UNWIND: UN PENSION FUND - LETTERS OF CONCERN

UNWIND: UN PENSION FUND - LETTERS OF CONCERN

Additional relevant issues raised by Mr Merrill Cassell, former UNICEF Budget Chief, and the response from the CEO/UNJSPF.

UNWIND: UN PENSION FUND - LETTER OF CONCERN

UNWIND: UN PENSION FUND - LETTER OF CONCERN

Please read the exchange of letters between a former UNICEF Budget Chief and CEO/UNJSPF on the impact of current global financial developments, thanks to the "AIG" (arrogant, incompetent and greedy) shenanigans.

Mr Bernard Cocheme, CEO, UNJSPF, seems to believe that there is no need to raise needless alarms now, hopefully the UNJSPF is in a good position to weather the current strom.

HUMANIZING UNJSPF

From: vmuthuswami@hotmail.com
To: bajaj_baldev@hotmail.com; spsundaram2003@yahoo.ca
CC: afus@unesco.org; wzyss@wanadoo.fr; jpndh@yahoo.com; jchevron@unog.ch; atholle@unog.ch; tholle@cytanet.com.cy; unjspf@un.org; jspfgva@unog.ch; ramnath.dore@gmail.com; tnkutty@hotmail.com; hansnarula@aol.com; nambiarv@un.org
Subject: Humanzing the dehumanized UNJSPF - restoration of full pension after the commutation period
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:55:42 +0530


THIS EMAIL IS BEING COPIED TO CHAIRMAIN OF UN PENSIONER ASSOCIATIONS FEDERATION AND HIS/HER CO-HORTS, UNJSPF AND ALSO THE TWO PRESS OUTFITS SUPPOSEDLY WORKING IN "HARMONY" WITH UN IDEALS OF JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS.
FOR ME (on behalf of myself and other UN pensioners in India: http://unpensionerindia.blogspot.com) THIS SHOULD REMAIN FINAL-FOR-NOW CALL FOR "SANITY'' AND JUSTICE ON BEHALF OF UN PENSIONERS IN INDIA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE ASIAN/AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
(MY GRATEFUL THANKS FOR ALL THOSE WHO GAVE ME BACKGROUND INFN AND GUIDANCE IN PURSUING THIS "DHARMIC" STRUGGLE SO FAR; MAY THE LORD ALMIGHTY BLESS THE NECESSARY MOMENTUM AND STRENGTH TO ENSURE FAIRENESS AND JUSTICE IS DONE SOONER THAN LATER)
Dear Bajaj ji & Sandy Sundaram:
It is not at all disappointing to see that the colonized minds of the leaderships of UN Retirees Associations (mostly run by professionals of 18/19th century western orientation) have been functioning more like modern-day Hitler super-lords of the UN Pension empire, with no conscience for moral rectitude based on Universal Declaration of Human Rights, nor in touch with current developments in many progressive civil service pension schemes around the civilized world, ensuring better and stronger social security systems for civil service retirees and people of old age.

As said in the recent appeals to the UN Sec Gen and the CEO UNJSPF, all these retiree associations, the federations et al all behave as “your majesty’s servants” or mouth-pieces for what their masters want to hear - never mind about human development status among local categories of UN staff whose pension means less and less in today's inflationary situation vs. government civil service retirees getting better DEALS TO insulate against rising costs and other economic issues.
The lives of UN retirees of local lower GS categories in the third world are so pitiable because these retirees are neither cared for nor owned by their government, nor even thought of by these elitist UN retiree associations, whose super-boss leaderships are concerned more with the next picnic location, not worried about fellow retirees in the GS and other local grades in developing countries. These associations are not equipped to do anything to improving the UN pension ground rules more in tune with changing times, demands of current economic situation and improvements in many government pension systems.

Accepting that UN pension fund has to work within its financial means and capacity, it does not require rocket science to prove (my information is that the Actuarial Committee has already positively proved this) that extending full-pension after commutation period will not result in any unmanageable drain on its asset value and financial strength in fulfilling its commitments for years to come - even assuming every retiree is going to live beyond 100 years of age. Also, this should ensure equity and fairness among all retirees once the 1/3 lump sum has been recovered in full with interest.

