Inner City Press -- Investigative Journalism from the United Nations

Amid UN's Korean Uproar, Russia Silent on Murder of Anna Politkovskaya, Chechnya Exposer

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN

UNITED NATIONS, October 9, 2 p.m. -- Monday morning at the UN Security Council, with the help of a Permanent Five member, Russia, one story buried another. On the issues raised by North Korea's underground nuclear test on October 8, the UN ambassadors of four of the Security Council's five veto-wielding members spoke before television cameras at the formal stakeout position. Only Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin refused to take questions on camera. He spoke only to Russian reporters, and only off-camera. Click here to view links to video of those who spoke on camera, and note the missing name.

On October 7, Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, known worldwide as one of the very few who reported in depth on Russia's crackdown on Chechnya, was shot in the back of the head. In the 48 hours that followed, the newspaper she worked for, Novaya Gazeta, announced a near-one million dollar reward to catch her killers. German parliamentarians called on Russian president Vladimir Putin to break his silence, noting the Russia is the third-most deadly country for journalists, after only Iraq and Algeria. Click here for CPJ analysis.

At UN headquarters in New York Monday at the daily noon briefing, Inner City Press asked Kofi Annan's spokesman whether the UN system had any response to Ms. Politkovskaya's assassination. (Video on UNTV at Minute 11:25.) The spokesman said that that the secretary-general condemns this attack and hope her killers are found. After the briefing, Inner City Press asked for clarification on the spokesman's guidelines on specifically condemning events in member states. The spokesman said he had sought guidance prior to the press conference, and then made a comment he said was off the record.

Never happened: silence on Anna Politkovskaya

More than two days after Ms. Politkovskaya's assassination -- after Putin's silence had been noted as far away as Australia -- the Russian government issued a press note stating that during a telephone conversation with U.S. President George W. Bush about the North Korean nuclear test, Mr. Putin had said he will investigate Ms. Politkovskaya's killing. Setting aside even more problematic connections, such as direct involvement, if the trail leads to Russian-favored Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov, what would Putin do? And, from a UN perspective, when will Amb. Churkin speak on the issue?

By way of background, when he was Russia's Ambassador to Canada in 2003, Mr. Churkin faced protest concerning Russian treatment of Chechen journalist Zamid Ayubov - click here for more.

Interim North Korea Report

After voting Monday morning for Ban Ki-moon for secretary-general, to pass his name for rubber-stamping by the General Assembly, the Security Council met on North Korea. U.S. Amb. Bolton spoke of working 24-hours a day to get a sanctions resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Chinese Amb. Wang spoke of being firm but "prudent." To a correspondent, North Korea's ambassador said his country will continue to develop its "nuclear deterrent," and noted that North Korea is already under sanctions. The Security Council's deliberations resume at 3 p.m. Monday with an experts meeting. Developing.

Somalia on and over the Brink

Ethiopia's reported takeover of the Somali town of Bur Haqaba was also inquired into by Inner City Press at the UN's noon briefing. The UN's spokesman said that the UN's "office in Somalia" tells him that Ethiopia has again denied having troops in Somalia. Inner City Press has previously been told that the UN has no office in Somalia, only a political mission based in Nairobi which says it has no "monitoring mandate" inside Somalia. The spokesman went on to say that the Secretary-General is following the heightening tensions between the Transitional Federal Government and the Islamic Court and calls on both to live up to previous commitments, while call on neighboring countries to respect the arms embargo. Video on UNTV at Minute 12:56. When the UN's embargo experts, who have previously declined to answer questions until they brief the Security Council, will in fact brief the Council, is not known.

Pakistan and the Taliban Discussed Behind Closed Council Doors (Another Dead Reporter: Hayat Ullah Khan)

After Monday's Security Council session on Afghanistan, Inner City Press asked Council President Oshima if the issue of what Pakistan is or is not doing with regards to the Taliban and Al Qaeda had come up. Amb. Oshima indicated that the Permanent Representative of Pakistan had been present and had provided an explanation, particularly with regard to the "border areas." Inner City Press asked if the Council members had been convinced. Amb. Oshima did not say yes or no, only that the presentation had been made. Video here. A recent expose shows Pakistan military figures with known Taliban leaders, and shows Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf saying he knows nothing of the disappearance and killing in mid-2006 of journalist Hayat Ullah Khan for taking and publishing a photograph of a U.S. Hellfire missile in the rumble of a North Waziristan home -- click here for more.

News Analysis: Qazi but not Politkovskaya, Iraq but Not Russia -- Why?

In further inside-baseball coverage of the UN, it was noteworthy that at Monday's noon briefing, the UN chose to affirmatively present the condemnation of its envoy to Iraq of the killing of an Iraqi general (video at 6:20), but to wait and see if any reporter raised a question about the killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya - if no question had been raised, nothing would have been said. The UN spokesman declined to describe for the record how such decisions are made. One observer noted in this case that the U.S. would join in condemning the killing of an Iraqi general, but Russia clearly did not quickly condemn, or even mention, the killing of critical journalist Anna Politkovskaya. The UN works at all levels, even in P.R., for the so-called P-5 members, this inside observer concluded.

