As
Yemen
Saleh Official
Says All's
Well with UN,
Agreement from
UN But
Not on Customs
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
December 2 --
Amid
complaints in
Yemen that the
immunity
deal signed by
Ali Saleh
leaves his
officials and
system largely
in
place, the UN
on Friday
called its
coordination
with the
government
"very good" --
even though
this
government has
blocked the
UN from
bringing in
"essential
equipment for
[its]
operations."
Yemeni
state media
quoted
Interior
Minister
Mutahar Rashad
al-Masri
praising to
the
Director of
the UN's
Electoral
Assistance
Division Craig
Jenness on
December 1 "Yemen’s relations with
the UN in all
areas,
particularly
the
humanitarian
and security
coordination."
Inner
City Press
on December 2
asked UN
Deputy
Humanitarian
Coordinator
Catherine
Bragg if this
is accurate,
and if the UN
now is dealing
with the same
exact people
it dealt with
before Saleh
traveled to
Saudi Arabia
and
signed the
immunity deal.
Bragg
said, "I
think the
coordination
of
humanitarian
action has
been very
good,
with the
government, we
have been
working very
well, on IDPs,
we have
good relations
with the
ministries
involved." Video
here, from
Minute 12:47.
Then,
after Inner
City Press
quoted from a
UN
report to the
contrary,
Bragg
acknowledged
"problems
bringing in
essential
equipment for
our
operations."
She said there
is "no
universal or
standardized
arrangement in
place" but
said that is
"not
atypical for a
country like
Yemen which
does not have
that."
It
seemed
circular:
the lack of
easing entry
of
humanitarian
goods and
equipment is
typical for a
country which
does not so
ease, and is
still somehow
"good
coordination."
The UN
report says
"The
process
of reaching a
global custom
agreement with
the Yemeni
government,
which started
in September
2010, is
ongoing. The
steps so
far taken
include the
submission of
necessary
documents,
explanation
of the
necessity and
impotence of
these
documents, and
training for
customs
officers. The
shortage of
fuel
(particularly
diesel)
continues in
the country,
causing long
queues for
fuel when it
is
available.
Fuel prices in
petrol
stations have
reportedly
increased
from 150 YER
per litre to
350 YER per
litre.
Response:
Follow up
contact was
made with the
custom
authority this
week, and the
information
obtained is
that the
documents are
under review."
Bragg
explained it
as a change in
scope: the UN
was dealing
with 300,000
in the north
and tens of
thousands in
the south,"
but now with
"3.8
million."
Isn't some of
that increase
due to the
actions of the
Saleh
government
with the same
UN says its
gets "good
coordination"
from?
Al
Masri told
Jenness he was
"hailing the
UN’s efforts
and
significant
role
in the success
of the
Gulf-brokered
initiative and
its
implementation
mechanism
signed in the
Saudi capital
last week by
all political
parties in
Yemen."
The
people
demonstration
in the street
and getting
killed did not
sign, and
don't agree
with, the
immunity deal,
nor does Nobel
Peace Prize
winner
Tawakkol
Karman.
On
December 1, a
self described
"senior
Western
diplomat" told
Inner City
Press
regarding
Saleh's
immunity,
"That was a
Yemeni
decision, a
decision of
the GCC. The
best option
was to support
that, without
cherry
picking." If
accountability
is a cherry...
Watch this
site.
, 
