UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF PRAISES SUPPORT OF EUROPEAN DONORS

UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF PRAISES SUPPORT OF EUROPEAN DONORS
New York, Jun 3 2009 4:00PM
The top United Nations humanitarian official today paid tribute to the support his office receives from European donors at a meeting in Tallinn, Estonia.

John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, was speaking at a meeting of the Humanitarian Partnership Forum for Emerging European Donors.

"<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA, the European Union and the individual countries that are attending this meeting all share common humanitarian goals and interests," said Mr. Holmes, referring to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Attending the one-day meeting were representatives of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Turkey.

OCHA has held four similar regional events – Abu Dhabi in 2005, Istanbul and Abu Dhabi in 2006, Seoul in 2007, and Mexico in 2008 – in a bid to build on its partnerships with countries involved in international aid.

These meetings have provided OCHA and its key partners opportunities to develop understanding and improve its preparedness and response to global humanitarian crises, OCHA said in a news release.

The next Humanitarian Partnership Forum meeting is scheduled to take place in Singapore in August of this year.
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INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED ABUSES CRUCIAL FOR SRI LANKA’S RECOVERY – UN RIGHTS CHIEF

INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED ABUSES CRUCIAL FOR SRI LANKA'S RECOVERY – UN RIGHTS CHIEF
New York, May 26 2009 3:00PM
Investigating human rights abuses allegedly committed against civilians by both the Government of Sri Lanka and Tamil rebels will help the country transition into a new future, the United Nations human rights chief stated.

"There are strong reasons to believe that both sides have grossly disregarded the fundamental principle of the inviolability of civilians," Navi Pillay said in a video message to the <"http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/">Human Rights Council's special session on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

Today's meeting in Geneva takes place one week after the Government announced that its military operation against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had ended, and on the heels of a visit to the South Asian island nation by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and several of his top aides.

Ms. Pillay said an "independent and credible international investigation into recent events should be dispatched to ascertain the occurrence, nature and scale of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as specific responsibilities."

The LTTE has been accused of purposefully preventing civilians from leaving the conflict zone, forcefully conscripting people, and using civilians as human shields. "There were even alleged cases of the LTTE firing on civilians as they sought to flee, or targeting with suicide attacks checkpoints as the [internally displaced persons] IDPs left the area," Ms. Pillay said.

For its part, the Government reportedly utilized heavy weapons on the small and densely-populated area of conflict in Sri Lanka's north, she noted, in spite of assurances that it would take precautions to protect civilians. Further, Government forces allegedly shelled a hospital several times in the last weeks of fighting, and accusations that the army may have killed LTTE members as they were trying to surrender would constitute violations of the laws of war.

"Establishing the facts is crucial to set the record straight regarding the conduct of all parties in the conflict," the High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed, with victims and survivors to the conflict entitled to justice and remedies.

In her message to the 47-member Council, she reiterated the call issued by Mr. Ban to tackle the root causes of the conflict.

"A new future for the country, the prospect of meaningful reconciliation and lasting peace, where respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms can become a reality for all, hinges upon such an in-depth and comprehensive approach," she said.

During his visit, Mr. Ban urged the Government to undertake certain confidence-building measures to "clearly and unmistakably" signal its good intentions in addressing root causes of Tamil and Muslim grievances, warning that if issues of reconciliation and social inclusion are not dealt with, history could repeat itself.

Mr. Ban also visited IDP camps, an experience he called "very sobering," and flew over the former conflict zone.

In the camps in Menik Farm, one of the largest IDP sites, the Secretary-General was "able to see from himself that while a lot as been done, there is still long way to go," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who accompanied Mr. Ban on the trip, told a press briefing today in New York.

Regarding the flight he took over the former area of conflict, the Secretary-General could "imagine just by looking at it what kind of hell it must have been," Mr. Holmes noted.

In his "useful" discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Ban discussed humanitarian issues, including greater Sri Lankan-UN cooperation to improve conditions in the camps. Mr. Ban pressed upon the Sri Lankan leader the need for unimpeded access – for both people and for vehicles – to the camps.

Also accompanying Mr. Ban to Sri Lanka was B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, who told reporters that although the military part of the conflict is over, the Sri Lankan Government must lead the humanitarian, reconstruction and political aspects of the recovery process.

