Pictured in Haiti, boss who sparked scandal
... as it emerges man who replaced him was ALSO fired
THIS is the face of the dis- graced Oxfam director roland van Hauwermeiren, photographed while working in Haiti.
He allegedly admitted to using prostitutes while stationed in the country and resigned but a charity he subsequently worked for has now said it did not know about the allegations.
And the Oxfam official who replaced Mr van Hauwermeiren as the charity’s Haiti country director was himself dismissed last year for ‘inappropriate behaviour’.
Damien Berrendorf was fired last year for mismanagement after allegations by whistleblowers – although they did not relate to sexual misconduct.
The latest revelation piles further pressure on the charity at a time when ministers have threatened to cut funding over its handling of the 2011 Haiti sex scandal.
Mr van Hauwermeiren and six others left their roles at Oxfam amid claims they had used prostitutes during the aid operation.
referring to Mr Berrendorf’s sacking, a spokesman for Oxfam said: ‘We can confirm that Damien Berrendorf was Oxfam’s country director in Haiti from 2012 to 2017.
‘He was dismissed in 2017 for mismanagement. The dismissal was not relating to sexual misconduct and was not connected to the case in 2011.
‘However, there were allegations of inappropriate behaviour. As soon as the allegations were reported via Oxfam’s whistleblowing line they were investigated and the individual dismissed.’
It is not know what the inappropriate behaviour concerned.
It comes as it emerged a charity which employed Mr van Hauwermeiren were never informed of the Oxfam allegations.
The aid worker moved to the charity Action Against Hunger after he had left his job as country director in the Caribbean.
The charity claimed that it carried out a number of checks on Mr van Hauwermeiren, although it was not informed of any inappropriate or unethical behaviour.
The Belgian national, 68, allegedly admitted to using prostitutes at his villa in Haiti, but was allowed a ‘phased and dignified’ resignation in 2011. He was the head of mission for Action Against Hunger in Bangladesh until 2014.
An Action Against Hunger
spokesman told Sky News: ‘Action Against Hunger has a strict recruitment process which includes tests, interviews, individual references checks, and contact with former employee organisations according to French labour regulation.
‘This procedure was followed prior to the employment of Roland van Hauwermeiren. During this process, Action Against Hunger received no information regarding any inappropriate or unethical behaviour by Roland van Hauwermeiren while he was with Oxfam in Haiti, or any warning on the risks of employing him.
‘According to our records, we have not received any alerts regarding sexual misconduct or abuse during Roland van Hauwermeiren’s assignment with Action Against Hunger. We have now, however, begun a process to closely scrutinise the time he was employed by us, and Action Against Hunger commits to full disclosure, collaborating in full with the authorities.’ Oxfam has been contacted for comment.
It has also emerged that a leading medical charity has fired 29 staff members in the past two years over sexual abuse and harassment allegations.
Doctors Without Borders said 19 people were sacked in 2017 for sexual abuse or harassment and ten the year before.
The group, which employs 42,000 staff, won the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize and is famed for operating clinics in conflict zones. The charity said it had received 146 complaints or alerts last year and ended up sacking 19 staff members. It added that other employees were handed disciplinary measures or were suspended.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross yesterday admitted it could not provide ‘reliable historical data about staff misconduct’ but it was building a database to do so.