U.N. security chief fired after report on bombing

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | March 30, 2004 | Irwin Arieff

[South40]

UNITED NATIONS – Secretary-General Kofi Annan rejected his deputy's offer to resign but fired his security chief after a blistering report on security missteps before last year's deadly bombing of U.N. offices in Baghdad.

Annan asked U.N. Security Coordinator Tun Myat of Myanmar to resign after the report concluded Myat "appeared oblivious to the developing crisis" in Baghdad before the Aug. 19 blast, which killed 22 people including mission chief Sergio Vieira de Mello, U.N. chief spokesman Fred Eckhard said yesterday. Myat was put on paid leave in November.

Annan rejected a resignation offer by U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette, a Canadian who chaired the U.N. Steering Group on Iraq at the time the world body decided last May that its senior staff could return to work after the U.S.-led invasion in March.

The bombing led to the withdrawal of all U.N. international staff from Iraq. They have not returned to Iraq, apart from small teams recently sent in to help with the shift to a transitional Iraqi government, expected by June 30.

Security officials "appeared to be blinded by the conviction that U.N. personnel and installations would not become a target of attack, despite the clear warnings to the contrary," said the report by an outside panel led by Gerald Walzer, former U.N. deputy high commissioner for refugees.

The report focused on which officials were responsible for serious security lapses identified in an earlier study, conducted by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari.

Walzer's report broadly faulted U.N. officials for failing to either withdraw some staff or take strong measures to improve security at the U.N. site in Baghdad, in the former Canal Hotel, once they became aware of the growing risks.

It accused two U.N. administrators in Baghdad of "a dereliction of duty" and "a lethargy that is bordering on gross negligence" for failing to quickly shield office windows with blast-resistant film. The two, Boulos Paul Aghadjanian of Jordan and Pa Momodou Sinyan of Gambia, were being charged by the United Nations with misconduct and would be the subject of formal disciplinary proceedings, Eckhard said.

[antiRepublicrat]

Probably getting promoted.

"a dereliction of duty"

Annan should be one to talk, with the Kosovo and Rwanda massacres under his direct watch.

[lilylangtree]

Fire Kofi!

[wattsmag2]

Kofi won't resign though. he and his family haven't siphoned off enough wealth yet.

[in the Arena]

for failing to quickly shield office windows with blast-resistant film

I think you have an interest in this type of product...

[doug from upland]

Yes. We did a property not too far away down the street from the U.N. that was finished the day before the bombing. No injuries or penetration of the structure. The idiots at the U.N. were screwing around for the longest time trying to make a decision and get competitive bids. Their delay absolutely resulted in some people being dead who would not have died.

www.ssafprotection.com

[in the Arena]

Sounds like a great product, but I guess it only works if you use it...what a waste... BTW, has there been any damage to the building you applied this to ?

[doug from upland]

No damage. Several floors of a hotel we protected in Baghdad also had no damage even though other floors that were not protected suffered substantial damage when the building was hit.