The international community must also play a role, he stressed, adding that "we don't want to see a recurrence of the difficulties and problems that have occurred in the past."
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INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED ABUSES CRUCIAL FOR SRI LANKA'S RECOVERY – UN RIGHTS CHIEF<br />New York, May 26 2009 3:00PM<br />Investigating human rights abuses allegedly committed against civilians by both the Government of Sri Lanka and Tamil rebels will help the country transition into a new future, the United Nations human rights chief stated.<p>"There are strong reasons to believe that both sides have grossly disregarded the fundamental principle of the inviolability of civilians," Navi Pillay said in a video message to the <"<a href="http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/">http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/</a>">Human Rights Council's special session on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.<p>Today's meeting in Geneva takes place one week after the Government announced that its military operation against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had ended, and on the heels of a visit to the South Asian island nation by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and several of his top aides. <p>Ms. Pillay said an "independent and credible international investigation into recent events should be dispatched to ascertain the occurrence, nature and scale of violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as specific responsibilities."<p>The LTTE has been accused of purposefully preventing civilians from leaving the conflict zone, forcefully conscripting people, and using civilians as human shields. "There were even alleged cases of the LTTE firing on civilians as they sought to flee, or targeting with suicide attacks checkpoints as the [internally displaced persons] IDPs left the area," Ms. Pillay said.<p>For its part, the Government reportedly utilized heavy weapons on the small and densely-populated area of conflict in Sri Lanka's north, she noted, in spite of assurances that it would take precautions to protect civilians. Further, Government forces allegedly shelled a hospital several times in the last weeks of fighting, and accusations that the army may have killed LTTE members as they were trying to surrender would constitute violations of the laws of war.<p>"Establishing the facts is crucial to set the record straight regarding the conduct of all parties in the conflict," the High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed, with victims and survivors to the conflict entitled to justice and remedies.<p>In her message to the 47-member Council, she reiterated the call issued by Mr. Ban to tackle the root causes of the conflict.<p>"A new future for the country, the prospect of meaningful reconciliation and lasting peace, where respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms can become a reality for all, hinges upon such an in-depth and comprehensive approach," she said.<p>During his visit, Mr. Ban urged the Government to undertake certain confidence-building measures to "clearly and unmistakably" signal its good intentions in addressing root causes of Tamil and Muslim grievances, warning that if issues of reconciliation and social inclusion are not dealt with, history could repeat itself.<p>Mr. Ban also visited IDP camps, an experience he called "very sobering," and flew over the former conflict zone.<p>In the camps in Menik Farm, one of the largest IDP sites, the Secretary-General was "able to see from himself that while a lot as been done, there is still long way to go," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who accompanied Mr. Ban on the trip, told a press briefing today in New York.<p>Regarding the flight he took over the former area of conflict, the Secretary-General could "imagine just by looking at it what kind of hell it must have been," Mr. Holmes noted.<p>In his "useful" discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Ban discussed humanitarian issues, including greater Sri Lankan-UN cooperation to improve conditions in the camps. Mr. Ban pressed upon the Sri Lankan leader the need for unimpeded access – for both people and for vehicles – to the camps.<p>Also accompanying Mr. Ban to Sri Lanka was B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, who told reporters that although the military part of the conflict is over, the Sri Lankan Government must lead the humanitarian, reconstruction and political aspects of the recovery process.<p>The international community must also play a role, he stressed, adding that "we don't want to see a recurrence of the difficulties and problems that have occurred in the past."<br />________________<p>For more details go to UN News Centre at <a href="http://www.un.org/news">http://www.un.org/news</a><p>To change your profile or unsubscribe go to:<br /><a href="http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml">http://www.un.org/news/dh/latest/subscribe.shtml</a>

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO HEAD TO SRI LANKA LATER THIS WEEK

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO HEAD TO SRI LANKA LATER THIS WEEK
New York, May 19 2009 2:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today that he will visit Sri Lanka later this week, in part to get a first-hand look at the situation on the ground after the Government declared that its military operation against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has ended.

The 22-23 May visit would be to respond to the urgent need to heal the wounds of a war that has alienated the communities in the country for almost three decades, Mr. Ban told a news conference in Geneva.

"The task now facing the people of Sri Lanka is immense and requires all hands," he said, stressing the need for progress in three critical areas: immediate humanitarian relief; reintegration and reconstruction; and a sustainable and equitable political solution.

Progress on all three of these fronts must move forward in parallel – and it must begin now, he stated.

Mr. Ban's Chief of Staff, Vijay Nambiar, is currently in the country and is engaged with relevant parties on how best to respond to the humanitarian situation of the large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and initiate a process for early recovery and long-term reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

UN agencies are stepping up their efforts to assist the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the conflict. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) estimates that there are around 220,000 people who have already reached the IDP camps, and it is believed that another 40,000-60,000 people are on their way to the sites.

John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, told reporters yesterday that the large influx of people poses "major humanitarian challenges" in terms of providing shelter and other basic services, such as food, clean water and medical services.

"The conditions in these camps are certainly not ideal. They're not up to international standards yet but everybody is working very hard to try to make sure that they are," he stated.

The head of the UN Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">UNICEF) today called for full and unimpeded humanitarian access so that women and children can receive the assistance they need, following reports that access to some IDP camps has become restricted.

Ann M. Veneman stressed that UNICEF is committed to working with partners to provide those in the camps with essential water and sanitation, nutrition, maternal and child health care, education and protection.

Restrictions to enter the IDP sites, imposed over the weekend, are also hindering the ability of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/4a12d76a2.html">UNHCR) to deliver assistance, its spokesperson said.

"Our access to the Vavuniya sites has been greatly curtailed over the past few days and this affects our ability to monitor and distribute aid to the displaced," Ron Redmond told reporters today. "We hope this ends quickly."

