UN Whistleblowers: 2

Part two on the excellent documentary on UN Whistleblowers. Link to the documentary is in part one which you can find here. 👇

United Nations: Whistleblowers 1

James Wasserstrom: Case Study 2.

James Wasserstrom’s experience begins with the United Nation’s ”peace-keeping” mission in Kosovo. As part of that mission it was identified that one of the issues Kosovo faced was an electricity shortage. A project was underway to put the development of a new power plant out to tender. This was the beginning of Wasserstrom’s problems.

After consistent rumours, one participant was corrupt, Wasserstrom dutifully investigated and found enough to substantiate the claims and couriered his findings the General Secretary of the United Nations. One of the allegations was that a bidder was prepared to offer a kickback to the equivalent of 10% of the value of the contract; equivalent to 500 million dollars. This resulted in Wasserstrom being asked to become an official whistleblower, supposedly protected by the U.N’s own whistleblower policy. In reality, far from protecting him, his name was, instead, leaked to the very U.N staff he was accusing of corruption.

There began a sustained targetting of Wasserstrom, by his own colleagues with the ultimate aim of severing his, 28 year, relationship with the United Nations. At times he feared for his life.

John O’Brien: Case Study 3.

John’s experience shares many features with the experience of Wasserstrom, he also uncovered corruption on an institutional level. Contracts were handed out to friends and family and, when attempting to expose these practices, to his boss, O’Brien says he was told to keep quiet. On one project an Independent expert was brought in to review a climat change mitigation project. His conclusion was that the project was nothing but a money laundering vehicle.

The United Nation’s response 👇. From ”strong indicators of deliberate misappropriation” to case closed.

The United Nations also tried to discredit O’Brien; accusing him of visiting prostitutes even trying to interview his terminally ill girlfriend. O’Brien rejects these accusations and says he has clear proof it was fabricated. The distress at this betrayal, by their own organisation is palpable. The UN still have John under investigation four years later.

Wasserstrom suffered a similar fate and reports that job offers are withdrawn at the last minute, he believes this is because of the smears attached to his name.

My next piece will focus on the conduct of the United Nations, in Haiti, where their negligence led to a cholera outbreak that killed over 10,000 people. Additionally, many women and children were raped by U.N staff.

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