By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, July 5 -- After the UN introduced cholera to Haiti and then dismissed claims for legal accountability, 19 members of the US Congress wrote to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on May 30 urging him to take responsibility.
Inner City Press wrote about the letter and put it online on June 1, and asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about it on June 3, transcript here. Nesirky said he had no comment on the letter but if he had anything later, he'd tell Inner City Press.
A full month later on July 2, having hear nothing, Inner City Press asked US Acting Permanent Representative Rosemary DiCarlo about the letter. She said she hadn't seen it; later one of her spokespeople Kurtis Cooper told Inner City Press, on the letter, to ask the UN.
On Friday July 5, Inner City Press asked Ban's Associate Spokesman Farhan Haq, who said the letter “will be responded to.” Video here, from Minute 15:20.
Inner City Press followed up, you mean it hasn't been, yet?
Inner City Press followed up, you mean it hasn't been, yet?
Past 5 pm on Friday, Ban's Spokesperson's Office announced over the UN internal “squawk” system that a copy of Ban's response was available downstairs. And there it was: a three page “Dear Congresswoman” letter dated July 5, 2013.
Now as PDFs: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3
Finally, the belated UN version all in one PDF, Inner City Press is putting it online here.
Finally, the belated UN version all in one PDF, Inner City Press is putting it online here.
It concludes that on accountability, “the claim was considered by my Legal Counsel [Patricia O'Brien] and... the claim is not receivable.”
Ban then says, “I would like to assure you that the legal decision does not in any way diminish my personal commitment.” Really?
The 19 members of Congress who wrote to Ban Ki-moon include: Maxine Waters, Barbara Lee, Yvette D. Clarke, Frederica S. Wilson, Jan Schakowsky, John Conyers, Jr., Alcee L. Hastings, Charles B. Rangel, Corrine Brown, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Bobby L. Rush, Wm. Lacy Clay, Raúl M. Grijalva, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, John Lewis, Gregory W. Meeks, Donna F. Edwards, Keith Ellison and Carolyn B. Maloney.
Watch this site.
