MBN: THE MONTE BUBBLES NETWORK

 Feb 19

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK ON PAKISTAN-INDIA 'FRIENDSHIP EXPRESS' TRAIN

New York, Feb 19 2007 7:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the terrorist bombing of the Delhi-Lahore 'Friendship Express,' in which 67 people were killed and nearly 20 injured. "This heinous crime cannot be justified by any cause and its perpetrators should be brought to justice," a spokesperson for Mr. Ban said in a statement. Strongly condemning the "brutal" blast, the statement conveyed Mr. Ban's condolences to the families of the innocent victims and the Governments of India and Pakistan. "The Secretary-General expresses his satisfaction that the leaders of India and Pakistan have reaffirmed their determination to continue on the path of dialogue," the spokesman said, adding that Mr. Ban "is also encouraged by the strong reaction among the various communities in the subcontinent and their common resolve to thwart the motives of the terrorists." 2007-02-19 00:00:00.000

UN MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN EXPANDS PRESENCE TO FOSTER STABILITY -- ENVOY

New York, Feb 19 2007 9:00PM Responding to Afghanistan's need for greater stability, the United Nations Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA) has established new offices in the provinces, its chief said today. "Over the past months I have opened offices in Kunar, Badghis, Zabul and Khost," Tom Koenigs, the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Afghanistan, told a press briefing in Kabul. "On Saturday last I opened our newest office in Nimroz province. In the coming months we will open further offices in Daikundi and Ghor. And maybe others will follow." With the new expansion, UNAMA will nearly double the number of its offices to significant effect, Mr. Koenigs observed. "This outreach to the provinces reflects a critical need. Afghanistan needs stability, it needs peace, governance and development." He stressed the importance of having UNAMA in different communities. "Human rights violations including the violence of war, particularly against civilians, occur locally. Allegations of human rights violations have to be verified locally." With Afghanistan's provinces seeking greater prosperity, he pointed out that the new arrangements will maximize the UN's contribution. "What we find in all the provinces is that people want more development and faster development," he said. "UNAMA will be there to bring other agencies and donors into the provinces, to support the local Governors and help coordinate the efforts of other aid agencies to ensure that development is efficiently planned." Mr. Koenigs offered a stark assessment of the situation in the blighted State. "Afghanistan is not a post conflict country. It's a country in conflict. One can even put it more dramatically -- it's a post-devastation state facing a war of insurgency." At the same time, he noted that much progress has been achieved. "Dealing so much with the problems, we have to recall that Afghanistan has made enormous progress in infrastructure, construction, ro services and telecommunications but also in the democratic process." The envoy emphasized the need to consolidate this progress, especially by guaranteeing fundamental rights. "One important aspect of this progress is freedom of speech and freedom of the press," he said, voicing concern about reports of journalists being intimidated. "It's often said that the first victim of war is truth. We must prevent this from becoming the case in Afghanistan." As the Taliban continues its propaganda war, he emphasized that the Government and international community must persevere on a democratic course. "Fighting the insurgency we must not forget what we are fighting them for -- we are fighting to maintain these successes and maintain democratic freedoms. That's why I repeat again that human rights must not be compromised as we fight this insurgency." 2007-02-19 00:00:00.000

BAN KI-MOON VOICES HOPE PALESTINIAN UNITY GOVERNMENT WILL PAVE WAY FOR PEACE

New York, Feb 19 2007 9:00PM Just ahead of his next diplomatic push on the Middle East, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that agreement on the new Palestinian Unity Government will pave the way for peace in the region. In an interview with UN Radio, Mr. Ban, who travels to Berlin this week for a meeting of the diplomatic Quartet -- the UN, United States, Russian Federation and European Union -- said officials would analyze the recent agreement reached in Mecca on a new Palestinian Government. The Quartet, seeking a two-State solution, has frozen contacts, and donors have withheld contributions, pending a commitment by the Hamas Government to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept agreements already signed between Israel and the Palestinians. "I sincerely hope that with the establishment of National Unity Government among the Palestinian Authority we will be able to see soon the vision realized where Israeli and Palestinian people will be able to live in peace and prosperity side by side," Mr. Ban said. "This is ultimate objective of the Quartet process." Asked whether it was realistic that the economic measures might be lifted, he said, "With the National Unity Government we hope that the Palestinian Authority and Israel will further engage in a peace process between the two parties. In such case I cannot see any reason we would not be able to lift the sanctions." During his wide-ranging interview at the weekend, the Secretary-General also voiced concern about the situation in Darfur, Sudan, decrying the "massive human sufferings" in the region, where at least 200,000 people have been killed and 2 million others displaced from their homes since 2003. "The continuing deteriorating situation in Darfur, particularly in human rights violations and abuses and killings of civilians, is just unacceptable," he declared. "The international community must take immediate measures on this matter." Mr. B President Omar Hassan Al Bashir "promised he would send his reply as soon as possible" on the planned deployment of a hybrid UN-African Union force for Darfur. In the meantime, Mr. Ban stressed the importance of helping the people of the region, where some 4 million civilians rely on assistance to survive. "I sincerely hope the Sudanese Government will adhere to (the) cessation agreement and will allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered to many people who are suffering," he said. To a question about the situation in Somalia, the Secretary-General recalled that during a meeting with the country's president at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, he called for a broad approach. "I told him he should engage in (an) inclusive political process embracing the moderate members of the Islamic Courts, clan elders, political leaders and community leaders," Mr. Ban said. "This is very important because any economic military cooperation may not work eventually if not accompanied by a political process." The Secretary-General, who took office on 1 January, said he had chosen Africa for his first overseas trip because of the continent's challenges and potential. "In this era of globalization the international community needs to balance economic and social development? to have a common prosperity," he said. "Without adequately addressing the African issue and African challenges we may not be able to achieve that goal of common prosperity." Mr. Ban said during his trip he saw both progress and the need for further support. "I was very much impressed by the accomplishments African people and governments have achieved so far, but still this is a very fragile process," he cautioned. "I was very much humbled by the challenges still unresolved; the international community, led by the UN, should address these issues." The Secretary-General, who served previously as the foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, also reiterated his satisfaction that recent six-party talks on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D yielded an agreement on the denuclearization of the peninsula. "It was a very encouraging situation. North Korea has committed to abandon and dismantle all nuclear weapons and facilities in return for other participants' economic and security assurances," Mr. Ban said of the talks, which involved the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. He also voiced hope that the agreement would be carried out. "This was a commitment based on action for action. This is clearly a step forward towards the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula." Mr. Ban also spoke about climate change, which he has called a priority for his administration. With the Kyoto Protocol covering commitments up to 2012, he called for an action plan for the period after that date. "Major developing countries should participate in this process, while industrialized countries should take the lead because they have long-standing experience and know-how," he said. "At the same time, the international community led by industrialized countries should lead this technological innovation to find alternate energy sources." 2007-02-19 00:00:00.000

Feb 18

KOSOVO: UN OFFICIAL STRESSES BROAD INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR STATUS PROPOSAL

New York, Feb 18 2007 7:00PM The senior United Nations official in Kosovo, which the world body has administered since NATO forces responded to ethnic strife there in 1999, today stressed the broad international support enjoyed by a UN status proposal, saying it comes "at an ideal moment in history." UN Special Representative Joachim Rücker urged participants at a townhall meeting in Klinë/Klina municipality to remain open to proposals put forward by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Envoy for the status process, Martti Ahtisaari. "Even if some things don't feel ideal to you, I would appeal to you to have a positive attitude towards the status package," Mr. Rücker said. "Now we have the green light also from the European Union for Mr. Ahtisaari to go ahead to the next step," he added. The Special Representative called on those wishing to express their opinion through demonstrations to do so peacefully. "At this point in time, we should not make any mistakes," he said. "It would be very detrimental if developments in Kosovo would come in the way of the status process." Earlier this month, Mr. Ahtisaari presented a provisional plan under which Kosovo would have the right to govern itself and conclude international agreements, including membership in international bodies, with an international civilian and military presence supervising the new arrangements and helping to ensure peace and stability. But the plan, which was presented to Serbia and to the ethnic Albanian Kosovo authorities, does not specifically mention independence for the province, which the UN has run since Western forces drove out Yugoslav troops in 1999 amid brutal ethnic fighting. Serbia rejects independence, a goal sought by many of Kosovo's ethnic Albanians, who outnumber Serbs and others by 9 to 1. 2007-02-18 00:00:00.000

UN OFFICIAL ARRIVES IN AFGHANISTAN TO REVIEW AID EFFORT

New York, Feb 18 2007 8:00PM A senior United Nations humanitarian official today began a five-day visit to Afghanistan to see how the world body can better deliver relief aid to the war-torn country. During her fact-finding mission, Margareta Wahlström, the Assistant Secretary-General for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, will be looking at how to how to ensure civilians are better protected and how to best provide support and aid to people in areas that are affected by conflict, the UN said. Ms. Wahlström will be visiting Kandahar province to see how projects are progressing there. In addition, she will meet with representatives of the Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UN agencies and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). 2007-02-18 00:00:00.000

