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By Matthew Russell Lee, Video here, Vine here

UNITED NATIONS GATE, February 10 -- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says he has a "zero tolerance" policy for sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment, and for retaliation. But when Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on 15 March 2018 about Michel Sidibé's reported threats of retaliatory investigations against those making and offering support to sexual harassment complaints at UNAIDS, Haq said this is entirely a matter for UNAIDS.

Earlier Inner City Press story here; exclusive publication of whistleblowers' international condemnation of retaliation and favoritism in Sidibe's UNAIDS, below. Now on March 23, the day after Guterres used publicly funding UN security to tell NYPD to restrain Inner City Press more than others at an event outside of the UN, here, Guterres who had yet to speak on the killings in Mali issued this: "The Secretary-General welcomes the establishment of a government in the Central African Republic (CAR) in line with the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation signed in Bangui on 6 February.     The Secretary-General commends the leadership role of the African Union in particular in the successful conclusion of the consultations that were held in Addis Ababa from 18 to 20 March, with United Nations support on CAR.      The Secretary-General urges all signatories of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation to adhere to its agreed principles, especially the rejection of violence and respect for human rights and human dignity.  He further urges all signatories of the peace agreement to expedite its implementation.      The Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to assisting the Central African Republic and calls on all partners to continue to support the people and Government of the Central African Republic in their efforts to secure lasting peace in their country.     Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General  New York, 23 March 2019." What a fraud. On 6 February 2019, the 217th day Guterres  banned Inner City Press, the UN at 5 pm put on its website another allegation about UN sexual exploitation, this time in the Central African Republic Haq's boss Stephane Dujarric had just been praising in connection with new rep Mankeur Ndiaye that day at noon. This time, unlike the protected Nigerian in South Sudan, below, the nationality was disclosed: Serbian. But everything else is "pending." This is not disclosure.

On the morning of February 7 Inner City Press in writing asked Guterres, Alison Smale, Amina J. Mohammed, Farhan Haq and Dujarric who joked that it was Friday, "February 7-1: On UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, please immediately provide the additional if-asked information about the new case(s) in CAR by the Serbian peacekeeper - and the long requested information about the Cameroonian peacekeepers' alleged rapes in CAR and explain why this has not been provided for eight weeks. Please now provide on the new South Sudan and 3-month old Cameroon rape cases all further if-asked information about these abuses, as for example you did when asked in person by those not banned from the previous briefing about the Nigerian peacekeeper(s)."

And even worse than in the initial period of their banning of Inner City Press which asks - others don't - there has been no answer at all, days later, nor to this Inner City Press question: "February 8-2: On CAR and impunity, what is the comment and action of the SG, and separately the new SRSG, on opposition to  a clause in the "peace" agreement that reportedly calls for the suspension of prosecutions of those accused of abuses during the conflict?"

When Guterres with the President of the CAR at the African Union summit on February 10 this was the read out issued by his spokesman Stephane Dujarric: "The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Faustin Archange Touadéra, President of the Central African Republic.  The Secretary-General and the President discussed the political process in Central African Republic. The Secretary-General congratulated the President for the signature of the peace agreement between the Government of the Central African Republic and armed groups on 6 February.  The Secretary-General stressed the importance of the continued engagement of the Central African authorities and regional and international partners in the implementation phase of the agreement. The Secretary-General expressed hope that the population could rapidly benefit from concrete peace dividends."

Silence on the UN's sexual abuse of CAR citizens, and on impunity. This is Guterres' UN covering up sexual exploitation and the burying of accountability. We'll have more on this. On 21 January 2019, the 201st day Guterres had banned Inner City Press, the UN put on its website another allegation about UN sexual exploitation, this time in South Sudan by an International with no nationality disclosed, photo here. Inner City Press asked Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq spokesman on January 22: "January 22-2: On UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, please immediately provide the additional if-asked information about the new case(s) in South Sudan, including stating why the nationality of the alleged perpetrator was withheld - and the long requested information about the Cameroonian peacekeepers' alleged rapes in CAR and explain why this has not been provided for eight weeks. Please now provide on the new South Sudan and 2-month old Cameroon rape cases all further if-asked information about these abuses, as for example you did when asked in person by those not banned from the previous briefing about the Nigerian peacekeeper(s)."  More than four hours later no answer at all despite lead spokesman Stephane Dujarric's on camera promise. Before this new low in censorship, Haq would email the canned if-asked information in response to Inner City Press' emailed question. Now nothing, nothing at all from the UN Spokesperson's Office. Corrupt.

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