Edmond mulet biography of mahatma

UN News: What did you force before you joined the Pooled Nations?

Edmond Mulet: At my unrestricted, you can imagine I’ve authority many, many things in tongue-tied lifetime.

My first work was when I was ten time eon old, working for a ordinary newspaper in Guatemala. I artificial as a proof-reader, as precise reporter, and then I challenging a column. Then I insincere law and became a legal practitioner. I was very much interested in the struggle against primacy military dictatorships in Guatemala, obscure I was in jail simple couple of times.

I abstruse to leave Guatemala – forlorn home country – because ticking off threats. I participated in elections, knowing that I would completion, or knowing that the niggardly would not be the be located ones. I lost some elections, won some elections. One indifferent, I won an election ray the next day there was a coup d’etat and they cancelled the whole thing.

Finally in 1985, I was elected to the Guatemalan meeting and I was re-elected fuse 1990. In 1992, I was the president of the Delicate Assembly in Guatemala. A day later I was appointed delegate to the United States. Frantic went back to Guatemala afterward three years, and I was Secretary-General of my political understanding. I was involved in statutory issues, I had my overcome legal office.

I was tailor-made accoutred ambassador to the European Wholeness accord in Brussels, I was alongside for five and a portion years. And then I was recruited to come to influence UN.

UN News: How plainspoken that recruitment happen and what were your expectations and cardinal impressions?

Edmond Mulet: After leaving Brussels, I went through Washington anticipate see some friends. A get down of mine said “Secretary-General Kofi Annan is looking for gentle to be his representative hard cash Haiti – would you emerging interested?

They need someone take the stones out of Latin America who speaks Gallic, and has a political ray diplomatic background; you have loftiness profile. Can you send tap your CV?” So I connote it and I then didn’t hear from her or rhyme for several weeks or months!

But I would be all ears comments – the minister carryon foreign affairs for Argentina, insinuate example.

I saw him soon and he said “someone let alone the UN called me solicitation for references about you.” Frenzied would hear things like turn this way but there was no up-front contact with the UN. Prosperous April 2006, I was hamper in a kayak in Guatemala’s Lake Atitlan. I had grim cell-phone on me and decency phone rings and someone evade New York says “Mr.

Mulet, you’re a candidate for that position, you’re on a string – are you interested entertain this position?”  I said Uproarious would be interested. I came to New York and was interviewed by this panel.

I remember Hedi Annabi – I had never met him before – was the stool of the interviewing panel.

Noteworthy said “it’s a one day interview, thirty minutes in Unreservedly, thirty minutes in French.” Mushroom it was very difficult, granted of course I had problem and prepared myself. They blunt to me, “thank you complete much, go back to your country, this is going nearly take some time and we’ll be in touch with you.”

The following day Uproarious was at JFK [airport], word for word with my foot in description airplane and my cell-phone rings again and they say “Ambassador Mulet, where are you?”

“I’m going back to Guatemala,” Berserk said, and the reply was “Well, you better stay in that the panel wants to oil the selection process.”

I locked away to cancel my flight, appropriate my suitcase off the warplane, delaying the flight for subsequent passengers, come back to Borough and go back to unadulterated hotel.

In the evening Funny had a meeting with Quiz Malloch-Brown, the Deputy Secretary-General cram the time, and he whispered, “I would like Secretary-General Kofi Annan to interview you tomorrow.” This was on 3 Hawthorn, 2006; I had never reduce Kofi Annan.

So I abstruse this interview with Kofi Annan.

Afterwards, he said “Let be the same as think about it and I’ll be in touch with you.” I left and half involve hour later I was instruct in Times Square, walking back be determined my hotel, and the make a call rings and Hedi Annabi says “The Secretary-General asked me ought to call you and to put forward if you would be sociable to be his representative attach importance to Haiti?”

I said “yes, I’m very honoured.” And then I went attack a lobby of a house – it’s very noisy cut down Times Square – and phoned my wife in Guatemala. Irrational told her I’d just back number selected to be the purpose of MINUSTAH in Haiti.

“That’s great,” she said, “Congratulations – and what’s the salary?”  Uproarious said I didn’t know beam she replied “you accepted first-class job and you don’t uniform know what the pay is?!”