ONE THIRD OF ALL IRAQIS LIVE IN POVERTY, UN-BACKED STUDY FINDS

New York, Feb 18 2007 8:00PM From a thriving middle income economy in the 1970's and 1980's, one third of today's Iraqi population lives in poverty with more than 5 per cent living in extreme poverty, a new United Nations-backed study says. Prepared by the Iraqi Central Organization for Statistics and Information Technology with the support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the statistics show that a high percentage of people in Iraq live under various levels of poverty and human deprivation despite the country's huge economic and natural resources. The policies applied to transform the Iraqi economy to a free market, such as the lifting of subsidies and the dismantling of state instruments, are exacerbating deprivation levels, UNDP said. The study also highlights significant variations in living standards across the country, with the southern region in Iraq showing the highest level of deprivation, followed by the centre and then the north. Rural areas show three times higher levels of deprivation than urban areas, with the Baghdad area being the best in the country. "This study will be an important addition to the toolkit of policy makers, development planners and practitioners" said UNDP Iraq Director Paolo Lembo. "We will use the study's findings to better target projects such as those for rapid job creation," said Dr Mehdi Al-Alak, Chairman of the statistics organization. 2007-02-18 00:00:00.000

UN, AFRICAN UNION ENVOYS MEET WITH PRESIDENT OF SUDAN

New York, Feb 18 2007 8:00PM Wrapping up a visit to Sudan aimed at reviving the stalled peace process for the strife-torn Darfur region, envoys from the United Nations and the African Union held talks with the country's president, who indicated that he would support dialogue with different factions. The AU's Salim Ahmed Salim and the UN's Jan Eliasson on Saturday briefed President Omar Hassan Al Bashir on the outcome of the discussions they held with senior government officials and both signatories and non-signatories to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA). President Al Bashir "stressed the commitment of the Government to support the dialogue with non-DPA signatories and expressed Sudan's keenness to improve relations with Chad," according to the UN Mission in the country (UNMIS), which said the Sudanese leader also pledged to boost humanitarian work and cooperate with UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The two envoys are expected to report in the coming days to their respective organizations on the outcome of their joint mission. Before departing on their visit, Mr. Eliasson and Dr. Salim said they "will be delivering a strong message" on the urgent need for an end to the political and humanitarian crisis engulfing Darfur, where at least 200,000 people have been killed and 2 million others displaced from their homes since 2003. A cessation of hostilities is seen as the first priority so that humanitarian operations can take place and the suffering of civilians can be alleviated. An estimated 4 million people across the vast and impoverished region now depend on aid for survival. 2007-02-18 00:00:00.000

Feb 17

UN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDS POLICY MEASURES FOR JOB CREATION

New York, Feb 16 2007 7:00PM Policy measures to generate productive jobs in a world where lack of employment poses a serious risk to millions have been put forward by the United Nations Commission for Social Development, which concluded its annual session in New York today. Faced with a global youth unemployment of 13.7 per cent, representing almost half of the world’s unemployed, the Commission agreed today on a resolution calling on governments to improve access of youth to technical, secondary and higher education, to adapt curricula to meet the needs of a rapidly changing labour market, and to equip young people with the skills demanded in today’s economy, including familiarity with information and communication technologies. During the 10-day session, participants discussed innovative measures in employment creation, such as macroeconomic policies to create an enabling environment for employment, labour market policies aiming at job creation, cash transfer programmes to alleviate poverty and create jobs, and enabling environments for the fast expansion of private-sector jobs through increased investments. Many speakers insisted that job creation should not only be a central goal in national policymaking, but should also be pursued through a more balanced and coordinated strategy on a global level. Costa Rica’s representative Saul Weisleder, while acknowledging that employment and decent work were a priority, said traditional recipes were not working. “We cannot have a frenetic race to attract investment, and neither should we ignore the realities of the markets and liberalization,” he said, calling instead for developing countries to better participate in the world economy through an “intelligent integration” built on respective strengths and adequate allocation of resources. On other demographic issues, Frederick Fenech, Director of Malta’s International Institute on Ageing, said the growing number of older persons – some 375 million people worldwide – should not lead to inter-generational stress and “ageism” sparked by fears of dwindling health-care funds and services. “Everyone must also work to ensure that older persons are not seen as passive and helpless, but rather as valuable resources that can benefit society as a whole,” he said. The Commission’s Special Rapporteur on Disability, Sheikha Hessa al-Thani, presented a new survey of government actions to implement UN guidelines on improving the situation of persons with disabilities. The responses from 114 countries revealed that countries had done far better than expected in providing medical care, rehabilitation and support and assistance services than they had actually reported. Less than half of the countries that responded had involved disability organizations with respect to medical care, rehabilitation and supportive services, accessibility, education and employment. “These numbers speak for themselves,” Ms. Al-Thani said, “explaining one of the reasons why equalization of opportunities has not occurred.” Today the Commission adopted three other resolutions – on youth, ageing and Africa’s development. It urged governments to develop comprehensive youth policies in consultations with youth organizations; called on governments to implement the 2002 Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing – the first international agreement that specifically recognizes the potential of older people to contribute to the development of their societies; and welcomed the progress made by African countries to deepen democracy, human rights, good governance and sound economic management. 2007-02-16 00:00:00.000

UN ENVOY LAUDS DEBT RELIEF DEALS REACHED AT LIBERIA MEETING

New York, Feb 16 2007 6:00PM The United Nations envoy to Liberia today said “real progress” had been made this week in dealing with the impoverished country’s almost $4 billion debt, but acknowledged that major challenges remain in rebuilding, particularly in the security sector and in creating jobs, following 14 years of brutal civil war. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative, Alan Doss, attended the 13-15 February Liberia Partners Forum, which was held at the World Bank in Washington, alongside Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, and other senior UN and international officials. “There were three principle outcomes of the meeting,” Mr. Doss told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York. “One, I think the Government’s poverty reduction strategy…was very well received by all of the partners…Second there was real progress on the whole of issue of debt relief and debt reduction, which for Liberia is a huge problem. This is a country where it has a $3.7 billion debt,” he added. “The United States took the lead in announcing that it was in the process of forgiving all of Liberia’s debt, which is $391 million to the United States alone. Germany, the UK and several other countries also announced that they would be on the same track. There was also progress in reaching agreement to deal with multilateral debt – principally the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the World Bank and the African Development Bank.” Despite these positive developments, Mr. Doss, who also heads the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), said the meeting addressed “a number of areas of continuing concern” as the country moves to rebuild, particularly regarding security, improving the rule of law and increasing employment. Peace and security are a “core concern” for the mission, he said, adding that security sector reform should be intensified if possible as part of the eventual drawdown strategy for UNMIL itself. In addition, he said more progress is needed in the area of rule of law and extension of justice. Voicing concern about employment in Liberia, where ex-combatants and ex-security personnel need to jobs, he said, “Work has been started in that but the need to accelerate that particularly in infrastructure, labour-intensive public works.” Mr. Doss said the meeting also addressed the regional situation, specifically the fact that Liberia is in what he described as a “troubled neighbourhood.” With the situation in Côte d’Ivoire uncertain and that in Guinea deteriorating, he said participants “discussed the measures, putting in place – political as well as preventive security measures – to try to make sure that Liberia is not engulfed in any problems that may happen, particularly now in Guinea.” Representatives from the private sector, including leading figures from the US business world, also held discussions with Liberian officials. Mr. Doss said interest was expressed in stimulating private sector investment in the country, and stressed this was key to its future. In a separate development, United Nations refugee agency Goodwill Ambassador and Greek singer George Dalaras, currently on a five-day mission to West Africa, is today in Liberia wrapping up his trip after visits earlier in the week to meet Liberian refugees in some of the camps in southern Sierra Leone. “The world stood by and let refugees suffer,” Mr. Dalaras said. “Whatever we can do is probably less than what you need and deserve,” he told festive crowds that had gathered to meet the singer who is making his first visit to refugee camps since becoming a UN High Commissioner for Refugees ambassador last October. Sierra Leone hosts an estimated 27,360 refugees, including 21,700 Liberian refugees living in eight camps across the country. As UNHCR’s newest Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Dalaras joins the ranks of Barbara Hendricks, Adel Imam, Angelina Jolie, Giorgio Armani and Julien Clerc. 2007-02-16 00:00:00.000

