Press video with commentary here and here, edit here , June 4 video here and here -- Inner City Press asked:

June 4-1: On the Coronavirus Covid-19 and the UN in South Sudan, immediately provide Inner City Press which has asked for a month SG Guterres' response now to the petition to him from South Sudanese about UNMISS spreading COVID-19, precisely as Inner City Press has asked you all repeatedly in writing, and audibly asked Guterres on Sutton Place, twice now and why he/you are not complicit. Please confirm that UNMISS was told to not permit Inner City Press to ask it / SRSG Shearer or his Francesca Mold any questions. What comment, now that South Sudan's Vice-President Riek Machar has tested positive for coronavirus - and SG Guterres declined for the third time to answer Inner City Press' South Sudan (and SEA) questions what you have refused to answer?

 On Cameroon immediately provide the comments and actions (and apology) if any of SG Antonio "Golden Statue" Guterres to that Buea-based journalist Samuel Wazizi a/k/a Samuel Ajiekah Abuwe is reported dead. According to Equinoxe Television, he died within a few days in detention from wounds and injuries sustained after his arrest - that is, he was killed by Biya's forces. SG Guterres refused to answer on June 4, while - and please explain the difference - the IMF an hour later answered Inner City Press, see e.g., here.

  What are the comments on June 4 of SG Guterres on the anniversary of the abuse at Tiananmen Square? 

On Zimbabwe what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has called for an independent investigation into the alleged abduction and abuse of MP Joana Mamombe, and youth leaders Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova - a reflection of its deep mistrust of state institutions and the police’s ability to investigate itself. 

On Kyrgyz Republic what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Kyrgyz security services detained a well-known rights defender on dubious grounds on May 29, 2020, and on May 31, a court ordered him placed under house arrest. Kyrgyz authorities should lift the two-month home arrest order imposed on Kamil Ruziev, the activist, drop all bogus charges against him, and investigate allegations that Kyrgyz security services have threatened him

On SEA as I asked each of you on the afternoon of June 2 with no answer whatsoever, this is a request that you immediately provide the "if asked" information about the new April 2020 child rape charge against a UN civilian "peacekeper" in South Sudan - the seventh in a month, no answers, UNSG complicit -  data dumped at 3 pm on June 1, after the Gabonese on May 18, after that of May 14 regarding Cameroon regarding child rape by Cameroon UN Peacekeeper in 2019, and May 12 disclosed sexual exploitation in South Sudan by an UNMISS civilian - please state the nationality and all info 

On Honduras, immediately explain the basis of SG Guterres' May 21 statement about 85,000 COVID-19 tests to Honduras - there, people tell Inner City Press free tests have not arrived but the government is selling them for $250.

 On Cambodia what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that On April 7, 2020, approximately 150 Cambodian migrant workers and students who had been working and studying in Malaysia were scheduled to take a flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Cambodia. Upon their arrival at the boarding gate, the airline informed them that the Cambodian government had denied their entry to Cambodia and they were not allowed to board the flight for which they had purchased tickets.    Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed that he had refused their return based on reasons of safety for the country’s population due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

 On Haiti, what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Haiti has confirmed 1,174 cases of COVID-19, the deadly disease caused by the virus, and 33 deaths so far. Of the confirmed infections, 11 are inmates at the hellish National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince, the director of the prison system confirmed. With the areas of some cells sometimes no more than about six feet by six feet on average and an inmate population of 10,666, Haiti’s prison system is one of the world’s most crowded, with an occupancy rate of 330 percent. 

On Burundi, what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that the council of Burundi's Catholic bishops says its observers noticed irregularities in last week's general election that put the reliability of the results into question.  In an audio announcement, the council said its more than 2,700 observers deployed to polling stations around the country witnessed incidents of:  multiple voting voting for dead people and refugees voters being forced to choose certain candidates unauthorised people involved in vote counting On Monday, the electoral commission announced that Evariste Ndayishimiye of the governing CNDD-FDD party won the presidential election.  It said he took 68% of the vote, according to preliminary results.  Opposition candidate Agathon Rwasa came second with 24%.  "We deplore many irregularities against freedom, electoral transparency and equity in treatment of candidates and voters,” the bishops' council said through its leader Joachim Ntahondereye.  “Vis-à-vis these irregularities and many more, we ask ourselves how reliable are the results to be proclaimed?” 

On Zimbabwe what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Three Zimbabwean opposition members, who say they were victims of state torture, have been charged.  The three, member of parliament Joana Mamombe and two youth leaders, are accused of promoting public violence on 13 May and flouting coronavirus lockdown regulations after they organized a protest over the number of people going hungry during the lockdown.  The charges have been laid while the three remain in hospital receiving treatment for their injuries.  The opposition members say they were abducted after the protest and sexually assaulted by state agents. The government denies any responsibility and says the abductions were faked.  Two journalists arrested last week for trying to interview the three...

On Tanzania, what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that a senior politician has sparked disbelief among Tanzanians by saying that coronavirus has "ended" and calling on the public to celebrate in the streets on Sunday.  Paul Makonda, who is regional commissioner of the country's biggest city Dar es Salaam, even told residents which shops had 80%-off sales so they could buy new clothes to look their best as they party.  Please immediately provide response to Cameroon political prisoners' petition emailed to Antonio Guterres and cc-ed to Inner City Press. 