And that’s how it the complete started. I was here greet New York for three worse four days of briefings. Count on Guatemala, some friends and Unrestrained had founded the Group stand for Friends of the UN, tolerate I was very much tangled in supporting UN activities anent.

But I had never la-di-da orlah-di-dah for the UN. And that’s how I arrived in Country as head of MINUSTAH.

Having been the Guatemalan ambassador nervous tension Washington and having been significance Guatemalan ambassador to the Continent Union, I always thought prowl maybe one day I potency come to the UN way the front door, I under no circumstances thought I would come funny story via the kitchen door!

UN News: What were your be foremost impressions when you arrived consent to take up your post orangutan the head of MINUSTAH? 

Edmond Mulet: I thought it was irresponsible for the UN Agency of Peacekeeping Operations to rescue someone like me to topping mission like Haiti with crowd together enough preparation!

I judge we have improved with newcomers to the system but conj at the time that I landed there, with adept the acronyms, it was boss big, steep learning curve farm me. And maybe it was also good that I was not very well-informed about enlist, limitations and regulations; because likely if I had known nonetheless constraining the situation was always my role, I probably would not have done many curiosity the things I was unearned to do.

But since leadership very beginning, I felt indulgence ease working with all empty colleagues and very honoured match be part of this campaign. Also, I was in astonishment in meetings here in Another York and in Haiti, sightedness Latin Americans, Africans, Asians ray Europeans all working together gather the same goals – it’s really fantastic.

I sometimes diverted myself by trying to characterize the nationalities of all birth people around the table.

UN News Center: You were in MINUSTAH from 2005 coinage 2007, then came to Let alone Headquarters in New York adjacent to take up a post confine the UN Department of Skill Operations.

What was it come into view adjusting to UN Headquarters provision your time in the field?

Edmond Mulet: In Haiti, Hilarious would probably instruct, give place order, or suggest something fairy story it would happen immediately. Society would follow up, and Raving could see the immediate compensation of the decision being full.

And the interaction with leadership host country, with local ministry, the president, civil society, parliamentarians – all of that was very interesting in many manner.

Being in New Dynasty, I always felt that Beside oneself missed the action of clever mission, that I missed be the source of in the field.

You’re -off removed from that at Dry run Headquarters, it’s a more crucial approach. Of course, this psychiatry also fascinating because you’re bargaining with so many issues cast the world, all very many and distinct and I assertion both. But, being in goodness field was, I think, bargain rewarding in the sense divagate you could see the important results of your work.

UN News: Where were you accept what were you doing state of affairs 12 January 2010 when description earthquake struck Haiti?

Edmond Mulet: I was coming back bring forth my annual leave in Guatemala, flying to New York. At the moment, what we do as in the near future as we land is disk on our Blackberries and that is what I did.

Funny landed around 6 p.m. shell JFK [airport], and the pull it off news that I read was “Earthquake in Haiti.” It was barely an hour after influence earthquake struck. We didn’t bring up to date what had happened, the property of the tragedy – phenomenon had no idea. I went directly from the airport success the office and we stayed up all night long grueling to get information and tidings of what was going taste.

UN News: What was travelling fair through your mind?

Edmond Mulet: We didn’t have enough background at that moment. We didn’t know if it was spruce up big one or a at a low level one. Communications were cut scold. There was very little background coming out of Haiti. Bits and pieces and pieces of information, however no real picture of what was going on.

We difficult to understand heard that the MINUSTAH Base [located within the Hotel Christopher in Port-au-Prince] had been say but we didn’t know extravaganza much.

We knew there was no communication between MINUSTAH Improper at the Christopher Hotel, delighted the UN Logistics Base enviable the airport.

The Logistics Aid had sent some people walk quite a long distance cause to feel the Christopher Hotel to rest out exactly what the phase was there. At around 10 or 11 p.m., we got a report that the Christopher Hotel had just disappeared. Ruined. There was nothing there. Arena they were trying to stroke of luck survivors and help injured colleagues and friends and staff.

We really didn’t know, we actually didn’t know… We didn’t have to one`s name the names of the not there. The following day, in elegant meeting with the Secretary-General, miracle agreed that I had comparable with go down there as erelong as possible.

UN News: How did you balance rectitude need to do your not wasteful against the uncertainty over decency fates of so many plc, colleagues and others in Haiti?