Feb 16

FORMER CHILD SOLDIER LAUNCHES MEMOIRS IN UN EFFORT TO CURB USE OF CHILDREN IN WAR

New York, Feb 16 2007 12:00PM The first-hand account of a Sierra Leonean child soldier’s odyssey from three years of vicious fighting, via a United Nations-supported rehabilitation centre, to a prestigious United States university has joined the arsenal of weapons the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mustering to fight a scourge that at present entraps some 250,000 youngsters. A Long Way Gone, a memoir by Ishmael Beah, was launched at UNICEF headquarters in New York last night just days after the agency sponsored an international meeting in Paris at which 59 countries committed themselves to putting an end to the unlawful recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts wherever they occur. In his book Mr. Beah, now 26, recounts the tortuous and torturous journey that took him from the searing and brutal battlefields of civil war in his homeland, where fighters, even child soldiers, cut off the hands or feet of their foes, through a UNICEF-backed rehabilitation centre, to the calm and serene halls of academe at Oberlin College, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2004. He currently lives in New York. He tells how children, traumatized, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s have become the soldiers of choice, how as a 12-year-old he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence, how at age 13 he had been picked up by the government army and found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. At age 16, he was removed from fighting by UNICEF, and through the help of the staff at his rehabilitation centre he learned how to forgive himself, to regain his humanity and, finally, to heal in a story of redemption and hope. “Terrible things happen to children, but children are also resilient,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict said at last night’s launch. “They need encouragement, guidance and support; and with the proper care they can become outstanding members of society.” Radhika Coomaraswamy called Mr. Beah a “perfect example” of this. “His moving piece, painful in parts, is full of wisdom and understanding, pointing to the fact that children can heal, and when they do they can become a beacon of light for all of us. It is our duty to assist them and learn from them.” Since the mid-1980s, UNICEF has played a key role in advocating for and securing the release of children from armed forces and other armed groups in conflict-affected countries across the globe, including Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Uganda. The agency provides life skills training, education, health care and counselling to support the reintegration of former child soldiers back into family and community life. UNICEF and its non-governmental organization (NGO) partners also provide care, technical guidance and financial support for the successful implementation of national programmes for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. The <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_38208.html">‘Free Children from War’ conference hosted by UNICEF and the French Government in Paris on 6 February adopted the so-called Paris Principles, offering a detailed set of guidelines for protecting children from recruitment and providing effective assistance to those already involved with armed groups or forces. UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said some 250,000 children are involved in conflicts around the world, where they are used as combatants, messengers, spies, porters, cooks and girls are forced to perform sexual services, depriving them of their rights and their childhood. 2007-02-16 00:00:00.000

DEATH TOLL IN GULF OF ADEN MIGRANT TRAGEDY REACHES 107, UN REFUGEE AGENCY REPORTS

New York, Feb 16 2007 11:00AM At least 107 bodies have so far been found along a remote stretch of the Yemen coastline after a boat smuggling migrants from Somalia capsized on Monday in one of the deadliest single incidents in a perilous exodus that has brought more than 27,000 people across the Gulf Aden in the past year, the United Nations refugee agency reported today. At least 107 bodies have so far been found along a remote stretch of the Yemen coastline after a boat smuggling migrants from Somalia capsized on Monday in one of the deadliest single incidents in a perilous exodus that has brought more than 27,000 people across the Gulf Aden in the past year, the United Nations refugee agency reported today. “Witnesses said the boat which capsized well offshore was carrying 120 Somalis and Ethiopians,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva. “A second smuggling vessel, also carrying 120 people, forced all its passengers into the sea when the first boat capsized. The second boat then picked up the smugglers from the capsized vessel and headed back out into the Gulf of Aden, leaving 240 people in the high seas,” he added. According to survivor accounts, the migrants were in the water for several hours before the Yemen military came to their rescue. A military official said the victims were drifting at least half a kilometre off the coast, which made rescue efforts very difficult. Some 235 people on two other smuggling boats that approached Yemen on Monday made it to shore safely. Five people remain missing. Over the last month, UNHCR has recorded the arrival of 1,776 Somalis and Ethiopians on 20 boats. With the latest casualties, at least 136 died making the hazardous journey and many are still missing. Many of the new arrivals were badly beaten and told UNHCR the smugglers stole their money during the voyage. The Somalis said they fled their homes during and after recent hostilities between government forces and Islamic groups. Many said armed militias shot at them and took their money and belongings at checkpoints. Every year, thousands of people cross the Gulf of Aden, the Mediterranean and other waters, fleeing persecution in their own countries or searching for better economic opportunities. UNHCR has consistently tried to promote international and local action to combat the vicious smuggling practices and to focus more attention on conditions in the countries of origin that lead people to leave in the first place. Despite these efforts, the number of people leaving their homes and taking enormous risks has not decreased. 2007-02-16 00:00:00.000

 Feb 15

BAN KI-MOON TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO AUSTRIA NEXT WEEK

 New York, Feb 15 2007 11:00AM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will pay a three-day official visit to Vienna next week at an invitation of the Austrian Government, during which he will meet with President Heinz Fischer and Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer. Mr. Ban’s visit from 22 to 24 February will follow his attendance at a meeting in Berlin of the so-called diplomatic Quartet of Middle East peace brokers seeking to reenergize talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the second such meeting this month. The Quartet, comprising the UN, Russia, European Union (EU) and United States, has been promoting the so-called Road Map plan for a two-State solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, originally slated for completion by the end of 2005. During his visit to Austria, Mr. Ban will also confer with Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik and National Assembly President Barbara Prammer, and will meet with the Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna, Antonio Maria Costa, and UN International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei. 2007-02-15 00:00:00.000

UN ENVOY IN IRAQ VISITS TURKEY TO SEEK REGIONAL SUPPORT FOR PEACE EFFORTS

 New York, Feb 15 2007 10:00AM The top United Nations envoy to Iraq visited Turkey today as part of his ongoing efforts to muster regional support to bring stability to the war-torn country, the third such visit he has made in as many weeks. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Ashraf Qazi, who at the end of last month conferred with Syrian officials in Damascus and Saudi leaders in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, met with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul in Ankara to discuss “the important role the neighbouring states can play in reducing violence and promoting stability” in Iraq. The two men “stressed the need for greater regional engagement to bolster efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, reconciliation and consensus building in Iraq,” the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq said in a statement. Mr. Qazi’s regional tour is “designed to learn the views and perceptions of Governments of the region and explore the different ways these governments can take to help enhance Iraq’s stability and regional reintegration,” it added. 2007-02-15 00:00:00.000

Feb 14

UN-BACKED TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM FOR EUROPE COULD PROTECT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

 New York, Feb 13 2007 12:00PM Some 45 million people living along the coasts of Europe will benefit from a new life-saving United Nations-backed project to provide early warnings of an impending tsunami, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported today. “The risk of tsunamis in this region might be relatively low, but if one occurred and we weren’t prepared the damage will be extensive,” Peter Koltermann, the head of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Tsunami co-ordination Unit, said, noting that 10 per cent of all observed tsunamis in the world occur in the Mediterranean Sea. The new project consists of an Italian initiative to provide non-stop processing and coverage of seismic data in the seas around Europe. This data, which is essential for detecting earthquakes that potentially generate tsunamis, could significantly boost protection of Europe’s heavily developed and populated coastlines. The Italian plan was presented to the 3rd Meeting of the Intergovernmental Co-ordination Group for the North-East Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, organized by UNESCO in Bonn, Germany, last week. The data will be provided by one of Europe’s largest research institutions in the field of geophysics, seismology and vulcanology, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, which will thus serve as the system’s first hub for immediate data delivery and dissemination. An initial detection system is expected to be ready by the end of this year, with the full system covering all coasts from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and the North-Eastern Atlantic available by 2011. This system will be based largely on existing national seismic and sea level monitoring activities, which although extensive, need to be integrated to function as an effective regional system. UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission is leading the effort to establish a global tsunami warning system. After the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed more than 200,000 people, it coordinated the establishment of a tsunami warning system there and is also working towards a similar system for the Caribbean Sea. Experts say scores of thousands of those killed by the 2004 tsunami could have been saved if early warning systems had existed and allowed them to escape to higher ground in the hours between the earthquake that triggered the giant waves and their landfall. 2007-02-13 00:00:00.000

HAITI: UN SECURITY OPERATION BRINGS STABILITY TO AREA WRACKED BY GANG VIOLENCE

 New York, Feb 13 2007 12:00PM Some of Haiti’s poorest people can now go about their daily business free from the fear of being terrorized by armed gangs following a large-scale United Nations security operation in the Boston area of the Cité Soleil quarter of Port-au-Prince, the capital, according to the top UN commander in the country. “The situation has been stabilized and UN troops have re-established conditions in this quarter for the Government and international organizations to work there for the wellbeing of the population,” UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) Military Force Commander Major-General Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz told a news conference yesterday in Port-au-Prince. “Under no circumstances can MINUSTAH troops accept that the local population should be victims of armed violence,” he added, referring to last Friday’s operation, which is part of an ongoing campaign by UN peacekeepers against criminal gangs in the capital. Some 700 UN troops took part in Friday’s operation, which was aimed at dismantling the band of a gang chief named Evans and led to the arrest of seven presumed bandits and the seizure of battle materiel, including a calibre 5 rifle, 12 gun magazines, a gas mask and more than 5,000 pieces of ammunition. , set up in 2004 to help re-establish peace in the impoverished Caribbean country after an insurgency forced then President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to go into exile, has reported that armed criminal gangs are forcing children to take part in their operations, often under threat of killing them, and using them as human shields in confrontations with the police. 2007-02-13 00:00:00.000

