MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK

 

UN RELIEF AGENCY MAKES SCHOOL GRANTS TO PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CHILDREN IN GAZA

New York, Sep 26 2006 11:00AM A United Nations relief agency has <"http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/stories/EduIsOurEconomy.html">distributed 100 shekels (about $25) apiece to Palestinian refugee children to cover the costs of school bags, uniforms and shoes in the Gaza Strip, infusing noticeable economic activity into a region that has reached an unprecedented level of unemployment following the suspension of much foreign aid. This gives new meaning to the phrase “education is our economy,” said Muhasen Muhaisen, Chief of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Education department in Gaza, which has been particularly hard hit since Israel stopped tax transfers and other countries suspended contributions to the Palestinian Authority (PA) following the Hamas election victory in January. Israel and international donors insist that Hamas, whose charter is committed to Israel’s destruction, must subscribe to the principles of non-violence, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and accept previous agreements and obligations, including the UN-backed Roadmap plan providing for two states living side by side in peace. Various UN agencies have warned regularly over the past months of a looming humanitarian emergency in the occupied Palestinian territories. Given the dire economic situation, Mrs. Muhaisen stressed that families in Gaza are placing a premium on the education of their children and that the rock-bottom drop-out rate, an estimated 0.64 percent, reflected this. She insisted that most parents use the 100 shekels per child for school expenses rather than for food: they “closed their mouths [didn’t eat] and used the 100 shekels [per child] for school supplies,” she said. Established in 1949 after the first Israeli-Arab war, UNRWA is the main provider of basic services - education, health, relief and social services - to over 4.3 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East. 2006-09-26 00:00:00.000

 

 

ISRAEL COULD COMPLETE LEBANESE WITHDRAWAL BY SATURDAY – UN FORCE COMMANDER

 New York, Sep 26 2006 11:00AM The commander of United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon held talks with senior Lebanese and Israeli military officers today with a view to completing by Saturday Israel’s withdrawal from all the positions it occupied in its northern neighbour during last month’s fighting with Hizbollah. “We had a constructive meeting today,” UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini said after the talks, which discussed both Israel’s withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area. “It is my belief that with the necessary cooperation by both parties we should see the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) leave South Lebanon by the end of this month,” he added. Security Council Resolution <"http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N06/465/03/PDF/N0646503.pdf?OpenElement">1701, which ended the 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hizbollah, mandates strengthening <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL to a maximum of 15,000 troops, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said it is generally understood that Israel will completely withdraw once the UN Force reaches 5,000, a step achieved last week, and the Lebanese army is ready to deploy at the full strength. Maj.-Gen. Pellegrini has held regular talks with the parties, and last Friday he announced the Israeli withdrawal from two more border areas. 2006-09-26 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN NEEDS URGENT FUNDS TO FEED GROWING TIDE OF SOMALI REFUGEES FLEEING TO KENYA

 New York, Sep 26 2006 11:00AM As Somalis fleeing renewed conflict in their homeland pushed the number of refugees in neighbouring Kenya to the highest level in a decade, the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2253">WFP) today appealed for immediate contributions to stave off major cuts in essential aid by November. “The situation is dire,” WFP Deputy Country Director Marian Read said. “Unless we get new funds for our refugee operation immediately, we will have to cut rations in the camps in November. “It is a terrible decision to face but we have no choice – we can’t wait until food stocks run out. Even with the cuts, we will still run out of food in February next year.” To continue feeding 240,000 refugees already in Kenya, as well as the tens of thousands of new arrivals, WFP needs $8.1 million over the next six months for its operations in the camps where malnutrition is already rife. Since January, an estimated 24,000 people have entered camps in Dadaab in north-eastern Kenya, but with escalating tension between the Transitional Federal Government in Baidoa and the Union of Islamic Courts, which controls the capital of Mogadishu and coastal areas, Somalis have recently been pouring in at the rate of 2,500 a week. Unless new donations are made now, rations will be cut by 12 per cent in November, leaving refugees to survive on 1,900 kilocalories a day instead of the recommended daily minimum of 2,100 kilocalories per day. In December, deeper cuts will follow, with rations at 79 per cent of the normal level, or 1,700 kilocalories a day, for all except the most vulnerable. Malnutrition rates in the camps are already well above the emergency level. High energy biscuits are urgently needed because they help tide over the newly arrived families before the next fortnightly food distribution. Kenya’s refugee camps were set up 15 years ago, and mainly host refugees from Somalia (62 per cent) and Sudan (33 percent). WFP provides general food distributions for all registered refugees in the camps, school meals, and food for selective programmes for malnourished children and pregnant and nursing mothers. At another crisis flashpoint, WFP said today it had started airlifting urgent food aid to at least 8,800 people in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), although it has not yet received any funding pledges for next year’s operations. Over 70 nutritional centres run by non-governmental organization (NGO) partners desperately need food for children, pregnant mothers and returnees and the agency has contracted several commercial airlines to bring 1,450 metric tons of food into North Katanga, Maniema and South Kivu provinces, where road and rail transport is virtually non-existent. “Some centres have not received food in months and the situation of the children is particularly worrying,” WFP Country Director Charles Vincent said. “They are in an area cut off by lack of infrastructure and struck by high rates of malnutrition among the local and displaced people. “Here in DRC, we are obliged to act like firemen: we put out a blaze, but we know it will re-ignite unless we provide continuous nutritional support to those in need, especially children,” he added. The current airlift operation is being financed through a contribution of $1.95 million from the new UN Central Emergency Response Fund. WFP aims to feed more than 875,000 people in DRC each month, with 7,800 tons of food. But only 500,000 people are currently provided with rations – and these are reduced. Some 35,000 tons of food worth $63 million is urgently required to meet food needs from October to next June. 2006-09-26 00:00:00.000

 

 

AT UN DEBATE, BARBADOS DESCRIBES FAILURE OF GLOBAL TRADE TALKS AS ‘VERY REAL CRISIS’

 New York, Sep 25 2006 8:00PM The failure of the Doha Round of international trade negotiations earlier this year “represents a very real crisis,” Barbados’ Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today as she called on industrialized countries to resolve their differences so that inhabitants of the world’s poorer nations can enjoy a better standard of living. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/barbados-e.pdf">Speaking during the Assembly’s annual debate at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Dame Billie Miller said that the differences between countries should not be insurmountable. “There is nothing more important for small developing countries than an improved multilateral trading system if we are to have the chance to participate in and benefit from the ingoing process of globalization,” she said. Dame Billie stressed that the trade negotiations must not only focus on liberalizing trade rules and enhancing market access for poorer countries. “For while it is important to have agreements that open up access to markets, it is even more essential for any negotiated trade agreement to contain provisions that would assist developing countries to implement policies aimed at transforming their economies. In other words, market access is meaningless without goods and services with which to trade.” The Barbadian Foreign Minister also called for extra support to be given to the world’s most vulnerable economies to allow them to integrate better into the multilateral trading system. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

FIVE TRENDS IN COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES RISK VIOLATING HUMAN RIGHTS, SAYS UN EXPERT

 New York, Sep 25 2006 8:00PM Five “current trends” in fighting the global scourge of terrorism risk violating human rights, an independent United Nations expert told the newly established Human Rights Council today as it began the second week of <"http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/E39456F5145ABC85C12571F4005BA06C?OpenDocument">debate on a wide range of issues at its second session in Geneva. Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism, said these trends consisted of States:<BR> <li>resorting to the notion of “terrorism” to stigmatise political, ethnic or other movements they simply did not like;</li> <li>questioning or compromising the absolute prohibition of torture and of all forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; </li> <li>going beyond the criminalization of incitement to commit serious crime, by penalising the “glorification” or “apology” of terrorism, or the publication of information that “could be useful” in the commission of acts of terrorism; </li> <li>justifying tightening immigration controls by the risk of terrorism; </li> <li>the issue of terrorism largely replacing drug-related crime as the primary public justification for extending the powers of the police, coupled with the abandonment of many of the traditional safeguards. In presenting his report, Mr. Scheinin stressed that his mandate was not only to disclose and criticize human rights violations, but equally importantly to identify and publicize best practices, in terms of legislative and practical solutions that combined an effective fight against terrorism with the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Representatives from almost 20 countries took part in discussions following the presentation. The Council today also heard reports on the effects of structural adjustment policies and foreign debt on the full enjoyment of all human rights; the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination; the right to adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living; the right to education, and human rights and transnational corporations. It also heard concluded discussions on a report from the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Special Rapporteurs are unpaid independent human rights experts. This second session of the Council, set up earlier this year to replace the much-criticized Commission on Human Rights, opened last Monday and will run until 6 October. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

SUDAN: UN ENVOY CALLS ON ALL SIDES TO RESUME TALKS AND REFRAIN FROM VIOLENCE IN RAMADAN

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM All sides in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan should mark the Muslim month of Ramadan by resuming peace talks and refraining from the violence that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and driven around 2 million from their homes over the past three years, the United Nations envoy to the country said today. “The Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Sudan, Jan Pronk, has sent a letter to the leaders of the Government of Sudan and all movements involved in military action in Sudan’s western region of Darfur urging them to refrain from hostilities and resume dialogue during the month of Ramadan,” a UN spokesman told reporters in New York. “He urged them to embrace peaceful dialogue as a gesture of sincerity and goodwill to the innocent civilians who have silently borne the brunt of the violence and insecurity,” added spokesman Stephane Dujarric, speaking at the start of the holy month for the Islamic world. Last Friday the Security Council, expressing “grave concern” over the worsening humanitarian situation in Darfur, extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) until 8 October, while also making known its intention to renew it further, a move that came just days after the African Union (AU) extended its own mission in the strife-torn region until the end of the year. However, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir last Tuesday again rejected a proposed UN force for Darfur as an attempt to re-colonize his country, criticizing August’s Council resolution to deploy more than 17,000 peacekeepers in the region where UN officials warn that a man-made humanitarian catastrophe is looming. They estimate that over 400,000 people have already lost their lives and some 2 million more have been driven from their homes in three years of fighting in Darfur between the Sudanese Government, allied militias and rebel forces. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

ERITREA SAYS SECURITY COUNCIL HAS ENCOURAGED ETHIOPIA TO ‘DEFY’ INTERNATIONAL LAW

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM Ethiopia has been allowed to defy international law for four years and reject the binding decision on the demarcation of its border with Eritrea because the Security Council has chosen to encourage and support its conduct, Eritrean Health Minister Saleh S. Meky <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/eritrea-e.pdf">told the General Assembly today. Mr. Meky said Ethiopia’s refusal to accept the Boundary Commission’s arbitration of the border violates the Algiers Peace Agreement between the two nations and threatens the peace and security of the wider Horn of Africa region. He said Ethiopia would not have been able to breach the agreement “with impunity” if its conduct had not been “encouraged and supported by certain powers in the UN Security Council.” Mr. Meky said both the Council and Secretary-General Kofi Annan “chose to accommodate” Ethiopia when its Government sent a letter in 2003 announcing its rejection of the Boundary Commission ruling and calling for a “new mechanism” to overrule that decision. “When the chips are down, major powers, and especially the United States, continue to pursue their perceived narrow interests at the expense of regional peace and security, and the sovereign rights of nations and peoples.” He also accused the Secretary-General’s periodic reports on the work of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) of downplaying Ethiopian violations and instead apportioning blame equally between the neighbouring countries or singling out Eritrea for criticism. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

WITH GLOBAL HELP, DIAMOND INDUSTRY CAN FOSTER DEVELOPMENT, BOTSWANA TELLS UN

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM The diamond industry, long associated with conflict in Africa, can be a force for positive change through international cooperation, the Foreign Minister of Botswana <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/botswana-e.pdf">told the United Nations General Assembly today. “We continue to prudently manage the revenue from the sale of diamonds and to effectively use such revenue to educate our people, provide potable water, health care and build a network of infrastructure such as roads, telephones and rural electricity,” Lieutenant General Mompati S. Merafhe told the Assembly’s annual debate today. “This is the good that diamonds have and continue to do.” Botswana participates in the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which aims to ensure the integrity of the legitimate diamond trade, he said, calling the mechanism “one of the best examples of global cooperation.” The Scheme is “the embodiment of global consensus, unrelenting political will and determination of members to do the right thing underpinned by strong support and resolutions of the Security Council,” he continued. “This is important because about 10 million people globally are either directly or indirectly supported by the diamond industry.” He said 65 per cent of the world’s diamonds are sourced from African countries. “Diamonds have and continue to do good in Botswana. The diamond industry in Botswana has been at the cutting edge of human development and transforming lives for the better, in all fields of human endeavour.” 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

TERRORISM SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PARTICULAR FAITH, COUNTRIES TELL UN DEBATE

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM Terrorism is a scourge that afflicts all countries and must not be associated with any particular faith, ministers from a number of States told the United Nations General Assembly today during its annual debate. “We appeal to the UN Security Council to act on this issue with dispatch – for Muslims everywhere have a strong emotional reaction to what they perceive to be the oppression and humiliation of their Palestinian, Iraqi and Afghan co-regionalists,” said Hassan Wirajuda, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. “Terrorists operating as far away from the Middle East as South-East Asia justify their heinous crimes as retaliation to what they consider as aggression against Islam.” He pointed to the “error of some Western circles attributing to Islam a propensity for violence” and <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/indonesia-e.pdf">said this was “matched by the error of terrorist groups claiming that violent means are sanctified by Islam.” Dialogue, he said, is the only way to overcome this problem. For its part, Indonesia has been actively promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue, he said. “It is our way of debasing the ideology of terrorists and at the same time empowering the moderates and strengthening the voice of moderation.” “Fighting this scourge from which no country is safe requires unity and cooperation at both the regional and international levels,” said Mohammed Bedjaoui, the Foreign Minister of Algeria. He said his country had suffered terrorist violence and welcomed international attention to the threat. Stressing the urgency of concluding a comprehensive convention against international terrorism, he said it must “contain an unequivocal definition of this scourge and draw a distinction between the legitimate struggle of peoples against foreign occupation on the one hand and on the other acts perpetrated by terrorist groups or individuals.” He also warned the international community to “make sure not to mix up this scourge and a particular religion, civilization or geographical area.” M. Morshed Khan, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/lybia-e.pdf">agreed that the scourge of terrorism knows no boundaries. “It is professed and carried out by a handful few and the victims are the vast majority of innocent men, women and children.” Efforts to combat terrorism have seen some positive results, but the actions of individual countries “have created divisions among people and affected interfaith harmony,” he said. “Many are being subjected to racial or religious profiling, thus fomenting suspicion, misunderstanding and even hatred.” He said this played into the hands of those fomenting acts of violence. “This is what the terrorists are looking for. We must ensure that they do not have their way.” Abdurrahman Mohamed Shalghem, the Secretary of the General People’s Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation of Libya, also <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/lybia-e.pdf">stressed that terrorism is not the province of any one group. “It is a problem that cannot be resolved by attributing it to a certain religion or nationality,” he said. “It is also shameful and unacceptable to describe the legitimate struggle of people against foreign occupation as an act of terrorism.” He said the international community must cooperate “under the UN umbrella to study this phenomenon and reach a definition of terrorism which distinguishes between terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples for self-determination and independence.” 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

LAOTIAN MINISTER URGES UN MEMBERS TO HELP LANDLOCKED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM Nations lacking access to the sea require international support in their efforts to achieve development, the Foreign Minister of Laos told the United Nations General Assembly today as it continued its annual debate. “I <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/lao-e.pdf">appeal to the international community to further address the special problems of this vulnerable group,” said Thongloun Sisoulith, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Laos. He called specifically for global efforts to help facilitate a mid-term review to assess the Almaty Programme of Action, a plan adopted in 2003 aimed at helping to meet the special needs of landlocked developing countries. He added that a recent summit meeting of leaders of those States had adopted a Declaration reaffirming their right of access to and from the sea. The needs of developing countries in general were <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/cambodia-e.pdf">discussed by Hor Namhong, the Foreign Minister of Cambodia, who said there has been very little progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of targets for tackling poverty and other global ills. He attributed this in part to “the negative impact of globalization which has led to the widening gap between developed countries and the poor nations.” He especially decried the lack of progress towards addressing the extreme poverty which afflicts 1.3 billion people globally. “Eradication of poverty is, first and foremost, the responsibility of the whole world and requires cooperation of the developed countries, international organizations as well as the private sector,” he said, calling for increases in debt relief, foreign direct investment and official development assistance to address the problem. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

CENTRAL ASIA CAN DO MORE TO BOOST AFGHANISTAN’S RECOVERY, ITS NEIGHBOURS TELL UN

 New York, Sep 25 2006 7:00PM The Foreign Ministers of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan called for stepped-up international efforts to help Afghanistan establish peace and stability, defeat the drug trade and make economic progress during their addresses to the United Nations General Assembly today. Tajikistan’s Talbak Nazarov <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/republic_tajikistan-e.pdf">told the Assembly’s annual debate that Afghanistan’s neighbours in Central Asia should play a greater role in its post-conflict reconstruction, especially in trying to combat the country’s narcotics problem. The current programmes are ineffective, Mr. Nazarov said, urging the establishment of “an up-to-date, efficient and capable Afghan border service” to police the boundary with Tajikistan and to implement joint measures with Tajik border authorities against drug traffickers. “We are convinced that these measures could serve as a basis for implementing the initiative of establishing the first section of the security belt around Afghanistan,” he said. In his <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/uzbekistan-e.pdf">address to the Assembly, Vladimir Norov of Uzbekistan also identified drug production as one of the most dangerous problems in Afghanistan, threatening the security of the wider region. Mr. Norov said “real progress in implementing the concrete project funded by the international community” needs to be made so that Afghans can see they are making social, economic and humanitarian progress. Both Mr. Norov and Mr. Nazarov also stressed the threat posed by terrorism, calling for regional organizations to play an enhanced role in dealing with the scourge. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

CÔTE D’IVOIRE ELECTIONS SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED PAST DECEMBER, NIGERIAN MINISTER TELLS

New York, Sep 25 2006 6:00PM Elections in the divided West African nation of Côte d’Ivoire are unlikely to take place next month as scheduled, but if they are not staged before the end of this year then the Security Council must be ready to intervene and impose heavy sanctions on those causing the delays, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister told the General Assembly today. Speaking during the annual debate, U. Joy Ogwa – in an <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/nigeria-e.pdf">address delivered on behalf of President Olusegun Obasanjo – welcomed recent efforts by the Ivorian parties and urged them to “remain steadfast in their commitment in order to ensure that the peace process remains on course.” But she also said the timetable for elections has been delayed and warned that it must not be further postponed. “It is now doubtful that elections can take place in October [but they] must not be allowed to be frustrated beyond 31 December.” The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to tackle the issue, she noted, but warned that if this effort does not succeed, “a resolution of the Security Council will become necessary to impose heavy sanctions on all culprits and their relations.” She also decried the proliferation of arms in West Africa and hailed the fact that ECOWAS had adopted a landmark Convention on Small Arms this June. This stood in contrast to the inability of the UN to agree on the issue, she said, voicing “deep disappointment that the first UN Review Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons failed to agree on a final document, including a similar ban on arms suppliers to non-State actors.” Joining Nigeria in this call was the Foreign Minister of Gabon, Jean Ping. He said the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, in All its Aspects had represented a “major breakthrough” but further action is needed. “We do regret though that the Review Conference held in July ended in failure,” he said. “Despite this we need to continue implementation of that programme as well as the international instrument on tracing and marking small arms and light weapons,” he added, calling also for negotiations leading to the adoption of a similar pact on brokering of such weapons. The Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic, Cöme Zoumara, said the proliferation of small arms and light weapons was a blight exacerbating the problems in the country, which bordered Sudan and Chad. The Central African Republic was working to address the rebellion in the north-east of its territory – the border area – but the problems there were endemic, he said. The rebels were organizing ambushes in the region and the armed forces deployed there faced numerous obstacles. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

WARNING OF REGIONAL EFFECT, ANNAN URGES EXTENSION OF UN MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA

 New York, Sep 25 2006 6:00PM Expressing deep concern about the “untenable” stalemate in the peace process between Ethiopia and Eritrea, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the Security Council to extend the mandate of the UN monitoring mission between the two sides for six months, warning of the potential for disaster if the situation is not resolved. Mr. Annan made his remarks in his latest situation <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2006/749">report covering the activities of the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) since March and ahead of its current end of mandate on 30 September, while he also drew attention to instability across the whole of the Horn of Africa region. “Four years after the 2002 decision of the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, I remain deeply concerned about the stalemate in the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace process. This is an untenable situation, which, if allowed to fester, could lead intentionally or unintentionally to events with disastrous consequences for the two countries and the whole region.” “The situation in the Horn of Africa remains politically tense and fragile. The continuing conflict in Somalia and the unresolved crisis affecting Darfur contribute to the instability affecting the region. Having the foregoing facts in mind, I recommend to the Security Council that it extend the mandate of UNMEE for six months, until 31 March 2007.” Mr. Annan also said the various arrests, detentions and expulsions of UNMEE international and locally recruited staff in recent months was “particularly troubling” and he repeated calls for all restrictions on the Mission to be lifted and those staff detained to be released without delay. He reiterated concerns that Ethiopia has not accepted the decisions of the Boundary Commission and also Eritrea’s refusal to continue to cooperate with the body, adding that the military situation in the Temporary Security Zone and the adjacent areas between the two sides remained tense, despite it being “generally stable” over the past six months. In an annex to the report, the Secretary-General presented an update on the proceedings of the Boundary Commission, which reopened its office in Addis Ababa in August while it still seeks Eritrea’s permission to reopen its Asmara field office. UNMEE monitors the ceasefire along the disputed border over which the two countries fought a war from 1998 to 2000, but its work has been hampered by both sides, in particular by Ethiopia’s refusal to accept the border set the Boundary Commission and restrictions imposed by Eritrea. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

NEPAL SAYS UN-LED PEACE PROCESS CAN SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER COUNTRIES

New York, Sep 25 2006 5:00PM The United Nations-shepherded peace process in Nepal can act as a model for other countries of how to resolve conflicts and it can also demonstrate the importance of democracy, the Himalayan nation’s Deputy Prime Minister told the General Assembly today. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/nepal-e.pdf">Speaking during the annual debate at UN Headquarters in New York, K. P. Sharma Oli described the restoration of parliamentary democracy earlier this year as a “momentous change,” noting it had led to a ceasefire between the Communist Party (Maoist) and Government forces. “The people of Nepal have become, for the first time in history, the real sources of sovereignty and State authority,” he said. Mr. Oli said he was confident that the peace process, which is being guided by Ian Martin, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative in Nepal, will conclude successfully with the establishment of a fully-fledged democracy. Last month the two sides asked for UN help in a range of areas, including human rights monitoring, election observation, arms management and ceasefire monitoring. “Successful resolution of our internal conflict will set a worthwhile example to the rest of the world that democracy is indispensable and brightens the prospect for resolution of all kinds of conflicts.” Mr. Oli – who is also the Nepalese Foreign Minister – said the country now faced pressing challenges of reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction as it attempts to make the transition to a post-conflict nation. “It is critically important that newly emerged democracies are safeguarded and protected, allowing them to develop further and flourish,” he said, voicing support for the UN Democracy Fund. Mr. Oli also offered thanks to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his help in the peace process and to the role played by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

UN ENVOY TO LIBERIA SPEAKS OF ‘CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM’ WHILE STRESSING NEED FOR SECURITY

 New York, Sep 25 2006 5:00PM Impoverished Liberia has made progress this year in rebuilding since its new President took power in January, the top United Nations envoy to the country said today, describing a feeling of “cautious optimism” after 14 years of civil war, but he also emphasized the importance of security and the need to press on with recovery efforts. Alan Doss, Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative, made his <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2006/060925_Doss.doc.htm">remarks after briefing the Security Council on Mr. Annan’s latest report which acknowledges “tangible progress” in areas such as Government reform and the fight against corruption but also recommends that the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) be extended for another year until 30 September 2007. “Progress has been possible but at the same time we do underline that the situation remains fragile... so we will continue to emphasize the security dimension, the importance of dealing with potential problems in the security area, remaining alert and responsive and being willing to deal robustly if threats emerge either within the country or externally,” Mr. Doss told reporters in New York. “But also trying to encourage now the recovery and reconstruction process that must ultimately underpin all the national efforts to move forward and to move beyond the shadow of the conflict.” He said that UNMIL was now in a “consolidation phase” which he expected to last until the end of 2007, after which the mission would move into a gradual drawdown phase if the security situation permits, although he emphasized it was too early to predict too far ahead. In his report, Mr. Annan said one UNMIL infantry battalion would be withdrawn in November, but he also stressed the need to closely monitor the security situation. “The President’s been in office barely eight, nine months, so we have to be cautiously optimistic as we move forward, and as you know Liberia is in a troubled neighbourhood: the situation in Côte d’Ivoire still remains very uncertain; Guinea, of course, has its preoccupations; and next year there’ll be elections in Sierra Leone, of course.” “So altogether we think that we should ‘steady as she goes,’ so to speak, and keep moving in the same direction.” UNMIL was established in 2003 to support the implementation of a ceasefire and a peace process in Liberia and as of the start of this month had over 14,800 military and police personnel in the country. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected to lead an African nation, was inaugurated as Liberia’s President on 16 January. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

MALTA ASKS UN FOR GREATER HELP IN DEALING WITH COSTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

New York, Sep 25 2006 5:00PM Mass illegal immigration from Africa to Europe is causing real hardship for countries such as Malta, the nation’s Foreign Affairs Minister told the General Assembly today as he called for greater support from other United Nations Member States to share the burden. Speaking at the Assembly’s annual debate in New York, Michael Frendo said Malta and other arrival countries needed help not just to absorb the economic and physical cost of receiving the asylum-seekers, but to tackle the criminal groups that “are taking advantage of the aspirations of human beings who have lost all hope.” He urged the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist with the resettlement of refugees, noting that Malta had the second highest number of asylum applications last year in the European Union (EU). “No country can tackle such an overwhelming phenomenon on its own,” Mr. Frendo said, stressing that smaller nations such as Malta face particularly acute difficulties. “Illegal immigration needs a holistic approach internationally, stretching from combating criminal organizations, particularly in the countries of origin and of transit, from the strengthening of border control, to the promotion of good governance, economic development and the rule of law, to the resettlement of refugees and persons with humanitarian status and to the return of illegal immigrants to their countries of origin and transit and their reintegration in society.” In their addresses to the Assembly today, the Foreign Ministers of three other European countries stressed the importance of multilateralism in dealing with problems that transcend national borders. Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said “we live in a tightly inter-connected, interdependent and transparent world” that no organization or forum is more appropriate for helping each other than the UN. Mr. Rupel praised the decision by leaders at last year’s World Summit to enshrine the idea of a “responsibility to protect” peoples from genocide, ethnic cleansing or gross violations of human rights. “We regard this as a conceptual breakthrough,” he said, urging Member States to make sure they do not allow the tragedies that occurred in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1990s to now happen in Darfur or anywhere else. Reinforcing that concern about Darfur, Kinga Göncz, the Foreign Minister of Hungary, said she hoped this session of the General Assembly would bring advances in elaborating the concept of “responsibility to protect.” Ms. Göncz said Hungary also welcomed the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission, the Human Rights Council and the Democracy Fund over the past year, although she added that UN management reform is still to take place and the membership of the Security Council has not yet been broadened. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk said Council reform will not be complete until there is an enhanced representation from Eastern Europe in recognition of the substantial increase in the number of countries in that region since 1991. Mr. Tarasyuk joined Ms. Göncz and Mr. Rupel in calling on the UN to take special care in determining the future status of the province of Kosovo, stressing that any decision should not be imposed on the parties. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN AGAIN CALLS FOR RESTRUCTURING TRADE IN FAVOUR OF POOR NATIONS

