When the Watchdog becomes a Dog: The UN Strain from The Economist

Cholera in Haiti

The UN strain

Jul 15th 2013, 11:36 by P.B. | NEW YORK

ON JULY 5th the United Nations refused, again, to countenance the claims of 5,000 cholera-affected Haitians against it. The Haitians contend that grossly inadequate sanitation at a UN peacekeeping base introduced and spread the disease through the country’s waterways. The great weight of scientific evidence is on their side. The claimants seek millions of dollars in damages, installation of a sanitation network, and an apology.
In a letter to members of the United States Congress who had urged the UN to take responsibility for the cholera outbreak, Ban Ki Moon, the UN's secretary-general, reiterated that the UN’s legal office has decided the claims are “not receivable” because of the UN’s privileges and immunities. The UN has offered little insight into its reasoning, except that consideration of the claims would involve a review of “political and policy matters”. That statement has only raised more questions, including whether “dumping disease-laden waste water in rivers is UN policy,” as a reporter asked at a press briefing last week.
Critics argue that the UN’s stance is tantamount to claiming impunity—that the UN, an organisation whose mission involves promoting the rule of law, is putting itself above it. The Haitians’ lawyers now plan to sue the UN in Haitian and United States courts. If a court decides to hear the claims, the case could have far-reaching implications for peacekeeping practices around the world.
The disease was not documented in Haiti until October 2010, and even as the first perilously dehydrated patients arrived at hastily assembled clinics, reporters discovered filthy conditions at a nearby UN peacekeeping base. From broken pipes and waste pits, sewage trickled and sometimes flowed into a tributary of one of Haiti’s major rivers. Since then, many scientific studies have provided strong support for the hypothesis that Haiti’s cholera strain came from Nepal. (The latest is a DNA sequencing study, published in July, which traced Haiti’s cholera strain to Nepal.) A Nepali contingent of officers staffed the peacekeeping base at the time of the outbreak
The bacterium, meanwhile, has killed nearly 8,200 Haitians and made unwell close to 665,000, about 7% of the population. Waterborne diseases spread fast in Haiti because the country lacks proper sewerage. The rainy season is especially problematic, and although Tropical Storm Chantal did not make a direct hit on Haiti last week, the additional rain will probably cause cholera cases to spike.
The UN has staunchly refused to entertain the cholera claims in any venue. Its letter to the claimants’ lawyers eschewed their proposals to meet, engage a mediator, or establish an alternative venue to hear the complaints. Whereas Mr Ban’s letter to congressmen said that “the majority of [the] recommendations” made by a UN panel of experts to avoid future epidemics were being implemented, a report by a United States-based non-proft group in May found that five of the seven recommendations were only partially implemented, or not at all. And although the UN launched an initiative to fight cholera in Haiti in January 2012, the programme is already falling short: Mr Ban's letter stated that pledges for the cholera initiated amounted to $207m, $31m less than the UN said would be available last December. It is another failure that by now will hardly surprise the people of Haiti.
Correction: This post originally stated that the $207m the UN had raised in pledges for cholera in Haiti was $31m less than was required. In fact, $207m is $31m less than the UN said would be available last December. This was corrected on July 15th.