 Feb 12

UN COMMANDER MEETS WITH LEBANESE, ISRAELI OFFICERS AFTER LAST WEEK’S EXCHANGE OF FIRE

New York, Feb 12 2007 11:00AM The new commander of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon held his first meeting today with senior Lebanese and Israeli military officers focussing on steps to prevent a recurrence of last week’s exchange of fire between Lebanese and Israeli forces across the Blue Line separating the two countries. “I consider these meetings extremely important and the right mechanism to address the concerns of the parties and to avoid misunderstandings,UNIFIL) Commander Major General Claudio Graziano said after the session at UN headquarters at the border crossing at Ras Al Naqoura. On Thursday Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson Michele Montas said the exchange of fire, initiated by Lebanon after an Israeli army bulldozer crossed the technical fence in an apparent attempt to clear mines from the area between the technical fence and the Blue Line, constituted a breach of the cessation of hostilities as laid out in Security Council resolution 1701. At today’s meeting UNIFIL submitted the report and findings on the incident near Marun al-Ras, and both parties agreed with recommendations to improve the mission’s liaison and coordination with each side to prevent and mitigate such situations. Under resolution 1701 UNIFIL, first created in 1978 to confirm an Israeli withdrawal after an earlier incursion, was greatly enhanced to monitor the ceasefire after Israel’s 34-day war against Hizbollah last summer, support the Lebanese army as it deployed throughout south Lebanon, and extend assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons. Today’s meeting also discussed the ongoing issue of the northern part of Ghajar, with a view to speeding Israel’s withdrawal from the area, the last position it still occupies in southern Lebanon. The village straddles the line separating the two sides. Maj.-Gen. Graziano of Italy took over command of UNIFIL from Maj.-Gen. Alain Pellegrini of France at the beginning of the month. The mission now has more than 12,000 troops on the ground or patrolling Lebanon’s coast out of a maximum of 15,000 permitted by resolution 1701. 2007-02-12 00:00:00.000

SOMALIA: UN RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR RELEASE OF ARRESTED JOURNALISTS, END OF THREATS TO MEDIA

New York, Feb 12 2007 11:00AM An independent United Nations human rights expert today called for the unconditional release of three journalists arrested in Somalia and voiced “deep concern” at the temporary closing of radio and television stations, stressing the vital importance of free media in bringing peace to the war-torn country. “Threats to journalists and media outlets constitute serious violations of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, Ghanim Alnajjar, said in a statement today. “A free and independent press which does not fear any party is crucial to restoring peace and security in Somalia. This is worrying and I condemn these actions and reiterate that the media must be allowed to perform its duties without apprehension,” he added. The three journalists, Yusuf Abdi Gabode, Ali Abdi Din and Mohamed Omar Sheikh Ibrahim, employed by the Haatuf Media Network were arrested as a result of their work in ‘Somaliland’ in the north of the country and several other people have been arrested or detained for supporting the three or demonstrating against their arrests,” Mr. Alnajjar said. He also noted that three radio stations and the office of a television station in Mogadishu, the capital, were also temporarily closed by the Transitional Federal Government in January. “I am deeply concerned over recent threats to the right to freedom of opinion and expression in different parts of Somalia,” he declared. “I call upon the ‘Somaliland’ authorities to release the three journalists without conditions. “I also remind all Somali authorities of their obligation to respect the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and to ensure the safety and security of all, including journalists and other media professionals.” Somalia has been without a functioning government since Muhammad Siad Barre’s regime was ousted in 1991. Late last year, the transitional Government, backed by Ethiopian troops, dislodged Islamist forces from much of the country. The Security Council has authorized the deployment of a peace support mission to be run by the African Union (AU) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an east African grouping. 2007-02-12 00:00:00.000

WORLD CEREAL PRODUCTION OUTLOOK POSITIVE FOR 2007, SAYS UN AGRICULTURAL AGENCY

 New York, Feb 9 2007 4:00PM The overall prospects for global cereal production this year are favourable but civil conflicts, bad weather and localized crop losses mean some countries will still face food crises, according to the latest forecast by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released today. The overall prospects for global cereal production this year are favourable but civil conflicts, bad weather and localized crop losses mean some countries will still face food crises, according to the latest forecast by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), released today. The FAO report anticipates that “generally satisfactory” weather conditions and expanded plantings across Europe and North America will drive solid production levels during 2007. Last year cereal output worldwide reached almost 2 billion tons, 2.7 per cent lower than the previous year, but still considered above average, thanks in part to significantly increased production in States classed as low-income food-deficit countries. In those countries in Africa, cereal imports – including food aid – are expected to decline by as much as 10 per cent in 2006-07, according to the report, Crop Prospects and Food Situation. But it stresses that at least 34 countries around the world remain extremely vulnerable to food crises. In eastern Africa, the combination of floods, an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever localized drought and conflict poses problems. Civil conflicts – either recent or ongoing – are jeopardizing food security in Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Zimbabwe, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, Mauritania and Niger are also under threat because of economic or political strife or poor recent harvests. Elsewhere, the sharp reduction of food aid to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) means the food supply to millions of people there has been placed at risk; political instability and abnormally heavy monsoon rains are causing difficulties for Sri Lanka; and assistance is still required in Haiti because of insecurity and economic problems. 2007-02-09 00:00:00.000

Feb 11

FRESH ATTACKS FORCE HUNDREDS OF CENTRAL AFRICANS TO FLEE INTO CHAD – UN AGENCY

New York, Feb 9 2007 3:00PM A new and particularly brutal round of attacks on villages in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR) has driven hundreds of people into neighbouring Chad over the past month, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) html">reported today. Some 400 refugees arrived in Bekoninga, a southern Chadian village, late last month, and an estimated 200 others are expected to cross the border soon, according to Jennifer Pagonis, a spokesperson for UNHCR in Geneva. The latest arrivals – mostly women and children and a mix of ethnic Peuls and Arabs – join about 46,000 refugees from the CAR living in four UNHCR-operated camps in southern Chad. About 300 have already been transferred to one of the camps. Ms. Pagonis said the refugees told UNHCR staff that armed rebels, sometimes in groups as large as 100, tortured and executed locals, raped women, took children for ransom and then burned the villages. The towns attacked since mid-January include Paoua and Herba, located in the Bozomom commune about 300 kilometres northwest of Bangui, the capital of the CAR. The villages of Betoko, Bemal and Pougol were also hit by anti-government forces. Last month, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator to the CAR Toby Lanzer warned that the country was experiencing violence “unlike that previously seen,” with wave after wave of attacks on villages in the northwest and northeast, widespread gender-based violence and distressingly high rates of maternal mortality. The Security Council has asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to submit his recommendations by the middle of this month on the possibility and scope of a UN presence in eastern Chad and northern CAR to help the two impoverished nations deal with the increasingly frequent rebel attacks. 2007-02-09 00:00:00.000

IN SYRIA, IRAQI REFUGEES GREET UN OFFICIAL SPOTLIGHTING THEIR PLIGHT

New York, Feb 9 2007 3:00PM The head of the United Nations refugee agency was greeted by hundreds of Iraqis refugees eager to share their stories of hardship during his visit to Syria, host to almost half of the 2 million who have fled the violence in Iraq, where he is continuing an official regional tour aimed at spotlighting their plight. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) António Guterres visited a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) basement clinic in the Sayyida Zainab district of Damascus, where tens of thousands of Iraqis who have escaped their homeland currently reside. Praising the “excellent work” of the SARC, Mr. Guterres said, “We are going to increase the level of cooperation to make sure that more people are effectively assisted.” Lifting his shirt and pant leg, one refugee showed the High Commissioner scars from wounds he claimed to have received by the militia. “I can’t go back to Iraq,” he said. “I’m sick with fear and my wounds.” Another refugee shared her fears, saying, “My home was burned down and my husband murdered by the militias in front of our children. My eldest son couldn’t bear seeing his father killed and is now severely traumatized. I can’t go back to Iraq. Everyone is after us.” Mr. Guterres is in Syria on the last leg of his weeklong Gulf region tour to draw the world’s attention to the plight of Iraqis displaced by violence, and to call for broader world support for Iraq’s neighbours – including Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey – to ease the humanitarian burden being placed on these countries sheltering refugees. UNHCR estimates that in Iraq, there are 1.8 million internally displaced persons out of a total population of 26 million, with this number potentially swelling to 2.3 to 2.7 million by the end of the year. An additional 2 million refugees reside outside the country’s borders in the largest long-term population movement in the Middle East since Palestinians fled after the creation of Israel in 1948. In Syria, the High Commissioner met with several Syrian officials, including Vice President Farouk Shara, Interior Minister Bassam Abdelmajied and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Faisal Mikdad, and thanked Syria for its support of displaced Iraqis. “Syria and Jordan in particular have been extremely generous to Iraqis and the international community needs to do its share now as well,” he said of the countries hosting refugees despite a tremendous strain on their social services and infrastructure systems. Last month, UNHCR launched a $60 million appeal to allow the agency to continue providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq, where one in six have been forced to flee their homes, and surrounding areas. In a related development, UNHCR voiced concern at the growing number of Palestinians within Iraq, who face mounting intimidation and violence, stranded in Al Waleed on the Iraq-Syria border. More than 750 Palestinians, with 73 arriving over the past two days, who have fled Baghdad are marooned in either a no-man’s land or on the Iraqi side due to Syria’s refusal to allow them in. Despite delivery of food and relief items by UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross, some resources have been stretched to the limit, as an abandoned school accommodating refugees is already full, with any new arrivals being forced to live in tents. For the past few months, UNHCR has issued numerous appeals for assistance for the Palestinians who fled to Iraq following Israel’s creation in 1948. Some received preferential treatment under ousted President Saddam Hussein, but they have become targets for attack since his overthrow in 2003. Nearly 20,000 of them have already fled Iraq, but an estimated 15,000 still remain in the country, mostly in Baghdad. According to UNHCR spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis in Geneva, in recent weeks, “the Iraqi authorities have become increasingly uneasy with the growing numbers at the border and would like to see alternative solutions. There are signs they may force the group to leave the border area but currently there is no safe alternative for these refugees.” 2007-02-09 00:00:00.000

