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By Matthew Russell Lee, Video here, Vine here

UNITED NATIONS GATE, February 25 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he has a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, and for retaliation. But when Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on 15 March 2018 about Michel Sidibé's reported threats of retaliatory investigations against those making and offering support to sexual harassment complaints at UNAIDS, Haq said this is entirely a matter for UNAIDS. Earlier Inner City Press story here; exclusive publication of whistleblowers' international condemnation of retaliation and favoritism in Sidibe's UNAIDS, below. On 18 February 2019, the 229th day in a row Guterres has banned the UN, yet two more sexual abuse and exploitation allegations against the Cameroon "peacekeepers" Guterres negligently uses were published - including an attempted rape in CAR - with details withheld. Photo here, also including transactional sex by a South African peacekeeper in the DRC. On February 19, while refusing to provide basic information about this UN rape, Guterres announces... more advisers. "United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today that he has appointed seven distinguished experts to serve on the newly established Civil Society Advisory Board on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.... The members are as follows:     Ms. Joy Ezeilo (Nigeria)  Ms. Rosa Freedman (UK)  Mr. Pablo de Greiff (Colombia)  Ms. Adrijana Hanušić Bećirović (Bosnia and Herzegovina)  Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid (Morocco)  Mr. Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand)  Mr. Muna B. Ndulo (Zambia)." Where is the civil society, beyond Guterres' cover up of rapes and censorship of the Press which asks about it? Now on February 25 this from Code Blue: "Last week, Secretary-General António Guterres announced a new advisory board of civil society leaders who’ll recommend fresh solutions to the UN’s long-running crisis of sexual abuse by its own personnel. Mr. Guterres first committed to create such a board in his 2017 Special Measures report, and he reiterated that pledge in 2018.  After two years, an advisory board has been formed. That's the good news. The bad news is that the group Mr. Guterres has assembled is not the one he promised.  A “civil society” advisory board, especially on a matter as complex as sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel, must be made up of bona fide representatives of civil society. The Secretary-General’s advisory board must comprise experts and organizations with deep knowledge of the unique UN policies, procedures, and practices that have created and sustain the institution’s culture of impunity. There is a vital need for external civil society representatives whose particular backgrounds and dedicated expertise can bridge the gap between the Secretary-General on one hand and advocates and victims on the other.  With the fresh perspectives that thoughtful newcomers bring to an issue, the advisory group members announced last week could well contribute valuable recommendations. But a board of six legal academics and a medical doctor, each with UN pedigrees, should be given a different name and assigned to work under a mandate that fits.   We await a Civil Society Advisory Board that truly deserves its name—and fulfills Mr. Guterres' two years’ worth of promises." We'll have more on this.  Guterres has gotten worse, withholding previously provided if-asked information. Inner City Press has asked: "February 12-2: On sexual abuse and exploitation and the UN's and its TCCs' increasing lack of transparency, what is the SG's comment and action on the report today from Serbia that "The United Nations states that it was a complaint that was received in January, that it was an alleged victim and that the proceedings against the suspected leader were also within the UN and Serbia. The Ministry of Defense did not answer the question of the Whistleblower whether an investigation and a disciplinary procedure is being conducted against that member of the Serbian Armed Forces.... the case of sexual exploitation for which the suspected Serbian soldier was first reported by an independent American journalist Matthew Lee, who has been writing about abuses in the United Nations for years." Explain why you have refused to provide the if-asked information Inner City Press requested." On 6 February 2019, the 217th day Guterres has banned Inner City Press, the UN at 5 pm put on its website another allegation about UN sexual exploitation, this time in the Central African Republic Haq's boss Stephane Dujarric had just been praising in connection with new rep Mankeur Ndiaye that day at noon. This time, unlike the protected Nigerian in South Sudan, below, the nationality was disclosed: Serbian. But everything else is "pending." This is not disclosure. On the morning of February 7 Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres, Alison Smale, Amina J. Mohammed, Farhan Haq and Dujarric who joked that it was Friday, "February 7-1: On UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, please immediately provide the additional if-asked information about the new case(s) in CAR by the Serbian peacekeeper - and the long requested information about the Cameroonian peacekeepers' alleged rapes in CAR and explain why this has not been provided for eight weeks. Please now provide on the new South Sudan and 3-month old Cameroon rape cases all further if-asked information about these abuses, as for example you did when asked in person by those not banned from the previous briefing about the Nigerian peacekeeper(s)." And even worse than in the initial period of their banning of Inner City Press which asks - others don't - there was no answer at all, by 7 pm. This is Guterres' UN covering up sexual exploitation. We'll have more on this. On 21 January 2019, the 201st day Guterres had banned Inner City Press, the UN put on its website another allegation about UN sexual exploitation, this time in South Sudan by an International with no nationality disclosed, photo here. Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq spokesman on January 22: "January 22-2: On UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, please immediately provide the additional if-asked information about the new case(s) in South Sudan, including stating why the nationality of the alleged perpetrator was withheld - and the long requested information about the Cameroonian peacekeepers' alleged rapes in CAR and explain why this has not been provided for eight weeks. Please now provide on the new South Sudan and 2-month old Cameroon rape cases all further if-asked information about these abuses, as for example you did when asked in person by those not banned from the previous briefing about the Nigerian peacekeeper(s)."  