UN Blind to South Sudan Killings, Mute on Darfur & Kalma Camp Blockade

By Matthew Russell Lee
August 11, 2010
The Inner City Press
http://www.innercitypress.com/dpko5sudan081110.html

UNITED NATIONS, August 11 -- In both Darfur and South Sudan, the UN can barely keep up with events. On August 11 at noon, Inner City Press asked UN spokesman Martin Nesirky about two troubling developments in South Sudan: the killing of 23 people in Unity State, reportedly by forces of renegade colonel Galwak Gai, and South Sudan's capture of a Khartoum bound helicopter full of troops of rebel officer George Athor from Jonglei State. Video here, from Minute 14:16.
Nesirky, as to both, said "Let me find out. What was your other question?" Eight hours later, no information had been "squawked" or added to the transcript. The UN is spending $1 billion a year in South Sudan, and can't even confirm widely reported spoiling by Khartoum, nor the death of 23 people.
Kalma Camp in Darfur remains blockaded by the government. Inner City Press asked Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes, who re-appeared for a flash appeal for Pakistan, what the UN was doing about the enforced starvation. Video here, from Minute 8:14.
Holmes said that fifty to sixty thousands IDPs remain in the camp, now without food or water or fuel for water pumps. He said the UN is raising the issue to the government -- great -- and that Ibrahim Gambari visited the camp. But it has been at least nine days, and as much as 12, since the aid groups got in. Why hasn't the UN spoken out more forcefully?
Regarding Pakistan, Holmes said that while there are areas the UN does not have physical access to, it is trying to ensure aid to all places. Does it work with Islamist charities? The politics do no concern us, he said. Then why not speak out earlier and louder about Sudan's blockade of Kalma Camp?