Finally Speaking The Truth At The U.N.- For How Long?

The UN General Assembly opened its 63rd session on Tuesday, with its new president criticizing the Bretton Woods institutions for their corrupt policies on developing countries.

Father Miguel D'Escoto Brockmann, who becomes the first priest to hold that position, cited
the International Monetary Fund and World Bank as being under the command of the United States and Europe and used as an instrument of domination.

Fr D'Escoto said the world was against them being used as tools of control by big powers. "The world resents this and this situation must change"

Correspondents who have been at the UN for a long time said Fr D'Escoto's speech was the first of its kind.

Fr D'Escoto pressed for change in the share system and the system of electing respective boards of directors of the institutions so as to make them democratic.

As he takes office, Fr Miguel said the UN was in vital need of democracy so that the power which is in the hands of only a small group of states could be decentralized.

The central and overarching objective of this session will be to democratize our UN. In so doing we will ensure that it maintains its place as the worlds most important and indispensable organization for achieving the levels of peace and security that our peoples are so rightly demanding of us.

Fr D'Escoto, said he intended to deal with challenges facing the world, including food crises, poverty and hunger, climate change, water shortage, terrorism and human rights, nuclear disarmament.

It is a sad but undeniable fact that serious breaches of peace and threats to international peace and security are being perpetrated by some members of the Security Council that seem unable to break what appears like an addiction to war, he said.

In the case of some of those members, the veto privilege seems to have gone to their heads and confused them to the point of making them think they are entitled to do as they please without consequence, he said.

The son of a diplomat, Fr d'Escoto was born in Los Angeles and later ordained as a Roman Catholic priest.