Amid
UN Speeches on
Rule of Law,
Impunity on
Haiti Cholera,
No Content
Neutral
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
September 24
-- An irony of
Monday's
series of
speeches at
the UN on the
"Rule of Law"
is that the UN
puts itself
above the law.
Not only
does it cite
technical
immunity but
it is
resistant even
to the
faux
justice system
set up under
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon.
In the
big picture,
the UN has
refused to
answer
detailed
allegations
that its
peacekeepers
introduced
cholera into
Haiti, killing
thousands. A
legal claim
filed with its
MINUSTAH
mission
remains
pending in New
York before
Ban's top
lawyer
Patricia
O'Brien, who
refuses to
take questions
from the
Press.
Even
when the UN
Dispute
Tribunal
rules against
high UN
officials, Ban
immediately
appeals; his
spokesperson's
office has
repeatedly
refused to
answer Inner
City Press
questions
about whether
Under
Secretary
General Shaban
Shaban ever
paid the fine
he was ordered
to pay for
mistreating a
staff member.
On
Friday,
September 21,
the last
"normal" UN
day before
today's
high-security
circus with
speeches on
not only the
Rule of Law
but also
ironically
Haiti and the
UN Development
Program, Inner
City Press
asked the
chief of Ban's
"Rule of Law"
office Edric
Selous if
beyond
preaching what
countries
should do, Ban
acknowledged
the
need for more
rule of law
within the UN
itself. Video
here.
Sure,
he said
generally. But
what about
the Haiti
cholera claim?
What about the
UN Dispute
Tribunal
rulings? What
about having
the most basic,
content-neutral
rules?
Maybe the
speeches will
address these.
Maybe, but not
likely. Watch
this site.
, 