New York, Sep 25 2006 3:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today again called on the world’s wealthy countries to “go the extra mile” to re-balance the rules of the trading system in favour of the poor and push ahead as soon as possible with the so-called Doha Round of talks which seeks to achieve such a restructuring. “Setbacks in the Doha talks have led some to consider settling for something less than a true development round – or for no round at all. That must not happen,” Mr. Annan said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10657.doc.htm">message to the UN message to the World Trade Organization (<"http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/sppl_e/sppl38_e.htm">WTO) Public Forum in Geneva. “This Forum provides a chance to reflect on the rules of international trade, and how they affect people's lives. It is a reminder that opening up global trade is essential, if we are to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015,” he added, referring to the targets of slashing a host of ills, such as extreme hunger and poverty, high infant and maternal mortality and lack of access to education and health care, all in the next nine years. The Doha Round has been in limbo for many months, partly over subsidies that wealthy countries grant their agricultural industry and tariff and other measures that impede access to such markets by poorer nations, and Mr. Annan has issued numerous appeals for progress, most recently at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Havana earlier this month. “I join developing and least developed countries in calling for the round to resume as soon as possible,” he said in today’s message. “Our countries, and our people, need and deserve no less in order to lift tem selves out of poverty. I urge WTO members to go the extra mile (and) make a trade deal possible.” 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

FORMER PROSECUTOR GOES ON TRIAL AT UN TRIBUNAL FOR ROLE IN RWANDAN GENOCIDE

 New York, Sep 25 2006 3:00PM The United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda today began the trial of a former prosecutor on charges of genocide, extermination and murder for allegedly recruiting, arming and ordering militia to massacre Tutsis and moderate Hutus during the 1994 killing spree in the small Central African country. Simeon Nchamihigo, former deputy prosecutor of Cyangugu Prefecture, pleaded not guilty to all charges in the four-count indictment during his initial appearance in 2001 before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), based in Arusha in neighbouring Tanzania. More than 800,000 people were massacred, mostly by machete, for being ethnic Tutsis or Hutu moderates during a period of less than 100 days starting in April 1994. The prosecution alleges that the defendant wore a military uniform and carried a weapon as he participated in a campaign with leaders of the military and the Interahamwe militia in Cyangugu to exterminate Tutsis and moderates from the Hutu opposition whom he considered traitors and accomplices of the rebel Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front. It added that on numerous occasions in 1994, the defendant distributed weapons and ordered the killing of Tutsi civilians including a priest, who was killed in his presence at a roadblock in May of that year. He is also alleged to have rewarded Interahamwe members with food and beer for participating in the massacres. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

CHILDREN MUST BE PUT FIRST IN IMPROVING SOUTH ASIAN SANITATION, UNICEF SAYS

 New York, Sep 25 2006 12:00PM With nearly a billion people in South Asia still lacking basic sanitation, children should be placed first in the debate on improving hygiene standards in the region, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF). Addressing delegates from government ministries from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Myanmar at a meeting in Islamabad last week, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Cecilia Lotse <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35982.html">said the region had high numbers of children who were malnourished and at risk from diseases caused by bad hygiene and, in particular, from lack of regular hand washing with soap and clean water. Calling on participants at the second Conference on Sanitation (<"http://www.environment.gov.pk/sacosan-2005/">SACOSAN) to put children first, Ms. Lotse emphasised the double dividends that occur when efforts are concentrated on sanitation. “Women and girls are safer when they do not have to go out of the house to use night soil sites,” she said. “Since the first SACOSAN in 2003, around 100 million additional people now have toilets, but that still leaves more than nine hundred and twenty million without,” she noted. “We also know that more girls will go to schools that provide separate and private facilities.” On Thursday UNICEF will be launching “Progress for Children: a Report Card on Water and Sanitation,” detailing the impressive progress made to date in expanding access to safe water and basic sanitation, but also making clear that there is still a long way to go. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN EFFORTS TO PROMOTE NEW ‘GREEN’ FUELS MOVE AHEAD

 New York, Sep 25 2006 12:00PM United Nations efforts to promote bio-energy sources such as sugar cane or sunflower seeds to replace fossil fuels like petroleum, thus reducing poverty while producing clean, low-cost power, <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000405/index.html">gained new momentum today with the inauguration of the Secretariat of the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP). Launched at the 14th Session of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development in May in New York, the Secretariat is located at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO)headquarters in Rome and is supported by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea. Its mandate includes facilitating a global political forum to promote bioenergy and to encourage the production, marketing and use of “green” fuels, with particular focus on developing countries. “We are happy that FAO was chosen to host the GBEP Secretariat,” FAO Assistant Director-General for Sustainable Development Alexander Müller said. “Its presence will stimulate us to continue helping governments and institutions formulate appropriate bioenergy policies and strategies. We hope the creation of a Global Bioenergy Partnership will help reduce current dependency on oil.” Over the next decades, bio-energy will most probably provide an increasing amount of the world’s energy needs, but this must be done in a sustainable manner, he added. The Secretariat will be the principal coordinator of Partnership communications and activities and will assist international exchanges of know-how and technology, promote supportive policy frameworks and identify ways of fostering investments and removing barriers to the development and implementation of joint projects. In the short term, the Secretariat will update the inventory of existing networks, initiatives and institutions dealing with bio-energy and identify any gaps in knowledge. It will also assist the Partners in identifying and implementing bilateral and multilateral projects for sustainable bio-energy development and support the formulation of guidelines for measuring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions due to the use of bio-fuels. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN REFUGEE AGENCY COMPUTER GAME BEATS OUT MOZART FOR AUSTRIAN AWARD

New York, Sep 25 2006 11:00AM A United Nations computer game aimed at promoting positive attitudes towards refugees by taking players through the trauma of fleeing persecution and seeking asylum has beaten the world famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to garner a prestigious Austrian award for an interactive computer game. LastExitFlucht (LastExitFlight) - which can be found at www.LastExitFlucht.org and played free of charge - was awarded the Austrian Multimedia and E-Business State Prize in the category for “Knowledge and Learning,” after beating off stiff competition from a CD-Rom about the life of Mozart. “We are working with real refugees every day all over the world - so we know their reality,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) public information officer Roland Schönbauer said, accepting the award last week before 400 selected guests, including the speaker of the Austrian parliament Andreas Khol. A jury of 14 experts from universities, the corporate sector and the media which chose the winner praised LastExitFlucht as “a game which excellently creates empathy for the situation of refugees.” While it is aimed at teenagers, the panel said the game also forced adults to reflect on political attitudes towards refugees. They praised the game's realism and design. The game, launched in March by UNHCR for the youth market in German-speaking countries, takes players through the experience that millions of refugees face, including fleeing their homes and struggling to with a new culture and language in a foreign land. Among the different scenarios, players must overcome obstacles in leaving their homes in search of safety and assistance. In exile, they must cope with the difficulties of starting a new school, not knowing the language and having to make new friends. They also experience what refugees go through when facing discrimination on the streets, applying for a job and generally starting a new life. It is a reworked version of a Swedish-language game, Motallaodds, which was designed by UNHCR in Stockholm and launched last December. There is also a Norwegian version and the agency hopes to translate it into other languages, including Danish and English. LastExitFlucht also provides a factual library including interviews with real refugees and charts the history of asylum in Europe, explaining the difficulties refugees in Europe currently face in upholding their rights. With some 120,000 hits since its launch, the site has received enthusiastic support from young people, teachers and the media in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

UN MISSION IN LEBANON RESCUES SYRIAN LOST AT SEA FOR TWO DAYS

 New York, Sep 25 2006 11:00AM The United Nations peacekeeping force sent to Lebanon to oversee the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hizbollah found itself involved in a humanitarian <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/unifilpress.htm">rescue<a/> operation over the weekend, plucking from the waves a Syrian who had been swimming for two days after apparently falling from a passing ship. The Italian ship San Marco from the Interim Maritime Task Force of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/pr058.pdf">UNIFIL) rescued the man after he was found several hundred meters off the coastline on Saturday. He was initially administered first-aid by the San Marco doctor and later evacuated to the hospital in Tyre, southern Lebanon, UNIFIL said. Meanwhile, UNIFIL’s Indian, Ghanaian and Italian battalions over the weekend provided medical assistance to 64 people and veterinary help to 40 animals. In addition, several thousand litres of water were distributed by UNIFIL to three Lebanese checkpoints. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

AFTER TERRORIST PLOT TO BLOW UP PLANES, UN AGENCY TO PRODUCE NEW LIST OF BANNED ITEMS

 New York, Sep 25 2006 11:00AM In an effort to further thwart terrorist plots to blow up airliners, the United Nations aviation agency will this week move ahead on <"http://www.icao.int/cgi/goto_m.pl?icao/en/nr/2006/pio200614_e.pdf">producing a new list of prohibited items that passengers cannot bring on board, such as liquid, gel and aerosol products capable of being used in improvised explosive devices. On 27 and 28 September, the International Explosives Technical Commission of the UN International Civil Aviation Organization (< “http://www.icao.int/”>ICAO ) will take up the work of a panel that met earlier this month following the thwarted terrorist plot in August in the United Kingdom to blow up some 10 trans-Atlantic flights. The Agency aims to issue the new list of banned items to its 189 Contracting States by the end of November. “The issuance of a revised list of prohibited items is a complex matter involving law enforcement, explosives technologies, evaluation of trace detection equipment, training of security personnel, logistics and commercial considerations,” ICAO Council President Roberto Kobeh González said last week. Earlier this month, ICAO’s Aviation Security (AVSEC) Panel reviewed an expanded list of prohibited items prepared by the Organization’s Secretariat. In the coming weeks, the Panel will incorporate appropriate national and regional initiatives taken to date to deal with the new threat posed by liquid, gel and aerosol products. “The Panel is working diligently on ways to strengthen and streamline security procedures at airports,” Mr. Kobeh González said. The reports of both AVSEC and the Technical Commission both bodies will be presented to the ICAO Council at its next session beginning 10 October. Once the recommendations are adopted, ICAO will notify all Member States of various issues related to liquids used as explosives, including: a new list of prohibited items; measures needed to counter the new threat; ongoing work on technologies and operational procedures for detecting prohibited liquids; and the need for new measures to be effective, practicable, sustainable and harmonized among States. Special emphasis will be placed on close cooperation with intelligence agencies and aviation regulators. A mechanism to rapidly share significant security information on an international basis will be provided. In the longer term, ICAO will revise its security Standards and guidance to deal proactively with this new threat and others that may emerge, focussing on further enhancing airside security, including staff screening and cargo, catering and hold baggage security. “Our overall security objective is twofold: to diligently assess new and emerging threats to aviation, and continually monitor and upgrade processes to ensure they are commensurate with the level of threat identified; and, to expedite the clearance of passengers and cargo at airports while maintaining the highest level of security,” Mr. Kobeh González said. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN RIGHTS CHIEF CALLS ON THAILAND’S COUP LEADERS TO RESTORE BASIC FREEDOMS

 New York, Sep 25 2006 10:00AM Voicing concern over new restrictions on basic human rights in Thailand after last week’s coup, including free assembly and expression, the top United Nations rights official today called on the country’s new leaders to ensure fundamental freedoms and reinstate disbanded rights bodies. “The forcible and unconstitutional replacement of Thailand’s freely-elected Government on 19 September, the establishment of martial law, the abolition of the 1997 Constitution, the dissolution of Parliament and the Cabinet as well as the disbanding of the Constitutional Court, have raised important human rights concerns,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said in a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/5CB8519E42ED8D2EC12571F4003EC1B3?opendocument">statement. She called on the leaders of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and reinstate the country’s human rights commission. “The various decrees issued by the CDRM restrict a number of basic human rights, such as the right to freedom of assembly, the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention,” Ms. Arbour said, urging the new authorities to restore the maximum exercise of such rights. Expressing concern over the disbanding of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), she recalled that Thailand is party to a number of international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. She urged the CDRM to take all necessary measures to ensure that the country’s international obligations are respected and to reinstate the NHRC. 2006-09-25 00:00:00.000

 

UN REPORTS NEW ATROCITIES IN PEOPLE SMUGGLING FROM SOMALIA TO YEMEN

New York, Sep 22 2006 10:00AM As the number of East Africans smuggled across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen in the past three weeks topped 2,100, the United Nations refugee agency today reported new atrocities, with passengers beaten to death and thrown overboard by club-wielding smugglers just for requesting water and scores reported dead or missing. “Despite the enormous risks, people continue risking their lives in search for safety and better economic opportunities,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/">UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=4513b48f4">told a news briefing in Geneva. The agency has repeatedly warned of the dangers of people smuggling from Somalia to Yemen which increased significantly in the first four months of this year when 10,500 Somalis and Ethiopians made the perilous boat journey and hundreds were hurled overboard to drown by the gun-toting traffickers. The latest surge began earlier this month when smugglers once again began sailing rickety, overcrowded boats across the gulf with the onset of calmer weather in the region. Records compiled by UNHCR’s office in Yemen indicate 2,143 people from Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan have made it to shore alive since 2 September. Thirty-nine people have reportedly died making the perilous journey, many of them by drowning, and another 53 are reported missing, Mr. Redmond said. UNHCR has dealt with hundreds of survivors over the past weeks and taken more than 1,400 of them to its May’fa reception centre, where they receive assistance, food and medical care. Citing cases, he reported that three boats with 294 people left Shimbirale in Somalia last Saturday and arrived in Yemen two days later. According to passengers, 15 people died during the voyage – 10 of them beaten to death by smugglers using wooden and steel clubs. The bodies were thrown overboard. The other five, including a 10-year-old child and a year-old infant, died when a Yemeni Coast Guard vessel came upon two of the smuggling boats, a gunfight ensued and a boat capsized. The mother of the dead infant gave birth to a baby boy few hours after her arrival in Yemen. Some of the latest arrivals reported that they had waited for days in Shimbirale, Marera and Elai in Somalia for boats that would take them to Yemen. But upon departure, the smugglers confiscated water and food, including dates. Survivors said people on the boats were beaten and thrown overboard by the smugglers just for requesting water. Yemen is one of the few countries in the region that has signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and has been very generous in receiving refugees. There are currently more than 88,000 registered refugees in Yemen, of which 84,000 are Somalis. 2006-09-22 00:00:00.000

 

BURUNDI AND SIERRA LEONE WELCOME WORK OF UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION

 New York, Sep 21 2006 10:00PM Burundi and Sierra Leone, the two countries chosen by the United Nations’ nascent Peacebuilding Commission for its first activities, today outlined to the General Assembly their advances so far and the challenges ahead as they try to emerge from years of civil conflict. Addressing the Assembly’s annual debate, Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza and Sierra Leone’s Vice-President Solomon Berewa emphasized that the Commission’s selection of their countries was acting as a powerful incentive to internal progress. Mr. Nkurunziza said Burundi had already made important gains, most notably the ceasefire deal signed earlier this month by the Government and the last key rebel group, the Palipehutu-Forces Nationale du Libération (FNL). He said the return of numerous weapons by ex-combatants, the growing diversification and freedom of the press and a 20 per cent surge each month in the revenue received by the State were also healthy signs of Burundi’s progress. But the Burundian leader warned that countries with a recent history of violence and anti-democratic practices must be vigilant that they do not slip back into crises. Mr. Nkurunziza called on the Peacebuilding Commission and the rest of the UN system to make gender equality a priority, saying his Government regarded it as crucial to alleviating poverty. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/republic_sierra_leone-e.pdf">Speaking later, Mr. Berewa said Sierra Leone has developed strategy papers to deal with poverty reduction and peace consolidation as it heads towards presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for next year. He said those strategies depend on support from donor agencies and friendly countries and the country was therefore looking forward to the contribution that the Peacebuilding Commission could make. Mr. Berewa also thanked the UN for not leaving Sierra Leone in a vacuum when its peacekeeping mission closed down at the end of last year, but instead providing support through the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL). The Peacebuilding Commission, which is designed to help post-conflict nations avert a relapse into bloodshed, selected Burundi and Sierra Leone at its inaugural meeting, held in June. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

MIDDLE EAST PEACE TALKS MUST RESUME WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS, PALESTINIAN LEADER TELLS UN

 New York, Sep 21 2006 10:00PM The spirit of international cooperation that last month ended the deadly conflict in Lebanon should now be applied to resolve the question of Palestine, “the root of all the conflicts and wars” in the Middle East for many decades, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/palestine-e.pdf">told the United Nations General Assembly. Addressing the Assembly’s annual debate, Mr. Abbas called for the unconditional resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and an end to the suffering of his people, warning of the devastating impact on the region if these issues are not resolved. “Without resolving the question of Palestine, and the continuation of the occupation of Palestinian and Arab lands since 1967, the elements of tension and conflagration will keep the conflict alive, and will keep the door wide open to all forms of violence, terrorism, regional confrontations and global crises,” he said. Mr. Abbas lamented that the Road Map, the peace plan sponsored by the diplomatic Quartet (comprised of the UN, the United States, the European Union and Russia), and other international initiatives “have reached a state of stagnation and even regression.” He blamed Israel for imposing pre-conditions on talks and yet simultaneously maintaining a “frightful siege” of Palestinian territory that includes military checkpoints, the building of Jewish settlements and the demolition of Palestinian homes. President Abbas said he has been trying in recent weeks to form a government of national unity, one that is bound by previous commitments made by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), including the recognition of Israel, the renunciation of violence and the entry into negotiations towards a two-State solution. “I want my homeland Palestine to be a homeland, not a prison, independent and sovereign like all other peoples of this world. I want for Jerusalem to be the meeting point for the dialogue of all prophets – to be the capital of two neighbour States that live in peace and equality.” 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

AUSTRALIA URGES UN MEMBER STATES TO STRIKE AT EXTREMIST IDEOLOGIES THAT DRIVE TERRORISM

New York, Sep 21 2006 10:00PM Calling for United Nations Member States to reach agreement on a comprehensive global convention against terrorism, Australia’s Foreign Minister stressed in his speech to the General Assembly today that the world must take collective aim at the extremist ideologies that fuel the scourge. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/australia-e.pdf">Speaking on the third day of the annual debate, Alexander Downer voiced concern that the global counter-terrorism strategy adopted by the Assembly earlier this month does not include extremist ideologies on its illustrative list of conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism. “It is imperative we see this ideology clearly for what it is – a mindset every bit as brutal and uncompromising as its totalitarian predecessors in centuries past,” he said. “It is an ideology that directly challenges the principles and values of modernity – the flourishing of open markets, open societies, open minds. “To defeat this evil,” he concluded, “we must harness the collective strength of the international community.” Mr. Downer said that while the UN has a role to play in that collective action, the Organization “is not the answer to all the problems of the world. And where the United Nations can’t act, individual States must.” Earlier today, Samoan Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/samoa-e.pdf">said the challenge now for Member States is to turn the commitments they made in the counter-terrorism strategy into concrete preventative measures. Urging world leaders to remain “resolute in our resolve,” he also stressed the importance of respecting the rule of law and maintaining the principles of civilized society during the fight against terrorism. Mr. Malielegaoi also raised the issue of global warming and its impact in the South Pacific, describing enhanced early-warning systems for natural disasters as a priority. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

UN MEMBERS SHOULD SUPPORT COLOMBIA'S SECURITY POLICY, PRESIDENT SAYS

New York, Sep 21 2006 10:00PM The President of Colombia today appealed to United Nations Member States to support the country's security policies and its efforts to eradicate coca. "Violence in Colombia has received much international media coverage, constant criticism of the Government, and little support to overcome it," Álvaro Uribe Vélez told the General Assembly. "It is time for the international community to urgently call on vivolent groups to make peace without any more delays," he said. "For us, organized violence under fictitious political pretexts is terrorism, and security is the path to peace," he said. The Colombian president said more than 40,000 members of armed groups had been demobilized. "Illegal self-defense groups which had until two years ago together with the guerillas seemed like powers greater than the State, are demobilized today in the vast majority, and a large percentage of their leaders are being held by our justice system." Violent groups derive funds from illicit drugs, he said, declaring that this "criminal, bottomless and autonomous financing is the main obstacle to peace." Colombia was exerting all possible efforts to address the scourge and deserved international support, he said. "We are willing to revise our strategy, to improve it, but we need the entire world to get involved with us," he said. "I ask the United Nations for additional efforts to help us to find the path to effectiveness." 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

AT UN DEBATE, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL AFFIRM IMPORTANCE OF DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES

New York, Sep 21 2006 9:00PM A serious, sustained dialogue between cultures and civilizations that leads to concrete actions is the way forward to tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges, especially the conflict in the Middle East, Europe’s Iberian neighbours Spain and Portugal told the General Assembly today. In separate addresses on the third day of the annual debate, Portugal’s Prime Minister José Sócrates and Spain’s Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos each stressed that all sides have a responsibility to replace fear and mistrust with respect for difference. Mr. Moratinos <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/spain-e.pdf">said the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative set up by Secretary-General Kofi Annan last year and co-sponsored by Spain and Turkey, is designed to deal with these very challenges. He added that the row at the start of this year over the publications of Danish cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad and the violence in parts of the Islamic world over the past week following a speech in Germany by Pope Benedict XVI demonstrate the need for the Alliance. Mr. Sócrates <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/portugal-e.pdf">said the ongoing instability and discord in the Middle East highlighted the need for solutions that favour the political and the diplomatic over the military. But he also said that a dialogue between civilizations, whether over issues in the Middle East or elsewhere, will not succeed unless there is a willingness to not accept “mere declarations, but to take firm and concrete steps towards greater interaction between peoples and cultures.” 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

SECURITY COUNCIL AND OTHERS MUST RISE TO THEIR ‘RESPONSIBILITIES’ IN THE MIDDLE EAST: ANNAN

 New York, Sep 21 2006 8:00PM Lamenting the Security Council’s failure to bring lasting peace to the Middle East, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the 15-member body to work closely with all its partners in the region so they can all rise to their “responsibilities,” warning of a possible irreversible strategic setback if the situation for Palestinians does not improve. “Like no other conflict, the Arab-Israeli conflict carries a powerful symbolic and emotional charge for people throughout the world… And our continued failure to resolve this conflict calls into question the legitimacy and the effectiveness of this Council itself.” “The parties must now rise to their responsibilities. So must the Quartet and our partners in the region. And so must this Council. With all the tools at our disposal, let us work together to put in place a credible political process, based on dialogue, parallel implementation of obligations, monitoring of performance, and clarity.” Mr. Annan made his comments in an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10654.doc.htm">address to a ministerial-level <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8836.doc.htm">meeting of the Council that was requested by the League of Arab States, and which followed yesterday’s gathering of the so-called diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East, comprising the United Nations, United States, European Union (EU) and Russia. The Quartet welcomed recent efforts to form a Palestinian national unity government in the hope that it would commit to non-violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist, thus allowing for renewed engagement, and in his speech Mr. Annan also praised the group for recognizing that “greater engagement is crucial… with the parties and in the region.” “Today, we deal with a difficult situation in Gaza, in which the Authority is starved of resources… The Palestinian society is rapidly becoming poorer. If this were to continue, and the Palestinian Authority were to collapse, the consequent fragmentation and radicalization of Palestinian society would be a terrible, perhaps irreversible, strategic setback,” he warned. Mr. Annan highlighted that Palestinians living in Gaza and in the West Bank “under occupation have neither a State nor a functioning government,” but he also acknowledged the right of Israelis to demand an end to rocket attacks against the south, the return of a soldier captured in June and a Palestinian Authority “that accepts basic principles of peace.” He said that the recent fighting between Hizbollah and Israel had reminded the world how “dangerous it is to leave the broader Arab-Israeli conflict unresolved,” but added the role of the Security Council in bringing about a cessation of hostilities shows it can be “vital” to achieving peace in the region. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

SANCTIONS AGAINST COUNTRIES VIOLATING NUCLEAR RULES MAY BACKFIRE, RUSSIA WARNS UN

New York, Sep 21 2006 8:00PM Calling for the “systematic strengthening” of nuclear non-proliferation measures, the Russian Federation also warned the United Nations General Assembly today that applying sanctions to violator countries “without calculating their consequences might bring unpredictable results.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/russian_federation-e.pdf">told the Assembly’s annual debate that it is “absolutely necessary to eliminate the loopholes in the non-proliferation regime, but this should be done through clear and non-discriminatory approaches without creating grounds for suspicions regarding [the] existence of some hidden agenda.” Mr. Lavrov said Moscow was confident that practical solutions could be found to resolve non-proliferation issues in a “non-confrontational manner,” recognizing that countries are entitled to legitimate access to the benefits of peaceful atomic energy. He cited President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to set up Multilateral Centres for Nuclear Fuel Cycle Services, similar ideas from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and like-minded proposals from United States President George W. Bush as examples of how to chart a way forward in disputes. Mr. Lavrov also welcomed the “current purposeful steps in search of negotiated solutions” to the current international stand-off over Iran’s nuclear programme and the row over the announced withdrawal by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) from the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In his address the Russian Foreign Minister took up the broader issue of collective international action, saying the biggest challenges facing the world today highlight the need for countries to work together, through the UN and other bodies, to achieve solutions. “An answer to global challenges and threats can only be found collectively,” he said. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN MEETING LEADS TO STEPPED-UP DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO END INSTABILITY IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE

 New York, Sep 21 2006 8:00PM The Security Council is likely to meet next month to discuss the instability plaguing Côte d’Ivoire and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has agreed to hold a series of meetings on the issue before then amid mounting regional and international concern over the situation there. ECOWAS decided it will hold meetings with other regional actors over the next few weeks following a high-level gathering on Côte d’Ivoire yesterday at United Nations Headquarters in New York. UN spokesman Yves Sorokobi told reporters that those meetings will be staged with a view to holding a Council meeting before the end of October, when elections are scheduled to be held in the divided country. Mr. Sorokobi said that although Secretary-General Kofi Annan was disappointed Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo did not attend, yesterday’s mini-summit was “far from a failure.” Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny was one of several senior Ivorian political leaders who attended the meeting, along with represents of ECOWAS, the African Union (AU) and neighbouring States. UN participants included Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Pierre Schori. The UN Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) has been in place since April 2004, replacing an earlier UN political mission. The country has been divided between the Government-controlled south and the rebel-held north since 2002. Asked by journalists about reports that Mr. Gbagbo wants UN forces to leave Côte d’Ivoire, Mr. Sorokobi said the UN had received no formal notification of such a request. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

EUROPE MUST OFFER MORAL, FINANCIAL RECOMPENSE FOR SLAVE TRADE, CARIBBEAN LEADER TELLS

 UN New York, Sep 21 2006 8:00PM Two centuries after the end of the British trade in African slaves to the Caribbean and the Americas, Europe has failed to apologize or offer any reparations “for this crime against humanity and genocide,” the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines told the General Assembly today as he urged the United Nations to help provide justice. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/st_vincents_grenadines-e.pdf">Speaking during the Assembly’s annual debate, Ralph Gonsalves said next March represents the 200th anniversary of the passage of laws abolishing the British slave trade, which was “a monstrous crime against humanity and an exercise in genocide unmatched in the history of the Western world.” Dr. Gonsalves said European and North American nations have “failed and/or refused to acknowledge” these crimes sufficiently or at all, offering no formal apology or practical recompense. He also raised “the wholly wrong and inhumane exploitation by colonialism and imperialism of indentured labour” from across Africa, India, China and Madeira after the abolition of African slavery in the Caribbean, as well as the genocide of indigenous peoples, including the Callinago and Garifuna of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. “Europe has much to answer for on these matters and should be made to answer properly, appropriately. Historic wrongs not righted remain scars on the soul of the oppressor and the oppressed alike, which continue to haunt over the ages; it is a hateful burden which must be lifted.” The issue of slavery should be placed on the agenda of the UN for “speedy resolution,” he said. During his address Dr. Gonsalves also criticized some UN Member States for spending too much time over the past year absorbed with the debate about mandate review and management reform, instead of devoting more effort to implementing the ‘Development Resolution’ and the world’s poor. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

