UNICEF HEAD SPEAKS OUT AGAINST VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN YEMEN

The head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called for "immediate and secure" access to people uprooted by escalating clashes – mostly children and women – between Government forces and rebels in northern Yemen.

"Children cannot be the innocent victims of conflict," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said in a statement issued yesterday, noting that the agency stands ready to assist civilians caught up in the conflict.

The humanitarian situation in camps, she said, is becoming ever more dire due to the lack of basic services, including safe water, sanitation and nutrition.

"Thousands of more families remain trapped inside the conflict zone, unable to reach safer areas," Ms. Veneman added. "They, too, are in urgent need of humanitarian support."

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today that insecurity is hindering aid agencies' efforts to reach people affected by the fighting, which could ultimately uproot up to 150,000 people.

Including those displaced by previous violence, some 119,000 people in Sa'ada governorate have fled clashes between Government troops and Al Houthi rebels which are now spreading to the neighbouring Amran governorate.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today that the violence has affected 35,000 in the past two weeks alone.

Stepped up fighting in recent days "is worsening what is already a dire and complex humanitarian emergency," agency spokesperson Andrej Mahecic told reporters in Geneva.

"We are especially worried about the situation in Sa'ada city, the provincial capital of Sa'ada governorate," he said, noting that a UNHCR team has reported that there has been no water and electricity there since 10 August.

Additionally, there is a fuel shortage and it is becoming increasingly perilous for people to reach markets to purchase food, Mr. Mahecic said.

Although UNHCR, which last week called on donors for an additional $5 million to respond to the latest emergency, has registered hundreds of newly displaced families, registration has been suspended due to security situation inside the city as well as a curfew.

Along with preparing new aid shipments, the agency is working with local authorities on the construction of a new camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) that could house up to 3,500 people.

According to OCHA, the violence has made it difficult for humanitarian workers to access the uprooted and accurately assess the situation, with the Sa'ada airport having been closed to all non-military activities.

Travel by land from Yemen's capital, Sana'a, has been hampered by roadblocks, with UN agencies having evacuated non-resident staff from Sa'ada on 20 August.

The Ministry of Public Health has pointed to an alarming situation in Sa'ada, which borders Saudi Arabia and is a relatively remote and inaccessible region where many health facilities are currently not functioning.

According to an inter-agency assessment in Haradh, many IDPs were found to be living without shelter or water and are at risk of heat stroke and severe dehydration. Further, cases of diarrhoeal diseases and child malnutrition have been reported.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has airlifted 40 metric tonnes of high energy biscuits, distributing 10 metric tonnes of food aid to 7,000 newly-displaced people in Hajjah governorate. It started delivering a one-month ration of cereals, pulses, vegetable, salt and sugar on 23 August for 10,000 people.

For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided two trauma kits to the Ministry of Public Health, while a mobile health clinic was deployed last week.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released $1.2 million for rapid response measures to provide immediate assistance to 25,000 people displaced by previous fighting in Sa'ada.

A flash appeal, to fund life-saving assistance for up to 150,000 IDPs and other indirectly affected people, is being prepared.
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ELECTION DAY GOING WELL IN AFGHANISTAN, SAYS TOP UN ENVOY

The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan said he was pleased with the way the country's elections were taking place and there had been less violence than he had feared, during a visit to a local polling station in the capital, Kabul, midway through Election Day.

"I am pleased to see that the elections have been going quite well," Kai Eide, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, told reporters.

"There are scattered incidents here and there, but as you see, in general it seems to be working well, and I am pleased about that."

There had been several attacks in the days leading up to the presidential and provincial council elections, including Tuesday's blast in Kabul which claimed the lives of two UN staffers and at least five others.

But Mr. Eide, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said that there has not been as much violence today as had been expected.

"There have been some attacks, but I must say, all in all, it is at a lower level than I had feared," he stated. "Also, the kind of spectacular attacks that we were warned about have not happened."

Some 17 million voters have been registered to take part in today's polls, the first to be organized by the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC).

Voters will choose from 41 presidential candidates, including two women, and more than 3,000 candidates who are competing for provincial council seats.

Mr. Eide noted that the elections are, first and foremost, important for the Afghan people but that they are also crucial for the country's international partners.

"They also demonstrate that the investments that we made over all these years are important and that this commitment must be long term, but based much more on Afghan leadership and ownership of the whole process."

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BAN DEPLORES DEADLY CAR BOMB ATTACK IN AFGHAN CAPITAL

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned Saturday morning's suicide car bombing in central Kabul that has reportedly killed at least seven people and injured dozens of others, days ahead of much anticipated presidential and provincial elections across Afghanistan.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said he was "deeply concerned at this indiscriminate violence" before the polls, which are scheduled to take place next Thursday.

"The Secretary-General extends his condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims. He also sends his wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured by this despicable act." The injured civilians include at least one United Nations staff member.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) warned in a report issued earlier this week with the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) that insecurity was having a serious impac
t on election preparations, particularly for women, but that Afghans were still eager to vote despite these challenges.
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IRAQ: NEW UN ENVOY VOICES CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM, BUT CITES POTENTIAL DANGERS

The new top United Nations envoy for Iraq voiced cautious optimism today as the country regains its sovereignty, but warned of potential dangers ahead, pledging full UN support for the economic and social development of the violence-scarred nation.

