Blind to Burundi Jean Ziegler's Neglect of the World's Food Emergencies OCTOBER 2004 Table of Contents Key Findings Figure 1: Comparison of Malnutrition Rates and Jean Ziegler Statements Introduction The Study World's Food Emergencies Assumptions and Methodology Epilogue Figure 2: Comparing Malnutrition Rates Figure 3: Comparing Number of Statements by Jean Ziegler Table 1: A List of Statements by Jean Ziegler on Burundi and Israel Figure 4: Comparing Statements by Jean Ziegler on Burundi and Palestinian Territories Figure 5: Comparing Statements by Jean Ziegler on Ethiopia and Palestinian Territories Figure 6: Comparing Statements by Jean Ziegler on Sudan and Palestinian Territories Table 2: Results from Search of UN Press Release Website Table 3: Results from Search of Jean Ziegler's Website Table 4: Results from Search of Nexis Conclusions and Recommendations About UN Watch Acknowledgements Appendix: UN Watch Letter to Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, October 20, 2004 3 4 5 6 6 6 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 October 2004 UN Watch 2 Blind to Burundi Blind to Burundi Jean Ziegler's Neglect of the World's Food Emergencies A Study of the Record of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Key Findings: · Jean Ziegler has been blind to Burundi. A Food Emergency country for many years, Burundi's percentage of severely malnourished people rose last year from 49% to the even more staggering figure of 70% -- yet in the four years since he was appointed to speak for the world's hungry, Mr. Ziegler, busy promoting an extremist political agenda, has failed to say a word for the hungry of Burundi. Jean Ziegler has never published a single UN press release for the hungry of more than half of the Food Emergency countries examined -- yet issued 7 press releases (including a 25-page report) condemning Israel for alleged food problems in the Palestinian territories. (Food Emergencies ignored: Burundi; Central African Republic; Democratic Republic of Congo; Republic of Congo; Cote d'Ivoire; Guinea; Haiti; Liberia; Russian Federation (Chechnya); Sierra Leone; Somalia; Tanzania; Uganda) Jean Ziegler has never spoken out for the hungry of any Food Emergency country more than 3 times, and made no statement at all concerning 9 of the 19 Food Emergency countries examined -- yet issued 21 public statements about Israel and alleged Palestinian food problems (e.g., accusing Israel of "state terrorism", of turning Gaza into a "concentration camp", and of giving Palestinians "some form of brain damage"). (Food Emergencies ignored: Burundi; Central African Republic; Democratic Republic of Congo; Republic of Congo; Cote d'Ivoire; Guinea; Liberia; Sierra Leone; Somalia) Jean Ziegler almost never criticizes any party other than the U.S., Israel, or corporations. When he does, he suddenly dons the gloves of ginger UN diplomacy. Hence Darfur is merely a cause for "concern"; the role of the Khartoum regime in atrocities only "alleged"; and "all parties" are urged to respect the right to food. Ziegler's denunciations of Israel for "state terror" and "war crimes" have never been used by him against the Sudan government. Jean Ziegler has never issued a single critical press release against 78% of the Food Emergency countries examined (15 of the 19) -- yet issued 7 critical press releases against Israel. (Food Emergencies ignored: Burundi; Central African Republic; Chad; Democratic Republic of Congo; Republic of Congo; Cote d'Ivoire; Eritrea; Guinea; Haiti; Liberia; Russian Federation (Chechnya); Sierra Leone; Somalia; Tanzania; Uganda) · · · · October 2004 UN Watch 3 Blind to Burundi A A 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 10 15 20 25 30 35 0 ta n ni s ta n 5 fg ha ni s fg ha 48 C C 45 24 Figure 1 October 2004 UN Watch 28 31 14 en B tr ur al un A di fr ic an R ep ub lic C on go C ,D ha d em .R ep .o ft he C on go ,R ep .o f C ot e d' Iv oi re en B tr ur al un A di fr ic an R ep ub lic C on go C ,D ha d em .R ep .o ft he C on go ,R ep .o f C ot e d' Iv oi re 21 Er itr ea Et hi op ia Er Et itr ea hi op i G 44 a 47 G Comparison of Malnutrition Rates (Percentage of children under-weight for age) Statements by Jean Ziegler on Food Problem 4 H ai ti Ir a q Pa le st in ia n Te r rit or ra ie s er Le on e So m al Su Ta ia be r Li Si ia da n nz a U ni a ga nd a ui ne a ui ne a H 23 ai ti Ir a Pa le Li st in ia n Te r Si er be r rit or ra 17 q 16 ia 20 ie s Le on e So m al Su Ta 3 27 ia da n nz a U 26 17 Non-Critical Critical ni a ga nd a 29 23 Blind to Burundi "Mr. Ziegler, actions have consequences, and your actions can cause people to die." --Ambassador Sichan Siv, U.S. Representative to ECOSOC, November 11, 2002. Introduction This study, based on exhaustive research, demonstrates conclusively that Jean Ziegler's