United Nations Denies Dumping Feces in Haiti Water Sources

United Nations Denies Dumping Feces in Haiti Water Sources
Defense Published on Thursday, 25 August 2011 12:20
Written by Samuel Maxime PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht)

- The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has released a formal denial of fecal-dumping near Haiti's rivers following a series of news articles claiming the contrary and new scientific studies linking the cholera outbreak to its soldiers.

The denial was released on Thursday in which the organization said:

"The United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (MINUSTAH) formally denies being responsible for the dumping of waste in Hinche or elsewhere in the territory of Haiti."

MINUSTAH also wished to claim an absence of motive for the acts saying:

"MINUSTAH wishes to recall that the camp in Hinche has been equipped since June 15, 2011, with a treatment plant and disposal of sewage and waste that is inside the camp. Sewage and waste are dumped at the plant three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Under no circumstances the sewage or other waste is transported outside the camp. The existence of this plant wastewater treatment and waste can be easily found on the spot."

The denial comes on the heels of several reports from news agencies, journalists, citizens and politicians, including the mayor of Hinche, who some say to have seen the MINUSTAH vehicles dumping the waste and others who have investigated to discover the waste sites, within 15 meters of the population's water sources.

The credibility of the United Nations mission has been under constant scrutiny as new scientific studies have linked the cholera outbreak to the organization suggesting it has not been forthcoming, or predisposed to accepting responsibility.

In July, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention found faulty waste practices at a MINUSTAH camp in Mirebalais to be the source of the cholera outbreak which has killed more than 6,000 of Haiti's citizens. Furthermore, on Tuesday a study on the microbial level, conducted between Nepalese and Danish researchers came to a molecular conclusion that the cholera outbreak came from the Southeast Asian continent where the soldiers in the Mirebalais camp had migrated from.

The United Nations and its Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon have since denied being the cause of the cholera outbreak in Haiti. Social organizations and government leaders have called the organization to accept blame and compensate for the damages caused.


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