| As UN Bans
Inner City Press 2889th Day
No Reply by SG Spox Dujarric
on Iran OHCHR Host Country
Agreement Epstein Mali GMax
Waltz Lewin Bruce Ric USUN
MALU Fleming
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
UN GATE, March 11
– Inner City Press on 5 July
2018 was banned from entering
the UN, two day after it was
physically removed from
conducting interviews outside
meeting about the UN Secretary
General Antonio Guterres' $6.7
billion budget.
Then
Guterres' Department of Global
Communication, run by Melissa
Fleming, issued a letter
banning Inner City Press from
the UN - for life. With no due
process, no right of
appeal. Guterres has put
the UN in the US Press Freedom
Tracker, here.
Guterres' Spokesman Stephane
Dujarric falsely promised on
camera that he would be
answering banned Inner City
Press' questions - but see
below.
On March 11 as the man of
undisclosed vacations Guterres
again
refused to answer but
the IMF did answer, May 6 here,
Feb 25 here,
Feb 4 here,
here,
before Stephane "French
Whine" Dujarric,
previously the face of UN lies
on cholera in Haiti, and not
Daniela Gross, not
never-answering Associate
"Spokesperson" Florencia Soto
Nino who blocks Press on
WhatsApp, nor equally censoring Stephanie
Tremblay - and not Deputy
Farhan Haq, held a briefing
before which Inner City Press
submitted yet more questions - Inner City Press
has asked the above, and
Guterres and his new chief of
staff Courtenay Rattray and
others, now citing
Oct 22,
2025, Kosova
Radio,
"Matthew
Russell Lee:
Nepotism,
abuse of funds
and a culture
of revenge
during
Caroline
Ziadeh's
tenure –
Guterres
remains
silent," "Lee
links this
situation to a
marked lack of
transparency
and
accountability
at the highest
levels of the
UN, including
SG Antonio
Guterres and
his
spokespeople,
Stephane
Dujarric and
Melissa
Fleming who,
according to
him, 'refuse
to answer
questions
about cases of
sexual abuse
and corruption
in UN
missions,'" here
These written
question are posed and
responses requested pursuant
to the until-now broken
commitment the the UN will
"continue to answer e-mailed
questions from Mr Lee" Inner
City Press, here
Leaks
SG DSG Again, June
19-1: On press freedom, please confirm
receipt by MALU of, and that positive
consideration will belatedly be granted to,
my application to enter and cover UNGA 2025 - June 19,
2025 letter - immediately
answer
Aug 29,
2025, UN's
stated
deadline for
UNGA: I
applied
through MALU
on June 19,
2025 for
accreditation.
More
than six months later on January 12, 2026 came
a denial with no explanation, saying if any
error to ask the manager. I wrote immediately
to Tal Mekel:
From: Matthew R.
Lee <matthew.lee@innercitypress.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Subject: As "Manager" of UN MALU, I am writing
to you about today's denial, I assert in error:
on June 19, 2025 I submitted an application for
accreditation; I publish more stories about the
UN than the vast majority of those you accredit
- reverse, or as first step explain. Pls confirm
receipt. Thank you.
To: Tal Mekel < mekel@un.org>
I am writing to you as,
I think, the "Manager" of UN MALU.
On June 19, 2025
I submitted an application for accreditation
including to enter and cover the 2026 UNGA
High Level Week. I heard nothing back.
Earlier today I
received:
#179584 Full Name
- Matthew Lee | Badge Length - Long-Term |
Access Start Date - 19 Jun 2025 | Access End
Date - 17 Oct 2025 Your accreditation
has been rejected Contact manager if you
think this is an error.
I am
writing to contact you as manager: I think
this is an error.
For
InnerCityPress.com I write more stories
about the UN than the vast majority of
correspondents, including resident
correspondents, you accredit. I publish
exclusive stories, many of them back on my
journalistic contacts among UN
whistleblowers. Already this year I have
published stories about the mission in
Colombia, South Sudan, and the proposed
merger of UNFPA and UN Women.
I have an NYC
Press Pass, am in-house media at the Federal
courthouse, and am allowed to participate in
IMF briefing by WebEx - a type of access I
have asked the UN for.
So I think it is
an error and I am asking you to reverse it,
or as a first step to provide an explanation
for the denial, in light of the above.
On deadline.
Still
waiting.
AGAIN on
UN
(ir)relevance,
and banning of
Press, what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG
Guterres, and
of the
missions cc-ed
here, to this
answer
yesterday by
US State Dept
Senior
Official
Lewin,
here
MODERATOR:
We now have
Matthew
Russell Lee
from the Inner
City
Press:
“Can you
please speak
to how this
initiative
shows the
increasing
lack of
relevance of
the United
Nations, given
UN failures
from Sudan to
Gaza to
Venezuela?”LEWIN:
there’s a lot
of hard reform
work to be
done in the UN
system, and we
continue to
advocate for
that,
Ambassador
Waltz and
others.
But I think
all of these
situations are
different.
And the UN, it
has to prove
that it is
still
relevant.
I think that’s
absolutely
true.
But the UN has
never been –
when the
United States
is strong, the
UN has always
been a
sideshow,
right?"
Response?
Still
waiting.
On
mismanagement
at OHCHR and
staff
dissatisfaction,
send to Inner
City Press
below, what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on this:
""Dear Matthew
Russell Lee,
We are so
grateful for
your tireless
efforts to
expose
corruption in
today’s UN
under Antonio
Guterres,
“feminist in
chief” who
leads the
dismissal of
young women
under his UN80
agenda. Today
is a sad day
in OHCHR, a
day of infamy.
A new low
under crony
Volker Turk
and soulless
deputy Nada al
Nashif.
Today corrupt
Nada al Nashif
announced that
OHCHR will
soon
relinquish its
emblematic
HeadQuarters
in Geneva (see
message to all
staff
below),
the Palais
Wilson,
blaming the
financial
crisis. This
is the impact
of corruption,
nepotism and
mismanagement
in todays
OHCHR. The
truth is that
OHCHR is a
cleptocracy
run by a gang
of cronies
that have
wasted the
organization
funds, grant
promotions to
themselves and
their
relatives
while firing
young
colleagues
(mainly women
and
whistleblowers
) and close
important
field
presences (all
field offices
in Colombia
were closed.
How many staff
were fired in
order to keep
the salary and
promotion to
crony Scott
Campbell?).
The truth is
that in the
last years
money has been
wasted in
useless
initiatives
like UDHR75,
the Knowledge
Hub, the
Inquiries
branch, the
diversity
adviser, the
empty Vienna
office…..etc
at the expense
of real real
rights
work.
Volker Turk,
Nada al
Nashif,
corrupt Kim
Taylor, Maarit
Kohonen, Peggy
Hicks,
Julietta de
Ribero,
Beatrix
Balbin,
Matthias
Behnke,
Michael
Camilleri,
Francesco
Motta,
Mohammed Al
Ansour,
Veronica
Birga, they
must all be
held
accountable.
They depleted
the accounts
while the
staff losses
their
jobs.
OHCHR needs a
new High
Commissioner.
Narcissist
Volker
Turk
must go before
he destroys
OHCHR.
“Dear
colleagues,
I am writing
to confirm
that we have
begun
preparations
to move all
staff in
Palais Wilson
to the H
Building at
Palais des
Nations.
In the revised
2026 budget,
the UN at
Geneva (UNOG)
proposed
vacating
Palais Wilson
and the
relocation of
all OHCHR
staff to the
Palais des
Nations (PdN)
as a
cost-saving
measure and in
line with the
approved
Strategic
Heritage Plan
(SHP). This
proposal was
formally
approved by
the General
Assembly in
December 2025.
As renovations
of Palais des
Nations are
advancing,
space will be
freed up in
the H building
in June/July
2026.
Palais Wilson
will surely be
greatly missed
by many, but
for the first
time in many
years, all
OHCHR Geneva
will be
gathered in
one building
and this, I
hope you will
agree, holds
great promise
for our
Office.
Move
dates
The exact
relocation
dates are yet
to be
confirmed. The
current lease
for Palais
Wilson expires
on 30 June
2026, however
the move is
subject to the
finalisation
of PdN
renovations
and the
subsequent
availability
of appropriate
space in the H
building. If
needed, the
lease will be
extended on
a month
by month
basis.
Colleagues in
PSMS are
working
closely with
UNOG to plan
the relocation
and determine
when the move
can
begin.
Consultations
with entities
impacted by
the move
The PSMS Move
Team will
begin
scheduling
bilateral
consultations
with heads of
entities
currently
located in
Palais Wilson
on space
allocation in
the H
building. The
Move Team will
take note of
special
considerations
for each
entity,
including
periods during
which a move
may not be
feasible due
to operational
reasons,"
etc
On Zimbabwe
what are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on the
pressure
against
opponents of
constitutional
change
Zimbabwean
authorities
have
intensified
their
crackdown on
opponents of a
constitutional
amendment that
would extend
the term of
incumbent
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa?
On Niger what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that
authorities
confronted
with explosive
overcrowding
at Niamey's
civil prison
The prison
warden
informed the
Nigerien
Minister of
Justice, who
visited the
facility on
Monday, March
9, that the
occupancy rate
was 400%.
