4 ms·

Why is the UN immune to everything?

• lmm 13y ago
  Because they're expected to make violent interventions that, while we hope they will be for the better overall, will almost certainly harm some people even if they do everything correctly (which it sounds like they didn't do here). Just like the army or the police.
• bsullivan01 13y ago
  Because mistakes happen and usually go when it's a horrible situation. If they got sued for every little thing, nothing would be done when it came to humanitarian help. UN should offer some sort of settlement but not to create a precedent. Imagine if you went to help a family during a tornado and they sued you because you hurt someone's arm by pulling them or accidentally broke a family heirloom.
  • andreasvc 13y ago
    But that's a blanket argument, it could apply to any organization that offers help. It is unclear to me why it would be in the interest of anyone but the UN for the UN to have immunity.
    • pgeorgi 13y ago
      Which is why in some countries giving aid actually _does_ grant you legally immunity against claims over mistakes or accidents that happened while doing so. That includes first aid by laymen at the roadside and of course extends to international organisations. But in those cases, any attempt to cover up problems would likely reduce the protection (because it's not in good faith anymore)
    • sspiff 13y ago
      The UN has immunity as an organization. You could still sue the individuals who covered it up or ordered to cover it up.
  • raverbashing 13y ago
    Yes Then what happens: no UN to save anything.
  • mseebach 13y ago
    There is a difference between mistakes happening and then being culpably negligent. If the UN lied about having tested peacekeepers free of cholera, and they then went on to cause an outbreak, then it's not at all comparable to knocking over a vase while saving someones life.
    • sspiff 13y ago
      The individuals who covered it up are not immune to lawsuits, it's only the UN as an organization that is immune.
• spindritf 13y ago
  Why are sovereign states immune? Why are politicians immune? Because they can be. Power is its own justification.
  • danmaz74 13y ago
    Politicians immune? That't not generally true.
    • crusso 13y ago
      In the US? They don't have carte blanche, but they do have specific immunity to some laws like rules against insider trading. Also, they generally have immunity from repercussions of laws they make, laws they execute, or laws they rule upon.
• andyjohnson0 13y ago
  Because of its unusual legal status. The UN is not a state, but its not an NGO either. It has "international personality" and "is a subject of international law and capable of possessing international rights and duties" [1]. The only way to take legal action against it seems to be through the International Court of Justice, which is accessible only to states, not individuals. And this is problematic because the ICJ is itself a branch of the UN. Edit: I don't fully agree that the UN is "immune to everything". There are problems with accountability, but I think it does a lot of good in the world. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations#Legal_basis_of_establishment http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations#Legal_basis_of_e...
  • moneyrich4 13y ago
    coincidentally if united nations meant organization for uniting man kind under a global government, this could be the best status and legal system to have. /tinfoil hat