The World Federalist Movement is deeply saddened by the death of
Erskine Childers. In this time of great crisis at the United
Nations, the International Organization has lost one of its most
committed defenders and leaders. No one was more effective and
eloquent in exposing the ignorance, shamelessness, bigotry, and
brute-power hypocrisy of those attacking the United Nations in
recent years. WFM supported his call in recent years for a
commission to investigate and evaluate, in light of accepted
international and legal standards, the behavior of certain host
countries of international organizations.
Erskine was not uncritical of the UN, whose deficiencies he effectively analyzed. Unique among critics, however, Erskine Childers produced unequalled papers and books of research, analysis and proposals for a more effective UN. The highly influential report written with Sir Brian Urquhart "A World in Need of Leadership: Tomorrow's United Nations - A Fresh Appraisal" is being re-issued this week by the Ford and Dag Hammarskjold Foundations.
For many years Erskine Childers was one of the highest ranking international diplomats who supported key principles of WFM, especially our proposals for the democratization of the UN and on the strengthening of the rule of law and protection of human rights. Erskine was an enthusiastic and intellectual champion of WFM's call for a UN consultative parliamentary assembly.
Deeply and warmly respected North and South and across the spectrum by government leaders, NGOs, and international civil servants, Erskine was truly a world citizen, and he will be dearly missed.
