MEMO

From: "L. Craig Johnstone"

Date: Fri, 03 Apr 2009
Subject: Re: CONFIDENTIAL

I write with respect to Nick van Praag concerning a letter which appeared in a blog that impugns
his work performance and character. The letter was an ill advised effort by the newly appointed
Chairman of our Staff Council to alert the High Commissioner to the fact that a small group in
Nick's office had made a range of alarming allegations about him.

The Chairman of the Staff Council has explained to me that it was never this intent to pass
judgment on the allegations and that he only wanted to alert the High Commissioner to the fact
that the allegations had been made. I pointed out that the allegations were composed of a
disgraceful set of fabrications and that in putting them in writing he had given them credibility
and opened the door to abuse. I am sure he now sees how true that is.

The fact of the matter is that Nick was asked by the High Commissioner to conduct a
fundamental reform of our External Relations Division and given a short deadline for getting the
job done. He did the job and today we have a substantially improved Department with first rate
cadre of leaders, most of them recruited by Nick. The results in government and private sector
fund raising and in communications strategies have been exceptional.

But the achievements have come at a cost. Nick's decisions, strongly supported by the High
Commissioner, to move away from print media toward electronic media in particular were hotly
resisted by a few within the entrenched bureaucracy of his communications division. If Nick is
to be faulted it is for not having seen just how entrenched was the resistance to change in this
group and the extraordinarily dishonest means to which they would resort to block it. This is
something I am not sure anyone would have anticipated.

I am, of course, deeply upset that the communications revolution which Nick so ably understands
has been used by a blogger of longstanding ill repute to malign him. I can only hope that those
who judge him can put aside these scurrilous attacks and judge him on his considerable
accomplishments.

Regards,
L. Craig Johnstone
Deputy High Commissioner
UNHCR