U.N. DENOUNCES NEGATIVE MEDIA
CAMPAIGN AGAINST ITS MISSION IN COTE D’IVOIRE

• The UN
  Mission in Côte d’Ivoire,
  
  UNOCI, is calling for the immediate
  cessation of the negative campaign carried out
  by Laurent Gbagbo’s camp, via Radio Télévision
  Ivoirienne (RTI). The Mission
  
  says that RTI has continually broadcast
  images of two injured persons presented as
  victims of shootings by a UNOCI patrol in Abobo.
  
   

• UNOCI
  once more denounced the violations of human
  rights, including the raids by armed elements
  sent by Mr. Gbagbo’s camp to the headquarters of
  the Rally of Houphouétistes for Democracy and
  Peace (RHDP) on Tuesday morning, which resulted
  in many arbitrary arrests and victims.
   

• On
  Tuesday, the Secretary-General spoke on the
  phone with Jean Ping, Chairperson of the African
  Union Commission. They
  
  spoke on the latest negotiations in Côte
  d'Ivoire, noting the importance of finding a
  peaceful resolution to the crisis.
   

• The UN
  Refugee Agency, UNHCR, says it is
  
  stepping up its aid delivery to about 21,000
  Ivorian who fled to Liberia – mostly women and
  children in urgent need of food, shelter and
  clean water. The World Food Programme (WFP)
  has confirmed to UNHCR that it would immediately
  make food available for the refugees.
   

• UNHCR is
  focusing on delivering aid to the area of
  Luguato, the largest refugee hosting area where
  the influx first began. It has also deployed
  additional staff to the border areas, in order
  to speed up registration, which opens the right
  to assistance and protection for the refugees.
   

• Asked about the radio
  messages from the Gbagbo camp, the Spokesperson
  noted that there have been specific radio and TV
  messages directed at the operations of UNOCI.
   

• Regarding the 25
  December incident in Abobo, he said that UNOCI
  peacekeepers responded to an attack by firing
  shots into the air. No shots were fired into the
  crowd, as UNOCI made clear at the time.
   

• He said the focus of
  the United Nations is on the efforts to find a
  peaceful resolution of the situation, in which
  Laurent Gbagbo steps down, in line with the will
  of the people of Côte d’Ivoire.
   

• In his conversation
  with Jean Ping, the Secretary-General thanked
  the Chairperson for the efficient dispatching of
  Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who had
  joined the Presidents of Benin, Cape Verde and
  Sierra Leone in Abidjan to negotiate with both
  Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo. A third
  trip to Abidjan by the Presidents was scheduled
  for the imminent future.
   

• 
  Asked about the blockade of the Golf Hotel, the
  Spokesperson said that the blockade is still in
  place, adding that it should be lifted.

PEACEKEEPING CHIEF UPDATES
SECURITY COUNCIL ON COTE D’IVOIRE

• The
  
  Security Council this morning held its first
  consultations for the year, and adopted its
  programme of work for the month of January,
  Ambassador Ivan Barbalic of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina, the Council President for this
  month, briefed the press about the programme of
  work at 12:30 p.m. today.
   

• Council
  members also received an update on the situation
  in
  
  Côte d’Ivoire from Under-Secretary-General
  for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, who
  visited the country and the UN Mission there
  last week.
   

• This
  afternoon at 3:00, the Security Council has
  scheduled a formal meeting, followed by
  consultations, to discuss the UN Mission in
  Nepal.

SUDAN: A.U.-U.N. STAFF
RELEASED AFTER THREE-MONTH ABDUCTION

• An
  international civilian staff member of the
  United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID),
  Istvan Papp, has been freed today, 91 days after
  he was abducted in El Fasher.
   

• The
  staff member, a national of Hungary, will be
  flown to Khartoum and back to his home country
  as soon as possible.
   

• Ibrahim
  Gambari, the Joint Special Representative for
  Darfur, expressed the Mission’s thanks for all
  who assisted in the safe release of Mr. Papp. He
  called on the Government of Sudan to ensure that
  all those responsible are quickly brought to
  justice.
   

• 
  Asked about the release of the staff member, the
  Spokesperson said that he was a civilian staff
  member, whose release had been arranged by the
  Sudanese authorities. The United Nations had
  been in close contact with the Government of
  Sudan on the matter.

DARFUR: HUMAN RIGHTS TEAM SENT
TO VERIFY ABUSE REPORTS IN TAWILLA

• In
  response to a previous question, the
  Spokesperson said that a
  
  UNAMID verification team was sent to Tawilla,
  consisting of two Human Rights officers. The
  team left for Tawilla on Tuesday and returned
  today. The team was tasked with verifying
  reports for the whole week, not just possible
  rape cases. The team is now compiling its report
  which will be ready on Thursday.
   

• UNAMID
  reports that on 25 December, an unknown number
  of Government "paramilitaries" and police
  started shooting in the air in Tawilla. UNAMID
  military intervened and persuaded them to leave
  the market. A 19-year-old girl was reportedly
  raped; a 60-year old woman said she was robbed
  and beaten; and a 12-year-old boy was beaten.
  All three were treated at the UNAMID Team Site
  clinic in Tawilla and went home.
   

• The
  Human Rights Team verified that one rape
  occurred. There is no confirmation of suspected
  perpetrators.

AUSTRALIA: SECRETARY-GENERAL
CONCERNED OVER ONGOING FLOODS

• The
  Secretary-General is
  
  concerned by the danger to life and the
  destruction of property following the ongoing
  floods in Queensland, Australia.
   

• He
  extends his condolences to the families of those
  who have been affected and stresses the
  readiness of the United Nations to assist in any
  way necessary.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N.
FORCE IN LEBANON HAS NO MANDATE TO DELINEATE
MARITIME BOUNDARY:
Asked about the maritime boundary off the coast of
Lebanon, the Spokesperson noted that the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
has no mandate to delineate a maritime boundary.

IRAN
SHOULD COMPLY WITH SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AND
COOPERATE WITH I.A.E.A.:
The Spokesperson, in response to questions,
reiterated that Iran should comply with existing
Security Council resolutions and cooperate fully
with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).