ARMS REGISTRATION AND STORAGE CONCLUDED IN WESTERN NEPAL -- UN ENVOY

New York, Feb 10 2007 5:00PM Arms registration and storage by United Nations monitors in the western part of Nepal has now been concluded, the world body's senior envoy to the Himalayan country confirmed today. Ian Martin, the Special Representative of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, made the announcement following a visit Friday to cantonment sites of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Kailali and Surkhet. He arrived at Kailali just as UN teams were registering and storing the arms of a final group of about 100 of the combatants based at the PLA seventh main cantonment site. He was joined on the ground by the senior UN arms monitor, General Jan Erik Wilhelmsen. Under the procedures established by agreement between the Government and Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), the arms were catalogued and bar-coded by registration teams before being stored on racks inside cargo containers. The containers are locked and subject to round-the-clock UN monitoring. Arms storage at Surkhet, which Mr. Martin toured later in the day, had been completed on Thursday. The envoy was received at Kailali by Commander Prajwal of the PLA and at Surkhet by Commander Pratik. Both expressed complaints of inadequate living conditions in the cantonments. "With only two sites to go in the East, arms registration and storage is now approaching its conclusion, and that will be an important staging post in the peace process. But the conditions in the cantonments are lagging behind. I intend to raise these concerns with the Government," Mr. Martin said. He was accompanied in his delegation by two UN experts in the disposal of mines, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordinance. He was joined also by B.B. Gurung, Commander of the Interim Task Force. Composed of Nepali ex-servicemen from the Indian and British armies, the Interim Task Force has played a critical role in supplementing the advance group of UN arms monitors sent pending ful Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

Feb 10

.FRESH ROUND OF ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS HITS SOUTH DARFUR – UN MISSION

 Armed men assaulted and attempted to abduct a group of female internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had been on their way to collect firewood in Darfur, the latest violent incident to plague the war-torn region, the United Nations Mission in Sudan reported today. The Mission said Arab nomads attacked the IDPs about four kilometres from Kalma camp in South Darfur on Tuesday, and tried to abduct one of the women but failed. In separate incidents in South Darfur, locals broke into the office of a non-governmental organization (NGO) at Kass and looted it during a demonstration, while a fire broke out at a camp for IDPs in El Sereif, near the provincial capital of Nyala. The incidents occurred as the joint commission established to oversee last year’s Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) issued a communiqué yesterday condemning the recent surge in attacks against humanitarian workers and members of the African Union (AU) monitoring force known as AMIS. The communiqué, which followed a meeting of the commission in North Darfur, was signed by representatives of the UN, the AU, the European Union, the United States as members, and Canada, France, the League of Arab States, the Netherlands, Egypt and the United Kingdom as observers. Last May the Sudanese Government signed the DPA with some of the rebel groups it had been fighting in Darfur, an impoverished and arid region on the country’s western flank. But fighting has raged on since then, mainly against the rebels that did not sign the pact. Some 4 million people now depend on humanitarian aid, and at least 200,000 have been killed and 2 million others displaced from their homes because of the ongoing fights between the Government, allied militias and the rebels. Earlier this week Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that his Special Envoy for Darfur Jan Eliasson, together with African Union (AU) counterpart Salim Ahmed Salim, would travel to Sudan next week to try to revive the stalled peace process. Mr. Eliasson and Mr. Salim will travel on Monday to the capital, Khartoum, and to Darfur itself for talks with the Government and with representatives of those rebel groups that did not sign the DPA. Mr. Ban is waiting for a response from the Sudanese Government to a letter he sent last month outlining the details of a hybrid UN-AU peacekeeping force in Darfur, its command structure and funding. Khartoum has already agreed in principle to such a force replacing AMIS. Meanwhile, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno today briefed the Security Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the work of UNMIS and the implementation of the comprehensive peace deal ending the separate conflict between Sudan’s north and south. In that report, Mr. Ban said a peaceful resolution of the Darfur conflict could go a long way towards restoring trust in the January 2005 peace deal that ended the 21-year civil war with the south. “Implementation has not progressed as effectively as we hoped,” Mr. Ban wrote, noting several violations of the ceasefire, including clashes in the town of Malakal in Upper Nile state in November that left at least 150 people dead. Both parties in southern Sudan must stop using militias as proxy forces and make the integration of armed other groups a priority, he added. 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

BAN KI-MOON CALLS FOR RESTRAINT FROM ISRAEL AND LEBANON AFTER EXCHANGE OF FIRE

Expressing deep concern after Lebanon’s armed forces and Israeli troops exchanged fire across the Blue Line that separates the two countries, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for maximum restraint, warning that such actions violate last year’s Security Council resolution that ended the month of fighting in the region. Later in the day the Council itself echoed this concern in a press statement on Wednesday’s incident, which occurred in the area of Yaroun. The 15-member body looked forward to a tripartite meeting called for by the commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the peacekeeping operation in the area which was greatly enhanced last year by Council resolution 1701 that ended the conflict between Israel and Hizbollah in Lebanon. “The exchange of fire, which was initiated by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) after an IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) bulldozer crossed the technical fence in an apparent attempt to clear the area between the technical fence and the Blue Line of mines, constitutes a breach of the cessation of hostilities as laid out in Security Council resolution 1701,” a spokesperson for Mr. Ban told reporters in New York. “All such violations of Security Council resolution 1701 (2006) endanger the fragile calm that prevails in southern Lebanon. The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, avoid provocative actions and display responsibility in implementing resolution 1701 (2006).” UNIFIL had deployed to the area immediately after hostilities began and was in contact with both sides urging them to cease, said spokesperson Michele Montas, adding that Mr. Ban is also calling on them to make use of the tripartite mechanism to avoid similar incidents in the future. Speaking to reporters after the Security Council heard a briefing on the incident, Ambassador Peter Burian of Slovakia, which this month holds the revolving presidency, said Council members reaffirmed their support for UNIFIL and also reiterated their call for the full implementation of resolution 1701. “The members of the Council expressed deep concern about this incident. They look forward to the ascertaining of all the facts by UNIFIL and to the forthcoming tripartite meeting asked for by UNIFIL Force Commander,” he said. “The members of the Council appealed to all parties to respect the Blue Line in its entirety, to exercise utmost restraint and to refrain from any action that could further escalate the situation.” The enhanced UNIFIL, which is monitoring the end of hostilities after last year’s conflict, as well as carrying out de-mining and other humanitarian work, now numbers over 12,000 although resolution 1701 allows its strength to reach a maximum of 15,000 troops, while also mandating a complete Israeli withdrawal, together with Lebanese army deployment in southern Lebanon. It is commanded by Major-General Claudio Graziano. 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

Feb 8

INDONESIA: FLOOD WATERS RECEDE BUT FEARS OF WATER-BORNE DISEASES PERSIST, UN WARNS

New York, Feb 8 2007 11:00AM Although the floodwaters have begun to recede in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, where 25 people are confirmed dead and nearly 300,000 others were driven from their homes, according to latest Government figures, clean water remains cut off in many areas and the fear of water-borne diseases persists, the United Nations reported today. “Hopefully the crisis has peaked, but we remain vigilant for potential floods as heavy rains continue to be predicted by the national weather services,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator Bo Asplund said. “A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team can be quickly deployed if called upon to provide international assistance.” Several UN agencies are providing assistance as requested by the Government, with the UN World Food Programme delivering 3.42 metric tons of noodles and biscuits to the Tangerang area, one of the hardest hit locations. The UN Children’s Fund  in coordination with the Public Works department, is preparing water bladders and purification tablets and will provide zinc supplements to children to treat diarrhoea. The UN Population Fund will distribute hygiene kits and reproductive health packages through Ministry of Health counterparts. The UN World Health Organization  has helped to establish 15 mobile health units across Jakarta and is carefully monitoring cases of acute respiratory tract infection, diarrhoea, leptospirosis, a bacterial illness causing fever, severe headache and vomiting, as well as gastro-intestinal diseases. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator continues to support the Indonesian disaster management operations in disseminating public information and conducting assessments. The Government has identified food, including rice, baby food, ready-to-eat food and drinking water, clothes, blankets, medicines, sanitation facilities, tools, rubber boats, trucks, inner tubes, flashlights, lanterns, and water tanks as ongoing needs. The Government is now actively providing emergency relief supplies and services to those who need it most, including food, drinking water, tents, sanitation facilities, and public kitchens, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA) reported. 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