Guddi Baji, Makhdooms squabbling over Ephedrine share

Guddi Baji , Makhdooms squabbling over Ephedrine share

M RAYYAN AHMED

RAWALPINDI: Long arm of the law seems to move at a snail’s pace when it comes to elitist ruling families of the country but it moves like a bullet train for the ordinary man even of their life and death matter is at stake and one such example in this regard is the seven billion rupees Ephedrine case which involved a convicted former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and power thirsty Makhdooms Shahbuddin and of course their families. ANF court on Saturday issued an order to both the Gilanis’ and Makhdooms to submit in writing details of their assets and the sources of income to justify those assets. Both the families are custodians of shrines belonging to their revered forefathers since British raj days thus holding huge tracts of lands in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan respectively. We have recently seen Makhdoom of Hala Sharif; Amin Fahim coming out of the insurance company scam stating innocently that he did not know how millions of rupees ended up in his wife and his accounts while dealing with the NICL issue during his days in ministry. But the issue here is not licensing like Amin Fahim had to deal with but issue here is issuance of 9500kgs of precious drug like Ephedrine, which is primarily used as a Chinese herb for treatment of shortness of breath and increasing the flow of blood in various organs of the body. According to the details so far revealed in the court by two of the approvers, out of 17 accused in this case, 2500kgs were issued on verbal orders of Makhdoom Shahbuddin while the rest has been manipulated by Guddi Baji and his sons by using the influence of her husband who happened to be the prime minister of the country. The excessive quotas, in violation of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) were issued around 2010. But Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) did not raise any eyebrow on this violation of
the book until they were reminded by the higher judiciary to find out that how huge quotas were issued to two companies? The companies involved, as per the prime witnesses, are Danas Pharmaceutical and Berlex Lab International. Both are learnt to have not only strong Multan connection but had moved through the good private offices of Guddi Baji where her two sons Musa Gilani and Qadir Gilani--the later being also the son in law of Pir of Pagaro Sharif-- were operating as facilitators for such financers. Guddi Baji is the pet name of Fauzia Gilani because most of the socialite and business circles used to revere by calling her by this name instead of taking her real name, informed many witnesses who has seen the private galore of the Baji in her hey days, while living in Hussnain Construct Companies donated houses of Lahore, their ancestral houses and newly built villas in Multan or in the hilly serene atmospheres of Capital. But the buck does not seem to be
stopping here. Lately, our entrenched sources confirmed that Makhdooms' and Gilanis’ have developed some differences over the share of the alleged loot supposedly dumped upon them by the ANF court. ANF records show that Makhdooms ancestral lands in Rahim Yar Khan and his 22 bank accounts have been put on hold till the final verdict of the case. Makhdooms are concerned with these developments because now Multan DCO has also been asked to provide details of all their moveable and immoveable assets to ANF court. Though they have moved to Lahore High court for claiming back these lands stating that these huge lands which gives them multifold advantages ranging from political clout to Peer sahib’s status have all come to him through inheritance from his forefathers, therefore, should not be put under ANF control or attached with Ephedrine case. Now Gilanis’ have been asked to furnish their assets and sources, Makhdooms are feeling some comfort but
still want Gilanis to ascertain the share proportions. Sources confirmed that both have paid a good chunk of their share to “Addi” a revered lady from Larkana with a blood relation to Presidency. Gilanis, who already have the distinction of earning the title of first MBBS (Mian Biwi Bachon Samait, meaning literally husband, wife, kids all involved) family who remained in the PM house for the longest of time as elected chief executive are looking to use Pir of Pagaro’s connection to hush-hush the matter for the time being. Pir Pagaro is related to Gilanis because Qadir Gilani is married to the granddaughter of Pagaro. Remember, Pagaro sain is in league with the Muslim League these days. So will this entire episode be a dog-tail spin or will it be rounded off just like Makhdoom Amin Fahim had to return one transaction of many shoddy deals to ensure that nothing else is probed? No one knows for sure because besides having all the right connections at the right places and knowing very well that birds of feather flock together, superior judiciary remains the question mark for all the striped-Zebras from across the political divide. Yet, sources believe that Makhdooms want to sort out the share issue before it gets too late and even the League connections might back out fearing the superior judiciary. But as the cards are unfolding, message from Presidency has been sent to both the involved parties that they should sort out their own mess without looking towards Larkana’s revered lady, who has just returned to the house from the same seat which happens to be the political citadel of Bhutto including late Benazir Bhutto. Will they or will they not remains a question now for a Presidency which knows very well that all their immunities are going to die out by coming September when the term of the President’s office expires. Keep your fingers crossed and eyes open to see the developments and read them here.

German special envoy for AfPak arrives to cure Doha talks curse

Saeed Minhas 

ISLAMABAD: Another high profile dignitary from the gang of four (Britain, German, Norwegian and Americans) has dropped in Islamabad on the heels of British Prime Minister David Cameron's recent visit to ensure that Pakistan push forward the stalled reconciliation talks between the US and Taliban in Doha.