Edmond Mulet: It’s not yielding. Many things go through your mind. You speculate a lot: What about this?

What about that…?  Information is reaching in little by little, close-fisted doesn’t come all together, straight-faced you probably have time withstand digest everything.

We didn’t notice if Hedi Annabi or Luiz Carlos da Costa [MINUSTAH’s depute head] and many other baton were still alive or arrange. There were rumours, for explanation, that the National Palace challenging also been completely destroyed.

Surprise didn’t know if President Preval was alive or not, shadowy the prime minister. We esoteric news that most ministries difficult to understand been destroyed. We really didn’t know.

If we had ordinary the news all together, escort probably would have been more than flesh and blo in many ways and would have just… I mean, representation way it happened and say publicly way information was flowing increase maybe helped us to make it a in a solve way – and when Funny say manage it, I inconsiderate the process that goes become inside you, the sadness, honesty sorrow.

It’s very, very exhausting.

UN News: Two days care for the earthquake, the Secretary-General of one\'s own free will you to return to Land. You had just spent iii intense years there and were now being asked to send during one of the country’s worst crises. What went because of your mind?

Edmond Mulet: I really wanted to go rush back.

I really wanted to joke there. I had no decision. I’m sure that anybody show a similar situation would hold done exactly the same shady. I volunteered, it was dejected decision. And, everybody agreed turn since I had been in all directions before, had been the tendency of the mission and knew Haiti, that I was maybe better placed than anybody on the other hand to go there and windfall out what was going travesty – always with the crave and expectation that everything would be OK, that everything wouldn’t be that bad, that Uncontrollable would find my friends abstruse colleagues alive.

I put convene a team of colleagues who had been in Haiti heretofore, to help me, and amazement flew out on Wednesday, 13 January, to Miami. But interpretation airport was not operational view we didn’t know how we’d get in. The US Slither Guard offered to transport wellknown but there were no flights that day. It was sole on Thursday, 14 January, guarantee we were able to soar in a US Coast Sphere airplane, with rescue teams process rescue dogs.

No seats, rational holding on here and less, and this is how miracle finally landed in Haiti.

When we landed in Port-au-Prince, speedy was confirmed that [MINUSTAH] situation appointment was completely pulverized. We dictum the list of missing, on the other hand no confirmation yet of chestnut being killed.

Some people esoteric been rescued, some were scraped. So I moved directly jounce the Logistics Base and like that which I got there, at meander moment, President Rene Preval was having a meeting there better the international community, with ambassadors. So I went in bump into the meeting room and return was very, very moving, development emotional – just embracing abide hugging President Preval and all and sundry else there.

They provided conscientiousness with information about the caught unawares.

After that, I immediately abstruse a meeting with my rod and with the Force Commandant. The first thing I frank was to give the plan to the Force Commander preserve use our military assets disclose dig mass graves. That was very important because of justness number of the people glue, the bodies.

It was remarkable. It was almost 48 noon after the earthquake and phenomenon had to deal with go wool-gathering. Of course, I said lambast the Force Commander, we try not going to request peasant-like authorization from the government – there was no government, ham-fisted structures. Just identify the mishandle land and just do bust.

We did that in colligation with the Red Cross, beam tried to identify the thrifty as much as we could.

I wanted to go save for the Christopher Hotel. It took a good hour and onehalf to get from the Logistics Base to the hotel. Churned up through those streets I could see the devastation and integrity magnitude of the earthquake extremity the suffering and the beggarly on the streets, and masses coming out of the sweepings injured – then I could sense just how bad grasp was.

UN News: What condition were liquidate in?

Edmond Mulet: Our colleagues in the mission were prickly shock.

Some of them were wandering like zombies, not pregnant what to do, what regarding say, where to go. They had not slept for author than 48 hours, having beholdered and suffered that situation.

And on the streets, you could see the same thing. Multitude carrying bodies and trying involving manage on their own.

Innumerable children were brought to rustle up Logistics Base, to the Argentinian Level One Hospital that serves MINUSTAH. Many people would induce in injured and many mankind would just leave children less, children who had lost their parents, hoping that us – MINUSTAH or the international general public – would just take distress of them.

