In the Congo, Kidnapper of UN Peacekeepers Still Shoots So WFP Tip-Toes Around with Food

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN

UNITED NATIONS, January 9 -- The Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the success story that the UN most often cites. Tuesday the president of the Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, told reporters that he hoped they would cover the Congo, since it is such a success. Amb. Churkin spoke after a Council meeting in which the head of UN Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, said that "the DRC's achievements will be at risk if the international community, or the Congolese people, repeat some of their past mistakes."

            One of the risks, some say mistakes, has been the attempt to turn warlords and even kidnappers into senior officials in the Congolese army. While not dissimilar to the strategies of other only semi-successful incursions such as those in Afghanistan and now Somalia, in the Congo the integration of warlords into the army has been a strategy promoted by the UN mission, known by its French acronym, Monuc. Even after warlord Peter Karim kidnapped a half-dozen UN peacekeepers from Nepal, Monuc facilitated an offer to Karim of a colonel's position in the Congolese army, the FARDC. The UN announced this deal as a victory, and then declined to take questions on it.

            A footnote to that round of dealings with Peter Karim is that U.S. forces, from the same Djibouti base from which southern Somalia has just been bombed, got involved in the negotiation when they thought Karim was a Muslim. They thought they'd found an Al Qaeda connection. Rather than bomb eastern Congo, they talked. Finding no Al Qaeda link, they moved on.

            But in late 2006, rather than join the Congolese army, Peter Karim went back to war. The fighting began around Fataki, in the Ituri district. On Tuesday Mr. Guehenno summarized:

"In Ituri, a new ceasefire between the FARDC and the National Integrationist Front, the FNI, led by Peter Karim, was agreed upon on 2 January after fighting had broken out near the town of Fataki at the end of December. The situation remains very tense, with the United Nations conducting robust operations in support of Government troops."

            In fact, Monuc has reportedly issued yet another ultimatum to Peter Karim. Monday, Inner City Press asked the UN spokesperson's office and the World Food Program about the humanitarian situation in Ituri, and elsewhere in the Congo. Tuesday WFP sent a detailed response, quoted from and annotated below.

Executive Office of National Assembly installed -- without Kabila present

            Inner City Press asked:  "What is WFP's role and program in eastern DRC, and separately, in Ituri and  in the areas controlled by Peter Karim?  Has WFP had any dealings with Karim or others of the warlords in Eastern Congo?"

            WFP answered:

"WFP in the DRC does not deal with the various warlords. When the DRC was still split between various parts back in 2001, authorizations were obtained through the Resident Coordinator and OCHA.  To date, WFP is often part of delegation led by OCHA for the negotiation of humanitarian corridors. However, the interlocutors are always legal authority. WFP also joins OCHA and other UN agencies for the negotiations of access to affected populations in cases of ethnics fighting.  In this case with Peter Karim, the Head of the FARDC (governmental troops) in Ituri district granted the humanitarian corridor; i.e. means that humanitarian could go to Fataki under protection of the governmental army."

   As to activities in Ituri, WFP states:

"Since mid-December 06, violent clashes have occurred between militias of FNI led by Peter Karim and governmental troops. It is part of government process in demilitarizing areas in the east plagued by armed gangs. Clashes take place in areas as near as 110 km north east from Bunia. The United Nations Mission of Observers in the DRC (MONUC) has a military base in the area (Fataki).  Information from what is happening in Fataki is being reported by MONUC. Most of the UN agencies and NGOs are based in Bunia. 

The UN agencies are looking forward to assisting the affected populations, who according to last information counted more than 7700 people gathered in three sites near MONUC camp in Fataki; an additional 2800 households have been reported at 12 km north east from Fataki and more than 2,000 IDPs were reportedly fled to areas at 30/25 km north from Bunia. All these persons are in critical humanitarian conditions. On 2nd January 2007, in an attempt to be granted a humanitarian corridor to the affected populations, OCHA, UNHCR and WFP had a meeting with the head of governmental troops in Bunia.
Once the humanitarian corridor [was] granted, two humanitarian convoys left Bunia: the 1st one on the 5th January and the second one on the 7th January.  WFP released almost 50 metric tons (mt) (maize meal, vegetable oil) of food to the NGO German Agro Action for distribution to the 7726 persons settled in three camps around the MONUC settlements in Fataki. The food represents one month ration. German Agro Action completed the ration with salt.
      During the days to come, WFP’s partners (GAA, Solidarite) have planned to continue to assess the needs of the newly displaced. WFP will provide the food. With the new caseloads, WFP has to face an increase in 20% of the IDPs currently in dire need of food assistance in the Ituri district. However, WFP food stocks in Bunia are low: 677 mt was available on the 31st of December. The quantity in pulses amounted to 1.2 mt, which was not sufficient to cover the needs (13 mt) of the 7,700 IDPs around MONUC camps for one month.

