Nya turer i FN om Västsahara, folkomröstning mm

I början av oktober sammanträdde FNs Avkoloniseringskommitté, även kallad Fjärde Kommittén, för att följa upp processen mot frihet/självständighet för de 16  områden som fortfarande är "icke självstyrande". Västsahara är det största av dem.

Uppdraget är att granska Generalsekreterarens rapporter, lyssna på vittnesbörd och petitioner från berörda och utomstående intresserade om resp område, samt att från kommittén lämna en lägesrappport och ge ev förslag till beslut till Genralförsamlingen om varje territorium.

Nyhetssajten Inner City Press  följer närgånget och kritiskt FN-systemets öppna arbete och försöker se vad som sker bakom kulisserna.

Nedan följer rapporterna i "bloggordning", dvs med senaste först.

 

2011

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 On October 21, Inner City Press asked Morocco's foreign minister not only about Western Sahara -- in his response he called it "Moroccan Sahara" -- but also about Palestine, a question he did not answer. When he goes, we will report it. And so it goes at the UN.

 

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At UN, FIDH, Funded by France, Declines to Answer on W. Sahara, Haidar

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 24 -- When the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) held a press conference at the UN on Monday, they said it was sponsored by the French Mission to the UN.

  Inner City Press asked the five person FIDH panel, then, about France's opposition to including any human rights mandate in the UN peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, MINURSO, and about the mistreatment of prominent human rights defender Aminatou Haidar. Videohere, from Minute 42:54.

  The five person panel had nothing to say on this. Only panelist Gerald Staberock even reacted to the question, and then only to say, "on the question of Western Sahara, on the question on Security Council membership, we would like member states to take a look at our report."

  But notably Ms. Haidar, and for example Sidi Ahmed Lamjeid who is imprisoned in Sale and not allowed to be visited, do not appear to be mentioned in the report.

  Mr. Staberock went on to tell Inner City Press that while you mention "Morocco as an example, I think in the last election cycle" there is also Kyrgyzstan. Video here, from Minute 46:11. But Kyrgystan lost, to Pakistan, while Morocco won and will now be on the Security Council.

  Most notably, there was no response at all on the question about France using its Permanent veto wielding seat on the Council to block any human rights mandate for MINURSO, the peacekeeping mission.

  Now Herve Ladsous is the fourth Frenchman in a row to hold the top post in UN Peacekeeping. He was given the post despite most recently serving as chief of staff to French foreign minister Michele Aliot-Marie when she flew on the private plane of cronies of Tunisian dictator Ben Ali. The panelists spoke about Tunisia, but not the French connection.

  From the audience, the second question went to Agence France Presse, which gets 41% of its income from subscriptions from the French foreign ministry, as is being investigated by the EU. The question was in context an open-ended softball for any other "blatant examples" the panels, who had already spoken for 40 minutes, wanted to give. The answer to that was, again not surprisingly, about Algeria.

Panel at UN on Oct 24, response on W. Sahara & Haidar not shown (c) MRLee

  There were mentions of human rights defenders in Belarus and Democratic Republic of Congo; there is certainly work being done. But the failure to even attempt to answer the question about France and its opposition to a human rights monitoring mandate in Western Sahara was a "blatant example," particularly given the FIDH lists France as a supporter, with a link that leads to the French foreign ministry's website where no financing disclosure is made. We hope to have more on this. 

Footnotes: On the critique of human rights defender Tawakkul Karman of the Security Council's passage October 21 of a resolution "on the basis of" the Gulf Cooperation Council's immunity deal with Yemen strongman Ali Saleh, the same Agence France Presse correspondent's report did not even mention France. 

  Meanwhile FIDH issued invitations for a reception Monday night at the "Bubble Lounge" in New York City's TriBeCa - Inner City Press RSVP-ed but did not attend: you have to answer questions first. Watch this site.

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On W. Sahara, EU Finally Speaks, Morocco Dodges Resources, of Kashmir, UK

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 10 -- After a series of ritualized speeches on the topic of Western Sahara, long promised by the UN a referendum on independence which has never taken place, a vague resolution was adopted on Monday, Columbus Day in the US, without a vote.

  One surprise was that the European Union, which did not speak in UN General Assembly committee last week due to a fight about how to identify itself -- as EU, EU and its member states, or member states of the EU -- did make a statement about Western Sahara.

  Another surprise, at least to some, was the countries like Democratic Republic of the Congo broke from the African Union position that Western Sahara should get its referendum. It was later explained that some Francophone members of the AU -- "under pressure from France," a long time AU insider told Inner City Press -- have shifted over to French favorite Morocco.

These countries, it was further explained, will go along and vote for Morocco over AU nominated Mauritania for a seat on the UN Security Council for 2012-13. 

  While Moroccan Permanent Representative Loulichki strutted around the Decolonization Committee meeting room Monday with an entourage of testimony - carriers, Mauritania has been seen, "two diplomats with one cell phone," one observer put it, putting in calls to remind other countries of the AU recommendation.

  During the final pause in the Committee's proceedings for the day, occasioned by a broken voting machine, Inner City Press asked Mauritania's Permanent Representative if it's true Francophone African countries are going with Morocco. 

  "Not all of them," he said hopefully, also asking Inner City Press if it had any polling data. The vote, of course, is anonymous and blind. Money talks.

South Africa's Deputy Permanent Representative Doctor Mashabane devote much of this speech to a call on member states to not engage in illegal exploitation of the natural resources of Western Sahara.

