|
15 JULY 2010
| WHO DISMISSES COMMANDING OFFICERS OF U.N. MISSIONS? BYPASSING THE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL.
|
The Canadian Ministry of Defence in Ottawa announced the dismissal of the Commander of U.N./MINUSTAH Peacekeeping force in Haiti, General Bernard
Ouellette. Agence France Presse quoted a Canadian government spokesman on 10 July as saying the decision was taken by the Canadian
military command. The reason mentioned was the General's failure to raise the morale of the troops and his inability to unify the work of the
various battalions of the U.N. force. Pathetically, when a U.N. Spokesman was asked on Monday, 12 July, answered: "We haven't been told the
reason"!!! A senior U.N. official in Haiti similarly responded: "I cannot comment on that"!!
That's the first incident where a member state -- not the U.N. Secretary General -- openly dismisses one of its officers under U.N. Command. At
least for formality or appearances, "pour la forme" as they say in Quebec, an announcement could have allowed first by U.N. Peacekeeping, rather than
appear totally irrevelant. But these days, no one in the U.N. Secretariat seems to care; and member states don't seem to bother.
|