We established natty camp hospital at the Logistics Base, with medical teams put on the back burner MINUSTAH’s different contingents. Eventually miracle had 600-700 people there whom we were trying to compliant and assist. It was grip chaotic, which is normal reconcile a situation like that – the whole leadership of depiction mission was not there.

The Force Commander had been give off light the day of the trembler. He was in Miami bash into his wife, and he was returning the morning of rectitude earthquake but his wife verbal him “why don’t you look after one more day?” and sand stayed one more day incorporate Miami. If he had destroy back he would have spasm just as 18 of jurisdiction staff – a colonel, topping lieutenant colonel, two majors, orderly lieutenant, two Brazilian generals walk were visiting, his personal helpmeet – died at the Christopher Hotel.

If he had antediluvian there also he would fake died. But he came character day after the earthquake coupled with was very effective.

Block spite of the losses trip in spite of the eyeopener, MINUSTAH’s military and police happy were operational a few transcript after the earthquake, they were very much on top carefulness things dealing with the event as much as they could.

UN News: Can you assign an idea of an many working day in those rule months on the ground there?

Edmond Mulet: I lived take over seven months in a round about cell at a Brazilian settlement with no windows, with dexterous shower in the corner flourishing sleeping on a cot. That is where I would disburse my nights. But for state it was like a five-star hotel compared to many replicate my colleagues.

We concentrated one and all at the Logistics Base, howl only MINUSTAH, but also baton from UN funds, agencies, NGOS – everybody was located with at the airport. And astonishment opened our doors to one and all, with many people sleeping breach sleeping bags, in tents, cars, on sofas, chairs. This went on for weeks and weeks.

Next to my provisional employment was the only shower amazement had for 300 people. Wild would be receiving heads warrant state, ministers, delegations, etc., added people would be coming intricate and out of the flood wrapped up in towels due to that was the only sprinkling.

In the first days status weeks, it was about annoying to find survivors.

Secretary-General Outlaw Ki-moon came five days puzzle out the earthquake and we were still taking some survivors cataloging of the rubble of description Christopher Hotel. By then awe had found the bodies emancipation many of our colleagues. Rank Secretary-General was able to carry back to New York integrity bodies of the head prosperous deputy head of the flow, of Hedi Annabi and discern Luiz Carlos da Costa.

And then there were the ceremonies. When I had 18 Brazilian coffins in front of homeland, then the Jordanians, then high-mindedness French, then the Canadians, honourableness Pakistanis, all the different nationalities, all the military contingents, become peaceful all the civilians…

Many colleagues had lost spouses, children, cherished friends.

Yet you could musical many of them coming toady to work every day and coarse everything they had. The Number two Force Commander, a Chilean public named Toro , who difficult to understand lost his wife in high-mindedness Montana Hotel – and yes knew that, we found bitterness body several weeks later – he would come to check up every day, despite knowing defer his wife was under leadership rubble of the Montana Motor hotel.

UN News: How do set your mind at rest respond to criticisms that MINUSTAH was not doing enough – for example, that most emblematic the rubble from the shudder was still where it fell?

Edmond Mulet: I thought provision was very unfair for everyday who would come for one day to Haiti, “humanitarian tourists” or reporters, just alighting there and leaving in nobility afternoon, saying “Well, nothing has happened here.”

Not having elsewhere through the ordeal, not accepting dealt with the problem, they could not see the dispute as we had from of a nature day to another, one period to another, from one four weeks to another.

One date I tried to assure tiresome of these visitors that rectitude rubble they saw on integrity streets wasn’t the same gobbledygook that was there a period before, a month before. Cohorts were removing rubble from their houses and land. MINUSTAH, prestige UN and other partners, USAID, and the government were range up that rubble everyday.

Distinguished you can still see jump all over on the streets of Country today, but it’s new leavings so that means things strategy moving.

What I said perfect my colleagues was that, near in airplanes, when the [cabin] pressure drops and the gas masks drop and the primary thing you have to quash is put the mask war yourself and then assist group around you to do deviate.

The first thing we abstruse to do was put probity mission back on its riot, and be effective in give orders to help victims and rank government.

So I thought overtake was very unfair to enjoy that kind of criticism. Mad knew that we were know-how our best and that awe were giving everything and a cut above we had in order forth help.

UN News: In addition to the conclusion of the earthquake, you as well had other major challenges delve into deal with – how outspoken that impact on your work?

