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Eveline Herfkens Commits the Perfect Crime, No UN
Answer on Robert Serry's Housing
Byline:
Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at
the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS,
May 28 -- As the Dutch government demands repayment from
Eveline Herfkens, who took $280,000 from the government while
ostensibly
working only as UN Millennium Campaign coordinator, Ms. Herfkens is
staking out
a position as the committer of the perfect crime. To the Dutch she has
said
that she broke only UN rules, not Dutch rules, and so she won't pay
back a
penny. "This is a case between me
and the UN," Herfkens has said.
So
Inner
City Press asked UN Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe on Wednesday at
noon,
what's the UN position if somebody works for the UN and takes money
from a Government?
Ms.
Okabe answered, "this is a United Nations Development Program matter
and
UNDP, as you know, Stephane Dujarric, is willing to take any questions
on this
matter."
Inner
City Press followed up, "The only reason I'm asking you
is because her quote was 'it's a matter between me and the UN.'
She didn’t say UNDP; she said
'me and
the UN.'" Video here.
Ms.
Okabe repeated, "I'm referring your questions to UNDP."
But
seven hours later, UNDP's answer was in fact a non-answer:
"The statement posted
earlier this week is clear on what the investigation found. I don't
want to get
into a he/said she/said with Ms. Herfkins. The funds in questions came
from the
Dutch government and not the United Nations. Those specific issues need
to be
worked out by those parties."
So Herfkens tells the Dutch she will not return the
improperly received
money, because "it is between me and the UN." But then the UN says it
is between Herfkens and the Dutch. As it stands, it is the perfect
crime.
People have gone to jail for less...
Robert Serry at UN on May 28, while
Spokesperson's office provided no update
Another Dutch UN official receiving housing from the
government, Middle
East envoy Robert Serry, spoke to the Security Council on Wednesday. In the morning, Inner City Press asked UN
Deputy Spokesperson Okabe
"Can
you
please provide an update, regarding this morning's briefer Robert
Serry, to
your March 5 response that 'an arrangement is being made to enable
Mr. Serry to
reimburse the Dutch government of the fair and reasonable monthly rent
value
for the period between 1 January through
30 June 2008.' Was the arrangement made? What is it? Is it still
ongoing?
Also, still no answers at all to the questions asked of OLA, below. And
any Alicia
Barcena-briefing update?"
More than 12 hours later, no response has been
given. Watch this site.
* * *
These reports are
usually also available through Google
News and on Lexis-Nexis.
Click
here for a Reuters
AlertNet piece by this correspondent
about Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army. Click
here
for an earlier Reuters AlertNet piece about the Somali National
Reconciliation Congress, and the UN's $200,000 contribution from an
undefined trust fund. Video
Analysis here
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