ckaihatsu
15th September 2016, 17:01
UN Cover-Up of Cholera Responsibility Continues: Reparations Now! UN MINUSTAH Troops Out of Haiti Now!
Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee
Box 7631
New York, NY 10031
<[email protected]> and <[email protected]>
Tels.: 646-657-7207 and 415-216-5346
--------------------
U.N.'s Admission of "Role in Cholera Epidemic in Haiti" Not Good Enough!
* The U.N. is Responsible: Reparations to All the Victims' Families Now!
* All U.S. / U.N. MINUSTAH Troops Out of Haiti Now!
On August 17, the New York Times ran an article to report what the entire nation of Haiti and millions of people the world over already knew, that is, that the United Nations, to quote the Times, "played a role in the initial outbreak of cholera in Haiti and that a 'significant new set of U.N. actions' will be needed to respond to the crisis."
This was the first time since the cholera epidemic began killing Haitians nearly six years ago, that the United Nations has acknowledged the UN's role in the outbreak of the epidemic. But the admission by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stops short of saying, the Times article continues, "that the United Nations specifically caused the epidemic. Nor does it indicate a change in the organization's legal position that it is absolutely immune from legal actions, including a federal lawsuit brought in the United States on behalf of cholera victims seeking billions in damages stemming from the Haiti crisis."
In a word, the cover-up continues.
Yes, the US-UN MINUSTAH troops were directly responsible for introducing the cholera epidemic into Haiti[1] -- and yes, they must pay reparations to the families of the cholera victims and to all the Haitians who are victims of violations to their human rights.[2]
We, the undersigned conveners of the New York-based Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee, have been campaigning for close to a decade to demand the immediate withdrawal of ALL U.N. occupation troops from Haiti, the cancellation of Haiti's foreign debt, the reimbursement of the money that was extorted at Haiti's independence, and reparations for the families of the cholera victims. We have helped to organize multiple international delegations to the U.N. to press for these demands.[3]
Together with the people of Haiti we say the following: The U.N.'s belated "admission of their role" is not good enough. The U.N. is directly responsible for the outbreak of the cholera. It must pay the billions of dollars demanded in the lawsuits. And, most important, all MINUSTAH troops must get of Haiti NOW, so that full sovereignty and democracy can finally be restored to this proud nation of Dessalines and Toussaint!
We invite all supporters of democratic and human rights to endorse these demands and to support a delegation to the United Nations to deliver these demands to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.[4] Please contact us if you are interested in helping out.
Financial donations are also needed urgently to fund our activities. Send us (to our address listed above) your tax-exempt contribution, care of our fiduciary sponsor: the Interreligious Foundation of Community Organizations. Make your check payable to IFCO, with GHT written on Memo Line, bottom left hand corner of your check.
We thank you in advance for your support,
Colia Clark and Alan Benjamin
Co-Conveners
Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee
* * * * * * * * * *
ENDNOTES
[1] On November 3, 2011, attorneys representing "over 5,000 individual claimants [in Haiti] who died or were injured from cholera" filed a petition for relief against MINUSTAH, citing that the "cholera outbreak is directly attributable to the negligence, gross negligence, recklessness and deliberate indifference for the health and lives of Haiti's citizens by the United Nations Š and its subsidiary, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ('MINUSTAH')."
The petitioners' demands were clear: effective remedy, a fair and impartial hearing, redress in the form of the UN's commitment to prevent the further spread of cholera in Haiti. They sought funds for comprehensive sanitation, potable water, and medical treatment to protect the health and lives of Haitians. And they demanded a public acknowledgment by the UN and MINUSTAH of responsibility for the cholera outbreak. (REFERENCE: Bureau des Avocats Internationaux/Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. Petition for Relief, November 3, 2011. http://ijdh.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/englishpetitionREDACTED.pdf)
The initial response came on November 8, at a press conference by Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general. "The Secretary-General has taken this matter very seriously from the outset" but the UN-appointed "panel of independent scientific experts" had determined it was not possible to be conclusive about how cholera was introduced into Haiti." As reporters persisted, Nesirky reiterated the argument that "the Haiti cholera outbreak was caused by the confluence of circumstances as described in the report, and was not the fault or deliberate action of a group or individual person." (REFERENCE: Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-Genera. "Highlights of the Noon Briefing" by Martin Nesirsky. November 8, 2011. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=8+November+201 1)
The "independent" panel of experts to which Nesirky referred had been convened as part of the cover-up.
[2] An article published in Haiti-Liberté (issue of August 24-30, 2016) titled, "As Appeals Court Upholds "Immunity" Plea: New Internal Report Slams UN Cholera Cover-Up" examines in much greater detail the UN cover-up. See Attachment No. 1 for full article.
[3] On three separate occasions (October 2010, October 2012, and October 2013), the Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee, together with New York-based Haiti Liberté newspaper, hosted broad-based international delegations to the UN headquarters, where they presented these demands to representatives of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
[4] Haiti Liberté newspaper has joined the international call to bring the assassins of MOLEGHAF activist Davidtchen Siméon to justice. We urge all our supporters to support this call for justice. See Attachment No. 2 for full text of this Appeal.