mandate as UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food has been marked by neglect of the world's food emergencies for the benefit of an extremist political agenda. Chronic food emergency countries such as for the world's hungry, Mr. Ziegler has failed to speak out for the hungry of Burundi. Mr. Ziegler has failed to criticize any of the individuals or groups who bear responsibility for the food emergency. In fact, during the entire four years of his mandate, Jean Ziegler has never so much as mentioned the hungry of Burundi -- not once. Jean Ziegler has been blind to Burundi. In September 2003, the World Food Programme sounded the alarm at the rising hunger in Burundi due to fighting in the Bujumbura area. At that time, at least 750,000 people were in need of food aid, including displaced people from Mubimbi and Mpanda. A few days later, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that more than 71 per cent of the people living in camps inside Burundi had no access to the minimum daily requirement of drinking water. The UN Human Development Index for Burundi had dropped to the third lowest ranked country in the world (171/173).3 However, during this period (September/October 2003), Mr. Ziegler was busy condemning Israel at the UN, appearing in no less than 55 news articles on this subject -- and made not a single statement for the hungry of Burundi. Jean Ziegler was blind to Burundi. Tragically, Mr. Ziegler has been equally blind to many other of the world's food emergencies, where millions are dying from starvation. Sadly, the time, energy and resources that Mr. Ziegler could be applying toward the world's food emergencies are being diverted elsewhere -- toward his extremist political agenda, which has three principal elements: extreme hostility toward capitalism, extreme hostility toward the United States, and, most of all, extreme hostility toward Israel. More than anything, Mr. Ziegler's mandate has been consumed by his astonishingly disproportionate attacks against Israel, which issue forth in an endless series of reports, lectures, press releases, media interviews, UN conferences and boycott campaigns. Mr. Ziegler's obsession with Israel comes at the expense of the millions suffering from food emergencies, and lacks any rational basis. Mr. Ziegler's premise is that Israel's administration of the West Bank and Gaza is starving Palestinians. Yet according to every authoritative source, there simply is no starvation there, and the Palestinian territories have never once been placed on the FAO's list of food emergencies. In fact, according to the most authoritative measure for comparing country malnutrition rates (percentage of underweight children, as documented in UN Human Development Report for 2003), the West Bank and Gaza have the lowest rate compared with any state in the Arab Middle East, East Asia, the Pacific, South Burundi, a Central African state that has seen 300,000 deaths since 1993, have been entirely ignored by Mr. Ziegler. The percentage of Burundians who are severely malnourished, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), rose last year from 49% to the even more staggering figure of 70%.1 Burundi was classified by the FAO as a Food Emergency in August 2000 -- one month prior to the beginning of Mr. Ziegler's term -- and Burundi has remained a Food Emergency ever since.2 According to the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), warring parties have blocked food assistance to thousands of displaced people in dire need. Yet in the four years since the UN appointed him to speak out October 2004 UN Watch 5 Blind to Burundi Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America (except Chile). The Study Over the past year, UN Special Rapporteur Jean Ziegler has been accused of neglecting the most dire food emergencies in order to focus on his favorite political targets: corporations, the U.S.A., and, especially, Israel. The charge is serious, first, because the world's hungry are entitled to the benefit of the mechanism created for them by the UN Commission on Human Rights in the year 2000. Second, because it severely implicates the integrity of the UN special procedures, the independent experts appointed by the UN for country-specific or thematic rights issues. Third, because under international law Mr. Ziegler has three primary obligations: to act with (a) impartiality; (b) objectivity; and (c) non-selectivity. A corollary to these obligations is the UN Charter's guarantee of equal treatment to member states. To determine whether or not Mr. Ziegler has met these obligations, UN Watch conducted a study of Mr. Ziegler's statements dating from September 2000, when he took office, until August 2004, the date of the study. The study looks separately at three different sources: (1) The UN press release archives, as found on the UN's electronically-searchable website. These contain every UN press release issued by Jean Ziegler, as well as official summaries of Jean Ziegler statements and reports from diverse UN events and conferences; (2) Documents placed by Mr. Ziegler on his own website (www.righttofood.org); and (3) Statements made by Mr. Ziegler to the media as found on a search of the comprehensive NexisTM international news database. Our research was careful and precise. For example, an initial search on NexisTM of "Jean Ziegler" and "Burundi" generated 15 articles. Our researchers examined each of these articles and discovered that not a single one contained a mention by Jean Ziegler of the food problem in Burundi. A NexisTM search of "Jean Ziegler" and "Palestine/ Palestinian" generates 229 articles. Of these, we counted 21 documents that qualified, 15 of which were critical (usually condemnatory) of the Israeli government. on the Palestinian territories, which have never ranked as a Food Emergency, would prove quantitatively and qualitatively proportionate to his statements on countries that were considered Food Emergencies. The results of the study, however, reveal that, as shown below, Mr. Ziegler's statements about the Palestinian territories were not less than -- or even equal to -- his statements about Food Emergency countries. Astonishingly, the record shows that Mr. Ziegler has virtually ignored Food Emergencies such as Burundi, instead focusing his attention on condemning Israel for alleged problems in the West Bank and Gaza. The UN Watch study counted instances where Mr. Ziegler made mention of a food problem in a given country. Moreover, within those instances, the study further counted how many times Mr. Ziegler's statements were critical of a given government or other party. For each of the 19 Food Emergency countries selected for our study, the FAO attributed the Food Emergency to some human action (e.g., war) -- in other words, where criticism of one or another party was possible. We excluded those countries that were listed as a result of a food emergency caused by natural disaster. Consequently, we were able to compare Mr. Ziegler's criticism of Israel versus countries on the Food Emergency list against whom criticism was possible. World's Food Emergencies Because Mr. Ziegler's mandate on the right to food is to speak out against hunger in the world, our study decided to compare Mr. Ziegler's treatment of the Palestinian situation with his treatment of countries listed on the most recent edition of the Food Emergencies list.4 This list, updated every few months, is published by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization. There are 35 countries on the latest list of Food Emergencies. Of these 35, we selected a sample of 19 for our study. (See below for our selection process.) Epilogue Jean Ziegler announced at a UN conference on October 14, 2004, that he had written to Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, to demand suspension of its trade Assumptions and Methodology The assumption of this study was that Mr. Ziegler could be deemed to have acted rationally and objectively if his statements October 2004 UN Watch 6 Blind to Burundi accord with Israel. "Grave violations of the [Palestinians'] right to food have been recorded, they are clear, this accord must be suspended." Ziegler further declared that he will be writing again to the next President, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso (who takes over next month), to repeat his boycott demand. As this study demonstrates, Jean Ziegler has been waging a public relations war against Israel ever since his appointment four years ago, and now he has escalated his efforts to a trade war. His demand that Europe boycott Israel follows a similar demand sent in May to a U.S. corporation. UN Watch has been at the forefront of exposing Ziegler's astonishing bias, and continues to fight for an end to his cynical abuse of a noble position. When he should be speaking out for the hungry of Burundi, Chad, or Liberia -- places that actually do rank as Food Emergencies -- Ziegler is instead preoccupied with vilifying Israel for, as he puts it, starving the Palestinians. His accusations will resonate with certain audiences. Yet it carries one minor flaw: whatever genuine problems do exist in the West Bank and Gaza, starvation is simply not one of them. In fact, by any comparative measure, Palestinians are eating far better than neighboring populations. If one looks at the percentage of underweight children -- the most meaningful cross-country comparable indicator -- the UN's 2003 Human Development Report reports that the West Bank and Gaza has the lowest rate (3%) compared with any state in the Arab Middle