UN
Does Not Tell
M23 of
Flights,
Threatens with
ICC for Being
Shot At
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
January 2 --
After the UN
complained its
helicopters
were
shot at
over territory
in Eastern
Congo
controlled by
the M23
rebels,
Inner City
Press twice
asked the UN
if it informs
the M23
when it is
flying above
the territory
M23 controls.
The
UN has now
told Inner
City Press
that its
mission
"MONUSCO has a
Status of
Forces
Agreement with
the
authorities of
the Democratic
Republic of
the Congo,
and... informs
DRC
authorities of
peacekeeping
flights.
MONUSCO does
not formally
communicate
with the M23
in this
way."
To
some this
seems strange,
since under
the Kampala
agreements M23
was
to pull out to
territory
outside of
Goma, and even
co-manage the
Goma
airport.
If the Kampala
agreement
recognizes
that M23
controls
territory,
some ask, is
it responsible
for the UN to
fly over it
without
informing M23
in some way?
Inner
City Press
asked the UN
to "please
respond to the
following
statement by
M23 spokesman
Lieutenant
Colonel
Vianney
Kazarama:
'We
never attacked
MONUSCO, we
fired at
helicopters
from the
FARDC, who
were flying
reconnaissance
over M23
zones. If
MONUSCO wants
to fly
reconnaissance
over our
territory,
they must do
so by day and
they
must warn us.
At night, we
can't make out
the UN
symbol.'"
But
the UN told
Inner City
Press, "We
will not
comment on
quotes
attributed by
media to an
M23
spokesperson."
In
this context
it's worth
noting that
since Facebook
has several
times
taken down
M23's page --
the legal
authority is
not clear --
it is
difficult to
get the
group's
statements
first hand.
The question
remains: given
the situation
between the
M23 and the
Congolese Army
FARDC, should
the UN be
surprised if
its
helicopters
flying at
night
without notice
over M23
territory get
fired on? Is
this
responsible?
Is
it responsible
for MONUSCO to
continue
working with
FARDC units
that
were in Minova
during the 126
rapes in late
November, and
for top
Peacekeeper Herve Ladsous to refuse Press
questions
about it,
despite
the UN's
claimed Human
Rights Due
Diligence
Policy?
As
noted, and
twice asked
about, UN
Peacekeeping
in South Sudan
has not
issued any
threat
referring to
prosecution
for war crimes
even after
South Sudan
shot down a UN
helicopter in
December and
killed all
four
crew aboard.
But
the UN has
threatened war
crimes
prosecution
for these
errant shots
in the night
over M23
territory.
What explains
the disparity
or
double
standard?
Inner City
Press asked
again at the
January 2 noon
briefing. We
are still
waiting. Watch
this site.
, 
