Sudan Blocks UN Peacekeeping Mission's E-mail Access, UN Remains Silent
By Matthew Russell Lee 
February 8, 2008
The Inner City Press 
Original Source: http://www.innercitypress.com/un1unmis020808.html
UNITED NATIONS, February 8 -- Sudan's National Telecommunication Corporation began last week blocking e-mail access for United Nations staff of the UN Mission in Sudan. Why the UN has allowed the Sudanese government to run the UNMIS website is unclear, although http://www.innercitypress.com/gadarfur123107.html Inner City Press' sources in Sudan note that UNMIS is unique in allowing even coded cables to be handled by national staff. A Permanent Five Security Council member diplomat interviewed Friday by Inner City Press calls Sudan's web-mail blocking an outrage, and questions why the UN is given such censorship and monitoring power to the al-Bashir government. 
            As of the evening of February 8, UN staff who attempted to access their e-mail through http://webmail.unmis.org webmail.unmis.org were informed that Sorry , this page has been blocked by National Telecommunication Corporation... If you want to block other sites please click here... Please visit www.ntc.org.sd or send your comment and suggestions to filtering@ntc.org.sd. Click http://webmail.unmis.org here to view the site, click http://www.innercitypress.com/unmisnntc020808.html here for cached version in case changed.

UNMIS computer room - no more e-mail address
            In other UN peacekeeping missions, the internet servers are controlled by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Why, in Sudan, is the government given control over Internet communications? To the blocked UNMIS staff, it seems similar to the UN granting Sudan the right to veto particular troop contributing countries. The UN's silence in the face of censorship seems similar to the UN's failure to loudly call for the execution of the International Criminal Court warrants for war criminals in Sudan, including recently granted a high government position.
            A recent Congressional inquiry into the UN Development Program's operations in Kim Jong-il's North Korean found that UNDP did nothing while http://www.innercitypress.com/sen1usundp012308.html UN officials' homes were searched by the government, and all communications monitored. A UNDP whistleblower has to travel outside of North Korea to even file a complaint with headquarters. Now in the UN's Mission in Sudan, even e-mail access is blocked. And what will the UN do about it? If the recent past is any guide, nothing. Watch this site.