Press
Unprotected at
UN, Some in
DPI Whisper to
Wrong Party,
Ignore
Beyonce's
Deletes
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS, March
11 -- When
photographers
at the UN are
ordered to
delete
photographs
they have
taken, and
others are
told they
can't take
pictures in
public areas,
what does the
UN do?
It whispers
only to its
cafeteria
contractor
Aramark, while
ignoring
private
security and
worse, the
forced
deletion of
photographs.
On March 7
Inner City
Press
witnessed and
exclusively
reported that
a bodyguard
for Salma
Hayek ordered
a long time
photographer
at the UN,
co-founder of
the Free
UN Coalition
for Access,
not to take
any
photographs.
Inner City
Press also
learned and
reported when
Beyonce came
to the UN,
during a
session a
range of
people
including UN
Photo took
photographs.
Then they were
ordered by
Beyonce's
private
security to
erase the
pictures from
their memory
cards. One of
them asked,
“What is this,
North Korea?”
The time and
place for
photographs
are the UN is
supposed to be
governed by
rules by the
UN Department
of Public
Information
(DPI).
Since its
founding on
December 7,
2012, this is
the type of
issue that
FUNCA
advocates on,
to improve
access at the
UN, and the UN
itself, if
possible.
But in a
February 27
letter he
has yet to
explain,
DPI's Stephane
Dujarric said
because of
Inner City
Press'
reporting on
an
on-the-record
meeting
involving the
UN
Correspondents
Association,
"we question
your ability
to work
together on
solving
substantive
questions."
Dujarric's
complaint was
false -- Inner
City Press
said loudly,
“you are on
the record” (audio here);
another
attendee of
the meeting
has informed
Dujarric that
it was clear
the meeting
was being
taped. But no
response from
Dujarric.
So FUNCA did
not and will
not raise the
issue to
Dujarric, at
least until
his false
February 27
letter is
explained and
acted on.
Dujarric,
however, upon
reading the
Inner City
Press story
repeatedly
telephoned the
photographer,
indicating
that the
photographer
should come
directly to
him with
problems, not
through FUNCA, and
not publicize
the press
access issues.
Remember, this
is called the
Department of
PUBLIC
Information.
FUNCA then
sent the issue
to the head of
DPI, adding to
the pending 10
reforms it
submitted on
February 10,
stating
"FUNCA's
request is
that this be
addressed
formally, and
publicly.
Private
security who
come into the
UN should be
told what the
rules are,
what
journalists'
and
photographers'
rights are.
Dealing with
these issues
privately, as
with the
communication
to USG
Ladsous'
spokesman, or
(if it has
happened) to
the Greek
mission is not
what FUNCA is
requesting.
Also, in light
of the
February 27
letter I
complained
about to DPI
including to
you, this is
to reiterate
that FUNCA is
an
organization
raising these
issues, which
should be
addressed
publicly as
issues raised
by an
organization."
The response
came from,
guess who,
Dujarric. He
stated:
"after
you reading your
post, I
spoke Luiz
over the
weekend (or
Friday) to
find out more
details about
the incident.
He gave me the
details. I
will be
writing to
Aramark to
ensure that
they remind
any outside
organizers of
events at the
UN that the
public area of
the grounds
are exactly
that -- a
public area --
and that
guests need to
respect our
rules to allow
UN accredited
press to do
its job."
But that is
not enough. It
does not
address the
order to
delete
photographs.
In any event,
Aramark is the
UN's cafeteria
contractor. It
does not
appear to be
the way to
reach the
private
security who
come into the
UN.
Simultaneous
with this
too-limited
and
buck-passing
response, UNCA
"leader" Tim
Witcher of
Agence France
Presse and
Reuters'
correspondent
filed
a frivolous
and
pre-textual
complaint against
Inner City
Press with UN
Security.
The complaint
- a copy of
which has yet
to be shown to
Inner City
Press, but
which has been
requested -
appears to be
based on an
entirely
verbal
disagreement
on March 8.
After more mis-direction
by UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous, Inner
City Press critiqued
the
pass-through
coverage.
Witcher hissed
about "lies
and
distortions"
and Inner City
Press said "lapdog."
Ironically,
things shouted
at Inner City
Press by UNCA
president
Pamela Falk in
front of
Dujarric at
the February
22 meeting he
then chided
Inner City
Press for
reporting on
were
significantly
more
insulting.
But Inner City
Press filed no
complaint, and
Dujarric and
DPI did not
admonish Falk
in any way. So
are there two
standards?
More to the
point, what
are the rules?
Are there
rules about
frivolous and
pre-textual
complaints?
Watch this
site.
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