[More generally] In 2006, in areas where peace has been secured (Bunia, Mahagi, Aru), food for work activities were carried out in partnership with:
The FAO for the multiplication of health seeds;
German Agro Action for the rehabilitation of 119 km of feeder tracks. It allowed the moving of agricultural products to markets;
German Agro Action, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas, and Premiere Urgence  for the re-launch of food production by more than 36,300 former displaced persons;

ADRA for the construction of social centers in Aru for demobilized child soldiers; and

The Belgian technical cooperation for the rehabilitation of 19 basic infrastructure (13 schools, 6 health centers and the Bunia general hospital).

            And now it's said that Belgium's King is contemplating a visit to the Congo... Inner City Press also asked WFP, in light of Josette Sheeran Shiner's no-show on January 2 in Rome, " who will represent WFP at its Executive Board meeting in February?" Confining its answer, if it is one, to a gender-specific pronoun, WFP answered that "WFP will be represented by the Executive Director or his designee at the Executive Board meeting in February." We'll see.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

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At the UN, Talk but Little Action and Few Answers, Thailand, Congo, Nepal and Fiji, Vienna Cafe Follies Update

Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN

UNITED NATIONS, January 8 -- Speaking on peace and security, Ban Ki-moon on Monday mentioned only seven countries. Somalia, a country with a hot war underway, was not among them. They were, in the order they appeared in Ban's remarks to the Security Council, Sudan, DR Congo, Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. So it was five countries and two territories. Let us example the first and last of these in turn.

            Sudan has asked the UN for information about its peacekeepers' sexual abuse in the south. Monday at the UN's noon briefing, Inner City Press asked the spokeswoman for a copy of the UN's response. "The memo was sent," she responded, and they'll try to make a copy available to the press. At 5 p.m. deadline, the memo was not provided.

            On the DR Congo, Inner City Press on Monday morning asked whether the UN's mission, with its 20,000 soldiers, had played any role in responding to the collapses of a diamond mine in Kasai. Inner City Press asked for an update on displacement of and service to civilians around Bunia, where warlord Peter Karim, once offered a colonel's position in the Congolese Army with the UN mission's consent, is once again shooting up the place. "I can check," the spokeswoman said. Five hours later, at deadline, the following arrived:

Subject: Your question at noon today

From: [ at] un.org

To: Inner City Press

Sent: Mon, 8 Jan 2007 5:25 PM

  UN personnel were not anywhere near the site of the mine explosion. As to the general situation in the east of the DRC, the mission says it is now relatively calm with negotiations ongoing between the DRC Army and renegade soldiers and militia groups for a definitive ceasefire. As to the toll of recent fighting in and around Fataki, the mission says it claimed the lives of 20 government troops and 90 militia fighters and a total of 20 seriously wounded militia fighters.

            We hope to have a humanitarian update soon. On Kosovo, Mr. Ban said "we must keep working for a conclusion to the uncertainty that still hangs over the status of Kosovo, and which, if unresolved, threatens to case a shadow over regional stability in southeastern Europe." As has become clear, however, Serbia and probably Russia behind it are resistant to any "conclusion" under which Kosovo breaks away from Serbia. Wiser minds wonder why the EU doesn't treat Kosovo like for example Ireland -- solve problems by means of investment and economic development. The wisdom of the lack of investment will be on view in coming months.

            On Friday Mr. Ban called for restoration of democracy in Fiji. Monday Inner City Press asked if the new Secretary-General has taken any action on his predecessor's threat to exclude Fijian troops from UN peacekeeping in light of the ongoing coup d'etat. "What was previously said, stands," the spokeswoman answered. Video here, from Minute 11:28. But what action has been taken?

            Peacekeeping in Lebanon was raised, with a figure of 1700 naval personnel in UNIFIL cited. But just how much is it that Germany is charging the UN and its member states for use of its ships off the coast?

            Outside the Security Council, Slovakian Ambassador Burian took questions about sanctions, saying that the language on luxury goods is under the silence procedure, and that he can't say more, as his chairmanship of the committee is under review. Next month, Slovakia will hold the Council presidency. Inner City Press asked what pet issues or thematics Slovakia will be pushing. Security sector reform, he answered, and the role of regional organizations in implementing Resolution 1540. Dry but factual. Diplomatic, too: Amb. Burian effusively praised the new Deputy Secretary General, despite Tanzanian press accounts that Ban chose her after a single meeting, on a reception line at a state dinner in South Korea, and that he called her on Friday asking for an immediate yes or no, since he "had" to make an announcement. What was the rush?