The agency has asked the Sri Lankan authorities to allocate more land for the construction of emergency shelter, water and sanitation facilities, as well as to provide public buildings in Vavuniya, Jaffna, Mannar and Kilinochchi in order to accommodate arriving IDPs.

The World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/stories/sri-lanka-conflict-ends-wfp-responds-idp-challenge">WFP), for its part, is boosting its food stocks and preparing nutritionally-rich food for women and children to meet the needs of the IDPs. The agency is already feeding 250,000 people in temporary transit camps.

In a related development, the UN <"http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/">Human Rights Council will hold a special session on 25 May to address the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, following a request by several of its members.

"It is hoped that the holding of this special session will contribute towards the cause of peace," said the Council's President, Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi.

"The Human Rights Council cannot be silent when innocent civilians are caught up in armed conflicts. The international community must strive to deliver justice to victims of human rights violations wherever they occur and ensure that those found guilty of such crimes are held accountable for their actions," he added.

Next Monday's meeting will be the 11th special session of the Geneva-based Council, which has also held special sessions related to the occupied Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Darfur, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the global food crisis and the global economic and financial crises.
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OVER 19 MILLION PEOPLE IN HORN OF AFRICA NEED HUMANITARIAN AID, SAY UN OFFICIALS

OVER 19 MILLION PEOPLE IN HORN OF AFRICA NEED HUMANITARIAN AID, SAY UN OFFICIALS
New York, May 12 2009 2:00PM
Senior United Nations officials today highlighted the need for significant resources to help over 19 million people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia who require humanitarian aid due the effects of conflict and drought.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told a news conference in Geneva that the situation in Ethiopia, which has faced several years of drought and more recently high food prices, could deteriorate over the next few months.

There were concerns that less than expected rainfall could lead to poor harvests and there would be an increased need for food aid and for pockets of therapeutic feeding where malnutrition was present.

Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that there was no consolidated appeal for Ethiopia but there was a joint humanitarian response plan agreed with the Government, which would expire in June of this year and would need to be renewed. Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/countries/ethiopia">WFP) needed an additional $236 million to cover its operations in the country for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, drought and a major conflict had led to a situation in which some 50 per cent of Somalia's population was being provided with food rations, Mark Bowden, Humanitarian Coordinator for the country, told reporters.

He said the current drought was one of the worst in the last decade, and the prognosis for the rains this year was worsening. Around 24 per cent of children in some parts of the country had global acute malnutrition, and it was necessary now to start general supplementary feeding for children.

With fighting erupting again in the capital, Mogadishu, there are renewed fears about displacement, he added. There are currently some 1.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and more people had left the city over the weekend.

Mr. Bowden noted that the response to the $900 million appeal for Somalia had been "disappointing," with only 35 per cent of it being met so far.

Aeneas Chuma, Resident Humanitarian Coordinator at the UN Office in Nairobi, said Kenya too was facing a complex humanitarian situation owing to drought and high food prices. An estimated 10 million people were currently affected by the food insecurity.

In addition, the country had also been affected by the global economic downturn as major sources of revenue such as tourism had declined by about 30 per cent, while remittances from families abroad had also declined by 40 per cent.
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TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR GREATER COLLABORATION TO DELIVER AID TO DARFUR

TOP UN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR GREATER COLLABORATION TO DELIVER AID TO DARFUR
New York, May 11 2009 6:00PM
The United Nations emergency relief chief has urged increased cooperation in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, as he wrapped up a five-day visit to the vast African country.

As part of his trip, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes assessed conditions for people in the war-ravaged Darfur region on the western flank of Sudan.

In early March, Khartoum kicked out 13 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and revoked the permits of three local groups providing emergency relief assistance in Darfur after the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC?lan=en-GB">ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the region.

"The expulsions by the Government and the manner in which they were carried out created both major new risks for vulnerable populations in Darfur and elsewhere, and a crisis of confidence with the humanitarian community," said Mr. Holmes, who is also Emergency Relief Coordinator.

He welcomed, however, recent collaboration with the Government on the joint assessment in Darfur, and noted that short-term needs in food, health and nutrition, emergency shelter, water and sanitation were being met.

"As the rainy and lean season approach, we are still grappling with the gaps left in many areas," added Mr. Holmes. "The critical test will be over the coming months" in Darfur, where an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and another 2.7 million have been forced from their homes since 2003.

Voicing concern over the world body's ability to deliver basic longer-term needs, he underscored the importance of the "loosening of bureaucratic impediments currently constraining the humanitarian community" for the UN and others to "fill the gaps."

Mr. Holmes highlighted the success of the first meeting of an expanded High Level Committee, which aims to monitor and solve humanitarian problems, and monitor the operation of existing agreements. "Agreement was reached on what we hope will be an effective monitoring mechanism at the state, national, and international levels, and a strengthened aid delivery system."

In his discussions with officials in Khartoum and North Darfur, Mr. Holmes also called attention to the increasingly dangerous conditions for aid workers in Darfur, which has seen a rise in banditry and two particularly worrying kidnappings since the expulsions of NGOs.

The joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur, known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID, reported that in the last three days the security situation had been relatively tense, with a shooting reported in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

UNAMID also reported a number of carjacking incidents in both North and South Darfur, along with a surge of banditry targeting UN personnel in North Darfur, including a spate of burglaries. There were also reports of sporadic armed clashes between government forces and the Central Reserve Force in El Fasher's main market resulting in two deaths.

Fighting between the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and Sudanese Liberation Army/Minni Minawi wing (SLA/MM) sparked off over the weekend in the North Darfur town of Umm Baru. UNAMID transported 26 people injured in the fighting to El Fasher for medical treatment at the military hospital.

More than one year on from transferring the task of suppressing the violence in Darfur to UNAMID from the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS), well over 12,000 of the 19,555 military personnel authorized by the Security Council are now in place across the region.
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UN RELIEF CHIEF MEETS WITH VICTIMS OF RECENT VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN

UN RELIEF CHIEF MEETS WITH VICTIMS OF RECENT VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN SUDAN
New York, May 8 2009 2:00PM
The top United Nations relief official travelled to Southern Sudan today, where he met with some of the thousands of men, women and children who have been displaced by recent violence.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA), up to 1,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 uprooted from their homes since January in seven states in Southern Sudan due to the activities of the Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and inter-ethnic clashes.

Continuing his five-day visit to Sudan, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator went to Akobo in Jonglei State, where thousands are taking shelter after fleeing recent violence.

Many of those he met told Mr. Holmes of their plight, some of them recounting how they had lost relatives in the violence.

There are currently 24 humanitarian organizations responding to the increasing needs of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 7 of the 10 states of Southern Sudan, OCHA said.

Mr. Holmes also met today with Riek Machar, Vice-President of the Government of Southern Sudan, with whom he discussed humanitarian needs in the region, especially those in areas affected by ongoing conflict in Jonglei State.

Tomorrow he will travel to Darfur to meet with local leaders and aid workers, as well as visit Zam Zam camp for IDPs in North Darfur.

The UN relief chief will review the humanitarian situation in the areas, some two months after the Government expelled 13 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and revoked the permits of three local groups after the International Criminal Court (<"http://www.icc-cpi.int/Menus/ICC?lan=en-GB">ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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THREE MONTHS AFTER CONFLICT, UN OFFICIAL WARNS OF DIRE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION

Although the devastating Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas came to an end three months ago, life for Gazans remains extremely difficult, the United Nations humanitarian chief has stressed.

The three-week offensive Israel launched late last December, with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups, killed at least 1,300 Palestinians and injured some 5,000 others. The heavy bombardment and fighting also reduced homes, schools, hospitals and marketplaces to rubble.

"For the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip to improve, lifesaving assistance must be decoupled from the security and political agendas," said John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

"If the Israeli-Palestinian peace that has been sought for over 60 years, and more recently inter-Palestinian reconciliation, remain preconditions for improv
ing living conditions, the Gaza Strip risks being dependent on handouts for years to come," he warned, appealing for the reopening of all land borders to allow urgently-needed humanitarian and reconstruction supplies into Gaza.

Last month in Egypt, over $5 billion was pledged for reconstruction efforts in Gaza, "possibly the most significant show of donor support for Gaza in the history of the occupied Palestinian territory," Mr. Holmes, who also serves as UN Relief Coordinator, said.

However, "for once, money is not the main problem," he noted, adding that the funds are not "hitting [the] mark" with three-quarters of Gazans requiring some form of aid.

The sweeping Israeli ban on the import of construction materials, spare parts for public infrastructure and the industrial sector in Gaza, along with restrictions on the entry of cash, has prevented work to start on almost all of the planned early recovery projects, according to last month's by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the situation in Gaza.

In addition, a ban on exports, apart from a few truckloads of flowers, has exacerbated the situation by crushing Gaza's job-creation industries, said Mr. Holmes. "The ruin of hundreds of thousands of lives and livelihoods appears to be seen by Israel as the collective price that Gaza's civilians must pay for the acts of a few among them."

Over 20 per cent of the population able and willing to work is unemployed and nearly half live below the poverty line, according to the latest survey of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics cited in the OCHA report.

It also indicated that the continued blockade on the livelihoods of Gazans -- especially farmers, herders and fishermen -- has been exacerbated by Israeli restrictions on access to
farmland along the border and to fishing areas beyond three nautical miles from the shore.

This grim humanitarian situation was compounded for chronically ill patients as access to specialized medical treatment outside Gaza was dramatically tightened after Hamas took over the Referral Abroad Department (RAD) in late March. Subsequently, the Palestinian Authority-controlled Ministry of Health has not approved or funded applications for treatment outside of Gaza, and without its consent neither Israel nor Egypt will allow patients to exit the Strip.

"While Israel has primary responsibility for this terrible crisis of human dignity in Gaza," Mr. Holmes stressed that "Hamas must also should its part of the blame because of the indiscriminate and pointless rocket attacks it committed from Gaza for so long," as well as for its three-year silence over the fate of Israeli captive Gilad Shalit.