Any enlightened human mind looking at the UNJSPF rule 28(g) will see how deceitful, one-sided, and insidious that such a rule was written by some convoluted minds of past century. For example:
1. When mentioning about commutation, the basis of commutation should have been mentioned and philosophy behind such payment;

2. If the commutation is on basis of no. of years/months, the rule has to make it clear what happens if the retiree lives beyond that no. of years/months;

3. Just asking to accept commutation or standard annual payment (divided into monthly parts) is obviously conceited way of saying that “you are done for life”;

4. UNJSPF would accept payment to validate the non-contributory years (as long as it comes with interest), but will not say anything about its own responsibility to restore the full pension if the retiree lives beyond the anticipated actuarial age (maybe he/she has NO right live beyond that time – may be a Hitlerian doctrine!).


Many of us who want to foster “one world one people” know that it is a tough challenge to tame the global Goliath called UN/UNJSPF, who is covered by so many immunity shields, and does not provide any level playing field to its civil servants. See its incongruous existence:


1. The organization (with all its entities) are supposed to serve as models of governance and as model employer. Thanks to its so called immunities, most of the civilized world’s judicial institutions treat the organization more as a pariah than with the respect and reverence it should deserve, because its day-to-day governance model is so flawed and acts just as a platform for letting steam off for ego-centric self-righteous big-wigs, powers-that-be, and oil-rich-money-bags.
It is common knowledge that though the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights should remain as the basic “foundational constitution” of the system, many regulations and rules, conventions etc. of the UN entities, remain totally ultra vires. No judicial system can do anything because these guys are immune! Basically both the charter and UDHR are more for preaching to others, not for practising at home in its own conduct.


2. Its legislative and executive wings work more in collusion than with any kind of independence and professional integrity necessary to make both these arms of governance stronger, ensuring transparency, accountability and answerability to the public at large.


3. Talking about the administrative judicial system, lesser said the better – because what one often finds to his/her dismay is that both the prosecutor and judge are the same genre mindset. If anyone has grievance against the system, he is done and cannot go anywhere outside of this vicious circle.

4. In a true democratic governance, we have a fourth pillar called “independent media”.
In the case of scrutinizing UN governance, the media’s role is so comical – nothing written/published about its functioning will be of any great impact except for your own amusement and nothing is going to change unless it can be willed by the UN system itself – law unto themselves.
********

You may then wonder why I have taken the trouble to write all this at my “70+ not out state”, the answer is just my moral calling, hoping that UN and its entities will ONE DAY become TRUE MODELS OF HUMAN GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT. It is not important I should be alive to see that day, as long as the future generation witnesses the human evolution in tune with natural justice and humane attributes (as I learnt in my Indian vedic tradition of thousand years vintage, that is happily finding its meaningful life-purpose in the western world educational and human-development institutions, except UN!)
Jai Ho! God Bless,
V. Muthuswami/Chennai, India
(Camp: Escondido, CA, USA 92025)
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Date: Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:32:35 -0700
From: spsundaram2003@yahoo.ca
To: bajaj_baldev@hotmail.com
CC: ramnath.dore@gmail.com; vmuthuswami@gmail.com


Dear Sri Bajaj,

I have been trying to send an e-mail to Sri Muthuswami (in reply to messages) for the last 3 days without success. Everytime I get the response "message not sent due to connection problems". I am trying to send you a message as a new transaction. Hope it goes and Mr. Muthuswami also gets it..

You may think I am having cold feet, but I have been thinking bseriously. All of them (FAFICS, CAFICS, and now the WHO Retirees' Association et al) are wielding the same stick to beat you with. Art 28g of the UNJSPF Regulations which allow you to commute (interchange one for the other) a part of the annual standard rate of benefit for a lump sum and that holds good forever. They wouldn't even consider cogent, logical, even moral if not legal arguments we raise. I am afraid AFUNPI next month will probably play the same tune. The Sec.Gen , a slave to his bureaucratic Assistants (advisers?) and the indebted Member Governments, will most probably wash his hands off with the excuse that the Rule is unfortunately clearly spelt out. So, I wonder whether it is worth spending all our time and money in try to reach the "Moon" and get solace? And after a negative vote from the Sec.Gen where can we go and who do we appeal to?

All said and done, I think the only way is to contest that blasted Rule itself as unfair, illegitimate in not being in conformity with the universal practice, unconscionable in the light of the Canadian Courts in a parallel case, immoral and unbecoming for a UN institution, illogical on the face of its own actuaries' recommendation etc. Yes, we have many, many (and no doubt, you and our friends have more, not to mention what the clever lawyers would think of) arguments to blast the gang and vestablish that their Rule can't be valid, legal or moral. We have to gear ourselves to that avenue and prepare our case.