While the
prison houses
a large
majority of
prisoners held
in pretrial
detention,
their
representatives
blame the slow
processing of
cases by the
justice system
for this
phenomenon
On Madagascar
what are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that just
ten days after
submitting the
transition
timetable to
the Southern
African
Development
Community
(SADC),
Colonel
Michaël
Randrianirina
abruptly
dismissed his
Prime Minister
and the entire
government.
Between broken
promises, an
ultimatum from
the youth, and
pressure from
a civil
society
denouncing an
authoritarian
drift, the
Refoundation
government is
making a risky
move to try
and regain
control
On UN system
corruption
what are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on this, sent
to Inner City
Press by
whistleblowers:
excerpts from
the report
that prove
that
everything
Inner City
Press has
written in
recent years
was perfectly
objective and
entirely
accurate.
“United
Nations Review
of management
and
administration
in the United
Nations
Educational,
Scientific and
Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO)
Report of the
Joint
Inspection
Unit: Despite
comprehensive
reforms since
2017 to
strengthen
UNESCO
governance,
significant
challenges
remain. (…)
Governance
continues to
be constrained
by overlapping
mandates and
unclear
divisions of
responsibility
among
governing
bodies
(recommendation
2). The
effectiveness
of the
Executive
Board is also
weakened by
outdated
working
methods,
legacy
practices, and
the lack of
modern
governance
tools
(recommendation
3). The
relationship
between
executive
leadership and
the Executive
Board has been
marked by
periodic
tensions,
resulting in
an erosion of
trust and
confidence in
the
leadership,
thereby
weaking
governance
effectiveness
(recommendation
4). (…)
The review
found that
persistent
coordination
gaps –
including
siloed
operations,
uneven
coordination
between
Headquarters,
field offices
and
institutes,
and legacy
bureaucratic
inefficiencies
– continue to
slow
decision-making
and hinder
cross-sectoral
implementation,
and that some
internal
management
committees
lack
sufficient
authority and
functionality
to drive
reforms
through to
implementation
(recommendation
8). The review
also found
that the
absence of a
transparent,
organization-wide
regulatory
framework
governing
internal
candidacies
for the
position of
Director-General,
as well as
provisions for
geographic
diversity for
senior-level
appointments,
creates
integrity and
reputational
risks
(recommendation
6). In
addition, the
review found
that the
Cabinet’s
structure has
become overly
bureaucratic,
with
overlapping
roles and
duplicated
advisory
functions that
dilute
accountability
and weaken
strategic
effectiveness,
and that
Cabinet
appointments
are not
contractually
linked to the
Director-General’s
tenure,
undermining
strategic
alignment and
complicating
leadership
transitions
(recommendation
7). (…)
The review
found that the
consolidation
of
administrative
functions has
not yet
translated
into strategic
integration.
Sub-units
within the
Sector for
Administration
and Management
continue to
operate in
silos, with
limited
involvement in
early
programme
design, weak
digital
integration,
and the
absence of
sector-wide
service
standards and
performance
indicators. As
a result, the
functions of
the Sector for
Administration
and Management
remain largely
reactive to
implementation
challenges,
rather than
proactively
enabling
accountability,
efficiency and
programme
delivery, thus
limiting its
strategic
value to the
Organization
(recommendation
9). (…)
Ongoing
deficiencies
in staffing,
internal
controls, risk
management,
data
availability
and
performance
monitoring
continue to
undermine the
reform’s
effectiveness
and limit its
ability to
achieve
cohesive
organizational
impact
(recommendation
10). (…)
Systemic
challenges
remain. Lack
of
comprehensive
workforce
planning and
the perceived
weakening of
institutional
checks and
balances have
reduced
consistency,
transparency
and perceived
fairness.
Limited
safeguards
with regard to
recruitment,
promotions and
mobility,
coupled with
fragmented
oversight,
have
constrained
accountability
and affected
staff
confidence.
The review
identified
patterns of
inconsistent
application of
procedures,
insufficient
documentation
of selection
decisions,
limited
managerial
accountability,
high vacancy
rates
(particularly
in field
operations),
and the use of
ad hoc
workarounds.
These
practices
undermine the
integrity of
human
resources
systems and
expose UNESCO
to
reputational
and legal
risks
(recommendation
11). (…)
However,
challenges
remain: the
enterprise
risk
management
framework is
underdeveloped,
internal
controls are
inconsistently
applied,
particularly
in field
operations,
and both the
Ethics Office
and the
Appeals Board
face
structural
limitations
that constrain
effectiveness.
Risk
management
remains
reactive, the
corporate risk
register is
outdated, and
ownership of
enterprise
risk
management
processes is
fragmented
across
committees
with unclear
authority.”
In this report
of hundred
pages review,
the word
‘risk’ appears
150 times,
‘challenges’
68 times,
‘lack’ 59,
‘undermine’
39,
‘accountability’
issue 134,
‘limited’ 55,
‘weak’ 73,
‘governance’
issue 114.
Nothing is
more tangible
than
statistics.
The JIU report
is worth
reading. It
shows how
weakened
UNESCO is
today at all
levels, and
why it is so,
in terms of
governance,
internal
justice,
program
implementation,
resource
mobilization,
human
resources,
etc.
This report
summarizes
perfectly the
legacy that
El-Enany is
trying by all
means to
protect from
criticism by
sweeping it
under the
Egyptian
carpet. The
JIU report
also contains
a number of
relevant
recommendations
for the
Director-General,
which could be
supplemented
as
follows:
1) Remove the
senior
officials
appointed by
Azoulay who
continue to
manage
UNESCO's
day-to-day
affairs,
namely the
Director of
IOS, the
Director of
LA, the ADG
for
Management,
and the
Director of
your
Cabinet.
2) Appoint a
trustworthy
and competent
person to the
position of
Director of
the
Cabinet.
3) Lift the
veil and make
public all of
Azoulay's
misdeeds so
that they are
known to staff
and Member
States.
4) Review all
last-minute
decisions
taken by
Azoulay
regarding
promotions and
appointments.
Do this
yourself in
your capacity
as
Director-General,
instead of
hiding behind
the Executive
Board's
decision to
entrust this
task to
UNESCO's
external
auditor.
5) Examine
before the
Executive
Board meeting
in April and
report to it
on the
findings
concerning
UNESCO's full
responsibility
in the case of
the
appointment of
Fabrice Aidan,
a friend of
Epstein, to
the Agency.
Azoulay's two
cabinet
directors,
Nicolas
Kassianides
and Margaux
Bergeon-Dars,
as well as
Flavio
Bonetti,
should have
been fully
informed,
since the
French police
and the French
Ministry of
Foreign
Affairs were
aware of the
situation.
Exposing
Kassianides
must be a
painful
exercise for
El-Enany, as
the two men
have been good
friends for
many years,
but
Bergeon-Dars
and Bonetti
could be
summoned to
explain the
decision to
recruit Aidan
that is
damaging the
agency's
reputation, as
they still
work for
UNESCO.
A s for
Ms.
Bergeon-Dars,
every day that
Mr. El-Enany
keeps her at
the head of
his cabinet,
after being
informed that
she has spent
years publicly
insulting
Arabs on her
Twitter
account, is a
day that Mr.
El-Enany loses
credibility
and
trust.
With a bit of
luck, El-Enany
will never be
asked by
Azoulay to
issue a
certificate of
service to
Fabrice
Aidan.
Inner City
Press has been
informed that
since his
appointment,
DG El-Enany
has been
issuing
certificates
of service to
ambassadors
who are
leaving their
posts as
representatives
to UNESCO. The
question is on
what legal and
institutional
basis this is
happening.
Since when is
the
Secretariat,
which is
supposed to
serve Member
States,
authorized to
certify the
services
rendered by
government
officials, and
what is the
position on
this matter of
the presidents
of the two
governing
bodies, Mr.
Nasser Bin
Hamad Al
Hinzab of
Qatar,
President of
the Executive
Board, and Mr.
Khondker Talha
of Bangladesh,
President of
the General
Conference? It
would be
useful to know
what they have
to say about
this highly
unusual
practice.
It is clear
that the
election of
the new DG was
a moment of
false hope,
dashed by the
last four
months marked
by tattered
expectations,
a lack of
clear vision,
slow-motion
action, the
appointments
to senior
positions of
people not
having the
required
credentials,
subservience
to France and
the EU, and
budget cuts
and staff
reductions,
all of it
based on empty
rhetoric. It
is high time
that the
Egyptian
Director-General
recovered from
the initial
excitement
generated by
the
effervescent
effect of his
successful
election and
began to take
his job
seriously.
This is where
UNESCO stands
today,
weakened by
the former
French
administration
and still
insignificant,
ravaged by
financial
misappropriations,
conducive to
the
proliferation
of abuse of
power,
corruption,
and nepotism.
Watch this
site.
On Mali (and
Russia) what
are them
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that In
Mali, seven
people who had
just left
Mauritania
were killed on
Friday, March
6, by the
Malian army
and its
Russian
auxiliaries
from the
Afrika Kory
Corps. The
incident
occurred in
the Ahl El
Kory area, in
the Nampala
district, near
the
Mauritanian
border.