UN Envoy Makes Excuses for Gambian Strongman, Whitewashing Fraud- and Threat-Filled Election

UNITED NATIONS, October 7 -- In the Gambian election last month, thousands of non-Gambians from Senegal were brought in to vote by President Yahya Jammeh, it was admitted Friday by Kofi Annan's envoy to the election, former Nigerian General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Jammeh recently said, "If I want to ban any newspaper, I will." Interviewed by Inner City Press on the 35th floor of the UN Headquarters on Friday, just after he briefed Kofi Annan, Gen. Abubakar was dismissive of reports of Jammeh's crackdown on the press, including his reported involvement in the killing of the editor of The Point newspaper. Jammeh's denial in that case was that "I don't believe in killing people, I believe in locking you up for the rest of your life."

Asked by Inner City Press about these and other Jammeh quotes, Gen. Abubaker was dismissive. "Jammeh can say he'll rule for the next thirty or forty years, but he could be voted out," Gen. Abubaker said.

Gen. Abubakar acknowledged the criticism by Gambian opposition groups and the Commonwealth observers of security personnel voting while in uniform, but stated that this is permitted by the Gambian Constitution.

Asked by Inner City Press about Yahya Jammeh's changes to the constitution, Gen. Abubakar said that people are entitled to their own opinions. Democracy, he said, is in the developing world a "sensitive matter" that must be "done with caution." He stated that the elections had gone "very well... I was there on election day and from what I saw it was peaceful."

Yahya Jammeh took power in 1994 in The Gambia, a country of 1.5 million people surrounded on three sides by Senegal. Industries include peanut farming and some tourism. In an interview with Inner City Press on September 21, 2006, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Frazer said that the Jammeh regime is reaching out for help to China, Iran and Venezuela. Friday Inner City Press asked UN Envoy Gen. Abubaker about this. Gen. Abubaker responded by quoting Jammeh, if you don't have to be my friend, you can't stop me from having other friends.

Asked by Inner City Press what his recommendations are, and what the UN will do, Gen. Abubaker first listed the need for better training of journalists. Perhaps a stop to the killing of journalists and editors would help. One wonders why Kofi Annan selected this Nigerian general, who ruled after Sani Abacha, as the UN envoy to the preordained re-election of Yahya Jammeh. One wonders what instructions Gen. Abubaker was given. After changing the constitution to allow himself to run for a third term, and after threatening districts that voted against him with losing development aid, he won garnered 67% of votes, to Oussainou Darboe's 27%, with voter turnout below 60%. This includes the votes of non-Gambians brought in from Senegal's still-troubled Casamance region, an influx that Gen. Abubaker put at "only" four thousand.

When asked if there was outside influence on the Gambian election, Gen. Abubaker said no, despite his statement about thousands of non-Gambians voting. "It wouldn't have changed the result," Gen. Abubaker said. Apparently, nothing would have.

Sudan's UN Envoy Admits Right to Intervene in Rwanda, UNICEF Response on Terrorist Groups in Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS, October 6 -- Sudan's ambassador to the UN on Friday acknowledged the right of the international community to intervene without governmental consent in a situation like Rwanda in 1994. In response to a question from Inner City Press about Darfur, Rwanda and Cambodia under Pol Pot, Sudanese Amb. Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem mentioned the UN Millennium Declaration and the duty "to protect," while seeking to distinguish "orderly" Sudan from Rwanda. Video on UNTV from Minute 10:12, http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/sc/so061006pm1.rm

Inner City Press also asked the Sudanese Ambassador about reports of his government sabotaging military equipment en route to the African Union force in Darfur, including the statements of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Frazer about bolts being removed from armored personnel carriers and the AMIS force commander having to wait in Ethiopia while a visa to enter Sudan was delayed.

Amb. Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem called these "minor matters" and said that "bureaucratic delay is bureaucratic delay." He said that Inner City Press and the other media present could get visas for Sudan and Darfur anytime. Since journalists have been locked up by Sudan, and many have their computers' hard drives scanned and copies as they enter or leave Sudan, the invitation may mean less than it sounded like at the stakeout. Video on UNTV from Minutes 7:43.

Also at the UN on Friday, following an upbeat press conference by George H.W. Bush and a minister from Pakistan to mark the one year anniversary of the South Asia earthquake, Inner City Press asked the UN's spokesman about a BBC expose of aid money going to terrorists groups -- click here to view. BBC has reported that the Al Rashid Trust and Jamaat ud-Dawa were not strong in the area before the quake hit, but set up camps and were inflated by the flowing of aid to those in "their" camps. Inner City Press asked (video on UNTV from Minute 13:50), what safeguards do UN agencies have to avoid such consequences while seeking to deliver clearly-needed aid? While Inner City Press' questions remaining pending about Somalia, UNICEF on Friday responded about Pakistan:

