Bonnie and Clyde of UN
Posted on November 9th, 2009
Mahinda Weerasinghe Author of: Mission to Oslo
On August 20th 2009, Mona Juul, The Norway’s deputy ambassador to UN, fired the first salvo to dismantle Ban Ki-moonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reputation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Juul described Ban — the South Korean foreign minister elected secretary-general in 2007 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as a “spineless,” “charmless,” and helplessly, “incapable” of setting an agenda.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Going by MonaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s diatribe, one is bound to assume that, she owns all such leadership attributes, which Ban evidently lacked.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/08/21/the_mona_juul_memo
We were oriented of such handicaps, through a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”supposedlyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ leak of a confidential memo, Juul has ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”authoredƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to her bosses in the foreign office. The Norwegian foreign Minster Jonas Gahr StƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸re, regretted the leak, and declared that the memo was a confidential report to his ministry rather than a public statement by Norway’s government.
Not surprisingly, there were also counter leaks from Moon’s camp. These revealed that Juul and RƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸d Lasen were eyeing to bag assistant secretary general posts in the UN, which the SG has summarily blocked.
http://www.innercitypress.com/ban6norway083109.html
As the bickering intensified, the assault on the SG did not die down or dissipate. A closer evaluation makes it apparent that there was nothing accidental about the leak. It been a deliberate thrust to discredit Moon and bring him down from the powerful SG post.
JuulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s accusations of Moon were somewhat obscure. She picks on Moon’s failed visit to Myanmar and declares that; ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Burma is a shining example. There was no shortage of warnings that the Secretary-General should not go at this time.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦After a seemingly fruitless visit by the Secretary-General, the UNƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-good officesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ will be made even more difficult. Special Envoy Gambari will have major problems after ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the top manƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ has failed and the generals in Yangon no longer want to meet with him.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
She points, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”In other ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-crises areasƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ such as Darfur, Somalia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and not least the Congo, the Secretary-GeneralƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s appeals, often irresolute and lacking in dedication, seem to fall on deaf ears.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/199/40821.html
Yet it is how Lanka outmanoeuvred Ban Ki-moon that roused her indignation, for it also exposed Norway’s integrity and skills at “peace facilitating”. She writes: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Another example of weak handling by the Secretary-General is the war in Sri Lanka. The Secretary-General was a powerless observer to thousands of civilians losing their lives and becoming displaced from their homes. The authorities in Colombo refused to see the Secretary-General while the war was ongoing, but he was heartily invited ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and accepted an invitation ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as soon as the war was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Even though the UNƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s humanitarian effort has been active and honest enough, the moral voice and authority of the Secretary-General has been missing.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢
But the fact remains that, SG does not possess any powers to interfere in the internal affairs of member states. After the dismal failure of the internationally recognized ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace facilitator” Erik Solheim, who played footsy with the Tamil Tigers, the Norwegian Foreign office, was tactically pressing for an international intervention in order to prop up the “the deadliest terrorist”, Velupillai Prabhakaran. But Ban abstained from swallowing that bait. Especially as UD (by 2009 May) found itself impotent to assist its terrorists friends, for while it was pressing for a moratorium, the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rebelsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ were being decimated in heaps.
Fortunately, saner counsel prevailed with China and Russia stepping in to block any intervention attempts and stop the war on terror.
http://fastuntoaction.wordpress.com/2009/09/11/ban-ki-moons-connection-to-rajapakse/
Now the battle to oust Ban Ki Moon as Secretary General is well under way, and in certain quarters in Washington, Ban is referred to as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”one term SGƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
Proportionately Mona Juul and her husband Terje RƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸ed-LarsenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s influence is, swelling in the UN. This in spite of the fact that UD had failed in the Middle East, failed in Sri Lanka and now they are meddling in Philippines with no hope of succeeding their either. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s why, the Norwegian Foreign office bureaucrats have had take an unpalatable choice. If they are to continue the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace industryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ efforts, then they must first get rid of Ban ki-moon from the prestigious SGƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s pedestal.
Mona Juul first propelled into limelight with the missing ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Oslo accordsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. She was in charge of the foreign office archives at the time. The Accords was ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”supposedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to be a milestone in the Palestinian – Israeli conflict. It was the first direct, face-to-face powwow between Israel and the political representatives of Palestinians. The Accords were wrapped-up in Oslo (on 20th August 1993), and officially signed at a public ceremony in Washington D.C. on 13 September 1993.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then in 2001, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned Waage, a historian, to produce an official, comprehensive history of the Norwegian-mediated back channel negotiations. Waage discovered to her horror that “not a single scrap of paper for the entire period”, were to be found.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Oddly enough, it was Terje RƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸d-Larsen and Mona Juul, the husband and wife duo, who were the facilitators during those very ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”behind the sceneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ negotiations.
The mystery of the missing files thickens as investigators probed even deeper. The retired head of The National Archival Services John Herstad, was furious that RƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸d-Larsen wouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t release his own copies of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”accordsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2283350.ece
Disappeared files never resurfaced. This issue dominated the Nosk media for almost a year. Neutral observers may make an educated guess as to, who had the motive and the opportunity to make these ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”accordsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ vanish! Though Ban was being accused of being ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ineptƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ as the SG, no such important papers went ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”missingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ under his watch.