On OHCHR what
is the
response of SG
Guterres to
this, sent to
Inner CIty
Press by
whistleblowers
there: "Dear
Matthew
Russell Lee,
We are so
grateful for
your tireless
efforts to
expose
corruption in
Guterres’s UN.
Today, SG’s
crony and
ultimate UN
bureaucrat,
Volker Turk
posted another
one of his
empty messages
celebrating
International
Women’s Day.
Narcissist
Turk is a
paramount
example of
double
standards in
todays UN:
while he
celebrates
international
womens day he
has fired over
100 young
female
colleagues
(including
some with
heath
conditions and
even pregnant,
and, of
course,
whistleblowers)
and he has
awarded all
director posts
last year to
his male
friends and
favorites. How
many young
women had to
been dismissed
so that
Matthias
Behnke, Scott
Campbell or
Michael
Camilleri were
promoted? Turk
personifies
todays UN
double
standards. He
has turned
OHCHR into a
cleptocracy
where only his
cronies
survive. Turk
cares about
women’s rights
as much as his
protector
Guterres does
(Guterres, “Mr
Gender in
Chief” who
allowed the
Sophocles
case!).
Volker Turk’s
term ends in
September. He,
and all his
cronies, must
go before they
destroy OHCHR.
Member states
and civil
society must
act to find a
suitable High
Commissioner.
We, the staff,
need no
cronies. We
are not afraid
of him. We
don’t need his
empty
messages. We
say: Stop
hypocrisy in
the UN. We
speak up for
our rights!
Expose
corruption. We
need a new
High
Commissioner
for Human
Rights."
On
UNODC and UN
waste and
corruption
what are the
comments and
action if any
of SG Guterres
- and of the
US Mission to
the UN, cc-ed
here - on
this, sent to
Inner City
Press by
whistleblowers:
"Dear Matthew
Russell Lee:
Thank you for
your service
to a better
UN. You are a
champion.
The world has
turned the
page on the
Ghada Waly
UNODC Cairo
self-promotion
corruption
debacle and
Secretary
General
Guterres still
sits on the
fence on her
replacement,
all while
unqualified
junior
candidates
lobby for the
top UNODC job.
Guterres
corrupt
nepotistic
team remains
underwhelmed
by possibility
of another low
level diplomat
becoming a
Under-Secretary
General and
Executive
Director. This
as Permanent
Missions to
the UN are
told his team
is looking for
a notable
replacement
with actual
understanding
of drugs and
crime or
terrorism, but
nobody good
wants to clean
up the
Guterres Waly
corruption
mess and good
ones keep
passing on the
job. The hope
and thinking
now is a
manageable low
profile USG
that restores
UNODC to
former glory
before Waly
and leaves
long suffering
chiefs alone
to work, or a
caretaker USG
is sent to
Vienna from
New York to
clean
up.
Meanwhile
Waly's
handpicked
acting
Executive
Director John
Brandolino
goes through
the motions
before his
imminent
retirement
subtly working
to maneuver
his friend
Candice Welsh
to take over
the UNODC
Division of
Treaty Affairs
which he has
long headed.
Welsh is
deeply
insecure and
has no
understanding
of terrorism,
drugs or
organized
crime.
Brandolino is
intentionally
isolating
qualified
chiefs in the
Division to
set her up,
and she is no
more than a
pretender
trying to get
away from the
Division of
Policy which
she has driven
into the
ground.
On Angola what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on this: the
NGO law
worries civil
society ahead
of the general
elections The
NGO law came
into effect on
Tuesday, March
3, in Angola,
adopted by a
parliament
largely
controlled by
the ruling
party, the
MPLA. This law
creates an
administrative
body whose
members are
appointed
directly by
President João
Lourenço,
tasked with
"
controlling
" the
activities and
funding of
NGOs. Concern
is growing
among civil
society, which
sees this as
" state
interference
" in the
lead-up to the
general
elections
scheduled for
August
2027
What are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
and separately
USG Fleming
and Ian
Phillips, on
the the March
6 sentencing
of Belarusian
journalist
Pavel
Dabravolski to
nine years in
jail on
treason
charges
and on that in
Rwanda,
opposition
leader
Victoire
Ingabire
appeals to the
Supreme Court
against her
arrest In
Rwanda,
Victoire
Ingabire and
her
representatives
argued on
March 4, 2026,
against the
arrest in June
2025 of the
opposition
leader. She
has been in
pretrial
detention for
nearly eight
month
and, having
already asked
without
answer, on
this: Jan 12,
2026, Article
19, "The joint
statement
follows. We,
the
undersigned
organizations
and
journalists,
express
serious
concern
regarding the
detention of
Sudanese
journalist
Muammar
Ibrahim by the
Rapid Support
Forces... Free
UN Coalition
for Access /
Inner City
Press,"
https://www.article19.org/resources/sudan-release-journalist-muammar-ibrahim/
On the
UN in South
Sudan, waste,
corruption and
more what on
deadline are
the comments
and actions if
any of SG
GUterres on
this, sent to
Inner City
Press by
whistleblowers:
Dear Matthew
Russell Lee,
The United
Nations
Mission in
South Sudan
(UNMISS) has
effectively
been left on
autopilot. The
Special
Representative
of the
Secretary-General
(SRSG), from
South Africa,
has confirmed
that he will
not return to
the Mission
due to health
reasons.
Nevertheless,
he continues
to manage this
highly complex
operation
remotely from
New York, far
removed from
the realities
on the
ground.
At a time when
the
Organization
is seeking
substantial
financial
contributions
from donors,
the silence of
the UN
management
team regarding
his
replacement
raises serious
concerns about
leadership
accountability.
The failure to
appoint an
active and
present Head
of Mission
undermines
operational
effectiveness,
staff morale,
and
confidence—particularly
in the eyes of
the host
government.
Staff members
are already
experiencing
work-related
stress and
significant
psychological
strain.
The unplanned
downsizing of
lower-grade
staff by
senior
management has
further
deepened
uncertainty
and anxiety
within the
Mission,
leaving
personnel
feeling as
though they
are on a
drifting
vessel without
a
captain.
In this
context, the
Chief of
Staff, Leda
Limann, who
also serves as
a pastor and
preacher
within the
UNMISS
compound,
oversaw the
downsizing of
the post of
Mr. Patrick
Augustino, a
national staff
member from
South Sudan
who is working
in her
office.
Upon learning
on 2 January
2026 that his
post had been
abolished, Mr.
Augustino
reportedly
experienced
severe stress
and sought
support from
senior
leadership. He
attempted to
contact the
SRSG in New
York, but
without
success.
However,
UNMISS Human
Resources
reportedly
confirmed that
Mr.
Augustino’s
post remains
active. This
raises serious
questions as
to why the
Chief of Staff
allegedly took
unilateral
action
affecting his
position. It
is further
concerning why
Human
Resources has
remained
silent if
established
posts are
being altered
or misused
without proper
authorization
or
transparency.
Without
adequate
institutional
support to
address his
mental
distress, he
tragically
attempted to
take his own
life. As is
often the case
in sensitive
matters, no
public
announcement
has been made
inside the UN
compound
regarding his
death. So sad
to see the
death of
national staff
while the main
task of the
mission is to
support South
Sudanese
people
Again, what
are the
responses and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
- and of US
Mission to the
UN, cc-ed
here, to this:
"Rapid
Response 47
@rapidresponse47
· 1d Rep.
Brian Mast:
You have the
head of the
United Nations
who's lining
up against
America, and
in support of
the
Ayatollah.."
On DRC, what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that the
DRC is seeking
to further
restrict the
use of social
media in the
name of
"social
stability"
Social media
is under close
scrutiny in
the Democratic
Republic of
Congo (DRC)
since
President
Félix
Tshisekedi
warned against
its potential
for abuse.
During the
last cabinet
meeting, the
president
denounced the
rise of
disinformation,
hate speech,
and
manipulation
of public
opinion, which
he considers a
threat to
national
security. He
instructed
several
members of the
government to
strengthen
digital
regulations.
However, this
announcement
has already
drawn
criticism from
civil
society.
On Senegal and
Morocco, what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that a
group of
Senegalese
citizens is
calling for
the release of
supporters
imprisoned in
Morocco In a
memorandum
submitted
Thursday,
February 26,
to the
Moroccan
embassy in
Dakar, the
group argues
that the
sentences
handed down by
Moroccan
courts to 18
Senegalese
supporters,
ranging up to
one year in
prison
following the
incidents that
marred the
2025 Africa
Cup of Nations
final, are
unjust. They
intend to
protest their
detention
On UN waste,
and misleading
answers by a
USG, what are
the comments
and actions of
SG Guterres on
this:
Christian
Saunders has
just flown to
the Central
African
Republic. How
much did it
cost? How much
did the self
promotional
video he put
on LinkedIn -
well read in
CAR, to be
sure - cost?
The UN
complain about
having no
money, but
waste it on
useless jaunts
costing
thousands
sending
Saunders from
New York in
business class
travel and
travel
allowances,
which instead
could easily
be done in a
Teams/Zoom
presentation.
For a one day
presentation!
Saunders does
this
constantly
because
there's
nothing useful
for him to do
in New
York. So
why is he
there and his
post not
transferred to
Nairobi
instead
(like what was
done to many
UN posts)
where it is a
lot closer to
travel to the
majority of
missions?