The Israeli offensive may have ended in late January with unilateral ceasefires by both sides, but violent clashes -- some resulting in deaths -- occurring almost daily, according to OCH
A..

"In Gaza today, humanity has taken a back seat to politics, and a measly trickle of items has become the most the world can offer civilians trapped by a political stalemate not of their making," the Under-Secretary-General said.

"Protection, food, water, healthcare and shelter are basic human needs, not bargaining chips," he underscored. "It is high time that fact is recognized by all the parties responsible for the immense suffering in Gaza today."

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TWO-DAY TRUCE INSUFFICIENT TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING IN SRI LANKA – UN OFFICIAL

At the end of a two-day humanitarian pause in Sri Lanka's military offensive against separatist rebel Tamil forces, the head United Nations humanitarian official today said the ceasefire was inadequate in easing the plight of more than 100,000 civilians caught up in the conflict.

"It's clear that 48 hours was not long enough to allow us to get in significant amounts of aid, or indeed to allow visits by humanitarian workers to the area," Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes told reporters in New York, warning of the possibility of a "blood bath" on the beaches of the South Asian island nation.

"Unfortunately, it is also clear that not only did this not allow more civilians to get out, there seemed to be less civilians getting out during the pause than before."

According to Mr. Holmes, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) prevented civilians trapped in the designated no-fire zone – a 14-square kilometre area in the northern Vanni region of Sri Lanka – from leaving during the ceasefire.

"Civilians should not be used as pawns or human shields in this way," he stressed, calling on the LTTE to allow safe passage out of the no-fire zone to those who wish to leave.

Mr. Holmes, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said he would have liked a "longer humanitarian pause and preferably one agreed by both sides for more days than two," a sentiment shared by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon according to a statement issued over the weekend.

The fighting has now resumed, according to the latest reports, and the Under-Secretary-General today called on the Government "to live up to the promises they made on repeated occasions not to use heavy weapons in this area," which are among the "factors that is causing civilian casualties."
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VITAL UN FOOD AID EN ROUTE TO DISPLACED PERSONS IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said today that 1,000 metric tons of critically-needed food assistance has been dispatched to a designated "safe zone" in north-eastern Sri Lanka, where more than 100,000 people have been displaced by fighting.

The items were sent aboard a ship chartered by the Government of Sri Lanka, sailing under the flag of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and was due to be unloaded later today.

WFP said the food aid would be sufficient to feed approximately 100,000 people for 20 days.

According to the UN, the area of fighting between Government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) shrank from 300 square kilometres to nearly 58 square kilometres in February, with many civilians – the world body believes between 150,000 and 190,000 – sheltering in a 14-square kilometre "no-fire" zone in the northern Vanni region.

Since road convoys to the Vanni region were discontinued in late January because of security concerns, WFP has dispatched nearly 2,220 metric tons of food aid using the sea route.

Overall, the agency is providing food to 1.2 million people in the South Asian nation through emergency feeding and recovery programmes.

UN humanitarian chief John Holmes last week characterized the situation in the north as "extremely worrying," citing ongoing forced recruitment within the combat zone, and civilians not being allowed by the LTTE to leave the area.
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SRI LANKA: UN RELIEF CHIEF REITERATES CONCERNS OVER CIVILIANS TRAPPED BY FIGHTING

The top United Nations relief official today repeated the world body's concerns over the safety of civilians – numbering as high as 190,000 – trapped by fighting in northern Sri Lanka between Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Addressing reporters after an interactive Security Council discussion on Sri Lanka, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, John Holmes, characterized the situation as "extremely worrying."

Forced recruitment continues within the combat zone, and the LTTE is not allowing civilians out of the area, he said.

According to the UN, the conflict zone shrank from 300 square kilometres to nearly 58 square kilometres in February, with many civilians – Mr. Holmes today put the number between 150,000 and 190,000 – sheltering in a 14-square kilometre "no-fire" zone in the Vanni region.

"Our first appeal is to the LTTE to let the civilians out in a safe and orderly fashion," Mr. Holmes said.

He also called on the Government to do all they can to avert civilian casualties and to not use heavy weapons in the area.

The official said he also reiterated a call for a "humanitarian pause" in fighting to allow much-needed relief in and to allow people to leave.

Those uprooted by fighting who are trapped in the no-fire zone have limited access to food, safe water, sanitation facilities and medical assistance, with the International Red Cross delivering a two-week supply of medicines aboard a ship to the zone and the World Food Programme (WFP) preparing to send 1,000 tons of food to the area by the end of the week.

Since January, over 40,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have escaped the conflict zone into makeshift camps, located mostly in Vavuniya, as well as Mannar and Jaffna, and nearly 4,000 shelters have been constructed at various IDP sites in Vavuniya District, where the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is setting up a temporary medical facility.

"We have a separate set of concerns over the situation in the camps and transit centres," Mr. Holmes said today, calling for conditions in these sites to meet international standards.

