[governance] FW: UN Blasted for Sequestering NGOs and Media

[michael gurstein]

This may be relevant.

M

-----Original Message-----
From: moderator at PORTSIDE.ORG [mailto:moderator at PORTSIDE.ORG] 
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 1:23 PM
To: PORTSIDE at LISTS.PORTSIDE.ORG
Subject: UN Blasted for Sequestering NGOs and Media


UN Blasted for Sequestering NGOs and Media
by Thalif Deen
Inter-Press Service
April 16, 2010 
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=51080

UNITED NATIONS - A major structural renovation of the
U.N. Secretariat is being used as a pretext to curb
media access to delegates and Security Council members,
and is also a veritable smokescreen to tighten
restrictions on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) accredited to the
world body, critics say. "It's absolutely scandalous," says Jim Paul,
executive director of the New York-based Global Policy Forum, which provides
intense coverage of U.N. activities in its widely-accessed website.

The Capital Master Plan (CMP), a five-year U.N.
restructuring project costing about 1.9 billion dollars
with a 2013 deadline, is apparently the primary excuse
to restrict the physical movement of NGO representatives
in the U.N. building, he said.

"The United Nations appears to be getting progressively
more hostile to NGOs - and member states appear to be
behind this trend," Paul told IPS.

Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who had a love-hate relationship with
NGOs, once described them as "indispensable partners of the United Nations"
and "the conscience of the world".

But his administration also had occasional battles with
NGOs whose presence in the U.N. building, particularly
during summit meetings and General Assembly sessions,
was restricted on security grounds.

But the current situation is the worst because "it is 10
times more difficult", complained Paul, who is a member
of a new 'NGO Working Group on U.N. Access'.

The NGO complaint follows a strong protest by the U.N. Correspondents'
Association (UNCA) which recently faulted the world body for new
restrictions imposed on press access to delegates and members of the
Security Council.

Asked for an update, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters Friday: "I
think you should ask the President of the Security Council what the
arrangements (for press
access) are."

"It is not for me to second guess what the Security
Council is doing. I am not going to pre-judge," he
added.

Meanwhile, in a hard-hitting letter to Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon, the Working Group says that NGOs "are
amongst the closest partners of the United Nations -
sharing the vision and promoting the goals and ideals on
which the United Nations was established."

But "we (are) compelled to write to you at this time in
light of a number of obstacles restricting NGO access to
the United Nations at different levels."

"Some of the restrictions are structural and related to
the renovations, while others, of greater concern,
reflect the political mood prevalent today," the letter complains. "We are
particularly concerned that the temporary arrangements, as part of the
Capital Master Plan, are creating additional access problems and
significantly reducing space for NGO participation."

Currently, over 3,000 NGOs are recognised and provided "consultative status"
with the U.N.'s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Additionally, over 2,000 NGOs are recognised and
accredited to the world body by the U.N.'s Department of
Public Information.

The new NGO Working Group, which is fighting for the
rights of NGOs, includes the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)
in Consultative Relationship with the U.N.,
International Service for Human Rights, World Federalist Movement -
Institute for Global Policy, Baha'i International Community and Global
Policy Forum.

The NGO letter also said: "It is widely acknowledged
that in today's increasingly interdependent world,
deliberation on issues of global concern - development, security and human
rights - requires a closer participation of NGOs than ever before."

"We therefore believe that it is imperative for the
United Nations to explore ways and means to expand and
render more meaningful the access of NGOs to the
Organisation, and its negotiation and decision-making processes," the letter
adds.

The Working Group has also asked the secretary-general
to assign an individual at a senior level within the
executive office to serve as a liaison to the NGO
community.

Under Annan, the Assistant Secretary-General for
External Relations Gillian Martin Sorensen was the
coordinator of NGOs.

In this role, Sorensen "played a significant role in
engaging with and assisting NGOs, by organising regular meetings to discuss
matters of concern," the letter adds.

In his response, Ban sent a letter pointing out that
despite careful planning, "significant challenges remain
from the current stage of the implementation of the
Capital Master Plan."

"Indeed, the situation is difficult, not only for NGOs
but also for member states and the Secretariat," he
wrote.

The secretary-general also said that he has directed all departments
concerned "to seek sound and coordinated solutions to providing access to as
many NGOs as possible, within the security and safety requirements."

Paul dismissed Ban's letter as an "empty, say-nothing" response.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the secretary-general and to
the president of the Security Council, UNCA President
Giampaolo Pioli expressed "serious concern" about
proposed restrictions on press access to Council members outside their new
meeting area.

Any attempt to use the move and/or safety concerns as a
pretext to institute unprecedented and unnecessary
limitations on press access to the delegations is
unacceptable to UNCA members since it would further
reduce the transparency of the most powerful body within
the United Nations, Pioli said.

"It is ironic that the very Security Council whose
members have jointly and individually criticised
governments around the world for not allowing a free
press to operate in their countries have suddenly gotten
into the business of curtailing a free press at U.N. headquarters," he
added. 

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