Saunders
responded
online on his
LinkedIn:
"P.S. After
posting the
video below,
someone saw
fit to
publicly cast
negative
aspersions and
question the
value of such
a mission to
CAR during
this time of
austerity for
the United
Nations... I
have zero
problem in
justifying to
anyone how we
utilize the
UN’s
resources,
which is after
all public
money."
Zero problems?
Saunders
encouraged UN
Security to
physically
throw out
Inner City
Press, and has
done nothing
as it has been
banned ever
since, January
2026 denial
without any
explanation.
Move of his
post to
Nairobi
because he
doesn't do
anything in
New
York.
Not
addressed.
Also, he says
"I
participated
as a resource
person in a
leadership
workshop they
were running
in Nairobi".
Who was "they"
running the
workshop?
What
organization
paid?
And if not a
UN workshop,
why was a UN
ASG
participating
in a
leadership
workshop not
for the
UN?
The video was
made by a
"young UN
staffer"
taking "a few
hours" - Who
was this
"Young UN
staffer"?
What level and
appointment
type?
Whose
phone? A
UN issued
one?
What else
could this
"young UN
staffer" have
been doing
besides
following
Saunders
around for
hours and then
editing video
for him to
post on his
own personal
LinkedIn all
for Saunders
self
promotion.
If Saunders
wants to be
transparency,
he as a now
USG should
ensure that
Inner City
Press is
allowed back
in to the UN
to ask, on or
before March
1. But
rather than
ensuring
access, or
even an answer
by the UN
Spokesperson
Stephane
Dujarric,
Saunders took
it upon
himself to
game the
LinkedIn
system.
Saunders'
original post
just said "I
arrived in CAR
this morning"
with the video
posted?
This attracted
the comments
below such as
"welcome to
CAR" and
saying how
wonderful
Saunders
was.
When Saunders
saw your
article,
instead of
posting a new
message, he
edited the
original
message with a
PS, but
deleted the
original part
of the
message.
So now the
comments and
the 200+
"likes" which
were there in
response to
his original
"I'm in CAR"
message make
it seem like
they are
supportive of
his comments
in his PS
reply to
you.
This is really
disingenuous
and actually
quite
dangerous.
Imagine if
people liked
one message
and then it
was edited to
say "The SG is
an asshole",
those people
could then be
associated
with the claim
that the SG is
an asshole
without them
even knowing
and could be
held
accountable.
Particularly
given what is
going on
Britain and
other places -
including the
UN where
"protected
free speech"
is not
enshrined into
a
constitution
On deadline,
what are SG
Guterres'
comments and
actions on USG
Christian
Saunders'
LinkedIn post
responding to
Inner City
Press story
about his trip
to CAR,
"Christian
SaundersChristian
Saunders •
3rd+Verified •
3rd+ Under
Secretary
GeneralUnder
Secretary
General 3d •
Edited •
3 days ago •
Edited •
Visible to
anyone on or
off LinkedIn
Follow P.S.
After posting
the video
below, someone
saw fit to
publicly cast
negative
aspersions and
question the
value of such
a mission to
CAR during
this time of
austerity for
the United
Nations. I am
a firm
believer in
radical
transparency"
- if he and
the UN believe
in
transparency,
radical or
otherwise, why
is Inner City
Press still
banned?
What are
the comments,
responses and
actions of SG
Guterres and
his OLA to
this: The UN’s
immunity claim
rests on the
1946
Convention.
Section 29 of
that
Convention
requires the
UN to make
provisions for
appropriate
modes of
settlement of
disputes
arising out of
contracts or
other disputes
of a private
law character
to which the
UN is a party.
The UN has
systematically
failed to
establish such
mechanisms for
private
parties — a
failure made
internationally
visible by the
Haiti cholera
litigation.
The argument:
a credential
revocation
affecting an
American
journalist’s
livelihood and
press freedom
is a dispute
of
sufficiently
private
character to
trigger
Section 29
obligations.
When the UN
fails to
provide the
required
alternative
dispute
resolution
mechanism, its
immunity claim
is dubious -
response?
What are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on reports
that Nigerian
authorities
paid a "huge"
ransom to
secure the
release of 230
children who
were kidnapped
from their
Catholic
school in
Niger State on
November 21,
2025. The
abduction of
these students
from St.
Mary's School
in Papiri,
central
Nigeria, had
shocked public
opinion
On DRC /
Burundi what
are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that the
population of
Uvira demands
the reopening
of the border
with Burundi
In Uvira, in
eastern
Democratic
Republic of
Congo (DRC),
residents and
traders are
pleading for
the reopening
of the border
with Burundi.
A month after
the AFC/M23
withdrew from
the city, the
gunfire has
ceased, but
the border
remains
closed. The
Burundian
Minister of
Foreign
Affairs
maintains that
the security
conditions are
not yet in
place for a
reopening. On
the ground,
the governor
of South Kivu
has been
directly
confronted by
the impatient
and worried
population
On censorship,
this time in
Gabon (as the
UN also
practices it),
what are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on that
Gabonese
authorities
have suspended
social media
until further
notice Gabon's
High Authority
for
Communication
(HAC) decided
on Tuesday,
February 17,
2026, to
immediately
suspend social
media services
throughout the
country until
further
notice. The
decision aims
to prevent
abuses
following,
according to
the HAC, the
misuse of
these
platforms. The
decision, made
public that
evening, came
as a
shock.
On the list of
UN entities
the US is
leaving,
please provide
belatedly
responses to
questions
posed to you
in writing by
Inner City
Press since it
was ousted and
the
Spokesperson
said he would
be answering
Inner City
Press' written
questions.
Confirm SG
Guterres
received the
Brazilian
complaint
against the
PGA, on
deadline
YET AGAIN -
now Q on UN
sexual abuse,
immediately
provide all
if-asked info
and what if
anything has
been done for
the victim(s)
of the abuse
data dumped on
the UN's
website on
December 2 -
sexual abuse
by UN
"peacekeepers"
from Burkina
Faso and
Malawi in
South Sudan,
and a UNV -
nationality
unstated, why?
- in DRC, and
still on
November 21 on
abuse by a Sri
Lanka UN
"Peacekeeper"
in CAR,
What are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
on the SDNY
trial for
Sudan genocide
against BNP
Paribas that
Inner City
Press
exclusively
covered here
in the SDNY
courthouse in
lower
Manhattan?
What has he
gone for / on
Sudan in the
past year? How
can Inner City
Press, which
previously
(pre-Guterres)
accompanied
the UNSC trip
to Darfur, now
be banned
without any
due
process?
A
pre-sentencing
mitigation
hearing will
begin on
January 12,
with Lai
facing a
maximum
punishment of
life
imprisonment.
Lai’s health
has worsened
after spending
five years in
a
maximum-security
prison, mostly
in solitary
confinement
with limited
access to
daylight and
exercise. He
has diabetes
and has
suffered from
heart
palpitations
that require
medication.
More recently,
his children
have said that
he is losing
weight, his
teeth are
rotting, and
his nails are
falling
off. and
on calls on
Azerbaijan to
drop all
charges and
release 12
journalists as
the trial
against
Germany-based
Meydan TV
began Friday
in the
capital,
Baku.
YET AGAIN -
now Q on UN
sexual abuse,
immediately
provide all
if-asked info
and what if
anything has
been done for
the victim(s)
of the abuse
data dumped on
the UN's
website on
December 2 -
sexual abuse
by UN
"peacekeepers"
from Burkina
Faso and
Malawi in
South Sudan,
and a UNV -
nationality
unstated, why?
- in DRC, and
still on
November 21 on
abuse by a Sri
Lanka UN
"Peacekeeper"
in CAR, and by
a UN civilian
there,
nationality
undisclosed -
why? - and
Burkina Faso
in South
Sudan, South
Africa,
repeatedly, in
DRC. Still on
November 10 of
a June 2025
rape in CAR by
a UN
"civilian" -
nationality
withheld -
why? - and on
October 14 of
the paternity
claim for
exploitation
by a UN
"civilian" -
why no
nationality
information? -
in CRA, and
abuse by Ghana
UN
"peacekeeper"
in South
Sudan,
and still on
October 8 -
sex abuse by
"peacekeeper"
from Ghana in
South Sudan,
and from Peru
in CAR, and
still on
October 7 -
child rape in
South Sudan,
attempted rape
in Abyei - and
still on
August 22,
2025 after the
noon briefing
by Ms. Gross
(cc-ed here)
of sex abuse
by UN "Police"
from Senegal
in DRC in 2025
and still that
dumped on July
30 of sexual
abuse by a UN
"peacekeeper"
from Uruguay i
the DR Congo
LAST
MONTH
and still that
of July 28, by
a Senegalese
UN "Police" in
DRC in April
2025, and
still of the
UN child rapes
in DRC, and
the data
dumped on the
UN web site on
July 11, child
rape in CAR by
a UN
"civilian"
with
nationality
not given -
why? - and
still on July
1, 2025
particular
that of the
Burkina Faso
UN
"Peacekeeper"
accused in DRC
2024-25 of
child "sexual
exploitation"
- how is that
not rape? and
still June 17
of rape by UN
"peacekeeper"
from South
Africa, and
abuse by
Togolese, and
still June 12
by UN
"Peacekeepers"
form Togo and
from South
Africa
(rape)
and the two
cases dropped
/ covered up
on Oct 1 - on
what
basis?