East, East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America (except Chile). Yet a country like North Korea (60%) has never been targeted by a single Ziegler boycott letter. The truth about Ziegler, as a simple Google search will reveal, is that his "right to food" activities are in fact initiated as part of orchestrated political campaigns. Not coincidentally, Ziegler, who resides in Switzerland, sent his May 2004 boycott letter to Caterpillar three days after a political "action" notice was issued against this corporation by "Collectif Urgence Palestine" -- a Swiss group, dedicated to boycotting Israel, with which Mr. Ziegler has been active. Mr. Ziegler's letter was then promptly posted on the website of this group's boycott campaign. How many other boycott letters Ziegler has sent is a mystery. Their target is not. It was telling that when, on the day after Ziegler's latest boycott demand, reporters in Brussels asked the European Commission to respond, they innocently described him as "the Special Rapporteur on Palestine" -- not realizing this position is properly held by another individual. Then again, Ziegler doesn't seem to realize that either. In July, UN Watch filed a brief with the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights requesting Ziegler be removed for blatantly violating his obligations to act with impartiality, non-selectivity and objectivity. The Commission has yet to reply. Meantime, a UN Watch delegation led by its Chairman, Amb. Alfred H. Moses, met two weeks ago with Louise Arbour, the new High Commissioner of Human Rights, to urge that she do her part against Ziegler's wrongdoing. But if the UN rights experts are independent, and accountable only to the Commission's 53 member states, why should High Commissioner Arbour, who presides over a department of professional staff, be required to play any role here? Two reasons. First, to ensure that her staff no longer provides support related to Ziegler's unauthorized activities. That means her human rights officers must be instructed to refuse to help Ziegler with his unauthorized boycott campaign. Second, to clarify that while Ziegler sends his boycott letters under the letterhead of "United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights," he in fact speaks for himself only. True, these are only two small steps. But they would prevent the dangerous inference that the High Commissioner supports Ziegler's unlawful activities. More, they would send the right message that the world's human rights victims are owed nothing less than the integrity of the UN mechanisms created for their benefit. ENDNOTES 1 Africa News, December 22, 2003. 2 http://www.fao.org/documents/sh ow_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/006/ J2254e/J2254e00.htm 3 http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.n sf/0/a5d34c415d6a614385256db3 00775d39?OpenDocument 4 http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/J2 254e/J2254e02.htm October 2004 UN Watch 7 Blind to Burundi Figure 2. Comparison of Malnutrition Rates (Percentage of children under-weight for age) 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 24 31 28 21 14 23 20 17 16 17 27 26 23 29 48 45 44 47 10 5 0 3 Er itr ea Ira q H ai ti Li be ria al ia d e pi a di a of th e rie s ire ni st an an a za ni Ta n R ep .o C ha Bu ru n R ep ub G ui ne Le on Iv o Et hi o Te rri to So m Su d Af gh a ep . D em .R C ot e an go , Af ric C on tra l go , C en The Palestinian Territories have the lowest percentage of children under-weight for age (3%) compared with any state in the Arab Middle East, East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America (except Chile). Nevertheless, Jean Ziegler has focused on this area more than any other. C on Pa l es tin ia n Si e rra October 2004 UN Watch 8 U ga d' Blind to Burundi nd a lic f Figure 3. Statements by Jean Ziegler on Food Problem 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 bl ic C ha em d .R ep .o ft C he on go ,R ep .o C f ot e d' Iv oi re an is ta n ito ri e s Li be ri a Le on e al ia Er itr ea ui ne a H ai ti pi a un di Ira q an Ta nz an ia Et hi o R ep u B ur fr ic an ia n Si er ra A fg h Te So m rr U ga nd G Su d a Non-Critical Critical C en tr al A Sources: UN Press Release website (www.un.org/news); Jean Ziegler's website (www.righttofood.org); English and non-English news articles on Nexis. Covers period from beginning of Jean Ziegler's mandate in September 2000 through August 2004. C on Pa le st in go , D October 2004 UN Watch 9 Blind to Burundi Table 1 Statements by Jean Ziegler on Israel Swiss Info (swissinfo.org), July 8, 2003 ("Mr. Bush ­ the White House Pinochet ­ [...] covers for Sharon's crimes in Palestine [by referring] to the so called war on terror"). UN Information Service, May 28, 2004 (Ziegler issuing joint press