On Haiti
Cholera, Inner City Press
Asked UN If Any Victims
Compensated, "Not the
Case"
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Photos
UNITED NATIONS,
May 1 – When Haiti's President
Moises spoke in the UN General
Assembly on the morning of 21
September 2017, he called for
UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres to follow through on
his statements and provide
funding for both tracks of the
so-called New Approach to the
cholera the UN brought to the
island: that is, to pay
reparations. Inner City Press,
which accompanied and covered
the Security Council's trip to
Haiti this year, has
repeatedly asked Guterres'
spokesman Stephane Dujarric to
make the envoy UN envoy on the
issue, Josette Sheeran,
available for questions. It
has not happened. But now on
April 30 Sheeran is quoted
offering some responses -
although none on whether
individuals victims have
received or will receive
anything from the UN, which
brought the cholera. In a
selective email Sheeran said,
"There is still a big funding
gap, and we urgently need $80
million to complete the next
phase of cholera reduction,
and community support." On
April 30, Inner City Press
asked UN spokesman Dujarric,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: on cholera
in Haiti, I've been asking for
some time for [Special Envoy
for Haiti] Josette Sheeran to
come and answer questions but
I see that she has answered
some but not all. What I
wanted to know is, do you have
the number of what percentage
has been… has been raised of
what was at least sought or
promised? And also,
whether any of that at all has
been or will be devoted to
individual…?
Spokesman: I hope to
have to an update for you
tomorrow on that." But the
next day Dujarric didn't even
show up. Inner City Press
asked his deputy Farhan Haq,
UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: Stéphane
yesterday, when I asked him
about the comments of Josette
Sheeran on Haiti cholera,
said, I hope to have something
for you on that
tomorrow. How much money
has, in fact, been
raised? And has any
individual received
compensation?
Deputy Spokesman: Yeah,
there's a website, as you
know, that we update that has
all the details. So I'd
refer you to that.
Inner City Press: But
she… she was asked directly in
the published account whether
any individual has been…
meaning families of victims
who were killed by cholera has
actually received
compensation. I don't…
can you just say yes or no?
Deputy Spokesman: I
don't believe that's the case,
no. But, in terms of the
money, that's available on the
website. All right,
Brenden. Come on up." So
not the case means, nothing
for victims? It is time
for the Q&A press
conference that Inner City
Press has repeatedly
requested. Today's UN is a
scam. On April 3, Inner City
Press asked Dujarric, video here, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: following
the Haiti meeting, early in
March, there was going to be
that fundraising or whatever,
the future of Haiti, including
cholera meeting on the
outskirts of New York City or
in the suburbs. Didn't
happen. Have any st…
what steps have been… have…
given what you said about Mr.
Lacroix talking about things
getting better, have any steps
been taken to reschedule that
meeting? And some have
said that the SRSG [Special
Representative of the
Secretary-General] Susan Page
might either have heard the
word PNG [persona non-grata],
might be PNG'd. Are you
aware of that? What is
her status?
Spokesman: There's been
no change that I can report on
the leadership of MINUJUSTH
[United Nations Mission for
Justice Support in
Haiti]. I know
discussions are ongoing to try
to set up a meeting and we'll
have… regarding the
investments in Haiti.
And, when I have something to
share with you, I shall." By
day's end, nothing. On March
1, Inner City Press found on
the UN Photo website two
photographs of a UN "Haiti
Transformation Retreat" held
in the New York suburbs, with
among others Guterres, Sheeran
and Deputy Secretary General
Amina J. Mohammed. It tweeted
one of the photos and went to
the March 2 UN noon briefing
to ask for a read-out of the
event. Guterres' spokesman
Stephane Dujarric replied that
the event was canceled --
Inner City Press immediately
returned to UN Photo's most
recent shots and the trio and
dinner were gone -- but that
something has gone forward.
Inner City Press asked, Who
was there? Beyond Sarah the
Dutchess of York? Dujarric
declined to give a list. Seems
Haiti's recalling its
ambassador, after Susan Page's
comments, resulted in at least
partial cancellation of the
Haiti Retreat. Now about that
dinner... Here's the UN transcript:
this Haiti transformation
retreat. I've seen some
pictures of the
Secretary-General and the
Deputy, Ms. [Josette]
Sheeran. It wasn't clear
to me who else attended,
whether money was
raised. What was that
about? Spokesman: On
Haiti, there was… you know, we
had… there have been a meeting
scheduled, which I flagged
here earlier… earlier in the
week. As you know, the
Government of Haiti decided…
took a decision not to be
present at the time. As
a result, there was a decision
made to postpone the official
Haiti transformation retreat
until we can determine
together a better time to come
together. There was, as
you saw through visual aid an
informal conversation, on the
28th of February, which the…
in which the Secretary-General
participated. We, of
course, remain as committed as
ever to partnering with the
Government of Haiti in finally
defeating the devastating
eight-year-long epidemic of
cholera and in writing a new
chapter of opportunity and
hope for that country. Inner
City Press: because I see in
the photograph, Sarah
Duchess of York, and it seemed
to be Mr. Ray Chambers.
