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On Burkina Faso Inner City Press Asked UN About Islamists Corrupt Guterres Silent Now This From PBC

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR Letter PFT Q&A, NY Post

UNITED NATIONS GATE, May 17 As things further deteriorated in Burkina Faso on March 22 Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric about it in writing: "March 22-1: On Burkina Faso, what is the SG's comment and action on the execution by Burkinabe security forces of over 115 men accused of supporting or harbouring the armed Islamists?" There has been no answer, despite Dujarric and outgoing censor Alison Smale's promises that questions would be answered. 

Guterres is corrupt, and he is corrupting each and every UN body. On May 17 the UN Peacebuilding Commssion issued this, which still banned Inner City Press publishes in full: "The Peacebuilding Commission met on 16 May 2016 in New York to discuss the situation in Burkina Faso. The PBC members were briefed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Diaspora of Burkina Faso, H.E. Mr. Alpha Barry, the Director General and National Coordinator of the Program d’Urgence pour le Sahel of Burkina Faso, Mr. Martial Wilfried Bassolé, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Ms. Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Mr. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Burkina Faso, Ms. Metsi Makhetha.     The members of the Commission condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, and expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims. They reiterated the solidarity of the United Nations to the people and the Government of Burkina Faso.     The Members of the Commission expressed their grave concern over the recent deterioration of the security situation in Burkina Faso, with repeated and increased number of violent attacks against civilians and security and defense forces.     Despite government and community efforts, the security situation has become more volatile since January 2019 with increased inter-communal violence, fueled by the activities of  terrorist groups.     They welcomed the on-going efforts by the Government to respond to the security situation and to the humanitarian and socio-economic consequences, including through its National Development Plan and the Emergency Program for the Sahel, Programme d’Urgence pour le Sahel.     The members of the Commission welcomed on-going initiatives by the United Nations and international partners to strengthen and accelerate their support to the people and Government of Burkina Faso, including the Peacebuilding Fund. They reiterated the need to enhance coherence, coordination, synergies and complementarities across international efforts to support national peacebuilding priorities. They encouraged the Secretary General to swiftly pursue the current assessment process aimed at adapting United Nations support on the ground to the evolving needs of the population, in line with the priorities of the Government of Burkina Faso.     In this regard, they called the international community to fully support the Emergency Program for the Sahel and the Humanitarian Response Plan.     The Commission stands ready to pursue their engagement with Burkina Faso in these critical moments, including reconvening when there is an opportunity to review current efforts to improve coherence among actors and advocate for additional support to the Government’s programmes.     They reiterated support for the on-going strategy to intensify regional and international efforts to prevent and combat terrorism and rebuild the conditions for social cohesion and stability in Burkina Faso and in the Sahel "

On May 12, "Gunmen killed six people attending mass at the Catholic Church of Dablo in northern Burkina Faso Sunday morning, officials and witnesses said.  The priest and five churchgoers were among the victims, a witness said. "They were about forty on motorcycles," the witness said of the attackers. "They made everyone lie down, executed 5 before torching the church."  The attackers set parts of the church and nearby shops on fire before fleeing the scene roughly an hour and a half after they arrived. Multiple injuries have been reported.  Last week, gunman killed five people in a Protestant church in the small northern town of Silgadji." Many hours later, this, which we publish in full: "The Secretary-General strongly condemns this morning’s attack on a Catholic Church during mass, in the village of Dablo, in the Center-North Region of Burkina Faso.     He expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.   He recalls the sanctity of all places of worship and hopes the perpetrators can be swiftly brought to justice.     The Secretary-General conveys the solidarity of the United Nations to the Government and people of Burkina Faso in this difficult moment for the nation. He urges all citizens of Burkina Faso to stand firmly with one another across communities and not to succumb to efforts to sow discord and breed further violence.  The UN stands ready to assist in any way it can.      Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General  New York, 12 May 2019." Guterres is headed to Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu...

Inner City Press also asked, "May 1-6: On Burkina Faso and the rule of law, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that a hundred Burkinabe lawyers took to the streets of Ouagadougou on Monday to condemn the shutdown of the judiciary, which they vex has paralysed judicial activities in the country since October 2018.  “The Burkina Faso Bar Association denounces and condemns the blocking of the judicial system, the massive and indiscriminate violation of the rights of users of justice,” said Paulin Salambéré, Bar President, after a march in front of the Ministry of Justice.  He noted that there are currently 808 remand prisoners awaiting trial, 1,640 accused prisoners whose cases are under investigation and 3,641 convicted prisoners in prison whose sentences are hampered by dysfunctions?"