Now that the Ambassador of Barbados has tested positive for Coronavirus, what protocols does the UN have for admission of diplomats and staff? And the flying in of diplomats and others?  Now that Three Cambodian peacekeepers who have been fulfilling their mission in Mali have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the tally to six in the country - what safeguards are in place?

In South Sudan, when did the UN tell the government about flying in infected international, and allowing one to fly out?  In CAR, explain and provide names:  MINUSCA spokesperson Vladimir Monteiro said on Wednesday that “nine armed elements” had been arrested “in the Ndele region” the previous day.  He said MINUSCA acted in response to a request by the Special Criminal Court, a tribunal set up in October 2018 to rule on major crimes in the CAR. He did not disclose the identities of those arrested. How can the UN arrest people and not give names? 

On China and COVID-19 what are the comments and actions of SG Guterres and USG Fleming on that human rights lawyer Zhang Xuezhong was "taken away" on Sunday after writing an open letter criticising the Chinese government's COVID-19 response? In his letter,  Zhang said that the country's handling of the coronavirus pandemic was emblematic of deep-rooted issues within the country's leadership.

 To emphasize: on May 14 you data dumped another child rape case by UN peacekeeper from Cameroon in CAR, after May 12 case of sex exploitation case by a civilian UN staffer in South Sudan. Inner City Press immediately wrote to each of you for the if-asked information, always provided pre-Guterres. Provide this information or explain why Guterres is covering up UN sexual abuse.

What are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Africans in China say they are repeatedly quarantined despite testing negative to the coronavirus? 

  What are the comments and actions of SG Guterres that the lone candidate for PGA, with whom he's had smiling photo ops, Volkan Bozkir is best known for saying, after "drag queen" Conchita Wurst's Eurovision win, "Thank God we no longer participate in Eurovision."

  What are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres and USG Fleming on that on May 10 Hong Kong police detained two reporters with Student Depth Media? Police also pepper sprayed an Apple Daily photographer who was covering the protests, and choked her while restraining her, according to a report by her employer, which identified the journalist only as “Jessica.” She was treated at the Kwong Wah Hospital for pain in her head and neck and for burning in her eyes, according to that report, which noted that Jessica was wearing a press vest and had her press pass visible at the time of the incident.

  On Uganda, what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has said it would be "madness" to hold general elections while still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.  He told the Ugandan broadcaster NBS that if the pandemic was not brought under control by July, then plans to hold the elections in early 2021 would have to be reviewed 

On Sudan, what are the comment and actions if any of SG Guterres on that Sudan has sent 300 military vehicles to South Darfur state following ethnic clashes which have killed dozens of people?  The deputy commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, Major General Abdel-Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, is leading the force.

    Immediately comment and state what SG Guterres is doing about charges made to Inner City Press about his head of UNFPA Natalia Kanem, as having wildly overspent at last year's Nairobi conference, having the public pay for the travel of two close relatives and that she spent $200,000 on a cocktail party, with a restricted guest list; there is a strong suspicion of nepotism as the son and members of the family of the Executive Director and many personal friends participated (at the Summit) at the cost of UNFPA.  

 On the Secretariat's proposal for voting including for UNSC seat, published by Inner City Press on May 1, please explain the proposal for physical voting at different times, and separately how eBallot voting was be verified and validated. This is a question to the Secretariat; it is being cc-ed to the PGA's spokesperson for answer as well. 

On Kenya, on which you singled out Ban Ki-moon's son in law for praise, what has the UN or he done about the government's use of World Bank Covid-19 funds for tea and snacks (see InnerCityPress.com) and that thousands of people have been made homeless in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, after a government excavator flattened their tin-sheet houses in the Kariobangi area.  The demolition was supervised by armed police officers from Monday dawn.  Residents told journalists that they had not been notified to leave.  The Daily Nation newspaper has shared a video on Twitter of the demolitions; and that on March 27, Kenya’s first day of curfew, police in Mombasa allegedly assaulted Peter Wainana, a journalist with one of Kenya’s leading television stations, NTV, long before curfew time. Wainaina was reporting on how police used excessive force against people queuing to board a ferry back home from work ahead of the curfew.  On March 29, police reportedly attacked George Muriithi, a cameraperson for a local television station, Weru, while he filmed police officers and government administrators using violence to enforce social distancing rules on traders in Mintuguu market, Meru County.  On the same day, police arrested three journalists – John Wanyama and Charles Kerecha of Citizen TV, and Mukoya Aywah, an independent journalist – reportedly for violating the curfew in Uasin Gishu and Kiambu counties, despite a government exemption for media from curfew restrictions. The journalists had been asking the public and the police about the curfew implementation.

  In Cameroon, WHO on April 28 gave the government 14 vehicles citing COVID-19. How do the UN - and SG Guterres - assess the Biya government's response to Coronavirus in Cameroon and its prisons? 

In Honduras, President JOH talked up hydroxychloroquin - what does SG Guterres say about that, and about JOH named today in narco-trafficking complaint in SDNY against former Honduran National Police Chief Tigre Bonilla? 

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com
SDNY Press Room 480, front cubicle
500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA

Mail: Box 20047, Dag Hammarskjold Station NY NY 10017

Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540

Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2020 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for