In
#MeTooUN in
India UN
Security Said
To Interfere
To Block UNFPA
Harassment
Case
By Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS,
June 7 – UN
Secretary
General
Antonio
Guterres on
May 14 in
Vienna
told UN
staff that sexual exploitation
and abuse is
not relevant,
only sexual
harassment is.
This statement
was made amid
allegations
of physical
sexual abuse
by UNAIDS'
Luiz Loures,
and the
purchase of
sex by a D1 UN
official
in Somalia.
Are those cases
of harassment?
One that is,
hat the UN
system keeps
trying to
cover up, is
the case of Prashanti
Tiwari at
UNFPA in
India. Most
recently she
has discovered
that a UN
Department of Safety and
Security officer
named has
tried to interfere in
her case. She
informed UNFPA
- more on this
soon - and the
Indian
government, as
obtained by
Inner City
Press: I am
writing to you
in a state of
utter shock
and disbelief
and want you
to look into
my complaint
seriously.
There has been
serious flaws
and misleads
by UNFPA on
my complaint
against Diego
Palacios and
Ena Singh on charges
of sexual
abuse,
exploitation, harassment,
criminal
conspiracy and
intimidation.
I am afraid if MEA
does not act
with sternness
now, it will
be too late
and justice
will never be
given to an
Indian
citizen, whom
our Honourable
Minister calls
"Bharat ki
Beti".
Please note 1.
A security
officer from
UN by the name
of Mr Dayanand
has been
approaching
and contacting
the Bihar
Police
Investigation
Officer in my
F.I.R against
Diego Palacios
and Ena Singh. Sir
why are they
contacting the
IO.
2. When Bihar
police was
acting
swiftly, MEA
asked the
Bihar police
to approach UN
officials
through MEA,
and I have
seen your
letter to that
effect. If
that is the process,
how come UN
can contact
the Bihar
Police and
that too the
Investigation
officer
directly? Just
because they
are UN can
they do
anything
against me and
that too in my
own country?
They are
simply
influencing
the witnesses
and evidences
and you need
to stop this.
3. This
security
officer was
misleading the
Bihar Police
by saying that
the letter
(giving
permission to
interview the
UNFPA
staff,where
only one name
is mentioned out
of three) is
from MEA,
Whereas the
letter was on
the letter
head of UNFPA
and had the
logo of UNFPA.
So why was he
misleading and
misguiding the
Bihar
Police? This
conversation
is recorded.
They have not
given
permission to
interrogate
the accused
than what is
the point in
the
investigation.
Arent they
impeding the
criminal
investigation
as well by not giving
police the
access to the
accused. Even
the permission
given to
interview the
witness is so
protective and
controlled
that it will
not result in
fair and an
honest disposition.
How can MEA be
silent on this
gross abuse of
judicial
processes.
4. The letter
mentions that
the internal investigation
is over on 9
May 2018. So
where is the
report? Why
was the UN
security
officer
approaching
the IO of
Bihar Police
directly?
5. I requested
the UNFPA
investigators
to share the
statement of
the accused
with me to
offer my
counter. UNFPA
replied that
it is not in
their policy
to share the statement
of the accused
with the
complainant. I
asked them to
share the
relevant
policy. They
shared UNFPA
Disciplinary
Framework
where there
was no mention of
such a clause.
I checked with
the UNFPA and
they replied
that yes it is
not in their
policy but is
a practice.
Sir, these
contradictions
and flip flops
are all documented.
6. The entire
approach of
UNFPA and the
UN system is
to witch hunt
the
complainant
and bury the
case under the
carpet. I have
met with so
many women who
have faced
this trauma in
UN and no
justice is
ever going to
come from them
as is also
evident from
their flip
flop
statements,
misinformation
and attempts
to influence
criminal
investigation
as well.
7. Till date
MEA has been
unable to
support me or
stand with me
despite the
assurances by
our Minister.
I only went to
their internal
investigation
because my government
(MEA) has
asked me to
that. ...I
do not have
any trust in
UNFPA and I
hope after
reading this
your faith on
them will also
be shaken.
Please act. Thanks
Prashanti
Tiwari."
