The Quebec lawyer at the UN André Sirois had a narrow escape several years ago. He was in East Timor, a country occupied by Indonesia. After a referendum to push the invader out of the territory, the worst happened for Me Sirois.
“I had a document in hand. My name was on the list to be executed the next day,” he says.
At the microphone of Richard Martineau, via QUB radio, he said that this is a situation that demonstrates very well the uselessness of the UN. The first resolution once morest Indonesia was adopted in 1976. It took 23 years for a second resolution to be adopted. Eventually, his own life is threatened.
“There are people trying to reform the UN. It never produced any results,” laments Mr. Sirois.
Among other things, he refers to the recent appointment of Russia to head the UN Security Council. The Quebec lawyer goes even further: the UN no longer has its raison d’être. It does not only question its weight in the world political spectrum, it also questions its financing.
“All the countries promise huge amounts, but in reality, there are very few countries that pay,” says Me Sirois.
