In
Philippines,
UN Won't Work
With Parties
to Conflict -
DRC, AU
Contradiction?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 15 --
In responding
in the
Philippines to
the
aftermath of
Typhoon
Haiyan, the UN
according to
its
humanitarian
operations
chief John
Ging has
accepted help
from the
militaries of
the US,
Malaysia, UK,
Israel,
Australia,
Japan and
Sweden.
Inner
City Press
asked Ging
about concerns
he has
elsewhere
acknowledged
about the
blurring of
lines between
humanitarian
and military
action.
In the
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo, for
example, UN
Peacekeeping
has become a
party to armed
conflict but
still blends
in with aid
work.
Ging
said the rule
is to not work
with a party
to a conflict,
under the
Oslo
Principles
being applied
in the
Philippines.
But what about
the
DRC, where now
supposedly UN
Peacekeeping
will be going
after the
FDLR militia?
Inner
City Press
asked Ging
about the
following
online
paragraph:
"The
U.S. Marines
were
reportedly
instructed not
to let
Philippine
government
officials and
politicians
touch the
relief goods
that will
arrive in
Samar. Five
C130 panes are
scheduled to
arrive,
carrying
relief goods
from the
United
Nations."
Ging
said not to
read too much
into that; his
co-panelist,
UNICEF's Ted
Chaiban, added
that the
Philippines
has been
working well
with the
UN.
More
was said in
the briefing,
but the UN
insisted on
beginning in
even as
three African
Union
Permanent
Representatives
spoke at the
Security
Council
stakeout.
Back in
September, the
UN delayed the
noon briefing
while the
prime minister
of Israel
spoke, then
started it
during
Iran's right
of reply.
When
Inner City
Press asked
why, the
spokesperson
said that all
journalists
who cover hard
news
understood why
this was done.
But why
talk-over the
African Union
ambassadors,
while saying
later in the
briefing how
much the UN
values Africa?
(There also
seemed to be
surprise, not
from Ging,
when Inner
City Press
asked for an
update on
getting polio
vaccines into
Southern
Kordofan and
Blue Nile.
Ging said
Sudan has
shown
flexibility,
agreeing to a
meeting even
the UN said
was unnecessary.)
It
was the Free
UN Coalition
for Access
which asked
that Friday's
noon
briefing be
delayed.
UNCA's Pamela
Falk of CBS,
rather than
protest,
rushed in to
thank Ging
(and use the
name of UNCA).
Inner City
Press
did not say
FUNCA, but
said the two
events should
have been
coordinated.
We will
continue to
push on this.
Watch this
site.
, 
