.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON
BRIEFING
BY FARHAN HAQ
ASSOCIATE SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
UN
HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK
Friday, April 3, 2009
SRI LANKA: BAN
KI-MOON SAYS CIVILIANS MUST BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE CONFLICT AREA
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is
deeply distressed by continuing reports from the Vanni region of Sri
Lanka that civilians are at extreme risk, with heavy casualties, and that
the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are keeping civilians in a very
small area of active conflict against their will. While some have been able
to leave or escape, reliable reports indicate that the LTTE have prevented
others from leaving, including by firing at them.
The Secretary-General calls upon the LTTE leadership to
allow civilians to leave the conflict area of their own free will. The
severe restrictions of the LTTE on their freedom of movement violate
international law. The Secretary-General also deplores the forced
recruitment of civilians, particularly children.
At the same time, the Secretary-General again reminds
the Government of Sri Lanka of its responsibility to protect civilians, and
to avoid the use of heavy weapons in areas where there are civilians, as
promised. The Government should receive and treat displaced persons in
accordance with international law, and work closely with the United Nations
in meeting the protection and physical needs of displaced persons.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA),
meanwhile, says that it continues to receive reports of
shelling, mortar fire and aerial attacks in the “no fire” zone in Sri Lanka.
Up to the end of March, OCHA
says that 58,378 persons crossed from conflict areas, and are accommodated
in camps for internally displaced persons in Vavuniya. Another 8,204 IDPs
(including the injured and those who accompanied these patients) have gone
to Trincomalee. OCHA estimates that some 150,000 people remain trapped in
the conflict area.
In Vavuniya, site cleaning
and ground leveling is ongoing and various agencies have started the
construction of communal halls, latrines, bathing spaces and kitchens. More
than 3,700 emergency shelters have been constructed so far and are occupied
by IDPs. Agencies assisting the displaced persons report that stocks of
hospital kits are running low and that there are still significant gaps in
providing clothing.
Asked about the Secretary-General’s earlier call for a
suspension of hostilities in Sri Lanka, the Spokesperson said that call
stands, adding that the focus now is on protecting civilians, including
those trying to leave the conflict zone.
BAN KI-MOON WELCOMES SUDAN’S INTENTION
TO HOLD VOTE IN 2010
The Secretary-General
welcomes the announcement by Sudan’s National Elections Commission (NEC)
on 2 April that elections will take place in February 2010. The holding of
nationwide elections is an important benchmark in the implementation of the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
The Secretary-General urges the Sudanese authorities to
proceed with the necessary preparations in accordance with the timeframe
proposed by the NEC, and hopes that the National Assembly will pass all
relevant legislation as a matter of urgency. He further encourages all
political parties to participate in this historic vote, which will further
contribute to the consolidation of the ideals set out in the Interim
National Constitution.
The United Nations stands ready to assist the parties
in the conduct of free and fair elections.
BAN KI-MOON IS
“ENCOURAGED” BY RUSSIAN-U.S. LEADERSHIP IN NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
The Secretary-General
welcomes the Joint Statement by President Medvedev and President Obama.
The Secretary-General believes that their leadership is vital to the process
leading to the achievement of a nuclear-weapon-free world.
Their agreed commitment to this goal, to fulfilling
their disarmament obligations under Article VI of the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as agreeing to
rapidly pursue new and verifiable reductions in their strategic offensive
arsenals through the replacement of the
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with a new, legally-binding
treaty, are significant undertakings.
The Secretary-General is encouraged by their efforts to
overcome differences related to the deployment of missile defenses and
welcomes their commitment to the further strengthening of the NPT and the
international regime for the non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and their means of delivery.
He welcomes their declaration of support for UN
Security Council
Resolution 1540 (2004) on preventing non-state actors from obtaining
WMD-related materials and technologies. The promotion of nuclear energy for
peaceful purposes, heightened efforts to make nuclear weapons and materials
secure and to combat nuclear terrorism will contribute to addressing
important nuclear challenges.
As depository of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty
(CTBT), the Secretary-General is particularly pleased at the confirmation by
President Obama to work for U.S. ratification of the Treaty.
He has repeatedly appealed to the members of the
Conference on Disarmament to overcome their deadlock and to move to
negotiations, including on a treaty banning the production of fissile
material. The Presidents’ support for such international negotiations on a
verifiable treaty is therefore most welcome.
SUDAN: U.N. TEAM BEGINS HUMANITARIAN
ASSESSMENT IN WAKE OF AID GROUPS’ EXPULSION
A humanitarian assessment mission to the so-called
Three Areas of Sudan has been sent to assess the impact of the decision by
the Government of Sudan in March to revoke the permits of 13 international
nongovernmental organizations and ban three national NGOs.
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The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA) says the assessment started in Blue Nile State yesterday. Assessment
teams will review data and information on programmes run by the expelled
NGOs and assess gaps.
