| In South Sudan UN
Staff Say Conduct Chief Has
Substance Issues As Guterres
Bans Press
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
UN GATE,
June 18 – How corrupt is
today's UN under Antonio
Guterres? Today's follow up is
yet again on his mission in
South Sudan, UNMISS, about
which his spokespeople
Stephane Dujarric and Melissa
Fleming refuse all Press
questions. Inner City Press
has asked them, and others,
about the newest sex abuse
case against the UN there. Now
this, from a UN whistleblower
sent to Inner City Press:
Dear Mr. Matthew
Russell Lee:
It has come
to light that the Chief of the
Code of Conduct Unit at the
United Nations Mission in
South Sudan (UNMISS) opted for
early retirement shortly
before a formal investigation
could be initiated into his
alleged substance dependency.
Previous internal reports had
already linked him to drug
use, including serious
allegations of smoking
narcotics on UN premises.
Alarmingly, it is further
alleged that he not only
engaged in such conduct
himself but also encouraged
other staff members to do the
same—while actively
obstructing any effort to
initiate disciplinary action
or enforce accountability.
Even more
troubling is the claim that
his early retirement was
reportedly recommended by the
Head of Mission—who is from
the same country as the
accused—despite the serious
nature of the allegations.
This raises significant
concerns about impartiality,
conflict of interest, and the
presence of internal
protection networks within
senior leadership at
UNMISS.
The current
Special Representative of the
Secretary-General (SRSG),
himself known to be a habitual
smoker inside UN
facilities—thereby openly
violating the Organization’s
non-smoking policy—has also
been seen publicly supporting
the former Code of Conduct
Chief. Such visible tolerance
of misconduct at the highest
levels signals a systemic
breakdown in accountability
and ethical leadership.
It is deeply troubling that,
in a hardship duty station
such as South Sudan, the
United Nations continues to
allow medically unfit and
policy-defying individuals to
occupy senior leadership roles
well into their 70s. This not
only undermines staff morale
and confidence, but also
compromises operational
effectiveness and weakens the
credibility of the UN’s
proclaimed zero-tolerance
stance on misconduct.
The situation is further
exacerbated by the fact that
the current SRSG is reportedly
on extended sick leave and is
expected to retire in October
2025.
The absence of
active oversight during this
critical transitional period
raises concerns over the
leadership vacuum within
UNMISS. The perception is
growing among observers and
staff alike that the mission
is operating without effective
checks and balances, leaving
the UN’s presence in South
Sudan weakened and, in the
eyes of many, increasingly
irrelevant
Guterres
spokespeople have refused to
any all of these written
questions. Inner City Press is
applying to MALU and Fleming
to re-enter to ask. Watch this
site.
***
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