Following a visit to Sri Lanka, he told the Security Council last month that movement into and out of these camps is "currently highly and unacceptably restricted."
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IDENTIFYING AND FILLING CRITICAL GAPS PRIORITY IN DARFUR AID EFFORT – UN RELIEF CHIEF

The international community must continue to work together to identify and fill the most immediately life-threatening gaps in Darfur in the wake of the ouster of 13 aid groups by the Sudanese Government, the top United Nations relief official said today.

"Whatever our sense of outrage at the Government's decision to remove, in such a fashion, organizations whose reputation and expertise have been built over years of dedicated service in humanitarian crises around the world, we must do all we can to prevent extra suffering for those in need as a result of this decision," John Holmes told the Security Council in a closed-door meeting.

The decision to eject 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and suspend the operations of three national NGOs was taken on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir.

Mr. Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed the 15-member body on the findings of a joint assessment carried out in the war-torn Sudanese region in the wake of the Government's action.

The assessment, carried out between 11 and 19 March and released earlier this week, discovered gaps in food aid; health and nutrition; non-food items and shelter; and water, sanitation and hygiene.

It also revealed that the lack of capacity on the ground to cover these gaps properly, despite the best efforts of those remaining in Darfur and various Government bodies, Mr. Holmes noted.

"In short, while these efforts can plug some of the biggest holes for the next few weeks, the cumulative effects over time of the removal of such a large amount of humanitarian capacity significantly increase the risks to well over a million people," he warned. "This is why we have been urging that the Government's decision should be reversed."

He added that the assessment provides only a "snapshot" and in no way provides a comprehensive picture of the overall humanitarian situation in Darfur, where conflict continues and 65,000 people have been newly displaced so far this year.

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in the region, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.

Mr. Holmes stressed the urgent need to "re-establish an atmosphere of trust and mutual confidence with the Government," which includes the need for a legal and technical framework for humanitarian work in the country that is consistently applied.

The risks of negative consequences of the Government's decision also extend beyond Darfur into other parts of Sudan where NGOs play a critical role in the provision of life-saving assistance, as well as beyond Sudan into the sub-region, he warned.
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JOINT UN AND SUDANESE ASSESSMENT OF DARFUR AID REVEALS CRITICAL GAPS

United Nations humanitarian officials today commended the cooperation of Sudanese Government staff on an assessment of relief needs in war-torn Darfur, while they warned of high risks ahead following the ouster of crucial aid groups.

While a "significant effort" is being made by the Government, the UN and remaining aid groups to plug some of the immediate gaps, "these are band-aid solutions, if I can put it that way, not long-term solutions," John Holmes, Emergency Relief Coordinator told reporters in New York.

For the long-term, the survey, conducted between 11 and 19 March, discovered gaps in food aid; health and nutrition; non-food items and shelter; and water, sanitation and hygiene upon which some 4.7 million Darfur residents depend for survival.

Sudan decided to eject 13 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provided much of that aid on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir. The operations of three national NGOs have also been suspended.

Concrete plans will have to be put in place if these gaps are to be bridged in a sustainable, long-term manner two months from now, Ameerah Haq, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, said in the country's capital, Khartoum, as she released the results of the joint assessment.

Funding, plus adequate technical management, coordination and administration, previously provided by the experienced NGOs, must be replaced, Ms. Haq stressed.

In the area of water, she said that currently, over 850,000 people are still being served thanks to the quick engagement of the Government's water department, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and national NGOs.

However, within four weeks existing funds for spare parts and fuel for water pumps and other necessities will be depleted, while sanitary facilities will need urgent maintenance to prevent disease outbreaks.

While the Sudanese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) are trying to address the gaps in health care, according to the assessment, salaries and staff are in place only until the end of April and up to 650,000 people currently do not have access to full health care.

The survey showed that food needs have been covered for March and April for about 1.1 million people, thanks to a one-time distribution by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) through local food committees. However, by the beginning of May, just as the gap between harvest times approaches, further distributions will not be made unless WFP finds new partners, Ms. Haq said.

On housing, Ms. Haq said that about 692,400 people waiting for shelter materials before the rains begin will not receive them unless the UN Joint Logistics Centre finds partners to carry out the distributions and gains access to existing distribution lists.

In all sectors, she said, expertise in technical assessments, planning, programme design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation has been lost, and the quality of relief, even if taken over by national NGOs, could suffer.

Administrative hurdles, such as the lack of travel permits and technical agreements, also hinder the work of NGOs as well as line ministries in their work, she said, although she welcomed the Government's commitment to fast track the technical agreements of all remaining NGOs.

Since the decision to oust the NGOs, besides trying to fill aid gaps, the UN has continued to advocate for a reversal of the expulsions, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been in close contact with Arab and African leaders and members of the Security Council.

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
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UN RELIEF CHIEF VOICES CONCERN OVER SUDAN LEADER’S CALL FOR ‘SUDANIZATION’ OF AID

UN RELIEF CHIEF VOICES CONCERN OVER SUDAN LEADER'S CALL FOR 'SUDANIZATION' OF AID
New York, Mar 16 2009 7:00PM

The top United Nations humanitarian official said he has been "taken by surprise" over media reports today that Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir has called for all international aid groups to leave the vast African nation within one year.