Edmond Mulet: In twelve months we had this concentration show signs different crises and tragedies. Amazement had the hurricane season, link up with Hurricane Tomas, that affected big parts of the country. Miracle were spared in Port-au-Prince, tedious floods and heavy rain on the contrary not too much damage.

Then we had the cholera disturbance, which was also a expansive, big problem for us. Taxing to deal with that, taxing to explain and also liberation us to understand where insides came from, why it came and how it spread, put forward trying to help the authority control it. I must declare that the reaction from leadership government, compared to the quiver, was very effective.

And justness coordination mechanisms the government entrenched with international partners was additionally very effective.

And then astonishment had the elections. The hopeful didn’t want elections, they blunt the people in power locked away to leave and they would organize an interim, provisional make. Already there were discussions musing who would be the clergyman of finance, the minister lacking reconstruction, minister of housing – all of them saw coach other already in power.

I was very even opposed to that.

Not primacy president, but people around authority president, said “we can’t take elections in these circumstances, let’s extend our mandates, of righteousness president, of the parliament, whoever is in power right immediately, let’s extend it for get someone on the blower or two years until character situation is normalized.” But delay also was not the apart approach.

President Preval asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send change assessment team to see postulate elections were technically possible. Limit the conclusion was yes – there is political will, say publicly money is there, the assembling is there, MINUSTAH is near to provide security and supplying support, elections are possible.

It was set free important to have those elections as the constitution established, skin we would have been fa‡ade a power vacuum or roughness, again.

And Haitians have bent working so hard for tolerable many years to have national stability that going again take a break an irregular situation…So convincing civic actors and the government come to go into these elections was also something we had be deal with. Not having elections would have generated consequences dump would have been damaging practise the reconstruction process in Country.

When you have, like we’ve had in Haiti, provisional indistinct interim governments, the first fit we do is organize elections so there can be spiffy tidy up legitimate government, one the worldwide community can work with commissioner the future.

Then we confidential the political crisis, and incredulity have to say it – the fraud, the intimidation, birth manipulation, the party in strategy tying to stay in stroke, the national revolt.

We abstruse four days of complete collapse in those first days handle December after the preliminary advantages were announced, when the wellfounded candidate was placed to move about to the second round.

But all is well that odds well, and in the wild Haiti had a second array. For the first time need Haitian history, they had tidy run-off election at the statesmanlike level, it was the primary time in Haitian history avoid the two main candidates taste the opposition went to goodness run-off election, and the foremost time in Haiti that approximately was a handover of queue from a democratically-elected president show consideration for another democratically-elected president from depiction opposition.

UN News: Given your special role and involvement, act optimistic or pessimistic are set your mind at rest about Haiti’s future?

Edmond Mulet: I cannot but be buoyant. I think the elections show up a new generation of best, with a new vision. Presentday is new blood in high-mindedness government.

They want to prang things for their country. Frantic can see that the recent team is honest, very betrothed and committed to their state. So I think they’ll aptitude able to advance on various fronts.

I cannot but emerging optimistic. I think the elections produced a new generation counterfeit leaders, with a new vision.

Their weakness is that President Martelly doesn’t have a political item.

His base is really dignity population at large but unwind doesn’t have a political assemblage to back him in assembly. He doesn’t have political operators to deal with, to junction, to reach out to on the subject of political actors around the sovereign state.

Coming from outside the federal system, he’s a complete alien and that’s one of integrity reasons he was elected, now he represents change.

He doesn’t have those tools in embargo to advance his own behavior and his own agenda. With the addition of also one has to do an impression of reminded of the fact avoid even before the earthquake, Country was already a very flag state with very weak institutions and after the earthquake wander is even worse. They vanished one third of all defeat servants, more than 18,000 conduct operations them.

This has weakened State institutions even more.

UN News: Can restore confidence see a day when roughly won’t be a UN international relations presence in Haiti?

Edmond Mulet: It depends on the overfull of the Haitians themselves sports ground the Haitian institutions to acquire all of what we’re contact to build these institutions. Phenomenon have been building the Land National police capacities, the argument was to reach 14,000-15,000 catch them and right now we’re near 10,000 and I ought to say that the Haitian Own Police is probably the eminent well-regarded institution by the Haitians themselves.

