Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

On Darfur, UN Dodges Rights and Justice, Cancels Compact Meeting, U.S. Concerned, Sudan Counter-Punches

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

UNITED NATIONS, August 6 -- It was a day of Darfur questions dodged by the UN, answered belatedly by the U.S. State Department and near immediately by Sudan. At the UN's noon briefing on Wednesday, Inner City Press asked Spokesperson Michele Montas for comments on China's denial of a visa to Olympic gold medal skated Joey Cheek, due to his Darfur advocacy. Ms. Montas replied that "the Secretary-General has nothing specific to say on that.  We have representation at the Olympics.  If you have human rights questions concerning the Olympics, I can put you in touch with the Human Rights Office... I'll give you the phone number." Video here.

   So if you ask for Ban Ki-moon's response on a human rights issue, you will be referred apparently to Geneva, to the desk of Navi Pillay. But how about a question about justice and impunity? Inner City Press asked, "the Government in Khartoum has now appointed, as had been requested as part of this AU plan, has appointed a Special Prosecutor for the situation in Darfur.  Does the UN think that's a positive step?" Again, the answer was that no answer was needed: "every move made by a national Government, we cannot give an opinion on every single move made by that.  Of course it is a positive step."

  But the reason Inner City Press asked is reports, some sources to Ban's aides and some to Ban himself, that he will distance himself from Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir until, for example, a credible Sudan's investigation and prosecution is carried out. So does Khartoum's move meet that test? On the one hand, it's described as a move not worthy of comment. Then again, "of course it is a positive step." So does Ban, as reported, favor stopping the legal proceeding against Bashir? Despite repeated requests for clarification, it is still not clear.

Joey Cheek, left, and friends at the UN, visa denial not shown

   Inner City Press then asked U.S. Ambassador Alejandro Wolff these questions, at the stakeout in front of the Security Council, the same questions. From the U.S. Mission's transcript:

Inner City Press:  Can I ask you a Darfur question?

Ambassador Wolff: Yes, sure.

Reporter: China has revoked the visa of this traveling athlete, Joey Cheek. Is there - one does the U.S., do you have a position on it? And also, recently in the last 24 hours Sudan has named a, quote, special prosecutor for the situation in Darfur. Does the U.S. think that that's a step in the right direction or are you dubious about it?

Ambassador Wolff: Well I'm not aware of the first item here, so I'm happy to look into it and get back to you on this. And Sudan knows what is required of it under Security Council resolutions. We look forward to cooperation and adherence to those resolutions, assistance of UNAMID in its deployment efforts, active engagement in the peace process. These are not new elements, and they are fairly clear to anyone who cares to follow them.

Inner City Press:  And if any member state asks to have a discussion or debate on this issue of Article 16 of the Rome Statute, of freezing the indictment of President Bashir. Would the U.S. oppose that being discussed or would welcome it being discussed? Not to say how you'd discuss it.

Ambassador Wolff: Well we will make our views known on this. We don't think this is an appropriate or timely issue to address. The question of whether member states have the right to call a meeting is very clear under the charter and the rules of procedure, and we respect that.

  Later on Wednesday, the Deputy Spokeswoman of U.S. Mission, Carolyn Vadino, provided Inner City Press with an "official" answer about Joey Cheek:

"we are disturbed that the Chinese Government decided to revoke Mr. Cheek's visa.  This is an issue we take seriously.  We have raised the issue with Chinese officials through our Embassy in Beijing and also in Washington.  As you know, the US strongly supports the internationally recognized right to free expression."

  Jump cut to Sudan's Ambassador to the UN, standing precisely where Amb. Wolff stood, and noting to Inner City Press that despite Ban Ki-moon's and the UN International Court of Justice's entreaties, Texas has nonetheless gone ahead and executed a Mexican national. The point he was making was, thumbing one's nose at or disregarding international law and rulings is conduct engaged in even by those who accuse Sudan.

CSR footnote: the UN Global Compact, which cancelled a workshop that had been scheduled for Sudan, provided Inner City Press with this answer as to why:

"To answer your question: A one-day workshop on the GC was supposed to take place in Khartoum on 23 July. Because of security concerns following the ICC indictment , the local steering committee, which involves both Sudanese and foreign businesses, decided to postpone the workshop. The workshop was to prepare the ground for the establishment of a GC Local Network in Sudan."

  To be continued.

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Click here for a Reuters AlertNet piece by this correspondent about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click here for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an undefined trust fund.  Video Analysis here

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