I have a faint ray of hope that we confront the CEO for his impropriety in not following the Pension Board-sanctioned Rule 43 and as he administratively fouled things up he is dutybound to rectify with the only logical administrative decision to stop all deductions (after full recovery of our indebtedness) and restitute our full benefit. He may, although I don't have much hope, relent and see wisdom in taking the easier and more conscionable option (not going to the Board, UNGA and any meddling body else) and agree to our petition. Already, half a dozen beneficiaries have sent their individual appeals to him, and if we can mount this letter-writing campaign and drown him in hundreds of such personal appeals, he certainly would have to take cognicence; if he doesn't that is another argument to be adduced by us in the class action suit.

Sorry to be such a pessimist, but the reality unfortunately is hitting us.

Kindest regards,

Sandy Sundaram
*******S

State of Health Research - Cancer Update

AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY . Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins
1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and ! damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells . Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved .
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled wate! r is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering.. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-essence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising da ily , and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.
*******

Civil-service Pension Schemes Around the World

Civil-service Pension Schemes Around the World

(Please refer to the above site to understand some of the aspects of civil service pension around the world)

Seeking vital information from UNJSPF

From: Venkatarama MUTHUSWAMI <vmuthuswami@gmail.com>Date: Wed, Mar 4, 2009 at 8:15 AMSubject: Seeking information from UNJSPF - Ref: Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Articles 19 & 28To: UN PENSION FUND <unjspf@un.org>, jspfgva@unog.ch, nambiarv@un.org, un@un.orgCc: amcclellan@transparency.org, ti@transparency.org, hrwnyc@hrw.org,

Preamble:
I am a senior world citizen (born in India) and a UN Pensioner. Several of my co-UN pensioners and I have been trying to seek information and clarification on a vital question from the CEO, UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF), New York, without success. Our so-called UN Pensioners Associations in India, operate more as social clubs and seem permanently in a coma stage for any substantive action/follow up.
Hence, it has become necessary to invoke the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and sharing copies with the Human Rights Watch, New York and Transparency International, New York & Berlin since they are seen as independent watch dog agencies to ensure civility and accountability in the conduct of human affairs.
At least this time, we hope to get the necessary information and clarification from the CEO, UNJSPF New York.
*********
Again, this request is made thru the medium of email (see also Article # 19) to ensure cost-effective e-governance, and for environmental considerations to save paper, carbon foot-prints and all other avoidable costs.
*********
This request is addressed to CEO, UNJSPF, New York, based on the address given in UNJSPF website/public domain; any interference with this email reaching the CEO's attention should also be seen as human rights violation by/of the organisation, who is regarded as the guardian soul-keeper of this universal declaration.
***********
Respected CEO/UNJSPF:
OHCHR: English (English) - Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Please see Articles 19 & 28, under which we are now seeking information and clarification from you and your office:

Failure to get any reference to the 1/3 Lump Sum payments (calculated on the basis of commuted period) in the UNJSPF regulations, rules, infn booklet, etc. please clarify the following for us:

1) On what basis the 1/3 lump sum was introduced (because the rules and regulations, incl admin rules of the UNJSPF do not make any mention of this procedure);

2) if 1/3 lump sum is offered under CEO's discretionary powers, then why was it not explained in any document, incl the form (we believe, form # E.7, clubbed with different options, which in fact is a kind of misleading without any mention of either the commutation period for calculation of lump-sum nor reinstatement of full pension after the commutation period is available) to be signed by the beneficiary concerned;

3) if 1/3 lump sum is calculated on some formula/basis, then what happens after the commutation period is completed and recovery of the lump sum + interest, if any, has been fully done;

4) why the CEO's discretion to apply the corollary of natural justice, viz. to reinstate the full pension after the commutation period, is not used - what/who is manipulating admin. practices in UNJSPF?
This is critical: The procedure of commuted pension and its restoration after the commuted period are accepted norms and moral standard, as a recognition of past service of civil servants and sign of support to older people, even in developing countries, e.g. India. In many of the court judgements, the pension to the civil servants (like government, UN employees and govt owned institutions) is declared as a "valid right", and does not depend on the sweet pleasure of any official or entity. In many civilised societies, older people are valued and taken care to ensure the flow of their wisdom and experience to newer generations to make this planet earth a better place than what we inherited from previous generation.

5) why & who, if any, has decided not to apply the above principle, and the reason behind this decision.
We sincerely pray and hope that UNJSPF does not wish 1/3 lump sum-recipients NOT to survive beyond actuarial age of life-expectancy.
We would appreciate your early responsible response,
Thank you in advance,
Sincerely,
V. Muthuswami, Chennai, south India (Camp: Escondido, CA USA)
both on his behalf and on behalf of fellow-pensioners in India

.