LEBANON’S PRESIDENT CALLS FOR EFFORTS TO REINVIGORATE MIDDLE EAST PEACE INITIATIVES

 New York, Sep 21 2006 6:00PM Addressing the General Assembly in New York today, the President of Lebanon decried the devastation wrought by Israel on his country but said there is now a new opportunity for peace that must be exploited. Emile Lahoud <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/lebanese_republic-e.pdf">voiced regret that during Israel’s aggression against his country, the Security Council “looked powerless in its attempts to stop the slaughter of Lebanon’s children and protect the peace in Lebanon and the Middle East.” He noted that it took over a month to produce a cessation of hostilities that is yet to become a formal ceasefire. This raised serious questions about the UN’s ability to safeguard peace “when its resolutions are subjected to the vagaries of a very few world powers.” He said it was time to ask Israel, which owed its existence to a UN resolution, to fully abide by Council resolutions. While Lebanon had deployed soldiers on its southern border, Israel had been daily breaching resolution 1701 (2006), imposing a humiliating siege on Lebanon and refusing to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms. It also refused to give to the UN maps of the landmines it had laid on Lebanese soil. President Lahoud called on those present to “differentiate between he who defends his country against Israeli aggression and occupation and strives to liberate his countrymen from decades of unlawful imprisonment and those elements who perpetrate acts of wanton slaughter against their countrymen and others equally.” “Despite the horrid events in Lebanon, a window of opportunity has presented itself and should be fully exploited in order to reinvigorate the Middle East Peace Initiative that was founded on the Arab Peace Initiative adopted during the Beirut Arab Summit of 2002,” he said. The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative remained the best way forward, as it called for implementation of all UN resolutions pertaining to an Israeli withdrawal from occupied Arab lands and a return of Palestinian refugees, he said. Only this could provide Lebanon and its neighbours the stability they longed for, and give Israel a sense of security. “Should our conception of peace in the Middle East become reality, I can assure you that the need for conferences, studies and discussions of terrorism would become moot,” he said. “Should this happen in tandem with serious attempts to combat poverty and sustain acceptable levels of development in needed areas, this will certainly parch the pools where terrorism draws its human and financial support.” 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

VIOLENCE IN AFGHANISTAN IS AT ITS MOST SEVERE SINCE THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN IN 2001: ANNAN

 New York, Sep 21 2006 6:00PM The upsurge in violence in Afghanistan over the past few months represents a “watershed” and is the most severe threat to the country’s transition to peace since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan warns today, urging greater military and diplomatic efforts to counter the insurgency. Mr. Annan’s grim assessment comes in his latest situation report to the Security Council, which also covers the work of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) over the past six months since 7 March. “While previous reporting periods have been marked by progressive and significant deteriorations in the security situation, the recent upsurge of violence represents a watershed. At no time since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001 has the threat to Afghanistan’s transition been so severe.” “A third of the country is racked by violent insurgency. The situation in the south, south-east and east is unlikely to improve in the near future and the prospect of further deterioration cannot be excluded.” In light of the situation, Mr. Annan welcomes the expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to the south of the country, adding that elements of a strategy to tackle the insurgency are emerging from discussions led by the Government and members of the international community. He said that most of the fighting involves Afghans operating inside the country’s borders. However, the leaders of the insurgency rely “heavily on cross-border fighters, many of whom are Afghans drawn from nearby refugee camps and radical seminaries in Pakistan.” Mr. Annan identifies “five distinct leadership centres” of the insurgency, including the Taliban northern and southern commands, and he says these should be dealt with through “robust military and law enforcement measures,” while dialogue must be increased among all sides to try and separate the “bulk of combatants from the leaders of the insurgency.” The narcotics industry – which fuels the insurgency – and corruption must also be dealt with as “matters of priority” by the Government, Mr. Annan points out, while also expressing concern for the human rights situation. “The Taliban and other anti-Government forces continue to demonstrate an inexcusable disregard for the value of human life… Afghan security forces and their international partners must also be wary of invoking the security situation as a justification to suppress human rights.” Concluding his 18-page report, Mr. Annan urges the international community – as well as local communities – to work hand-in-hand with the Government towards the long-term security and development vision outlined in the multi-billion dollar five-year Afghanistan Compact that was adopted in January. “Afghan and international members of the [Compact’s] Board will need to work more closely in a spirit of partnership and effectiveness to ensure that the ambitious agenda is achieved to the greatest benefit of the Afghan people.” 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

TORTURE WIDESPREAD IN MANY REGIONS OF WORLD, UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL TOLD

 New York, Sep 21 2006 5:00PM Most States have not taken the necessary legislative measures to ensure that law enforcement officials get the message that torture constitutes a serious crime which can never be justified, an independent expert has <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/25A8D3BA1A0ADA6CC12571F00024568B?opendocument">told the United Nations Human Rights Council. This failure contributes to a climate of impunity and a lack of awareness, which in turn constitutes one of the major reasons that torture persists in many countries and regions of the world, said the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak. He cited the findings of his recent trip to Jordan by way of illustration, but said that country was by no means the exception. The practice of torture in Uzbekistan was systematic, Mr. Nowak told the session, which is meeting in Geneva. Torture persisted in Georgia, perpetuated by a culture of impunity. In Mongolia, torture persisted in police stations and pre-trial detention facilities and impunity went unimpeded. In Nepal, torture is systematically practiced by the police forces and the military, he said, adding that in China, the practice of torture, though on the decline – particularly in urban areas – remains widespread. Jordanian representative Mousa Burayzat said that regarding the definitions of torture in the Jordanian Criminal Court and the notion of impunity he was startled to hear his country used as an example of impunity with regards to torture. Jordan has severe penalties for those who encouraged torture, although the Government agrees that there is room for improvement, he added. Georgia’s representative Levan Mikcladze underlined the importance of improving pre-trial prison conditions. As regards prevention of torture and inhumane and degrading treatment, the Government would like to reiterate its commitment to establish a truly independent mechanism to investigate any such cases, he said. Nepalese representative Gyan Chandra Acharya said it was not accurate that law enforcement agencies were conducting torture in a systematic fashion, and the Government had also taken steps to address impunity. China’s representative Sha Zukang said the Chinese Government attached great protection to the realization of human rights did all it could do to assist Mr. Nowak during his recent visit, but added that sections of his report were based on partial information or were not accurate such as the assertion that torture was still a common practice. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

UN EXPERTS REITERATE THAT TORTURE TOOK PLACE AT US DETENTION CENTRE AT GUANTÁNAMO

 New York, Sep 21 2006 5:00PM Five independent United Nations human rights experts today rejected United States denials that people were tortured at the Guantánamo detention centre, saying that until the Government revised its policies recently, acts of torture were being carried out there. The five, who serve in an unpaid, personal capacity, were speaking at a news conference in Geneva after presenting the new, enhanced UN Human Rights Council with a previously published joint report in which they called for the closure of the centre at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The interrogation methods of prisoners authorized by US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld constituted torture and the US administration was wrong to say there were no cases of torture committed at Guantánamo, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, told reporters. Asked about US allegations over the report’s credibility since it was based on second-hand information, Mr. Nowak said this was not the case and the information gathered was based on first-hand information. Though they did not visit the centre, the rapporteurs interviewed former detainees, lawyers acting on behalf of detainees and US Government officials as well as consulting public records. The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt, said the prisoners’ mental health was worsening given the duration of their detention and lack of due process. Evidence collected indicated that there were over 350 acts of self-harm committed in 2003 alone. The US authorities disputed this by suggesting mental duress was common in all correctional facilities but Mr. Hunt said that according to testimony from health experts Guantanamo had witnessed far more cases of mental duress of prisoners. The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir, said there was evidence of “religious humiliation” and that the international community had a long-term responsibility to remedy the harm caused by this. Concerning follow up action, Mr. Nowak said most governments had agreed with the report and it was now hoped that those States would persuade Washington to abide by its recommendations and close down Guantánamo, and for the rapporteurs to be able to visit other such facilities. US President George W. Bush’s admission that there had been secret prisons came as no surprise, Mr. Nowak said. There had been 100 per cent proof that they existed. The transfer of 14 people from these secret prisons to Guantánamo was a positive sign in that they could now be visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Asked whether they had information on other secret prisons, Mr. Nowak said there was no conclusive evidence although there were lists of persons who had definitely been ‘disappeared,’ but whose whereabouts were unknown. They were either dead or in one of these secret prisons, he added. The rapporteurs stressed that their primary concern was to have Guantánamo detention facility closed down, to meet with the 14 individuals recently transferred there from secret prisons, and to be able to investigate those secret prisons. The other two members of the team were: Chairman Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Leila Zerrougui, and Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

ANNAN CALLS ON RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO TURN BACK GROWING TIDE OF INTER-FAITH INTOLERANCE

 New York, Sep 21 2006 2:00PM Warning that growing tensions between major world religions could threaten stability, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today issued a ringing appeal for dialogue, cooperation and the abandonment of prejudice. “Our global community is experiencing a period of sharply increasing intolerance, extremism and violence,” he said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10652.doc.htm">message to a high-level Conference on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace in New York, delivered by Carolyn McAskie, Assistant Secretary-General in the Peacebuilding Support Office. “Recent developments in the Middle East have only fuelled this trend. Relations between adherents of major world religions have been particularly affected. If unaddressed, these may even threaten stability in many places.” He called on participants to “help us unlearn our collective prejudices,” promoting contacts and dialogue among different societies. “You can educate us to go beyond stereotypes of the other, to avoid simplistic categorizations that exacerbate misunderstandings, and to embrace the notion that diversity – in thought, in belief, and in action – is a precious gift, not a threat,” he said, stressing that the UN has always seen such dialogue as an important building block for peace. Current disturbing developments are being driven by the growing tendency to articulate differences in terms of identity – be it religious, ethnic, racial, or otherwise – rather than in terms of opinions or interests, he said, stressing the participants’ role in reversing this trend. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN APPOINTS CELLIST YO-YO MA AS UN PEACE MESSENGER FOR HIS MUSIC OF HARMONY

New York, Sep 21 2006 2:00PM As part of worldwide celebrations today marking International Day of Peace, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/note6034.doc.htm">appointed renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma as a UN Messenger of Peace, commending him for his dedication to bridging cultural differences between nations and for spreading a message of harmony through his music. The Secretary-General marked the day by ringing the Peace Bell at UN Headquarters in New York and making a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10651.doc.htm">speech on the occasion, at which Mr. Ma played a piece for solo cello by Turkish composer Ahmed Adnan Saygun. “Over the course of your extraordinary musical career, you have demonstrated time and again your dedication to overcoming cultural differences and bridging gaps between nations and generations,” Mr. Annan said when he proposed the appointment of the multi-award winning classical musician. “Through your music, the message of peace can spread far and wide and influence people around the world to focus on harmony and human dignity.” Mr. Ma joins nine other Messengers of Peace, some of whom were also at today’s ceremony in New York. All were chosen for their widely recognized talents in the field of arts, literature, music and sports who have agreed to help focus worldwide attention on the work of the UN. “I am honoured to join the artists, educators and humanitarians who strive in their work to celebrate and communicate the universal values at the heart of the United Nations,” the cellist said in accepting the title. Mr. Ma is an exclusive Sony Classical artist, and his discography of over 75 albums includes more than 15 Grammy Award winners and reflects his wide-ranging interests. He has made several successful recordings that defy categorization, among them two Grammy-winning tributes to the music of Brazil, and he also established the Silk Road Project to promote the study of the cultural, artistic and intellectual traditions along the ancient trade route that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

FROM ITS HEADQUARTERS TO FAR-FLUNG TRENCHES OF WAR, UN MARKS INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY

 New York, Sep 21 2006 10:00AM In New York Secretary-General Kofi Annan rang the Peace Bell, on the conflict-seared fields of Somalia appeals rang out to end the violence, and in Afghanistan children flew the once forbidden kites of hope as the United Nations system today marked the annual International Day of Peace from its stately Headquarters building to the furthest flung trenches of warfare. In southern Lebanon, latest focus of UN efforts to restore peace after the 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah which ended last month, blue-helmeted peacekeepers marched past at their Naqoura base camp overlooking the Israeli border to honour the Day that was established by the UN General Assembly 25 years ago. And in Iraq the top UN official appealed for national unity to promote peace at a time when the war-torn country is confronting the most difficult period of its history. “For some of us, peace is a day-to-day reality,” Mr. Annan declared as he stood in front of the bell, a gift from Japan cast from the pennies donated by children from 60 nations, before driving the ringing beam into it three times – the last time he will do so as he steps down from his office at the end of the year. “Our streets are safe; our children go to school. Where the fabric of society is strong, the precious gifts of peace can almost go unremarked. But for far too many people in the world today, those gifts are only an elusive dream. They live in chains: a climate of insecurity and fear. It is mainly for them that this day exists.” He noted that the last few weeks had seen “tragic new escalations of conflict in several parts of the world” and stressed the many ways the UN works for peace from preventive diplomacy to peacekeeping missions and efforts to support democracy and promote human rights. Participants at the ceremony and UN staff throughput the world observed a minute of silence in the name of peace, and a choir sang an anthem of peace. The flags of the world’s nations were paraded in the balmy autumn air on the front lawn in front of the Headquarters building. Five UN Messengers of Peace stood at Mr. Annan’s side - author and journalist Anna Cataldi, Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas, wildlife researcher and conservationist Jane Goodall, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, and tennis champion and actor Vijay Armitraj. And Mr. Annan formally appointed a new messenger, world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who performed for the gathering. 2006-09-21 00:00:00.000

 

 

SECURITY COUNCIL'S LEBANON RESOLUTION MUST BE CARRIED OUT, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

 New York, Sep 21 2006 12:00AM The Foreign Minister of Israel today called for full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, the landmark text that ended the recent war in Lebanon and mandated an expansion of the United Nations Force there. Addressing the General Assembly's annual debate, Tzipi Livni said the conflict had produced an opportunity. "The world faces a critical test -- to ensure the full implementation of resolution 1701, and the immediate and safe release of the Israeli hostages," she said. Israelis, moderate Palestinians and the international community all share a vision of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, she said. "A two-State solution requires the creation of a new reality, which never existed in the past. For it to succeed, both sides will need to commit to compromise and to believe in co-existence." Unfortunately, she said, the Palestinian Authority is dominated today by a terrorist organization. "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consequence and not the cause of this ideology of intolerance and hatred," she declared. But she also voiced hope for the future, and said that in this spirit she had met with President Abbas two days ago. "We agreed to re-energize the dialogue between us, and create a permanent channel to pursue ways to advance together." Noting that Jews are preparing to welcome their new year while Muslims around the world prepare for the holy month of Ramadan, she said: "As two great faiths begin their annual journey of reflection and decision, let the nations of the world begin it too." 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

AFRICAN LEADERS VOICE FRUSTRATION AT TRADE INEQUALITIES AND ‘AID CURSE’ DURING UN DEBATE

 New York, Sep 20 2006 11:00PM The inequities of global trade and the damage as well as benefits that foreign aid can bring were the focus of four speeches from African leaders during the annual debate at the United Nations General Assembly today. Fradique Bandeira Melo de Menezes, President of São Tome and Principe, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/democratic%20republic%20of%20sao%20tome%20and%20principe-e.pdf">told world leaders who gathered for the debate that “it is time we faced some of the unspoken truths about poverty” and why so many countries remain in what has been dubbed ‘the poverty trap.’ Mr. de Menezes said that although historic problems and a lack of resources can be critical, the biggest factor is bad government. “When States do not protect property and people; when national revenues benefit self-interested political insiders who oppose any actions that would lead to more equal distribution of income and resources; when government officials waste funds; when people are hired on the basis of being from the right family or region or political grouping; when nobody monitors government spending; when corruption is noted but never punished; and illegal activities are not restrained by law, the press or democratic opposition, then miserable results follow.” He said recent studies have also shown that poor nations can suffer from an “aid curse” if the aid projects are poorly managed and lack transparency and accountability. But Mr. de Menezes stressed that there have been “some beautiful successes” in aid programmes, such as in the fight against diseases such as small pox and river blindness. “Aid gives hope to millions of people around the world. We simply need to mend it, not end it.” Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/namibia-e.pdf">welcomed the commitments made last year at the G8 summit in Scotland to consider boosting development aid to Africa, cancelling the debts of the poorest countries and to promoting universal access to anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients by 2010. Mr. Pohamba called for greater cooperation between the UN, the African Union (AU) and other regional and sub-regional bodies to encourage economic and social development. He also backed an enhanced role for the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in this process. But he voiced concern at “the slow pace” at which the world is tackling the issue of development and the way many countries are not adhering to their commitments under the Millennium Declaration of 2000. The same theme was <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/zimbabwe-e.pdf">explored by Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who said that despite numerous international agreements on what needs to be done to help the world’s poor, there remains a “wide gap between rhetoric and concrete action on the ground.” Mr. Mugabe expressed particular frustration at the use of economic sanctions by some countries, which he said retarded development efforts and represented an unwarranted interference in domestic affairs. He also criticized “the tendency to use assistance in the fight against HIV/AIDS as reward for political compliance and malleability… In my country, for example, on average, a Zimbabwean AIDS patient is receiving about $4 per annum in international assistance, compared with about $172 per annum for other countries in the region.” Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/equitorial_guinea-e.pdf">said the wealthier countries were using unfair means to maintain their continued “economic dominance and political influence.” Mr. Obiang said it was time to overhaul the UN “to put a stop to this crooked path of our international relations.” He added that while the actions of terrorists are deplorable, the world should not be surprised because the activity “remains as the recourse of those oppressed, a reaction of those who oppose the present injustices denounced through the last quarter of a century.” 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

BALKAN LEADERS EMPHASIZE VALUE OF SHARED REGIONAL VISION DURING DEBATE AT UN

New York, Sep 20 2006 10:00PM The democratic and economic development of South-Eastern Europe depends on the region’s nations sharing a common vision of the importance of stability, tolerance and cooperation, the leaders of four Balkan countries stressed in speeches today to the United Nations General Assembly. Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro also spoke of their efforts to either become future members of the European Union (EU) and other regional organizations or to achieve the standards set by those groups on such issues as democracy and human rights. Addressing the Assembly’s annual debate, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/croatia-e.pdf">said his country has worked hard since its birth little more than a decade ago to boost ties with its neighbours on political and economic issues. He described Croatia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council in 2008-09 as a sign of its regional responsibility, while a victory in the contest would be “a telling demonstration of the success of the peace process in South-East Europe.” Adnan Terzic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/bosnia_and_herzegovina-e.pdf">said his country was not deterred by talk of “enlargement fatigue” within the EU and was busy working towards embracing the organization’s standards and norms. But he said the Dayton peace accord that ended the war in 1995 and set up the nation’s current structure also had its disadvantages, such as its failure “to provide for every citizen to enjoy equal rights anywhere in the country, or for the State to be able to exercise its powers of a State – of a modern, multi-ethnic State.” Alfred Moisiu, President of Albania, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/albania-e.pdf">said membership of the EU and bodies such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) represent “a natural part of the move for development, rather than objective for objective’s sake.” He said the future status of Kosovo remained the biggest unresolved issue in the region, and called for the province to become a “sovereign, independent, democratic and multi-ethnic State.” Milo Djukanovic, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, the UN’s newest Member State, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/montenegro-e.pdf">said “regional cooperation is inseparable from European and global integration, which are essentially about issues of peace, stability, security and prosperity.” Mr. Djukanovic argued that the key issues of today, from terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to environmental threats and poverty, transcended borders and highlighted the need for a common approach between countries. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

MALAYSIAN LEADER ISSUES CALL AT UN FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF MUSLIM ‘HUMILIATION’

 New York, Sep 20 2006 9:00PM The divide between the Muslim and Judeo-Christian worlds will widen until the international community appreciates the sense of humiliation Muslims feel at many actions around the world, especially in the Middle East, Malaysia’s Prime Minister told the United Nations today. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/malaysia-e.pdf">addressing the second day of the General Assembly’s annual debate, said this humiliation “is the root cause for the loss of trust and confidence between the Muslim world on one side and the Judeo-Christian civilization on the other side.” He said it was particularly dispiriting that the greatest discord in the world exists between the followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, “who had in fact shared a common beginning, which was the religion of Abraham.” Mr. Badawi called on all sides to strive harder to take part in sincere dialogue, instead of pre-judging the position of certain countries as “evil” or engaging in name-calling. He then focused on the Middle East, where he said recent events across the region – from Palestine and Lebanon to Iraq and Afghanistan – have “helped make what may once have been extremist opinions part of the Muslim mainstream. The Muslim world certainly sees all these as a complicity to humiliate Muslim countries and Muslim societies.” Citing the ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territories and the armed conflict with Hizbollah in Iran, he said “the actions of Israel in the Middle East are being supported, either openly or tacitly, supposedly in defence of the Judeo-Christian tradition against the spread of radical militant Islam, thus legitimizing all of its actions, no matter how brutal.” Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the President of Maldives, also <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/maldives-e.pdf">voiced dismay at “a resurgence of the vilification of Islam and Muslims,” stressing that the religion preaches moderation and not extremism. During his speech, Mr. Gayoom also took up the subject of economic development, noting that recent progress means the Indian Ocean island chain is poised to leave behind its status as a ‘least developed country.’ The Maldivian leader said these economic advances have occurred at the same time as “a major political transformation” across the archipelago, especially in the areas of human rights, media freedom and judicial reform. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa devoted much of his <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/sri_lanka-e.pdf">address to the continuing conflict between Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which he said “has been terrorizing our people for over two decades.” Mr. Rajapaksa said his Government was willing to talk to the LTTE, either directly or through an intermediary, to try to find a solution to the conflict through dialogue instead of military action. Acknowledging that some of the concerns of minorities in Sri Lanka have “deep roots,” the President said a consultative process has begun to develop constitutional proposals to meet those concerns. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

CONCERNED THAT THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY IS STILL NOT IN FORCE, ANNAN CALLS FOR URGENCY

 New York, Sep 20 2006 8:00PM Expressing disquiet that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty still requires 10 more signatures to come into force, despite it being open for signing for exactly a decade today, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan called on Member States to show greater urgency as he highlighted the consequences of further delays. “Although there is an international norm against nuclear testing and continuing moratoria on testing, I am concerned that the treaty has yet to enter into force. Indeed, no one can guarantee that nuclear testing might one day resume, particularly when the modernization of weapons continues,” he said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10648.doc.htm">message to a ministerial meeting on the Treaty. “Resumption of nuclear testing by one State could well lead to a single cascade of States seeking to acquire nuclear weapons... also a variety of cascades, with other States conducting their own nuclear tests, additional States acquiring nuclear devices, and existing nuclear-weapon States racing to expand or improve their nuclear capabilities. Avoidance of such a series of events is a mission we must pursue with the utmost urgency.” Mr. Annan’s message, which was delivered by Nobuaki Tanaka, Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, highlighted that the Treaty has now been signed by 176 States, while 135 States have ratified it. “Of the 44 States identified in the Treaty's Annex II, whose ratifications are required for the Treaty to enter into force, 34 have done so. I urge all such States that have not yet ratified the treaty to do so, and I call upon all other States to work on behalf of this goal.” He said that each additional signature will “bring the world closer to achieving its long-standing goal of outlawing all nuclear tests, thereby advancing both nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament,” adding that verification provisions under the Treaty would contribute to ensuring full compliance with the test ban. At today’s 10th anniversary of the Treaty’s opening for signature, the ministers also launched a joint statement supporting the agreement, a move that Mr. Annan welcomed. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

AFRICA’S GREAT LAKES REGION NEEDS FURTHER OUTSIDE SUPPORT TO SUCCEED, LEADERS TELL UN

 New York, Sep 20 2006 8:00PM The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will require continued assistance from the international community in tackling problems ranging from insecurity to poverty and disease as it emerges from years of war and misrule, the country’s leader told the United Nations today. In his address to the annual debate of the General Assembly, Joseph Kabila Kabange hailed the parliamentary and presidential elections on 30 July – the first free and fair polls in the vast African country in more than 40 years – as an example of what the Congolese people can achieve with the help of international partners. But he warned that the challenges facing the DRC remain so complex that its institutions, many of them fledgling, will struggle to succeed without outside support. “The realization of this vision is not possible without the mobilization of everyone’s energies,” he said, listing health, education, food, infrastructure and basic utilities as some of the priorities of the incoming government. Mr. Kabila also stressed the importance of good governance and fighting corruption, as well as the need to combat diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. The incoming DRC government will follow the final results of the presidential election, which has moved into a run-off between Mr. Kabila and Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba on 29 October, when provincial assembly elections will also be staged. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/tanzania-e.pdf">told the Assembly that his country has suffered for too long from conflict and instability across the Great Lakes region. He noted that Tanzania has had to host hundreds of thousands of refugees, endure the destruction of some of its infrastructure and environment, and invest enormous amounts of time and resources deployed in facilitating conflict resolution. But he said that “significant progress has been achieved in the political and security situation,” thanking the UN for its help, and citing the DRC elections and the ceasefire agreement between the Government and rebel groups in neighbouring Burundi as two positive examples. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

ANNAN CALLS FOR UN LIBERIA MISSION TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL SEPTEMBER

2007 New York, Sep 20 2006 6:00PM Liberia has made “tangible progress” in areas such as Government reform and the fight against corruption but still faces major challenges in its reconstruction efforts after years of conflict, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today as he called on the Security Council to extend the UN mission there for another year until 30 September 2007. Mr. Annan recommended the extension in his latest situation <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2006/743">report to the 15-member Council that comes before the current mandate of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) expires at the end of this month, and he highlights in particular the continued UN role in providing security and training of the armed forces. “Liberia has continued to make tangible progress in a number of areas. The three branches of Government are functioning; the reform… of the security sector is gradually progressing; the resettlement of internally displaced persons has been completed; an increasing number of Liberian refugees have returned home,” he said, while also noting progress to fight corruption and the start of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. “Nevertheless, Liberia still faces enormous challenges in several areas. The country is heavily dependent on UNMIL for the provision of security, given that the new police service is still in its formative stages and the training of the new armed forces is only just beginning.” Mr. Annan also warns that the Government and UNMIL need “to remain vigilant to carefully manage the internal threats to stability,” especially from people who may be adversely affected by the Government’s reform processes, and he also highlights the large number of unemployed youth concentrated in urban areas as a “serious” concern. However despite such problems, he describes the security situation as having “remained generally stable” since June and says his previous recommendation to withdraw one UNMIL infantry battalion remains valid, adding that this will take place in November while also leaving open the possibility of further reductions “if the security situation permits.” The Secretary-General also said that Liberia’s efforts to cultivate good relations with its neighbours were progressing well, and he highlighted the important regional message sent by the transfer on 20 June of former Liberian President Charles Taylor from Sierra Leone to The Hague to face charges of war crimes. “The transfer [of former President Taylor]… to stand trial before the Special Court for Sierra Leone sitting in The Hague was an important development. Not only did it signal that the world will not accept impunity, it also demonstrated the recognition by the Government of Liberia, regional leaders and the Security Council that Mr. Taylor’s continued presence in Freetown was a threat to peace and stability in the subregion.” UNMIL was established in 2003 to support the implementation of a ceasefire and a peace process in Liberia and as of the start of this month had over 14,800 military and police personnel in the country. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

LOOKING BACK ON HISTORY OF ABUSE, CHILE’S PRESIDENT URGES UN TO CHAMPION HUMAN RIGHTS

 New York, Sep 20 2006 6:00PM Recalling the human rights abuses suffered by her country decades ago, the President of Chile today <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/chile-e.pdf">urged national leaders gathered at the United Nations for its annual general debate to end impunity for violations. “Exactly 30 years ago, the General Assembly received terrible news: Orlando Letelier, the former Foreign Minister and Defence Minister of President Allende, had been brutally murdered on the street in Washington, DC,” Michelle Bachelet said. “The delegates were moved by that crime and today I remember it with emotion to illustrate how we have learned the lessons from the past.” Stressing that nothing justifies the violation of human rights, she declared her country’s firm rejection of impunity. “I assure you all of our commitment and enthusiasm to participate in the initiatives designed to promote human rights and democracy,” she said, welcoming numerous advances in the field, particularly the adoption of the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance. Guatemalan President Oscar Berger Perdomo also looked back on his country’s history, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/guatemala-e.pdf">saying that compared to 1996, when peace accords ended the war there, the human rights situation had improved greatly. “At the same time, we recognized that much remain to be done,” he said, noting that the UN has an office in the country and has been invited to support a Commission to Investigate Illicit and Clandestine Groups. Voicing support for indigenous rights, he said the General Assembly should soon adopt the new Declaration on this issue. Esteban Lazo Hernández, the Vice-President of Cuba, <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/cuba-e.pdf">spoke about the results of the recent Non-Aligned Movement summit, held in Havana, which produced consensus on a number of pressing issues. Among these, “the Summit clearly and firmly pronounced itself against terrorism, double standards in international relations, coercive unilateral measures against any nation, ‘regime change’ policies and the failure of developed countries to fulfil their commitments in economic and social areas.” He also criticized current United States policies towards Cuba. “The Bush administration has stepped up its brutally hostile measures against Cuba with new economic sanctions which further intensify the longest blockade human history has known,” he said. “The very Government of the United States recognizes that it is spending more, today, in persecuting and punishing those who have business dealings with Cuba than in monitoring the finances of those who attacked the Twin Towers.” 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