            Now the strong rumor is the American Lynn Pascoe will head the Department of Political Affairs. He's nothing if not diplomatic - click here for his kind words on the then- (and still?) father of all Turkmen, here for an interview in Uzbekistan.

Refugee camp in Thailand

            Two other unanswered questions, by UN agencies based in Rome and Geneva, are these:

            Back in December, UNHCR told Inner City Press that most of those who flee North Korea and arrive in Thailand are serviced by South Korean church groups, and that Inner City Press should proceed only with caution in reporting on North Koreans caught in a Catch-22 with UNHCR in Bangkok.  But since then, protests have been lodged with Thai embassies about the worsening treatment of North Koreans, click here for an article which Inner City Press has send for comment to UNHCR in Bangkok. Inner City Press has also sent the transcript of an Australian news show, in which a Mr. Park is described as told by UNHCR that he can only get refugee status if he finds a country of final destination, then is told by the U.S. that he must first have refugee status. "That is not our policy," the UNHCR spokeswoman said. But what they is the response to the transcript?

            Inner City Press has also asked UNHCR about the protests against it for cutting aid to refugees in urban areas in Nepal.

            Speaking of Nepal, the World Food Program did provide an update, after Friday's deadline:

Subject: Nepal

From: luescher [at] un.org
To: Inner City Press
Sent: Fri, 5 Jan 2007

Dear Matthew, here is more information on Nepal that came in overnight from our people on the ground. 
"The Government of Nepal has officially requested WFP for support to the 7 main cantonment areas, as well as the 21 satellite sites, spread throughout Nepal. As a result of this request, we've had several meetings with the Maoist leadership (Prachandra, Dr. Baburam Bhattari and Krishna Mahara) to discuss the acceptability of such assistance. At present, the Maoist leadership feel that support to the cantonment areas should be carried out solely by the Nepal Government as stated in the recently signed Comprehensive Peace Accord. Until both the Nepal Government and Maoist leadership can agree that this is an appropriate role for the UN, WFP is not in a position to consider providing support to the cantonment sites."

            Inner City Press responded with questions about the Congo -- why did UNICEF and not WFP delivery high-protein biscuits in Ituri? -- and about the still-missing Josette Sheeran Shiner. On that, Inner City Press has been told of a role of Ban Ki-moon, but despite requests from 7 a.m. onwards on Monday, by 5 p.m. the simple information requested had not yet been received. Watch this site.

Vienna Cafe Update: Despite Previous Denial, All Ducts Will Be Destroyed

            Further inquiry into the construction in the UN's basement to install ventilation for smokers at the Vienna Cafe has confirmed that all of the duct work being installed will be ripped out and destroyed in less than two years in the Capital Master Plan renovation. This despite the earlier assurances made that all of the work would be saved. (Click here for Inner City Press' previous story.) Inner City Press is informed, in the nature of justification, that the planning for this project began in early 2006, before it was certain that the General Assembly would approve and fund the Capital Master Plan. But then the work was delayed due to a spending cap, then delayed again so that the asbestos removal would be done between Christmas and New Years. The result? Before any work was done, the passage of the Capital Master Plan made it clear that all of the installed duct work would be ripped out and destroyed: wasted. The next move by Facilities Management was to simply claim that all of the work would be saved.

Subject: Re: Follow-up questions on Vienna Cafe work

From: mcdonald [at] un.org

To: Inner City Press

Sent: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 3:56 PM

  Matthew

Apologies for the delay in response as you are aware I was out last week...

Q: what consideration was given, and by whom, to the relation between the cost and the amount of time the ventilation would be in use, before being destroyed in the upcoming gut-rehab of the space under the Capital Master Plan?

[A:] This work will not be destroyed by the CMP.  FYI the review process of this project was like all other projects through the Chief of FMS and in this particular case I was consulted and I agreed that the project should go ahead. The work is completed.   The clean up of the area, including furniture and shampooing the carpet will happen today and tomorrow and the cafe will be back first thing Thursday morning.

  First, the ducts will be destroyed by the Capital Master Plan. Second, the work wasn't finished on the day of the message above, and is not finished now: just holes in the ceiling, still covered with sheet plastic. So it goes at the UN -- although there are now others inquiring into this one. Watch this site.