release with Special Rapporteur on adequate housing to "urgently" condemn Israel for its "massive military operation" against Palestinian weapons-smuggling tunnels in Rafah, and to "welcome the outpouring of condemnations"). (Swiss) SDA ­ Basisdienst Deutsch, May 21, 2004 (citing Swiss Blick) ("the Gaza Strip resembles a huge concentration camp"; the Israeli army tortures and kills civilians; Prime Minister Ariel Sharon commits "state terror" supported by the U.S. for strategic reasons; the E.U. must temporarily suspend its free trade agreements with Israel to "impress Sharon"). (Swiss) SDA -Basisdienst Deutsch, April 15, 2004 (Ziegler coming to UN Palestinian Committee Conference to inveigh against Israel's barrier, accuse Israel of "Apartheid" and boast of his letter to E.U. that demanded it break trade agreements with Israel). M2 Presswire, November 12, 2003 (Ziegler testifying before UN Third Committee that "the most important [2003] country mission was the one conducted to the occupied Palestinian territories," and denying that Palestinian terrorism plays any role in region's difficulties). United Press International, November 12, 2003 (Israel is responsible for inflicting upon Palestinian children "some form of brain damage"). Al Siyassa-Al Dawliya (Egyptian quarterly on international politics) January, 2003 ("[t]he policies of colonial repression followed by Ariel Sharon and other Israeli generals are criminal and classifiable as crimes against humanity"; and "the most pressing task" is for the international community to send armed forces "to protect the people of Palestine against the massacres of the occupying forces"). Report on Mission to the Occupied Territories, October 21, 2003 (25-page report excoriating Israel for numerous alleged crimes and exculpating Palestinian terrorist groups from any responsibility). Preliminary Report on the Right to Food to 56th Session of the General Assembly, July 23, 2001(devoting singular scrutiny to Israel and accusing it of policies that "created hunger and threaten starvation of the most destitute"; announcing his intent to embark on special country mission to the region). Statements by Jean Ziegler on Burundi 0 statements. October 2004 UN Watch 10 Blind to Burundi Figure 4. Burundi and the Palestinian Territories Comparing Extent of Food Problem with Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler Extent of Food Problem 50 35 Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler 45 30 40 35 25 30 20 25 45% 20 15 31 15 10 10 5 5 0 3% Burundi Palestinian Territories 0 0 Burundi Palestinian Territories Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2003, at 198-202. Sources: UN Press Release website (www.un.org/news); Jean Ziegler's website (www.righttofood.org); English and non-English news articles on Nexis. 11 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch Figure 5. Ethiopia and the Palestinian Territories Comparing Extent of Food Problem with Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler Extent of Food Problem 50 35 Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler 45 30 40 35 25 30 20 25 47% 15 31 20 15 10 10 5 5 6 0 3% Ethiopia Palestinian Territories 0 Ethiopia Palestinian Territories Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2003, at 198-202. Sources: UN Press Release website (www.un.org/news); Jean Ziegler's website (www.righttofood.org); English and non-English news articles on Nexis. 12 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch Figure 6. Sudan and the Palestinian Territories Comparing Extent of Food Problem with Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler Extent of Food Problem 18 35 Amount of Statements by Jean Ziegler 16 30 14 25 12 10 20 8 17% 15 31 6 10 4 5 2 3% 0 4 Sudan 0 Palestinian Territories Palestinian Territories Sudan Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2003, at 198-202. Sources: UN Press Release website (www.un.org/news); Jean Ziegler's website (www.righttofood.org); English and non-English news articles on Nexis. 13 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch Table 2. Results from Search of UN Press Release Website (www.un.org/news) A Comparison of Jean Ziegler's Treatment of Palestinian Territories and Food Emergency Countries Country Malnutrition Rates (Percentage of children under-weight for age) Instances where Jean Ziegler mentioned Food Problem (search of UN Press Release Website) 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 0 Instances where Jean Ziegler criticized Government or other party (search of UN Press Release website) 1 *Afghanistan *Burundi *Central African Republic *Chad *Congo, Democratic Republic of the *Congo, Republic of *Côte d'Ivoire *Eritrea *Ethiopia *Guinea *Haiti *Iraq *Liberia Palestinian Territories Russian Federation (*Chechnya) *Sierra