After UN Brought Cholera to Haiti, Dodges ICP Questions & Service of Legal Papers

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, December 18 -- With the UN falling so low as to dodge service of legal papers for having brought cholera to Haiti, Inner City Press at the December 18 noon briefing asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's spokesperson Martin Nesirky three questions.

What of the UN's own report saying deaths from cholera in Haiti doubled from July to October, this year, from 43 to 88? What of the same strain of cholera, originally from Nepal, now spreading in Mexico? And did the UN agree, or disagree, with the quote on its own IRIN from Nepal's Army spokesman that "The UN has already made it clear that our Nepali soldiers had nothing to do with the epidemic"?

  Nesirky said he would get back with an answer. At dusk on December 18, as he and Ban prepared to fete at the UN Censorship Alliance ball four blocks west on 42nd Street,Nesirky sent a response to only the first of the three questions, nothing on Mexico or Nepal's claim:

Subject: re: Haiti
From: UN Spokesperson - Do Not Reply [at] un.org
Date: Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 3:06 PM
To: Matthew.Lee [at] innercitypress.com

Regarding your question about Haiti, see below our answer:

Since its outbreak in October 2010, cholera has affected an estimated 694,842 people and claimed the lives of 8,494 people (as of 10 December 2013).

From January to early December 2013 alone, Haiti reported more than 56,174 cases and 550 deaths.

Concerted national and international efforts have resulted in a steady reduction in the number of people affected and killed by cholera over the last three years. The number of suspected cases has been reduced significantly every year, from 352,033 cases in 2011 to 101,722 cases in 2012 to 56,174 cases in 2013.

The number of people perishing due to the disease stands at 1.22%, slightly over the 1% internationally recognized global target for effective cholera control but far below 2.2% observed at the end of December 2010.

  What about Mexico? What about accountability? What about at least accepting or not dodging service of legal papers seeking an adjudication of the UN's responsibility? Watch this site.