The UN's top man in Haiti: his last poignant words
The UN secretary general’s special representative in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, who was killed with other UN officials in Tuesday’s earthquake, was one of those exceptional UN people like Sergio de Mello, the UN assistant secretary general blown up in Baghdad in 2003.
Both men, in a sense, died in action. Both men are what makes the UN, for all its fault, a singularly remarkable and exceptional body.
Annabi, a Tunisan, had been the UN assistant secretary general for peace-keeping.
He decided to take the head of mission job in Haiti (a country virtually run by the UN following political turmoil) partly because he wanted one more “throw of the dice” before retirement, and partly because his wife was suffering from Alzheimer’s and in Haiti he could afford the 24-hour nursing care she needed.
Poor woman, lost in that eternal fog of Alzheimer’s, widowed by this devastating tragedy, and now lingering in the confusion of earthquake aftermath. Has her nurse even survived?
Poignantly, Annabi delivered a new year message to the people of Haiti just five days before he died. I feel bound to share with you the most poignant parts (translated from the French in which he spoke it):
“A year ago, we started 2009 in a particularly difficult national and international context….Indeed, in January the country was trying to recover from the tragic consequences of a series of hurricanes and tropical storms which hit in August and September 2008. Roads and bridges had been destroyed by flooding, populations stricken by the disaster or displaced, and many people were threatened by the further deterioration of their already difficult living conditions.”
And then in conclusion:
“We can say that 2009 has not been a bad year for Haiti. Of course the results we’ve obtained are still not enough to ameliorate, for now, the lot of the most destitute and many challenges will need to be taken on in 2010 to strengthen their stability and to bring together conditions for durable social and economic development.
“I am however convinced that these obstacles can be overcome and the promise of a better future for Haiti is not naive, if all Haitians engage themselves resolutely in a dialogue of understanding and cooperation and if they turn their backs to doubt, mistrust and suspicion. Today Haiti is at a decisive moment in its history…it’s now for the Haitians and the Haitians alone to transform that hope into reality by working together for the interests of their country.
His full speech is here: Annabi transcript at radiokiskeya.com
My source inside the UN reports that the seven senior Chinese police officers who died with Annabi, passed through New York en route to Haiti.
My friend and others gathered to share last Sunday evening with them. They brought a small jade box, a keep-sake.
Sitting on a hall table on the Lower East Side it is now all that’s left as evidence that they were ever there.
They died little more than a day after the party in New York – at the UN headquarters in Port-au-Prince attending a top level meeting with Annabi, his deputy and an unknown number of other UN officials who were also killed.
China contributes to the training for police in Haiti – part of the continuing effort to give the Haitian people that future of which Annabi spoke in his new year message.
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There are 18 comments on this post
Amazing people battle to tackle massive problems in places blighted by the uneven forces of nature and capitalism, and we complain about the snow.
Makes you feel humble and not a little guilty
Another thought, Jon. Wouldn’t it be great if all those self-satisfied, greedy bankers, donated their obscene bonuses to Haiti? The billions of pounds would do much more good there than in providing bankers with more champagne.
Fat Chance – they create the poor – so hardly likely to care about them . They get inetest free loans from the State – payable back whenevr they feel like it – a slightly different scenario than if I want to get a loan from a bank – someone allegdly used whips on these moneylenders – - I think I would go a bit further .
[...] See the article here: The UN’s top man in Haiti: his last poignant words [...]
The last paragraph is tragically ironicle. There is no other way now for Haiti but to resolutely rebuild for the interests of the Country and its people.
We are the lucky ones, but probably all feel helpless.
I believe a good 80% of U.N. staff or more, are genuine and believe in a better life for those who are plighted with poverty, corruption and war.
It has been mainly U.S. companies, that have been draining Haiti of its natural resources for many years now. The “draining” has, as it usually does, led to more poverty, corruption and war. I will remind everyone of the devastating landslides due to the incessant logging.
People who naturally see no other alternative, than to kill each other for food. If we are hungry we eat. Hunger and thirst are a form of torture.
The U.S. should be pouring billions and not millions, into the relief effort.
We are talking a possible 100.000 casualties and I get the shivers every time that number is repeated in the media.
adzmundo CND
Dear Jon, It seems that you know Hedi. I also knew him; I wonder if you might get in touch as I am currently writing about him and would be grateful for your insights. Regards, Linda Melvern
HAITI did not need this calamity at this very time at all. They’ve gone from the boiling oil into the fire, let us all join forces to help survivors… May God have mercy on us.