Leone *Somalia *Sudan *Tanzania *Uganda 48 45 24 28 31 14 21 44 47 23 17 16 20 3 N/A 27 26 17 29 23 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 0 * Country or territory on the Food Emergencies list of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization Mr. Ziegler's critical statement on Afghanistan was, in fact, critical of the United States (Period covered: September 2000 - August 2004) October 2004 UN Watch 14 Blind to Burundi Table 3. Results from Search of Jean Ziegler's Website (www.righttofood.org) A Comparison of Jean Ziegler's Treatment of Palestinian Territories and Food Emergency Countries Country Malnutrition Rates (Percentage of children under-weight for age) Instances where Jean Ziegler mentioned Food Problem (search of his own website) Instances where Jean Ziegler criticized Government or other party (search of his own website) 1 0 0 0 *Afghanistan *Burundi *Central African Republic *Chad *Congo, Democratic Republic of the *Congo, Republic of *Côte d'Ivoire *Eritrea *Ethiopia *Guinea *Haiti *Iraq *Liberia Palestinian Territories Russian Federation (*Chechnya) *Sierra Leone *Somalia *Sudan *Tanzania *Uganda 48 45 24 28 2 0 0 0 31 14 21 44 47 23 17 16 20 3 N/A 27 26 17 29 23 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 * Country or territory on the Food Emergencies list of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Period covered: September 2000 - August 2004) October 2004 UN Watch 15 Blind to Burundi Table 4. Results from Search of News Articles on Nexis A Comparison of Jean Ziegler's Treatment of Palestinian Territories and Food Emergency Countries Country Malnutrition Rates (Percentage of children under-weight for age) Instances where Jean Ziegler mentioned Food Problem (search of Nexis) Instances where Jean Ziegler criticized Government or other party (search of Nexis) *Afghanistan *Burundi *Central African Republic *Chad *Congo, Democratic Republic *Congo, Republic of *Côte d'Ivoire *Eritrea *Ethiopia *Guinea *Haiti *Iraq *Liberia Palestinian Territories Russian Federation (*Chechnya) *Sierra Leone *Somalia *Sudan *Tanzania *Uganda 48 45 24 28 31 14 21 44 47 23 17 16 20 3 N/A 27 26 17 29 23 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 21 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0 0 0 1 0 0 * Country or territory on the Food Emergencies list of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (Period covered: September 2000 - August 2004) October 2004 UN Watch 16 Blind to Burundi CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS To Amb. Michael Smith, Chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights: The Chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights should remove Jean Ziegler for abuse of mandate. Although this discretionary power may not have been exercised before, Jean Ziegler's unprecedented actions pose a novel and arguably unique threat to the institution of UN experts, and require his removal. Since the Chairperson has the power to appoint a Special Rapporteur, he should equally possess the power to remove him. If the Chairperson does not do so, the 53 member states of the UN Commission on Human Rights should introduce a resolution at the 2005 session of the Commission that will terminate Mr. Ziegler's term for abuse of mandate. Those members of the Commission who wrongly voted to renew Mr. Ziegler's mandate on April 22, 2003 -- after his abuses were already known -- bear a particular responsibility. These include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Other current Commission members who bear the same responsibility are Armenia, Burkina Faso, China, Cuba, Gabon, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. To the 53 State Members of the UN Commission on Human Rights: To Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights should instruct the relevant personnel of her Office to cease any support whatsoever, including the provision of any human and financial resources, for Mr. Ziegler's activities that fall outside his mandate, such as his unlawful boycott campaign against Israel. (See Appendix, UN Watch Letter to High Commissioner, 20 October 2004.) Moreover, there is a concern that Mr. Ziegler's anti-Israel boycott campaign is being perceived as emanating from Madam Arbour's Office. Because Mr. Ziegler writes his letters demanding the boycott of Israel -- in January 2004, to the European Commission, and in May 2004 to a U.S. corporation -- under the letterhead of "United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights," there is every reason to fear that recipients and the general public are misled. Indeed, the BBC, reporting on a May 28 boycott letter, described Mr. Ziegler as working for the High Commissioner. Worse, the official website of the Palestinian Authority, reporting on