Dujarric, who for Guterres and others got Inner City Press roughed up and banned refused to answer, despite his on camera promise to do so. Gunmen killed six people attending mass at the Catholic Church of Dablo in northern Burkina Faso Sunday morning, officials and witnesses said.  The priest and five churchgoers were among the victims, a witness told VOA Africa.  "They were about forty on motorcycles," the witness said of the attackers. "They made everyone lie down, executed 5 before torching the church."  The attackers set parts of the church and nearby shops on fire before fleeing the scene roughly an hour and a half after they arrived. Multiple injuries have been reported.  Last week, gunman killed five people in a Protestant church in the small northern town of Silgadji. Then a full three days late with things further deteriorated in Benin, Dujarric is said to have answered some undefined other's request for comment by e-mail. Since as usual what Guterres said had no impact, on May 3 Dujarric issued this, citing Ibn Chambas who has sold out Anglophones in Cameroon and ingratiated himself to Buhari in Nigeria: "The Secretary-General has been following closely developments in the Republic of Benin in the run-up to and aftermath of the 28 April legislative elections. He deplores the violence witnessed in the post-electoral period. He calls on all Beninese stakeholders to exercise maximum restraint and seek to resolve their differences through dialogue in line with the democratic tradition of the country.     The United Nations, through the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, will work with all concerned parties, in coordination with the Economic Community of West African States and other partners, to support the Beninese stakeholders in their efforts to find a consensual and peaceful solution to their differences.     Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General."Too late, too corrupt. Dujarric should be fired, and Guterres should be impeached.

Inner City Press on July 5 was banned from entering the UN, the day after it filed a criminal complaint against UN Security for physically removing it from covering the meeting about the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' $6.7 billion peacekeeping budget, as witnessed and essentially cheered on by senior UN official Christian Saunders, tearing its reporter's shirt, painfully and intentionally twisting his arm and slamming shut and damaging his laptop. On August 17, Guterres' Global Communicator Alison Smale issued a letter banning Inner City Press from the UN - for life. With no due process. She and Guterres have put the UN in the US Press Freedom Tracker, here. Smale said, again, that the UN would answer Press questions to the Spokesman Stephane Dujarric and his Office; Dujarric said the same on camera. On April 29 three hours before Dujarric held a UN noon briefing where he joked with his insiders and said there should be a reality show about them at UNCA, Inner City Press submitted 765 questions, including why it continues to be lawlessly banned from entering to ask questions in person: "There are more than 500+ questions UNanswered. And Monday Sept 17, Tuesday Sept 18, Wed Sept 19 and  Thurs and Fri Sept 21, that whole week, no questions answered. Nor Sept 25, nor 28th - nor October 2 nor 3. While appreciating and using what was sent on March 28 in partial request to Inner City Press' questions about the UN bribery sentence of Patrick Ho of CEFC and CEFC's 2018 attempt to buy the oil company of Gulbenkian Foundation which paid the SG, no answers on Dec 17 or 18 or 19 or 20 or 21 - another FIVE days in a row, even as SG's direct conflicts of interest and failure to disclose emerge, and a newest low. No answers on January 30 nor 31 nor February 1 nor 4 nor 5 nor 6 nor 7 nor 11 nor 12 nor 13 nor 14 nor 15 nor 18 nor 19 nor 20 nor 21 nor 22 nor 25 nor 26 nor 27 nor March 1 - 27 (!) And now April 1, 3-26. No answers at all during those four days of the US v Ho trial showing corruption in the UN says it all. This ban is just censorship - and Inner City Press must be allowed back into the noon briefing to ask its questions in person and follow up on them. 

April 29-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and action if any on the killing of civilians including children by Paul Biya's arm in the SW village of Ikata on April 26? 

April 29-2: On the just-published Public Financial Disclosures for 2017, as a first question, please state why Nicholas Haysum is not even on the list. Did he decline to make any public disclosure? Why has Guterres changed the previous system in a which a "choosing not to disclose" statement was upload and listed, to one which helps conceal who reports and who does not?  Again, state why considering the UN bribery conviction of Patrick Ho of CEFC, and CEFC's attempt to purchase the oil company of Gulbenkian Foundation which paid Mr. Guterres in 2016 was omitted from his online public financial disclosure covering 2016, and why Guterres has not even started an audit of CEFC in the UN. 

April 29-3: On Benin, scam elections and Internet shut downs, what is the SG's comment and action if any on  the Internet shutdown in Benin as the country holds parliamentary elections without opposition parties? 

April 29-4: Given the use of public money, please state who while the SG was in or en route back from China on Saturday April 27 was inside the Sutton Place mansion, why the limousine with diplomatic plates awaiting pulled twice into the cul de sac on Sutton Place, and who has access to this mansion when Mr. Guterres is away. 

