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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
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UN GATE, July 28 – The corruption of the United Nations, including current Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and of the UN Correspondents Association he works with to intimidate and then rough up and ban investigative Inner City Press, was made ever clearer by a statement by former Ambassador of Sri Lanka Palitha Kohona, who has been accused of war crimes in the White Flags Killings - and admitted to using UNCA to get Inner City Press ousted from the UN, see below.
 
  Now in July UNCA sent this to its mostly retired members -- including 90 year old racists and correspondents for Egyptian strongman Sisi, Saudi MBS, Xinhua, useful idiots (except of course those who, disgusted, forwarded it to Inner City Press)

" Dear colleagues,  As Phase 1 began at UN Headquarters, Monday, July 20th, MALU sent an email to all correspondents regarding an update on the return and its procedures.  In case you did not receive it, it is included below.  During this transition, all resident correspondents who share an office are asked to alternate working days in order to maintain physical distancing. In case this cannot be done, the UNCA room has been made available as an alternative workspace.   We ask that all media please respect physical distancing rules when using the space.  Please do not remove, move, or shift any of the chairs or tables that have been set up accordingly. Only one person should be using each workspace at a time.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the UNCA Office   Thank you very much for your cooperation and please stay safe everyone.  Valeria Robecco President, United Nations Correspondents Association   ******   Dear all, resending for technical reasons.   We hope you are well. Below is for informational purposes only.  This is to provide you with an update on the plan for a gradual return to United Nations headquarters in New York. The physical return to the UNHQ is based on a cautious, phased, flexible and people-centered approach, while prioritizing everyone's health and safety  As New York City continues to meet the public health milestones for its phased reopening, the UNHQ in New York will transition to its Phase 1 on 20 July 2020. By then all buildings, including the annexes, will have undergone a deep cleaning, and signage and instructions on physical distancing will have been posted to lower the risk of exposure. Please note, Phase 1 will focus exclusively on activities that can only be undertaken on site. The vast majority of staff will continue to work remotely and there must be a compelling reason for anyone to be present in the buildings. In Phase 1, no more than 400 people should be at the Headquarters complex on any given day, in order to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus and to allow for physical distancing. Therefore, while resident correspondents continue to have access to the building, specifically to their assigned workspaces, it is recommended to keep working remotely -- especially those considered part of at-risk groups. While on site, members of the press should maintain physical distancing in public spaces and in their offices/workspaces. If this cannot be maintained, please consider alternating days with colleagues or using the 4th floor bullpen and UNCA club. Non-resident correspondents must contact the Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU), in advance, if they need access to UNHQ -- In case of in-person meetings or briefings, a risk assessment will be conducted to determine media access and arrangements, which will be shared by MALU. If you feel unwell, please stay home. In order to keep each other safe, you are encouraged to report to MALU any positive COVID-19 lab test result - all such approaches will be handled with confidentiality and privacy.   As part of the safety measures and in light of mandatory health screening requirements by New York City and New York State, anyone accessing UN premises in New York must confirm that they have: •           No COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days   •           No positive COVID-19 test in the past 14 days   •           No close contact with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in past 14 days By swiping your valid UN I.D. to enter UN premises, you confirm that you meet the above requirements.   Furthermore, please follow these safety precautions: •           Do not attend the premises unless you have an essential task that can only be performed on-site. •           Non-medical grade face coverings are always to be worn when entering or exiting the premises and when circulating in the premises through all common areas including, elevator lobbies, elevators, corridors, restrooms, pantries, media booths, stakeouts, briefing rooms, and UN staff offices. •           Face coverings are recommended to be removed when seated at a designated workspace that does not face another person and is at least 6 ft / 2 meters away from another person. •           Always maintain 6 ft / 2 meters distance from all other people. •           Maximum occupancy per elevator car is 2 persons. •           Avoid congestion and maintain physical distancing in the restrooms, particularly at washbasins. •           Wash your hands frequently and use hand-sanitizer. •           Avoid face-to-face meetings.     •           Minimize contact with high touch surfaces. * During Phase 1, no catering services will be provided.   Given the evolving nature of the situation and the many remaining uncertainties regarding COVID-19, the transition from one phase to another may not be linear and at any time could revert to a previous phase. In Phase 2, the UNHQ occupancy will gradually increase from 10 to 40 percent.  Phase 3, the “New Normal”, is being designed and will draw on lessons learned from the earlier phases. We will continue to communicate the details of each phase of the plan, accordingly. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Take care and be safe.   Best, Tal." That's Tal Mekel - no explanation for denying request for entry by Inner City Press which publishes more stories on the UN than dozens of UNCA retirees added up.

 In an article he published today in Asia Tribune, Kohona writes / admits once Inner City Press (he says, "the blogger") "began undermining Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, we mounted a quiet campaign against him within the UN press corps itself... information from our own sources was made available to many members of the UN press corps with a view to impugning the credibility of the man. It took a while, but his bravado unraveled when he fell afoul of the President of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA), Giampaolo Pioli, who commenced proceedings to take him to court. Then he began to spar with a number of respected journalists who were beginning to approach us... The UN proceeded to evict him from the room that he was occupying and eventually from the UN itself." See Guterres action, continued by Melissa Fleming, here.

   So - a war criminal used UNCA to get Inner City Press thrown out of its UN work space and then the UN, for undermining Guterres (who was also questioned by Inner City Press about Cameroon, and undisclosed financial links with UN briber CEFC China Energy). These people are (war) criminals. We'll have more on this. Watch this site.

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