OPIUM POPPY TRADE MUST BE STOPPED TO DEFEAT TERRORISTS, AFGHAN LEADER TELLS UN DEBATE

 New York, Sep 20 2006 2:00PM The upsurge in terrorism across Afghanistan over the past year will not end until the booming opium poppy industry is defeated and farmers can find alternative livelihoods, the country’s President told the United Nations General Assembly today. <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/afghantistan-e.pdf">Speaking at the Assembly’s annual debate at UN Headquarters in New York, Hamid Karzai called on the international community to maintain its support for his Government’s counter-narcotics efforts. “The menace of narcotics feeds terrorism and threatens the foundation of legitimate economic development in Afghanistan,” he said. Mr. Karzai said the illegal drug trade is being fuelled by several factors, including the absence of meaningful alternate livelihoods for farmers, the lack of security in some parts of the country, and clandestine credit flows to poppy farmers. He pointed out that terrorism has rebounded over the past 12 months, with many doctors and teachers killed and numerous schools and clinics burned down or otherwise destroyed. Some 200,000 students who attended school two years ago can no longer do so because of the terrorist activity. Vowing to step up his efforts to defeat the terrorists operating inside Afghanistan, Mr. Karzai warned that this cannot be accomplished solely by military means. “We must look beyond Afghanistan to the sources of terrorism. We must destroy terrorist sanctuaries beyond Afghanistan, dismantle the elaborate networks in the region that recruit, indoctrinate, train, finance, arm and deploy terrorists.” The Afghan President welcomed the General Assembly’s adoption of a global counter-terrorism strategy earlier this month and called for a comprehensive world treaty on terrorism to be signed as soon as possible. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

 

DR CONGO: UN ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN DATES FOR 2ND ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

 New York, Sep 20 2006 2:00PM Campaigning for the run-off presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between President Joseph Kabila and Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba will take place from 13 to 27 October in the second phase of the largest and most complex vote the United Nations has ever helped organize. Campaigning for the provincial elections will run from 28 September to 27 October, the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) announced. The elections, the first round of which was held in July, are the vast country’s first free elections in 45 years and are intended to cement its transition from a disastrous civil war. The six-year conflict cost 4 million lives through fighting and attendant hunger and disease, widely considered the most lethal fighting in the world since World War II. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative in the DRC, William Lacy Swing, has commended Congolese police and UN peacekeepers for their “prompt and salutary intervention” to contain yesterday’s violent rally by Mr. Bemba’s supporters, who were apparently angered by a fire that destroyed a building housing two television stations owned by their leader in Kinshasa, the capital. MONUC has some 18,000 uniformed personnel in the country to help promote peace and reconciliation in the country. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

ANNAN APPOINTS SPECIAL ENVOY TO HELP ENSURE PEACEFUL ELECTIONS IN GAMBIA

 New York, Sep 20 2006 2:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appointed former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar as his Special Envoy for the Gambia to help ensure peaceful presidential elections there later this week. Gen. Abubakar will be travelling immediately to Banjul, capital of the tiny West African country, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced at UN Headquarters in New York. “He will work within the framework of the Secretary-General’s good offices, to promote dialogue between all concerned parties aimed at ensuring a smooth and peaceful electoral process,” he added. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

ENHANCED UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN LEBANON REACHES THIRD OF ITS MANDATED

SIZE New York, Sep 20 2006 2:00PM The enhanced UN Interim Force in Lebanon (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL) has reached approximately 5,000 troops with the arrival of contingents from France, Italy and Spain, concluding the first phase of a deployment of up to 15,000 blue helmets to oversee the cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hizbollah. “I am fully satisfied with the first phase of the deployment,” UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini said. “Notwithstanding some of the obstacles we had to deal with, including of a logistical nature, UNIFIL now is at 5,000 strength. “I look forward to inspecting all the new contingents as soon as they are ready to deal with the tasks ahead. This, of course, is dependent on acquiring appropriate premises and land for the newly arrived troops which has not been fully resolved yet,” he added. Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the fighting in August mandated strengthening the original UNIFIL that has been deployed in southern Lebanon since 1978 following earlier fighting. In his latest report on the resolution Secretary-General Kofi Annan said there was a “general understanding” that Israeli troops would completely withdraw once the UN Force reaches 5,000 troops and the Lebanese army is ready to deploy at the full strength of 15,000 troops in southern Lebanon. At a trilateral meeting yesterday between Maj.-Gen. Pellegrini and senior officers from the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), they discussed Israeli withdrawals and Lebanese troop deployment. “The meeting was positive; we are making progress. IDF withdrawals and Lebanese deployments are on track,” the general said afterwards. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

SMALL, REMOTE NATION OF KIRIBATI URGES UN TO TACKLE GLOBAL WARMING

New York, Sep 20 2006 1:00PM The Vice President of Kiribati, a tiny, remote Pacific Ocean country, has <"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/kiribati-e.pdf">appealed to the United Nations to intensify the international response to the problem of global warming. “Consisting of low-lying coral atolls, Kiribati is particularly vulnerable to the impact of global warming and sea level rise,” Teima Onorio told the General Assembly’s annual debate on Tuesday. “For countries such as Kiribati, global warming and sea level rise are critical security issues.” She welcomed the support her country has received in adjusting to the changes wrought by global warming, but added, “there is a limit to how far we can adapt.” Rising sea levels will affect Kiribati’s groundwater supply and gradually erode whatever land is available on its 33 islands, she noted. “Yes, we could always move inland to avoid the rising sea levels. But with our narrow islands if we move inland, too far we risk falling into either the lagoon or the ocean.” Vice President Onorio reiterated Kiribati’s long-standing call for a unified international response to global warming. “We have been disappointed with the lack of consensus on these critical environment issues. Indeed, we deplore the notion that economic growth should take precedence over environmental issues when the quest for that growth will threaten the very survival of some members of this Organization,” she said. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

ITALY’S PREMIER SAYS LEBANON EXPERIENCE SHOWS POTENTIAL OF UN WHEN
STATES LEND SUPPORT

New York, Sep 20 2006  3:00PM

The recent decision to strengthen the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon
(<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/index.html">UNIFIL) in response to the conflict there demonstrated how the world body
can respond to crises when it has the full support of all concerned, the
Prime Minister of Italy
<"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/italy-e.pdf">told the General
Assembly today.

The expansion of UNIFL demonstrates “that if the stakeholders are
willing to confer upon the UN a strong, central role, the Organization is
well able to fulfil it,” Romano Prodi told the annual general debate.

While cautioning that the international response to the recent war in
Lebanon has just begun, he was upbeat in his assessment of its
significance. “We must be pleased with how the United Nations, its member
States, and – allow me to add – the European Union have addressed a situation
that only two months ago risked getting out of hand and that today
presents a series of opportunities for the Middle East as a whole.”

He said the new mission represents the entire international community,
calling it “a tangible expression of the very global partnership that
we are discussing today.” With Europe providing the backbone of UNIFIL,
“it cannot carry out its mission effectively without the contributions
of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, Turkey, and the many
other non-European countries participating,” he added.

For the UN to continue its work in Lebanon and, more broadly, to fulfil
the goals set out in its Charter, he said it would be necessary to
quickly complete the reform of the Organization. And, he added, the UN must
have “the strong and unconditional support of its members.”
2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HEARS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

New York, Sep 20 2006  3:00PM
A United Nations expert on violence against women today
<"http://www.unog.ch/unog/website/news_media.nsf/(httpNewsByYear_en)/7EEC2079D85E31F5C12571EF004FB052?OpenDocument">highlighted
the problems faced by women in Russia, Iran, Mexico, Afghanistan and
Sudan’s Darfur region.

In Russia the adverse impact of political and economic transition had
disproportionately affected women, Yakin Erturk, Special Rapporteur on
violence against women told the new enhanced UN Human Rights Council at
its second session in Geneva.

In Iran, although the principle of equality was enshrined in the
Constitution, gender inequality was a salient feature of Iranian society,
while high levels of violence against women in Mexico were both a
consequence and a symptom of widespread gender discrimination and inequality,
she said.

The situation for women in Afghanistan remained dramatic, and severe
violence against them was all pervasive while throughout Darfur, a surge
in sexual violence continued, she added.

Ms. Erturk conducted missions to Russia, Iran, Mexico, and Afghanistan.
Special Rapporteurs are unpaid and serve in an independent personal
capacity.

Russian representative Valery Loshchinin said the report was
politicized and not impartial – it gave the impression that there was a State
policy of violence against women, which was occurring against a background
of prevailing insecurity at large.  Those familiar with the
contemporary reality in Russia and the role of women in society could not accept
these affirmations, he added.

Iranian representative Ali Reza Moayeri said women in his country had
achieved much over the last couple of decades, by way of strength,
optimism and courage and what challenges lay ahead to overcome and go
forward and wiping out all positive steps by allegations such as continuing
reports of violations of women’s human rights and restriction on
political activities downgraded the report to a political statement.

The representative of Mexico, Pablo Macedo, said his country had
undertaken many efforts for the promotion and protection of women’s rights
and after assessing the Rapporteur’s recommendations, the Government
would take further measures to improve the situation of women and reduce
the rate of violence. 

Afghan representative Assad Omer said his country was in reconstruction
after more than 20 years of war, and five years in the dark and that
the percentage of school attendance for young girls kept on growing since
the ouster of the Taliban regime in 2001.
2006-09-20 00:00:00.000 
 

 

KOSOVO: UN OFFICIAL VOICES ‘OUTRAGE’ AT ATTACK ON SERB FAMILY

 New York, Sep 20 2006 11:00AM A senior United Nations official today expressed outrage at an attack on a Kosovo Serb family in which four people were wounded in an explosion at their home in the Albanian-majority Serbian province administered by the world body ever since Western forces drove out Yugoslav troops in 1999 amid grave rights abuses in ethnic fighting. “We condemn this act of violence directed at innocent people,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Principal Deputy Special Representative Steven Schook said of last night’s blast in the town of Klina, which followed a recent spate of grenade and bomb attacks at a time when talks are underway to decide the province’s final status. “Violence cannot be a means to achieve an end. It serves no purpose and it certainly is not in the interests of Kosovo,” Mr. Schook added. He asked Police Commissioner Stephen Curtis to vigorously pursue the investigation into the attack, and called on anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward and assist the police. “I was encouraged to see the immediate reaction of the Kosovo authorities to this incident, including by the Prime Minister (Agim Ceku ) and Mayor of Klina. We must all work together to ensure that Kosovo is a place where people of all ethnicities can live together in peace,” said Mr. Schook. In his latest report earlier this month, Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for “more flexibility” from all sides in deciding Kosovo’s final status. Independence and autonomy are among options mentioned for the province, where Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by 9 to 1. Serbia rejects independence. Last month assailants hurled a grenade at a café in mainly Serb north Mitrovica, injuring nine people and there have been several bomb attacks in recent days on cars, including that of Interior Minister Fatmir Rexhepi. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

GLOBAL ANTI-TERRORISM STRATEGY WILL ONLY SUCCEED IF COUNTRIES WORK TOGETHER, SAYS ANNAN

 New York, Sep 19 2006 8:00PM Urging United Nations Member States to seize the opportunity to prove that collective action works when fighting terrorism, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today formally launched the UN’s Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10646.doc.htm">statement delivered on his behalf by Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Annan said “we now have a chance to harness real political will that has been built up over the past four months.” The strategy was adopted by consensus earlier this month by the General Assembly’s 192 Member States after a year of sometimes fractious negotiations as countries worked to overcome their differences and agree on a common approach. Acknowledging many countries will still continue to pursue their own approach to combating terrorism, Mr. Annan said that only time would tell whether Member States actually meet their commitments under the global strategy. “If future generations are to live in a world free from terrorism and its inhumane tactics, Member States must embark without delay on the journey they have mapped out so carefully. They must start translating their commitments into reality at once.” The strategy, which consists of a resolution and a plan of action, includes practical steps at the local, national and international level – ranging from strengthening the capacity of individual States to prevent and combat terrorism to ensuring that human rights and the rule of law are always respected in the fight against terrorism. It also calls for measures to enhance the role of the UN system to deal with terrorism, and to make sure that the world body’s efforts are better coordinated. Mr. Annan stressed today that he will play his part, including reaching out to the biotechnology industry to ensure that advances in the field are used for the public good and not for terrorist purposes, and working towards strengthening UN counter-terrorism partnerships with regional organizations. The strategy makes clear that it is vital to consistently, unequivocally and strongly condemn terrorism in all forms and manifestations, committed by whomever and for whatever purposes. Terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. Speaking at the launch, General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa urged world leaders to do their utmost to agree on a comprehensive global convention against terrorism as soon as possible. She also stressed that the new strategy must be a living document that can be updated to respond more effectively to any future changes in society or technology. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA’S PRESIDENT CALLS ON UN TO MATCH HOPES OF ‘AFRICAN CENTURY’

New York, Sep 19 2006 7:00PM The President of South Africa today urged the United Nations to live up to the promises of an ‘African Century’ marked by renewal on a continent that has known great degrees of suffering. Thabo Mbeki’s <"http://157.150.195.46/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/south_africa-e.pdf">appeal to world leaders gathered for the General Assembly’s annual debate was echoed by a number of other African leaders calling for measures to help lift the continent’s people out of poverty. “Those who populate the poorest part of the regions of the world – Africa – have boldly declared that it will be an African Century,” President Mbeki said. “If the wishes of the majority of the world could turn into reality, this would be a century free of wars, free of internecine conflicts, free of hunger, free of preventable disease, free of want, free of environmental degradation and free of greed and corruption.” But he warned against empty promises. “Billions of poor people are increasingly becoming impatient because every year they hear us adopt declaration after declaration, and yet nothing practical is done to assuage the hunger pains that keeps them awake at night.” He also decried the inequalities prevailing in the world and the indifferent response of rich countries. “Something is seriously wrong when people risk life and limb travelling in suffocating containers to Western Europe in search of a better life. Something is wrong when many Africans traverse, on foot, the harsh, hot and hostile Sahara Desert to reach the European shores. Something is wrong when walls are built to prevent poor neighbours from entering those countries where they seek better opportunities.” The UN, he said, could make a significant difference. “Even as we face the cold reality of the indifference of the many among the rich and powerful, this Organization of the peoples of the world has continued to offer hope and the possibility of the fulfilment of the aspirations of the majority of the peoples of the world,” he said. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo, welcomed positive developments in Africa, including the elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and peace consolidation in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burundi. But he called for action to support the African Union (AU) troops in Darfur, Sudan, and appealed to the country’s Government to exert all possible efforts to address “this tragedy that we see unfolding before our eyes.” He also voiced support for AU efforts to seek an enlargement of the Security Council, stressing that it must be made more representative, and its working methods must be reformed. Ghana’s President John Kufour drew attention to the scourge of small arms and light weapons, which he said had an especially devastating impact on Africa. While noting that the world is still “far from achieving” international goals for tackling the scourge, he said Ghana “welcomes the current momentum within the international community to move closer to the ultimate goal of drastically removing the menace.” President Kufour, on a more personal note, also paid tribute to his countryman, Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who this year completes his second and final five-year term at the helm of the UN. “There is no doubt that he retires with an enviable legacy of contributing immensely to shaping the destiny of this Organization and the affairs of the world,” the President said. “Ghana is proud and looks forward to receiving him historically home.” 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN LAUNCHES UNITAID TO HELP THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS AND OTHER DISEASES

 New York, Sep 19 2006 7:00PM Describing it as a “life-saving initiative”, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today officially <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sgsm10645.doc.htm">launched UNITAID, an international drug purchasing facility that will provide medicine and treatment against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis for the poorest people of developing countries who otherwise could not afford them. “UNITAID can use its purchasing power to leverage price reductions for quality drugs and diagnostics, and accelerate the pace at which they are made available. It can provide a stable and continuous source of financing for health care programmes, particularly in low-income countries,” said Mr. Annan at the launch in New York. “And it can help reassure developing countries of the long-term commitment of the international community. In this way, UNITAID provides a real and immediate tool to help scale up access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB.” UNITAID will be funded by innovative financing mechanisms such as a contribution on air tickets, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said today, and the Secretary-General congratulated the Governments of France, Brazil, Chile, Norway, and the United Kingdom for leading the way in developing the initiative. “UNITAID is deeply encouraging news in the world of financing for development. This international facility for the purchase of drugs is a shining example of an innovative source of funding that can help us reach the Millennium Development Goals.” “I hope this new facility will apply all the important lessons we have learnt over the past few decades. I hope it will avoid duplication, by making full use of existing institutions and development partners. I hope it will build on existing national capacity. And I hope it will listen to and take full account of the real needs of those it exists to help.” Mr. Annan said the UN system stands ready to help UNITAID succeed in “any way we can,” and he also thanked WHO, UNICEF (the UN Children’s Fund), and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for their involvement. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL EXPRESSES ALARM AT REPORTS OF COUP IN THAILAND

 New York, Sep 19 2006 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan voiced concern today at news of a military coup in Thailand, saying he was disturbed at any change of power through undemocratic means. <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=942">Speaking to CNN at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Annan urged the people of Thailand to “remain calm. Over the past decade or so, they have established a solid democracy and institutions under the leadership of the King. And I’m sure they will be able to restore that institution and go back to a democratic system as soon as possible.” The Secretary-General said that while he did not have all the details of what has taken place in Thailand, “we as an Organization have always supported governmental changes through democratic means, through the ballot box.” He cited the position of the African Union, which “has indicated, they do not support those who come to power through the barrel of a gun… this is not a practice to be encouraged.” Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had been scheduled to address the annual debate of the General Assembly today but his appearance was later cancelled. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

UN AGENCY CALLS ON BALKAN COUNTRIES TO ASSIST OVER 500,000 DISPLACED PEOPLE

 New York, Sep 19 2006 7:00PM Governments in the Balkans should speedily implement a pact signed last year dealing with the return more than 500,000 displaced people to their homes, the United Nations refugee agency urged today, saying much more needed to be done if a December deadline is to be met. The call by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=45101d482">UNHCR) came in a joint statement with the European Commission (EC) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that asked Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia to make more progress in implementing the Sarajevo Declaration. Under this Declaration, the four countries agreed to resolve the plight of over half a million people – almost 120,000 refugees and some 407,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) – who remain uprooted in the region after fleeing their homes to escape fighting in the Balkans in the 1990s. According to the agreement, the four countries should have finalised a comprehensive road map for returns and contributed to a joint implementation programme by the end of the year, the UNHCR said in a press release. UNHCR was designated the lead humanitarian agency in the emergency that followed the 1991 break-up of Yugoslavia and subsequent wars between former member states. The Dayton Peace Accords in 1995 gave it the pivotal role in helping some 2.2 million uprooted people return to their homes and rebuild their lives. The Sarajevo Declaration was the first refugee-related initiative adopted by the governments of the region. They agreed to try and end the outstanding humanitarian challenges by allowing voluntary returns or local integration. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

IN SPEECH TO WORLD LEADERS, LIBERIA’S PRESIDENT CALLS ON UN TO TAKE ACTION ON DARFUR

 New York, Sep 19 2006 6:00PM Describing Darfur as a potential humanitarian catastrophe, Africa’s first democratically elected female leader today urged the United Nations to step in to restore peace and security to the war-torn region in western Sudan. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, <"http://157.150.195.46/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/liberia-e.pdf">told the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly that the most recent reports about the situation inside Darfur have been frightening. “The world must not allow a second Rwanda to happen,” she said, referring to the genocide that claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people in less than 100 days during 1994. “My Government therefore calls on this General Assembly and the Security Council to exercise the Chapter VII authority to restore peace, security and stability to Darfur,” Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf said, referring to the UN Charter provision allowing for enforcement measures to deal with threats to peace and security. The Liberian President’s remarks come amid mounting concern over what will happen at the end of this month, when African Union (AU) troops currently stationed in Darfur – which has been beset by brutal violence and massive displacement since 2003 – are slated to leave. Last month the Security Council voted to deploy more than 17,000 UN peacekeepers to Darfur, but Khartoum has said repeatedly it is adamantly opposed to any force of blue helmets. Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf said “the continued stalemate over whether an AU or UN force should be deployed or maintained in the region exposes weaknesses in international cooperation and collaboration, and demonstrates a lack of international will to address the sufferings and yearnings of the citizens and residents of Darfur who plea every day for international intervention.” During her address Mrs. Johnson Sirleaf also called for a review of the Security Council structure, which she said “appears to be undemocratic and hegemonic… In the new Millennium, the UN should not operate on the structures designed 61 years ago.” 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

FORMER RWANDAN EDUCATION MINISTER ACQUITTED OF GENOCIDE CHARGES BY UN COURT

 New York, Sep 20 2006 12:00PM The United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda today unanimously acquitted a former Rwandan education minister of all charges brought against him in connection with the 1994 genocide in the small central African country on the grounds that they were not proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Andre Rwamakuba, Rwanda’s minister for primary and secondary education during the 100-day killing spree between April and July 1994 in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred, had been accused of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide and incitement to commit genocide. The charges included directing a massacre against people who had taken refuge in hospitals, allegedly selecting Tutsi patients for removal from National University Hospital in Butare and leading massacres on the hospital premises. According to the indictment, he also struck wounded patients with clubs and allowed militiamen to kill women, disembowelling those who were pregnant. Mr. Rwamakuba, a physician, pleaded not guilty to all counts. In its acquittal the tribunal, sitting in Arusha, Tanzania, said the testimony of prosecution witnesses was mainly indirect and hearsay evidence and was undermined by significant credibility and reliability issues. It also heard testimony from defence witnesses, including Tutsi survivors, that Mr. Rwamakuba was not present at the time and location of the events and was not involved in massacres that took place either at the Butare hospital or in Gikomero commune. 2006-09-20 00:00:00.000

 

CYPRUS PRESIDENT VOICES SUPPORT FOR ANNAN’S PEACE INITIATIVES

 New York, Sep 19 2006 7:00PM Efforts to settle the Cyprus problem should be carried out under the auspices of the United Nations, the president of the country said today, voicing support for Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest initiatives. “The search for a settlement firmly remains for us in the United Nations framework, within the context of the good offices mission mandated to the Secretary-General by the Security Council,” President Tassas Papadopoulos <"http://157.150.195.46/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/cyprus-e.pdf">told the General Assembly’s annual general debate. He said Cyprus concurs with the Secretary-General’s view that “good and careful preparation of any negotiating process is necessary before full-fledged negotiations can take place.” The President also recalled that in response to this, the sides agreed that “bicommunal discussions at the technical level would commence to address substantive aspects of the Cyprus problem, as well as issues that affect the everyday life of all Cypriots as long as the status quo persists, a process that would be complemented by parallel confidence-building.” This agreement was reached during a recent visit to Cyprus by Ibrahim Gambari, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, President Papadopoulos noted, voicing appreciation for the efforts of UN officials to address the issue. “While sharing the assessment of the Secretary-General that a cautious and step-by-step approach is the appropriate way forward given the fragility of the process, we also hold that an effort to avoid another failure with potentially lasting catastrophic consequences demands laying the necessary groundwork,” he said, adding that this requires addressing “some of the core and more complex dimensions of the Cyprus problem.” With regard to relations with Turkey, he said “there is only one way forward: creating a future of peace and cooperation and building bridges and mutual understanding, normalizing our relations and working hand in hand to achieve the goals of the European Union in our region.” 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

FORCED DISAPPEARANCES AND MINORITY ISSUES FEATURE AS UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MEETS

 New York, Sep 19 2006 5:00PM The enhanced United Nations Human Rights Council today discussed forced disappearances, minority issues, and the fundamental freedoms of indigenous people as it continued its second session in Geneva. Stephen J. Toope, Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on enforced or involuntary disappearances, highlighted in his report that enforced disappearance was a global problem, a point also emphasized by the Independent Expert on minority issues, Gay McDougall, when she addressed the meeting. Exclusion, discrimination and racism directed at ethnic, religious and linguistic minority groups continue to fuel social unrest in every region of the world, said Ms. McDougall, according to a Council press release. Minority rights and policies of inclusion and equality play a vital role in promoting political and social stability, she said, adding discrimination against ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities is often linked to disproportionate levels of poverty in those communities. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, focused in his report on the gap between many countries’ laws recognizing indigenous peoples and the daily reality of their situation. The gap in implementation will only be closed once full participation of indigenous organizations and civil society was guaranteed, Mr. Stavenhagen said. Special Rapporteurs are unpaid and serve in an independent personal capacity, reporting to the 47-member Council on their work. Representatives from more than 30 countries and groups, including Amnesty International, also spoke during today’s discussions. This second session of the Council, set up earlier this year to replace the much-criticized Human Rights Commission, opened yesterday and will run until 6 October. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000 ___________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To listen to news and in-depth programmes from UN Radio go to: http://radio.un.org/ _______________________________

 

 

SOLUTION TO MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT REQUIRES NEW GLOBAL STRATEGY, FRENCH PRESIDENT TELLS UN

 New York, Sep 19 2006 4:00PM Voicing dismay that the conflict in the Middle East has become “the epicentre of global instability,” French President Jacques Chirac told world leaders who gathered today for the General Assembly that it was time to “tread off the beaten track of habit” and devise a global strategy for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement. “The status quo has become unbearable. Because the conflict in the Middle East is a threat to global peace and security, the world has no option but to be the guarantor of peace,” Mr. Chirac said in a <"http://157.150.195.46/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/france-e.pdf">speech to the general debate of the Assembly’s 61st session. He said it was time for leaders to take back the issue from the hands of extremists on both sides and work to restore confidence between Israelis and Palestinians. “By endlessly deferring its settlement, this confrontation has become the epicentre of global instability, the main source of incomprehension between the different worlds and an easy alibi for all forms of terrorism.” Mr. Chirac called on the Quartet – the diplomatic group comprising the UN, the European Union, the United States and the Russian Federation – to meet soon to prepare an international conference on the issue that will “pave the way for a new future in the Middle East.” The French leader outlined the parameters for any solution: two viable States living side by side in security, safe and recognizable borders, and a fair solution for refugees and for Jerusalem. Praising the Security Council’s resolution 1701, which ended the recent conflict between the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and Hizbollah in Lebanon, Mr. Chirac said it was vital that all parties fulfil their commitments, especially given that “the fire is still smouldering.” He called on Israel to complete the withdrawal of its forces from Lebanon, the Lebanese Government to assert its sovereignty across its territory, and all countries of the region to cooperate fully to ensure the resolution succeeds. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

AS WINTER LOOMS IN TAJIKISTAN, UN APPEALS FOR $1 MILLION FOR EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

 New York, Sep 19 2006 4:00PM The United Nations today appealed for $1 million for emergency aid over the next six months to help victims of the July earthquakes in Tajikistan, which destroyed or damaged nearly 2,600 houses and affected some 21,000 people, as winter approaches. “There is a fear that half of the fully destroyed houses (approximately 500 houses) will not be rebuilt before the winter begins,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA) said. “If this were to occur, it would have serious humanitarian consequences, which is the reason for this appeal.” The UN Country Team and the international community have been effective in meeting urgent, sector specific needs, especially in health, water and sanitation, and education in the southern district of Qumsangir. But although the Government started rebuilding houses only a few days after the quake, the work has progressed very slowly. The appeal calls for 500 winter tents, as well as material support for rebuilding 200 houses. Nine schools, in which more than 7,000 children study, were also affected by the quake and the appeal covers part of their rehabilitation. Although the school year has already begun, the children in the affected area do not have access to a safe learning environment. There is an urgent need for full or partial rehabilitation of schools, provision of school furniture, textbooks, and essential school supplies. Although the Government has committed to the reconstruction of two schools on their own, their resources are very limited to complete the rehabilitation of the other seven schools. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