April 29-5: On Myanmar, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that on April 22, Yangon’s Mayangone Township Court ordered five members of the Peacock Generation Thangyat troupe detained without bail for their satirical performance, traditionally performed during Myanmar’s April New Year holiday. Kay Khine Tun, Zayar Lwin, Paing Ye Thu, Paing Phyo Min, and Pho Thar were sent to Insein Prison on charges under penal code section 505(a), which makes it a crime to make any statement “with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, any officer, soldier, sailor or airman in the Army, Navy or Air Force to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such.” They face up to two years in prison and a fine.  Police had previously arrested three of the five Peacock Generation members on April 15, along with another member Su Yadanar Myint, and charged them with violating section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law. The four, who had posted a livestream of their performance on Facebook that was then shared on YouTube, had been released on bail.  Up to 25 more members of the Peacock Generation Thangyat troupe have been reportedly sued under section 66(d) since April 23, but their names have not been released. The troupe members are to appear in court on April 29. 

April 29-6: On press freedom and Uganda, what is the SG's comment and action if any on the assault, by a Kampala court registrar no less, on journalists from Salt Media and Smart 24?  What is each of yours - particularly the SG's - response to the letter written and sent by Burundi activist Manisha Lievin? To the April 15 letter to the SG, DSG and USG Smale for which receipt has not even been acknowledged, other than a single lawless line from MALU: "Your media accreditation request, with reference no: M66561081, has been declined"? This is a formal request for the UN's explanation of grounds for this denied, and since SGcentral, the SG's chief of staff and Deputy SG and USG Smale haven't even confirmed receipt of the April 15 letter much less responded, for reconsideration. AGAIN, immediately explain how it is legitimate to ban from enter into the UN the media that has been asking about these and other questions, with no hearing or appeal.

April 26-1: Now that SG Guterres has lavished praise on China's "Belt and Road" please immediately state how much Guterres and team's trip to China is costing, the size and composition of the UN delegation, and who is paying for it (given that even the PGA now discloses this information).  Again, state whether after the UN bribery conviction of Patrick Ho of CEFC, and CEFC's attempt to purchase the oil company of Gulbenkian Foundation which paid Mr. Guterres in 2016 (omitted from his online public financial disclosure covering 2016), he intends to raise corruption and UN bribery issues with China. 

April 25-5: On Mozambique what is the SG's comment and action if any on the sexual exploitation of Cyclone Idai victims by local officials, some linked to the ruling Frelimo party, demanding money from people affected by the cyclone in exchange for including their names on the aid distribution list? In some cases, women without money were instead coerced into engaging in sex with local leaders in exchange for a bag of rice. Again, where is the if-asked information on all the new UN sexual exploitation and abuse cases so far only partially disclosed? 

April 24-3: In Cameroon, what is the role of the UN in propping up ELECAM even as non violent opponents of Paul Biya are jailed? What has the SG done about that, after he took the golden statue in Yaounde and met about Budget Committee favors repeatedly with Biya Ambassador Tommo Monthe? 

April 23-3: On Iran and human rights, what is SG Guterres' comment and action on the reiteration of the 13-year prison sentence of human rights attorney Mohammad Najafi who was jailed in 2018 after voicing support for people detained during anti-government protests? Najafi was sentenced in December to 10 years for “conveying information to a hostile country” through interviews with foreign media, two years for insulting the supreme leader and one year for publicly supporting opposition groups.  Mohammad Najafi had been imprisoned since October 28, 2018, for informing media outlets about the suspicious case of Vahid Heydari, 22, who died in detention at the 12th Police Station in Arak. That on April 16, 2019, Branch 2 of the Prosecutor’s Office in Tehran’s Evin prison issued an indictment against Amir Salar Davoudi on charges of “cooperating with hostile governments"? 

April 22-5: What is the status of OIOS head Heidi Mendoza? Is she still on medical leave, despite having flown to New York for an event at the Filipino consulate? 

April 4-2: On UN bribery and censorship, what now is the SG's comment and response to the April 3article in Serbia about CEFC which Mr Guterres has refused to audit - and about his refusal to answer, and censorship of Press "Gutereš had and had his own financial link with the CEFC, through the Gulbenkian Foundation. On the orders of Guteres, on June 22 and July 3, 2018, the security came to me, and I was banned from reporting from the UN. In fact, Gutereš took advantage of his security from the UN to distance me from his speech at the Park East Synagogue, and recently physically stopped me while he entered the mosque in 96th Street"  and now this...

More here.

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