UNESCO VOICES ‘DEEP CONCERN’ AT ISRAELI CONSTRUCTION WORK IN JERUSALEM

New York, Feb 8 2007 11:00AM The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voiced his “deep concern” today over construction work initiated by Israel in the Old City of Jerusalem and called for the suspension of any action that could exacerbate tensions. UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura in a statement that the Old City is protected by the UN Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), and is inscribed on the UN World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. “The distinctive character of the Old City of Jerusalem derives, in particular, from the close relationship between the historical and religious buildings and the peoples living with them,” the statement said, noting that interfering with the delicate balance among the symbols of the three monotheistic religions would entail running the risk of undermining the respect for sacred beliefs. “For this reason, the Director-General is launching a vigorous appeal to all people of good will to cease any action that could lead to tensions, whose magnitude can not be foreseen at this time,” it added. “The wisest course would be to suspend any action that could endanger the spirit of mutual respect until such time as the will to dialogue prevails once again.” Mr. Matsuura said he had written to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to ensure that the work undertaken – the plans of which have not been forwarded to UNESCO – does not in any way undermine the outstanding universal value of the Old City. In particular, he cited the decision by the World Heritage Committee in 2006 in Lithuania declaring its “concern as to the obstacles and practices, such as archaeological excavations or new constructions, which could alter the outstanding universal value of the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem, including its urban and social fabric as well as its visual integrity.” The Committee requested Israel “to provide to the World Heritage Centre all relevant information concerning the new buildings planned in and around the Western Wall Plaza, including the plans for the reconstruction of the access leading to the al-Haram ash-Sharîf.” 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

GAZA: UN RESUMES FULL AID OPERATIONS INTERRUPTED BY FACTIONAL FIGHTING

 New York, Feb 8 2007 11:00AM The United Nations agency that tends to Palestinian refugees has resumed full operation of its humanitarian activities in Gaza after they had been interrupted by recent inter-factional fighting. The closing of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) installations and facilities, including its headquarters and field offices, 83 schools and a food distribution centre, had been a last resort, but the situation had simply become too dangerous for its staff and for the thousands of children in its schools. Full services were restored on Tuesday. In a meeting with head teachers from the worst-affected schools in Gaza City, UNRWA Director of Operations in Gaza John Ging delivered a clear message of reassurance of the agency’s continued commitment to deliver humanitarian services in spite of the new and dangerous challenges. “We have to make up the time these children lost in school days, and I assure the wider refugee population in Gaza that through the bravery and dedication of our staff, UNRWA will continue to deliver services as long as it is possible to ensure a measure of safety for our staff,” he said. “Our services are vital: 860,000 refugees depend on our food assistance, 1 million depend on our health services and we have 195,000 children in our schools. We are all hoping that the political leaders meeting in Mecca will have the courage and wisdom to find solutions to avoid a return to the violence of the past days,” he added, referring to a summit meeting between the Fatah and Hamas factions in Islam’s holiest city. Over the past two months Mr. Ging and other UN officials have repeatedly warned that the armed clashes between the rival Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip, in which dozens of people are reported to have been killed or wounded, were endangering UN humanitarian operations. UNRWA, created in 1949 to care for Palestinian refugees after the foundation of Israel, now provides education, health and humanitarian aid to over 4 million people throughout the Middle East. 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

UN ENVOY FOR CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WELCOMES COMMITMENTS AT RECENT SUMMIT

New York, Feb 8 2007 7:00PM The top United Nations official dealing with children and armed conflict today hailed agreements reached earlier this week in France, known as the Paris Principles, aimed at ending the unlawful recruitment and use of children in warfare, but she also highlighted increasing problems for children in strife-torn Sudan. “These [Paris] Principles relate to the duty of ground recruitment and release of child soldiers and also with regard to the reintegration of child soldiers… and we are very happy many of the countries that were affected were present,” the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy, who attended the conference on Monday and Tuesday, told reporters. Representatives from 58 countries committed themselves to putting an end to the unlawful recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts, as well as to ensuring that conscription and enlistment procedures for recruitment into armed forces comply with applicable international law. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), a co-host of the conference along with the French Government, has welcomed the agreement but noted that political and legal efforts are not enough on their own to end child recruitment as effective social programmes are also required to tackle its root causes. Ms. Coomaraswamy, who recently visited Sudan along with UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director, said recent agreements to end abuses of children in that country must now be implemented, while she also pointed out new concerns caused by the breakdown of the social fabric in Darfur and in Juba and other areas of southern Sudan. “All I’m saying is that commitments are being made, implementation is another issue and we have to watch that all the time, but the commitments are being made,” she told reporters, referring to pledges made last week by Sudan’s Government and armed groups to reinforce child protection. “There were a few other concerns relating to children… the first is that the destruction of the social fabric has led to a great many orphans and street children, which is a new phenomenon in Sudan and there’s need for UN programmatic intervention in this regard.” “Secondly… the issue of re-integration is not working so well and therefore we and UNICEF will sponsor a major study in Juba to see how children who have been taken back into their communities, whether they are being reintegrated properly and to study really what social services are needed in the community to keep the children there,” she added, referring to attempts to integrate child soldiers. 2007-02-08 00:00:00.000

Feb 6

BAN KI-MOON PROPOSES RESTRUCTURING TO ENHANCE UN’S PEACE, DISARMAMENT WORK

New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today presented proposals to Member States aimed at improving the Organization’s peacekeeping and disarmament work. Addressing a closed-door meeting of the General Assembly, Mr. Ban stressed the need for restructuring to enhance UN efforts in these two key areas, according to his spokesperson. The Secretary-General noted that the number of peace operations is at an all-time high, and there is a need to deal with the surge in demand, Michele Montas told reporters in New York. “He proposed the creation of a new Department of Field Support that can support field operations more effectively, coherently and responsively, and establish a clear point of responsibility and accountability,” she said. The Secretary-General also emphasized the need for sustained and determined leadership to deal with disarmament issues, and proposed that the Department of Disarmament Affairs be constituted as an Office “with a direct line to him to ensure access and more frequent interaction,” she added. Mr. Ban also promised that he continues to listen to Member States and has adjusted his proposals in accordance with their concerns. Asked about the response from Member States, Ms. Montas noted that discussions are still continuing and pointed out that today’s presentation was just the beginning of consultations with the larger membership, following a period of talks on a smaller scale. The Secretary-General thanked General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Al Khalifa for her personal contribution in carrying forward the consultations with Member States, said spokesperson Frehiwot Bekele. “The Secretary-General noted that he has sought to adjust his proposals in accordance with the concerns of Member States,” said Ms. Bekele, a spokesperson for the General Assembly President, adding that he also indicated that he would move forward to fill existing posts as soon as possible, and that decisions about appointments for any new entities would be taken at a later date. During the meeting, speakers expressed their commitment to support Mr. Ban in his efforts to strengthen and reform the Secretariat. They also indicated that more time as well as information and details would be needed for in-depth consideration of the proposals, Ms. Bekele said. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

Feb 7

UN PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION CAN HELP STATES AVOID RENEWED CONFLICT – OFFICIALS

New York, Feb 6 2007 7:00PM War-ravaged countries suffering from destabilizing factors such as poverty and lack of good governance can benefit from the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, officials the General Assembly today. Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa pointed out that the Peacebuilding Commission has already started dealing with Burundi and Sierra Leone, two countries which have emerged from conflict with the UN’s support. “The challenge now lies primarily in the need for the international community to deliver on the pledges made to assist the peoples of these countries in their efforts to rebuild the institutional and human capacity needed for comprehensive and lasting peace,” she said. She stressed that the UN must help countries to address the link between poverty, weak State capacity and instability, which lead countries to relapse into conflict. “The Peacebuilding Commission has an important substantive and coordinating role to play in promoting post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery, including respect for human rights and the rule of law.” She also stressed the importance of the Peacebuilding Fund, which has received over $140 million in pledges, urging all countries to work together to reach the $250 million funding target. “I will personally write to a number of potential donors to encourage them to contribute to the Peacebuilding Fund so that the funding target is met,” Sheikha Haya said. Also addressing the Assembly, which heard from over 20 speakers, was the President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Dalius Cekuolis, who hailed the Peacebuilding Commission as a tool that would better enable the UN to promote sound policies on poverty eradication, sustainable development and human rights. Mr. Cekuolis pointed out that nine out of 10 countries with the lowest human development indicators have experienced conflict at some point since 1990. “These countries are clearly the farthest away from achieving the targets and goals set out in the United Nations development agenda,” he said. But he said the Economic and Social Council had taken several important steps to help post-conflict countries, such as Guinea-Bissau and Burundi, to plan a coordinated approach to peace and development. “ECOSOC is ready to support the work of the Peacebuilding Commission collectively and through its members.” The General Assembly was debating the work of the Peacebuilding Commission for the first time since that body’s establishment in December 2005. 2007-02-06 00:00:00.000

