Adventist Condolences on Death of Former UN Leader Boutrous Boutrous-Ghali
From ANN, February 19, 2016: Dr. Nelu Burcea, United Nations Liaison for the Seventh-day Adventist world denomination, released the following statement regarding the death of Boutros Boutros-Ghali on February 16:
I was saddened to learn today of the death of former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali. He was an eloquent spokesperson for tolerance and human rights, and a man whose life was defined by the pursuit of a more just and more peaceful world.
His tenure at the United Nations, during the turbulent post-Cold War years, was made even more challenging by the shifting alliances and the changing power dynamics of a newly fragmented international community. But regardless of the many and varied critiques of his five-year term as Secretary-General, I believe Dr. Boutros-Ghali was driven by a desire for the United Nations to be, in his own words, “a voice for the weakest and least regarded peoples.”
As a Coptic Christian who lived and worked many years in an Islamic country, Egyptian-born Dr. Boutros-Ghali knew first-hand the challenges faced by many religious minorities around the world. This experience added an extra depth and authority to his efforts in promoting human rights.
As he reflected back on his time at the United Nations, Dr. Boutros-Ghali wrote: “In a world of many big and wealthy powers, it is the United Nation’s job to look out for those marginalized because of ethnicity, gender, religion, age, health, poverty or whatever reason.”[1] And these few, simple words may well provide us the best and clearest insight into Dr. Boutros-Ghali’s philosophy as an international diplomat.
On behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Church’s Public Affairs & Religious Liberty department, I extend my deepest sympathies to Mrs. Boutros-Ghali, to their extended family, and to the United Nations community, which has lost an eminent and influential leader.
Adventist News Network (ANN) is the official news service of the denomination’s world headquarters in Washington, DC. Featured image: Boutros Boutros Ghali at Naela Chohan’s art exhibition for the 2002 International Women’s Day at UNESCO in Paris (credit: ANN).
[1] Boutros Boutros-Ghali Unvanquished (New York: Random House, 1999), 337.
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, a veteran Egyptian diplomat clashed with the United States when he served a single term as U.N. secretary-general. Let’s be clear about his legacy and what really happened at the UN when he was in charge.
His five years at the helm remain controversial. He worked to establish the U.N.’s independence, particularly from the United States, at a time when the world body was increasingly called on to step into crises with peacekeeping forces, with limited resources. Many blame him for several misjudgments in the failures to prevent genocides in Africa and the Balkans and mismanagement of much needed administrative financial reforms in the world body.
After years of frictions with the Clinton administration, the United States blocked his renewal in the post in 1996, making him the only U.N. secretary-general to serve a single term. He was replaced by Ghanaian Kofi Annan.
In a 2005 interview with The Associated Press, Boutros-Ghali called the 1994 massacre in Rwanda — in which half a million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 100 days — “my worst failure at the United Nations.” Those were his exact words.
His legacy was also stained by investigations into corruption in the U.N. oil-for-food program for Iraq, when millions in aid money went missing. Three suspects in the probe were linked to him either by family relationship or friendship. The funds were never recovered.
Unfortunately, the UN and its overpaid staff have little clout in most areas of conflict. How can it even attempt to solve problems of terrorism when its very members are involved in terrorist acts with impunity? A noble vision that is mainly a costly venture for American taxpayers,
Sam Geli’s observations underscore why SDA leadership should exhibit great restraint when it comes to speaking out on behalf of the Church in matters such as this. The Church’s role is to carry the banner of Christ. Christ’s mission was not to create a more peaceful and just earthly kingdom, laudable as that goal might be, but to reveal the Kingdom of God. The U.N. certainly does not exist to glorify God, much less to reveal Christ as redeemer and savior.
Furthermore, unless the GC, as a corporate body, adopted a resolution paying tribute to Boutros-Gali, Dr. Burcea had no authority to speak on behalf of the Church. His personal sentiments are just that – his personal sentiments. I’m sure that many more worthy, honorable servants of Christ die regularly without being commented on by Church leaders. So why Boutros-Gali? Because he was a prominent political figure in a political organization to which the Church has strong ties. It is really a political statement Burcea is making, and thus not proper for a Church leader who values separation of Church and State.
Of course Sam is also spot on when he suggests that Chirch leaders should do a better job of vetting before honoring those who have gained fame – notoriety? – through political processes and activities.