More than four hours later no answer at all despite lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric's on camera promise. Before this new low in censorship, Haq would email the canned if-asked information in response to Inner City Press' emailed question. Now nothing, nothing at all from the UN Spokesperson's Office for ten working days - and they count on none of those allowed into Guterres' cover up briefing by Dujarric to even ask about UN rapes. The cover up is complete, and disgusting. To this new low has Guterres brought the UN. On December 4, the 153rd day Guterres had banned Inner City Press -- the UN data dumped after four pm another case of sexual exploitation, this time in South Sudan where Guterres who has not disclosed the nationality of this UN "Volunteers" has issued a canned statement about others' sexual abuse. Photo here, along with another case on which the UN is not disclosing even the nationality of the accused. Guterres' UN is refusing to provide if-asked information it gives to others, on other countries, to Inner City Press on rapes by Cameroon soldiers. Before 10 am on December 5 Inner City Press in writing asked: "December 5-2: On UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, please immediately provide the additional if-asked information about the new case(s) in South Sudan, including stating why the nationality of the UN “Volunteers” was withheld - and the long requested information about the Cameroonian peacekeepers' alleged rapes in CAR and explain why this has not been provided for two weeks." Deputy spokesman Farhan Haq sent the standard if-asked not sent on Cameroon, this time without nationality: "Regarding question 5 December-3, we have the following information to share:
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)  has received an allegation of sexual exploitation involving an International UN Volunteer (UNV).  
The allegation refers to exploitative relationship with one adult woman that allegedly took place from beginning of 2017 to January 2018.
The matter has been reported to the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and the UNDP has been notified of the allegation for review and appropriate action.
The Mission has offered assistance to the alleged victim and will continue to monitor her needs." So why conceal the nationality?  Back on November 14 the UN data dumped after four pm five rape charges against six Cameroonian UN "peacekeepers" in the Central African Republic, on which the Paul Biya government has not even responded to the UN, a case of sexual exploitation by a UN civilian staffer in DR Congo. Photo here. Inner City Press, banned amid its critical coverage of impunity in and of Guterres' UN, would have to wait to ask for more information - apparently asking is "harassment," according to Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric. But even though Inner City Press emailed in the question before Dujarric's laughing noon briefing on November 14, at which none of those present asked about these just disclosed UN rapes and Dujarric did not bring them up, afterward still no answer. Nor a full day later, so Inner City Press submitted this on November 16, before a briefing Dujarric said he would keep short so he and his interlocutors could go have lunch: "November 16-5: AGAIN - On sexual exploitation and abuse and the new charges against Cameroonian peacekeepers in CAR put online yesterday, please now provide all further if-asked information about these abuses, as for example you did when asked in person by those not banned from the previous briefing about the Nigerian peacekeeper(s)." Four hours later, with Friday about to end, no answer at all. Guterres is covering up rapes by Cameroonian troops, while using state media to selectively tell good news spin about the few times the UN can even claim to work for accountability. This non-provision of if-asked information is completely contrary to the promise by Guterres' Global Communicator or Censor Alison Smale to UNSR David Kaye. Guterres' UN including Dujarric functionally cover up UN rapes. On November 5 Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric quickly read out new allegations of UN sexual exploitation and abuse. No one in the room asked about the 24 alleged child rape (one late set of softball questions were lobbed); Dujarric said all the information, including for previous periods for comparison was in his office and immediately available to those he HASN'T had roughed up and banned from the UN: Dooj's Stooges. Inner City Press immediately emailed him, his deputy, Guterres' Global Censor Alison Smale, Amina J. Mohammed, Maria Luiza Viotti, Hua Jiang and others: "This is a request to immediately be emailed the UN sexual exploitation and abuse data rattled off in the noon briefing Inner City Press remains banned from, and reiterates UNSR David Kaye's 20 July 2018 question what is the appeals process for this ban, still not answered." The briefing ended with Dujarric joking with his softball interlocutor, to whom he'd said "Vannina in my office has more information," video here, presumably gone and returned Vannina Maestracci. But when Inner City Press emailed Dujarric and his deputy for this additional information, the deputy Farhan Haq sent no additional information, claiming "The data provided below is exactly  the same as the data shared with the accredited press.  For comparisons, please look at the Conduct and Discipline Unit website, which includes previous data." But that's only peacekeeper, not civilian staff information, much less UNSC authorized forces. What's the additional information that Dujarric said Maestracci has? From the past, before Dujarric and Guterres had Inner City Press roughed up and banned: one, two, three strikes and you're out. .. On October 24 - UN Day, and the 112th day Guterres has banned Inner City Press -- the UN data dumped at 11 am a rape charge against a UN Volunteer in DR Congo, as recent as August 2018. Photo here. But no one let into the UN noon briefing even asked about it, or any question about anything in Africa where the UN - and Guterres' son Pedro Guimarães e Melo De Oliveira Guterres - raise their money.

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