Is there a way to get a list
of the people, like… it seems
like it was a big meeting.
Spokesman: It's an
informal meeting. I
think once the official
meeting takes place we'll be
able to share more
information. " In early
January 2018, an appeal was
filed in the US Court of
Appeals for the Second Circuit
which argues that the UN has
acknowledged liability. After
reporting the appeal, Inner
City Press on January 5 asked
Guterres' deputy spokesman
Farhan Haq, UN transcript here: Inner
City Press: Question on
Haiti. There's an appeal
has been filed in the Second
Circuit Court of Appeals of
one of the remaining cases
about the UN introducing
cholera into Haiti, and their
argument is that, in various
UN resolutions, the use of the
word "liability" has… the UN
has acknowledged liability of
peacekeeping forces, and so
they are saying "liability"
means actually paying money,
actually having a legal
obligation to pay, rather than
a voluntary trust fund that
may or may not. So I
wanted to know. Number
one, is there a response to
that argument? And
number two, can you provide,
even as to the voluntary trust
fund, can you provide some
update on… on how much is in
it, and when Ms. [Josette]
Sheeran will have a press
conference, given that she did
visit… it was said initially
that she would have one after
she visited Haiti, and I
believe that she did, and
we're now in 2018. Deputy
Spokesman: We're in
touch with her office to see
when she'd be available to do
that. Regarding the
contributions of funds, you
can look at the website
easily, and that's got the
information, but there's
nothing new to say about where
we stand legally on the
position of Haiti. We've
articulated that before. Inner
City Press: So António
Guterres's position is… is
absolutely the same, that
there is no binding liability
of any kind? Deputy
Spokesman: No, you've
heard what the
Secretary-General has had to
say on this and I will leave
it at that. Have a good
afternoon, everyone." Unless
you're dead. The brief, in Laventure
v. United Nations, says,
"Relying primarily on the
Government’s arguments, the
District Court ruled that,
although UN Reports 51/389 and
51/903 expressly assume
liability for damages caused
by its peacekeeping forces,
'both reports contemplate that
claims against the UN would be
resolved by non-judicial
means, including through UN
established standing claims
commissions . . . .” SA-8.
This is wrong for two
reasons. First, such a
conclusion is impossible as a
matter of law, since the UN’s
internal claims processes do
not bind the UN to anything.
Second, the reports do not say
anything close to what the
District Court and the
Government say they do."We'll
have more on this. On November
2, Inner City Press asked
Dujarric, UN transcript here:
Inner City Press: I wanted to
ask about Haiti. I had
seen the Secretary-General's
piece in the Miami Herald, but
I'm assuming you've seen the
Guardian piece which reports
that… first, just as a
question, is it correct, as
the Guardian reports, that…
that none of the permanent
five members of the Security
Council have agreed to the $40
million leave-behind of funds
from the mission to deal with
the cholera that the UN
brought to Haiti? And is
it true, as the Guardian
reports, that the UN Haiti
Cholera [Response]
Multi-Partner… Multi-Partner
Trust Fund, which gathered $2
million, quote, "now lies
almost emptied"? What's…
how much is in there?
How much has been raised and
how does this square with what
he said? Spokesman: I
think what was clear, and what
we've said in terms of funding
the initiatives, we encourage
and we ask Governments to give
whatever balances there were
towards the appeal, leftover
money from the peacekeeping
mission. As far as I
understand it, there was no
formal agreement to just move
over the remnants of what was
left in the mission budget to
the new appeal. You
know, since… if you look back
to 2010, I think the
international community has
spent almost $680 million on…
to combat the spread of
cholera in Haiti. As
we've announced from here, the
Secretary-General's new
approach is… builds on our
recognition to improve our
response and obviously, the
reflection and the regret, as
well as the moral
responsibility, on our
continued commitment to the
elimination of [cholera in]
Haiti. As for the exact
number… the exact cash number
in the Multi-Partner Trust
Fund, we can get you that
figure. We obviously
would like to see it funded at
a greater rate. I think
part of the Deputy
Secretary-General's trip is to
obviously… for her to see
first-hand what has been going
on and to bring attention to
the issue. Inner City Press:
you've spoken for both
previous Secretary-General and
this one. What would you
say to an analysis that says,
in a way, six years of denial
of responsibility results in a
situation where the Member
States now being asked for
money don't feel the urgency
they might have felt earlier
in the process? Do you
see any connection between
that? Spokesman: I think
that's a question to ask
Member States. I think…
you know, we've recognized I
think what went… we've
recognized that things did not
go well, to put it mildly, in
Haiti, our need to do
better. We're sort of
asking for a second chance, I
think, to prove our
worth. I think the
Secretary-General laid out a
pretty detailed plan in terms
of a two-track approach, and
our long-term commitment to
the people of Haiti, and to
bring some solace to those
communities that were the
hardest hit, and as, just as
important, I think, on the
first track to ensure that
Haiti has the health system,
the sanitation system to
ensure that this… that an
outbreak like we've seen in
the past cannot occur again. "
After the briefing, Dujarric's
office provided a link that
seems to show that yes, the
fund is down to $250,000. On
October 5, Inner City Press
asked again. From the UN transcript:
Inner City Press: has to do
with Haiti. I notice
that the Deputy
Secretary-General is meeting
today with Josette Sheeran,
who we've been asking to have
some Q&A about the cholera
issue and also then with Paul
Farmer. So, is the
Deputy Secretary-General the
point person on the response
to the UN and cholera in
Haiti? And, also, is it
possible, given that Ms.
