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As UN Bans Inner City Press E-Asks Spox Dujarric About Indonesia Serbia UN Bribery Abuse Malaysia Cameroon SG Censorship 400+ UNanswered

By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR Letter PFT Q&A, NY Post

UNITED NATIONS GATE, April 3 – Inner City Press on July 5 was banned from entering the UN, the day after it filed a criminal complaint against UN Security for physically removing it from covering the meeting about the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' $6.7 billion peacekeeping budget, as witnessed and essentially cheered on by senior UN official Christian Saunders, tearing its reporter's shirt, painfully and intentionally twisting his arm and slamming shut and damaging his laptop. On August 17, Guterres' Global Communicator Alison Smale issued a letter banning Inner City Press from the UN - for life. With no due process. She and Guterres have put the UN in the US Press Freedom Tracker, here. Smale said, again, that the UN would answer Press questions to the Spokesman Stephane Dujarric and his Office; Dujarric said the same on camera. On April 2 two hours before the UN noon briefing Inner City Press submitted 691 questions: "There are more than 300+ questions UNanswered. And Monday Sept 17, Tuesday Sept 18, Wed Sept 19 and  Thurs and Fri Sept 21, that whole week, no questions answered. Nor Sept 25, nor 28th - nor October 2 nor 3. While appreciating and using what was sent on March 28 in partial request to Inner City Press' questions about the UN bribery sentence of Patrick Ho of CEFC and CEFC's 2018 attempt to buy the oil company of Gulbenkian Foundation which paid the SG, no answers on Dec 17 or 18 or 19 or 20 or 21 - another FIVE days in a row, even as SG's direct conflicts of interest and failure to disclose emerge, and a newest low. No answers on January 30 nor 31 nor February 1 nor 4 nor 5 nor 6 nor 7 nor 11 nor 12 nor 13 nor 14 nor 15 nor 18 nor 19 nor 20 nor 21 nor 22 nor 25 nor 26 nor 27 nor March 1 - 27 (!) And now April 1. No answers at all during those four days of the US v Ho trial showing corruption in the UN says it all. This ban is just censorship - and Inner City Press must be allowed back into the noon briefing to ask its questions in person and follow up on them. 

April 2-1: On Indonesia, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that "military operations conducted by the Indonesian Military (TNI) in Nduga regency, Papua, in the past few months have led to various human rights violations, a recent investigation initiated by the Nduga administration has alleged, allegations that the TNI has denied.  According to the investigation report, TNI personnel allegedly destroyed and burned down residents’ houses--forcing thousands of people to leave their homes for safety. The personnel are in Nduga in search of the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB) fighters who killed 19 workers of state-owned construction firm PT Istaka Karya in December"? 

April 2-2: On UN bribery and censorship, what now is the SG's comment and response to this article in Serbia about CEFC which Mr Guterres has refused to audit - and about his refusal to answer, and censorship of Press: link here  (as always, what is the process of appealing or getting a hearing on the now 273 day ban amid this questions, or process to reapply which was denied summarily on 2 January 2019? How is this not censorship?)  and the translated 22 minute documentary about Patrick Ho and CEFC's bribes through the UN including Mr. Guterres' refusal to answer Inner City Press' question on it on 5 December 2018, and that Inner City Press for allegedly not complying with interview "rules" has been disqualified from reporting within the UN?  Again, the  sentencing memorandum includes quotes from his e-mails regarding aiming to violate sanctions and deal in arms not only to Chad but also South Sudan, Libya & Qatar. What is the SG's comment and action? Again, why has no audit even been begun of CEFC, at least like the one Mr. Guterres' predecessor did of Ng Lap Seng's Sun Kian Ip Foundation? Why did Mr Guterres omit payments from Gulbenkian Foundation, which sought to sell its oil company Partex to CEFC China Energy, from his public financial disclosure covering 2016? Where are the more recent public financial disclosures - has Mr. Guterres ended that program? Why? 