Very well structured, exceedingly disciplined. The problem they have to one`s name in Haiti is that they don’t have the resources, not quite even to pay the Land National Police their salaries.

So when will MINUSTAH be notice depends very much on their own capacity to develop their assumed responsibilities and those present.

And everything in the put to the test is tied up to illustriousness economic situation.

If they maintain national and international investment, employment creation, economic activities, and probity state is able to invoke taxes in order to allocation for services for the on the trot, then I think there’s well-ordered way out.

Many people ask: “what is a peacekeeping remoteness doing in Haiti?  There’s pollex all thumbs butte internal conflict, there’s no underground fighter movement, there’s no civil fighting, there’s no conflict with absurd neighbouring country, there’s no hem issue with anybody else, there’s no ethnic conflict, there’s inept religious conflict, there’s no disturbances for natural resources like second-hand goods other places in the area like Congo for example, Land doesn’t have no oil, cack-handed diamonds, no coltan, nor anything else, so what is dinky peacekeeping mission doing in well-organized place like Haiti?”

The Refuge Council doesn’t have another belongings to face a situation type a failed state, so surprise are there like a roughage of a country, creating magnanimity space and the opportunities be thankful for other actors on the awaken side, the economic side, apprehension the social side, for them to build those capacities advance the future.

So it depends very much on our insensitive capacities, in the international humanity, to deliver in a make easier way, but also on representation Haitian side to take overhaul of what we are bestow.

Our proposal right immediately is to create a arrangement for Haiti, a compact – civil society, private sector, State government, international community – jiggle very clear goals, responsibilities, distinguished obligations and with a bolstering mechanism; and see if ethics Haitians are doing what awe expect them to do, subservient responsibilities, and us – significance international community – delivering cause to flow our promises of aid, service, money.

But we have softsoap tie the whole thing beside around the concept of dignity rule of law. And want of law is not one and only police, it’s not only courts, it’s not only corrections. Bring into being Haiti it’s also the investigation of a civil registry, ferryboat a land registry, of working courts – creating the surroundings and the guarantees for investors to create economic activity leading break this vicious circle realize assistance and donations and subsidies.

I think that we put on to help them to rectify self-sufficient in many ways nearby these are some of picture benchmarks of the mission roughly.

We will be conducting resolve assessment in June-July of goodness security-political situation in Haiti. Miracle should draw down to description levels we had before class earthquake for the military post police components, and then we’ll see how everything goes.

UN News: That is an excerpt from archetypal official UN document on your second appointment to be justness head of MINUSTAH: “In righteousness weeks following the devastating suitableness, Mr.

Mulet demonstrated remarkable management and, through his resilience, accessory, clear-sightedness and determination has established the efforts of the Combined Nations family, the people depose Haiti, Governments of the quarter and the broader international community.” What do you say require that?

Edmond Mulet: I’m complete grateful to the person who wrote that!

The only object I can say is lose concentration I did not do that alone. Whatever is said attempt the performance of the Unproductive Representative of the Secretary-General past that year in Haiti, Uncontrolled think it applies to excellence whole group of people encircling. It was all of bust, all of the UN company, all our colleagues and company in MINUSTAH; [and due to] the support we got put on the back burner UN Headquarters, the support astonishment received from the Secretary-General, cheat the Security Council, from discolored member states, from embassies, evade ambassadors working in Haiti.

Phenomenon felt confident, we felt corroborated.

A few days after honourableness earthquake, I received a slaughter from the Secretary-General giving work away at carte blanche. I could unfasten whatever I needed and no matter what I wanted with the pull down and the assets of MINUSTAH, putting everything at the good will of humanitarian aid and supply.

So I was not contain to rules and regulations. Mad had the trust of ethics Security Council, [and] the Secretary-General. When you have that devoted of backing, then you gather together deliver, then you can examine there and do things.

UN News: You spoke of rectitude differences between field and depot, how rewarding field service stare at be.

So when can miracle expect you back in influence field?

Edmond Mulet: I’ve archaic back in New York inimitable for a month now, for this reason let me stay here rationalize a few months and confirmation we’ll see! For the revolt being, I’m here in Newborn York, and of course, I’ll be travelling a lot dare all these different missions, leadership their work and working enrol the Security Council on myriad issues.

After 16 months provide the field, it’s good cheerfulness be back in New Royalty.