Talks were halted because of Taliban's use of their emblem and flag in their recently opened formal office in Doha, Qatar on June 20. Though both the flags and emblem of Taliban have been removed from the office by Qatari police but in the meanwhile Pakistan and Afghanistan have locked horns over the vital issue of Taliban's presence in Afghan government.
With the deadline for drawdown of NATO forces looming closer, Americans are finding it hard to find a reasonable way out. Americans' mistrust with Pakistan seems to have taken a back seat for the time being but as many diplomats believe that the undertones can still be felt all around both the countries. “It’s not only Drones strikes but it is also about the role India is trying to grab in the post withdrawal Afghanistan,” commented a senior official at the ministry of foreign affairs.
Afghan government stuffed with people from northern alliance seems to have a special liking for India; a notion which Pakistan is unable to digest despite helping Americans and other members if the reconciliatory gang in orchestrating the Doha talks. A senior establishment is Khaki establishment believes that “we are no more India centric but at the same time we just cannot ignore our strategic interests.” From strategic depth to strategic interests is considered a major shift by many Pakistani observers. But with India pushing for an extra mile in Afghanistan even these observers fear that Pakistani establishment might have to take a turn if this approach is not revisited by Afghans and their mentors especially the gang of four trying to broker a face saving deal for Americans and their supreme fighting force of NATO.
Latest in the flurry of high profile visitors is the German special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Michael Koch, who called on the Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
Our sources confirmed that German ambassador Koch had meetings and briefings with several high profile officials in an effort to calm down the recent spate of accusations flying across Pak Afghan border. The meeting on display was of Sartaj Aziz, because after all these visiting dignitaries want to show off their love for a democratic government. The meetings not on display however are learnt to have taken up the vital issue of talks, withdrawal and of course the post withdrawal scenarios, informed the sources.
Officially, media was informed that during Sartaj-Koch meeting, bilateral relations and regional situation, including latest developments in Afghanistan, were discussed. Ambassador Michael Koch was also quoted by the officials as saying that “Germany is fully committed to strengthening bilateral relations particularly economic and trade relations with Pakistan.”
In the regional context, Koch has appreciated Pakistan’s role in facilitating the reconciliation process in Afghanistan as part of efforts to promote regional peace and stability. The Adviser reiterated Pakistan’s desire to work closely for consolidation of bilateral relations and partnership with Germany in all spheres of cooperation, especially for the expansion of trade and investment.
Despite all these official cyclostyled statements, the reality is that Germany has been one of the few players in the Afghan game who has been trying to bring Taliban on talking table. Norwegians have also played some distant role in this process whereby Americans were given options and assessments to decide the drawdown, its strategy and post withdrawal scenarios. Britain’s back stage role has always been there throughout these efforts to ensure that its second commandment on the world stage is not threatened. 

Dr Imran Farooq Murder case: Altaf shows Karachi Card to visiting Cameron

Altaf welcomes David Cameron with his Karachi Card

Dr Imran Farooq Murder case:

Saeed Minhas

Investigations by New Scotland Yard into the murder of MQM founder member Dr Imran Farooq seems to be giving cold feet to many not only in Britain but also in Pakistan as some of the associates of MQM Chief Altaf Hussain has put the name of former interior minister Rehman Malik for giving millions of dollars and UK currency to their party chief which somehow remained stashed under the floor and inside the walls of the party office when police raided the party’s offices and some houses back in 2010.

Sources further revealed that besides the recent 55 hour search of Altaf Hussain and another flat, which allegedly belong to Raza Haroon—another MQM stalwart who was raised under the shadows of his mentor and party chief Altaf Hussain in London—British Police had raided some other properties including some purported offices of MQM in 2010 as well. They believe that during those searches, British police had found bundles of cash stashed under the floor and in the walls. Upon investigations, British police was informed that the money was sent from time to time by party workers. One of the close associate of Altaf Hussain even disclosed to the police in the heat of moment that money was brought in by the visiting interior minister of that time Rehman Malik. The one who disclosed this was recently thrown out of the party’s coordination committee but only after receiving good thrashing from the party workers, revealed Pakistani officials.

