Does the U.N. move too slowly in regard to the Islamic State?

Reports broke on December 5, 2014 of the sale of human organs by the Islamic State as one of its principle sources of funding:

The third funding source was exposed by otolaryngologist Siruwan al-Mosuli. He said that lately he noticed unusual movement within medical facilities in Mosul. Arab and foreign surgeons were hired, but prohibited from mixing with local doctors. Information then leaked about organ selling. Surgeries take place within a hospital and organs are quickly transported through networks specialized in trafficking human organs. Mosuli said that the organs come from fallen fighters who were quickly transported to the hospital, injured people who were abandoned or individuals who were kidnapped.

He said that organ sales yield large profits. A specialized mafia is engaged in these operations, in addition to medical institutions working in other countries. Without coordination among these parties, such a trade cannot be sustained, he said. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the organization sells bodies and organs of injured people they arrest [more].

Despite these early reports, the Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations only asked the Security Council to investigate these claims two days ago. According to an Associated Press report yesterday:

Ambassador Mohamed Alhakim told reporters that in the past few weeks, bodies with surgical incisions and missing kidneys or other body parts have been found in shallow mass graves.

"We have bodies. Come and examine them," he said. "It is clear they are missing certain parts."

He also said a dozen doctors have been "executed" in Mosul for refusing to participate in organ harvesting.

Alhakim briefed the council on the overall situation in Iraq and accused the Islamic State group of "crimes of genocide" in targeting certain ethnic groups.

The outgoing U.N. envoy to Iraq, Nikolay Mladenov, told the council that 790 people were killed in January alone by terrorism and armed conflict.

Mladenov noted the increasing number of reports and allegations that the Islamic State group is using organ harvesting as a financing method, but he said only that "it's very clear that the tactics ISIL is using expand by the day." He used an acronym for the group.

Today, CNN is reporting that the United Nations will now investigate these claims, nearly two and a half months after they were first reported in the media:

The United Nations is looking into claims that ISIS -- already considered the wealthiest terrorist group on record -- may be harvesting organs from slain civilians and gaining financial benefits by trafficking the body parts, officials said Wednesday. 

But Britain's ambassador to the U.N., Mark Lyall Grant, said the issue has not been officially discussed. Grant said there was no proof or evidence of the claim made by Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations.

Which is it then? Is there an investigation or not?

The same report from CNN goes on to quote the U.S. State Department regarding its knowledge of the harvesting of human organs for profit by the Islamic State:

The U.S. State Department said it was aware of the "deeply disturbing comments" about the alleged organ trafficking but wasn't able to confirm them.

"We also have no reason to doubt them given other similar atrocities that have been documented and other heinous crimes for which ISIL has proudly taken credit," the State Department said, using another acronym for the militant group.

So, we have no reason to doubt the claims and we have the Ambassor's testimony, yet the issue has not been officially discussed at the United Nations? Why? Is the U.N. serious about halting the advancing threat of the Islamic State? Is it acting too slowly?

United Nations increases funding to Planned Parenthood as governments withdraw funding

Even as several States have begun to withdraw taxpayer funding from Planned Parenthood, the United Nations is stepping in to make up the loss, reports Life Site News, with my emphases and comments:

NEW YORK, July 7 (C-FAM)- UN agencies have stepped up funding of International Planned Parenthood Federation [IPPF] despite an economic downturn and increasing government reticence to fund the organization over abortion.


Although governments have reduced or eliminated funding of Planned Parenthood, UN agencies are still filling IPPF coffers with grants. In 2010, UNFPA increased its contribution to over $1.6 million. The newest UN agency, UN Women, debuted on IPPF’s list of donors with a contribution of over $330,000. UNAIDS gave IPPF more than $1 million. Rounding out contributions from UN agencies, the World Bank, UNAIDS and the WHO also gave over $400,000 collective, despite not contributing at all in 2009.

While UN agencies gave more, governments gave less. Government grants, which comprise 71% of IPPF’s total income were down in 2010. Blaming the global recession, IPPF reported that Japan, Sweden and Germany had reduced their grants.

Most of IPPF’s funding decrease was due to the Canadian government’s decision not to fund the organization in 2010, a decision totaling over $5 million. The Canadian federal government is still debating IPPF’s funding for 2011 and as of April, no decision on IPPF’s grant application had been made. Similarly, in the US a growing number of US state governments have decided to defund Planned Parenthood.

IPPF is reporting a $16 million dollar decrease in income in 2010 [this is certainly a good sign]. In its recently released 2010 financial report, the abortion industry giant reported the loss represented 11% of its total annual income as compared with the previous year.

For the most part, the reduction of income led to a reduction in IPPF program spending, but the organization did increase its funding for advocacy work in 2010. IPPF specifically touted its 2010 UN advocacy that pushed for “progressive language in key UN documents.”

[snip]
Despite the decreased income, IPPF’s most current figures still have the organization providing a record number of “abortion-related services” totaling over 1,411,000 and distributing a staggering 152 million condoms.

A thundrous applause

After the two introductions and welcomes to the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI received a thundrous applause.

And...it seems I was right about speaking in French.

Languages

There is some question on EWTN now as to what language the Holy Father will speak when he addresses the United Nations in a few minutes.

It might well be remembered that when he visited Turkey, the representative of Turkey addressed him in English and Pope Benedict XVI addressed him in French because, as he said, his remarks were prepared in French, the official diplomatic language since 1066 when William of Normandy conquered England, and not in English.

I shouldn't be at all surprised if today the Holy Father speaks in French. But I also wouldn't be surprised if he speaks in English.

From the Holy See to the United Nations

The Holy Father Benedict XVI has accepted an invitation to visit the United Nations. The American Papist has the news.