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| Oxfam Says Workers in Haiti Threatened Witness to Misconduct | Oxfam Says Workers in Haiti Threatened Witness to Misconduct |
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| Three Oxfam employees who were the subject of a 2011 inquiry into sexual misconduct in Haiti physically threatened a witness after a manager leaked an investigation report to another member of staff, the charity said on Monday. | |
| The threats and intimidation were among several accusations of misconduct made public for the first time with Oxfam’s release of its 2011 report into the conduct of its Haiti staff, including the hiring of prostitutes. | |
| The report states that two of the three people who threatened a co-worker were also accused of “sexual exploitation and abuse of employees,” in addition to hiring prostitutes. It does not say whether Oxfam concluded that the claims of mistreatment of colleagues were true, but it says that both of the accused were among four employees “dismissed for gross misconduct,” including “failure to protect staff.” | The report states that two of the three people who threatened a co-worker were also accused of “sexual exploitation and abuse of employees,” in addition to hiring prostitutes. It does not say whether Oxfam concluded that the claims of mistreatment of colleagues were true, but it says that both of the accused were among four employees “dismissed for gross misconduct,” including “failure to protect staff.” |
| Oxfam, one of the largest British charities, had previously acknowledged that it had fired four people working on earthquake recovery in Haiti, and that three others resigned during or after the investigation, following allegations that they had hired prostitutes on the group’s premises outside Port-au-Prince. | Oxfam, one of the largest British charities, had previously acknowledged that it had fired four people working on earthquake recovery in Haiti, and that three others resigned during or after the investigation, following allegations that they had hired prostitutes on the group’s premises outside Port-au-Prince. |
| Oxfam has also admitted that after forcing out those seven, it did not notify the authorities in Haiti, where prostitution is illegal, and that it later hired one of the men as a consultant in Ethiopia. | Oxfam has also admitted that after forcing out those seven, it did not notify the authorities in Haiti, where prostitution is illegal, and that it later hired one of the men as a consultant in Ethiopia. |
| The revelations have led to investigations by the British government, a threat to withdraw government funding from the charity, talk of prosecution by Haitian authorities, the resignation of a top Oxfam executive, and disclosure of claims of sexual misconduct and exploitation by aid workers from multiple groups in many countries. | The revelations have led to investigations by the British government, a threat to withdraw government funding from the charity, talk of prosecution by Haitian authorities, the resignation of a top Oxfam executive, and disclosure of claims of sexual misconduct and exploitation by aid workers from multiple groups in many countries. |
| The report Oxfam released on Monday shows that others were disciplined, in addition to the seven who left the group in 2011, including one person who admitted to leaking a report on the investigation, leading to threats, and another person who was accused of “violence against contractors” and unspecified mistreatment of other aid workers. | The report Oxfam released on Monday shows that others were disciplined, in addition to the seven who left the group in 2011, including one person who admitted to leaking a report on the investigation, leading to threats, and another person who was accused of “violence against contractors” and unspecified mistreatment of other aid workers. |
| Five of the seven who were forced out were accused by co-workers and contractors of “bullying and harassment,” the report shows. | Five of the seven who were forced out were accused by co-workers and contractors of “bullying and harassment,” the report shows. |
| While the investigation was underway, the report said, a manager leaked an investigation report to another, unconnected member of staff. “This resulted in three of the suspects,” it said, “physically threatening and intimidating one of the witnesses who had been referred to in the report,” resulting in additional charges against them. | While the investigation was underway, the report said, a manager leaked an investigation report to another, unconnected member of staff. “This resulted in three of the suspects,” it said, “physically threatening and intimidating one of the witnesses who had been referred to in the report,” resulting in additional charges against them. |
| Roland Van Hauwermeiren, Oxfam’s country director in Haiti at the time, said last week that months before the formal investigation, he had already forced two other workers in Haiti to resign because they had hired prostitutes. | Roland Van Hauwermeiren, Oxfam’s country director in Haiti at the time, said last week that months before the formal investigation, he had already forced two other workers in Haiti to resign because they had hired prostitutes. |
| The organization redacted the names of all of staff members involved, except for Mr. Van Hauwermeiren, who resigned. But the group said it had given an unredacted version of the report to the Haitian authorities. | The organization redacted the names of all of staff members involved, except for Mr. Van Hauwermeiren, who resigned. But the group said it had given an unredacted version of the report to the Haitian authorities. |
| Oxfam said that during its investigation, Mr. Van Hauwermeiren admitted to hiring prostitutes, but he denied this in a statement he released last week, saying that he had an affair with a Haitian woman whose family received aid from the group, but that no money had changed hands. | Oxfam said that during its investigation, Mr. Van Hauwermeiren admitted to hiring prostitutes, but he denied this in a statement he released last week, saying that he had an affair with a Haitian woman whose family received aid from the group, but that no money had changed hands. |
| He also denied reports of sexual misconduct in Chad, where he worked for Oxfam before going to Haiti. | He also denied reports of sexual misconduct in Chad, where he worked for Oxfam before going to Haiti. |