Inner
City Press
asked the UN to
explain, below
- and then was
informed by
sources in
Vienna that
the #MeTooUN problem
there is wider
than
heretofor
reported. An abrupt
resignation at
the
International
Atomic Energy
Agency in
Vienna, of
Tero
Varjoranta, was
by
some like Reuters
linked
to
Trump's
pull out from
the Iran JPCOA
deal. But
Inner City
Press is exclusively
informed
it is more tied to
an incident witnessed
by many, and
inquired into
by press
pursuing the
impunity in
the UN system
for sexual harassament
and
abuse. Inner
City Press'
source,
understandably
afraid of
retaliation
in Guterres'
UN (which
continues to restrict
Inner City
Press) says,
"at a senior
management
retreat at the
start of the
year, the Deputy Director
General
was seen to
publicly 'kiss
a female
subordinate
long and hard'
and then was
seen retiring
to the bed
chamber with
the female
person.
Nonetheless,
Amano approved
a contract
extension for
the DDG
subsequently.
An
investigative
journalist
from [a]
magazine
pursuing the #MeToo syndrome
in the UN
system visited
Vienna and was
made aware of
this incident
along with
other previous
incidents
involving
safeguards
staff and
female
subordinates.
Why the DG
asked for the
resignation
now remains a
mystery. In my
view the DG
also should
resign for his
cover up -
but he is
laying the
ground for a
fourth term
citing DPRK
denuclearization." If
the Director
General urged
the exit in
order to cover
up, is he
little more
than another
Michel Sidebe,
the UNAIDS
director whose
resignation
is being
sought? And
what does
Guterres
support of Sidibe,
and oblivious
or worse junket
through this
UN killing
field say
about him? On
May 17, Inner
City Press
asked Guerres'
deputy
spokesman, UN
transcript here, Inner
City Press:
Earlier this
year, I asked
a number of
questions
about UNFPA in
India and the
allegations of
sexual
harassment and
abuse against
a Diego
Palacios there
and there's
just been a
large press
conference of
NGOs
(non-governmental
organizations)
in India, both
saying that
the…
asking that
the
Secretary-General
remove
immunity from
Mr. Diego
Palacios and
also tying it
into the
situation at
UNAIDS (Joint
United Nations
Programme
against
HIV/AIDS) with
Michel Sidibé,
but I wanted
to know an
update from
you.
They seem to
say at this
press
conference
that Mr.
Palacios
hasn't really
even been
interviewed,
that there's
not…
that the UN
hasn't acted
in any way on
this detailed
allegation of
sexual
harassment.
Are you aware
of what UNFPA
has done, if
the
Secretary-General
is aware of
and may act on
this request
that immunity
be removed,
particularly
given the
inaction by
the UNFPA?
Deputy
Spokesman:
As far as I'm
aware at this
stage, it
remains in the
hands of the
UN Population
Fund, and
they're the
ones who are
looking into
this, and
we'll leave it
in their
hands.
Inner
City
Press:
Recently,
there was an
abrupt
resignation of
a Deputy
Director
General of
IAEA
(International
Atomic Energy
Agency) in
Geneva, Tero
Varjoranta,
and we've been
hearing
various
reasons for
it, and since
the
Secretary-General
was just in
Vienna, is he
aware of any
quote "#MeToo
issues” at
IAEA, and if
so, what did
he do while
he's there?
Deputy
Spokesman:
I don't really
have any
comment to
share on
this. As
far as I'm
aware, the
International
Atomic Energy
Agency said
that he had
stepped down
for personal
reasons, and
so that is the
information we
have on that." After
that exchange,
UNFPA in India said
its
investigation
is over; the
victim learned
of this by
reading the
newspaper. On
May 18 Inner
City Press
asked the UN's
Haq, video here,
UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: on
sexual
harassment, I
wanted to ask
you
this. I
had asked you
yesterday
about the case
at UNFPA
(United
Nations
Population
Fund) in India
and since then
there's been a
development
that I was not
aware of at
the
time.
The case of
Prashanti
Tiwari and
what she said
and Diego
Palacios,
who's the UN
official, and
since your
answer
yesterday,
it's reported
that the UNFPA
office in
India says
that the probe
is over and
the findings
are awaited,
and so the
complainant
had been told
that she would
be told and
finds…
and is pretty
surprised by
that, given
how little
she's been
spoken
to. So I
wanted to
know, one, is
it true?