Some of the expelled NGOs had humanitarian activities
in addition to significant recovery and development operations benefiting
populations in the Three Areas of Abyei, Southern Kordofan State, and
Southern Blue Nile State. UN agencies and the remaining NGOs are, meanwhile,
still grappling with the impact of the expulsions.
The mission consists of representatives from the
Sudanese Government of National Unity, the Three Areas Committee and the
United Nations.
Meanwhile in Darfur, in a bid to fill gaps created by
the expulsion and ban of NGOs, UNICEF has in the past week provided six
primary health centre kits containing essential drugs and equipment for
outpatient treatment programmes in El Fasher as part of its short-term
support to the State Ministry of Health in North Darfur.
UNICEF has also stepped in to fill gaps in water,
sanitation and hygiene sector in Zam Zam camp, where new displaced people
have continued to arrive.
In West Darfur, sanitation, hygiene promotion and solid
waste management have not resumed in any of the camps, according to UNICEF.
Meanwhile, the African Union High Level Panel on Darfur
arrived in El Fasher, North Darfur, today to meet with the leadership of the
United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)
and senior Government officials in the region.
The Panel is led by former South African President
Thabo Mbeki who said the purpose of the visit is to interact with the
Sudanese people with a view to determining what more can be done to achieve
peace, justice and reconciliation. The AU panel also met with the Civil
Society Organizations in North Darfur and discussed ways of resolving the
Darfur conflict and last month’s expulsion of the NGOs.
BAN KI-MOON ARRIVES IN PARIS FOR U.N.
LEADERSHIP’S GATHERING
The Secretary-General is in
Paris today, where he will chair a gathering of the UN System Chief
Executives Board for Coordination (CEB)
today and tomorrow.
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The Secretary-General met
with Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, Turkish Cypriot leader, this afternoon. Mr. Talat
expressed his optimism regarding the achievement of a mutually agreed
solution to the Cyprus problem and reiterated his commitment to working
towards such a solution. He also provided a briefing to the
Secretary-General on the negotiation process and the progress made thus far.
The Secretary-General commended both Mr. Talat and Mr. Dimitris Christofias,
the Greek Cypriot leader, for their commitment and determined leadership,
and confirmed his strong and unwavering support for their efforts, as well
as the ongoing support of his Good Offices.
After that, the
Secretary-General met with former French President Jacques Chirac, with whom
he discussed water scarcity, AIDS in Africa, Lebanon and Syria, and Haiti.
He then went to the offices
of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
to meet with staff there.
He is scheduled to meet with
the Prime Minister of France, François Fillon.
HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL NAMES TEAM LEADER
IN GAZA HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATION
The Human Rights Council today
announced the appointment of Judge Richard Goldstone, former Chief
Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia
and Rwanda, to lead an independent fact-finding mission to investigate
international human rights and humanitarian law violations related to the
recent conflict in the
Gaza Strip.
The mission will also include the following experts:
Professor Christine Chinkin of the London School of Economics and University
of London; Hina Jilani, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; and
retired Colonel Desmond Travers, member of the Board of Directors of the
Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI). The team will be
supported by staff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Judge Goldstone, upon his appointment, said that it is
in the interest of all Palestinians and Israelis that the allegations of war
crimes and serious human rights violations related to the recent conflict on
all sides be investigated. Members of the fact-finding mission will hold a
range of discussions in Geneva within the next few weeks before departing
for the region.
Asked about the difference between this investigation
and the Board of Inquiry, the Spokesperson said that the investigation
headed by Judge Goldstone was requested by the Human Rights Council, in its
special session in January, to look into allegations concerning violations
of human rights and international humanitarian law during the recent
fighting in Gaza.
Asked about the Board of Inquiry report, Haq said it
would be presented to the Secretary-General upon his return from his current
travels, around 7 April.
Asked whether the Secretary-General had spoken recently
to new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Spokesperson said that
he had not, adding that the Secretary-General conveyed his views on the new
Israeli Government in a recent statement.
KENYA FORCIBLY RETURNS HOME SOMALI
ASYLUM SEEKERS
The UN Refugee Agency said it is concerned about the
emerging practice of Kenyan authorities to forcibly return Somali asylum
seekers to their country. Most recently, Kenyan law enforcement officials
intercepted a bus carrying 31 Somali asylum seekers, including women and
children, and forced them back to Somalia.
Another 61 Somalis were deported two weeks ago.
UNHCR says that it has registered a formal complaint by
the Kenyan immigration authorities, but so far it has seen no improvement in
this situation.
Meanwhile, UNHCR says it has
begun relocating Somali refugees from the Somali-Ethiopia border region
to a new camp some 90 kilometers inside Ethiopia. The new facility would
accommodate some 20,000 people. And the refugees include 5,000 people
recently granted official status by the Ethiopian Government. Another 5,000
will soon be considered for relocation. Some 40,000 Somali refugees live in
the border region with Ethiopia.
UNITED NATIONS RENEW APPEAL FOR
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO MYANMAR
On
Myanmar, the United Nations highlighted urgent needs for the cyclone
affected communities in the delta, in addition to calling for increased
support to people in need in other parts of country.
