On UN's CRPD Map, W. Sahara A Gray Zone like Jammu & Kashmir, UNHCR Silence
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, December 3, 2014 -- The UN's lack of transparency on Western
Sahara, where is has failed to hold the referendum on independence for which
it has long had a UN Peacekeeping mission, continues.
In connection with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the
UN put out a world map of countries actions on the Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, here
<
http://indicators.ohchr.org/maps/OHCHR_Map_CRPD-OP.pdf> .
On the map there are only three or four gray areas: Jammu and Kashmir,
Western Sahara, and Greenland. But the map's footnote addresses only the
first of these and Sudan / South Sudan: "Note: The boundaries and the names
shown and the designations used on these maps do not imply official
endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Final boundary between the
Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan has not yet been
determined. Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in
Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of
Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties."
But what about Western Sahara? The map generally says, "For application of
treaties to overseas, non-self-governing and other territories, shown here
in grey, see
http://untreaty.un.org/ola." But this final link is dead. And
there is lies.
As Inner City Press reported on November 26, the UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Refugees censored even the words "Western Sahara" from its
revised report on Saharawi refugees. And two separate UNHCR spokespeople
have not provided any explanation, two days after Inner City Press sent
them:
"a Press request for UNHCR to explain why its report(s) on Saharawi refugees
"Nutrition Survey, Western Sahara Refugee Camps, Tindouf, Algeria," was
initially released, here, with multiple references to
<
http://www.vastsaharaaktionen.se/files/2012_nutrition_survey_report_final_e
ng.pdf> "Western Sahara" but was finalized and re-issued with all of those
references removed. (The "revised" new version, "Nutrition Survey Saharawi
Refugee Camps, Tindouf, Algeria," can be downloaded for example here.
<
http://vest-sahara.no/files/dated/2014-11-23/2012_nutrition_survey_report_f
inal_draft_en_v2.doc> )
"Why did UNHCR do this? What were the communications between UNHCR and
Morocco before this change was made? Who made this change or revision? Who
is responsible for it? Is this reflective of UN systemwide policy, or only
UNHCR's policy? If only UNHCR's, please state why (and under what authority
or mandate, given applicable General Assembly and Security Council
resolutions) UNHCR adopted this policy. On deadline."
Mor than a week and counting after this was sent to UNHCR spokespeople
Christopher Reardon and Melissa Fleming, no explanation. We'll stay on this.
At UN headquarters while UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric still refuses to
comment on the leaked cable showing UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous
undermining the MINURSO mission on human rights, on November 7 Inner City
Press asked Dujarric about Morocco's King's speech. Video here.
<
http://youtu.be/u03nFgcgejM>
Inner City Press asked Dujarric about these quotes of King Mohammed VI:
"Morocco's sovereignty over its entire territory is effective, inalienable
and non-negotiable... 'No' to any attempt to reconsider the principles and
criteria of the negotiation process, or any attempt to revise and expand the
MINURSO mandate to include such matters as the supervision of the human
rights situation."
While Ladsous' views in the cable support or even parrot this last,
against a UN role in human rights despite Ban Ki-moon's supposed "Rights Up
Front" plan, Dujarric on November 7 had a prepared "If-Asked" about the
speech, and read:
"We've seen the speech. We remain committed to our work as per the mandate
of the Security Council on Western Sahara and in that respect one looks
forward to the speedy resumption of the negotiation process and the
facilitation of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General, Christopher
Ross, as well as the deployment of the Special Representative of the
Secretary General for Western Sahara, Kim Bolduc, who's also the head of the
MINURSO mission there. As you know, both Mr. Ross and Ms Bolduc briefed the
Council on October 27 and afterwards the Council reiterated its desire to
see Mr. Ross's facilitation resume, as well as to see Ms. Bolduc take a her
duties at the helm of MINURSO as soon as possible. We look forward to Mr.
Ross's visits to the region, as well as to the deployment of Ms. Bolduc."
Other leaked cables discuss Ms Bolduc, and Mr Ross -- we'll have more on
these. Inner City Press asked Dujarric to provide by e-mail the "if-asked"
text that he read; Dujarric refused, despite the fact that his Office
routinely provides this service to other, presumably more friendly,
correspondents. We'll have more on this as well.
Document leaks from inside the UN have identified improper service of
Morocco, on the question of Western Sahara, by a staffer at the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Anders Kompass.
Inner City Press waited to report on the leaked cable(s) - the
spokesperson for the High Commissioner on November 5 said his office is
aware the leaked cables, which contain the perspective of certain diplomats,
and that the situation is being investigated to clarify the facts."
Whatever the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, now under
Jordan's Prince Zeid, does about the content of the leaks, more will be
required in the UN Secretariat in New York -- particularly at the top of the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which runs the MINURSO mission in
Western Sahara.
The cables show that Herve Ladsous, a long-time French diplomat now the
boss of DPKO <
http://www.innercitypress.com/ladsous1circus062914.html> and
thus of MINURSO, was flacking for Morocco on the supposed quality of its
human rights mechanisms. This directly undercuts the MINURSO mission, for
which Ladsous is supposed to be working.
African Union members of the Security Council, from Uganda to South Africa
to Nigeria, have demanded that MINURSO have the same type of human rights
monitoring mechanism as the UN Peacekeeping missions in the DR Congo, Mali
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/ladsous3censorship092914.html> and Central
African Republic.
Now Ladsous is exposed undermining extending this to Western Sahara -- the
policy of his country, France, but undercutting DPKO.
During General Assembly debate week in September 2014, Ladsous refused to
answer Press questions and ended up blocking the Press' camera, Vine here
<
https://vine.co/v/OmJInP55nuA> .
This is a scandal. And since Ladsous had refused to answer Press
questions, about rapes by his mission's partners in the DRC
<
http://youtu.be/rm1V-cY9u40> , about DPKO bringing cholera to Haiti
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/ladsous1haiticholera060714.html> , about
under-reporting attacks on civilians and even peacekeepers in Darfur
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/darfur9ladsousprobespin080714.html> and now
Central African Republic
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/ladsous1cargolan092614.html> , it is time for
the question to be asked.
Update: on November 6, Inner City Press asked UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric
about this, video here <
http://youtu.be/UlBOC2tCp40> .
Immediately after the briefing, Inner City Press emailed Dujarric the
cable it had asked about. Watch this site.
Received on Wed Dec 03 2014 - 12:46:54 EST