Is it your
understanding
that the probe
is over?
Two, is the
probe only by
UNFPA or by
OIOS (Office
of Internal
Oversight
Services)?
And two, how
is this a kind
of
victim-centred
approach if
the victim
reads about it
in a
newspaper?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first of
all, as I had
mentioned
yesterday, the
matter is in
the hands of
the UN
Population
Fund.
We'll await
and inform you
of any
information
that we get
from them
about this,
but the matter
is in their
hands and it
will be up to
them to inform
you about what
stage they are
at in this.
Inner
City Press: Is
there some
minimum
standard for
what
victim-centred
means?
I'm asking
because the
Secretary-General
has made a big
deal about
this saying
how he's
talking to all
of his heads
of agencies so
here's an
agency that
announced to a
newspaper that
the probe is
over. Is
this
consistent
with his
approach?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, my UNFPA
colleagues
have assured
me they were
looking into
this and
they've been
doing this for
some time now."
Really. Guterres'
statement
was made at a staff Town
Hall meeting
for which he
was 45 minutes
late. After he
said it, a
staff member
complained
that her application
to set up a
#MeToo club
had been denied and
would Guterres
help? He did not
say yes. So on
May 15 in New
York, Inner City
Press asked
Guterres'
deputy
spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN
transcript here: Inner
City Press: At
yesterday's
town-hall
meeting in
Vienna, one of
the questions
from the floor
was from a
self-described
victim of
sexual
harassment
within the UN
system, and
she asked
Secretary-General
whether he
supported the
idea of a "me
too" club, I
guess, within
the UN in
Vienna.
He didn't seem
to say
yes. He
seemed to say,
well, if I
understand it
better.
She said, do
you support
it, and they
just moved
on. Can
you say now
does the
Secretary-General
support the
idea?
She was
apparently
rejected by
the UN in
Vienna to set
up this, such
a club.
Does he
support that
idea, and will
he follow up
with the staff
member who
asked him this
explicitly in
the town-hall
meeting?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first,
we are trying
to get input
from all staff
about what
needs to
happen in
order to deal
more
effectively
with sexual
harassment,
including
through a
survey of
staff, and so
we will try to
evaluate what
staff broadly
say and see
what steps
need to be
taken." Oh. Guterres
also on May 14
said his
attempted
reform of the
UN development
system had
"passed
silence," with
but without
assessed
contributions.
On May
15 Inner City
Press also
asked Haq: He
also seemed to
say that, I
don't know if
that the
assessed
contributions,
that the
reform of the
development
system had
passed through
silence
procedure; it
still has not
been voted on,
but he seemed
to say that
it's passed,
but without
the Resident
Coordinator
system being
funded through
assessed
contributions.
What is his
plan, given
that it seems
like that he
thinks that
now it's going
to be approved
by the General
Assembly,
hasn’t passed
through, what
is the plan to
actually fund
these resident
coordinators?
Deputy
Spokesman:
Well, first,
we will see
what the final
results are
once the
Member States
agree on
it. We
hope in the
coming days we
will be able
to provide
some details
about what the
development
reform is
about. " Back
on May 14 in
New York at
the UN noon
briefing Inner
City Press
asked
Guterres' deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq if
Guteres doesn't
think the
Loures cases
is about
sexual abuse,
beyond harassment.
Haq
seemed to say
Guterres uses
these terms
based on the
identify of
the victim, not the
use of force
or economic
pressure.
#MeTooUN?
Days
after first
banning the
Press from his
photo ops with
Al
Sharpton
and new
Political
Affairs chief
Rosemary
DiCarlo then
prohibiting
Inner City
Press'
livestreaming
of a photo op
with Finland's
foreign
minister even
though UN
Television
shot video
and audio
there, the UN
in Vienna is
promoting
this, with no
mention if
Periscope is
allowed or
not:
1.
Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Chancellor Sebastian
Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 12.55 p.m.
please arrive by
12:30 p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Chancellery,
Marmoreksalon,
Chancellery
2. Joint press
stakeout with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Chancellor Sebastian
Kurz
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 2.15 p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Chancellery, Grauer
Ecksalon,
Chancellery
3. Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
President Alexander
Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 2.35 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg,
Ballhausplatz, 1010,
Vienna
4. Joint press
stakeout with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
President Alexander
Van der Bellen
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 3.10 p.m.
Venue: Hofburg,
Ballhausplatz, 1010,
Vienna
5. Photo opportunity
with the
Secretary-General
and the Austrian
Foreign Minister
Karin Kneissl
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 3.30 p.m.,
please arrive by 3
p.m.
Venue: Austrian
Foreign Ministry,
Minoritenplatz 8,
1010 Vienna
6. Photo opportunity
for the arrival of
the
Secretary-General at
the Vienna
International Centre
Date: Monday 14 May
2018
Time: 4.10 p.m.,
please arrive by
3.45 p.m.
Venue: Plaza, Vienna
International Centre
Guterres'
lead spokesman
(speechwriter?)
Stephane
Dujarric
appeared to be
with him,
kissing cheeks
in Vienna. And
what of the
growing
#MeTooUN
issues while
he is in
Vienna? Is
Guterres going to take
his absurd
restrictions on and
censorship of the
Press on the road? Or
create a double
standard where the
restrictions apply
only inside UN
headquarters? How long
will he continue his
rote expressions of
support for UNAIDS'
Michel Sidibe, who
threatened staff with
retaliation for
speaking about against
Luiz Loures? And given
the statements, when
will Guterres have to
start recusing
himself? Watch this
site. Last month
Guterres slightly
delayed his trip to
Saudi Arabia, but not
by much. After
accepting a $930
million check from the
Saudi Crown Prince and
in remarks not
mentioning the
civilians deaths
caused by Saudi
bombing of Yemen, now
Guterres has delivered
again, remarks
praising Saudi
Arabia's counter
terrorism work. Some
find it ironic; some
call this trip "Blood
Money II." But duty
called. Before he
left, Guterres who
refused actually
pointed Press
questions with
dismissive wave of the
hand, delivered a 20
minute interview to
Saudi aligned media.
Now there, he is
quoted with more
praise of Saudi, by
the Saudi Press Agency
(to which his UN has
given office space and
full access while evicting
and
restricting the
independent Press).
The UN has yet to send
out a transcript of
Guterres' craven
remarks quoted by the
Saudi Press Agency,
sending so far only a
speech beginning "Your
Excellency, Foreign
Minister al-Jubeir,
Your Excellency,
Ambassador
Al-Mouallimi, I want
to express my deep
gratitude to the
Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia for its
generous support to
the United Nations
Counter-Terrorism
Centre, a support
without which the
Centre, would probably
never have been able
to be born. And I
thank Ambassador Al
Mouallimi for his able
chairmanship of this
Advisory Board... I
recently launched the
United Nations Global
Counter-Terrorism
Compact, which I
signed with the heads
of 36 UN entities, the
INTERPOL and the World
Customs Organization."
INTERPOL, of course,
is used by some
governments to arrest
or travel ban their
opponents. We'll have
more on this. Only a
week before as
Guterres took off on
his trip to China,
Inner City Press which
has pursued the UN
bribery scandals of Ng
Lap Seng and now the
China Energy Fund
Committee asked
Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric on
April 6 if Guterres
will address any of
these issues during
his five days in the
country. Dujarric was
dismissive, and ended
the briefing. Video here;
UN transcript
here and below.
This cutting off of
public quesitons
happened after
Guterres gave a
private (self)
promotional interview
to China's state media
Xinhua, touting the
trip and China as
"absolutely essential"
on the North Korea
nuclear issue.
Dujarric race off the
podium made it
impossible to ask him
for Guterres' opinion
on if the gifts given
to Kim Jong Un on his
recent train trip to
China violated the
UN's 1718 sanctions.
Then again, the UN's
own World Intellectual
Property Organization
helped on North
Korea's cyanide
patents without
telling the 1718
Committee, and
Guterres has been as
hands-off with WIPO's
Gurry as he has been
with UNAIDS' Michel
Sidibe on the sexual
harassment and
retaliation scandal.
We'll have more on
this.
***
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