posted on April 30, 2003 05:40:10 PM new
The UN's Human Rights Commission is headed by Libya and yesterday Cuba was just re-elected. This must be some kind of sick joke.
posted on April 30, 2003 07:31:01 PM new
Only an American can lead this world.
Only an American has the intellect.
Only an American has the education.
Only an American has the charisma to persuade others.
Only an American can be ‘freedom loving’.
Only an American can envisage a happy world.
Only an American can ignore self interest & act in a righteous manner.
Only an American doesn’t smoke crack and deserve a swift kick.
posted on April 30, 2003 08:11:38 PM new
austbounty, is that really you?
"Be kind. Remember everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Harry Thompson
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it." - A Few Good Men
posted on April 30, 2003 08:50:53 PM new
one more reason to dismantle this good for nothing SOCIALIST SOCIAL CLUB. Cuba has been condemded 12 times for human rights violations by the same commission and nothing has happened except crap like this.
God be with the 75 imprisoned opposition and the families of those three that were tried and executed within 48 hours two weeks ago.
God be with us all if the UN is allowed to influence further in this world.
posted on April 30, 2003 09:37:55 PM new
Austi's just contributing to the "green house effect" with more HOT AIR
[ edited by bear1949 on Apr 30, 2003 09:39 PM ]
posted on April 30, 2003 11:14:32 PM new
I am gald you understand that is the way it should be Austbounty, now go play wiht your marbles like a good boy...
posted on May 1, 2003 12:47:00 AM new
Is Cuba really as oppressive as some people say?
I’ve heard of some horrendous human rights violations that are being perpetrated at a place called something like ‘Guacamole Bay’. I have seen demoralising images of prisoners even recognisable by their faces, being paraded around almost naked wearing nothing more than a loin cloth type garment similar to a babies nappy, with their hands tied and guns pointed straight at them.
There is no way an American, let alone a president, would let such atrocities occur on American soil.
What’s wrong with these people are they evil?
How can the UN possibly be effective with members like that???????????????????????
posted on May 1, 2003 07:33:00 AM new
Aust, no matter how much you disagree with the situation at GITMO, Human rights is not a matter of guilt by comparison. Cuba is an oppressive nation where there is no freedom to speak out, where it is not unusual for residents to disappear for having a dissenting opinion, and who regularly risk their very lives to escape.
To dismiss the Cuban situation just to toss still another stone at the US is to dismiss the Cuban people and their plight. I can't think of a more disrespectful act.
When the Food Workers Union stages an impromptu walkout at the U.N., the diplomats start looting for lunch and booze
By STEWART STOGEL/U.N.
Saturday, May. 03, 2003
Hunger pains can apparently turn even the most upstanding diplomat into a looter. At noon on Friday, food workers at the U.N. headquarters walked off their jobs, calling a wildcat strike. The result: none of the U.N.'s five restaurants and bars was staffed. The walkout left thousands of U.N. employees scrounging for lunch — eventually, the masses stripped the cafeterias of everything, including the silverware.
The food workers staged a one-day show of muscle after they learned that they would not be reimbursed for vacation pay due to a contract shift that took place in March. For the past 17 years the U.N. has been under contract to Restaurant Associates Inc. (RA). In March, RA lost the contract to Aramark Corporation, the largest U.S. food services company. According to Aramark executives who spoke to TIME, RA informed the food workers on Friday morning that it would only cover vacation pay that was issued before May 2nd, the last day of RA's U.N. contract. Any vacation pay due after May 2nd would need to be paid by Aramark.
But Aramark informed the Union it would only pay for time worked for their company and nothing previous with RA. Aramark told the union that whether or not vacation paychecks were to be issued before or after May 2nd the work in question was performed when RA held the U.N. contract.
That was enough to set the food workers walking during the height of Friday's lunch hour. After that, what ensued was nothing short of Baghdad style chaos.
Kofi Annan, who had a private lunch previously scheduled with the members of the Security Council in the Delegates Dining Room, found they were only served the main course. After that, they were on their own — no desserts, no cleanup, no coffee for Kofi. And the service was no better for anyone else at the U.N. But as tensions grew and stomachs growled, a high-ranking U.N. official boldly ordered that all the cafeterias open their doors for business even without staff. The restaurants had been locked shut by security until about 1:00 pm when the doors flung open.
The decision to make the cafeterias into "no pay zones" spread through the 40-acre complex like wildfire. Soon, the hungry patrons came running. "It was chaos, wild, something out of a war scene," said one Aramark executive who was present. "They took everything, even the silverware," she said. Another witness from U.N. security said the cafeteria was "stripped bare." And another told TIME that the cafeteria raid was "unbelievable, crowds of people just taking everything in sight; they stripped the place bare." And yet another astonished witness said that "chickens, turkeys, souffles, casseroles all went out the door (unpaid)."
The mob then moved on to the Viennese Café, a popular snack bar in the U.N.'s conference room facility. It was also stripped bare. The takers included some well-known diplomats who finished off the raid with free drinks at the lounge for delegates. When asked how much liquor was lifted from the U.N. bar, one U.S. diplomat responded: "I stopped counting the bottles." He then excused himself and headed towards the men's room.
An Aramark executive estimated the food "removed" from the U.N.'s main cafeteria at between $7,000 and $9,000 not including the staff restaurant, the Viennese Café or the Delegate's Bar. The value of the missing silverware has yet to be estimated.
Come Monday, the workers should be back at their stations. The dispute has been temporarily resolved with the Union agreeing that the vacation pay remains RA's responsibility. The Union also wasn't willing to risk Aramark's only option of replacing all the workers.
"I hope we have large crowds rushing to come to lunch on Monday," an Aramark executive said. "But this time we expect them to pay for what they take."
- Harry Thompson