On UN
corruption,
what of the
pending
extradition
request on
Vitaly
Vanshelboim
formerly of
UNOPS, from
Spain?
How does the
UN justify
physical
ouster of
Press while
covering 5th
committee, and
ban ever
since, with no
response to
two law firms'
(Quinn Emanuel
and then Duane
Morris) pro
bono
inquiries?
why did SG
Guterres not
disclose
Gubelkian (and
CEFC China
Energy's bid
for
Gulbekian's
oil company)
on his public
financial
disclosure
form?
AGAIN on
deadline,
explain why
Ghislaine
Maxwell was
granted a
press
conference in
the UN
briefing room,
and why a UN
correspondent
who did a
fundraiser
with Ghislaine
Maxwell -
convicted of
sex
trafficking
here in SDNY,
and known at
the time to be
manager for
Jeffrey
Epstein - is
allowed in
daily and can
ask questions,
while Inner
City Press
which asked
and asks
remains
banned, with
6/19/25
application to
MALU pending,
none of the
promised (by
Dujarric)
answers to
written
questions like
this
provided.
March 11-1: On
Gaza / Israel,
on which each
of you has
refused all of
Inner City
Press' written
questions,
what are the
comments and
actions if any
of SG Guterres
and of the
US
Mission as
UNSC President
and otherwise
on this: Qatar
has reportedly
informed the
United States
that it
intends to
expel Hamas
leaders from
its territory
after the
group refused
to condemn
Iran’s recent
missile
attacks
against Qatar
and other Gulf
states. A
decision that
insiders say
became the
straw that
broke the
camel’s back
in Qatar’s
already
strained
relationship
with the
group. The
Emir of Qatar
Sheikh Hamad
Ibn Khalifa
al-Thani (L)
meets Sheikh
Ahmed Yassin,
the founder
and spiritual
leader of the
Islamic
Resistance
Movement
HAMAS, 25
April in Doha.
Yassin has
vowed to
retaliate
against Israel
over its
alleged
involvement in
the murder of
radical
Palestinian
group’s chief
bomb-maker
last month.
(Photo by AMRO
MARAGHI / AFP)
(Photo by AMRO
MARAGHI/AFP
via Getty
Images)
According to
the report by
journalist
Amit Segal and
Ehud Yaari,
Doha demanded
that Hamas
publicly
denounce the
Iranian
strikes
targeting Gulf
countries.
Hamas declined
to do so,
triggering a
major rupture
with the
Qatari
government.
In terms of
the UN's lack
of
transparency,
immediately
confirm or
deny that the
spokesman's X
account
@StephDujarric
which blocked
@InnerCityPress
(with 380,000
followers for
its reporting)
has now been
eliminated,
and that
the/his
BlueSky
account has no
posts, no
replies. In
2025 for a
spokesperson
to have
neither, it is
responsible
and/or has
compensation
been reduced?
Why no answers
to written
Press
questions, nor
to its June
19, 2025
application to
MALU to enter
and ask in
person?
AGAIN
- now that
Graca said
comments are
forthcoming -
where are
they? Now also
sent to
Baptista -- we
have
previously
asked this:
What are SG
Guterres'
responses to
this, to Inner
City Press
from
whistleblowers,
on deadline:
"Guterres
promoted Mr.
Miguel Graca,
his personal
assistant from
Portugal from
D1 to D2 and
now he is
promoted
"without
proper process
or
announcement"
to ASG.
He also
promoted his
special
assistant Mr.
Aguinaldo
Baptista from
P3 to P4 and
to P5 and now
to D1.
Guterres is
corrupt. The
SG also
appointed his
long-time
entourage from
his transition
team, Ms.
Michelle
Gyles-McDonnough
as the
Executive
Director of
the UNITAR,
the ASG level
with no clear
process.
And he also
appointed Ms.
Michele
Griffin to the
Director of
the Electoral
Assistance
Division in
DPPA,
bypassing all
the proper
procedures.
She didn't
have any prior
experience nor
knowledge in
election
matters at
all" -
response? Now
that Graca has
said "I am in
touch with the
office of the
spokesperson,
who will send
you comments"
- send the
comments or
say why not,
on
deadline.
on deadline,
confirm
receipt, Inner
City Press on
June 19 2005
reapplied to
enter and ask
these
questions,
even as its
reporting is
picked up all
over the world
but it remains
banned from UN
unlike many
who publish no
stories...
Where is the
response?
Eager to enter
and ask.
AGAIN on
the UN in
South Sudan,
as none of you
answered when
previously
asked in
writing by
Inner City
Press, what
are the
comments and
action if any
of SG Guterres
and Denmark
Mission on
this, sent to
Inner City
Press by
whistleblowers:
"Dear Mr.
Matthew
Russell Lee:
The recent
statement by
the Government
of South Sudan
calling for
UNMISS to
evacuate its
compound near
Juba Airport
is deeply
concerning -
it is said the
UN lied and
kept Radio
Mireya after
independence,
and now acts
as a ugly
guest. This
incident
highlights a
significant
oversight by
the Chief of
Staff, Leda
Limann, in
managing
relations with
the host
government.
Instead of
prioritizing
essential
diplomatic
efforts, Ms.
Limann appears
more focused
on advancing
her own career
from D-2 to
DSRSG, thereby
jeopardizing
the mission’s
objectives and
welfare of the
staff.
Furthermore,
Ms. Limann has
been known to
undermine
capable staff
supporting the
SRSG through
intimidation
and attacks,
reflecting her
lack of
diplomatic
background and
necessary job
experience.
Her preference
for spreading
baseless
rumors about
Benjamin Bol
Mei, who is
married to the
president's
daughter, is
particularly
concerning.
These rumors,
which falsely
accuse Mr. Mei
of threatening
to shut down
UNMISS and
confiscate its
land, could
seriously
damage
relations with
South Sudan.
It is alleged
that Ms.
Limann has
even suggested
that donors
impose
sanctions
against Mr.
Mei,
portraying him
as a threat to
the UN and
various
NGOs.
This behavior
is risky, and
the Government
of South Sudan
could declare
persona non
grata (PNG)
status against
her
Again, if the
host country
no longer
supports UN
immunity in US
courts, what
then,
including from
SG Guterres,
claimed
immunity from
US First
Amendment on
content
neutral press
freedom?
(and more
generally
still on the
case against
UNRWA here in
SDNY, where a
January 13,
2025 filing
said
"Defendants'
apparent
argument is
that Lazzarini
and the
Secretary-General
[Guterres]
were engaged
in fraud when
they made
statements in
late January
2024." And on
January 21 the
UN's / UNRWA's
lawyer filed
the "the US"
supports
immunity. Is
that the UN's
/ SG's current
understanding?
Still on
the departure
from the UN of
OIOS' Ben
Swanson,
provide
comment on his
"hands down
the pants"
audio about
apparent cover
up, and role
in
"investigation"
of UNRWA - and
why he's taken
"an early
bath" per his
farewell email
in OIOS
On the UNECA,
what are the
comments and
action if any
of SG Guterres
on this, sent
to Inner City
Press by
whistleblowers
"Director of
Administration
Mr. Carlos
Haddad has
been suspended
while ECA
contracts are
being covered
up by OIOS and
that his
replacement is
Ms Mai Ellen
Jarrett
On
UN sexual harassment
and cover-ups, what
is SG Guterres'
comment and action
on this, received by
Inner City Press:
The Sophocleas case
involves a D-1 level
director who,
instead of being
fired for
sexual
harassment, was only
demoted one step in
grade and deemed
ineligible for
promotion for 3
years. An Appeal
Tribunal case was
filed by the victim,
challenging
Guterres' refusal to
even tell her what
sanction had been
imposed. Clearly,
the case database
should be disclosed"
- will it be? What
is SG Guterres'
response?
On UNOPS what are
the comments and actions
if any of SG Guterres on
this, received: "Dear
Matthew Russell Lee,
Thank you for your
invaluable assistance in
amplifying our
voices. In
response to the
misleading statements
provided by the UNOPS
Management Team during
the First Regular
Session of the Executive
Board, held from January
27 to 31, 2025,
highlighting staff
concerns regarding
organizational
management. We reject
the falsehoods spread to
mask the serious
deficiencies in
financial management and
the irregularities in
the implementation of
reforms. THE TRUTH
BEHIND THE MISLEADING
STATEMENTS OF JORGE
MOREIRA DA SILVA: UNOPS
REMAINS IN CRISIS AND
THE CURRENT REFORMS ARE
A FARCE Despite the
official narrative
suggesting the
successful
implementation of the
Comprehensive Response
Plan (CRP), the internal
reality of UNOPS
demonstrates that
structural problems
persist. The
organization has
suffered a notable
degradation in its
governance and
operational management,
affecting its
effectiveness and
credibility. The lack of
effective leadership and
the concentration of
decision-making in
closed spaces without
genuine accountability
mechanisms have
contributed to this
crisis. The Executive
Committee has justified
mass layoffs under the
argument of financial
sustainability, while
audits have revealed
deficient risk
management practices.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
REMAINS A FARCE
Particularly concerning
is the report from the
UN Board of Auditors
(UNBOA), which
highlights the improper
use of financial
derivatives, resulting
in net losses of USD
15.2 million.
