Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

Fear & Loathing in Darfur, Of UN's Curfew & Low Morale, Gambari VIP Culture

By Matthew Russell Lee

EL FASHER, October 8 -- Even as spruced up Thursday for the visit of the UN Security Council, there was a feeling of fear and boredom and low morale at the joint African Union - UN Mission in Darfur. After the Council's delegation was met by protests at the gate of the El Fasher airport, its convoy rushed into UNAMID's compound, surrounded by concertina wire and earthen barriers against suicide car or truck bombs.

  At and even before the Council's first meeting, limiting the program and visits was the topic, even though Internally Displaced People in a nearby IDP camp had been quoted as waiting to be visited by the Council.

  Inside the UNAMID compound, when Inner City Press sought to leave the air conditioned space into which the media were shepherded, a UNAMID minder said “You are really not supposed to be wandering around. [Wherever you go] I'll go with you.”

  Along the path to the restrooms, men lounged on the sidewalk, and offered greetings to Inner City Press. Later, without the UNAMID minder, Inner City Press was approached by and spoke with a range of people inside UNAMID's so called Super Camp, which military contractor Lockheed Martin was given a sole source contract to build, unsuccessfully.

  UNAMID staff described a curfew imposed on them: none of the required four wheel drive vehicles can be used after 7 pm, and no two wheel drive vehicles or walking outside the camp after 10 pm.

  Even staff whose job would seem to require leaving the Super Camp told Inner City Press they rarely if ever leave. Their highlight seems to be going on vacation.

  After six weeks, these staff are given five days vacation and two travel days, seven consecutive working days in total. Those interviewed said they largely go to Europe, only to return against to what one called an unhealthy house arrest.

  Isn't there a gym or work out facility? There is, was the response, but it is not a good one and is poisoned by what is called UNAMID's “VIP culture.” It was noted that UNAMID Joint Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari flies about in a Lear Jet, unlike his counterpart in South Sudan.

UNAMID 4x4, curfew, low morale & Gambari's Lear Jet not shown, (c) MRLee

  This virus seemed to spread to the Security Council's dinner Thursday night. While initially two tables for journalists had been set up in their room, before it began the tables were moved outside. Even though two UNAMID staff later asked the Press if offense had been taken, the VIP message resonated.

  Earlier on Thursday, when the UN plane from Juba was found to have one too many people aboard, a Sudanese journalist who had been permitted for the flight and to report from Darfur was ordered by UN Security to get off the plane or be “forcibly” removed.

   After his backpack was thrown to the floor, the three other Sudanese journalists left with him in solidarity. Still the Council has had nothing to say about what's viewed as disparate treatment or even, to some, discrimination.

What is being accomplished by the Super Camp bound UNAMID? Inner City Press had wanted to ask UNAMID chief Gambari about detailed reports it has received about UNAMID peacekeepers refusing to leave their bases to protect civilians, saying they must await “permission.”

Inner City Press earlier obtained and published an internal UNAMID document to this effect, show inaction after the murder of at least 47 people in the Tarabat Market:

“At about 1800hrs on 02 Sep 2010, UNAMID Police Advisors received unconfirmed information from locals in Tawilla IDP camp that unidentified armed men attacked Tabarat Market near Maral village about 28kms southwest of Tawilla, where about 30 people were killed and more than 70 others were injured.

“The information was received by the PF Force Commander Major Aimable Rukondo from relatives of victims in Tawilla IDP camp. At about 2030hrs, people from the Tawilla IDP camp gathered near the gate of Tawilla UNAMID Base requesting for assistance to evacuate their relatives who were in Tabarat market. The PF Commander together with the Acting Team Site Commander advised the relatives that prior approval from El Fasher Headquarters is needed before proceeding to the place and with that they were advised to be back to Tawilla Base tomorrow morning for possible medical evacuation movement to Tabarat market once it has been approved by the higher Headquarters.”

  Gambari has yet to explain this document. But on Thursday night, Gambari approached Inner City Press, not about this but another exclusive publication of leaked documents: Gambari's drafts to Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti, showing Gambari on the verge of turning over five supporters of rebel Abdel Wahid Nur to the regime of Omar al Bashir, already indicted for genocide and war crimes. These documents have led Abdel Wahid Nur to say that if the turn over occurs, UNAMID will have become complicit in genocide.

After Gambari's outburst -- first reported here -- Inner City Press was told that there had been a “security incident” regarding which no further description would be provided to Inner City Press, since “you'll probably get the scoop.” A UNAMID staff member was kidnapped. In a guest house surrounded by barbed wire and patrolled -- virtual house arrest -- Inner City Press sat down under an overhead Pak Fan and set about transcribing Gambari's remarks. Watch this site.

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