Did the UN Bring Cholera to Haiti?
posted at 2:00 pm on May 6, 2011 by Jazz Shaw
Richard Fernandez of Pajamas Media highlights a disturbing story, and one which brings yet another layer of misery to an area already wallowing in it. I see nothing to discredit the story at this point, and while not implying that anything intentional or sinister happened, it’s still a potential disaster of staggering proportions.
Laboratory tests have confirmed that Nepalese UN Peacekeepers accidentally caused the death of 5,000 Haitians from cholera. The Independent quotes an investigation’s conclusion: “The sanitation conditions at the Mirebalais Minustah camp were not sufficient to prevent faecal contamination of the Meye Tributary System of the Artibonite River with human faecal waste”. The Artibonite River provided tens of thousands of Haitians with drinking water.
One of the larger themes here isn’t the plight of the Haitians or the incompetence of the UN or anything to do with natural disasters. As Fernandez points out, there is a lesson here for all of us relating to the law of unintended consequences, and what happens when we go in – even with the best of intentions – and tamper with things we may not fully understand.
Today we think that we can manage the climate by regulating Greenhouse Gases; by taxing certain kinds of activity. But human action always involves irreducible risk. Even policies designed on the “precautionary principle” or on the basis of a “responsibility to protect” cannot be proofed against the law of unintended consequences. The Nepalese Peacekeepers had a uninvited Irish recruit named Murphy. Sh** happens. It often does.
None of this should be surprising. We brought snakes to Hawaii and rabbits and cats to Australia. That’s not to say we *shouldn’t* have done those things. Mankind is built to explore. But gauging our actions means that we have to be aware that the world will always be several degrees more complex than we think it is. And as they used to say in the old Chiffon Margarine commercials, it’s not nice to fool mother nature.
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Why does Haiti remind me of Detroit?
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 2:04 PM
OMG, is that what haiti looks like now? If it does look like that, with the billions upon billions given to help rebuild that nation, the un needs to get the boot out of the US and not get one more penny from us ever!
L
letget on May 6, 2011 at 2:11 PM
O/T Rush just said that the White House has made a video of the The Won’s movements during the bin Laden operation, including a standing O from his cabinet.
Cindy Munford on May 6, 2011 at 2:14 PM
I’ve always thought that the UN should move to Hati to give them some economic stability, scratch that idea.
Cindy Munford on May 6, 2011 at 2:16 PM
Jeez, this story again? First off, it’s Nepali, not Nepalese. Also, cholera is not a major problem in Nepal, but it is a major problem in many of the countries where Nepali UN peacekeepers serve, and if they indeed brought it to Haiti, it was probably from another failed state, not from Nepal.
As they say in Nepal, Ke garne. (What to do?)
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:17 PM
Cholera is the least of the diseases carried by the UN.
greggriffith on May 6, 2011 at 2:20 PM
Speaking of fixing things that ain’t broke.
Here in SW ND a few years back we were some of the last to get our 911 addresses.
A coupla years ago the nephew was up haying near a farmstead (unoccupied) & a fire broke out.
He called 911 & got an operator in Bismarck (90 miles away).
He gave them the section number, etc. where the fire was.
She insisted upon getting a 911 address.
Meanwhile, the fire spread.
Nephew finally hung up & called the local FD.
Sometimes big agencies screw things up in a big way.
Badger40 on May 6, 2011 at 2:21 PM
OK, I’m confused. Did the UN Peace Keepers from Nepal bring Cholera because they were infected and it spread, or did they build a faulty sewage treatment system and thus the sewage mingled with the drinking water?
mizflame98 on May 6, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Because the literacy rate is almost as bad as Detroit?
slickwillie2001 on May 6, 2011 at 2:25 PM
Too many so-called ‘experts’ or ‘authorities’ always without fail mess things up. Thomas Sowell writes about just such stuff. Therefore I am surprised by this news but then again rather not so. The locals knew better than to allow feces in the water. The Nepalese should have had better protocol. But this just ain’t nothing close to a perfect world and never was nor never will be. Still, on this point we are correct to find the Nepalese to blame for this outbreak. They knew better, whereas with the rabbits and cats the Australians did not. This latter is a solid example of Murphy’s Law while the former is just plain negligence. I doubt the Nepalese will be welcomed back to Haiti ever.
Sherman1864 on May 6, 2011 at 2:26 PM
+100
One of the most well tested and prevailing theories for the genesis of HIV is from mass vaccinations in Africa in the 1950s.
HIV/AIDS appears in Africa around the same time and in the same regions that westerners implemented vaccination programs. The people that live in these areas were already found to carry SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus); however, their bodies could easily fight it off the same way most healthy people fight off the flu virus. It’s not until needles contaminated with the blood of people that had SIV were used and reused that HIV shows up (viruses quickly passed from one host to another to another tend to mutate and become stronger).
I’m definitely not claiming that it was done on purpose. However, it’s just one of a long string of unintended consequences that can be chalked up to good intentions.
JadeNYU on May 6, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Going Nepalese, I think I’m going Nepalese, I really think so…
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 2:32 PM
Haiti shares the island with the Dominican Republic which appears to have a viable economy/political system. Haiti was a disaster area long before the earthquake. Totally corrupt politics. That’s how it is like Detroit, except Detroit may have more racial hatred for whitey.
a capella on May 6, 2011 at 2:33 PM
In Haiti (and Somalia) the union bosses are called war lords.