Additionally, it raises
alarms about
deficiencies in the
segregation of duties
and non-compliance with
international
standards. Despite
claims of increased
transparency,
allegations of collusion
between the Ethics
Office (ETO) and
Internal Audit (IAIG)
persist. The
interference of senior
management in
investigation processes
compromises the
objectivity of
accountability
mechanisms and obstructs
the protection of
whistleblowers reporting
irregularities. THE
REALITY THAT JORGE
MOREIRA DA SILVA HIDES:
FALSE TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
Claims of greater
transparency do not
reflect the internal
situation of the
organization. Collusion
between the Ethics
Office and Internal
Audit has compromised
the impartiality of
investigations, leaving
employees unprotected
against possible
retaliation. This
environment has weakened
confidence in
accountability
mechanisms and left
those who report
irregularities in a
vulnerable
position
On UNCDF and UNDP what
are the comments and
actions if any of SG
Guterres and Achim
Steiner on this,
received: "Dear Matthew
Russell Lee, Most of us
employees at UNCDF were
encouraged by the
whistle blower article
on the abuse of
authority and
discriminatory
recruiting practices by
Prandeep Kurukulasuriya.
The article captured
accurately what many of
us had been afraid to
voice - a leader who is
out of control and who
does not seem to fully
understand the nuances
of running a complex
organization. We would
like to add to those
voices. Please note that
contrary to what
UNDP/UNCDF management is
communicating, that the
article was a resistance
to the needed change,
most of us as
professionals are not
averse to change. In
fact, we welcome change
and understand it
necessary for any
organization to move
forward. What many of us
are opposed to, is the
erratic, chaotic,
discriminatory way that
the change management
has been done. The
process has not been
transparent, nor based
on merit and has
resulted in Prandeep
hand picking his
cronies, many of them
without the necessary
depth for crucial
positions he has handed
them on silver platters.
This has been at the
expense of the more
qualified candidates.
For UN/UNDP/UNCDF
management to trivialize
it as noise from
individuals averse to
change is an abdiction
of their fiduciary
responsibilities to both
the employees and the
organization. To UNDP
and the overall UN
leadership We have been
disappointed and
let down by your lack of
action, for letting this
happen in the first
place, for not giving
UNCDF the leadership
that it deserves given
the mandate and for
violating our trust. We
still hope you can act.
So far, we still do not
know what you are doing.
Instead, the
intimidation is
continuing. One on one
people are being
intimidated into
silence. History will
not judge you well. We
ask that you update
UNCDF about your
investigation. This is
an organization wide
matter. You cannot hide
behind confidentiality
and secret discussions.
We ask that you ensure
that the staff is safe.
It is not acceptable for
the person being
investigated to be the
one emailing staff and
advising them on what to
do and not to do. We ask
that you do not
sacrifice the health and
well being of hundreds
of employees and the
people we serve for one
person
On the UN
Mission in Colombia
and its SRSG, what are
his and SG Guterres'
comments and actions
if any on this, and on
Mario Paciolla,
received from UN
whistleblowers: "Dear
Matthew Russell Lee,
It’s truly remarkable
how, after more than
four years, the United
Nations has yet to
provide a clear and
honest account of what
happened to Mario
Paciolla. One would
think that an
organization built on
transparency and
accountability would
have been the first to
demand justice for one
of its own. And yet,
silence. A silence so
deafening, it almost
seems deliberate. He
begged for help. He
sent multiple emails
stating he feared for
his life. He
repeatedly asked to be
relocated. But despite
having helicopters,
vehicles, and the
means to move him to
Bogota and put him up
in a hotel until he
could be flown out of
the country, the
mission left him
stranded in San
Vicente del Caguan
until, of course, it
was too late. After
months of begging they
took him out of
San Vicente, the day
they were picking him
up he was found dead.
The body was
discovered at 6 AM on
the day he was finally
scheduled to leave.
The authorities
weren’t notified until
three hours later. Why
the delay? What needed
to be handled before
the police
arrived?
Evidence disappeared,
and so did key people.
Some who were present
at his apartment that
morning have since
been reassigned to
other missions.
Certain national staff
members were promoted
and quietly moved out
of UNVMC. A lucky
coincidence for them,
no doubt. And yet,
SRSG Carlos Ruiz
Massieu has remained
curiously quiet. No
outrage, no demands
for justice just
business as usual.
Even more fascinating
is his recent decision
to appoint Yang Wang
as D1 Chief of Mission
Support, despite
widespread reports of
incompetence and
allegations of
cheating in the
selection
process. Why is
this relevant? Because
as Chief of ORM, Yang
Wang had direct
oversight of LogOps.
He had access to all
of Mario’s desperate
emails through the
unit or by being cc’d
on them. He knew Mario
feared for his life.
He knew Mario
repeatedly asked for
help and was ignored.
And now, against all
logic, he has been
rewarded with a top
position. Of course,
this is just the tip
of the iceberg. We
can’t forget the
countless Colombians
who have been murdered
after their names were
conveniently leaked by
UNVMC. Or the staff in
Bogota forced to work
alongside active ELN
members, enduring
months of threats and
fear. And let’s not
even start on the
secretive flights to
Cuba and Caracas
requesting not be
monitored and the
baggage not to be
checked, or the
ex-military and
political figures
quietly serving as
staff or contractors
at UNVMC. So,
the real question is:
what exactly is the
UN’s role in Colombia?
Because at this point,
it looks far less like
a peace mission and
far more like an
operation designed to
keep the conflict
alive after all, no
war means no mission,
and no mission means
no more cushy jobs and
benefits. It’s time
for some real
transparency. Not just
for Mario Paciolla,
but for every person
who has suffered due
to the UN’s silence
and complicity. The
world is watching,
even if the UN hopes
otherwise
On OHCHR /
Volker Turk, what is the
response of SG Guterres
to this, sent to Inner
City Press: Dear Matthew
Russell Lee: Management
accountability is a lip
service in Volker
Turk’s
OHCHR. Last week
many of us got notified
of the outcome of the
roster process for P3
and P4 posts. The
problem is that this
roster exercise started
in 2018! OHCHR
Human Resources Section,
under Kim Taylor has
taken almost 7 years to
complete the process.
Not only there has been
no transparency and
recourse to the outcome
but we know that
external staff was paid
to finalise this process
which 7 years later is
meaningless. How much
money has it cost?
Adding insult to injury
Kim Taylor has been
promoted (even though
she lied previously in
her PHP). She is now
head of Administration,
including Human
Resources which proved
to be too much for her,
and Finance (she has no
experience in Finance
and more qualified
candidates
discarded). OHCHR
starts 2025 which a 45
million dollar funding
gap) result of poor
management. Kim Taylor
is ruthless and corrupt
but protected by Deputy
High Commissioner Nada
Al Nashif. There is real
fear of reprisals. We
are afraid she will use
the financial crisis,
provoked by gross
mismanagement and waste
of funds, to fire those
who have questioned some
of the managerial
decisions. 2025 starts
with instructions issued
by the DHC Nada Al
Nashif to extend
temporary staff only
until March and fix
staff for only one year.
Kim Taylor’s
underperformance was
well known in OCHA. Now
staff in OHCHR will pay.
How can such
underperformance be
rewarded with a
promotion? Who else is
protecting Kim Taylor?
Why is she not held
accountable? Why is she
allowed to create a
toxic climate of fear,
reprisals and
intimidation? Why is
senior management not
listening to staff
concerns? Until when
will member states turn
a blind eye to abuse,
corruption and waste of
taxpayers monies? Staff
in New York and Geneva
are worried for our
future and those of our
families
On Cameroon what are the
comments and actions if
any of SG Guterres on
that two years ago to
the day, on January 22,
2023, a Sunday morning,
the discovery of the
lifeless body of
Martinez Zogo was
announced. The news
caused a shockwave and a
great wave of emotion in
the Cameroonian capital
where the radio host was
very well known. This
was followed by moments
of media frenzy and
widespread indignation
that would spread
throughout the country
and beyond.
On Libya / UNSMIL
corruption what are the
comments and actions if
any of SG Guterres on
this this job listing,
highlighted to us by a
whistleblower: UN Job ID
251086, just
"advertised" - The job
post for FS5
''INFORMATION SYSTEMS
ASSISTANT'', for
Tripoli, Libya - UNSMIL.
Posted on Jan 15, 2025,
with deadline Jan 21,
2025-- that is, just one
week for applicants to
apply. The candidate to
be selected seems been
decided in advance.
Rumor is there is one
named 'Sashi' to be
recruited. Any answer?
Again on
NYC congestion pricing
and UN exemptions,
immediately explain the
scope of exemptions: the
Federal Register of
January 6 notified the
public of "exemption
from charges assessed by
the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
of New York for entry
into its designated
'Congestion Relief Zone'
for foreign missions and
certain international
organizations. This
benefit extends to
members and personnel of
and representatives to
such foreign missions
and international
organizations." What
range of UN personnel
are taking this
exemption from climate
change related payments
applicable to other New
York region residents?