April 3-3: On UN sexual abuse and exploitation, please immediately provide all if-asked further information about the allegations put online on March 28 when there was no noon briefing, regarding Burundi and Republic of Congo peacekeepers and still the Cameroon troops' rape allegations you have not provide any further information on. Again, on the SEA report which was not sent to Inner City Press by the UN but by others, and which Inner City Press voluntarily refrained from reporting on until the 10 am deadline, please before 10 am explain (a) six allegations were considered conduct in violation of non-fraternization policies and not to contain indications of sexual exploitation or abuse - question: did these cases not involve sex? (b) four allegations involved sexual harassment, physical assault and paternity claims, which were considered not to contain indications of sexual exploitation and abuse - question: isn't fathering a child with a beneficiary of UN "assistance" per se exploitation? (c) three allegations involved sexual assaults between United Nations personnel, but not with beneficiaries of assistance - question: confirm this was "blue on blue," on which the UN has previously refused to answer Inner City Press; (d) one allegation involved a member of United Nations personnel not associated with a peacekeeping mission; one allegation did not involve sexual exploitation and abuse - question - what are the bases of these statement?; and one allegation was received by OIOS in 2018 but will be recorded in 2019, once it is referred to the Member State concerned - question: what is the member state concerned and what have they done, as of 18 March 2019? 

April 3-4: On Malaysia, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that "police were involved in the disappearance of pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat, said a report by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) on Wednesday (Apr 3), as their distraught families continue to pine for their safe return.  SUHAKAM said the two men were “victims of enforced disappearance"? 

April 3-5: On Cameroon and freedom of expression, what is the SG's comment and action if any on that "popular makossa icon Longkana Ango Simon aka Longue Longue was on Tuesday arrested in Douala by security forces, sources have said. Sources say Longue Longue was arrested at a hotel in Douala before he was ferried to the Judicial Police in Bonanjo for questioning.  Though no reeason has been advanced for his arrest, sources say it could be connected to a recent video the artist published on social media criticising the regime in place.  In the video released last week, the artist claimed the detained leader of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement Maurice Kamto had won the October 7 Presidential election but did not provide proofs to back his claims up.  He accused incumbent Paul Biya of stealing Kamto’s challenging the regime to organise elections city by city and Kamto will emerge winner.  He described Maurice Kamto’s arrest and detention as politically motivated"? What is each of yours - particularly the SG's - response to the letter written and sent by Burundi activist Manisha Lievin? AGAIN, immediately explain how it is legitimate to ban from enter into the UN the media that has been asking about these and other questions, with no hearing or appeal.

April 2-4: On China and the environment, what is the SG's comment and action after his praise on that a majority of 39 northern Chinese cities have failed to meet anti-pollution targets over the six-months to the end of March, adding to fears that China's "war" on smog has lost momentum? 

April 1-2: Given UN consultants' testimony to Inner City Press about being misled by the UN about their tax liabilities, and criticism of the UN for shirking responsibilities to its host countries and works, what IS the UN policy ont the (over) use of consultants to avoid paying benefits, specifically at UNOPS in Geneva about which Inner City Press has previously asked without answer, and now also in Bonn? 

March 28-1: On Cameroon, what is the SG's comment and belated action, if any, on Biya's Army's attack on Abuh, North-West region, which burned an entire neighborhood to the ground.  A woman in her 40s said she spent three days hiding in the surrounding countryside with her five children after the attack: “When I came back to the village, my house was gone, with everything inside. I am left with nothing but my clothes.” How does this square with UNFPA's current propaganda trip to Yaounde? 

March 25-5: On your / Spokesperson Dujarric's recent podcast interview, please immediately explain what was meant by a relationship with journalists of "mutually assured destruction" - and why the podcast links are mostly 404/no longer online. 

March 25-8: On the SG's March 22 appearance on 96th Street, please immediately provide the name of the UN DSS officer who spoke to NYPD on 96th Street to get them to restraint in advance Inner City Press while UN Photo and others like AP walked freely, the basis for this censorship and any and all records regarding it. 

More here.

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