|
|
|
Haiti - Cholera : Haiti's complaint against the UN, in hearing before a the Federal Court in Manhattan
20/10/2014 11:20:24
After the rejection in February 2013 by the United Nations, of a first complaint against the UN in 2011, which accused the peacekeepers of being responsible for the cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010 and demanded compensation for victims https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-7931-haiti-justice-request-for-compensation-of-victims-of-cholera-rejected-by-the-un.html , the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH), on behalf of plaintiffs Haitian and Haitian-American, who contracted cholera, as well as families of deceased, filed Wednesday October 9, 2013 in federal court in Manhattan a new complaint against the UN in an attempt to lift the diplomatic immunity that the United Nations has since 1946 [under section 29 of the Convention on the Privileges and immunities of the United Nations]. This complaint relates directly to the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for careless and dangerous behavior.
Following this new complaint, Me Mario Joseph the director of the Bureau of International Lawyers (BAI) and the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH) announced that the Federal Court of Manhattan in New York decided to give suite to this complaint and grant a hearing to Haiti on October 23.
Me Mario Joseph said he was satisfied and said he expected that the judge in charge of this folder rejects the thesis of absolute immunity of the United Nations noting that the Headquarters Agreement signed July 9, 2004, between the Haitian government and the UN recommends the establishment of a standing committee of claim under paragraph 55, however, Me Joseph stressed that "The time is not for euphoria, because the road ahead is long," recalling that any of the parts (Haiit or UN) may challenge the decision that will result from this hearing.
S/ HaitiLibre
|
|
|
|