2 Attachments
Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee
Box 7631
New York, NY 10031
<[email protected]> and <[email protected]>
Tels.: 646-657-7207 and 415-216-5346
--------------------
U.N.'s Admission of "Role in Cholera Epidemic in Haiti" Not Good Enough!
* The U.N. is Responsible: Reparations to All the Victims' Families Now!
* All U.S. / U.N. MINUSTAH Troops Out of Haiti Now!
On August 17, the New York Times ran an article to report what the entire nation of Haiti and millions of people the world over already knew, that is, that the United Nations, to quote the Times, "played a role in the initial outbreak of cholera in Haiti and that a 'significant new set of U.N. actions' will be needed to respond to the crisis."
This was the first time since the cholera epidemic began killing Haitians nearly six years ago, that the United Nations has acknowledged the UN's role in the outbreak of the epidemic. But the admission by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stops short of saying, the Times article continues, "that the United Nations specifically caused the epidemic. Nor does it indicate a change in the organization's legal position that it is absolutely immune from legal actions, including a federal lawsuit brought in the United States on behalf of cholera victims seeking billions in damages stemming from the Haiti crisis."
In a word, the cover-up continues.
Yes, the US-UN MINUSTAH troops were directly responsible for introducing the cholera epidemic into Haiti[1] -- and yes, they must pay reparations to the families of the cholera victims and to all the Haitians who are victims of violations to their human rights.[2]
We, the undersigned conveners of the New York-based Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee, have been campaigning for close to a decade to demand the immediate withdrawal of ALL U.N. occupation troops from Haiti, the cancellation of Haiti's foreign debt, the reimbursement of the money that was extorted at Haiti's independence, and reparations for the families of the cholera victims. We have helped to organize multiple international delegations to the U.N. to press for these demands.[3]
Together with the people of Haiti we say the following: The U.N.'s belated "admission of their role" is not good enough. The U.N. is directly responsible for the outbreak of the cholera. It must pay the billions of dollars demanded in the lawsuits. And, most important, all MINUSTAH troops must get of Haiti NOW, so that full sovereignty and democracy can finally be restored to this proud nation of Dessalines and Toussaint!
We invite all supporters of democratic and human rights to endorse these demands and to support a delegation to the United Nations to deliver these demands to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.[4] Please contact us if you are interested in helping out.
Financial donations are also needed urgently to fund our activities. Send us (to our address listed above) your tax-exempt contribution, care of our fiduciary sponsor: the Interreligious Foundation of Community Organizations. Make your check payable to IFCO, with GHT written on Memo Line, bottom left hand corner of your check.
We thank you in advance for your support,
Colia Clark and Alan Benjamin
Co-Conveners
Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee
* * * * * * * * * *
ENDNOTES
[1] On November 3, 2011, attorneys representing "over 5,000 individual claimants [in Haiti] who died or were injured from cholera" filed a petition for relief against MINUSTAH, citing that the "cholera outbreak is directly attributable to the negligence, gross negligence, recklessness and deliberate indifference for the health and lives of Haiti's citizens by the United Nations Š and its subsidiary, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ('MINUSTAH')."
The petitioners' demands were clear: effective remedy, a fair and impartial hearing, redress in the form of the UN's commitment to prevent the further spread of cholera in Haiti. They sought funds for comprehensive sanitation, potable water, and medical treatment to protect the health and lives of Haitians. And they demanded a public acknowledgment by the UN and MINUSTAH of responsibility for the cholera outbreak. (REFERENCE: Bureau des Avocats Internationaux/Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. Petition for Relief, November 3, 2011. http://ijdh.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/englishpetitionREDACTED.pdf)
The initial response came on November 8, at a press conference by Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general. "The Secretary-General has taken this matter very seriously from the outset" but the UN-appointed "panel of independent scientific experts" had determined it was not possible to be conclusive about how cholera was introduced into Haiti." As reporters persisted, Nesirky reiterated the argument that "the Haiti cholera outbreak was caused by the confluence of circumstances as described in the report, and was not the fault or deliberate action of a group or individual person." (REFERENCE: Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-Genera. "Highlights of the Noon Briefing" by Martin Nesirsky. November 8, 2011. https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=8+November+201 1)
The "independent" panel of experts to which Nesirky referred had been convened as part of the cover-up.
[2] An article published in Haiti-Liberté (issue of August 24-30, 2016) titled, "As Appeals Court Upholds "Immunity" Plea: New Internal Report Slams UN Cholera Cover-Up" examines in much greater detail the UN cover-up. See Attachment No. 1 for full article.
[3] On three separate occasions (October 2010, October 2012, and October 2013), the Haiti-Guadeloupe Campaign Committee, together with New York-based Haiti Liberté newspaper, hosted broad-based international delegations to the UN headquarters, where they presented these demands to representatives of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
[4] Haiti Liberté newspaper has joined the international call to bring the assassins of MOLEGHAF activist Davidtchen Siméon to justice. We urge all our supporters to support this call for justice. See Attachment No. 2 for full text of this Appeal.
2 Attachments