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At UN Security, Prefixed
Promotions, Whistleblowers' Dog Days
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of
Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED
NATIONS, February 6 --
Unanswered questions swirl around UN Security, from accountability for
lapses
in Algeria,
Niger, Pakistan
and Somalia, to irregularities in hiring and
promotions and even discpline. On February 4, Inner City Press formally
asked
two members of the Office of the UN Spokesperson a series of questions
about UN
Security, including what is the status of the much-promised
disciplinary
action against UN officials for their inattention to duties in the
run-up to
the Algiers Bombing, as documented by the Zacklin Report?
Does the
Secretary-General think that a Zacklin-style accountability panel
should be set
up to examine the security failures that have taken place in recent
months, including
the lack of security clearance and security protection of Mr. Robert
Fowler, the abduction of
the UNHCR
official in Quetta, Pakistan, and the killings of UNDP staff in
Somalia?
Two days later, not a single answer has been
provided. Nor has the UN
said anything about replacing Sir David
Veness, who months ago announced he was
resigning as the sole case of accountability following the Algiers
bombing. He
is still in charge of DSS.
On a
seemingly more mundane but not unrelated level,
whistleblowers have provided Inner City Press with a list of UN
Security
"Possible
Transfers and Assignments / Reassignments." These sources
say that this list undermines the credibility of interviews that are
being
conducted, implying that some decisions have already been made. They
say as a
matter of belated transparency, the list should
be released. They allege
something of a Caribbean "mafia," and favoritism in promotion,
false resumes and misuse of UN vehicles, retaliation against those who
complain, even of physical abuse.
David Veness takes the reigns, Feb. 2005 -- now what?
Sometimes the public news about UN Security is
negative, but the
exoneration is much more quiet. Take the case of Gamal Ibrahim, exposed
on Fox
News and elsewhere for alleged abuse of a dog in the UN's Canine Unit.
Last
month, the UN Headquarters Joint Disciplinary Committee recommended
that the
charges be dropped, as the evidence was not conclusive.
As recited in Confidential Report 216 in Case Number
2008-14, Numbered
Copy 1 attached,
"On July
3, 2007, DSS Management was informed of allegations of improper
conduct... It
was alleged that Mr. Ibrahim had physically abused his canine partner
Buddy...
On 21 January 2008, the case was referred to the JDC.... Mr. Ibrahim
responded
to the charges... The redness on Buddy's
skin has always existed and is part of his skin and hair complexion...
The
[2
July 2007] incident at the Security Council appears to have been
misinterpreted... Buddy was playful and rest his two front legs
affectionately
on my shoulders on that occasion. To calm him I gave hand and verbal
commands,
which had nothing threatening for him... SS/O Mascioli has a reputation
for
harassment, fabrication and extrapolation, besides taking occasionally
a free
lunch from vendors... the rationale for their false allegations was
essentially
triggered by a spirit of retribution against me, as a result of my
whistleblower role."
Since the allegations were found to be without
corroboration, is this
the case the UN Security whistleblower whose dog didn't bark? To be
continued.
Click here for Inner City Press' Jan.
16, 2009 debate about Gaza
Click here for Inner City Press'
review-of-2008 UN Top Ten debate
Click here for Inner
City Press' December 24 debate on UN budget, Niger
Click here from Inner City Press'
December 12 debate on UN double standards
Click here for Inner
City Press' November 25 debate on Somalia, politics
Click here for Inner City
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.
* * *
These
reports are
usually also available through Google
News and on Lexis-Nexis.
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
Feedback: Editorial
[at] innercitypress.com
UN Office: S-453A, UN, NY 10017
USA
Tel: 212-963-1439
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718-716-3540
Other,
earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available
in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.
Copyright
2006-08 Inner City Press, Inc. To request
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