LEBANON: UN EXPERT ON FOOD ‘VERY CONCERNED’ AT CONFLICT’S IMPACT ON RURAL POPULATION

 New York, Sep 19 2006 4:00PM Following a week-long visit to areas of Lebanon badly hit by the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah in July and August, a United Nations food expert has expressed great concern that the long-term effects on the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people will be severe. Special Rapporteur on the right to food Jean Ziegler said in a statement issued in Geneva yesterday that he was informed of the extensive direct and indirect damage caused by Israeli bombardment to agriculture and fishing, affecting the livelihood and access to sources of income of hundreds of thousands of rural inhabitants and thousands of fishermen.<"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/E3AA2628114F3447C12571ED0036C32B?opendocument"> “In addition, the Rapporteur received consistent information on the serious impact the conflict has had on access to safe drinking water as well as on the irrigation system,” the statement said. “This has exacerbated the precariousness of the access that rural people have to sources of income. “The Special Rapporteur was also disturbed by the view of the destruction in certain areas of the country and by the large number of unexploded ordnance which remains in agricultural fields, preventing farmers from irrigating, harvesting and planting.” Mr. Ziegler will report on his findings and formulate recommendations during the second session of the UN Human Rights Council that is currently underway in Geneva. Special Rapporteurs are unpaid and serve in an independent personal capacity. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

UN MIGRATION MEETING OPENED NEW AVENUES FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION – ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

New York, Sep 19 2006 3:00PM The President of the United Nations General Assembly today said the body’s recent session on international migration served to underscore how today’s integrated world can serve a positive engine of change. The 14-15 September High-level Dialogue “revealed the potential and opportunities that globalization presents as a force for improving the lives of millions of people,” Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa said in her <"http://157.150.195.46/webcast/ga/61/pdfs/khalifa-e.pdf">address to the opening of this year’s general debate. In her <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/ga10496.doc.htm">closing remarks to that session, she had noted that during the two days, nearly all of the 130-plus governments present expressed the wish to continue an international dialogue on the issue of migration in some form or another. In particular, many “embraced the Secretary-General’s proposal of establishing a Global Forum on Migration and Development and the offer made by the Government of Belgium to host the first meeting of the Forum next year,” she said. The Dialogue drove home several key points, the President concluded: that international migration is a growing phenomenon and can be a positive force for development in countries of origin as well as countries of destination, provided it is supported by the right set of policies; and that it is important to strengthen international cooperation bilaterally, regionally and globally. The Secretary-General has proposed the establishment of a standing forum which governments could use to explore and compare policy approaches. Such a government-led consultative forum on migration and development would not produce negotiated outcomes or recommendations, according to the Secretary-General and his Special Representative on Migration, Peter Sutherland. Rather, it would make new policy ideas more widely known, add value to existing regional consultations, and encourage an integrated approach to migration and development at both the national and international levels. The High-Level Dialogue was the first Assembly meeting to focus directly on migration, with an emphasis on identifying ways to maximize the development benefits of migration and to reduce difficulties. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

UNESCO CHIEF VOICES ‘GRAVE CONCERN’ OVER DEATH OF JAILED JOURNALIST IN TURKMENISTAN

 New York, Sep 19 2006 11:00AM The head of the United Nations organization entrusted with defending freedom of expression and the press today voiced “grave concern” over the death in jail of a Turkmen journalist and called on the authorities of the former Soviet Central Asian country to investigate the circumstances and try those responsible in the event of foul play. “Using force to silence a journalist is an unacceptable crime against an individual, against the basic human right of freedom of expression and against society as a whole, which relies on the media to make informed choices,” UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org">UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura <"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=34772&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">said. According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the children of Ogulsapar Muradova, 58, a former correspondent of United States stations Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty who was sentenced to six years in prison last month alongside two other human rights activists, identified her body in the morgue of Ashgabat , Turkmenistan’s capital, on 14 September. Witnesses reported seeing a head wound and many other marks on the rest of her body, RSF said. Over the weekend, The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (<"http://www.ohchr.org/english/">OHCHR) expressed serious concern over Ms Muradova’s death and urged the authorities to launch a full and independent investigation into what happened. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty had voiced serious concern about her trial which was held behind closed doors. UNESCO has a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom, and Mr. Matsuura has issued frequent condemnations of the murder of journalists around the world. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

PACE OF SOMALIS FLEEING FIGHTING PICKS UP, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS

New York, Sep 19 2006 10:00AM More than 3,400 Somalis, mainly women and children, have fled the conflict between Islamists and warlords to neighbouring Kenya in the past six days, bringing the total so far this year to over 26,300 and raising fears that the influx could increase after renewed fighting over the weekend, the United Nations refugee agency <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=450fc02916">reported today. “Some claim that they have been personally attacked by armed militia, while others say they fled because their neighbours were killed and they feared a similar fate,” UN High Commissioner for Refuges (<"http://www.unhcr.org/ ">UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva. “People crossing the border generally suffer from extreme fatigue and many children appear malnourished,” he added, noting that the refugees reported walking from Mogadishu, the capital where the Islamic Courts Union took control in June, Kismayo and Baidoa, headquarters of the Transitional Government. On Friday, UNHCR in Kenya received 442 Somalis, up from about 300 a day earlier in the week. Yesterday, the agency transported 662 refugees who arrived over the weekend at the Kenyan border town of Liboi to its camp at Dadaab. “UNHCR fears that the numbers may further increase following militia fighting over the weekend in Dobley, a village 18 kilometres from the Liboi border,” Mr. Redmond said, noting that two refugees died on arrival and a wounded man was transported from Liboi health center to Dadaab for treatment. “We are also concerned that the attempt to assassinate the Somali transitional government president (Abdullahi Yusuf) yesterday in Baidoa may cause additional displacement,” he added. UNHCR Africa Bureau director Marjon Kamara, who has called on Somalis to find a way to reach a lasting peace so that the refugees can go home, is in northern Somalia today to visit Hargeisa for a two-day visit in Somaliland. Her visit will also include a trip to Bossaso, where she will meet internally displaced people and community leaders In all, Kenya hosts more than 227,000 refugees, mainly from Somalia and Sudan. 2006-09-19 00:00:00.000

 

 

URGENT IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH CARE NEEDED TO COMBAT CHILD DEATHS, SAYS UNICEF

New York, Sep 18 2006 8:00PM Releasing a new study today showing that around 29,000 children under five years old die around the world every day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35928.html">UNICEF) called for stronger health services in countries with high child mortality and increased Government and donor support for child survival. The call was backed by a meeting of political and health experts in New York, organized jointly by the Norwegian Government, the <i>Lancet</i> medical journal and UNICEF, focusing on ways to prevent the deaths of millions of children before their fifth birthday, and the head of the Fund said lessons should be learnt from countries’ success stories. “Dramatic gains in child survival within some countries point the way toward successful strategies that can work on a broader scale,” said Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF Executive Director. “Such strategies include integrated, community-based approaches that address maternal and child health, nutrition, AIDS prevention and water and sanitation.” However panellists at today’s meeting also highlighted the fact that few of the countries with high child mortality levels are on track to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015 – the fourth of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a list of targets aimed at reducing poverty and other social ills. Around 29,000 children under the age of five die each day and most of these deaths are preventable. Pneumonia alone kills more children under five than any other disease according to a UNICEF/World Health Organization (WHO) report launched today – two million children under five each year – more than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. UNICEF and its partners have carried out a focused assessment of key maternal, neonatal and child survival indicators across the 60 countries with high child mortality, and this was also published today in a special issue of the Lancet. These countries account for 94 per cent of all under-five deaths worldwide. The majority have made little or no progress on child mortality, while 14 countries saw child mortality rates increase between 1990 and 2004. But the assessment also finds success stories, with seven countries set to reach the 2015 goal, including Bangladesh and the Philippines, and it is from these that lessons should be drawn, Ms. Veneman said. Global health partnerships such as the Measles Initiative have already helped to halve measles-related deaths in the past five years, UNICEF noted in a press release, while the Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS campaign is mobilizing resources for women and children living with HIV/AIDS. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

PRIVATE SECTOR CAN HELP AFRICA ADVANCE IF IT SHARES PROFITS, SAY PARTICIPANTS AT UN MEETING

New York, Sep 18 2006 8:00PM Although the private sector has a key role to play in Africa’s development, safeguards must be in place to ensure that developing countries share in the profits business generates on their soil, according to participants at a meeting today organized by the United Nations charged with promoting development across the continent. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) held a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York to discuss <i>Bending the Arc</i>, a programme designed to engage the business community in accelerating Africa’s achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Africa, told a press conference after the meeting that “we all agree the private sector has a key role to play in Africa’s future.” But Firmino Mucavele, chief executive of NEPAD, warned against any “abuse of corporate-social responsibility,” citing the recent dumping of toxic waste in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, that has led to at least half a dozen deaths, as an example. “This is possible when you are an undeveloped country – when you don’t have the institutional capacity to verify if all the corporations are following procedures, rules and codes,” he said. Asked why many of NEPAD’s activities were not better known in Africa, Professor Mucavele described it as a slow but growing process. “We are advancing; not at a rate we would like to, but advancing. We are now in Uganda, very silently solving the problem. We are in Côte d’Ivoire, we are in Chad, in Sudan, already in Mozambique, in Angola, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Things are moving. That’s NEPAD in action.” 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

 

ANNAN URGES MORE GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ AS OFFICIALS DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL COMPACT

 New York, Sep 18 2006 7:00PM Without greater global support, Iraq will fail to attain peace, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10640.doc.htm">told a high-level meeting in New York today, underscoring the importance of the International Compact aimed at ending the killings and bringing stability to the war-ravaged country. “The international community may not be able to ensure Iraq’s success, but it can guarantee failure if it does not come through in time with sufficient support,” said Mr. Annan. “Iraq and its leaders are now at an important crossroads. If they can address the needs and common interests of all Iraqis, the promise of peace and prosperity is still within reach,” he added, repeated a warning from his most recent Security Council report. “But if current patterns of alienation and violence persist much longer, there is a grave danger that the Iraqi State will break down, possibly in the midst of a full-scale civil war.” The Secretary-General stressed the need for a national agenda that includes all Iraqis, and also urged unity, while further emphasizing the important role to be played by the International Compact, which was launched in July and is co-chaired by the UN working alongside the Government. The International Compact with Iraq is “an opportunity for the international community to build a strong partnership with Iraq and the wider region,” he told the meeting of 31 delegations that had gathered at UN headquarters in New York. “Since its launch on 27 July, considerable work has already gone into the Compact, which will provide the framework for a defined, prioritized and benchmarked economic programme for the next five years,” he said, noting that a recent meeting held in Abu Dhabi on 10 September had given the Compact “further direction and content.” Despite this, Mr. Annan stressed that the Compact remains a “work in progress,” and said that the need to complete it in good time, ideally by the end of the year, must be balanced by the equal need for it to be well-developed, substantive and sustainable. And he concluded his remarks on a note of optimism, saying that despite the daily violence in Iraq, international assistance particularly through the Compact can help stabilize the country. “At this critical time, Iraqis of all ethnic and confessional groups must unite to build a better future for themselves and for their country. As they work to do so, they should be able to count on the active support of Iraq’s neighbours and the international community,” he said. “This meeting offers us a promising chance to promote that support, and decide how best to fulfil our shared responsibilities towards Iraq and its people. If we reenergize our efforts and our commitment, we can still help build a country at peace with itself, with its neighbours and with the wider international community.” 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES PEACEFUL, LAWFUL ELECTIONS AS DR CONGO PREPARES FOR OCTOBER RUN-OFF

 New York, Sep 18 2006 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on all parties and candidates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where run-off elections are scheduled for October, to ensure that the process is peaceful and lawful. Mr. Annan’s comments followed a DRC Supreme Court decision last week validating the results of the first round of the 30 July presidential election and paving the way for a second round between President Joseph Kabila and Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba. “The Secretary-General calls on the two candidates to adhere to the electoral calendar, which sets 29 October as the date both for the second presidential round and for the provincial assembly elections, and to reach an early agreement both on the rules of conduct for the electoral campaign and on mutual assurances for security and political engagement thereafter,” a spokesman for Mr. Annan said in a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10639.doc.htm">statement released in New York. He also called on all candidates and political parties to ensure that the elections “are conducted in conditions of security, and are credible and transparent, and to respect the outcome,” the spokesman added. “Any incitement to hatred and violence during the electoral period is unacceptable, and anyone engaging in such activity must be held accountable.” The Secretary-General also pledged the UN’s commitment to provide “all possible support to the Congolese people in holding peaceful and successful elections” next month. The Supreme Court found that during the first-round elections in July, President Kabila received 44.8 per cent of the vote to Vice President Bemba’s 20 per cent. In August, supporters of the two clashed in the capital, Kinshasa. The candidates subsequently met face-to-face in a meeting that the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC) characterized as “relaxed and conciliatory.” The elections in the DRC were the first the country has held in 45 years and the largest and most complex the UN has ever helped to organize. They involve an electorate of 25.5 million casting votes at some 50,000 polling stations spread out over a territory roughly the size of Western Europe. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

UN ENVOY TO SUDAN SAYS DARFUR PEACE DEAL NEEDS FRESH DISCUSSIONS TO BE EFFECTIVE

 New York, Sep 18 2006 7:00PM The Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) that was supposed to end the fighting in the war-torn region of western Sudan “is in a coma,” violated day after day and lacking the respect of most locals, the senior United Nations envoy to the country said today as he called for a reshaping of the peace deal. Jan Pronk, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sudan, <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8833.doc.htm">told the Security Council that while the DPA – which was signed in early May – is a good agreement in theory, it lacks the support of several key rebel groups who have since been marginalized from the peace process. “The Darfur Peace Agreement is only four months old, but it is nearly dead. It is in a coma. It ought to be under intensive care, but it isn’t.” Mr. Pronk called for new consultations on the DPA to include those groups that did not sign the deal, although he warned against this being labelled as the “reopening of the peace negotiations.” The envoy also recommended the striking of a truce to end the continuing clashes in the region, as well as an enhanced and improved ceasefire commission to deal with the numerous violations of the DPA. “Since its signing, the DPA has been violated day after day, week after week,” Mr. Pronk said, adding that “the use of rape as a tool of terror is frequent and again on the rise.” Mr. Pronk, who was briefing the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on Sudan, voiced concern about what might happen at the end of this month, when African Union (AU) troops stationed in Darfur are slated to leave. “The AU is less effective than it was a year ago, but its presence is essential. Departure of the AU leaves the people in the camps [for internally displaced persons] unprotected and vulnerable to anyone who would wish to harm them and resume the cleansing of 2003 and 2004.” The Security Council voted last month to deploy more than 17,000 UN peacekeepers in Darfur, but Khartoum has remained adamant that it is opposed to such a force. “The UN does not deserve the insinuations from Sudanese political leadership in power. We do not intend to recolonize, nor are we laying a carpet for others to do so,” Mr. Pronk said. The envoy cited the work of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in the south of the vast country, where it is implementing a December 2004 peace deal that end two decades of civil war, as an example of how the world body has demonstrated it can be “a fair and effective peacekeeper.” Mr. Pronk’s briefing comes as UN officials led by Secretary-General Kofi Annan have warned of an impending man-made catastrophe in Darfur if the AU forces are allowed to leave and the UN is not able to replace them. In a statement released today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that as many as 350,000 people could be displaced and lose their access to such necessities as clean water and health care if there are no peacekeepers of any kind in place next month. Meanwhile in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, today decried the deteriorating situation in Darfur. “Combatants routinely make a mockery of the principles of international humanitarian law: not only are armed groups failing to discriminate between civilians and combatants, they specifically target civilians who are from tribes and groups perceived as hostile,” she told the Human Rights Council. “Despite repeated assurances by the Government of Sudan, the level of sexual violence in Darfur continues to rise.” Already about 1.9 million have been displaced across Darfur, and scores of thousands killed, since fighting broke out between Government forces, allied militias and rebel groups in 2003. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

UN HEARS CALLS FOR ACCELERATED ASSISTANCE TO WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES

New York, Sep 18 2006 6:00PM The lack of significant progress in reducing poverty in the world’s 50 poorest and most vulnerable countries – even as they posted sharply improved economic performance – dominated discussions at the United Nations General Assembly’s <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/ga10497.doc.htm">High-Level Meeting on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Deputy Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/dsgsm297.doc.htm">told the meeting that although the least developed countries have experienced higher economic growth, greater exports and larger investment inflows over the past five years, and despite some progress on reducing maternal and child mortality and increasing universal primary enrolment, the progress has had “minimum impact where it is most needed: in the fight against extreme poverty.” Mr. Malloch Brown said efforts to assist the least developed countries must be expanded and accelerated by further securing development on the stable bedrock of democracy, human rights and good governance and “by making globalization work at least as much for the poor as for the rich.” UN Under-Secretary-General Anwarul K. Chowdhury, who is also the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, acknowledged the economic growth but added that “the distribution at the grassroots level is not there.” He called for democratic governance to address the issue because “the poorest should have a voice in the decisions that affect them.” This year’s General Assembly meeting is reviewing progress on an agreement forged five years ago in Brussels aimed at assisting the LDCs. The meeting is expected to conclude tomorrow with a resolution reaffirming countries’ commitments toward meeting the goals that were agreed in Brussels. Mr. Chowdhury said although there had been increased support from the international community, and that assistance to the poorest countries had increased by 25 per cent, most of these countries will not be able to reach the UN-agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of targets for addressing a host of global ills by the year 2015. General Assembly President Haya Rashed Al Khalifa told delegates that the number of people living in extreme poverty in the least developed countries, who now number 370 million, could grow by an additional 100 million over the next decade. “But we can be encouraged, that unlike in previous centuries, we now have the know-how and the resources to make a real and long lasting difference.” According to a report of the Secretary-General prepared for the High-Level Meeting, governance has improved in the LDCs since world leaders adopted the Programme of Action for LDCs in Brussels in 2001. While conflicts in the LDCs have decreased in number since 2001, according to the report, these countries still suffer disproportionately from civil unrest, with half of the UN’s 16 active peace operations being in LDCs. The report cites poverty and underdevelopment as a breeding ground for unrest in the LDCs. The Secretary-General’s report calls for increased investment in education, health, clean water, sanitation, physical infrastructure and rural and agricultural development. It also calls for expanded international support, including greater and better aid, accelerated debt relief and better market access for LDCs coupled with support for improving export capacity. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

 

AFGHAN POPPY GROWING REQUIRES SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE – UN OFFICIAL

 New York, Sep 18 2006 6:00PM A sharp rise in opium cultivation in Afghanistan – by far the world’s largest supplier – must be met with security and law enforcement as well as efforts to reduce demand in the countries where illegal drug users reside, a senior United Nations official said today. Antonio Maria Costa, Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told a press conference in New York that opium cultivation was increasing in the southern provinces of Afghanistan, where the insurgency is intensifying. “What you evidently see there is tangible proof that insurgents are playing a role in forcing, coercing, advising, assisting, promoting farmers’ cultivation of opium.” The UN has been in discussion with the authorities in Afghanistan and other States the importance of improving security. “There is no rule of law in most of the southern parts of Afghanistan; the bullets rule,” he said, citing “a dramatic situation which needs to be confronted.” Action is also necessary to help the poor farmers of Afghanistan, he said. “We need to assist them. We need a greater amount of development assistance. So far, development has been not so generous; certainly not by any standards comparing what has happened to other post-conflict situation.” Mr. Costa also advocated conditioning aid on the behaviour of those receiving it. “Farmers have to be assisted under the condition that they abstain from cultivating opium,” he stressed. Efforts were also needed to prevent theft of aid money. “We are pleading with the Government to undertake stronger measures to reduce corruption, which is a major ingredient – a major lubricant – in the development of the opium industry.” Law enforcement was another crucial part of the solution, he said, noting that the UN had helped Afghanistan to help rehabilitate the court and prison systems. Mr. Costa also stressed the need to reduce consumption of opium. Countries must do more to cut addiction. “We know that when there is a major upsurge in the cultivation and in production, the consequences are greater purity of doses,” he said, warning that death rates were likely to rise. “We may face a situation of crisis… in Paris, London, Madrid, Moscow, Rome and so forth.” The area under opium cultivation in Afghanistan surged 59 per cent to 165,000 hectares in 2006, according to the 2006 UNODC Annual Opium Survey, released earlier this month. The opium harvest was an unprecedented 6,100 tons, an increase of 49 per cent from 2005, making Afghanistan virtually the sole supplier to the world. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

POLAND RECEIVES FDR AWARD ON DISABILITIES AT UN CEREMONY

 New York, Sep 18 2006 6:00PM Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski accepted the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Award for his country’s efforts to improve the lives of persons with disabilities at a ceremony held at the United Nations today. The award, the first presented since a General Assembly committee successfully negotiated a new convention to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, is granted each year at the UN by the Washington-based World Committee on Disability. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10638.doc.htm">said that Poland’s achievements, which include enshrining the rights of persons with disabilities in the country’s Constitution and in the Charter of Disabled Persons, should serve as a model for other States. Mr. Annan said the presentation of this award, established in FDR’s name, “helps bring much-needed attention to disability issues worldwide and to our common work to improve the lives of disabled people everywhere.” He noted that the UN has “long fought for the full participation of persons with disabilities,” citing last month’s agreement by Member States on the text of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. “Once it is adopted by the General Assembly in the coming months, it will launch a new era in efforts to assert and achieve the human rights for persons with disabilities,” he said. “I have urged all Member States to ratify the Convention and ensure its rapid implementation.” President Kaczynski said he was very satisfied to receive the award on behalf of Poland, and that his country’s struggle for freedom had been accompanied by a commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities. He also pledged that Poland would implement the new UN Convention. Poland is the ninth UN member nation to be honoured with this award. Previous winners include Jordan, Italy, Ecuador, Thailand, Hungary, Ireland, Canada, and the Republic of Korea. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN SELECTS KOREAN DIPLOMAT AS DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

 New York, Sep 18 2006 5:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today that he has chosen the Korean diplomat Kyung-wha Kang to serve as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ms. Kang, who has been appointed at the Assistant Secretary-General level, will succeed Pakistan’s Mehr Khan Williams as Deputy High Commissioner at the end of this year. Currently Director-General of International Organization at the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms. Kang has previously worked at her country’s mission to the UN, where she chaired the Commission on the Status of Women last year. She also worked as a journalist and lecturer before joining the Korean foreign service. In a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/05F502411B84EB6AC12571ED005A33DE?opendocument">statement issued in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour welcomed Ms. Kang’s appointment. “I am convinced that with her extensive experience and demonstrated dedication to human rights, and in particular women’s human rights, Ms. Kang will play a key role as OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) continues implementing the strategic vision outlined in its Plan of Action and Strategic Management Plan, a roadmap for the future of our Office that Mehr Khan was so instrumental in charting,” Ms. Arbour’s statement read. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

RWANDAN SINGER ACCUSED OF USING MUSIC TO INCITE GENOCIDE GOES ON TRIAL AT UN TRIBUNAL

 New York, Sep 18 2006 5:00PM The United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda has begun the trial of a well-known singer and composer accused of using his songs to incite supporters to kill Tutsis during the country’s 1994 genocide. Simon Bikindi, 52, has pleaded not guilty to six charges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://69.94.11.53/ENGLISH/PRESSREL/2006/495.htm">ICTR), which is based in Arusha in neighbouring Tanzania. The charges are: conspiracy to commit genocide; genocide, or alternatively complicity in genocide; direct and public incitement to commit genocide; murder as a crime against humanity; and persecution as a crime against humanity. More than 800,000 people were massacred, mostly by machete, for being ethnic Tutsis or Hutu moderates during a period of less than 100 days starting in April 1994. Opening his case today, the prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow told the Tribunal that Mr. Bikindi “consciously and deliberately” helped in the plan to kill Tutsis through the lyrics of his music. Mr. Bikindi, who was also the director of the performance group Irindiro Ballet and an official in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, used his lyrics to incite supporters to join the Interahamwe militia, which carried out numerous massacres during the genocide, and commit such crimes. Mr. Jallow alleged Mr. Bikindi not only contributed to the atrocities through his music, but took part in the extermination plan himself, including the recruitment and training of Interahamwe members. The judges hearing the case are Inés Mónica Weinberg de Roca of Argentina (presiding), Cameroon’s Florence Rita Arrey and Robert Fremr of the Czech Republic. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN SELECTS KOREAN DIPLOMAT AS DEPUTY HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

 New York, Sep 18 2006 5:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced today that he has chosen the Korean diplomat Kyung-wha Kang to serve as Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ms. Kang, who has been appointed at the Assistant Secretary-General level, will succeed Pakistan’s Mehr Khan Williams as Deputy High Commissioner at the end of this year. Currently Director-General of International Organization at the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms. Kang has previously worked at her country’s mission to the UN, where she chaired the Commission on the Status of Women last year. She also worked as a journalist and lecturer before joining the Korean foreign service. In a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/05F502411B84EB6AC12571ED005A33DE?opendocument">statement issued in Geneva, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour welcomed Ms. Kang’s appointment. “I am convinced that with her extensive experience and demonstrated dedication to human rights, and in particular women’s human rights, Ms. Kang will play a key role as OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) continues implementing the strategic vision outlined in its Plan of Action and Strategic Management Plan, a roadmap for the future of our Office that Mehr Khan was so instrumental in charting,” Ms. Arbour’s statement read. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

DEADLY CAR BOMBING IN SOMALIA SPARKS CONDEMNATION BY UN ENVOY

 New York, Sep 18 2006 3:00PM The senior United Nations envoy to Somalia has condemned today’s assassination attempt on the life of Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf, which failed but resulted in death or injuries to scores of people in the troubled Horn of Africa country. In a message of behalf of the UN and the European Union (EU), the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Francois Lonsény Fall said he was relieved that President Yusuf and other leaders had survived the car bombing. But he voiced sadness at the loss of life and injuries to bystanders. The car bombing took place near the parliament in Baidoa, where Somalia’s transitional Government is based. Media reports say at least 11 people were killed in the attack. Earlier this month, talks resumed in Khartoum between Somalia’s Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of the Islamic Courts, which control the capital Mogadishu and much of the country. Somalia has not had a functioning national government since the regime of then president Muhammad Siad Barre was toppled in 1991. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

LEBANON’S CULTURAL HERITAGE LARGELY SURVIVED RECENT BOMBING, SAY UN EXPERTS

New York, Sep 18 2006 5:00PM Most components of Lebanon’s cultural heritage were spared during the recent conflict, experts sent by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (<"http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=34765&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html">UNESCO) said today after visiting the country, but urgent measures are needed to protect the World Heritage List site of Byblos from the effects of an oil spill. At a press conference at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris following the six-day assessment visit by the experts, the mission’s leader Mounir Bouchenaki said the World Heritage List sites of Baalbek and Tyre sustained only minor damage. But Mr. Bouchenaki, who is also Director-General of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, said the most serious damage occurred at Byblos, which contains the ruins of an important city of the Phoenician civilization. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) bombed a coastal power plant at Jiyeh during its conflict with Hizbollah, causing an oil spill in the eastern Mediterranean sea that has reached Byblos. Mr. Bouchenaki said the stones at the base of two mediaeval towers and other seashore archaeological remains in the port have been affected by the oil spill. He estimated the clean-up operation will take up to 10 weeks, involve 25 people and cost about $100,000. In Tyre, while the Roman hippodrome and triumphal arch were undamaged, several frescoes in a Roman tomb on the site had come partly unstuck and needed restoration, Mr. Bouchenaki said. At Baalbek, the site was spared apart from the fall of one block of stone and suspected widening fissures on the lintels of the temples of Jupiter and Bacchus. In the nearby Old City of Baalbek, which is not part of the property inscribed on the World Heritage List, bombs damaged the souk and some old houses. The experts also visited the Old City of Saida and the nearby Temple of Echmoun – which the Lebanese Government is preparing to propose for inscription on the World Heritage List – and found them unscathed from the conflict. Stressing the importance that cultural heritage plays in demonstrating Lebanon’s diversity and tolerance, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Françoise Rivière told today’s press conference that the World Heritage Fund could set aside $70,000 in emergency spending to help the country. Aside from Mr. Bouchenaki, the experts who took part in the mission were: Alain Bouineau, Honorary Professor at the Jean Monnet University of St. Etienne, France; Giorgio Croci, Professor at La Sapienza University, Rome; Véronique Dauge, head of the Arab States unit at UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre; Joseph Kreidi, culture project officer at UNESCO’s Beirut office; and Tamara Teneishivili, cultural programme specialist at UNESCO’s Beirut office. 2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 

DEADLY SUICIDE ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN IS A ‘CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY’: UN
ENVOY

New York, Sep 18 2006 12:00PM
The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan said a suicide attack today
in the southern province of Kandahar that killed four Canadian soldiers
and wounded or killed tens of civilians, mainly children, was a “crime
against humanity” and an atrocity against all Afghans.

