When Angels Misbehaved: Justiciability of the United Nations for the Cholera Outbreak in Hait

Year 2024, Volume: 82 Issue: 4, 1289 - 1315, 30.12.2024

Muhammet Celal Kul

Abstract

The justiciability of international organizations has recently sparked considerable debate and interest. Among these comes the debate whether the United Nations (UN) was acting within its rights when hiding behind its immunity in the Cholera Outbreak in Haiti. Another point of contention is whether immunity is necessary vel non for the independence of the UN from member states, even in extreme cases where human rights are violated. In this paper, the justiciability of the UN is discussed over the concepts of immunity, autonomy, and responsibility of international organizations along with the moral obligations of the UN and the effective use of the alternative systems to compensate victims.

The UN’s role resembles that of God, as He bears no responsibility for His actions besides being above law. Similarly, troops or personnel participating in UN operations are expected to work for the good of humanity, such as angels. Nevertheless, the UN angels sometimes commit violations or cause damage, which stimulates further discussion of the matter.

To put these theoretical questions and metaphors into practice, the Cholera Outbreak in Haiti is chosen as it provides a contemporary example that is a developing story paving the way for understanding the immunity, responsibility, and justiciability of the UN. In this article, the immunity of the UN has been analyzed along with that of other international organizations to demonstrate the special position of the UN. Finally, a waiver of immunity was tested with some extreme examples in which violations of human rights and jus cogens norms were involved.

Keywords

Immunity of The United Nations , Responsibility of International Organizations , Autonomy of the UN , Justiciability of the UN , Waiver of Immunity

Melekler Hata Yapınca: Birleşmiş Milletler’in Haiti’deki Kolera Salgını Sebebiyle Yargılanabilirliği

Abstract

Birleşmiş Milletler Teşkilatı da dahil olmak üzere, uluslararası örgütlerin yargılanabilirliği önemli miktarda akademik tartışmayı beraberinde getirmiştir. Bunlar arasında, Birleşmiş Milletler’in Haiti’deki kolera salgınındaki tutumu ve karşılaştığı iddialar da mevcuttur. Acaba Birleşmiş Milletler yargı bağışıklığından feragat etmemekle hukuka uygun mu davranmıştır? Bir başka nokta-i nazar ise bağışıklığın Birleşmiş Milletler’in üye devletlerden bağımsız olabilmesini temin ettiği ve gerekli olduğu yönündedir. Buna göre, Birleşmiş Milletler’in yargı bağışıklığı Haiti kolera salgınında ve başka uç örneklerde olduğu gibi daima gereklidir ve feragat edilemez niteliktedir.

Bu çalışmada Birleşmiş Milletler’in yargılanabilirliği, feragat ve işlevsellik açısından bağışıklık, hukuki sorumluluk, bağımsızlık gibi kavramlar üzerinden çok yönlü olarak ele alınmak suretiyle uluslararası hukuk bakımından incelenmiş ve BM’nin alternatif zarar giderim yollarını etkin kullanması ve gerektiği takdirde yargı bağışıklığından feragat etmesi gereği değerlendirilmiştir. Bağışıklık zırhının ardına sığınan ve böylece hukuki sorumluluğu bertaraf eden Birleşmiş Milletler’in bu durumu layüsel ve hukukun üstünde bulunması bakımından Tanrı’ya ve insanlığın yararına çalıştıkları ön kabulünden hareketle Birleşmiş Milletler operasyonlarına katılan kişilerin durumu da meleklere benzetilmiştir. Bu çalışmada Birleşmiş Milletler adına çalışırken ihlalleri gerçekleştirenler Melek metaforuyla karşılandığı için çalışmanın adında bu metafor tercih edilmiştir.

Bu teorik benzetmeler ve sorulara uygulamada işaret edebilmek için bu makalede Birleşmiş Milletler’in bağışıklık, sorumluluk ve yargılanabilirliği konularına benzer durum ve davalar bakımından dair duruşuna ışık tutan ve gelişmekte olan güncel bir mesele olarak Haiti örneği tercih edilmiştir. Makalede Milletlerin bağışıklığı diğer uluslararası örgütlerin bağışıklığı karşılaştırmalı olarak incelenmiş olup Birleşmiş Milletler’in bu konudaki özel konumu ortaya konmaya çalışılmıştır. Ayrıca, bağışıklıktan feragat meselesi insan haklarının ve ius cogens normların ihlal edildiği örneklerle ele alınmıştır.

Keywords

Birleşmiş Milletlerin Yargı Muafiyeti , Uluslararası Örgütlerin Sorumluluğu , Birleşmiş Milletlerin Bağımsızlığı , Birleşmiş Milletlerin Yargılanabilirliği , Bağışıklıktan Feragat

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