The appeal was made in a donor meeting organized by the
United Nations in Yangon today that was attended by some 70 participants,
including Heads of Diplomatic missions, UN Agencies and National and
International Non-Governmental Organizations.
According to the top UN official in the country, there
is an imminent need for sustainable shelter and agricultural support ahead
of the monsoon season. Whilst steadily recovering from cyclone Nargis
affected areas remains high on the agenda, the UN also addresses needs for
funding to other parts of the country, where immense humanitarian and
development challenges exists.
The UN appeal covers urgent pre-monsoon needs in the
delta as well as a three-year recovery plan with an estimated cost of $691
million.
UNITED NATIONS UNVEILS STRATEGY FOR
ASSISTANCE TO TIMOR LESTE DEVELOPMENT
In a
speech yesterday to Timor-Leste’s development partners, Atul Khare, the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Timor-Leste, presented the UN
medium-term strategy for that country.
The proposed plan fully incorporates the pursuit of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as four other key objectives.
Those include an improvement of security sector institutions; an effective
justice and penal system that fully uphold the rule of law; democratic
governance and economic and social development.
Atul Khare noted that achieving these objectives will
require sustained long-term attention well beyond The UN Mission (UNMIT)’s
lifespan.
AUSTRALIA SIGNS ON TO U.N. DECLARATION
ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, along with the UN rapporteurs dealing with
the rights of indigenous peoples,
welcomed the news that Australia has today joined the ranks of States
endorsing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Australia was one of only four States that voted
against the Declaration when it was adopted by the General Assembly in
September 2007, and the three UN experts, in a joint statement, said that
its endorsement today strengthens the international consensus on the rights
of indigenous peoples.
UNITED NATIONS TO MARK MINE AWARENESS
DAY TOMORROW
Tomorrow will be the International Day for Mine
Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
In a message to mark this day, the Secretary-General
recalled his visits to many countries that face the scourge of landmines
saying that he had seen the devastation caused by these indiscriminate
weapons. His fervent hope is that the world will one day be free from the
threats caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war.
Also marking the day, the United Nations Peacekeeping
Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)
called for a concerted push to achieve the goal of a mine-free buffer zone
in Cyprus by 2011.
UNICEF meanwhile is
highlighting the enormous threat that landmines continue to pose to
children—who account for 30% of all victims.
Finally tonight, a photography exhibition will be
opened here at Headquarters entitled “Living with Mines.” Kiyo Akasaka,
Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, will
launch the event along with Dmitry Titov, Assistant Secretary-General for
Rule of Law and Security Institutions.
ACTION MOVIE STAR JET LI NAMED W.H.O
GOODWILL AMBASSADOR
The World Health Organization (WHO)
has appointed international film star Jet Li as WHO Goodwill Ambassador.
In his first official function as Goodwill Ambassador,
he will attend the launch of the World Health Day in Beijing on 7th of April
and help spread the World Health Day message of making hospitals safe during
emergencies.
Jet Li is expected to use his world wide celebrity to
raise attention on key health issues including public health responses to
emergencies and mental health.
**The guest at the noon briefing was John Ging, Director
of Operations in Gaza for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees
in the Near East (UNRWA), to brief on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS[1]
Saturday, 4 April
Today
is the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Monday, 6 April
The
Secretary-General is in Istanbul, Turkey, where he will attend the Second Forum
of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, today and tomorrow.
This
morning, the Security Council will hold an open debate on the United Nations
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
In
Geneva, the second session of the Intersessional open-ended intergovernmental
working group to continue and finalize the process of negotiations on and
drafting of the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference starts today
and runs through 9 April.
At 1.30
p.m. in Room-S226, Jessica Neuwirth and Craig Mokhiber from the New York Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights brief on the latest developments in
the preparatory process for the Durban Review Conference which will take place
in Geneva from 20-24 April 2009.
Today, the General Assembly
will hold an Interactive thematic dialogue on the global food crisis and the
right to food, with two panel discussions,
in the Trusteeship Council Chamber.
At 3 p.m. in Room-S226, there will be a press conference by
General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann
and Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food on the
General Assembly’s Interactive thematic dialogue on the global food crisis and
the right to food.
Tuesday, 7 April
Today
is World Health Day.
This
morning, the Security Council will hear a briefing and then hold consultations
on the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS).
In observance of the 15th anniversary of the Rwanda
genocide, DPI in conjunction with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of
Rwanda to the UN, will organize a commemorative event in the Trusteeship
Council, from 1:15 – 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, 8 April
The guest at the noon briefing, Georg Kell, Executive
Director of UN Global Compact, presents and discusses the findings of the
Compact’s latest annual review, a corporate responsibility survey conducted with
more than 700 businesses in over 90 countries.
Thursday, 9 April
This morning, the Security Council will hear a briefing and
hold consultations on the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (MONUC).
Friday, 10 April
Today
is an official holiday at UN Headquarters in NYC.
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