By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, May 28, 2015-- As the UN belatedly wades into the migration crisis debate, its until now part time Special Representative on Migration Peter Sutherland took Press questions on May 27.
Inner City Press asked him about those migrants who die not on the water but for example in the desert in Niger, and whether the United States' resistance to internationalizing its issues with migrants from Mexico and Central America led the UN to avoid holding, for example, a General Assembly meeting about the topic. Inner City Press also asked Sutherland about this other job, as outgoing chairman of Goldman Sachs. Video here.
Sutherland answered this last question first, emphasizing that the UN post he took in 2006 from Kofi Annan was “pro bono” -- without pay. But isn't it a full time issue?
Sutherland declined to comment on the US, adding that “the Administration” is helpful on UN migration issues. He's a nice guy, but refusing to comment on the elephant in the room, and simultaneously serving the UN and Goldman Sach (and before that BP) is a telling symbol of today's UN. He still might accomplish something on the issue - we hope so.
So when Mogherini came to take questions at the Security Council stakeout, Inner City Press with hand raised sought to ask her about this view. Video here and embedded below.
After questions were handed to Reuters, two Italian media and the New York Times, and Agence France Presse got a question answered by blurting it out, Inner City Press asked about Angola's view.
Mogherini told Inner City Press, "we discussed this and share the view that there is no military solution."
Inner City Press said, what about attack helicopters?
Mogherini said, "We're talking about a naval operation."
But that of course can involve military force, including airstrikes by attack helicopters. But no follow-up was possible. While an African journalist had his hand up the whole time, more Italian journalists were called. A Kurdish journalist who asked about Iraq was told by Mogherini that she only answers on topic.
Afterward, as before, Mogherini did a separate stakeout only for Italian media, Inner City Press tweeted photo here, rebuffing the only question asked in English, then leaving.
The Free UN Coalition for Access is troubled by this continued approach.
Back on April 28 when Mogherini came to take questions outside the Security Council, it was announced that after the "international" media, she would do a separate stakeout just for media from her native Italy.
Then the questions handpicked for Mogherini were all Western and Gulf (Saudi), particularly on the issue of Iran. An Iranian journalist was rejected. Chosen were Reuters, NYT, BBC jumping in and France 24, specifically selected, with a copycat Libya question.
At the end - or, before the Italian only stakeout -- Inner City Press asked, Sudan, Burundi, anything? But there was not. Nor on Western Sahara, on which EU members earlier on April 28 pushed a resolution without human rights monitoring for a UN peacekeeping mission, MINURSO.
On Sudan, the questions are obvious: over 90% vote for al Bashir, cover up of Tabit rapes. But in Burundi, the EU's Patrick Spirlet has been quoted that the EU will give 80 elections observers - even as radio stations are closed and people killed. What's the answer?
Maybe they're just getting it together.
The Security Council - with its EU members - will hear about Burundi on April 28. Watch this site.
(The new Free UN Coalition for Access challenges such one-sided use of the UN Security Council stakeout. The old UNCA, UN's Censorship Alliance, won't. It is run by Giampaolo Pioli of Italy.)
On April 27 Inner City Press asked Ban's deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq, and got in response an "if-asked." Transcript here
Inner City Press: On Burundi, over the weekend, the ruling party nominated the current president for a third… to run for a third term. And there have been crackdowns by the police, the closure of a radio station, Radio Public Africaine, and others… I'm wondering other countries have spoken. What is the UN's response to what's happened?
Deputy Spokesman Haq: Yeah, we're following the situation in Burundi very closely and we're deeply concerned over the violence over the weekend, including of a number of deaths following the announcement that the president would seek a third term and we urge a swift investigation into the violence. Said Djinnit, the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes is in Bujumbura to convey the UN’s concerns and work with all parties on defusing tensions.
Perhaps as Ban does more and more, he will "outsource" the rest of the UN's reaction to Geneva, while he for example cavorts with those who, like in Burundi, go after independent journalists.
In Burundi, the RPA was raided and told to stop live-streaming the crackdown.