| UN Human Rights
Office Is Corrupt Inner City
Press Is Told by
Whistleblowers on Turk,
Taylor
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
UN GATE,
Dec 17 – How corrupt and
decrepit has the UN system
become under Antonio Guterres,
in this case due to Guterres?
Today's example is from the
Office of the High Commission
for Human Rights, to which
Guterres appointed his
unqualified crony Volker Turk
more than two years ago.
Turk as a staffer
on Guterres' 38th floor did
nothing when his Boss has the
critical Press roughed up and
thrown out. Some human
righters. Now this, to still
banned Inner City Press, from
whistleblowing staff:
Dear Matthew
Russell Lee, The
situation in the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human
Rights has become the worst in
decades as Volker Turk starts
the second half of his four
years mandate. Turk was
handpicked by SG Antonio
Guterres amidst mistrust by
member states and human rights
activists. Many were concerned
about Turk’s reputation as a
HQ bureaucrat without relevant
experience.
Some of us
believed his initial calls for
a change in OHCHR to make it
more operational. But after
more than 2 years the hope is
gone. Most of the changes have
been in Geneva, including the
creation of a very expensive
analytic hub that is not
needed or an Investigation
branch not approved by member
states- currently headed by a
D1 without approval from the
5th Committee. Turk
spent millions in the
flamboyant celebration of the
75th anniversary of the
Universal Declaration. There
was little return from those 5
to 7 million, no transparency
and accountability. OHCHR ends
Turk’s half term with over 40
million gap and few prospects
to recover (especially after
his hostile display against
Elon Musk and Donald
Trump).
The plans are to
use OHCHR financial reserves
for which there was a
precedent years ago, under
Navi Pillay, which concluded
with dozens of contracts being
cut. It is alarming that the
staff in the Special
Procedures branch will be
merged with those of the
thematic division
(TESPREDD). We are
resisting this.
This is only a
way to mask up the financial
gap and to use earmarked funds
for special procedures to fund
thematic work trying to fool
donors. Worse,
there is a climate of fear for
reprisals. Those of us who
have voiced concerns have been
singled out. Turk does not
manage. He delegates to the
mighty deputy Nada Al Nashif,
totally ruthless.
And in the
untouchable head of
administration Kim Taylor. Kim
Taylor has been for 8
years head of Human Resources,
position which she used to
hire her cronies and her
boyfriend. Kim Taylor’s
performance has been a
constant concern by the staff
in OCHA and OHCHR. A long term
P5 she applied for the post of
head of administration 3 years
ago but failed as she lied in
her PHP (she also lied in her
testimony to UNDT in the case
against whistleblower Emma
Reilly).
Finally Kim
Taylor got her promotion
although she has no experience
in financial matters and there
were more suited applicants.
Few months later the financial
situation is worse than ever
and there is no oversight. The
prospects are gloomy and some
of us are afraid of reprisals
as those who complain are
likely to be the first ones to
be made redundant.
No answers
from Guterres' Melissa Fleming
(including to formal pro bono
letters from the firms of
Quinn Emanuel and Duane
Morris) nor daily from UN
"Spokesperson" Stephane
Dujarric. Keep the info coming
***
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