And separately for the
Algeria mission, how is
this justified?
What
reason could
there be to
deny this?
Particularly
given that
only today
Sept 16, Inner
City Press put
questions to
the IMF on
Guinea,
Ukraine and
Venezuela (see
here
and
then to IFRC's
Francesco
Rocca,
about
Cameroon. If
they take
questions, how
can the UN not
now allow
Inner City
Press, at
least for now
by WebEx? And
IMF on October
21, 2021 here.
And US
Buffalo NBC TV on Oct 26
here.
How does SG
Guterres and his
UN justify banning
Inner City Press
which reports
critically on the
UN, and not even
answer letters
from two pro bono
law firms, Quinn
Emanuel and
Duane Morris?
On Honduras, with
the March 8 guilty
verdicts against
former president JOH
taking place here in
SDNY finally (and
immediately)
disclose what SG
Guterres' three
person panel did in
Honduras in 2017
after JOH's stolen
election, including
if any report was
produced and a copy
of it.
Speaking
of reporting, immediately explain from UN
Spokesman Duarric's quote in Fortune here
that Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman
for the U.N. secretary-general, tells me
that Lee’s prohibition has nothing to do
with his coverage. “It’s basic human
behavior, and he violated those rules,”
Dujarric says. “He was creating an unsafe
environment.”
1) if this has been only about safety, why
have none of you answered written Press
questions, on Gaza, etc? Why no access via
WebEx, as I have at IMF and as you grant
others who publish far less UN coverage? How
is this anything but censorship and how can
it be that USG Melissa Fleming has not even
answered the Duane Morris pro bono law firms
letters, by October 30?
Immediately confirm Melissa Fleming's
receipt of, and response to, the October 16
letter from the Duane Morris law firm
(attached to each of you on October 16
before noon) about restoring me to resident
correspondent status immediately,
starting "Re: Immediate Restoration of
Matthew Russell Lee’s MALU Credentials
Dear Ms. Fleming: We write, for the second
time, on behalf of Matthew Russell Lee
Confirm Melissa Fleming's receipt of, and
response to, the attached letter about
restoring me to resident correspondent
status immediately [more to come]
On Chinese government corruption what
are the comments and actions if any of SG
Guterres on the evidence in yesterday's US v
SBF trial in SDNY about Chinese officials
demanding $150 million to unfreeze $1
billion on two crypto currency
exchanges?
AGAIN: On UNRWA what are the comments and
actions if any of SG Guterres on the
recently passed budget in the US Department
of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, which includes
"heightened scrutiny of the UN agency
assisting Palestinian refugees and would
deny funding to move the US embassy in
Israel out of Jerusalem. A report from the
House Appropriations Committee accompanying
the bill notes the US Congress’s
“longstanding concerns” that the UN Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East (UNRWA) supports educational
programs that promote incitement to violence
against Israelis and Jews. “The committee
notes the longstanding concerns that
educational materials used in UNRWA schools
induce incitement or are otherwise
inconsistent with the values of human
rights, dignity, and tolerance,” the report
says. “The committee is further concerned by
the United States Government’s lack of
visibility on the curricula utilized in
UNRWA schools given these allegations and
the United States’ status as a significant
donor to UNRWA.” The US secretary of
state would have 30 days to designate
someone to review “a significant and
representative selection of textbooks and
other educational materials utilized by
UNRWA schools in the West Bank and Gaza.”
On UN corruption and lack of answers, after
each of your have refused Inner City Press'
questions about those UN linked individuals
indicted in SDNY, explain this: "Francis
Lorenzo was still able to freely walk the
halls of the institution at that time, and
only lost his U.N. ID several years later,
when it expired in August 2018, U.N.
spokesman Dujarric said" - confirm or deny
that the UN continued to let Lorenzo in fact
not only his indictment for bribery, but
also his guilty plea, while banning Inner
City Press which exposed and reported on it
AGAIN on UN sexual abuse, immediately
provide all if-asked info and what if
anything has been done for the victim(s) of
the UN child rape in DRC data dumped on the
UN web site on September 21 about sexual
exploitation by a Cameroon "peacekeeper" of
a child - why is that not called rape? and
of Sept 20 - amid UNGA - about sexual abuse
by a Cameroon peacekeeper in CAR, and on
Sept 12-13 about sexual abuse by Uganda and
S Africa troups and a child rape by a UN
"civilian" in DRC
Immediately explain the basis for a
$800 or $2000 charge to hear "H.E." Melissa
Fleming speak during UNGA week. Is she still
going to appear?
On UN
censorship of Press, immediately explain
why MALU and each of you has not even
responded to Inner City Press' June 19,
2023 application to enter and cover UNGA
week in September, but have allowed in -
as resident correspondents - many who have
published nothing, while Inner City Press
Aug 11, 2023 report has already been
reported in, among others, India, Hungary, France, Greece, Argentina, Spain, Taiwan, Germany, etc
July 20-1: Now that Hugo Carvajal has been
extradited and is being detained in the US,
presentment covered by Inner City Press
which UN continues to ban, what are SG
Guterres' comments on Carvajal telling the
Spanish judiciary of payments of drug money
to a number of sitting leaders who plan to
attend the 2023 UNGA week - which Inner City
Press has applied, on June 19 and as
inquired about, to cover? When will that
application be ruled on?
July 17-1: On UN sexual abuse cases recently
data dumped, immediately provide the
if-asked information about the new MONUSCO
cases, Tanzanian and "civilians" with
nationality withheld - why? - and
immediately explain, as to the
Tanzanian UN Peacekeeper in MINUSCA in
2022-3 what Child - Transactional "no sex"
means.
What are
the comments and actions if
any of SG Guterres on the
release of arms trafficking
(and sometime-UN partner)
Viktor Bout, in exchange for
US star Griner? Disclose all
business on the UN with Bout
and his companies.
Again, now will direct quote
from USG Michaud, and more on
appeal now to each of you,
since DSS despite its
statements to PGA's
spokesperson has yet to
confirm receipt of appeal: On
appeal Inner City Press filed
yesterday with USG Gilles
Michaud and each of you, as
UNPGA Csaba Korosi's
spokesperson Paulina Kubiak
said UN DSS Sergeant told her
is the process, (1) confirm
receipt, (2) explain why USG
Michaud previously wrote that
DSS' only role was to ensure
that journalists whose
accreditation was stripped by
DGC did not enter -- see the
message in Dec 7 questions,
from Gilles Michaud
gilles.michaud@un.org
and see UN Media Accreditation
& Liaison Unit Guidelines
for ‘Non- Resident
Correspondents’ which states,
at para 2a: “Non-Resident
Correspondents can access UNHQ
through the Visitors’ Entrance
at 46th Street and 1st Avenue
between 0800-1900 hours from
Monday through Friday.
Non-resident Correspondents
only have access to UNHQ on
weekends or after hours
accompanied by a resident
correspondent or when a
meeting is advised as taking
place. Entry will be allowed
two hours prior to the start
of the meeting. At the
conclusion of the meeting, the
non-Resident correspondent
must exit the premises within
an hour, unless accompanied by
a resident correspondent.”
[Emphasis added.] The repeated
use of the word “or” in the
second sentence here:
“weekends OR after hours
accompanied by a resident
correspondent OR when a
meeting is advised as taking
place” indicates that those
conditions are alternatives,
and in addition to the regular
8am to 7pm access in the
previous sentence.
I had been on UN premises
after 7pm on numerable
occasions since he has been a
‘Non-Resident Correspondent’
in compliance with those
rules, never being challenged
by any of the DSS Security
Officers who have observed him
on each and every occasion he
has done so. He has, in fact,
been almost permanently
escorted by a UN staff member
(clearly oblivious of the
considerable financial expense
to the Organization) since
February 2016. It is clear
that the “risk” he presents is
one of public scrutiny, which
is hardly a legitimate matter
for your department. The
statement taken by officers
Perry and Stancu does not
record the time Mr. Lee
entered the UN premises on 3
July, which he states was
about 9:45am. The statement
does however confirm that Mr.
Lee was on the premises for
the purposes reporting on a
Fifth Committee Budget
meeting. That meeting is
understood to have run on
until 4am the following
morning, so it was clearly
still going on at the time he
was evicted. Mr. Lee’s
statement also reflects his
familiarity with the
Guidelines indicating that he
was required to leave the
premises within an hour of
that meeting concluding. The
Media Accreditation &
Liaison Unit guidelines -
having been published by the
UN and respected by Mr. Lee
and other members of the press
– must create a reasonable
expectation that members of
the press will not face
harassment provided their
activities remain complaint
with them. The evidence
suggests that Mr. Lee was
doing that. Moreover, as is
known to the MALU and as has
been observed by your
officers, he enjoyed that
right peaceably and without
criticism for 18 months.
ST/AI/309 provides that “all
persons on the premises are
expected to comply with the
directions that may be issued
by the security officers in
the performance of their
functions” and that is not in
dispute; but Mr. Lee was never
given an opportunity to
comply. Mr. Lee can be heard
on the video repeatedly saying
he was just typing, reporting
on what he had been told by
the Chairman of the meeting
when he had his shirt torn by
your officers. Your officers
would certainly have been
acting quite legally if Mr.
