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At UN, Fake Out at the Stakeout, Morocco Takes the
Stage Denied to Polisario Front
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of
Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS,
December 10 -- When a country's
Ambassador takes to the microphone and UN TV camera in front of the
Security
Council, it is supposed to be announced to the whole press corps, so
that
questions can be asked. Wednesday Morocco's new Permanent
Representative Mohammed
Loulichki appeared mysteriously on UN TV, smiling as he answered a
series of
questions about Morocco's and its King's commitment to human rights.
Video here.
Where were
the questions about Morroco's
controversial fishing off the coast of Western
Sahara, for example, or the non-inclusion of the issue of human
rights in the
UN's reports on its peacekeeping mission there, MINURSO? Loulichki's
appearance
was never announced to the press, but UN air and even archive time was
used.
Some
remembered that when the representative of Western Sahara's Polisario
Front was
speaking at the same microphone, and suddenly the camera turned off, the plug was
pulled. That too
was called an oversight and mistake. But perhaps a pattern is emerging.
Morocco's new UN Ambassador, stakeout fake out not shown
An
unrelatedly stakeout irregularity of recent days was the dominance of
the area
by the camera, meant for journalists to ask questions from, by the
entourage of
Croatia's president. He had come for the December 9 debate on
terrorism, and
came to answer questions. But the front spots were taken by his
entourage, and
soon it was said he must go. What about the lack of due process for
those put
on the UN's terror sanctions list? The question was not allowed. And so
it
goes.
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Press Nov. 7 debate on the war in Congo
Watch this site, and this Oct. 2 debate, on
UN, bailout, MDGs
and this October 17 debate, on
Security Council and Obama and the UN.
* * *
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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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