INDEPENDENT UN PROBE INTO BHUTTO KILLING STARTS WORK IN PAKISTAN

The independent commission charged with examining the facts and circumstances behind the December 2007 assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto arrived today in Islamabad as it began its first working visit to the country.

During their visit the members of the Commission of Inquiry are expected to meet with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and a number of senior Government officials and others in relation with their investigation.

The Commission formally started its activities on 1 July and has already begun preliminary work on the ground in Pakistan.

It is headed by Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, and its other members are Marzuki Darusman, the former attorney-general of Indonesia, and Peter Fitzgerald, a veteran of the Irish National Police who has also served the UN in a number of capacities.

Set up following a request from the Pakistani Government, the Commission will submit a report to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon within six months. Mr. Ban will then share the report with the Government and submit it to the Security Council for information.
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BAN VOICES CONCERN AT PATTERN OF POLITICAL KILLINGS IN GUINEA-BISSAU

BAN VOICES CONCERN AT PATTERN OF POLITICAL KILLINGS IN GUINEA-BISSAU
New York, Jun 5 2009 5:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced his concern at the "emerging pattern of killings" of high profile personalities in Guinea-Bissau, where a presidential candidate and a member of parliament were gunned down today, just months after the country's president and his chief of staff were assassinated.

Mr. Ban is "dismayed" by the news of the assassinations of Baciro Dabo, a candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections, and Helder Proenca, a Member of Parliament and former Minister of Defense, along with others, his spokesperson said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3904">statement.

Coming so soon after the assassinations in March of President João Bernardo Vieira and his Chief of General Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Waie, "these criminal acts are a tragic setback for efforts to restore the rule of law and democratic processes in the country, but they should not be allowed to deter the forthcoming presidential elections," the statement said.

"These developments underscore once again the importance and urgency of conducting a thorough, credible and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the assassinations in Guinea Bissau," it added.

Mr. Ban called on national authorities, including the military, to ensure that the human rights of all citizens are upheld and protected.

Today's statement added that the UN will be consulting with national authorities and the International Contact Group on Guinea-Bissau to explore what more needs to be done to end impunity and restore respect for the rule of law in the country.

In a report released last month, Mr. Ban had said that assassinations in March highlighted the need for the West African nation's justice, defence and security sectors to be reformed. The country has struggled in recent decades to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d'état and uprisings.
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BAN CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF GUINEA-BISSAU’S PRESIDENT

BAN CONDEMNS ASSASSINATION OF GUINEA-BISSAU'S PRESIDENT
New York, Mar 2 2009 2:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the killing of the president of Guinea-Bissau and his chief of staff, calling on the national authorities to maintain the rule of law and bring those responsible to justice.

"The Secretary-General is deeply saddened and dismayed by the assassinations of President João Bernardo Vieira and his Chief of General Staff, General Batista Tagme Na Waie," Mr. Ban said in a statement released by his spokesperson.

"He remains in close contact with his Representative for Guinea Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, who along with others in the international community is working to promote peace, political stability and development in the country," the statement added.

The Secretary-General's statement noted that the assassinations occurred soon after successful legislative elections which "paved the way for enhanced UN support to the country's peacebuilding efforts."

Guinea-Bissau is one of a handful of States on the agenda of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, which aims to help poor countries avoid sliding back into war or chaos.

The West African country has struggled to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d'état and uprisings in recent decades.

This past November, renegade military elements attacked the residence of President Vieira but he survived the attack, which occurred just one week after legislative elections were staged in a peaceful and orderly manner.

At that time, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council both condemned the failed assassination attempt and urged all political groups to resolve their differences peacefully.
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