Inner City Press - UN's Ban Tells Only Some Media of Myanmar Chance, Bad Press Left Behind?

Inner City Press - UN's Ban Tells Only Some Media of Myanmar Chance, Bad Press Left Behind?
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis

UNITED NATIONS, June 28 -- With UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reportedly still undecided if he will stop in Myanmar on his upcoming trip to Japan, Ban's press office has nevertheless quietly selected the journalists who would be allowed to cover his visit with the country's military rulers.

Until now, the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General has informed at least all resident correspondents at the UN of the possibility of a trip, and to apply if they are interested in going.

This time, Ban's office refused to confirm when asked by the Press that he would go to Myanmar, while behind the scenes pre-selecting which journalists would be allowed to accompany him.

Some see this is a reaction to the increasingly negative media coverage Ban has been receiving. As Inner City Press asked Ban during his last press conference, the Economist rated him three out of ten on speaking truth to power.

Specifically raised was his performance in Sri Lanka where, as covered by Inner City Press, Ban smiled as Tamil children detained by the government were made to sing his name. The goal, some surmise, is to try to avoid that kind of coverage in the future.

Even Charlie Rose, television's friendliest interviewer, last week asked Ban about his failing grades. Ban responded by saying that he had saved 500,000 people in Myanmar. Inner City Press asked Ban's Spokesperson Michele Montas where this figure came from. The number of people in need, she said, when Ban last visited Myanmar.

There was another side to Ban's agreement, of course: that Than Shwe's regime took 25% of all aid money by requiring conversion through Foreign Exchange Certificates whose value the government controlled, as exposed by Inner City Press and then others.

With Aung San Suu Kyi being tried for the non-consensual visit of a groupie, facing extended detention, and amid reports that Myanmar is seeking to illegally import weapons from North Korea, Ban's current Myanmar envoy Ibrahim Gambari visited Myanmar in order to provide a briefing to Ban.

African Ambassadors to the UN have told Inner City Press that Ban recent offered by Gambari to replace Rodolphe Adada as envoy in Sudan, calling into question either Ban's or Gambari's commitment to Myanmar.

But the "insides' game" to pre-select the journalists who would be allowed to cover Ban in Myanmar may further call into question this UN's commitment to free press.

Those not informed of the change included not only Inner City Press, but another of the three media organizations which Ban's management chief, spokesperson, speechwriter and Under Secretaries General for public information and legal affairs met about on May 8, with an eye toward legal action and constructive censorship, click here for that story. And watch this site.

Footnote: Some claim that the UN made the list based off those who asked about Myanmar. During Ban's last visit to Myanmar, his Office allowed the Than Shwe regime to blacklist media which the UN had already invited to come. This may be a new stage, in which the UN asks the regime who they would like to come, rather than making all UN correspondents aware of the opportunity.

On June 25, Inner City Press asked Ban's Spokesperson Montas

Inner City Press:On Myanmar, the Government has said that Mr. [Ibrahim] Gambari is in the air and will be there. Can you confirm that? And what is the process, if he is going there... to brief the Secretary-General? Is it determined that the Secretary-General will go?

Spokesperson: The Secretary-General is going to meet with Mr. Gambari, as soon as Mr. Gambari comes to New York, and this is before the Secretary-General takes off for Japan next Monday. So he will be reporting this weekend to the Secretary-General.

Inner City Press: He was on Charlie Rose last night. Is that correct?

Spokesperson: Yes.

Inner City Press: Among other things, I heard him to say in Myanmar, he saved 500,000 people. What’s the basis for that number?

Spokesperson: The basis is the number of people that were in need at the time when he obtained the access for humanitarian workers into Myanmar.