Pakistani authorities working on this case believe that the 52 year British national of Pakistani origin arrested recently is believed to be the mastermind behind the murder of Dr Imran. British Police, however, has not yet framed any of these charges against him as of today. But Pakistan officials who are familiar with the case revealed to The Spokesman that British police was led to the arrest of this man by Pakistani authorities. “We gleaned this information from the two suspects arrested last year from Karachi and instead of handing them over to Britain asked the British police to investigate to nab the real culprits not the scapegoats from Pakistan,” they added.

Pakistani authorities have also asked the British Police to give proper protection to the widow of Dr Imran Farooq besides proposing them to give asylum to her entire family living still in Karachi. “If they are serious than they have to protect her and her family to get the real picture of the murder case, otherwise, she has effectively been silenced since murder of her husband,” disclosed the Pakistani investigators.

Meanwhile, Self-exiled chief of Mutehida Qaumi Movement, a British national of Pakistani origin, Altaf Hussain has once again turned to his power cluster in Karachi for thwarting another attempt on his fiefdom. This time his outcry was neither against a military operation nor against any Pakistani political opponent but was aimed to stun his protectors; Britain. To avoid another commotion and even thrashing, Altaf Hussain’s party leaders have already started calling the recent surge in investigations and raids on the house of Altaf Hussain a media trial. “They all know if they can face kicks and punches from party workers for merely not reacting in a timely fashion over Imran Khan’s statement against their party chief after the May elections than they better raise their voices now in time before it’s too late for them,” revealed a former MQM leader who calls himself lucky to be alive even after quitting the party.

Keeping calm over a raid by the British Police on his house situated at Edgware Road in central London for almost a week, Altaf Hussain chose the appropriate moment to register his reaction and show of power, observed many pundits here. British Prime Minister, David Cameron was in Pakistan and there could not have been a better opportunity than this to show him that any independent inquiry into Dr Imran Farooq’s case would force him to use Karachi Card even against British interests, revealed some diplomatic sources to this scribe.

Pakistani security officials who have long been dealing with the MQM factor inside Pakistan believe that recent moves of New Scotland Yard with regard to murder investigations of Dr Imran Farooq are fishy. Informed sources seeking anonymity revealed that Pakistan had arrested two suspects, whom British intelligence has been watching since the murder took place in September 2010. Pakistani authorities nabbed both the suspects upon their arrival in Karachi but after initial investigations found out that both of them were not involved in the murder conspiracy or act. Therefore, sources revealed that they had informed the British authorities that these two would not be handed over to them. Finding consistent calls from the British Police officials, Pakistan had to sight them that there was no extradition treaty under which two suspects could be handed over to Britain.

However, Pakistani officials privy to the developments believe that there was a time during these demands and refusals period when Pakistan had to tell some British officials in private that these two could not be handed over as scapegoats and instead British Police should look for the real culprit. “We had informed them about all the information gleaned from these two suspects who revealed that the real suspect is either in Canada or in South Africa,” confided a highly placed source involved with the investigations. They believe that the 52 year old British national of Pakistani origin arrested on June 24 by British Metropolitan police is considered the real man in this case. “Now we are looking forward that how Police in Britain would extract the information from him to get hold of all those involved in murder of Dr Imran Farooq,” he added with a visible question mark in his eyes.

Diplomatic Bubbles: Doha Talks debacle as poddles helping salvage US pride

Doha Talks debacle 

Saeed Minhas 

Britain, Norway and Germany are all making sure that derailed peace talks with the Afghan Taliban resumes sooner than later to chalk out if nothing else than a roadmap for exit of NATO forces from a war torn country and save any further humiliation to the master blaster of the world; the US.

