Reading
this article left me appalled. It is strange that the UN would even try to deny
that the spread of cholera was their fault, even with the “great weight of
scientific evidence” against them. Throughout the article, I read with the
image in my mind of the UN as a child who insisted on not having eaten the
cookie, even with the evident chocolate smeared on his/her cheek. It is
unsettling to see them try to dodge the blame in such a juvenile way. All the
evidence, including DNA sequencing, points toward the unsanitary UN base. The
UN should be a role model for less-developed countries; however, Haiti is now
seeking to sue the organization.
Now I turn
to question the UN’s motives for this statement. Perhaps they cannot afford the
monetary compensation the Haitians are demanding, but that is highly unlikely. If
it is their pride they are trying to protect, then that has already been
impaired countless times. It is shocking that this was not the first time the
UN failed to deliver. Many of their campaigns to stop epidemics were only
half-implemented and effortless to say the least.
They should have considered the
implications of their decision to deny responsibility. This story could potentially
jeopardize the idea of international peace-keeping that the whole world has
worked so hard to achieve.
In any case, it is unjustified for
the UN to act above the law and to declare themselves “immune.” At this point,
the very least the UN can do after spreading a disease to close to 7% of the
nation is to offer a sincere apology.
Katie! I found it ironic how the UN would deny the connection of the 5,000 Haitians affected by Cholera with the UN peacekeeping base. I agree that it is more strange how the UN denies these statements although there is scientific evidence that proves the connection to be true. I also liked that you gave an example of a possible consequence from this incident. Keep up the good work!
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