Sheeran is in the building,
that she can at… at… do
a stakeout at some time?
[cross talk] Spokesman:
"I think we'll have… we will
try to have Ms. Sheeran talk
to you maybe after she's able
to do her first visit to
Haiti. Thank you." Back
on September 21, Inner City
Press asked Dujarric, UN
transcript here:
Inner City Press: the General
Assembly, the President of
Haiti, Mr. [Jovenel] Moise,
said in his speech… devoted a
quite a bit of it to the UN
following through on what the
Secretary-General announced
about the new approach, and he
named specifically the two
tracks and said the money
should begin to come. I wanted
to know, can you give any
update on money that actually
has been devoted thus
far? And, number two,
has Josette Sheeran been
operating during this General
Assembly week to try to…
Spokesman: Yes, very
much so. I mean, she’s
been having… I know she’s been
having meetings. She, I
think, will participate in the
meeting of the
Secretary-General with the
Haitian leader. I don’t
think I have an updated figure
for you on the money.
What is clear is that the
money… we’re continually
trying to raise money, but
already the country team has
spent quite a lot of… and
deployed quite a lot of
resources on the issue, even
before this new approach has
been announced. Inner City
Press: Could she do some sort
of a press availability?
Spokesman: I think
she’ll probably do some sort
of a press availability in the
weeks ahead. We'll have more
on this - and on this: back on
September 19, French President
Emmanuel Macron's UN press
conference was set for 1 pm,
the same time as the heads of
state luncheon the Press was
covering. But it must have
started late, because when
Inner City Press after
coverage ran in, Macron was
still holding forth, without a
word on Africa. He began to
take questions, from AFP and
ultimately a French media
which criticized him for
speaking with CNN. Still not a
word on Africa, on which
France jealously "holds the
pen" in the Security Council.
Inner City Press shouted out,
once and then twice,
"Burundi?" But nothing,
rien. Inner City Press has
asked the UN repeatedly about
Cameroon and France's Paul
Biya, and Togo and Gabon. But
Macron was presenting himself
as a player on Syria and Iraq,
even North Korea. Rocket Boy,
one might say. And then it was
over. The day before, when
Italy's Foreign Minister
Angelino Alfano took media
questions at the UN on
September 18, they were all in
Italian except for a final
chosen question about Donald
Trump. Inner City Press
insisted and asked, in
English, if Italy funds
militia in Libya to detain
migrants and refugees.
Alfano's answer was in
Italian, but a handler from
the Italian Mission offered a
translation: that Italy has
denied it. So what due
diligence does Italy do, over
the funds it gives to the
UN-propped up government in
Libya? We'll have more on
this. Alamy photos here.
When US President Donald Trump
gave his UN reform speech on
September 18, he noted that UN
staff have doubled since 2000,
but we haven't seen the
results. He could have said
more: what HAS been seen
includes inaction on mass
killings in Sri Lanka and
Yemen, Myanmar and Cameroon.
Not mentioned in Secretary
General Antonio Guterres'
speech, nor in his answers the
two times Inner City Press has
asked him, is the UN bribery
guilty verdicts in the case of
Ng Lap Seng / John Ashe. The
UN was shown, only this
summer, to be for sale. And
nothing has changed. As UN
General Assembly week started
up on Sunday, the US announced
that Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson would meet with his
Russian counterpart Sergey
Lavrov at 9 pm, at Russia's
Mission to the UN. Inner City
Press after asking Cote
d'Ivoire president Alassane
Ouattara a question about
Myanmar - without answer -
biked up to that Mission on
67th Street. There in the half
light were dozens of reporters
and photographers, waiting for
Tillerson to leave. In the
street were US body guards
with machine guns. Tillerson
emerged and said nothing,
driving away. Video here.
Most of the Western wire
service correspondents, one a
photographer who'd been at the
UN photo op with Ouattara but
not the stakeout with Ivorian
media, turned and left. Then
the spokesman for Lavrov, and
before him for now deceased
Ambassador Vitaly Churkin,
emerged and briefed in Russia.
Inner City Press was informed
second hard that she said the
topics had been Syria, Ukraine
and Minsk implementation, and
“North Africa.” Later the US
State Department said, “U.S.
Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson and Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov met
this evening in New York on
the sidelines of the United
Nations General Assembly. The
two recommitted to
deconflicting military
operations in Syria, reducing
the violence, and creating the
conditions for the Geneva
process to move forward,
pursuant to United Nations
Security Council Resolution
2254.” So what about North
Africa? Peacekeepers in
Ukraine? Watch this site.
***
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