Lee represented any kind of
threat to the security of
others or to the fabric of the
building, but there is no
credible information or
independent assessment to
support such a hypothesis.
When interviewed, Mr. Lee
insists that he tried to
emphasise to Officer Perry
that he was physically
assaulted by your Security
Officers before being afforded
a reasonable opportunity to
explain or refer to the MALU
rules that apply to him, but
Officer Perry declined to
record that information.
Moreover, Lt. Dobbins actions
on 3 July cannot be considered
without reference to the
earlier incident of 22 June
and Mr. Lee’s subsequent
reporting of that event, which
raises reasonable grounds to
believe that Lt. Dobbins may
not have been performing his
duties or exercising his
discretion in good faith.
There does not appear to be
any reason to believe that Mr.
Lee had breached any rule or
posed any threat when he was
evicted.
As asked each of
you on December 5, 2022:
AGAIN, on UN's lack of press
freedom and due process -
immediately explain both the
basis for UN Security at 801
1st Ave on the morning of Dec
2 tell me I am "banned" from
entering the UN despite
confirmed invitation to UN PGA
Town Hall, and (2) the
"appeals" process that DSS
told PGA Spokesperson about
to, conveyed to
me. Audio - 2:20
min version Full
7 minutes
What is the
response of SG Guterres' / USG
Fleming to the letter sent to
her and others by the Quinn
Emanuel law firm regarding
ending Press censorship?
See "answer" August 9, here:
letter received, no change in
status - no reply.
After repeated
non-answers to the above, on
August 9 UN Spokesperson
Dujarric was asked "Quinn
Emanuel wrote a letter to the
UN asking about reinstatement
of our colleague Matthew Lee
into the UN press corps. Do
you have any comment on
that?
Spokesman: No. All I can
tell you is that we've
received the letter, and I'm
not aware of any change to his
status... It's been received.
Whether or not it's been
answered, I don't know yet."
How can the UN, which preached
press freedom, not even answer
a letter for a journalist from
a major law firm? What is your
answer? When will Inner City
Press be restored to resident
correspondent status, like
various state media?
Explain how it is
legitimate for SG Guterres'
DGC / USG Fleming and MALU
(cc-ed here) to block Inner
City Press from even WebEx
questions to UNSC President
Ireland, whose Alternate
Political Coordinator and
Spokesperson Eoghan McSwiney
wrote to Inner City Press, "We
would refer your request for
access to the UN and to UN
press conferences to the Media
Accreditation and Liaison Unit
of the UN Secretariat." You
are engaged in censorship,
no?
What is
the UN's
response to
Inner City
Press' Sept 13
application to
MALU incluing
for WebEx
access to
hybrid press
briefings
during UNGA
76, as it has
at the IMF?
Beyond last
night's
interim
response
projecting a
decision in
one or day
days?
From:
malu
Date: Wed, Sep
15, 2021 at
8:02 PM
Subject: Your
U.N.
eAccreditation
Request has
been
RECEIVED
Greetings
Matthew
Lee,
This is to
confirm the
United Nations
Media
Accreditation
and Liaison
Unit
(M.A.L.U.) at
New York
Headquarters
has received
your request
for
accreditation...
Upon
processing, a
notification
email (to the
email address
registered
with the
request)will
provide the
status update,
to confirm an
approval or
rejection, and
any additional
information
which may be
required.
Also
IMF answering
Inner City
Press on Nov
4, 2021 on
Ethiopia,
Zambia and
Chad here
Please immediately explain the basis,
and the compliance with due process, of MALU's
Jan 10, 2022 denial: "From: malu [at] un [dot] org
Date: Mon, Jan 10, 2022 at 3:10 PM Subject:
U.N. eAccreditation request for Matthew Lee
Ref# M58355547 has been declined To: Inner City Press
Greetings Matthew Lee from Inner City
Press, Your media accreditation request,
with reference no: M58355547, has been
declined for the following reason: [BLANK]
With kind regards, Media Accreditation
and Liaison Unit (MALU)"
Immediately respond to this January 13
statement by the Committee to Protect
Journalists when asked, in camera, about
your UN's ongoing ban on Inner City Press:
"While the UN can reasonably assert that
violating known guidelines could result in
the loss of credentials, it was not as
transparent as it could have been throughout
its investigation. We would encourage the UN
to implement a more transparent
investigation process for incidents
involving accredited press, both resident or
non-resident. Any formal process adopted by
the UN for reviewing credentials should
provide an opportunity where the journalist
is able to respond to any allegations made
against them."
Immediately provide SG Guterres' and
separately USG Fleming's explanation and
action on this UN email: " "Language
elements: Some specific examples of
language to use/not use at the
moment: “conflict” or “military
offensive” and NOT “war” or “invasion”
when referring to the situation in
Ukraine." Immediately specify, after
USG Melissa Fleming tweeted "That email
only went to about 25 staff" who the staff
were - or, why not.
On UN system corruption and abuse, what
are the comments and actions if any of SG
Guterres on Inner City Press' June 6, 2022
exclusive: former French Police
Commissaire Nicolas Hergot spends his time
tracking down leaks within the agency.
Inner City Press is here exclusively
publishing leaked evidence of his
unacceptable behavior by the basic
standards of UN officials. Inner City
Press has obtained the following document
On UN access, beyond his/your outrageous
ongoing ban on Inner City Press, what are
the comments and actions if any of SG
Guterres on the routinized and unexplained
blocking of applicant groups on May 19 in
the UN NGO Committee on such grounds as
position on Taiwan or on BRICS, and
apparently disproved charges?
What is the
status at UNOPS and in the UN
system of Vilaly
Vanshelboim?
On deadline, on the UNTSO public
sex video Inner City Press first
published and each of you
dissembled about, now state the UN
employment and payment status of
each accused staffer [here]
Again,
why did SG Guterres omit from his personal
financial disclosure covering 2016 funds he
received from Gulbenkian Foundation which
sought to sell its oil company to convicted
UN briber CEFC China Energy?
And, on ongoing
censorship of Press by SG
Guterres, USG Fleming and Spox
Dujarric, to this petition
with 9000+ signatures here
On Inner City
Press' exclusive reporting
into UNTSO's scandal of public
sex in the UN van, what are
the comments and actions if
any of SG Guterres on this,
from whistleblower: "the men
in the UNTSO car have been
charged with transporting a
passenger who was not
authorized and also for not
co-operating with the
investigation." Inner
City Press asked, "Thanks -
I'd heard they were restored
to full pay." Answer:
"Still suspended, but have
been getting salary for a
year. Now they have been
accused of conduct
unbecoming."
Confirm or deny - and explain
the long cover up, for/of
Michael Antoine.
On UNDT opacity,
on which you have refused to
answer, explain why on August
26, a supposedly "public" case
was held - but the access link
was dead, not only to Inner
City Press but to the public
at large: "UNDT/NBI/2020/022
(Mancinelli) The Applicant
contests the Administration’s
finding of misconduct and
imposition of a disciplinary
sanction against her."
After
UNDT purported to order me to destroy evidence
of sexual harassment by UN staff Padula, AGAIN
what are the responses of SG Guterres and his
consigliere Soares, UN General Counsel now
that the appeal has been acknowledged and said
to be on ePortal with case number? "Weicheng
Lin 9:39 AM Dear Mr. Lee, I
acknowledge receipt of your
filing. Case: UNAT/2020/1502 Dear
Respondents, We received an Appeal of
UNDT Orders 178 (NY/2020) and 179 (NY/2020)
filed by Mr. Lee on 21 December 2020.
Mr. Lee who is not a staff member nor a party
to the case of the Applicant filed an appeal
against these orders with the Appeals
Tribunal. The Registrar accepted the
submissions and instructed that they be
transmitted to the parties in the UNDT
proceedings, and the Secretary-General for
comments within 30 days."
How is it acceptable that each of your takes
public money and refuses to answer or even
acknowledge Press questions, including about
UN staff's sexual abuse?
On SG son Pedro
Guimarães e Melo De Oliveira
Guterres, explain how the
business of Explorer
Investments has been reviewed
for conflicts of interest.
Explain immediately how Pedro
Guterres doing business with
Rwanda while Antonio Guterres
was UNSG was and is not a
conflict, and what was
disclosed and to whom.
Immediately explain, given the Amir Dossal
was on board of Epstein's procurer Ghislaine
Maxwell's Terramar Project and Inner City
Press has repeatedly asked you each about in
writing, how Spokesman Dujarric's Oct 30 on
camera statement is not aware of any other
UN connection to Epstein, beyond IPI, was
and is not a lie and cover up.
Again, why did Guterres not list
Gulbenkian, linked to CEFC China Energy, in
his disclosure covering 2016? What are
Guterres' comments on IPI and Epstein, why
would he not say why he left the board? Why
has he not quit Club of Madrid? Why was Amir
Dossal on Board of Terramar of Ghislaine
Maxwell
Immediate comments on the leaked
audio of OSSC Chediek Inner City Press
published Aug 5 on SoundCloud here
(1 of 6)
More
here.
***
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