Hans von Sponeck
Encyclopedia
Hans Christof Graf von Sponeck was born 1939 in Bremen
, Germany, the son of Hans Graf von Sponeck
. He served as a UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Humanitarian Coordinator
for Iraq. In 1957 he was one of the first conscientious objector
s in the Federal Republic of Germany
. He studied history, demography and physical anthropology in Germany and the USA and joined the UN Development Program in 1968, working in Pakistan and elsewhere.
After Denis Halliday
resigned as UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq in October 1998, von Sponeck took over, heading all UN operations in Iraq and managing the Iraqi operations of the Oil-for-Food program. Von Sponeck together with Jutta Burghardt, head of the UN World Food Programme in Iraq, resigned in February 2000 for the same reason as Halliday, to protest UN's Iraq sanctions
policy. Von Sponeck and Halliday wrote an article in The Guardian
explaining their position, accusing the sanctions regime of violating the Geneva Conventions
and other international laws and causing the death of thousands of Iraqis.
He was equally critical of the "smart sanctions" policy a couple years later: "What is proposed at this point in fact amounts to a tightening of the rope around the neck of the average Iraqi citizen. The so-called 'new' sanction policy maintains the old bridgeheads of the current sanction regime: the oil escrow account remains with the UN, market-based foreign investment in Iraq will not be allowed and an oil-for-food program stays in the hands of the UN."
In June 2005 he served as an expert on the World Tribunal on Iraq
, convened in the spirit of the Russell Tribunal
.
His earlier work as a resident representative in Pakistan and elsewhere, led to him becoming, like Halliday, a highly respected figure within the UN. After his resignation, he sought funds for his anti-sanctions work from firms seeking to do business with Iraq. His actions came under some scrutiny from the Paul Volcker Committee
, which held that he had not broken any rule, but recommended tightening the rules.
Von Sponeck was awarded the 2000 Coventry Peace Prize by Coventry Cathedral
and the City of Coventry, the 2000 Humanitarian Award from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
and the 2003 Bremen Peace Award of the Threshold Foundation.
is an historic German
noble
title equivalent in rank to "count
". In Germany today, however, Graf is legally considered part of the name rather than a noble title.
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany, the son of Hans Graf von Sponeck
Hans Graf von Sponeck
Hans Graf von Sponeck or Hans Emil Otto Graf Sponeck was a German General-Leutnant during World War II who was imprisoned for disobeying orders and later executed. He was the father of Hans von Sponeck....
. He served as a UN Assistant Secretary-General and UN Humanitarian Coordinator
Humanitarian Coordinator
The Humanitarian Coordinator is the senior-most United Nations official in a country experiencing a humanitarian emergency. The Humanitarian Coordinator is appointed by the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator when a new emergency occurs or an existing humanitarian situation "worsens in...
for Iraq. In 1957 he was one of the first conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
s in the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. He studied history, demography and physical anthropology in Germany and the USA and joined the UN Development Program in 1968, working in Pakistan and elsewhere.
After Denis Halliday
Denis Halliday
Denis J. Halliday was the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq from September 1, 1997, until 1998. He is Irish and holds an M.A. in Economics, Geography and Public Administration from Trinity College, Dublin....
resigned as UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq in October 1998, von Sponeck took over, heading all UN operations in Iraq and managing the Iraqi operations of the Oil-for-Food program. Von Sponeck together with Jutta Burghardt, head of the UN World Food Programme in Iraq, resigned in February 2000 for the same reason as Halliday, to protest UN's Iraq sanctions
Iraq sanctions
The Iraq sanctions were a near-total financial and trade embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the nation of Iraq. They began August 6, 1990, four days after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, stayed largely in force until May 2003 , and certain portions including reparations to Kuwait...
policy. Von Sponeck and Halliday wrote an article in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
explaining their position, accusing the sanctions regime of violating the Geneva Conventions
Geneva Conventions
The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war...
and other international laws and causing the death of thousands of Iraqis.
He was equally critical of the "smart sanctions" policy a couple years later: "What is proposed at this point in fact amounts to a tightening of the rope around the neck of the average Iraqi citizen. The so-called 'new' sanction policy maintains the old bridgeheads of the current sanction regime: the oil escrow account remains with the UN, market-based foreign investment in Iraq will not be allowed and an oil-for-food program stays in the hands of the UN."
In June 2005 he served as an expert on the World Tribunal on Iraq
World Tribunal on Iraq
The World Tribunal on Iraq was a people's court consisting of intellectuals, human rights campaigners and non-governmental organizations, and was active from 2003-2005. Set up following the 2003 invasion of Iraq it sprung from the anti-war movement and is modelled on the Russell Tribunal of the...
, convened in the spirit of the Russell Tribunal
Russell Tribunal
The Russell Tribunal, also known as the International War Crimes Tribunal or Russell-Sartre Tribunal, was a public body organized by British philosopher Bertrand Russell and hosted by French philosopher and playwright Jean-Paul Sartre...
.
His earlier work as a resident representative in Pakistan and elsewhere, led to him becoming, like Halliday, a highly respected figure within the UN. After his resignation, he sought funds for his anti-sanctions work from firms seeking to do business with Iraq. His actions came under some scrutiny from the Paul Volcker Committee
Paul Volcker Committee
The Paul Volcker Committee was formed to investigate alleged corruption and fraud in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme in Iraq....
, which held that he had not broken any rule, but recommended tightening the rules.
Von Sponeck was awarded the 2000 Coventry Peace Prize by Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
and the City of Coventry, the 2000 Humanitarian Award from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee states that it is the largest Arab American grassroots civil rights organization in the United States. According to its web page it is open to people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities and has over 40 chapters in 24 states and members in all...
and the 2003 Bremen Peace Award of the Threshold Foundation.
Note on name
GrafGraf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
is an historic German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
title equivalent in rank to "count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
". In Germany today, however, Graf is legally considered part of the name rather than a noble title.
Works
- Human Development - Is There An Alternative?, New Delhi, November 1997 (with an introduction by Celso N. Amorim)