Thursday, 22 January 2004
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UN Peacekeepers Come Under Attack in DR-Congo

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo MONUC has issued a strong warning to the Union of Congolese Patriots, the UPC, after three attacks on UN peacekeepers in Ituri. MONUC says there has been a series of attacks on UN peacekeepers since last week. In one incident a helicopter was shot at and forced to land when MONUC sent peacekeepers to investigate allegations of an attack by a rival armed group. MONUC spokeswoman in Bunia, Isabelle Abric, said the latest attack occurred last night 25 kilometres north of Bunia:

"Last night it was a smaller incident and they attacked again near Igabiria at a place called Misi and the shooting lasted about fifteen minutes. Igabiria and Misi are UPC Luenga dominated areas."

Ms. Abric says MONUC did not suffer casualties from these attacks.

UNRWA Condemns Israeli House Demolitions in Rafah

The UN Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees, UNRWA, has condemned the demolition of houses by Israel in Rafah. UNRWA says that a series of Israeli military incursions into the Palestinian-controlled areas of Gaza since last Friday has left more than 580 people homeless in the town and refugee camp. The agency says fresh demolitions have added to the severe humanitarian crisis in Rafah where close to 10,000 people have lost their homes. The latest incursion ended on Thursday morning leaving behind another four demolished homes.

UNICEF Urges Tamil Fighters to Stop Recruiting Child Soldiers

The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, has called on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to stop the recruitment of children and to release all child soldiers. The Tamil Tigers are reported to have released just over 200 children out of more than 1,000 suspected cases of recruitment. Last year, the LTTE, UNICEF and the Sri Lankan Government agreed on an action plan for children. The Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu, says the LTTE is in a report which has been sent to the Security Council listing parties and entities that continue to use children as child soldiers:

"That report indicated examples of the LTTE continuing to do some recruitment, and that is what the LTTE is on the list and we are concerned about that and we hope that everything will be done by the LTTE leadership to end recruitment definitively."

Mr. Otunnu said the good news is that fighting has stopped in Sri Lanka. In his latest report to the Security Council, he stressed the need to ensure that the protection and rehabilitation of children are incorporated into all stages of peace processes.

Head of DPI Warns of Alarming Resurgence of Anti-Semitism, Islamaphobia and Racism

The Head of the UN Department of Public Information, Shashi Tharoor, today warned of an alarming resurgence of anti-semitism, Islamaphobia and racism in many parts of the world. He was welcoming participants in a panel of non-governmental organizations which brought together psychoanalysts to discuss various forms of intolerance. Mr. Tharoor said the problems of anti-semitism, Islamaphobia and racism have long and complex histories but share common roots that grow out of ignorance, poverty, violence and the irrational fear of the other:

"We are witness to an alarming virulence with hate crimes on the rise in our cities, the atmosphere of intolerance and violence, willfully exacerbated by fundamentalist rhetoric and the backlash of xenophonia in both North and South."

Mr. Tharoor, the Head of the UN Department of Public Information, said the United Nations is and must continue to be a leading force in combating intolerance worldwide.

Over Half a Million Afghans Register to Vote

Over half a million Afghans have registered to vote with the highest number of registered people in the central region. The UN Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, however, is concerned about the lower number of registrations in Kandahar. A UN spokesman said this has to do with security and the availability of registration sites.