Press Release: Over 5,000 Haitian Cholera Victims Sue UN, Seeking Justice

EMBARGOED UNTIL 8 A.M., NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Contacts:

Brian Concannon, Jr., Esq., Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti, brian@ijdh.org, +1–541-263‑0029 (English, French, Creole)

Mario Joseph, Av., Bureau des Avocats Internationaux, mario@ijdh.org, 509-3701-9879 (French)

Ira Kurzban, Esq., Kurzban, Kurzban, Weinger Tetzeli & Pratt P.A., ira@kkwtlaw.com, +1–305-992‑3356 (English)

Over 5,000 Haitian Cholera Victims Sue UN, Seeking Justice.

Attorneys deliver claims requesting compensation and constructive action for the UN’s intro duc tion of cholera to Haiti.

Tues day, Novem ber 8, 2011, New York, Port-au-Prince — On Thursday, November 3, 2011, over 5,000 Haitians, all victims of cholera or relatives of victims, submitted claims to the United Nations (UN) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), for damages from MINUSTAH’s October 2010 introduction of cholera into Haiti. The cholera epidemic has killed over 6,600 Haitians and sickened over 475,000 to date. The epidemic is ongoing.

The victims’ petition explains that the UN and MINUSTAH are liable for hundreds of millions of dollars for: 1) failing to ade­quately screen and treat peace keeping soldiers arriv ing from countries experiencing cholera epidemics; 2) dumping untreated wastes from a UN base directly into a tributary of Haiti’s longest and most important river, the Artibonite; and 3) failing to ade­quately respond to the epidemic.
The cholera victims demand individual compensation, an adequate nation wide response by the UN, and a public apology.  They insist that the nation wide response include medical treament for current and future victims and clean water and san i ta tion infra structure, the only solu tion to the cholera epidemic.

BAI Managing Attorney Mario Joseph said, “This is an opportunity for the United Nations to demonstrate that its stated ideals of eliminating disease and encouraging respect for rights are not just empty promises.”

Brian Concannon, IJDH’s Director, added, “The majority of the petition’s facts come from UN reports. The UN devel oped much of the law we cite.  Our clients are challenging the institution to act consistently with what it knows to be true and just.”

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