Having passed the buck of fighting to half-backed Afghan National Army (ANA) a few weeks back, NATO commanders are already busy overseeing the dismantling and destruction of their immovable structures and even weapons. What no one knows though is that will they be asked to pack up and leave in the middle of night like Russians did in 1989 or can they afford to get a guard of honour send-off—without the chance of any sleeper cell or inside attack.
This uncertainty is certainly doing more harm to the morale of the remaining NATO/US forces than any good, remarked one of the senior security officials while talking to this scribe from Kabul. “It’s not only the army but even the general population and almost over a decade-old Karzai government which is equally perturbed over uncertain future especially after the humiliation Afghans and US had to face in Doha,” he commented. “It will be a big lie if we say that Taliban have not gained even from these stalled talks,” he asserted. Adding he said that though President Obama has himself become involved in this process but the fact remains that Americans faced a double jeopardy and both coming not from their adversaries but from their puppets; one in Kabul and other one in Qatar.
With the Taliban offensive on the rise in Afghanistan and ANA left on its own to deal with the rise in insurgency, dwindling fortunes of peace talks in Doha has put the entire region on high alert. As foreign diplomats in Kabul suggest that the region in itself is alive to all the possible outcomes after the proposed pull out of Americans and NATO forces by mid 2014. To understand what regional countries might be expecting after this much hyped withdrawal of foreign troops from war torn country, this scribe had to talk many diplomats and security analysts in Pakistan and Afghanistan. One thing was for sure that none wanted to say anything on record despite the fact that none had any clue as to what might be in the store for all the regional countries and the departing fighters.
“One thing is for sure that Pakistan will no more be able to remote control the country where once ISI used to call the shots between 1979 and 2005,” remarked one European diplomat based in Kabul. He was of the view that if not more countries than at least a troika of China, India and Pakistan will be there to battle it out between themselves to control an ethnically divided Afghanistan in the post draw down days. “China is a surprise for many but with their heavy investment in copper, precious metals and stones, they are there for sure,” he added.
Talking to some operatives working on Pakistani side of the troubled region it revealed that Chinese and Americans are out there like flies in those lands which they otherwise call as lawless section of Pakistan.  “They are there with bagful of dollars to buy out any information which can lead them to any influential TTP man,” he added. Journalists in those areas also endorsed this view because they say that for the first time they are finding Chinese equally engaged in digging out information and informers. Otherwise, they say that it used to be either the plainclothesmen of Pakistani agencies or the bearded Pashto speaking Americans who used to flock the region and pay handsomely to the journalists for any piece of information which they believed was of some value. Though Pakistani operatives chip in to this information hungry atmosphere with their own loaded typical version; Indian involvement in FATA and beyond. They believe that India is not involved in this region to find out that what next plan is being hatched for their lands and secondly that how many out there are heading to pose them a threat in their held Kashmir. ‘Therefore, Indians are not only pumping in money but also doling out Russian and Chinese Kalashnikovs to their nurtured contacts either to keep these mercenaries away from their lands/Kashmir or use them for their targeted objectives against Pakistan,” added the senior military official.
With Cameron in Pakistan posing as harbinger of goodwill and business opportunities, Britain is already out there to actively do what many western analysts call a lap dog service for Americans. But Norwegians and Germans are equally trying their bit to bring the peace talks back on track, even for a photo op. “After all they have done it so many times in the past for Americans by bringing together Palestinians and Israelis and they are hopeful that they will do it again for the Americans. An exasperated American administration, which already has its hands glued deeply in many springs ranging from Tunisia, Egypt to Syria, they want Taliban back on the table at any cost. “Even talks without any pre conditions and outcome will be the first and foremost demand of the Americans right now,” agreed a European diplomat based in Islamabad. “It’s not only the repute but even the safe exit of over 100000 troops from Afghanistan is at stake,” added another Arab diplomat.
Just few weeks back, the entire diplomatic corps in Islamabad was talking very highly about these talks considering them the right step in the right direction and that too at the right time. Many of the ambassadors were skeptical about the outcome but still were hopeful that this will help break the ice and kick start a process which eventually might lead to some manageable solutions for the war torn Afghanistan in particular and for the region in general.
Usual knee jerk reactions from Afghan president Hamid Karzai was less of a botheration for these foreign emissaries because they believed that Karzai just want to remain relevant to this new transition in a country where after almost a decade of rule he himself has become completely irrelevant to the people, the negotiators and even the NATO and US. Not because he will not be running for the next presidential elections due next April but for the sordid stories of corruption surrounding him and his family members. More so because of his complete failure to give any governance to a country where on average 150 billion dollars were raining from all sides (more from US) throughout the past decade. However, the initial deadlock dampened their hopes a bit but still they believe that talks would resume one way or the other.