“This brutal attack has resulted in four Canadian soldiers being killed
and over 25 civilians, mainly children, being wounded or killed, as
well as a number of other Canadian and Government military personnel who
were delivering food aid to them,” said Tom Koenigs, the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative.

“I am appalled at the blatant disregard for human life in which so many
children’s lives are being treated with such disregard. I believe that
this attack amounts to a serious violation of international
humanitarian law. It should be treated as a crime against humanity.”

This latest suicide attack, which occurred in Kandahar’s Zherai
district, comes amid increasing violence in recent months, including a suicide
bombing on 10 September that killed Abdul Hakim Tanaiwal, the Governor
of south-eastern Paktia province.
2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

SECURITY TASK FORCE IN TIMOR-LESTE AGREES TO STEP UP DISARMAMENT – UN
MISSION

New York, Sep 18 2006 10:00AM
A Security Task Force in Timor-Leste, where violence earlier this year
caused over three dozen deaths and forced some 150,000 people to flee
their homes, has agreed to step up a national disarmament campaign, the
United Nations mission there (<"http://www.unmiset.org/">UNMIT) has
reported.

The move came on Friday during a Security Task Force meeting where
Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Representative, Sukehiro Hasegawa,
underscored the need to collect weapons that remain in the hands of
civilians.

Among those attending was Brigadier-General Mick Slater, who reported
that more than 1,700 firearms have already been collected and the
process continues. “Thousands of traditional weapons have also been collected
and destroyed,” he said

Mr. Hasegawa emphasized that the assistance of the Timorese people
“will be essential in indicating the location of illegal weapons and
identify those persons who are in the possession of such weapons.”

Increasing security concerns were also expressed by a number of
political party representatives who participated in a separate meeting on the
electoral process, UNMIT said in a news release. Political party
representatives emphasized the need for the UN and the international security
forces to establish and maintain a secure environment in the period
leading up to, during and immediately following the 2007 presidential and
parliamentary elections.
2006-09-18 00:00:00.000

 SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS FOR RENEWED EFFORTS TO RESTORE OZONE LAYER

New York, Sep 16 2006  7:00PM
Efforts to protect the ozone layer are showing signs of progress, but
much remains to be done to restore this life-saving part of the earth's
atmosphere that filters out the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays,
Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message marking the International Day
for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

The latest scientific assessments conducted under the auspices of the
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO) found clear evidence of a reduction in ozone-depleting
substances in the lower atmosphere, as well as indications that their
destructive impact in the stratosphere was also on the wane, according to the
message.  But they also push back the estimated date for total ozone
layer recovery by 15 years, to 2065.

Mr. Annan cautioned that failure to comply with the Montreal Protocol,
the 1987 international treaty set up to protect the ozone layer, could
delay or even bring this progress to a halt.

"The work is still unfinished, and it is only through persistent
dedication over the course of this century that our generation and future
generations will realize the benefits of full ozone layer recovery," he
said.

Meanwhile, the WMO has launched its first bulletin detailing depletion
of the ozone layer over the Arctic.

While the hole in the ozone layer remains fairly static when it appears
over the Antarctic, areas of depletion in the Arctic are much more
likely to shift around, subjecting populations across far northern
latitudes to less protection from the ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer,
cataracts and other ills, the report said.

The WMO also found that the degree of ozone loss depended to a large
extent on meteorological conditions, with this past year's mild winter
resulting in less ozone loss than the previous winter, which saw one of
the largest Arctic ozone losses ever recorded.

This comes as three UN agencies today jointly launched a teach
programme aimed at showing children how to protect the ozone layer and
safely enjoy the sun.

The OzonAction Education Pack is the product of a collaboration between
UNEP, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and the World Health Organization (WHO)

It involves teaching such basic concepts like looking at your shadow to
determine how direct the sun is and covering up with hats, sunglasses
and sunscreen.

"The OzonAction Education Pack will help schoolchildren to become aware
of the simple protection steps that reduce solar UV health risks," said
Dr. Anders Nordström, Acting Director-General of WHO. "Severe health
effects such as melanoma and other skin cancers are largely preventable
through reduced sun exposure."

2006-09-16 00:00:00.000

 

UN COMMISSION CHIEF IN BEIRUT SAYS LEBANON SHOULD STEER RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT

New York, Sep 15 2006 11:00AM Returning to her Beirut headquarters following a disruption caused by the 34-day war between Israel and Hizbollah, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) has stressed the need for Lebanon to steer the reconstruction process based on a vision for the country’s development. “I salute the Lebanese people for their solidarity in the face of this destructive war,” Mervat Tallawy said on arrival Wednesday. Since the start of the war, ESCWA documented the military operations and their impact in detail, she recalled, pledging that the Commission will also analyze the data gathered. “This will be a cautionary document that serves as a reference point in the discussion of international laws that need to protect the rights of civilians during armed conflicts,” she said. Responding to questions, she said the death of civilians in Lebanon would provide a push towards activating international laws concerned with safeguarding children and civilians during armed conflicts. Questioned whether the UN had plans to accomplish this, Ms. Tallawy said that this demanded a great amount of collective effort on the part of countries, governments and civil society organizations “because humanity is for all nations and knows no boundaries.” 2006-09-15 00:00:00.000

 

RAPID RECOVERY IN LEBANON ALLOWS UN FOOD AGENCY TO WIND DOWN RELIEF EFFORT

 New York, Sep 15 2006 11:00AM Lebanon will soon be food secure again and its commercial sector is bouncing back quicker than expected, paving the way for the withdrawal of the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2245">WFP) from the country by the end of October, according to a report issued today. “I have to say, it’s a very positive development for us to be able to close a food aid programme and leave,” said WFP’s Emergency Coordinator in Lebanon, Zlatan Milisic. Compiled from the findings of a two-week assessment mission across Lebanon at the end of August and beginning of September, the WFP report also noted that while some parts of the population still suffer the effects of war, foodstuffs are available at affordable prices and nutritional levels are good throughout the country. Even in the south of Lebanon – the area worst hit by the recent conflict – consumers are managing, the agency said. Limited product choice and price hikes have failed to close down the market, which shows encouraging signs of recovery from the combined effects of more than a month of hostilities and the just-lifted Israeli naval blockade. “All the indications were that the situation was improving fast after the end of the fighting but, until the conclusion of this assessment, we didn’t have enough hard evidence,” said Mr. Milisic. “Now we have data giving a clear picture of people’s food needs over the coming months. The general outlook is good and confirms our view that we should not stay in Lebanon a moment longer than necessary.” The assessment team noted that some population groups, however, are still vulnerable and face continuing hardship. They include daily wage labourers, fishermen and some farmers in the south of the country, particularly growers of fruit, vegetables and cash crops such as tobacco. Major factors in sustaining people in these categories will be the levels of support offered by local communities and remittances sent by family members. The report recommends that WFP continue its food assistance programme to those most in need until 24 October – the date that will mark the end of the three-month emergency operation launched by the agency after the outbreak of war in July. “We have done our best to assist the Government and the people of the country – and we have been successful. Even at the height of the fighting, we were operational, bringing relief supplies to those areas we could access. Now the situation is stabilizing and people are resuming their lives, it’s time for us to say goodbye,” said Mr. Milisic, welcoming this development. WFP has reached more than 700,000 people since the start of its Emergency Operation in July and is now targeting some 350,000 of the most affected people in Lebanon, the majority of them in the south of the country and in the southern suburbs of the capital. In all, WFP has distributed an estimated 480,000 monthly rations and helped the Government of Lebanon import 12,300 tons of wheat during the blockade period. It also helped to move some 1,900 tons of humanitarian supplies in the country. 2006-09-15 00:00:00.000

 

UN REFUGEE AGENCY SOUTH SUDAN REPATRIATION OPERATION THREATENED BY FUNDING GAP

New York, Sep 15 2006 11:00AM The United Nations refugee agency today announced that without an urgent infusion of funds from donors, its operations in Southern Sudan will have to be drastically curtailed just as the repatriation of tens of thousands of refugees from countries throughout the region begins to gain momentum. The funding shortfall could mean suspending, postponing, reducing or cancelling some South Sudan programmes by the end of this month, the agency warned. Long-term, the operation is aimed at helping some of the 350,000 Sudanese refugees still in neighbouring countries to go home, and at providing assistance in Sudan to some of the estimated 4 million internally displaced. Of $65.9 million sought for the operation for 2006, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has received nearly $30 million and had spent some $22 million of that by the end of July. The remainder is now nearly depleted and only partially covers costs for August and September – estimated at $15.8 million. And to meet the most critical needs for the last quarter of the year, UNHCR requires an estimated $5.2 million a month. Unless additional contributions are received soon, the agency will have to take measures to avoid overspending. In addition to severe curbs on its programmes, it may also have to close several offices and reduce staff in the region. At present, UNHCR has a network of three sub-offices and nine smaller field offices. It has 175 staff in the area. High Commissioner António Guterres stressed the “urgency of additional support to meet crucial needs” until the end of the year. “We have dedicated available resources to improving conditions in targeted return areas, which also contributes to the United Nations' overall collaborative endeavours to stabilize Southern Sudan,” Mr. Guterres said of UNHCR's operation. “It is crucial that this effort continue for the people of Southern Sudan who have made the brave choice to return home and rebuild their lives.” Since December 2005, UNHCR has helped over 12,000 Sudanese refugees to go home from neighbouring countries. With the approaching end of the rainy season, thousands more are expected to return by the end of the year with the agency’s help. Together with other agencies, UNHCR also assisted 12,000 internally displaced Dinka Bor people return home, along with their 1.5 million head of cattle. The signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in January 2005 ended 21 years of war in the south and paved the way for the return of millions of internally displaced people and refugees in surrounding countries. The South Sudan repatriation operation is viewed as one of the few bright spots in a strife-torn region struggling to cope with enormous suffering and displacement – in Darfur, Chad, the Central African Republic and elsewhere. 2006-09-15 00:00:00.000

 

DEADLY SMUGGLING OF REFUGEES FROM SOMALIA TO YEMEN PICKS UP PACE, UN AGENCY

New York, Sep 15 2006 11:00AM More and more people are being smuggled across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia to Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency, which has repeatedly been warning of the dangers involved, said today. “If the present trend continues, this month could set a new record for the number of arrivals,” Ron Redmond, a spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a press briefing in Geneva. “These are desperate people – mainly Somalis but also large numbers of Ethiopians – who are fleeing insecurity and poverty. For a fee of $40 each, they are crammed into rickety, open fishing vessels. Many making the hazardous voyage will not survive,” he said. Those arriving on Wednesday reported that two male passengers had drowned when they were forced overboard while still in deep water. Four were reported to have drowned from the first boat to arrive this season in early September, according to UNHCR. The smugglers are operating from the commercial port of Bossasso in Puntland, a self-declared autonomous area of north-east Somalia, over 300 kilometres from Yemen. “UNHCR has worked in the region to inform people about the dangers and has called on the international community to press authorities in Puntland to crack down on smugglers,” said Mr. Redmond, noting that “hundreds die before reaching shore each year.” The agency has also asked donors to back international efforts to help in Puntland, “where living conditions encourage acts like sailing to Yemen,” he added. There are currently more than 88,000 registered refugees in Yemen, of whom 84,000 are Somalis. UNHCR operates a reception centre and camp in Yemen. 2006-09-15 00:00:00.000

 

UN REFUGEE AGENCY APPEALS TO SYRIA FOR RELEASE OF THREE IRANIAN ARABS

New York, Sep 15 2006 11:00AM Voicing “deep concern” about the fate of three Iranian Arabs being held in Syria, the United Nations refugee agency today urged their release. Before being taken into detention last May in Damascus, the three “Ahwazi” people were recognized as refugees and had been accepted for resettlement in Western European countries, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). “We have been in regular contact with Syrian authorities in Damascus as well as in Geneva to discuss the situation of the three men,” agency spokesman Ron Redmond said, voicing “deep concern” about their fate. “Our staff have been promised several times that they be able to meet with the three detainees, but so far we have had no access despite numerous requests.” Appealing for the immediate release of the three Ahwazi, Mr. Redmond said UNHCR is “also calling on the Syrian authorities to refrain from extraditing the three refugees to Iran, and instead to allow their departure to their countries of resttlement.” He added that the agency is “all the more concerned about these three detained refugees following Syria's previous extradition to Iran of an Arab-Iranian Ahwazi last May.” That individual had been recognized under UNHCR's mandate at the end of 2005 and had been accepted for resettlement to a third country but was arrested in March and detained by the Syrian authorities until his extradition to Iran, where he is reportedly detained. Ahwazi refugees arrived from Iran in Syria and Iraq at various times, most recently in 2005 following a confrontation between members of the Ahwazi community and government forces in the Ahwaz region. Deportation of recognized refugees represents a violation of the principle of non-refoulement or forced return, the agency pointed out. This principle of customary international law prohibits states from returning a refugee or asylum seeker to territories where there is a risk that his or her life or freedom would be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. 2006-09-15 00:00:00.000

 

CELEBRITIES CAN DO MORE TO HELP UN SPOTLIGHT WORLD CRISES, SAYS ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY

 New York, Sep 15 2006 9:00AM Celebrities can play a bigger role in working with the United Nations to call attention to the world's overlooked or under-reported crises, but they must be well informed if they are to have a positive impact, the actor and director George Clooney said today. In an interview with the UN News Centre after his joint briefing with Nobel Laureate and UN Messenger of Peace Elie Wiesel to the Security Council in New York about the dire situation faced by the people of Darfur, Sudan, he said celebrities can help ensure crises stay under the media spotlight. In the case of Darfur, Mr. Clooney said the immediate goal is to try to bring action before the end of the month, when African Union (AU) soldiers are slated to leave the region, which may spark an exodus of humanitarian workers. Some 3 million people in Darfur depend on aid for food, shelter and health care. "Our job wasn't to try and convince anybody in that room. Our job was to try and make sure cameras got there. Because once you shine a light on people, they tend to have to honour their commitments," he said, citing last month's Security Council resolution 1706, when members voted to deploy more than 17,000 UN peacekeepers. The resolution "invites the consent" of the Sudanese Government to the deployment, but Khartoum has stated repeatedly that it is opposed to any UN blue helmets taking over from the AU. Mr. Clooney said the challenge now for him, Professor Wiesel and others was to try to keep Darfur in the public eye up until the AU departure deadline at the end of the month. "I really think that our job is to try and empower and buoy up the UN, because without them I don't know what we can do? Things come and go very quickly [in the spotlight]. Like the Darfur rally in May or in April, and everyone goes, 'Well, we fixed it,' and then they go away." Mr. Clooney said that while there has been a long history of celebrities and public figures vital they know the topic they are speaking about if they are to resist the attacks of potential critics. "If you're a celebrity and you're going to do it, you better be really well informed on the subject matter, because otherwise I think you do damage to it," he said, before giving an example. "People like to come in and say, 'OK, tell me about Minni Minawi [a Darfur rebel leader].' If you don't know that sort of thing, then they basically marginalize you? So your job is to be really well informed, so that when somebody tries to put that, you're able to respond to everything along the way." Mr. Clooney -- who visited Darfur earlier this year -- stressed it helps to be "finding and picking your spots and not trying to tell everybody what to think; just trying to spotlight." He said he was optimistic about the willingness of people, whether well known or not, to support good causes. "I think people, when they have a minute, are actually really good about helping out. I really do think that. And celebrities have the access, so they should do something whenever they can." Across the UN system there are currently about 80 Goodwill Ambassadors and nine Messengers of Peace. Since the early 1950s the world body has enlisted prominent figures from the spheres of art, music, film, literature and sport to highlight key issues and draw attention to its activities. During the interview, Mr. Clooney also praised the efforts of humanitarian workers from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assist the people in Darfur, where fighting between Government forces, allied militias and rebel groups has displaced nearly 2 million people since 2003 and led to scores of thousands of civilian deaths. "It's shocking how brave these people are," he said, noting the conditions he witnessed in many of the camps for Darfur's internally displaced persons (IDPs) where the aid workers operate. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

NOBEL LAUREATE ELIE WIESEL AND ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY URGE UN ACTION ON DARFUR

 New York, Sep 14 2006 7:00PM Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel and screen artist George Clooney today joined their voices at a meeting of the Security Council in New York to urge action to help the people of Darfur, Sudan, where African troops are slated to leave and a planned deployment of United Nations peacekeepers faces government opposition. Describing Darfur as this century’s first genocide, Mr. Clooney warned the Council today that millions of Sudanese will die unless it takes “real and effective measures” before the end of the month to put an end to the killing and rapes in the war-torn region. The actor and director – who visited Darfur earlier this year – told the 15-member body that the way it deals with the crisis there “will be your legacy, your Rwanda, your Cambodia, your Auschwitz.” Nobel Laureate and UN Messenger of Peace Elie Wiesel, who himself survived the notorious Nazi death camp, reminded Council members that the UN Charter obligates them to save lives. “You hold their destiny in your hands… Be worthy of your mission. Despair is not an option. Hope is,” Professor Wiesel said. The meeting, hosted by United States Ambassador John Bolton, was held a day after Secretary-General issued a stark message that Darfur is headed for disaster unless the world can persuade Khartoum to accept UN peacekeepers to take over the work of the existing African Union (AU) peace operation. When the Council voted to deploy more than 17,000 UN troops last month, the resolution also said it “invites the consent” of the Sudanese Government. But Khartoum has stated it is opposed to the arrival of blue helmets. Mr. Clooney said the situation had become especially urgent because the AU operation is set to withdraw at the end of this month. “The 1st of October will leave these people with nothing… With no protection, all the aid workers will leave immediately and the 2.5 million refugees who depend on that aid will die. [Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs] Jan Egeland estimates 100,000 a month. So after September 30th, you won’t need the UN. You will simply need men with shovels and bleached white linen and headstones.” Acknowledging that the UN was faced with an extremely difficult task, he said that nevertheless “you have to decide what’s most urgent. You have the responsibility to protect. In the time that we are here today, more women and children will die violently in the Darfur region than in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Israel or Lebanon.” Mr. Clooney added that Darfur represents “the first genocide of the 21st century and, if it continues unchecked, it will not be the last. My job is to come here today and to beg you on behalf of the millions of people who will die – and, make no mistake, they will die – for you to take real and effective measures to put an end to this.” Professor Wiesel labelled Darfur “the world capital of human suffering, humiliation and despair… You know that the tragedy there seems endless as well as senseless. It has all the components of the worst and ugliest crimes of the last century: tribal hatred, vicious brutality, and scandalous behaviour of raping women [and] killing children.” He compared the situation to that of Rwanda in 1994, when the Security Council was accused of being indifferent to the genocide there that led to the deaths of an estimated 800,000 people in less than four months. “The victim is always doubly cursed, and doubly punished. First, by being a victim, and then, by being alone. Miserably alone and forgotten by the so-called decent people and its reputable spokesmen and leaders.” About 1.9 million people have been displaced and nearly 3 million in total depend on humanitarian aid for food, shelter and health care across Darfur, an impoverished region roughly the size of France on Sudan’s western flank. Fighting between Government forces, allied militias and rebel groups has raged since 2003. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

UN VOLUNTEER HELD BY ERITREAN AUTHORITIES REMAINS INCOMMUNICADO

New York, Sep 14 2006 6:00PM A United Nations Volunteer arrested and detained in Eritrea more than three weeks ago remains incommunicado, despite appeals by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), the mission reported today. The UNMEE staff member was arrested on 28 August. Since that time, Eritrean authorities have refused to provide access or to explain why they took the staffer into custody. Following the arrest and the East African nation’s simultaneous decision to expel five UN security personnel, Mr. Annan expressed his deep concern about the “pattern of hostility at the United Nations in Eritrea.” In recent months, authorities there have arrested some one dozen UN staffers, a number of whom were later released. UNMEE monitors the ceasefire along the disputed border over which the Ethiopia and Eritrea fought a war from 1998-2000. Its work has been hampered by Ethiopia’s refusal to accept the border set by a Boundary Commission and restrictions imposed on the mission by Eritrea. In May, the Security Council cut the peacekeeping force’s troop levels by more than 1,000 to 2,300. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

IRAQ MUST DEVELOP A ‘TRULY NATIONAL AGENDA’ FOR ALL ITS PEOPLE, UN ENVOY TELLS COUNCIL

 New York, Sep 14 2006 6:00PM Iraq’s leaders must develop a “truly national agenda” relevant to all its people, the top United Nations envoy to the war-torn country told the Security Council today during a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8829.doc.htm">meeting to discuss Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest situation report. “The key challenge of the Government of Iraq is to develop a truly national agenda that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of all Iraqis,” said Ashraf Qazi, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, at the start of the Council’s discussions. “Prime Minister [Nouri] al-Maliki has laid out a range of initiatives in his National Reconciliation Plan and has taken initial steps to broaden the basis of support for his Government and to increase the effectiveness of the Iraqi Security Forces.” Mr. Qazi, who spoke ahead of 16 other representatives, acknowledged the extent of the violence in Iraq – as laid out in the Secretary-General’s report – but he said despite this there were still reasons for optimism. He also emphasized the importance of attaining stability. “Whatever the challenges of the moment – and there are many – there is still reason for cautious optimism. The demonstrated resilience of the Iraqi people in the face of a succession of calamities and tribulations is reason enough to know they will not be defeated in achieving their aspirations,” he said. “Given Iraq’s importance and potential, its neighbours and the wider international community have a vital stake in helping Iraq become a peaceful, stable and prosperous partner, fully integrated within the region and the international community.” He repeated Mr. Annan’s warning that the country stands at an “important crossroads” that could lead to civil war but reiterated praise for Iraqi efforts to rehabilitate the country, in particular through the International Compact with Iraq. The Compact, which is co-chaired by the UN, is a new partnership with the global community that was launched in July and aims to pursue political, economic and social development over the next five years, and Mr. Qazi says this could become an “important vehicle” for reconstruction. He highlighted that in a preparatory meeting on the Compact last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, the Government outlined its key priorities under the plan and also pledged its “strong commitment to tackling corruption…improving governance, and building and consolidating effective national institutions,” as well as reaching a host of other targets. The UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) is fully committed to supporting the development of the Compact, which was also backed at last Sunday’s gathering by representatives of 13 Governments, the League of Arab States, the World Bank and other regional and international organizations. Mr. Qazi said that the Secretary-General will convene a high-level meeting at UN Headquarters next Monday to review the development of the Compact along with other issues relating to Iraq, emphasizing that it was important to decide how best to assist the country. “The best option of the international community is to prove the pessimists wrong by assisting the people and Government of Iraq in realizing their national vision,” he said. “There are few more noble endeavours to devote our energies and capacities to.” 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS EXPERT GROUP ON ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST CÔTE D’IVOIRE

 New York, Sep 14 2006 5:00PM Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire continues to pose a threat to international peace and security, the United Nations Security Council today unanimously voted to <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8830.doc.htm">extend the mandate of the three-person team monitoring the arms embargo against the West African country. Under today’s resolution, the Group of Experts, which was established early last year to gather and analyze information on arms caches and flows in the region, will continue working through 15 December. The Council also asked the Group to prepare an updated report on the effectiveness of the weapons ban, as well as on the success of other States’ efforts to prevent the import of rough diamonds from Côte d’Ivoire, which has been divided between government and rebel forces since fighting broke out in 2002. The Group will also report on any serious obstacles to the freedom of movement of the UN mission in Côte d’Ivoire (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unoci/index.html">UNOCI). Meanwhile, a UN expert is <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/09F62514FEED8F7AC12571E90053B574?opendocument">calling for full, independent investigation into last month’s dumping of toxic waste around the capital, Abidjan, that has reportedly killed at least six people and sickened thousands of others. “The dumping of toxic products and wastes violates a wide range of human rights, including the right to life, the right to health and the right to adequate housing,” said Okechukwu Ibeanu, the Special UN Rapporteur on adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights. Mr. Ibeanu called upon all concerned countries and parties “to immediately disclose all information on the exact content and composition of the toxic waste and any other information that could be used to save lives and treat persons that have been affected by the waste.” He also called for the identification and prosecution of those responsible for the dumping, as well as compensation for the victims and their families. Last week the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) quoted sources saying the as yet unidentified substances were dumped from a vessel, Probo Koala, on 19 August, and possibly exported illegally from Europe. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

UN ISSUES FIRST-EVER PERFORMANCE REPORT CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL AND PROGRAMME DATA

New York, Sep 14 2006 5:00PM In a move that advances Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s reform agenda for the United Nations, the world body has released a corporate-style budget and programme performance report, consolidating information that had previously been scattered in numerous different documents and packaging it in a user-friendly format accessible to the general public. The initiative stems from a proposal by Mr. Annan in his final reform report, <i>Investing in the United Nations: for a stronger Organization worldwide</i>, calling for a single, comprehensive annual report, that, for the first time, would contain both financial and programme information in one volume. “The intention was to share, in a transparent, accountable way, what we do, how well we do it, and the nature of the obstacles and factors in play,” said Under-Secretary-General for Management Christopher Burnham, explaining that the report provides information on the UN’s efficiency. Speaking to reporters in New York, he emphasized that those who produced the report deliberately used plain language. “In devising a style for this report, we made a conscious effort to express our work in understandable language, so that complex operations and issues are made more accessible to ‘non-insiders.’” Mr. Burnham drew parallels with businesses and other entities that are accountable for producing results. “This report is what corporations around the world do. This report is what foundations around the world do. This report is what non-governmental organizations and government agencies do around the world,” he said. “It starts off with what we might call a letter to shareholders. Of course we also want to reach out to the global taxpayers who pay our salaries, who pay the electricity bill here, who pay for the operations of the United Nations,” he added. The report includes an independent assessment by the UN’s Inspector General as well as data on performance. “We have tried to be absolutely honest and fair in that appraisal,” Mr. Burnham said, adding financial information “shows you exactly where we are spending our money.” Audit information is also contained in the document. With Mr. Annan now completing the final year in his decade-long service at the UN’s helm, Mr. Burnham said the initiative should endure. “I hope this will set the standard for future secretaries-general to produce this kind of report so that we can continue with our commitment to transparency and accountability, first of all to the global taxpayer but equally to the Member States who comprise our board of directors,” the management chief said. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

UN AGENCIES COORDINATE AID FOR THOUSANDS OF FLOOD-HIT NEPALESE

 New York, Sep 14 2006 5:00PM Families affected by the floods and landslides that have hit Nepal this year are receiving assistance thanks to a coordinated effort by United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the Nepal Red Cross Society. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is continuously supporting district government’s coordination structure and coordinating disaster response meetings in Nepal. According to the latest assessments conducted by the Red Cross Society, a total of 26 districts have been affected. The estimated total number of affected families is around 16,000 but will increase as assessments in newly-affected districts are still in process. “Our main concern with the floods in Nepal, that estimate of the number will of people who are affected – will drastically rise,” Stephanie Bunker, a spokesperson for <"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA said of the floods. The Red Cross Society estimates that over 45,000 people to date have received various relief assistance. While the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that no epidemics have occurred, the agency in collaboration with the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) and the District Health Office in Nepal, will continue monitoring the health situation, paying attention especially to vector-borne diseases. The UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2243">WFP) expects to deliver a total of 1,300 metric tonnes of food, including rice, lentils, salt and oil to those affected in the country’s western regions. An assessment of longer-term humanitarian needs in the realms of shelter and education is now being conducted. A total of 5,700 educational kits will be provided to affected districts by the United Nations Children’s Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) and its NGO partners. “Our operations are underway and working with Nepal Red Cross we plan to make sure that food isn't a problem for the victims of this tragic crisis,” Richard Ragan, WFP's Country Director for Nepal, said earlier this week. “While much of the world's attention is focused on the ongoing peace process in Nepal, it is important that we also respond to the very real and immediate needs of these victims of a terrible natural disaster.” In the most affected districts of Banke, Bardiya and Achham, deliveries of immediate relief assistance continue despite the bad weather that has occasionally hampered transportation of the assistance, OCHA said. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000 ________________

 

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL WELCOMES PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT AFRICA

