By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 29 -- Asked about widening calls in Haiti for the UN to leave the country, Deputy Special Representative Nigel Fisher on Tuesday said these are "within Haitian media and certain political and economic elites." Video here, from Minute 23:28.
Fisher said that only 30% of Port au Prince residents want the UN to leave -- that's a pretty big "elite" or at least a large press corps -- while 70% don't want the UN to leave right away.
Inner City Press asked about accountability for sexual abuse. Fisher said for peacekeepers, that is up to the Troop Contributing Countries. Video here, from Minute 17:00.
But Sri Lanka, for example, repatriated many of its soldiers from Haiti after charges of sexual abuse or exploitation, without even reporting any prosecution back in Sri Lanka. As Inner City Press noted, the Urugayans have done more. But even so, what about reparations?
Fisher refused to address the UN bringing cholera to Haiti, saying that "claim has been transferred to New York." Ironically, the filing of a claim is now the UN's pretext rebuff any questions about its own behavior.
Inner City Press asked Fisher, as it previously asked the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, about investigative reports that of the 250 people repatriated to Haiti by the US Obama Administration this year, half are in jail without charge, and exposed to cholera. Video here, from Minute 24:07.
"I personally am not aware," Fisher said. When Inner City Press asked the question at a UN noon briefing, it was said an answer would be sought from the MINUSTAH mission. But MINUSTAH seems not to know of the question, or even of the underlying issue. (Meanwhile, there is a pending Inter-American Commission on Human Rights case on the issue -- perhaps another excuse for the UN not to respond.)
Niger Fisher Nov 29: Haitian media & elites want UN out. (c) MRLee
Overall Fisher was defensive on Tuesday, taking issue with negative reporting. Strangely, his purported defense of Haitians was that they cleaned the rubble from the earthquake faster than the rubble from the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan was cleaned up. Video here.
For the UN to position itself as Haitians' defender doesn't wash, for many, especially while the UN is refusing to answer about its own action and behavior. Watch this site.
