Too Late to Stop Ban Ki-Moon
Unfortunately, it looks like he has the Secretary General position all locked up. Sadly, he seems to have bought a significant amount of the support the made the difference. One wonders whether the U.N.’s next scandal will be the story of Ban’s accession. Sadder still, he did it with the support of our own State Department, which smells (my raw suspicion; no evidence asserted) like a behind-the-back handshake between the “pro-engagement” faction and the U.N.
This means that when it comes to North Korean human rights, we can forget the U.N. Its chief executive will be the man who ordered this. I suppose this moment completes my transition from internationalist, to U.N. skeptic, to one who now believes that there is no hope for the U.N. to become an effective enforcer of international peace, security, or human rights. Now organizations like NATO, the Proliferation Security Initiative, and various ad-hoc coaltions must do the heavy lifting. If Ban can keep control of the U.N., let it become a global public health clinic. If Hugo Chavez and company wrest it away, let it fade into obscurity. Eventually, someone will realize that one “Non-Aligned” Movement is enough.
Well, what can we say? I often think people get the government we deserve, and in this case we are getting the UN we deserve.
The culture of corruption will probably make his true colors known to all. Too bad a good portion of those in the UN will only recognize him as a compatriot with that revelation.
The UN has been good for almost nothing except lower-level agreements on international mail, etc. for years. This is just another example of the get-nothing-substantial-done culture it fosters. Which is probably a good thing considering what they might actually want to do.
Having Ban as Secretary-General of the UN is a golden opportunity for activists helping North Koreans. They can pressure Ban to do something about NK human rights, and this will also put pressure on SK.
Ban can help the suffering North Koreans in several ways:
1. Ban can make the UNHCR help many more NK refugees.
2. Ban can persuade China to allow safe passage of some NK refugees, if not all.
3. Ban can persuade SK to use the WFP to send food aid to NK, which will ensure better monitoring.
4. Ban can persuade the NK government to allow the WFP to feed more people.
Mi-hwa,
South Korea’s has done nothing in regard to the first 3 of your bullets. Don’t you think there is a reason?
Richardson,
I doubt you’ll get a meaningful response that includes an answer to your question. I hope the U.S. cuts funding.
Mi-Hwa,
For your information:
1) In April 2003, when the first-ever vote was taken at the UN to censure NK for its human rights violations, Mr. Ban was President Roh’s ‘Presidential Advisor for Foreign Affairs’. At the time the vote was actually taken, South Korea not only did NOT abstain … they refused to attend the session at which the vote was taken.
2) On every vote since then, with Mr. Ban’s serving as South Korea’s Foreign Minister, South Korea has abstained.
Given this, would you mind sharing with the rest of us the rationale that you are using that could, somehow, justify your comments?
New Sunshine policy: use the U2 spyplane to dump leaflets on North Korean cities explaining in detail how much interrnational aid is given to the government of Kim Jong Ill.
I’m trying to imagine a scenario where the USA could say, “sorry, we’ve had quite enough.”
Why doesn’t the USA do it? What is it waiting for?
I know the Republicans want to. The Democrats would scream bloody murder, though.
What happened to the League of Democracies idea?