 New York, Sep 14 2006 4:00PM Hailing recent announcements by two major philanthropic organizations of plans to undertake massive development projects in Africa, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2202">expressed the hope that others would also come forward to help countries on the continent to fight poverty, hunger and disease. Earlier this week, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation announced an alliance to contribute to a “Green Revolution” in Africa by dramatically increasing the productivity of small farms, starting with a $150 million investment. Also this week, George Soros and his Open Society Institute pledged $50 million for the Millennium Villages Project of the Millennium Promise Organization. In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Annan said the two initiatives “represent the kind of clear, practical support needed to help give Africans living in rural areas, where the needs are greatest, the tools and support needed to help feed themselves and their children and pull themselves out of poverty.” Spokesman Yves Sorokobi voiced Mr. Annan hope that “these far-sighted actions will encourage others to step forward and support the work by the United Nations and other partners in assisting African countries in their fight against the challenges of poverty, disease and hunger.” 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN OPENS HISTORIC UN MIGRATION MEETING BY WELCOMING BELGIAN OFFER TO HOST FORUM

 New York, Sep 14 2006 4:00PM Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed Belgium’s offer to host the first meeting next year of his proposed Global Forum on Migration and Development, a standing body in which countries will be able to discuss and exchange the best ideas and practices on the issue. In an <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sgsm10634.doc.htm">address in New York to the <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/ga10494.doc.htm">opening of the United Nations’ first-ever high level gathering on migration and development, Mr. Annan said he was “especially delighted that so many of you have embraced my proposal” and asked him to help set it up. He stressed that the planned Forum, which he first outlined in a report released in June, would not be some norm-setting intergovernmental commission on migration but would be led and overseen by States, with the UN system providing support. “It would be informal, voluntary, consultative. Above all, it would not make binding decisions,” Mr. Annan told the two-day High-Level Dialogue of the General Assembly on International Migration and Development. “The Forum would allow us to build relationships of trust, and to bring together the best ideas that different countries have developed: facilitating remittances; engaging diasporas; exploring new ways to reduce poverty; building educational partnerships; and so on.” Peter Sutherland, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Migration, told a press conference today at UN Headquarters in New York that the Forum “will create, hopefully, an environment where a dialogue which has not existed in the past… will take place, which is a multilateral dialogue.” Mr. Annan said this week’s landmark meeting is taking place at a time when the world increasingly appreciates that migrants can transform their adopted and native countries for the better. While there are some negative aspects to migration, such as human trafficking, smuggling and social discontent, he said governments are more willing today to see the opportunities if they cooperate with other States on this subject. More nations are affected by migration than at any time in history, evidence is mounting of the potential benefits of migration, and governments are starting to view migration “through the prism of opportunity, not fear.” General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa told the gathering that, “if harnessed constructively, migration can have a profound effect on development,” with migrants’ remittances to their native countries particularly helpful in reducing poverty. But Sheikha Haya added that the migration of skilled peoples from developing countries to affluent nations can severely impede development in poorer States. More than 140 speakers – comprising individual States, regional bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – are scheduled to discuss the issues over the next two days. In addition to the plenary debate, the meeting will bring delegates together in informal round-table discussions. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

DARFUR BESET BY ANOTHER ROUND OF VIOLENT CLASHES AND BANDITRY, SAYS UN MISSION

 New York, Sep 14 2006 4:00PM A gunman fired shots at African Union (AU) soldiers attempting to bring peace to Darfur, the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) said today as it reported on a fresh round of violent clashes and acts of banditry across the war-wracked region. UNMIS said that an unknown man fired two shots yesterday at a vehicle carrying AU soldiers near Kutum airstrip in North Darfur state. One soldier was struck in the leg while driving, and the gunman escaped. On Tuesday, 10 armed men forced their way into a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tawilla, also in North Darfur, and stole animals. AU soldiers later killed one of the gunmen in an exchange of fire. In South Darfur, the area around Buram remains inaccessible to humanitarian workers because of continued fighting, UN spokesman Yves Sorokobi told reporters at the daily press briefing in New York. There have also been continuing clashes between Government forces, allied militias and rebel groups in West Darfur and North Darfur, according to UNMIS, although the number of casualties in either state is unconfirmed. The clashes and banditry were reported one day after Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that Darfur is headed for a catastrophe unless the Sudanese Government changes its mind and allows UN peacekeepers to take over from the existing AU operation. Mr. Annan told a press conference at UN Headquarters that the world faced a “big challenge” to ensure there was not a repeat of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. “If the African Union forces were to leave, and we are not able to put in a UN follow-on force, we are heading for a disaster, and I don’t think we can allow that to happen, particularly since we only recently passed the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ resolution,” he said. Last month the Security Council voted to deploy more than 17,000 blue helmets in Darfur, saying it “invites the consent” of the Sudanese Government. But Khartoum has said repeatedly that it is opposed to such a force. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM LEBANON EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY END SEPTEMBER: UN

New York, Sep 14 2006 3:00PM Marking one month since Security Council resolution 1701 ended the 34 days of fighting between Hizbollah and Israel in Lebanon, the United Nations Force Commander in the country said today he expects all Israeli forces to have withdrawn from the south by the end of September. “The cessation of hostilities is generally maintained, the Israeli Army is continuing to withdraw from South Lebanon, while the Lebanese Army deploys in these areas. I expect the withdrawal to be complete by the end of this month,” said Maj-Gen. Alain Pellegrini, head of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). “Working in conjunction with the Lebanese Armed Forces, and in close coordination with the Israeli Army, I think we can ensure a stable environment here in south Lebanon, something that the people need very much to get on with their lives.” UNIFIL said that it has observed a “number of minor incidents and violations” in its area of operation between the Litani River and the Blue Line that separates Lebanon and Israel, but added that these have not been of an offensive and hostile character, and the parties seem determined to uphold the cessation of hostilities agreement. Resolution 1701 called for a strengthening of UNIFIL to up to 15,000 troops and Major-General Pellegrini said a contingent from Spain would arrive on Friday. The Force currently has around 4,000 troops in its theatre of operations. “UNIFIL is now enhancing its presence, we have been reinforced by Italian and French troops, and I expect the Spanish contingent to arrive tomorrow. We are starting to have the numbers that we need, we have a detailed concept of operation and the required rules of engagement.” In a related development, the interim naval task force of ships from various nations continues to assist the Lebanese navy in patrolling its maritime boundary, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said in a letter to the Security Council that this will continue until a full UNIFIL naval task force is deployed, as agreed with Lebanon’s Government. A group of UNIFIL military, police, customs and border experts are also reviewing security measures at other entry points in Lebanon, and the Force is also continuing its extensive humanitarian work on the ground, including helping to destroy the masses of unexploded ordnance that litter the countryside. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

MAJORITY OF WORLD’S CHILD WORKERS EMPLOYED IN AGRICULTURE, SAYS UN AGENCY

New York, Sep 14 2006 1:00PM Agricultural work accounts for some 70 per cent of child labour worldwide, forcing children to work long hours, operate dangerous machinery, and carry loads that are too heavy for their growing bodies, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org">FAO) said today. “Most working children in the world are found on farms and plantations, not in factories, sweatshops or urban areas,” <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000394/index.html">said Jennie Dey DePryck, Chief of FAO’s Rural Institutions and Participation Service, in a statement issued in Rome. The FAO noted that agriculture is one of the world’s three most hazardous work sectors, along with mining and construction. “Some agricultural activities – mixing and applying pesticides, using certain types of machinery – are so dangerous that children should be clearly prohibited from engaging in them,” said Parviz Koohafkan, Director of FAO’s Rural Development Division. He cautioned, however, that the issue is a complex one since not all of the agricultural work that children perform is harmful to their development and well-being. “When it comes to subsistence and family agriculture, children’s participation in family farm activities helps them learn valuable skills, build self-esteem and contribute to the generation of household income, which has a positive impact on their own livelihoods,” Mr. Koohafkan said. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

UN TAKES OVER POLICING ACTIVITIES IN TIMOR-LESTE

 New York, Sep 14 2006 1:00PM Less than three weeks after the Security Council approved an expanded mission in Timor-Leste, the United Nations Police (UNPOL) there has assumed command of national policing in the fragile country. At an official ceremony in the capital Dili yesterday, officers from Malaysia, Australia and Portugal symbolically replaced their national berets with UN blue berets, bringing the official number of UN Police in Timor-Leste to 554. Addressing the officers, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative Sukehiro Hasegawa said their guiding mission was “to protect the Timorese people against acts of violence and to help rebuild their houses and institutions of governance, while fully respecting the sovereign state of Timor-Leste.” One of UNPOL’s main duties will be to help reconstitute the Timorese National Police, training officers in human rights, community policing and incident management. Violence earlier this year engulfed the tiny country, which the UN shepherded to independence from Indonesia in 2002. Dozens were killed and more than 150,000 people – or about 15 per cent of the national population – fled their homes. Last month the Security Council approved a resolution creating a new and expanded UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT). The mission’s civilian component will initially include more than 1,600 police personnel and up to 34 military liaison and staff officers. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

UN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND RECEIVES LARGEST FUNDING INCREASE IN TWO DECADES

New York, Sep 14 2006 10:00AM The Member States of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (<"http://www.ifad.org">IFAD) have set a $720 million target for resources replenishment, marking is the largest amount for the agency since 1981. “This increase shows that our members recognize the crucial importance of rural development to achieving the Millennium Development Goals,” <"http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2006/36.htm">said the President of IFAD, Lennart Båge. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s poorest people, 800 million men, women and children, live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods. “If we are to achieve our commitment to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015, we must focus on the rural areas of developing countries, where most poor people live,” he said, referring to an international target that is part of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The funding, which covers the period from 2007 to 2009, will allow IFAD to significantly increase its programme of work in developing countries, the agency said in a news release. A specialized agency of the United Nations, IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries, especially low-income, food-deficit countries. It works with governments to develop and finance programmes and projects that enable poor rural people to improve their livelihoods sustainably and overcome poverty themselves. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY PARTNERS WITH GOOGLE EARTH TO SPOTLIGHT CRISIS ZONES

New York, Sep 14 2006 11:00AM Touring a virtual planet earth, zooming in on environmental hotspots and comparing today’s crisis zones with yesterday's areas of natural beauty have all become possible thanks to a <"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=487&ArticleID=5350&l=en">partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (<"http://www.unep.org/">UNEP) and Google Earth. Google Earth – Google’s 3D virtual world browser now provides the option to use “UNEP: Atlas of our Changing Environment,” which offers satellite images of 100 environmental hotspots from around the world. The project builds on the success of UNEP’s popular hardcover release One Planet, Many People: Atlas of our Changing Environment. “These satellite pictures are a wake-up call to all of us to look at the sometimes devastating changes we are wreaking on our planet,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. “Through spectacular imagery, Google Earth and UNEP offer a new way of visualizing the dangers facing our planet today. By tapping into the global Google community, we are able to reach out to millions of people who can mobilize and make a difference.” The printed Atlas One Planet, Many People: Atlas of our Changing Environment was produced in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United States Geological Survey and the University of Maryland. UNEP: Atlas of our Changing Environment uses images from the 2005 publication together with satellite depictions of changes to African lakes (based on the 2006 Africa’s Lakes: Atlas of our Changing Environment), along with several new images and updates, and brings them into the virtual world of Google Earth. Each location features multiple satellite images which are overlaid directly on Google Earth. “Google Earth technology already allows a more informative and accessible means of delivering information about our changing environment,” said the project coordinator, Ashbindu Singh, of UNEP's Division of Early Warning and Assessment. “By keeping pace with the changing world of technology and media, UNEP helps the environmental community keep pace with the real changes in our real world.” 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

 

WORLD’S POOREST COUNTRIES INCREASINGLY WIRED, UN AGENCY REPORTS

 New York, Sep 14 2006 10:00AM According to the International Telecommunication Union (<"http://www.itu.int/">ITU), “teledensity” has more than <"http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2006/16.html">doubled in the majority of least developed countries (<"http://www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ohrlls/default.htm">LDCs) since 2000 with some of them boosting connectivity by as much as 20 times, thanks to rapid growth in the deployment of mobile technologies. According to ITU statistics, LDCs with the highest annual growth rate in terms of cellular subscribers over the period 2000-2005 were Djibouti, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Niger, Liberia, Mali, Sudan, Yemen and Laos. Prepaid services, accounting for almost 90 per cent of the entire market, have contributed to the explosive expansion of the mobile sector in LDCs. In Afghanistan, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Haiti, Somalia and Niger all mobile subscriptions were prepaid. Overall, access to the internet has increased and more interest is on deployment of broadband services in rural areas. By 2005, internet user penetration caught up with fixed line penetration in LDCs, providing access to a host of applications, such as e-education, e-health, e-business, e-agriculture, and e-government. Despite recent progress, LDCs continue to face major challenges. Many established policies and regulations have become obsolete, leading to inefficient and increasingly untenable restrictions and barriers to the development, the ITU said in a news release, calling on policy makers and regulators to address these gap 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

IN KOSOVO, SENIOR UN OFFICIAL SPEAKS OUT AGAINST VIOLENCE

 New York, Sep 14 2006 10:00AM Visiting a local community in Kosovo today, a senior United Nations official spoke out against violence in the province, which the world body has administered since western forces drove out Yugoslav troops in 1999. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Principal Deputy Special Representative, Steven Schook, met with leaders in visited Peja/Pec and condemned a recent bombing attack which was carried out against a returnee property in Shtuple village. “I ask the citizens in Peja/Pec and surrounding communities to spread the message that it is not the time and it is never the time to take this kind of threat in action. Whoever is behind serves no interest of the people of Kosovo; they can only serve the interest of some evil, despicable thought processes,” he said. Following meetings with local officials, he said finances figured high on the agenda. “We talked a lot about the reality of the Kosovo Consolidated Budget; how it is going to get smaller next year,” he said. “We talked about what resources we have and how we can apply more efficiently to help all the communities here.” The top UN envoy to Kosovo was in New York yesterday where he briefed the Security Council, voicing support for Mr. Annan’s call for more progress in the talks on the province’s future. “Kosovo needs to be rid of this uncertainty, and to move on,” said Joachim Rücker. 2006-09-14 00:00:00.000

 

QUARTET TO MEET NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS LATEST PALESTINIAN SITUATION – ANNAN

New York, Sep 13 2006 7:00PM Following an agreement between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas on forming a unity Government, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today that the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East, which includes the United Nations, will meet next week to discuss these developments and possible ways to provide humanitarian assistance to the occupied territory. “[On Monday] I got a call from President Abbas to tell me that they have reached an agreement with Hamas… He also went on to say that the programme they have adopted requires all members of the Government to accept the programme of the Palestine Liberation Organization and all the agreements they had entered into earlier.” “He felt this decision should satisfy the requirements and the conditions demanded by the international community. If that is indeed the case, he should really allow the international community and the donor community to move ahead very quickly and provide the assistance that the Palestinian people need.” International donors have baulked at funding the Hamas-led Palestinian Government because it has yet to renounce violence and the continuing conflict with Israel has led to what Mr. Annan described as a “very desperate and serious situation” in the occupied territory. “We have a temporary mechanism, which allows some money to go in, but to pay for humanitarian services, but not for salaries. It’s become a very complex situation that the Quartet will be looking at when we meet next week to review the impact of our own policies and what has happened on the ground.” The diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East – comprising the UN, United States, European Union (EU) and the Russian Federation – are sponsoring the <"http://www.un.org/News/dh/mideast/roadmap122002.pdf">Road Map plan for a two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace. However, Mr. Annan today <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=940">lamented its lack of progress. “I think the Road Map could have been implemented much faster, or we had hoped it would have been implemented much faster. Alas, it has not been. We are going to meet here next week, and we are meeting at a very critical time for the people in Palestine.” Over the past few months there have been several high-level UN meetings on the worsening plight of the Palestinians in the occupied territory and last week a UN conference of Civil Society in Support of the Palestinian People adopted a plan of action aimed at addressing their plight, and ahead of next year’s 40th anniversary of the occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

UN MEMBER STATES SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY TO SELECT SECRETARY-GENERAL, ANNAN SAYS

New York, Sep 13 2006 6:00PM Kofi Annan, who this year completes his second and final five-year term as United Nations Secretary-General, today said the world body’s Member States should move quickly to select a successor and stressed that whoever is chosen will need to work closely with them. Speaking at a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=940">news conference in New York, he encouraged the Member States to choose a new Secretary-General “as soon as possible.” Asked about the priority issues he hoped to address in his remaining months in office, Mr. Annan cited Lebanon and the broader Middle East, Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kosovo and the fight against HIV. Above all, he called for expeditious action to implement Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 34-day war in Lebanon and authorized an expanded UN force there. “Quite honestly, when I look at what needs to be done, and having been in the region and discussed this with everybody, I think with a bit of goodwill, reasonableness and hard work, this can be done within three to six months,” said Mr. Annan, who just returned from an intensive diplomatic tour of the region. “This would also send a message that resolutions dealing with peace in the Middle East can be implemented and help establish peace and stability between nations and borders and that we can build on from there and tackle Palestine and others,” he noted. Addressing his successors, he said: “The Secretary-General always needs the Member States, and you need to work with them. There are times when they lead, but there are times when the Secretary-General has to lead, become the general and lead them.” Even in those instances, he added, the Secretary-General cannot act alone. “The UN is its Member States, and so he or she has to find a way of working very effectively with them. I think what happened in Lebanon was a clear demonstration of what can happen when the Secretary-General and the Member States work very effectively together.” He cited pulling together the expanded UN force for Lebanon and getting the Israeli blockade lifted, which were both achieved through intensive consultations with leaders of key countries. “The Secretary-General can do nothing if the Member States are not willing to help him, give him the means, support him and let him do it. So I hope my successor will develop these kind of relations with the leaders, with the countries, and to be able to work with them effectively.” Looking back on past accomplishments, he voiced satisfaction that “Member States have accepted that the United Nations has three pillars on which it should build its work: peace and security; economic and social development; human rights and the rule of law.” He added that much was accomplished in the area of reform and paid tribute to the President of the General Assembly’s 60th session, Jan Eliasson. “I think the management reform should continue,” Mr. Annan said, calling also for reform of the Security Council. “The world is not the world of 1945. If we really want to make this Organization what it ought to be, we need to reform the Council to make it more democratic, more representative. If we do that, the Council would even gain in greater legitimacy.” 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

SECRETARY-GENERAL ENCOURAGED BY ‘SLIGHT SHIFT’ IN IRAN’S POSITION ON NUCLEAR TALKS

New York, Sep 13 2006 5:00PM Secretary-General Kofi Annan today <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=940">called for renewed efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the impasse over Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, noting that he detected a “slight shift” in the country’s position. Iran now appeared to be softening its earlier refusal to suspend nuclear activities during the talks, Mr. Annan said, but he added that it was important for both sides to negotiate in good faith. “I do note there is a slight shift – I wouldn’t say it’s a major shift – a slight shift in the sense that they are now saying that, ‘Let’s negotiate.’” He said it is a question of “focusing on the issue at hand and what it takes to settle it without artificial deadlines.” The Secretary-General held what he characterized as “very good and constructive” talks with Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other senior officials last week in Tehran during an intensive diplomatic tour of the region. Mr. Annan said that a significant degree of mistrust remained between both sides, posing a formidable obstacle to reaching any resolution. “The West will tell you the Iranians have been stringing along the negotiations in order to continue with their enrichment,” he said. “When you talk to the Iranians, they believe that they have been deceived. They were at the table for two years, were prepared to do all sorts of things, and nothing happened and suddenly they were before the G-8 and the Security Council.” The Council has threatened sanctions if Iran does not suspend uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and take steps to assure the world that it is not developing nuclear arms. The Secretary-General said that current discussions between the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, and Javier Solana, the High Representative of the European Union for Common Foreign and Security Policy, appeared to be going well. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

INTEGRATION IS THE ANSWER FOR KOSOVO’S SERBS, UN ENVOY TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL

 New York, Sep 13 2006 5:00PM The senior United Nations envoy in Kosovo today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8827.doc.htm">told the Security Council that integration, not isolation, is the answer for the minority Serb population, as the 15-member body met to discuss Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2006/707">report on the future status of the UN-run province. Joachim Rücker, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (<"http://www.unmikonline.org/">UNMIK), acknowledged that the Serbs face problems but said that Belgrade should lift its directive against them working with the elected Kosovo authorities. “Yes, the Kosovo Serbs are in a difficult situation. They fear for their future and do not know whom they can trust. They have been barred for over two-and-a-half years from participating actively in the work of the Kosovo Assembly or the Government. But isolation is not the answer to their problems, integration is.” Mr. Rücker also backed the Secretary-General’s call in his report, which was released yesterday, for more progress in the talks on the province’s future, saying that “Kosovo needs to be rid of this uncertainty, and to move on.” In his report, Mr. Annan said he was disappointed that little common ground had emerged between the Serbian and Kosovar delegations in the past few months of discussions, noting that they remain “committed to ‘substantial autonomy’ and ‘full independence’ respectively, with minimal space for negotiation.” “Both sides would be better served by more flexibility in their positions. I again call on both sides to engage in these talks in a spirit of compromise. It is the responsibility of the parties to find common ground and a sustainable solution, acceptable to both sides, although the support of the international community remains essential to ensure progress,” the Secretary-General highlighted. The report covers the period from 1 May to 14 August, and although Mr. Annan noted the “generally stable political situation” during this time, he strongly condemned acts of violence targeting people and religious sites, particularly those of an inter-ethnic nature and called for all those responsible to be quickly brought to justice. Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one in Kosovo, which UNMIK has administered since 1999 when NATO drove out Yugoslav troops amid ethnic fighting. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

TIMOR-LESTE: UN COMMISSIONERS NEAR COMPLETION OF PROBE INTO VIOLENCE

 New York, Sep 13 2006 4:00PM The United Nations Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste is close to finishing its report into the violence earlier this year that engulfed the country, causing 37 deaths and forcing more than 150,000 people – or about 15 per cent of the national population – to flee their homes. At a <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/A757F82712991556C12571E8003A2277?opendocument">press conference today in Dili, Timor-Leste’s capital, the inquiry’s three commissioners said they expect to submit their report to Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Timor-Leste’s Parliament by early October, within the time frame established when the probe was created. For the past 10 days, the commissioners Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro (chair), Ralph Zacklin and Zelda Holtzman said they have been reviewing the information gathered so far and interviewing or re-interviewing key actors. About 200 people have been interviewed and more than 3,000 relevant documents collected. The inquiry’s mandate is: to establish what happened during the outbreaks of violence on 28-29 April and 23-25 May, and any related events which contributed to the crisis; to clarify responsibility for those events; and to recommend measures to ensure accountability for any crimes or serious human rights violations that were committed. The three commissioners said they expect to leave Timor-Leste at the end of this week and then head to Geneva near the end of the month to finalize the text of the report. In a statement to the press conference, the commissioners thanked Timorese institutions and individuals who cooperated with the inquiry and voiced hope that the Government and key institutions will seriously consider any recommendations they make in the report. “We are conscious of the fact that there are high expectations on the part of the leaders of the Government, representatives of various groups and individuals we met, and by the general population that our report will contribute to the rebuilding of confidence in the institutions of Government and the rule of law,” the joint statement said. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY TO MOBILIZE MILLIONS OF VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN UP WORLD SITES

 New York, Sep 13 2006 1:00PM Some 35 million volunteers from 122 countries are expected take part this weekend in rubbish-clearing efforts at sites across the globe as part of the annual <"http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/en/">Clean Up the World Weekend, which is held in conjunction with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “Clean Up the World mobilizes people around a powerful idea – taking the challenge of environment and sustainable development to our front doors, our backyards, and everywhere else around the globe,” said <"http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=390&ArticleID=5246&l=en">UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner in a statement. Volunteers will pick up trash on beaches, in villages and at various other sites around the world, among them Australia’s Sydney Harbour, the Nile River in Egypt, Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, and the Chinese city of Shaoxing. Additionally, there will be environmental parades, and community implementation of recycling and educational programs, as well as water and energy conservation projects. Since its launch in 1993, the Clean Up the World Weekend campaign has collected an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of rubbish, enough to fill 5,710 Olympic size swimming pools. Plastic, glass, metal and cigarette butts are among the most commonly found items. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

ISRAEL-HIZBOLLAH WAR SHOWED NEED FOR A WIDER MIDDLE EAST ACCORD: ANNAN

New York, Sep 13 2006 2:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said the recent conflict in Lebanon had been a “wake-up” call to the governments he visited during his recent diplomacy in the region, highlighting the need for a wider Middle East peace settlement. “Throughout my visit almost every leader I met felt that Lebanon was a wake-up call and we should really focus on stabilizing the situation…and the relations between Lebanon and Israel, but not stop there, build on from there to deal with other conflicts in the region: in Palestine, the Golan Heights,” he told a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=939">news conference in New York. Mr. Annan, who last week returned from an 11-day trip to the region that included stops in Lebanon, Israel, Syria and elsewhere, also reiterated his belief that these countries are fully supporting Security Council resolution 1701 that ended the month of fighting on 14 August. “I was really encouraged by the seriousness with which Governments are pressing ahead with implementation [of the resolution]. In both Lebanon and Israel I left convinced that the governments are determined to implement the resolution,” he said, noting that the “ceasefire has held and is holding.” In a related development on the ground in Lebanon, the UN Interim Force (UNIFIL) said today that Lebanese troops had begun moving into the general areas of Al Qusayr, Al Qantarah, At Tayyabah, Markaba and the areas west of Hula following the continued Israeli withdrawal. UNIFIL also said that it now has almost 4,000 troops from 10 countries in its theatre of operations, while a battalion from Spain – initially made up of around 650 troops – will arrive later this week at the southern port of Tyre. As part of resolution 1701, the UN force will be increased to a maximum strength of 15,000. The UN’s Interim Maritime Task Force is also continuing to assist the Lebanese Navy in monitoring the sea border, and now has eight vessels on patrol (five from Italy, and one each from France, Greece and the United Kingdom). At the request of the Lebanese Government, a group of UNIFIL military, police, customs and border experts has also started to review security measures at other entry points in the country, and these experts are working closely with local forces. The group began today with a tour of the Beirut seaport, led by Hassan Korajtem, the president and Director General of the port and Talal Mahd Itani, the regional customs manager. They were shown how Lebanon keeps track of incoming ships, identifies containers and verifies contents. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN WARNS DARFUR IS HEADING FOR DISASTER UNLESS UN PEACEKEEPERS MOVE IN

 New York, Sep 13 2006 1:00PM Darfur is headed for a disaster unless the Sudanese Government changes its mind and allows a force of United Nations peacekeepers to take over from the existing African Union (AU) operation in the strife-torn region, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today. Warning that the situation in Darfur has become desperate, Mr. Annan told a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=939">press conference at UN Headquarters in New York that the world faced a “big challenge” to ensure that there was not a repeat of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. “If the African Union forces were to leave, and we are not able to put in a UN follow-on force, we are heading for a disaster, and I don’t think we can allow that to happen, particularly since we only recently passed the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ resolution,” he said. At the World Summit last year, Member States agreed there is a collective international obligation to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, and the Security Council must take decisive action if there is no peaceful means to protect and the national authorities are manifestly failing to do so. Referring to the experience in Rwanda, Mr. Annan reminded Member States that “everyone said we should not let it happen again.” Last month the Council voted to deploy more than 17,000 blue helmets inside Darfur, which has been beset by brutal violence and massive displacement since 2003, and said it “invites the consent” of the Sudanese Government. Khartoum has said on several occasions that it is opposed to a UN force stepping in, and Mr. Annan reiterated his appeal for other governments with any influence on Sudan to convince the leadership to change its attitude. About 1.9 million people have been displaced and nearly 3 million in total depend on humanitarian aid for food, shelter and health care across Darfur because of the ongoing fighting between rebel groups, Government forces and allied militias. The situation has worsened since the signing of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) in May between the Government and some of the rebel groups it has been fighting. In the past two months, 12 aid workers have been murdered – more than in the entire previous two years. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

ANNAN TO ATTEND NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT’S SUMMIT IN CUBA THIS WEEK

 New York, Sep 13 2006 1:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will be travelling to Havana, Cuba, this week to attend the annual summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), his spokesman announced today. Mr. Annan, in remarks to the NAM plenary meeting on Friday morning, “is expected to speak about the transformation of the Non-Aligned Movement into a movement for the developing world, and the contribution of developing nations in changing the entire dynamic of international relations over the past few decades,” the spokesman said in a statement released in New York. “He will call for a greater voice for the South in multilateral institutions, from the financial to the political,” the spokesman said, adding that he “will also stress that with a larger voice comes larger responsibility, both globally and at home.” While in Havana the Secretary-General will also have bilateral meetings with senior Cuban officials as well as with a number of heads of delegations who will be attending the summit, according to the statement. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