The reports come less than two weeks after Sudan ordered the expulsion of 13 major international aid organizations, which assist nearly 5 million people in the war-torn Darfur region. The decision to eject these groups came immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on 4 March for President Al-Bashir for alleged crimes committed in the war-torn region.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said today that his office has yet to receive any clarification regarding Mr. Al-Bashir's statements today.

"I think our position will clearly be that this decision is not appropriate and it's a decision which should be reversed," the UN official told reporters in New York.

"The relief operation is already heavily 'Sudan-ized,'" he said, pointing out that 13,000 out of the 14,000 relief workers in Darfur are Sudanese.

While the UN is happy for Sudan to play a larger part in assisting those in need "in principle," Mr. Holmes stressed that "it needs to be done in a practical way."

Joint UN-Government missions are under way to assess critical gaps in aid and are expected to return to the capital, Khartoum, this Wednesday, he said.

Mr. Holmes, who also serves as UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted that significant effects of the aid groups' expulsion will not be visible in Darfur in the extreme short-term given the level of aid provided in the past.

"But over time, it will have a dramatic impact if we're not able to fill the gaps" in areas such as water and sanitation, treating disease outbreaks and food distribution, he said.

The Under-Secretary-General expressed concern over meningitis cases in some camps, voicing hope that a vaccination campaign targeting 100,000 people can be carried out by some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) still operating in Darfur.

He said progress has been made in the UN's talks with the Government regarding arrangements for the departure of staff members of expelled aid groups as well as the transfer of assets.

"There has been a degree of cooperation and pragmatic dealing which has enabled things to work a little bit better on the ground," with international staff being given extra time to remain and handle issues pertaining to national workers, among other tasks, Mr. Holmes said.

"The Government has assured us that they remain committed – despite this decision and the way in which it was carried out – that they do remain committed to the previous agreements they had with us about the facilitation of humanitarian assistance," he said.
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Darfur: UN working to reverse expulsions while planning to fill vital aid gaps

The United Nation's top humanitarian official said today that the world organization continues to strive at all levels to reverse the ordered departure of 13 major aid groups from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.

At the same time planning is also on-going to cover gaps opened by the expulsions in live-saving assistance that 4.7 million Sudanese – including 2.7 million internally displaced persons – depend on, according to UN Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes.

Sudan's decision to begin ejecting the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) came on Wednesday, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

UN humanitarian agencies immediately warned that aid capability could be slashed by half, since the decision affected such major actors as Oxfam, Care International, International Rescue Committee and Save the Children, along with some 7,000 staff out of a total of some 14,000 in the troubled region.

"We have been in touch with the Government of Sudan, at many levels, and indeed with many other key players over the weekend," Mr. Holmes told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, adding that the NGOs had been advised to exercise their right of appeal against the decision.

He said that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has been calling stakeholders and that possibilities include a conversation between him and Mr. Al-Bashir "at the right moment."

Neither the UN nor the Government, he warned, had the capacity to fill all the gaps left by the departing organizations, who worked in partnership with the world organization on the ground.

The most urgent short-term gaps were in the areas of water and sanitation and health services, and joint assessments would be pursued tomorrow with the Government to see how these holes could be filled in the short-term.

There were already concerns that a meningitis outbreak in Kalma Camp in South Darfur will spread if not addressed through immediate large-scale inoculation, he said.

Mr. Holmes added that he also remained concerned at the manner in which the Government's decision was being carried out, including intimidation of NGO staff members and the confiscation of property such as automobiles and computers, some of which belonged to the UN.

In one case, warehouses full of food supplied to the NGOs for distribution by the World Food Organization (WFP) were being held, he said.

"This is not in line with the agreement the agreements we have with the Government of Sudan, nor indeed with the any of the normal tenets of behaviour in these kinds of circumstances," he emphasized.

"We've taken up these issues very strongly with the Government and we hope this kind of behaviour will not stop, and that even if the decision itself is not reversed, which we certainly hope it will be," he said.

The UN system would support both the expelled groups and those who remained in every practical way, Mr. Holmes said.

"Not only are we trying to deal with the issue of those NGOs whose registrations have been revoked, but also with the NGOs who remain and are legitimately asking questions how long they will be able to remain and how far they will be able to operate in a normal and safe manner."

An estimated 300,000 people have died and another 3 million have been displaced in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.
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UN RELIEF CHIEF CONCERNED OVER PHYSICAL CONDITION OF SRI LANKANS TRAPPED BY CLASHES

UN RELIEF CHIEF CONCERNED OVER PHYSICAL CONDITION OF SRI LANKANS TRAPPED BY CLASHES
New York, Feb 27 2009 5:00PM

The top United Nations humanitarian official today voiced concern for the hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans pushed into a progressively shrinking pocket of land in the northern part of the country due to clashes between Government forces and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The world body estimates that some 200,000 people are being squeezed into a narrow 14-square kilometre patch of land on the coast in Vanni which the Government has declared a 'no-fire zone.'

