By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 1 --
Some thought
the UN, at
least its
Secretariat,
was supposed
to be about
peace. But
when it failed
to even call
for a
ceasefire in
Sri Lanka as
tens of
thousands of
civilians were
killed in a
final
government
assault, that
supposition
was called
into doubt.
And
now in 2013,
with the
government of
Uganda calling
on the
Congolese Army
and the M23 to
cease fire and
try to
finalize a
deal in
Kampala, Inner
City Press on
Friday asked
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon's
spokesperson
Martin Nesirky
if Ban agreed
with the call
for a
ceasefire,
particularly
by the
Congolese Army
to which the
UN provides
support,
including with
attack
helicopters.
Nesirky
sure
didn't say
yes. Video
here and
embedded
below. First
he disputed
that the
Kampala talks
had stopped
and had to be
re-started. He
said they had
never stopped.
(A wire
service said
they
"collapsed,"
and also
reported
looting in
Bunagana by
the UN's
partners, the
Congolese
Army.)
Then, as Inner
City Press
asked again
for a UN view
on a
ceasefire, he
said that
would be up to
the Kampala
talks, then
that Mary
Robinson --
Ban's envoy --
would have to
be checked
with. Four
hours later:
nothing.
This
stands in
contrast, for
example, with
Syria where
Ban did call
for a
cessation of
fighting. But
of course the
politics of
the Western
Permanent
Three of the
Security
Council differ
on Syria,
where they
want the
leader out,
from DR Congo,
where they
support Joseph
Kabila, giving
their blessing
to his
"National
Dialogue"
which even the
legal
opposition
boycotted.
On
Syria, Saudi
Arabia which
Ban Ki-moon
effusively
praised
recently when
they said
they'd reject
the Security
Council seat
they without
opposition won
has reported
declined to
meet with
Ban's envoy
Lakhdar
Brahimi --
Ban's Mary
Robinson for
the Levant so
to speak.
But
after Brahimi
was asked, and
didn't
disagree, that
the Saudi's
declined his
visit, when
Inner City
Press asked
Nesirky to
confirm it
Friday,
Nesirky would
not. Politics,
politics. But
for whom?
Watch this
site.
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