CONTRACTOR FOR UN HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AGENCY MURDERED IN AFGHANISTAN

New York, Sep 13 2006 11:00AM An independent contractor working in Afghanistan for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme <"http://www.unhabitat.org/">(UNHABITAT) was murdered yesterday when unknown assailants opened fire on his vehicle, a senior UN official in the country said today, deploring the killing. The attack on the vehicle being driven by Yar Mohammad occurred in the Shoorab area Farah province. Two passengers escaped unharmed as the team returned from Shoorab village where they had just completed a visit to National Solidarity Programme (NSP) projects being implemented for the local community. “It is particularly upsetting that someone who was working for peace, stability and progress in Afghanistan was targeted in such a brutal attack,” said Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ameerah Haq, in a statement. “There can be no excuse for such violence against those who are playing such a vital role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.” 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

NOBEL LAUREATE ELIE WIESEL, ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY TO ADDRESS SECURITY COUNCIL ON DARFUR

 New York, Sep 13 2006 11:00AM Nobel Laureate and United Nations Messenger of Peace Elie Wiesel, along with actor George Clooney will address the Security Council on the crisis in Darfur during a closed-door session on Thursday, officials with the world body announced today. On Monday, Secretary-General Kofi Annan <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/sc8823.doc.htm">warned the Security Council that the situation in Darfur has reached a critical moment. “It is vital that we all speak candidly about what is happening, and about what it will take to bring an end to the suffering of so many millions of people,” he said, appealing for the Sudanese Government to accept a UN force, but the Khartoum Government remains opposed. Mr. Wiesel has urged the Security Council to act to protect the people of Darfur. “There is no choice but to act in defense of defenseless people,” he has said. “Those who commit genocide must not be allowed to hide behind national borders and claims of sovereignty.” Almost 2 million people are displaced as a result of the brutal conflict that has engulfed Darfur, an impoverished region on Sudan’s western flank, since 2003, while nearly 3 million people there depend on international aid for food, shelter and health care. The situation has worsened considerably since the signing in May of the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) between the Government and some of the rebel groups it has been fighting. In the past two months, 12 aid workers have been killed – more than in the entire previous two years. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

 

INDIA CHANGES FROM BIG AID RECIPIENT INTO MAJOR DONOR, UN FOOD AGENCY SAYS

 New York, Sep 13 2006 10:00AM Once a country just on the receiving end of international assistance, India is playing an increasing and important role in assuring food security for South Asia, particularly in Afghanistan, a senior official of the United Nations World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) said following meetings with the country’s Government. “From being a net recipient in 2000, the Government of India is presently the 15th largest donor to the World Food Programme in 2005,” <"http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2244">said Tony Banbury, WFP’s Asia Regional Director. “This speaks volumes about India’s increasing importance in confronting global challenges such as hunger, malnutrition and illiteracy in South Asia and around the world.” Mr. Banbury also noted the important role of food assistance in maintaining security in India’s neighboring countries of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar and Pakistan. In the last three years, India has made donations worth approximately $52 million to help assist the children in Afghanistan and Iraq to come back and attend schools. Nearly 2 million children benefit from this contribution. “Funding for our food aid programmes in Nepal, in Sri Lanka, and in Pakistan, continue to be a challenge,” said Mr. Banbury. “I am concerned that any reductions in these feeding operations can undermine recovery and foster insecurity in these neighboring states to India.” Mr. Banbury has been visiting India for a week, traveling to flood-devastated Rajastan and to Gujarat to visit WFP-supported projects for the rural poor of India. He noted the benefits of many of these pilot programmes in bringing improvements to the lives of the rural poor, noting that thanks to the partnership between the agency and the Government, “WFP provides fortified food to some 2 million children and pregnant and lactating women in remote tribal areas of India where malnutrition is at its worst.” 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

UN FOOD AGENCY DIRECTOR-GENERAL CALLS FOR ‘GREEN REVOLUTION’ TO FEED WORLD

 New York, Sep 13 2006 11:00AM The Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) has called for a second ‘Green Revolution’ to feed the world’s growing population while preserving natural resources and the environment. “In the next few decades, a major international effort is needed to feed the world when the population soars from six to nine billion,” Jacques Diouf <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000392/index.html”>told a meeting of the World Affairs Council of Northern California in San Francisco. “We might call it a second Green Revolution.” The original Green Revolution of the 1950s and 60s doubled world food production by bringing the power of science to agriculture, but “relied on the lavish use of inputs such as water, fertilizer and pesticides,” Mr. Diouf said. “The task ahead may well prove harder,” he cautioned. “We not only need to grow an extra 1 billion tonnes of cereals a year by 2050 – within the lifetimes of our children and grandchildren – but do so from a diminishing resource base of land and water in many of the world’s regions, and in an environment increasingly threatened by global warming and climate change.” He noted that 100 million people faced forced migration as a consequence of advancing desertification and soil degradation while water reserves had started to run low in key grain production areas such as India and China. “The new Green Revolution will be less about introducing new, high-performance varieties of wheat or rice, important as they are, and much more about making wiser and more efficient use of the natural resources available to us,” Mr. Diouf said. The San Francisco-based World Affairs Council of Northern California, which has 10,000 members, is considered a leading United States forum for discussion and debate of international affairs. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

UN STATISTICS SHOW MIGRATION AS A DYNAMIC FORCE IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

 New York, Sep 13 2006 11:00AM As preparations for the upcoming first-ever session of the General Assembly on migration and development take shape, national, regional and global statistics made available by the United Nations draw a complex picture of the movement of people between countries in the twenty-first century. Conceived and scheduled more than two years ago by the General Assembly, the 14–15 September High-level Dialogue follows a period of intense public attention to the cross-border movement of people, and a quickening pace of multilateral talks on international migration. Three per cent of the world’s population – or 191 million people – lived in a country other than the one in which they were born in 2005, with one third having moved from a developing country to one that is developed, one third moving from one developing nation to another, and another third originating in the developed world, according to an analysis of migration and development prepared by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (<"http://www.un.org/esa/">ESA). A greater share of workers moving to developed countries are college educated, and without migration the size of the labour force in the developed world will begin shrinking drastically beginning in 2010, the analysis said. A UN compilation of migration statistics from 228 countries and areas indicates that the United States leads the world as a host country, with 38 million migrants in 2005 constituting almost 13 per cent of its population. But the share of the population who are migrants is larger still in Australia (19.6 per cent in 2005) and Canada (18.9 per cent). In regional terms, however, Europe’s migrant population of 64 million in 2005 is almost 50 per cent greater than the 45 million in Northern America. Western Asia, with its oil producing nations, also hosts a considerable share of the world’s migrants, totaling 22 million in 2005. Nearly half of the world’s migrants now are women, the UN reports, and they outnumber male migrants in the developed countries. Remittances, even when used for consumption, stimulate demand and support local enterprises. As a result, the UN estimates that overall, remittances could have an impact equivalent to about half a trillion US dollars. Despite tensions in many receiving countries, more than 50 per cent of governments surveyed by the UN in 2005 expressed an intention to maintain incoming migrant flows at roughly the same level. Just about 20 per cent had as objective the reduction of incoming flows, but that share was down from 40 per cent in 1996. Six per cent of governments favoured higher levels of immigration in 2005. This week’s High-level Dialogue will focus on ways to maximize the development benefits of international migration and reduce difficulties. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

WORLD SHOULD EMBRACE NEW TARGET FOR PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY – UN OFFICIAL

 New York, Sep 13 2006 10:00AM Arguing that environmental degradation could undermine progress in reaching global anti-poverty goals, a senior United Nations official today urged action in support of an international target for cutting biodiversity loss. Alexander Müller, Assistant Director-General of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/”>FAO), made his remarks ahead of the first meeting of the Heads of Agencies Task Force on the 2010 Biodiversity Target. In a <"http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000393/index.html">statement, he said the recent proposal by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to establish a new target under the Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) to significantly reduce the loss of biodiversity by 2010 “is very much welcomed.” The meeting, to be held in Gland, Switzerland, on 15 September, will bring together representatives of UN agencies, international environmental agreements and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are expected to adopt a joint statement promoting action to reduce biodiversity loss. The 2010 Biodiversity Target calls upon countries “to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth.” Endorsed by 110 leaders at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002, and then again by the Millennium +5 Summit in New York in 2005, the target is a follow-up to the <https://www.biodiv.org/default.shtml">Convention on Biological Diversity, FAO said. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

UN IMMUNIZATION DRIVE IN AFGHANISTAN AIMS TO REDUCE CHILD AND MATERNAL DEATHS

 New York, Sep 13 2006 10:00AM A newly launched United Nations Children’s Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) immunization campaign in Afghanistan aims to reduce child measles mortality by 90 per cent and to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. Overall, Afghanistan’s infant mortality rate is alarmingly high at over 25 per cent, according to the agency. Measles is a major cause of child death, and tetanus – which often results from unsanitary conditions at delivery – is a leading killer of mothers and their newborn babies. In the complex immunization effort now under way, more than 4 million children under five will be vaccinated against measles and an estimated 4.2 million women of child bearing age are to receive tetanus vaccine, UNICEF said in a press release. Mothers who have been vaccinated will pass on tetanus immunity to their children for the first nine months of life. Remote provinces such as Bamyan are being targeted by the campaign. Located in mountainous central Afghanistan, Bamyan poses a security and access challenge for vaccinators. “Some children live in remote mountain villages that are hard to reach because the country lacks a transportation infrastructure,” said UNICEF health advisor Agostino Paganini. “There are also gender issues. Even now, many women are wary of moving around freely, so we need to be very culturally sensitive.” The people of Bamyan have limited access to health care, and the province’s child and maternal mortality rates are among the world’s highest. UNICEF and its partners are supplying vaccines and training for health care workers to travel to remote regions such as Bamyan in the current campaign. Temporary immunization posts are set up in village centres, where children get their measles vaccinations. Teams then go from house to house to immunize women against tetanus. The immunization drive is expected to cover all of Afghanistan in phases, starting with hard-to-reach areas in nine provinces. Vaccination teams plan to visit these provinces before November – when snow will likely block the roads – before proceeding to the second phase, which encompasses another 25 provinces. Diseases such as measles and tetanus can be easily prevented, and UNICEF said Afghanistan’s dual campaign to fight these diseases will ensure healthier lives for children and their mothers. 2006-09-13 00:00:00.000

 

FIGHTING POVERTY, UN REFORM TO TOP GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGENDA, SAYS NEW PRESIDENT

 New York, Sep 12 2006 7:00PM As the General Assembly opened its 61st session today, the body’s new president promised to focus on alleviating extreme poverty and advancing the process of UN reform undertaken during the previous session. “The General Assembly has to continue to evolve and strive to deliver sustainable solutions to the major challenges of our time,” Sheikha Haya Rashid Al Khalifa told delegates this morning. “Reform is a process rather than an event.” She noted that several recommendations of the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document have yet to be fully realized, such as disarmament and non-proliferation, Security Council reform, mandate review and system-wide coherence. The UN also had a crucial role in promoting peace and security, she said. “Today, man-made conflicts are destroying lives and displacing people on a scale that sometimes exceeds the destructive effects of nature – floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis.” A pressing issue was combating international terrorism, which required the adoption of both preventive and defensive measures, she said. Later briefing reporters, she expressed the hope that after last week’s adoption of a resolution on a global counter-terrorism strategy, the current Assembly session would reach agreement on a comprehensive definition of terrorism. She also said that it was important to consolidate the reforms that had been achieved in the past year, notably by ensuring that the new Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council have a real impact on large numbers of people. Improving the situation of women is also one of her top goals. The fact that half the world’s population typically have less access to health care, employment, decision-making and property ownership needed to be addressed, she told Assembly delegates. Sheikha Haya is the first female General Assembly President since 1969 and the first Muslim woman to hold the post. “It does not matter that I am a Muslim or a Christian or Jewish,” she told reporters. “We are human beings and we have the same worries and we have the same problems. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

30 COUNTRIES EXPECTED TO CARRY OUT TREATY ACTIONS AT ANNUAL UN EVENT

New York, Sep 12 2006 7:00PM Thirty countries are expected to sign and ratify international treaties at an upcoming annual United Nations event designed to spur participation in these pacts, the UN Legal Counsel said today. Briefing correspondents in New York, Nicolas Michel said the occasion sought to promote increased participation of countries in the more than 500 multilateral treaties deposited with the Secretary-General, and by so doing, to strengthen the rule of law. “Treaties are, in fact, the key framework on which most international relations are conducted,” Mr. Michel said. “Much of what we take for granted in our day-to-day activities is underpinned by a complex web of treaty-based rules.” This year’s signings – held this week and next – would coincide with the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, he said, focusing on 30 treaties regulating a broad range of cross-border issues. In addition to treaties relating to migration, refugees and stateless persons, the event will showcase treaties on human trafficking, organized crime, corruption, climate change, sustainable development, indiscriminate or excessively injurious weapons, torture and food security. Three new treaties will also be featured, Mr. Michel said: the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel, the UN Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts and the International Tropical Timber Agreement. A fourth treaty, the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railways Network, will open for signature in November. Beginning in 2000, the UN has held the treaty event at the beginning of the new General Assembly session, with treaties often signed or ratified by the Head of State or the Foreign Minister. At last year’s event, 99 countries and the European Community undertook a total of 265 treaty actions. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

CONCLUDING AFRICA TOUR, UN RELIEF AID OFFICIAL VOICES HOPE FOR LASTING PEACE

 New York, Sep 12 2006 6:00PM Wrapping up an eight-day mission to southern Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and the Great Lakes region of Africa, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator today expressed cautious optimism about prospects for peace in the region. “I’m more optimistic than I’ve been on any of my visits before to this region that some of the worst wars of our generation are coming to an end,” said Mr. Egeland at a press conference in Nairobi. He arrived there from Juba, in southern Sudan, after stops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Mr. Egeland said that the DRC and northern Uganda could see a dramatic return to normalcy in the coming months, with hundreds of thousands going back to their homes. He said that improving conditions in the region, where conflict has claimed millions of lives, is “the greatest challenge of our time.” Mr. Egeland added that, after meeting with the Ugandan Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group, he was hopeful that the LRA would soon begin releasing some of the thousands of women and children it has abducted. He expressed concern that the UN system, though more than willing to help with recovery and the return of displaced persons, would not have enough money to get the job done. He also voiced hope that African political, military and cultural elites would avoid the catastrophic mistakes they made in the past and that there would not be impunity for crimes against civilians, especially widespread rapes. “Sexual abuse of women has become a cancer really in the whole culture, in the whole civilization of the Great Lakes Region,” he said noting that tens of thousands of women had been abused. “It is destroying the whole moral and social fabric of society.” Help was needed to build a justice system, he said, while pointing out that “it takes five minutes to demote a colonel who is responsible for soldiers who have abused civilians; it takes five minutes to demote or fire a public employee who tolerated corruption or tolerated abuse.” Asked whether he would be able to convince displaced persons that indictments against members of the LRA will not stop the peace process, Mr. Egeland said that merely forgiving and forgetting could lead to violence starting all over again. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has indicted the five most senior LRA leaders. “These are war crimes, crimes against humanity,” said Mr. Egeland. “Justice has to be served in a manner which is commensurate.” 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

AIR AND SEA TRAFFIC TO LEBANON IS RETURNING TO NORMAL, UN REPORTS

 New York, Sep 12 2006 6:00PM With last week’s lifting of the Israeli air and sea blockade of Lebanon, the United Nations said today that air and sea traffic had begun returning to levels seen before the month-long conflict, while the UN food agency announced it would conduct a survey this month to assess reconstruction needs. “The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/webpage.asp?Page=873&Lang=en">OCHA) reports that, since the lifting of the Israeli blockade, air traffic is quickly resuming to pre-conflict levels [and] the lifting of the sea blockade has allowed commercial vessels to return as well,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York. He said that eight ships have now docked in Beirut’s port, carrying wheat, cars and raw products for manufacturing, although import and export activity is not expected to return to normal in the country for another three or four months. “Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization (<"http://www.fao.org/">FAO) says it will conduct a damage and needs assessment mission in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors this month,” Mr. Dujarric added, referring to a Rome-based UN agency. Earlier this month international donors pledged $940 million to help Lebanon reconstruct following damage caused by the 34 days of fighting between Hizbollah and Israel. UN and other agencies continue to assist with humanitarian supplies to those in need, particularly in devastated southern parts of the country. It is estimated that the country suffered around $3.6 billion in physical damage alone during the fighting. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

ANNAN CALLS FOR ‘MORE FLEXIBILITY’ FROM BOTH SIDES IN TALKS OVER KOSOVO

New York, Sep 12 2006 5:00PM Expressing disappointment over the lack of common ground during the past few months of talks over the future of the United Nations-run province of Kosovo, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for “more flexibility” from both the Serbian and Kosovo delegations, saying they need to show a spirit of compromise. In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2006/707">report to the Security Council, released today and covering the period from 1 May to 14 August, Mr. Annan said the discussions – including the first high-level meeting between both sides in July along with other talks covering boundaries and cultural sites – revealed that “the parties remain far apart on most issues.” “I am disappointed… that little common ground has been identified between the positions of the Serbian and Kosovo delegations, which remain committed to ‘substantial autonomy’ and ‘full independence’ respectively, with minimal space for negotiation.” “Both sides would be better served by more flexibility in their positions. I again call on both sides to engage in these talks in a spirit of compromise. It is the responsibility of the parties to find common ground and a sustainable solution, acceptable to both sides, although the support of the international community remains essential to ensure progress.” Mr. Annan also highlighted the continued boycott by Kosovo Serbs of the province’s local Government ‘Provisional Institutions,’ and repeated calls on Belgrade to “remove all impediments” to their participation, while also urging Kosovo’s leaders to redouble their outreach to all communities. “Now is the time to reassure all communities that they have a place in Kosovo in the future regardless of its status.” Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by 9 to 1 in the province, which the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has administered since 1999 when NATO drove out Yugoslav troops amid ethnic fighting. Mr. Annan says that despite the “generally stable political situation,” he is nevertheless concerned with violence targeting people or religious sites, and strongly condemns them, “particularly those that are inter-ethnic,” calling for all those responsible to be quickly brought to justice. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

DR CONGO’S 2 LEADING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO MEET FACE TO FACE – UN MISSION

 New York, Sep 12 2006 5:00PM Three weeks after supporters of the two leading presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) clashed in the streets of Kinshasa, the two politicians have finally agreed to meet face to face, the UN mission in the country reported today. According to the mission, known by its French acronym <"http://www.monuc.org/Home.aspx?lang=en">MONUC, President Joseph Kabila and Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba will come together tomorrow afternoon at a meeting of the Supreme Defence Council. That word comes from the European Union’s High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, who met with the two men earlier today. At a press conference in Kinshasa, Mr. Solana said he spent more than an hour with Mr. Kabila discussing how to complete the transition process and “write a new page in the country’s history following the elections.” July’s historic polls were the country’s first free and fair elections in 45 years. Mr. Solana said he also asked Mr. Bemba to renew his commitment to the process, reminding him that he is not just a presidential candidate but also the country’s current vice president. Mr. Solana says Mr. Bemba’s response gave him “a great deal of hope.” Intense diplomatic activities are underway to reconcile the candidates’ positions, with several other visiting foreign dignitaries holding separate talks with the two candidates, including South African President Thabo Mbeki and Italy’s foreign minister. Mr. Bemba and Mr. Kabila will face each other in runoff elections on 29 October. Meanwhile, as a further confidence-building gesture, mediators say the Congolese Government restored the broadcasting signals of two television stations owned by Mr. Bemba this morning. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES EXTENSION OF SECURITY FORCE’S MANDATE IN AFGHANISTAN

New York, Sep 12 2006 3:00PM The Security Council today <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/sc8826.doc.htm">extended for another year the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which has been beset by an increasing number of terrorist attacks in recent months. In a unanimously adopted resolution, Council members also called on UN Member States to contribute greater personnel, equipment and funding so that the force can be more effective. The resolution voiced concern at Afghanistan’s security situation following a surge in violent attacks and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and armed groups linked to the country’s booming illegal drug trade. It also stressed the importance of making simultaneous progress on the fronts of security, governance, development and counter-narcotics, given their inter-connected nature, so as to mutually reinforce each element. After United States-led forces ousted the Taliban regime in late 2001, ISAF was established to help Afghanistan’s then interim authorities maintain security across the impoverished nation following years of civil conflict and misrule. Its new mandate runs through 13 October 2007. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

FORMER RWANDAN MILITARY COMMANDER FOUND GUILTY OF GENOCIDE BY UN TRIBUNAL

 New York, Sep 12 2006 2:00PM The United Nations war crimes tribunal for Rwanda today sentenced a former military commander to 25 years’ jail after finding him guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in a series of massacres in 1994 that included the killing of orphans who had sought shelter at a school. Tharcisse Muvunyi, 53, was <"http://69.94.11.53/ENGLISH/PRESSREL/2006/493.htm">convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (<"http://69.94.11.53/default.htm">ICTR) after the three-member panel of judges found the former lieutenant-colonel had done nothing to prevent massacres carried out by soldiers under his command, nor punish them afterwards. Judges Asoka de Silva of Sri Lanka (presiding), Flavia Lattanzi of Italy and Florence Rita Arrey of Cameroon also found Mr. Muvunyi not guilty of a charge of crimes against humanity (rape) and dismissed the alternative charge of complicity in genocide. In sentencing Mr. Muvunyi, the judges said they considered several aggravating factors, including the separation and subsequent massacre of orphan children at the school by soldiers under his command. They further noted that he chastised a local mayor for hiding a Tutsi man who was later produced and killed by an armed Hutu mob at his instructions. Mr. Muvunyi also attended a public meeting of mostly Hutus in which he called for the killing of Tutsis, referred to them as snakes, and urged the destruction of Tutsi property. In mitigation, the judges noted that Mr. Muvunyi was considered to have had a good character until 1994, had spent much of his life working for his country, and was a husband and father of three children. The ICTR was established by the Security Council to try individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Rwanda in 1994, when more than 800,000 people were massacred, mostly by machete, for being ethnic Tutsis or Hutu moderates. In a separate ruling today, the Tribunal acquitted a former mayor in eastern Rwanda of three charges of complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity after finding significant credibility issues in witness testimony. Jean Mpambara, the ex-mayor of Rukara commune in Kibungo prefecture, was not alleged to have killed anyone himself, but to have instigated and supported attacks by other people that led to the deaths of 2,500 people. Judges Jai Ram Reddy of Fiji (presiding), Sergei Alekseevich Egorov of Russia and Ms. Lattanzi ruled that the testimony of all but one witness was either uncorroborated or lacked credibility. The judges also heard from several defence witnesses, including some Tutsis, that Mr. Mpambara had publicly opposed the violence and did all he could with limited resources to deter the attacks. Evidence was also brought that Mr. Mpambara issued identity cards marked Hutu to fleeing Tutsis so they could pass through roadblocks safely. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

UN LIBERIA MISSION OPENS TWO RENOVATED COURTHOUSES

 New York, Sep 12 2006 2:00PM As part of its ongoing efforts to improve Liberia’s infrastructure as the once conflict-torn country embarks on the process of reconstruction, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there has officially opened two renovated courthouses. The buildings in Kakata, Margibi County, and Gbarnga, Bong County, were renovated through the UN Mission in Liberia’s (<"http://www.unmil.org/article.asp?id=1623">UNMIL) Quick Impact Projects. During Friday’s ceremony marking the opening of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Kakata, the Officer-in-Charge of UNMIL said improving the judicial infrastructure is an essential part of strengthening the justice system and re-establishing the rule of law in Liberia. “It is incumbent upon all members of the judiciary, the prosecution and the public and private defence bar to play their part by performing their duties and functions in a manner characterized by dignity, fairness, transparency and integrity,” said Luiz Carlos da Costa. Later speaking at the Gbarnga Judicial Circuit Court, Mr. da Costa said the equal treatment of all persons, whether rich or poor, would engender greater public confidence in the system. “The principles of equality before the law and due process of law must be upheld,” he said. “There is no place in the justice system for corruption and discrimination.” He also urged the review of several laws, including the bail law, to make them more effective. “The issue of bail for very serious offences is of grave concern and is a clear and present danger to an effective judicial system,” said Mr. da Costa. The development challenges facing Liberia were one of the “Ten Stories the World Should Hear More About” released by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) earlier this year. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

UN REFUGEE AGENCY TO HELP SOUTH SUDANESE RETURN FROM DR CONGO

New York, Sep 12 2006 2:00PM The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today announced that it will soon operate a convoy to help some 400 South Sudanese refugees begin their journey home from the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The cross-border, voluntary returns come in the wake of January’s tripartite agreement between UNHCR, Sudan and the DRC allowing the repatriation of refugees in both countries, some of whom have lived abroad for decades. Agency spokesman Ron Redmond told a <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=450684c34">press briefing in Geneva today that many Sudanese refugees eager to return home have already made the trip on their own. Earlier this year, <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR organized “go-and-see visits” for community leaders to see their villages, assess living conditions and meet with their home communities and the local authorities. Tomorrow’s convoy will depart from the Aba area of the DRC’s Oriental Province, where most South Sudanese refugees in the DRC are housed, Mr. Redmond said. UNHCR staff in South Sudan will provide returning refugees with basic assistance, including construction materials, household items and a three-month food ration supplied by the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=31">WFP). Regular returns from Aba are expected to continue at a rate of one convoy a week during the coming months. Overall, 350,000 Sudanese fled to neighbouring countries and four million more were internally uprooted during the 21-year civil war in southern Sudan that ended in January 2005 with the signing of a peace agreement between the Government and rebels, according to UNHCR. Since the end of last year, the agency has also been organizing voluntary repatriations from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Central African Republic. A separate, still unresolved conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region has uprooted more than two million people, including more than 200,000 who have fled to eastern Chad. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

SLOVAKIA: UN AGENCY ASSISTS ASYLUM-SEEKERS FORCED TO FLEE BURNING REFUGEE CENTRE

 New York, Sep 12 2006 1:00PM The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is providing assistance to some 40 asylum seekers in Slovakia who were forced to flee a fire at a refugee reception centre. Flames reportedly broke out yesterday morning in Brezova pod Bradlom, which is 100 kilometres north of the capital, Bratislava. Refugee children playing with a lighter apparently started the blaze, a <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=4506d7634">UNHCR spokesman told a <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/news/opendoc.htm?tbl=NEWS&id=450684c316">press briefing in Geneva today. Everyone was evacuated from the centre safely, but the wooden structure burned to the ground, Ron Redmond said. “Some of those housed in the centre managed to take a few personal belongings, but most had to leave with only the clothes on their backs. The asylum seekers were taken to Gabcikovo, another accommodation centre east of Bratislava,” Mr. Redmond said. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000

 

UN FORCE COMMANDER BRIEFS LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER AS ISRAELI TROOPS WITHDRAW FURTHER

 New York, Sep 12 2006 12:00PM The United Nations military commander in Lebanon today briefed Prime Minister Fouad Siniora on the latest troop movements in the south of the country, while Israeli forces continued their withdrawal as stipulated by the Security Council resolution that ended the month of conflict in the region on 14 August. “I also informed the Prime Minister on the deployment of additional <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unifil/unifilpress.htm">UNIFIL (the UN Interim Force in Lebanon) troops, on the expected arrivals of the French and Spanish contingents in the next few days, thus ensuring that UNIFIL will reach 5,000 officers and soldiers very soon,” said Force Commander Major-General Alain Pellegrini. Maj-Gen. Pellegrini expressed his hope that the withdrawal of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) would be “completed soon” so that Lebanese forces could then deploy throughout the south, UNIFIL said in a press release. The IDF are currently withdrawing from the general areas of Al Qusayr, Al Qantarah, At Tayyabah, Markaba and the areas west of Hula in the central sector of the south, while UNIFIL’s Indian battalion has set up a number of checkpoints and is carrying out intensive patrolling. Once it has confirmed that all Israeli forces have left these areas, the Indian battalion will then coordinate the deployment of Lebanese forces in the area tomorrow, UNIFIL said. 2006-09-12 00:00:00.000