HARIRI MURDER TRIBUNAL AWAITS APPROVAL AFTER UN AND LEBANON SIGN DEAL

New York, Feb 6 2007 7:00PM The United Nations today signed an agreement with Lebanon setting up a Special Tribunal to prosecute the suspected killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his hopes that the Government will ratify it in line with the country’s “constitutional requirements.” “The accord was earlier signed in Beirut by the Director-General of the Ministry of Justice on behalf of the Lebanese Republic. The Secretary-General designated Mr. Nicolas Michel, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, the Legal Counsel, to sign on behalf of the United Nations,” a UN spokesperson said in New York. “It is up to the competent Lebanese authorities to take the steps necessary under the Lebanese Constitution for the approval and ratification of the Agreement, to allow it to enter into force. The Tribunal could then be made operational with the full support of the United Nations.” Speaking to reporters after briefing the Security Council today on his recent overseas trip, Mr. Ban reiterated that he was studying the whole Special Tribunal issue and hopeful that the Lebanese Government would ratify the process. “This matter is something to be discussed by the members of the Security Council… I am considering the Special Tribunal issue… and we hope that the Lebanese Government will take the necessary measures to be able to ratify this process, in accordance with their constitutional requirements,” he said. A senior UN official said that the signing of the Agreement is not the end of the process but is only one part of it, emphasizing that Lebanon’s constitutional process needs to continue while also acknowledging the difficulties that lie ahead because of the country’s extremely sensitive political situation. “The main stumbling block for now seems to be the establishment of a framework for dialogue that would produce the expected results. So that is why we are encouraging as much as we can the parties to find a way of exchanging their views, of having a substantial dialogue, and that is really why we encourage the mediation efforts,” the official said. Last December, the head of the UN probe into the 2005 assassination of Mr. Hariri told the Security Council that his investigation into the deadly explosion and 14 other bombings was “approaching a sensitive and complicated phase.” Delivering his latest progress report on the work of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), Serge Brammertz said the process of interviewing witnesses in such a politically charged inquiry required extreme delicacy. The Security Council set up the IIIC in April 2005 after an earlier UN mission found Lebanon’s own investigation was seriously flawed and that Syria was primarily responsible for the political tensions that preceded the assassination. Its mandate runs until June this year. Last November, the Council gave its support to the establishment of a “tribunal of an international character” to try those alleged responsible for the killing. 2007-02-06 00:00:00.000

‘MEDICAL’ TREND WITH FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION DISTURBS UN AGENCY

 New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM Calling for stepped-up efforts against the traditional yet gruesome practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), the United Nations Population Fund sounded the alarm today against a new trend – parents using health-care workers to perform cutting in the belief that any medical problems can be minimized. In an appeal for the International Day Against FGM, which is being observed tomorrow, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid voiced concern about what she dubbed the “medicalization” of the practice. Some 3 million girls worldwide face the threat of undergoing FGM each year, and an estimated 120 to 140 million women have already been subject to the practice, which leaves lasting physical and psychological scars and increases the risks of problems during childbirth. A study released by the UN last June found that pregnant mothers are far more likely to experience serious complications, such as the need to have caesarean section to dangerously heavy bleeding after the birth. The death rates among babies at birth and immediately after is also much higher – in some cases by as much as 55 per cent. Ms. Obaid said increasing awareness about the physical risks posed by FGM has led more and more parents to turn to health-care professionals to carry out the cutting in clinical settings in the belief that it will be safer for the girl. Many health-care workers now come under pressure from families to agree to perform the surgery. Ms. Obaid warned that younger and younger girls are being subjected to the practice by parents to reduce complaints or the possibility that they will refuse to participate. To challenge proponents of FGM, Ms. Obaid said the Fund has learned that “laws need to be enforced, people need to be educated, and communities must be engaged… Contrary to popular belief, FGM or cutting is not required by any religion. In fact, many religious leaders and scholars and faith-based organizations from around the world have called for the practice to be banned.” UNFPA is backing initiatives in several countries, including Uganda and Kenya, which offer alternative rites of passage to usher girls into adulthood without genital mutilation. In Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ethiopia and Egypt, the Fund works with religious and local community leaders, who serve as promoters of change. It also supports human rights activists to enforce existing laws banning the practice and to introduce similar laws into other countries. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

NUMBER OF AFGHANS IN PAKISTAN REGISTERED IN UN-BACKED OPERATION TO PASS 2 MILLION

New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM The number of Afghans in Pakistan registered by Pakistani authorities assisted by the United Nations refugee agency has passed the two million mark today, yielding further information for continued repatriation efforts for those who fled decades of conflict in their homeland. “The 2 million people registered since the start of the exercise in October 2006 account for over 80 percent of the target population of 2.4 million Afghans in Pakistan,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees  spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva on 2 February. He said the number of Afghans registered by the government of Pakistan with support from UNHCR would pass the 2 million mark on Friday following the resumption of the registration operation after the break for Ashura and Muharram, the recent religious festivals. Nearly 65 per cent of those registered are in North West Frontier Province (NWFP); 20 per cent in Balochistan; 10 per cent in Punjab/Islamabad; 5 per cent in Sindh and the rest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Registration is conducted by Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) with help from the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and UNHCR. The exercise has been completed in large parts of the country. It is scheduled to finish by mid-February in the remaining sites in Islamabad, NWFP and Balochistan, Mr. Redmond said. Only Afghans who were counted in the Pakistan government census of February/March 2005 are eligible for registration. Those registered receive Proof of Registration cards that recognize them as Afghan citizens temporarily living in Pakistan. The Proof of Registration cards have a validity of three years. “We’re now in the final phase of registration,” said Indrika Ratwatte, the UNHCR official in charge of the registration. “NADRA is enhancing the capacity in the remaining centres to process as many eligible Afghans as quickly as possible. Where needed, mobile registration vans have also been deployed to ease the pressure on these centres, and to reach out to isolated pockets of Afghans who need to be registered.” In addition to the issuance of Proof of Registration cards, the $6 million registration exercise is collecting key data on the remaining Afghan population in Pakistan in order to seek durable solutions to their long-term displacement. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

IRAQ FACES DIRE AND LONG-TERM HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, UN OFFICIAL WARNS New York,

 Feb 5 2007 6:00PM Citing grim daily indicators – 100 people killed, hundreds wounded and thousands displaced – an official with the United Nations refugee agency predicted that Iraq’s humanitarian crisis will last for years, with ramifications extending beyond the country’s borders. “We’ve got a vulnerable population which is being made even more vulnerable by the failing social sectors and social structures,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees senior Iraq operations manager Andrew Harper said last week upon returning from a trip to Jordan. “This is a [humanitarian] operation that is going to have to go on for years.” Violence continues unabated in the country, and UNHCR estimates that there are 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) out of a total population of 26 million, with this number potentially swelling to 2.3 to 2.7 million by the end of the year. Particularly worrisome is that for most of these IDPs, “this is not a temporary displacement,” but rather a “permanent displacement,” according to Mr. Harper. Since the bombing of a Shiite mosque in Samarra, 125 kilometres north of Baghdad, last February, 640,000 people have been forced from their homes. UNHCR believes that up to 50,000 people are displaced monthly. “With the exception of three northern governorates,” Mr. Harper said, “there is basically no place which is safe inside Iraq, particularly if you’re from a minority, or if you are secular or come from a professional class.” UNHCR has been especially concerned for the plight of Palestinians who fled to Iraq upon Israel’s creation in 1948. Although some received preferential treatment under former President Saddam Hussein, they have become targets for attack since his overthrow in 2003. Nearly 20,000 have already fled Iraq, but an estimated 15,000 remain, most in Baghdad. Syria is denying entry to approximately 700 who remain trapped in two makeshift camps on the Iraqi side of the border. Along with Palestinians, Mr. Harper points to Syrians in Iraq as being the agency’s “main protection concern.” Despite continuous threats and crimes perpetrated against them on a weekly basis, “there is basically nowhere that we can send them at the moment,” he said. The growing number of IDPs also has spillover effects in neighbouring countries. According to UNHCR estimates, there are between 500,000 to 1 million Iraqis in Syria; up to 700,000 in Jordan; between 20,000 to 80,000 in Egypt; up to 40,000 in Lebanon; and several thousand in Turkey. Mr. Harper’s comments coincide with the trip of UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres to the Gulf region, where he is scheduled to meet with Iraqis in Jordan and Syria. Last month, UNHCR launched a $60 million appeal for the agency to continue its work in Iraq. “The longer this conflict goes on, the more difficult it becomes for the hundreds of thousands of people displaced and the communities that are trying to help them – both inside and outside Iraq,” Mr. Guterres said. Yet Mr. Harper acknowledges that the $60 million fund is not a catch-all solution, but rather a catalyst to increase visibility of displaced Iraqis throughout the world. Instead, he assesses the actual price tag for the humanitarian project in Iraq to extend to the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. “It’s no use trying to fool ourselves that we are going to be able to address the total humanitarian needs with $60 million,” he said. “The money does not buy you much when you’re trying to provide long-term protection and assistance to so many.” 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