  It was on this topic that Inner City Press last week approached a senior member of the Moroccan delegation to the UN, seek a response to the New York Bar Association's scathing report on Morocco's sell-off of contested resources. Despite insults, no actual response has been been received.

 
Loulichki previously at UN, Monday he called it "Moroccan Sahara"

  Also a big part of the Decolonization Committee's proceedings were critiques of the UK, mostly on the Malvinas Islands (which the UK calls Falklands), but also Turks and Caicos, Monserrat and Gibraltar. After the Western Sahara vote, the UK rose to make its points - then was chided for claiming as "Right of Reply" what was really an "Explanation of Position." Oh.

India and Pakistan traded barbs about Kashmir, perhaps a preview of skirmishes in the Security Council in 2012, when Pakistan is seeking a seat opposed, late in the process, by Kyrgyzstan. Watch this site.

Footnote: In fact the voting never took place on Monday, due to the broken voting machine. (UN sources told Inner City Press that the voting system and the display.) The vote was rescheduled for Tuesday, when the Committee will also discuss... the peaceful uses of outer space. Only at the UN.

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Looting of W. Sahara by Firms from US, UK Slammed, Morocco Ready for SC Seat?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 6 -- While speeches in the UN's Decolonization committee are often predictable, with Venezuela calling out the United States on Puerto Rico and joining other Latin and Caribbean nations on the Malvinas and not Falklands Islands, rarely are the "follow the money" aspects of occupation clearly traced.

  But amid the speeches on Western Sahara on Thursday afternoon, the testimony of Ulysses S. Smith of the New York City Bar stood out. 

  Smith named named, saying that "the Moroccan state oil company ONHYM and US-based Kosmos Energy... purchased a 30% interest in the Boujdour sub-basis within Western Sahara" and also naming "Irish energy firm San Leon Energy PLC... UK-based Longreach Oil & Gas Gvenues" and "Australia-based DVM International" regarding Tarfaya in Western Sahara.

  In the midst of this, the chair cut in to urge Smith to read more slowly to allow interpretation. One wonders where all this testimony goes.

  Moroccan Permanent Representative Mohammed Loulichki buzzed around the conference room and then was gone.

  Seeking a response to the NYC Bar Association report, Inner City Press approached a senior member of Morocco's Mission to the UN, who we will leave nameless. He was dismissive, saying "they're just a petitioner, they can say what they want."  Asked again for a comment for this story, none was provided.

 Polisario's representative noted that "Morocco has requested the support of Member States to win a seat on the Security Council," saying "it is worthy to remember that the Polisario Front and Morocco are the two sides of a conflict that is on the Council's agenda."

Alternative sales of Western Sahara oil & gas, law not shown

  Morocco claims it has more than enough votes to win the seat, despite the African Union endorsing Mauritania, on October 21. Speaker after speaker Thursday afternoon supported the right to self-determination of Western Sahara.

 But will they nevertheless vote Morocco onto the Council?

   A well placed diplomat interviewed by Inner City Press on Thursday afternoon said that Morocco's "arrogance" in the face of criticism by the African Union, Caricom, UNASUR and others of its actions in Western Sahara is reminiscent, to him, of Israel.

  Except, he noted, the Israel Mission to the UN now with Ron Prosor comes and addresses criticism directly, on the record, at the stakeout. "Morocco doesn't," the diplomat said, "they count on France to carry their water in the Security Council."

  The diplomat ended with a question: "Israel couldn't get elected to the Security Council, but Morocco probably will, whatever the countries are saying in the Fourth Committee."

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At UN W. Sahara Delayed for Morocco, Bardem Says It, France, Spain & US Block Referendum

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, October 4 -- The manipulation of the Western Sahara question by Morocco and its Permanent Security Council supporter France was made clear on Tuesday, when the briefing about Western Sahara that was set for before Morocco's contest with Mauritania for a Council seat was moved to five days after the vote.

  As Inner City Press exclusively reported, given how Morocco treats Western Sahara France pushed either to not have an October briefing of the Security Council on the topic, or to have if after the election for 2012-13 Council seats, on October 21.

  Following pushback from South Africa, Gabon, Brazil and October's Council President Nigeria, France acknowledged that the briefing must take place. After publishing news of this French loss, Inner City Press asked France's Ambassador Gerard Araud about the issue. "Of course there must be a briefing," he smirked. As to Morocco's run, he said, "Ask Morocco."

  On October 4, Inner City Press asked incoming Council president Joy Ogwu of Nigeria about the date switch on Western Sahara, and Morocco's candidacy. She replied that the important thing was that the briefing by Ross would take place, and by consensus. Some say, power regrouped itself.

  While the African Union has endorsed Mauritania for the seat, Morocco has been campaigning hard. Now it has gotten pushed back a briefing on the situation in Western Sahara. But this is still a topic in the UN General Assembly's Fourth Committee.

  Javier Bardem appeared Tuesday across from the UN in a press conference. Inner City Press asked him to assess the performance of the UN, including envoy Christopher Ross, and of France.

  Barden said on (shaky) camera, "France and Morocco, Spain and the US are trying to block -- have succeeded for twenty years [in blocking] the referendum... The UN has the obligation to remind on human rights" and "to bring the parties together." Video here.

  He said, "Christopher Ross should be backed up by the allies." We'll see -- watch this site.