Other Inner City Press reports are available in the ProQuest service and some are archived on www.InnerCityPress.com --

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UN Gives Mugabe Time with His Friendly Mediator, Refugees Abandoned

At the UN, Friday Night's Alright for Fighting; Annan Meets Mugabe

UN Acknowledges Abuse in Uganda, But What Did Donors Know and When? Kazakh Questions

In Uganda, UNDP to Make Belated Announcement of Program Halt, But Questions Remain (and see The New Vision, offsite).

Disarmament Abuse in Uganda Leads UN Agency to Suspend Its Work and Spending

Disarmament Abuse in Uganda Blamed on UNDP, Still Silent on Finance

Alleged Abuse in Disarmament in Uganda Known by UNDP, But Dollar Figures Still Not Given: What Did UN Know and When?

Strong Arm on Small Arms: Rift Within UN About Uganda's Involuntary Disarmament of Karamojong Villages

UN's Selective Vision on Somalia and Wishful Thinking on Uighurs

UN Habitat Predicts The World Is a Ghetto, But Will Finance Be Addressed at Vancouver World Urban Forum?

UN's Annan Concerned About Use of Terror's T-Word to Repress, Wants Freedom of Information

UN  Waffles on Human Rights in Central Asia and China; ICC on Kony and a Hero from Algiers

UN & US, Transparency for Finance But Not Foreign Affairs: Somalia, Sovereignty and Senator Tom Coburn

Human Rights Forgotten in UN's War of Words, Bolton versus Mark Malloch Brown: News Analysis

In Praise of Migration, UN Misses the Net and Bangalore While Going Soft on Financial Exclusion

UN Sees Somalia Through a Glass, Darkly, While Chomsky Speaks on Corporations and Everything But Congo

Corporate Spin on AIDS, Holbrooke's Kudos to Montenegro and its Independence

The Silence of the Congo and Naomi Watts; Between Bolivia and the World Bank

Human Rights Council Has Its Own Hanging Chads; Cocky U.S. State Department Spins from SUVs

Child Labor and Cargill and Nestle; Iran, Darfur and WHO's on First with Bird Flu

Press Freedom? Editor Arrested by Congo-Brazzaville, As It Presides Over Security Council

The Place of the Cost-Cut UN in Europe's Torn-Up Heart;
Deafness to Consumers, Even by the Greens

Background Checks at the UN, But Not the Global Compact; Teaching Statistics from Turkmenbashi's Single Book

Ripped Off Worse in the Big Apple, by Citigroup and Chase: High Cost Mortgages Spread in Outer Boroughs in 2005, Study Finds

Burundi: Chaos at Camp for Congolese Refugees, Silence from UNHCR, While Reform's Debated by Forty Until 4 AM

The Chadian Mirage: Beyond French Bombs, Is Exxon In the Cast? Asylum and the Uzbeks, Shadows of Stories to Come

Through the UN's One-Way Mirror, Sustainable Development To Be Discussed by Corporations, Even Nuclear Areva

Racial Disparities Grew Worse in 2005 at Citigroup, HSBC and Other Large Banks

Mine Your Own Business: Explosive Remnants of War and the Great Powers, Amid the Paparazzi

Human Rights Are Lost in the Mail: DR Congo Got the Letter, But the Process is Still Murky

Iraq's Oil to be Metered by Shell, While Basrah Project Remains Less than Clear

Kofi, Kony, Kagame and Coltan: This Moment in the Congo and Kampala

As Operation Swarmer Begins, UN's Qazi Denies It's Civil War and Has No Answers if Iraq's Oil is Being Metered

Cash Crop: In Nepal, Bhutanese Refugees Prohibited from Income Generation Even in their Camps

The Shorted and Shorting in Humanitarian Aid: From Davos to Darfur, the Numbers Don't Add Up

UN Reform: Transparency Later, Not Now -- At Least Not for AXA - WFP Insurance Contract

In the Sudanese Crisis, Oil Revenue Goes Missing, UN Says

Empty Words on Money Laundering and Narcotics, from the UN and Georgia

What is the Sound of Eleven Uzbeks Disappearing? A Lack of Seats in Tashkent, a Turf War at UN

Kosovo: Of Collective Punishment and Electricity; Lights Out on Privatization of Ferronikeli Mines

Abkhazia: Cleansing and (Money) Laundering, Says Georgia

Post-Tsunami Human Rights Abuses, including by UNDP in the Maldives

Citigroup Dissembles at United Nations Environmental Conference

Other Inner City Press reports are available in the ProQuest service and some are archived on www.InnerCityPress.com --

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