the same boycott letter, describes Mr. Ziegler, in addition to his actual position, as "the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights." Accordingly, the High Commissioner should issue a public clarification to the effect that Mr. Ziegler's boycott letters in no way speak on behalf of her or her Office. October 2004 UN Watch 17 Blind to Burundi About UN Watch United Nations Watch is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva whose mandate is to monitor the performance of the United Nations by the yardstick of its own Charter. UN Watch was established in 1993 under the Chairmanship of the late Ambassador Morris B. Abram, following his tenure as U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. UN Watch participates actively as an accredited NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council, and has been a leading voice at the UN for international action in Darfur, religious freedom in China, and women's rights in Iran and Sudan. UN Watch believes in the United Nations' mission on behalf of the international community to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" and provide for a more just world. We believe that even with its shortcomings, the UN remains an indispensable tool in bringing together diverse nations and cultures. UN Watch is keenly aware that member states often ask the UN to fulfill mandates and tasks that are neither feasible nor within the means provided. While it would be unrealistic to ignore the UN's weaknesses, we advocate finding ways to build on its strengths and use its limited resources effectively. UN Watch is foremost concerned with the just application of UN Charter principles. Areas of interest include: UN management reform, the UN and civil society, equality within the UN, and the equal treatment of member states. UN Watch has been at the forefront of the call to end the disproportionate attention and unfair treatment applied by the UN toward Israel, which offers an object lesson (though not the only one) in how due process, equal treatment, and other fundamental principles of the UN Charter are often ignored or selectively upheld. UN Watch is governed by an international board whose members have included the Hon. Per Ahlmark (Co-Chairman), former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden; the Hon. Irwin Cotler, international human rights advocate and current Canadian Minister of Justice; David A. Harris (CoChairman), Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee; Ambassador Max Jakobson, former Permanent Representative of Finland to the UN in New York; Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, former US Permanent Representative to the UN in New York; Ambassador Alfred H. Moses (Chairman), former US Ambassador to Romania and President's Special Emissary for Cyprus; the late Father Stanislaw Musial of Poland; and Ruth Wedgwood, professor of international law and diplomacy at Johns Hopkins University and member of the UN Human Rights Committee. Hillel C. Neuer is the Executive Director. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recognized the important role of UN Watch: "I deeply appreciate the valuable work performed by UN Watch. I believe that informed and independent evaluation of the United Nations' activities will prove a vital source as we seek to adapt the Organization to the needs of a changing world. I can promise you that I will pay close attention to your observations and views in the years ahead." Letter from Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, to Amb. Morris B. Abram, UN Watch (Jan. 30, 1997). Acknowledgments Jardena Lande was the senior researcher for this study. Natasha Sarraf provided research assistance. Leon Saltiel contributed on several levels, including with research, graphic design and layout. Michael Inlander managed publicity and offered many thoughtful comments on the draft report. October 2004 UN Watch 18 Blind to Burundi APPENDIX ____________ October 2004 UN Watch 19 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 20 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 21 Blind to Burundi EXHIBIT 1 ___________ October 2004 UN Watch 22 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 23 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 24 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 25 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 26 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 27 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 28 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 29 Blind to Burundi __ EXHIBIT 2 ____________ October 2004 UN Watch 30 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 31 Blind to Burundi EXHIBIT 3 ____________ October 2004 UN Watch 32 Blind to Burundi October 2004 UN Watch 33 Blind to Burundi