Many of these people have been uprooted several times in recent months or years, and are in danger of getting caught in the crossfire between the two sides, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes, who visited Sri Lanka last week, told the Security Council in a closed meeting today.

"And there is strong evidence that the LTTE are preventing them from leaving," he cautioned.

The violence has impeded humanitarian aid delivery, with supplies of food, medical supplies, clean water and other essential supplies in critically short supply.

"The risks from hunger and diseases are growing rapidly, in addition to those from fighting," noted Mr. Holmes, who also serves as UN Emergency Relief Coordinator.

He told the 15-member Council of his visits to camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), adding that movement into and out of these sites is "currently highly and unacceptably restricted."

With reports of the LTTE shooting some civilians trying to flee the Vanni pocket, Mr. Holmes said he called on the rebel group to allow people to leave and stop forced recruitment, especially of children.

He said he also called on the Government to do all they can to allow civilians to get out of the area safely through such measures as a halt to fighting or the creation of a humanitarian corridor.

"I trust that my pleas to all parties to do all they can to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law will not fall on deaf ears," Mr. Holmes said. "The continuing close attention of the international community will be a very important part of this, including scrutiny of the implementation of the assurances given by the Government."

He also appealed to "those with any influence on the positions of the LTTE" to persuade the rebels to let civilians go.

"There is no time to lose," the Under-Secretary-General stressed.

Addressing reporters following the closed-door meeting, Ambassador Yukio Takasu of Japan, which holds the monthly rotating Council presidency, said that there was a convergence of views among members that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Mr. Holmes continue to be engaged on the issue.

In a related development, a recently-opened sea route has allowed the World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver 40 metric tons of the agency's food – enough to feed 80,000 people for a day – to the Government-designated safe zone in the Vanni region.

Sailing under an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) flag, the supplies in the tugboat reached the area yesterday, with another shipment planned for tomorrow.

WFP now aims to deliver up to 300 metric tons of food supplies weekly by sea.

Since last September, the agency had been bringing food to the Vanni region by road convoys, but was forced in January to halt its deliveries due to the escalating hostilities.

WFP food has been reaching some 40,000 displaced people seeking refuge in Government-controlled areas in the north, with 145 metric tons of food having been supplied to 11 camps.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency today urged the Government to exercise caution and the LTTE to allow civilians to move to safe areas.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has received 300 acres of land from the Sri Lankan Government and seeks to set up a camp for 42,000 people by the end of the week. But given the large number of people trapped by fighting, the agency has asked for an additional 300 acres to shelter 85,000 civilians in all.
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QATAR GIVES $40 MILLION, MOSTLY TARGETED AT GAZA, TO BOOST UN HUMANITARIAN RELIEF

QATAR GIVES $40 MILLION, MOSTLY TARGETED AT GAZA, TO BOOST UN HUMANITARIAN RELIEF
New York, Feb 23 2009 3:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his appreciation for a $40 million donation from Qatar to aid United Nations emergency relief and recovery efforts around the world.

The majority of the funding – some $30 million – is targeted at the world body's humanitarian operations in Gaza, and $10 million has been allocated to the Central Emergence Response Fund (CERF), created in 2006 to speed relief for natural and man-made disasters and save thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost to delay.

In a statement attributable to his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said that he "is honoured to accept a generous $40 million contribution from the Emir of Qatar to United Nations humanitarian agencies for programmes to meet the emergency needs of civilians in Gaza."

Of the $30 million allocated to Gaza, devastated by Israel's three-week military offensive with the stated aim of stopping Hamas rocket attacks into its territory, some $10 million will be distributed to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to support its life-saving activities.

The remaining Gaza funds will be shared by the World Food Programme, which provides emergency food assistance to more than one million Gazans, humanitarian projects of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and programmes headed by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to help rebuild the damaged agricultural sector.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will also receive funding for its coordination and advocacy activities in the Gaza Strip.

"The Secretary-General is particularly grateful to Qatar for allocating $10 million from the pledge to go to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)," Mr. Ban's spokesperson said in the statement.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, John Holmes, stressed that "the $10 million donation to the CERF is especially significant, as it allows the United Nations to allocate the funds based on need to other parts of the world that are often overlooked."

I hope that other potential donors will follow suit, as humanitarian needs will only grow in 2009, considering the combined threats posed by intensified conflicts, climate change, the global food crisis and the global economic slowdown," Mr. Holmes said.

So far in 2009 CERF has provided $8 million for food and safe water to people in Gaza, $10 million to boost aid efforts including water and nutrition programmes in Somalia, and $4 million for emergency programmes in Niger that have received inadequate support from donors.

Since its establishment, more than 100 member states and private sector donors have contributed some $1.5 billion to the CERF, which was envisaged as being "by all, for all" and has disbursed over $1.2 billion to help millions of survivors of natural disasters and conflict in 70 countries.
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