Next we meet Juul, occupying the Norwegian AmbassadorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s seat in Israel.
The New York Sun (May 2, 2002) revealed a significant connection between the Israelis and the Juul and Larsen. In an editorial titled “The Norwegian Problem” the New York Sun states: “The Israeli weekend newspaper Makor Rishon discovered that Mr. Larsen and his wife, Mona Juul, received (in 1999) a $100,000 “prize” from the Peres Center. The money was split evenly between Mr. Larsen and his wife, who is Norway’s ambassador to Israel. Neither he nor his wife reported the gift to the Norwegian government, leading to a swift decision announced yesterday by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry to reprimand Ms. JuulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
The bizarre event about the sordid episode is; the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”prizeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ money being initially a part of the money UD transferred to the Peres Centre. It tells us volumes!
http://www.israelbehindthenews.com/bin/content.cgi?ID=1446&q=1
At this point in history, that guy with values, Kjell Magne Bondevik (IncumbentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prime Minister) barges in, to gives Juul a helping hand, and white wash her tainted name. This was executed through his Foreign Minister, Jan Petersen. Now Petersen is a babe in the wood as far as this great game is concerned. He was used usually as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”running boyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by KellƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s for his dirty work. For example, Bondevik pressured Petersen to go to the Sri Lankan bush, and greet the biggest murderer since Pol Pot: the LTTE terror boss Prabhakaran. This murderer of Rajiv Gandhi was gunned down in the Nanthi Kadal lagoon in May 2009. Frustrated by their failure to keep Prabhakaran alive, they have now turned their guns on Ban ki Moon. Such ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”shoot-from-the-hipƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ tactics of the husband and wife team has earned them the dubious title of being the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Bonnie & ClydeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of UN.
UD financed LTTE terror has brought suffering to untold millions and worse, death and destruction to thousands in Lanka. Indeed by 2005 we find UD ready to deliver the final assault on SLƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereignty.
But how does this onslaught on Ban Ki-MoonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reputation, UD promoted peace industry, Sri Lanka and its successful war on terror, dicey characters such as Kjell Magne Bondevik, Terje RƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¸d-Larsen, Mona Juul, and indeed some of the Nobel peace laureates, coupled to this slippery tale.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
In fact if we were to drag UD on to the centre stage, and decipher its covert march on power, its objectives can be made blatantly apparent.
Norwegian Foreign office has charted out a game plan as how to snatch mastery and gain influence over the backward third world nations. This while keeping them embroiled in a campaign of sustained terror. In order to implement same, they have invested heavily in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace industryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. The UD bureaucrats dispatch their friends, relations and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hangers onƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to the four corners of the earth, in order to facilitate peace. Part of that process calls for corrupting officials and disrupting democratic processes of such nations. Naturally these operations are carried out under a garb of, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace facilitationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
In time such conflicts has evolved as peace industryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”bread and butterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. But then with the eradication of terror in Sri Lankan, the world learned that; no conflicts means, these weak nations could avoid exposing their internal affairs to external neo colonial forces. Which logically follows that, no jobs openings for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peacenik hangers onƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢? ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the reason such conflicts must be kept on the boil, and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”managedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ but never resolved. In such way, these nations can be made to dance to UDƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tune.
Then in 2005 Mahinda Rajapakse became the president of Lanka. He had perceived UDƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s subtle game plan all along, and acted accordingly. He cleared each and every hurdle placed in his path, while giving UD a run for its money. As Mahinda did not crave into external pressure; by 2009 May, GOSL had decisively annihilated LTTE terrorists.
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2009/10/09/sri-lanka-president-surprised-whole-world
No more suicide bombers in Lanka. No more blasting of busses with innocent passengers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No more negotiations with terrorist. No more high-flying job opportunities to incompetent ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peaceniks” in the Island. In fact, no more spending millions of Norwegian Tax payerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s money to bring peace to Lanka.
This eradication of terror was a death blow to the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace IndustryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. This method of dealing with terrorists would curb their hold on poor nations, and impede their march on power. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s why UD is adamant to punish Sri Lanka; for it did what they believed to be an impossible task, eradicating of terror in the country!
So where does all this logic lead us to?
Knowledge of UDƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s botched adventure in Lanka would soon seep down to the Norwegian man on the street. Norwegian parliament would be wise to set up a commission to investigate UDƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s catastrophic, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace-facilitationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ role. If such a commission were to follow the money trail, they would rapidly uncover the artful game that UD had been playing. It certainly would save a lot of Norwegian tax payerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s money!
Note the abbreviations
UN ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” United Nations
SL ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri Lanka
GOSL ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Government of Sri Lanka
UD ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Norwegian Foreign Office
SC ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Secretary General of United Nations
Mahinda Weerasinghe Author of: Mission to Oslo
10-11-2009