Feb 5

BAN KI-MOON PROPOSES RESTRUCTURING TO ENHANCE UN’S PEACE, DISARMAMENT WORK

 New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today presented proposals to Member States aimed at improving the Organization’s peacekeeping and disarmament work. Addressing a closed-door meeting of the General Assembly, Mr. Ban stressed the need for restructuring to enhance UN efforts in these two key areas, according to his spokesperson. The Secretary-General noted that the number of peace operations is at an all-time high, and there is a need to deal with the surge in demand, Michele Montas told reporters in New York. “He proposed the creation of a new Department of Field Support that can support field operations more effectively, coherently and responsively, and establish a clear point of responsibility and accountability,” she said. The Secretary-General also emphasized the need for sustained and determined leadership to deal with disarmament issues, and proposed that the Department of Disarmament Affairs be constituted as an Office “with a direct line to him to ensure access and more frequent interaction,” she added. Mr. Ban also promised that he continues to listen to Member States and has adjusted his proposals in accordance with their concerns. Asked about the response from Member States, Ms. Montas noted that discussions are still continuing and pointed out that today’s presentation was just the beginning of consultations with the larger membership, following a period of talks on a smaller scale. The Secretary-General thanked General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Al Khalifa for her personal contribution in carrying forward the consultations with Member States, said spokesperson Frehiwot Bekele. “The Secretary-General noted that he has sought to adjust his proposals in accordance with the concerns of Member States,” said Ms. Bekele, a spokesperson for the General Assembly President, adding that he also indicated that he would move forward to fill existing posts as soon as possible, and that decisions about appointments for any new entities would be taken at a later date. During the meeting, speakers expressed their commitment to support Mr. Ban in his efforts to strengthen and reform the Secretariat. They also indicated that more time as well as information and details would be needed for in-depth consideration of the proposals, Ms. Bekele said. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

‘MEDICAL’ TREND WITH FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION DISTURBS UN AGENCY

New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM Calling for stepped-up efforts against the traditional yet gruesome practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), the United Nations Population Fund sounded the alarm today against a new trend – parents using health-care workers to perform cutting in the belief that any medical problems can be minimized. In an appeal for the International Day Against FGM, which is being observed tomorrow, UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid voiced concern about what she dubbed the “medicalization” of the practice. Some 3 million girls worldwide face the threat of undergoing FGM each year, and an estimated 120 to 140 million women have already been subject to the practice, which leaves lasting physical and psychological scars and increases the risks of problems during childbirth. A study released by the UN last June found that pregnant mothers are far more likely to experience serious complications, such as the need to have caesarean section to dangerously heavy bleeding after the birth. The death rates among babies at birth and immediately after is also much higher – in some cases by as much as 55 per cent. Ms. Obaid said increasing awareness about the physical risks posed by FGM has led more and more parents to turn to health-care professionals to carry out the cutting in clinical settings in the belief that it will be safer for the girl. Many health-care workers now come under pressure from families to agree to perform the surgery. Ms. Obaid warned that younger and younger girls are being subjected to the practice by parents to reduce complaints or the possibility that they will refuse to participate. To challenge proponents of FGM, Ms. Obaid said the Fund has learned that “laws need to be enforced, people need to be educated, and communities must be engaged… Contrary to popular belief, FGM or cutting is not required by any religion. In fact, many religious leaders and scholars and faith-based organizations from around the world have called for the practice to be banned.” UNFPA is backing initiatives in several countries, including Uganda and Kenya, which offer alternative rites of passage to usher girls into adulthood without genital mutilation. In Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ethiopia and Egypt, the Fund works with religious and local community leaders, who serve as promoters of change. It also supports human rights activists to enforce existing laws banning the practice and to introduce similar laws into other countries. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

NUMBER OF AFGHANS IN PAKISTAN REGISTERED IN UN-BACKED OPERATION TO PASS 2 MILLION

 New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM The number of Afghans in Pakistan registered by Pakistani authorities assisted by the United Nations refugee agency has passed the two million mark today, yielding further information for continued repatriation efforts for those who fled decades of conflict in their homeland. “The 2 million people registered since the start of the exercise in October 2006 account for over 80 percent of the target population of 2.4 million Afghans in Pakistan,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees told reporters in Geneva on 2 February. He said the number of Afghans registered by the government of Pakistan with support from UNHCR would pass the 2 million mark on Friday following the resumption of the registration operation after the break for Ashura and Muharram, the recent religious festivals. Nearly 65 per cent of those registered are in North West Frontier Province (NWFP); 20 per cent in Balochistan; 10 per cent in Punjab/Islamabad; 5 per cent in Sindh and the rest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Registration is conducted by Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) with help from the Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees and UNHCR. The exercise has been completed in large parts of the country. It is scheduled to finish by mid-February in the remaining sites in Islamabad, NWFP and Balochistan, Mr. Redmond said. Only Afghans who were counted in the Pakistan government census of February/March 2005 are eligible for registration. Those registered receive Proof of Registration cards that recognize them as Afghan citizens temporarily living in Pakistan. The Proof of Registration cards have a validity of three years. “We’re now in the final phase of registration,” said Indrika Ratwatte, the UNHCR official in charge of the registration. “NADRA is enhancing the capacity in the remaining centres to process as many eligible Afghans as quickly as possible. Where needed, mobile registration vans have also been deployed to ease the pressure on these centres, and to reach out to isolated pockets of Afghans who need to be registered.” In addition to the issuance of Proof of Registration cards, the $6 million registration exercise is collecting key data on the remaining Afghan population in Pakistan in order to seek durable solutions to their long-term displacement. 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000

IRAQ FACES DIRE AND LONG-TERM HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, UN OFFICIAL WARNS

New York, Feb 5 2007 6:00PM Citing grim daily indicators – 100 people killed, hundreds wounded and thousands displaced – an official with the United Nations refugee agency predicted that Iraq’s humanitarian crisis will last for years, with ramifications extending beyond the country’s borders. “We’ve got a vulnerable population which is being made even more vulnerable by the failing social sectors and social structures,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees senior Iraq operations manager Andrew Harper said last week upon returning from a trip to Jordan. “This is a [humanitarian] operation that is going to have to go on for years.” Violence continues unabated in the country, and UNHCR estimates that there are 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) out of a total population of 26 million, with this number potentially swelling to 2.3 to 2.7 million by the end of the year. Particularly worrisome is that for most of these IDPs, “this is not a temporary displacement,” but rather a “permanent displacement,” according to Mr. Harper. Since the bombing of a Shiite mosque in Samarra, 125 kilometres north of Baghdad, last February, 640,000 people have been forced from their homes. UNHCR believes that up to 50,000 people are displaced monthly. “With the exception of three northern governorates,” Mr. Harper said, “there is basically no place which is safe inside Iraq, particularly if you’re from a minority, or if you are secular or come from a professional class.” UNHCR has been especially concerned for the plight of Palestinians who fled to Iraq upon Israel’s creation in 1948. Although some received preferential treatment under former President Saddam Hussein, they have become targets for attack since his overthrow in 2003. Nearly 20,000 have already fled Iraq, but an estimated 15,000 remain, most in Baghdad. Syria is denying entry to approximately 700 who remain trapped in two makeshift camps on the Iraqi side of the border. Along with Palestinians, Mr. Harper points to Syrians in Iraq as being the agency’s “main protection concern.” Despite continuous threats and crimes perpetrated against them on a weekly basis, “there is basically nowhere that we can send them at the moment,” he said. The growing number of IDPs also has spillover effects in neighbouring countries. According to UNHCR estimates, there are between 500,000 to 1 million Iraqis in Syria; up to 700,000 in Jordan; between 20,000 to 80,000 in Egypt; up to 40,000 in Lebanon; and several thousand in Turkey. Mr. Harper’s comments coincide with the trip of UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres to the Gulf region, where he is scheduled to meet with Iraqis in Jordan and Syria. Last month, UNHCR launched a $60 million appeal for the agency to continue its work in Iraq. “The longer this conflict goes on, the more difficult it becomes for the hundreds of thousands of people displaced and the communities that are trying to help them – both inside and outside Iraq,” Mr. Guterres said. Yet Mr. Harper acknowledges that the $60 million fund is not a catch-all solution, but rather a catalyst to increase visibility of displaced Iraqis throughout the world. Instead, he assesses the actual price tag for the humanitarian project in Iraq to extend to the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars. “It’s no use trying to fool ourselves that we are going to be able to address the total humanitarian needs with $60 million,” he said. “The money does not buy you much when you’re trying to provide long-term protection and assistance to so many.” 2007-02-05 00:00:00.000