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 2:33 PM
I don’t think it is a mystery or unpredictable when you bring in folks that sh*t in the water supply like they do back home.
BL@KBIRD on May 6, 2011 at 2:34 PM
Jutho nabholnus, hai?
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:35 PM
Exactly how many times have you ever been there?
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:36 PM
Lucky them.
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:41 PM
PBHO said it would be unseemly to spike the football, he never said he wouldn’t do a touchdown dance.
Bishop on May 6, 2011 at 2:43 PM
Maybe the UN should just open up a Planned Parenthood clinic…
Seven Percent Solution on May 6, 2011 at 2:44 PM
Because there is sewage flowing in the streets of both?
Bishop on May 6, 2011 at 2:46 PM
Don’t get The Vapors. Stay calm and contact a physician. I want a doctor to take a picture, so I can look at you from inside as well.
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:50 PM
“You do not want to be between Michelle and a tamale,” joked the president.
Imagine how many Haitians could be fed on what Michelle consumes daily!
Hundreds if not thousands!
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 2:52 PM
Clueless
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 2:53 PM
The moral of this story? The UN sucks. They respond slowly, inadequately, and spread disease.
Of course, that’s when they’re not taking an active roll in abusing women in the nation they’re supposed to be protecting.
hawksruleva on May 6, 2011 at 2:55 PM
Gu khane
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 2:58 PM
Just the kind of thuggery liberals support.
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 3:00 PM
It’s in the UN’s own report on the cholera outbreak, albeit neatly buried and minimized.
ProfessorMiao on May 6, 2011 at 3:04 PM
I would have guessed they brought VD.
Hiya Ciska on May 6, 2011 at 3:04 PM
This is off-topic, but I’ll say it anyway: The above-quoted remark is just one more in a gallery of disrespectful remarks that BHO and Mrs BHO are on record as having made about each other. There’s something not good going on there.
Hubster and I never criticize each other in public. (don’t do it much in private either, and it’s always kindly worded. I’m very lucky!). Spouses who do so, IMHO, betray a fundamental disrespect of and hostility toward each other.
Mary in LA on May 6, 2011 at 3:09 PM
Bringing VD to Haiti…interesting. That’s like bringing a beer to a brewery.
Christien on May 6, 2011 at 3:13 PM
America is not the only thing Michelle has never been proud of.
You can tell a lot about a person by:
A. The friends they keep (Valerie Jarret)
B. The people they fear (trump and Palin)
C. The respect they demonstrate to each other (or the lack thereof)
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 3:16 PM
Well, what do you expect when people marry for political posturing instead of for love? Like the Clintons this was a political merger. How else can you explain this statement from Barry:
They’ve been married for how long and he’s only now finding out what her favorite food is? Come on!
mizflame98 on May 6, 2011 at 3:25 PM
Obama did not order the Osama hit
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 4:34 PM
To be fair, what her favorite food is probably depends on what is in range.
slickwillie2001 on May 6, 2011 at 4:47 PM
Michelle can run down a lobster like it’s crawling on it’s belly!
Roy Rogers on May 6, 2011 at 5:22 PM
BHO: “Awww, come on, honey. It’s Cinco de quatro. You know I was just sucking up for the Hispanic vote . . .”
BigAlSouth on May 6, 2011 at 5:41 PM
A fair point indeed! Poor little Sasha and Malia. I hope their parents love them more than they appear to love each other.
Mary in LA on May 6, 2011 at 7:45 PM
Further to above, anyone remember Madalyn Murray O’Hair, the flaming militant atheist? (I surmise that she was as embarrassing to sane and reasonable atheists as Westboro Baptist Church is to those of us who profess Christianity.) Her son, William, famously converted to Christianity and was disowned by his mother.
What would happen, do you think, if one or both of the Obama girls grew up to be conservative?
Mary in LA on May 6, 2011 at 7:51 PM
Did the UN Bring Cholera to Haiti?
Why not? They brought rape to Africa. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
MaiDee on May 7, 2011 at 7:30 PM
Why is it just now being brought to light, this was known from day one by the native Haitians – there had never ever before been a single case of cholera in this country – a very close friend of mine who is Haitian informed me of this within a few weeks following the cholera outbreak. The Haitian people were very aware of this, but they were only told to “Wash their hands” What a ruse – we should all be ashamed of this deplorable notion that millions of people who don’t even have homes, let alone access to clean water were told to just make sure they washed their hands thoroughly @ the peak of the cholera outbreak- did they mean like with soap?/sarc – because soap is pretty much nonexistant to the majority of the people who were at greatest risk. The wonderful people of Haiti may be extremely poor & uneducated but they are NOT stupid & have been taken advantage of for way too long by the U.S. & many other countries which only fuel the corruption in their leadership & now the U.N (as usual) manages to cause much more harm than good. What the people of Haiti really need is for the younger generation to retake their own country from the many foreign entities who currently occupy it, including the U.S.! IF you really want to help Haiti visit the website http://www.SovereignHaiti.com – you can also friend them on FB @ Sovereign Haiti Initiative.
huskerdiva on May 7, 2011 at 9:17 PM
I am pleased Hot Air is highlighting this but it is old news.
davod on May 8, 2011 at 5:54 AM