HAITI did not need this calamity at this time at all; they’ve just gone from the boiling oil into the fire. Let us all join forces, at any level at which we can intervene, to help survivors and the country come to terms with this ordeal. And may God help us…
[...] | 5:36 p.m. Jon Snow, the anchor of Britain’s Channel 4 News, writes in a tribute to Hedi Annabi — the head of the U.N. mission in Haiti who was reportedly killed [...]
I’m so sorry that Mr. Annabi lost his life, he sounded like a very special person. It requires lots of strength and optimism to head a mission following a series of hurricanes, especially in such an unlucky country as Haiti. As a Caribbean woman with some first-hand experience, I can tell you that it requires loads of effort to just get through each day in the aftermath of any disaster.. just working through the damage, not to mention weeks and months of waiting for water and power to be restored…no one has time to think about self…you’re so busy surviving, helping others just trying to stay sane. I cannot begin to imagine what life must feel like for survivors of an earthquake. I suppose it means something that Mr. Annabi’s final speech was so encouraging. Perhaps leading journalists like yourself could begin to help those living outside the country to engage in dialogue to chart a new course for their country. I believe this situation requires countries and individuals to contribute compassion in huge doses..bringing people together to grieve, to hope, and to talk about rebuilding.
Jon, sorry to digress from the current issue at hand, Haiti. A similar pending disaster, albeit man made , is snowballing in Nigeria. Suprised about media blackout to this point. President Yaradua’s whereabouts currently unknown; tensions/rumours of coup planning; involvement of at least one British Cons MP in sabotaging current trial of Ibori/accomplices taking place at Southwark Crown(?) court. Activists submitted FOI to House of Commons for copy of said MP’s report, which was declined due to not being in the public interest. All of this info freely available on the web but why no news reporting? We trust you as one of the respected journalists in the UK who can help bring the plight of millions of suffering nigerians home/abroad to the public arena so the current political puppet masters are held to account.
The problem as I predicted is always distribution of aid. Other Countries seem to respond to the crisis and aid and help goes to collection points, but we still do not see any people getting it.
Locals are on the ground lifting bricks and rubble to free those trapped.Why just locals?
We heard that sniffer dogs were sent in , the army was sent in, but for goodness sake how long does it take to transport men by helicopter , to initially respond to the crisis ?
Rather than pat ourselves on the back it may be a good idea if the world could respond far more quickly.
How long does it take a reporter to get to the scene of tragedy?
[...] headquarters of United Nations mission in Haiti on Tuesday. In an update on Thursday, we pointed to a tribute to Mr. Annabi on the blog of Jon Snow, the anchor of Channel 4 News in [...]
Reports from the C4 team have been most harrowing and moving. And, it’s been heartening to see such a rapid response to pleas for donations, especially when, I understand, charitable donations are at an ebb.
But, I have to ask, with conditions in Haiti so awful, where are the journalists and TV crew staying and how do they get feed and watered when so many lack the most basic of supplies.
Ah. Found Hannah Storm’s posts – http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/author/world-news-blog-editor/ – explains it all. Excellent.
Anybody else disgusted by this? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/17/cruise-ships-haiti-earthquake
Having watched Jon Snow’s report on the Channel 4 News this evening from Haiti, it is clear for anyone to see that the situation is desperately difficult.
Given that the Florida based luxury cruise liner, Royal Caribbean International Company are still docking 4000 berth ships off the coast Haiti, perhaps they could lend an empty ship to act as a hospital/safe haven for women and children and the vulnerable.
Surely any vessel with beds/space water and sanitation that could get there would be welcome as an emergency measure. I also wonder why the US and agencies are not despatching more helicopters to run 27/7 food water medicine distribution effort from the airport, given that the roads are in such a state?
Of course I appreciate that that the situation is horrific but it does look like we the International Community are not acting quickly or doing enough.
Although some people have thankfully been rescued, by international rescue teams the relief aid effort as a whole appears to be too little, too slow and tragically for many, sadly too late.
Hi Jon
Just want to say that I have been following your reports from Haiti – you are doing a terrific job. Each night you convey the awfulness of the situation with tact and sensitivity, you have also travelled to see (and to show the viewing public) just how bad it is for the average Haitian. I hope your broadcasts from Haiti are extended or maybe you could do a special hour long programme, because they are of immense value.
I’ve been monitoring reports across several networks and yours are by far and away the ones I seek out, recorded one last night and watched it at 1am when I returned home.
I hope C4 stays with this story because it is slowly slipping away on other networks, we need to be in this for the long haul, and that includes the media.
Best to you and the team,
GH