No. UNICEF does not cooperate with Al Rashid, and nor is UNICEF money or material supplied to Al Rashid. Children have a right to education, no matter where they live, just as they have a right to immunization no matter where they live. The NGO DOSTI is an NGO which had the capacity to deliver educational services to 5300 children affected by the earthquake. Some of these children live in Al Rashid camps, through no fault of their own. DOSTI fulfilled its obligation by establishing a school in three such camps. The use of UNICEF material and the educational activities it supports are carefully monitored by UNICEF. To suggest that the rights of children who have lost their homes and schools should be ignored because by chance they are living in a particular location, would contravene the Convention of the Rights of the Child, to which the Netherlands is signatory. (FYI information the schools and the camp we referred to doesn't exist anymore. The only camp remaining in Mansehra is Jaba camp) The organization Jamaat [u]d Dawa is running 2 schools in Mansehra and UNICEF is not providing any support to this organization. Another question you might have is whether UNICEF cooperating with any individual/organization included in the UN list of banned individual / organizations. The answer is: No. UNICEF has no contract/agreement with individuals or organization included in this list and nor is UNICEF money or material supplied to these organizations / individuals.

We report, ask and get answers, you decide. UNICEF has been asked about its Somali operations, developing.

U.S. Calls for Annan and Ban Ki-moon to Publicly Disclose Finances, As U.S. Angles for 5-Year WFP Appointment

UNITED NATIONS, October 6 -- Secretary General Kofi Annan, who only after delay and indecision filed a financial disclosure form on September 22, is now being asked to make the financial contents public. Mr. Annan's spokesman Friday at noon said that since the UN is an "inter-governmental organization" rather than a government, the Secretary-General's disclosure should remain private, until the General Assembly requires otherwise. Video on UNTV from Minute 10:35.

An hour later, Inner City Press asked Ambassador John Bolton for the U.S. position. "I'm sure Congress will be interested in that response," Amb. Bolton said. Video on UNTV from Minute 7:45.

In response to an Inner City Press question Friday morning on whether the incoming Secretary-General, presumptively Ban Ki-moon, should disclosure his finances on the way in -- possibly before the General Assembly vote -- Ambassador Bolton signaled agreement, saying that "transparency" is good, that as with preventive diplomacy, the UN system does not engage enough in transparency. Video on UNTV from Minutes 7:15.

Beyond the U.S. Mission's continued withholding of information in its possession about UN officials receiving free housing from governments -- the U.S. spokesman says there are eight such UN officials while Kofi Annan's spokesman has said there is only one, without providing the name -- there is a emerging issue on which neither the UN nor the U.S. is practicing transparency. As first reported by Inner City Press, the U.S. has put forward Josette Sheeran (Shiner) for a five year term as executive director of the UN's World Food Program. While Amb. Bolton has previously said that Kofi Annan should not appoint any new official past the end of the year, when asked by Inner City Press if the U.S. wants Josette Sheeran (Shiner) to be given a five year term right away, Amb. Bolton responded that "there is precedent for that."

Friday the UN spokesman told Inner City Press that the selection process, and giving of a five year terms, is now expected to be completed in "early November," less than two months before Mr. Annan's term ends. Despite U.S. Amb. Bolton's previous statements about lame duck appointment, presumably the U.S. would not object if the American Josette Sheeran (Shiner) is the beneficiary of a five year lame duck appointment. In terms of transparency, Inner City Press on October 3 asked the UN spokesman's office:

Yesterday you confirmed that Secretary-General will be making the selection
of the next WFP executive director, in conjunction with the head of FAO. You stated that the "normal procedures" would be followed. Please elaborate on the "normal procedures." Specifically, Is there a selection panel? Who is on the selection panel? Is there a shortlist? How many names are on the shortlist? Did the selection panel develop the shortlist, or are they only interviewing candidates on the shortlist? What is the timeframe for the selection? Will this process be completed within October, November, or December? In previous cases of senior appointments (such as the chief of UNHCR), the UN announced the shortlist prior to the actual selection of Mr. Guterres. Was that "normal procedure"? In this case will the UN announce the shortlist? When?

Three days later on October 6, the spokesman handed Inner City Press a page with a paragraph on it:

"Nominations were solicited from Member States and an advertisement was placed in The Economist. The deadline for the submission of nominations was 15 September 2006. A joint UN/FAO Panel met in Rome on 28 and 29 September to review the applications received with a view to drawing up a short list of candidates for the consideration of the Secretary-General and Director-General of FAO. The short-listed candidates will be interviewed in New York in the near future by a join UN/FAO panel comprising representatives from each side. The Panel is expected to identify two or three finalists for the Secretary-General's the Director-General's consideration. The Secretary-General and the Director-General would thereafter interview the candidates and jointly make a decision on the individual they would wish to appoint to the post. They would then jointly inform the WFP Executive Board accordingly and await their response before making the appointment public. The process should normally be completed by early November."

Among other things, this does not answer whether the identities of the candidates on the shortlist will be made public. On Thursday, the Canadian government through an individual who because he is not a spokesman asked not to be named told Inner City Press that while Canada has not nominated its WFP Ambassador Robert Fowler, he is in fact a candidate. As to who will conduct the interviews, as early as next week, Inner City Press' sources indicate that it will be Mark Malloch-Brown. The propriety of the Annan administration considering a five-year appointment with only two months left in office has not been addressed.

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