"Although statistics tell the story of a downward trend in the overall level of violence, reality is still tainted by an unacceptably high level of indiscriminate attacks on civilians," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Ad Melkert told the Security Council, following his first visit to Iraq in his new capacity.

"This is an unparalleled moment of opportunity, but also one of great sensitivity," he said, referring to the withdrawal of the multilateral force from the country's cities on 30 June and their replacement by Iraqi security forces.

"There are many factors – some internal, some external – that could tip the scale," he added, calling on the Iraqi Government and security forces to live up to the new responsibilities of their regained sovereignty by winning the people's trust and respecting fundamental human rights.

In the face of a host of problems ranging from youth unemployment of one third and a budget deficit to drought and agricultural underperformance, the time has come to place economic and social issues upfront. Iraq will find a ready partner in the UN, which will base itself on "Iraqi ownership," selective priorities and the nexus between national reconciliation and economic development, Mr. Melkert said.

But economic diversification, jobs for youth and better services cannot wait for political consensus, but can instead themselves become a platform for consensus, he added, with the UN aligning its aid with Iraq's five-year National Development Plan, with a particular focus on agriculture and water resources.

Noting that the UN's $547-million consolidated appeal for Iraq for 2009 was only 33 percent funded as of July, and that needs have since increased by over $100 million to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to their homes, he called on Member States to fill the gap.

Turning to two of the most critical priorities currently facing the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (<"http://www.uniraq.org/">UNAMI) in promoting long-term stability, Mr. Melkert cited preparations for national elections in 2010 and the issue of ethnically disputed areas, including oil-rich Kirkuk, stressing the UN's role as an "impartial connector."

"Dialogue rather than precipitous decision-making should be the method to disentangle complex and sensitive facts and perceptions," he said.

In his latest <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/393">report on Iraq yesterday, Mr. Ban urged the Kurdistan Regional Government to reconsider the provisions in the draft Kurdistan regional constitution, which could have the potential to aggravate tensions and affect ongoing discussions on the disputed boundaries.

He called for an end to provocative statements, including those which pre-judge in any way the future of areas such as Kirkuk, and to any unilateral actions on the ground which the other side is likely to see as hostile in intent.

Mr. Melkert underlined the role that the international community still has to play in ensuring Iraq's progress.

"Whilst working towards 'normalization' this is most certainly not the time for the international community to disengage on Iraq or lessen its commitment," he declared.

"The theme I would prefer to stress at this early juncture is 'strategic acceleration' – building on progress in the political sphere and throwing our full support behind economic growth and social development benefiting the people, in partnership and constant consultation with Iraqis themselves."

IRAQ ENTERING CRUCIAL PERIOD AHEAD OF NATIONAL ELECTIONS, BAN SAYS

Iraq is entering a crucial transition period, highlighted by its increased responsibility for its security and the national elections planned for next January, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

In his latest report on the work of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), Mr. Ban writes that while an increase in violence was anticipated during the redeployment of the United States military from cities on 30 June, a "relative calm" was achieved and the Iraqi security forces have succeeded in assuming security responsibilities in critical parts of the country.

"I am hopeful that this is a trend that bodes well for the future of Iraq," he states.

At the same time, the Secretary-General says that he is concerned about the relationship between the Federal Government in Baghdad and the leadership of the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

He urges the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament to reconsider the provisions in the draft Kurdistan regional constitution, which could have the potential to aggravate tensions and affect ongoing discussions on the disputed boundaries.

Mr. Ban also calls for an end to provocative statements, including those which pre-judge in any way the future of areas such as Kirkuk, and to any unilateral actions on the ground which the other side is likely to see as hostile in intent.

"The process for discussing disputed internal boundaries is in the early stages, but I expect and hope that the political will displayed by both sides will remain and that all parties will continue to work together to positively affect the situation on the ground and ensure that progress through dialogue continues," he writes.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ban says it is encouraging that in the lead-up to the national election, Iraq national institutions – especially the Electoral Commission – have developed their own expertise in carrying out election activities.

"As we move closer to the parliamentary elections, the challenge will be to maintain the transparency and independence of the Electoral Commission while establishing a strong platform from which to ensure that there is acceptance of the election results."

The national voter registration exercise will be a critical element in the successful implementation of the January parliamentary elections as well as possible district and sub-district elections later in 2010, he adds.

In addition, he urged the Iraqi Council of Representatives to proceed with the adoption of an inclusive electoral law without delay so as not to jeopardize the delivery of the elections.

"Now is the time for political leaders to demonstrate statesmanship, rising beyond their differences and narrow interests, and prove to the Iraqi people that sovereignty comes with responsibility and accountability in visible progress towards a return to normalcy in the daily lives of Iraqis and the functioning of a viable State," he says.

It is also "potentially a time of opportunity" regarding the Iraq's recovery and development, he notes, citing momentum across the Government to tackle some of the country's most entrenched socio-economic issues: unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, corruption and poverty.

Mr. Ban adds that economic revival must also be strategically geared towards addressing inequalities through greater investment in social services, social protection and the realization of fundamental human rights for every Iraqi.
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CLASHES IN SOMALIA FORCING MORE REFUGEES ACROSS GULF OF ADEN – UN AGENCY

Fleeing escalating violence in the capital, Mogadishu, and central Somalia, thousands of Somalis are making the perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden to begin new lives in Yemen, the United Nations refugee agency reported today.

Some 12,000 Somalis – out of 232,000 people who have escaped clashes that broke out in early May between Government forces and the Al-Shabaab and Hisb-ul-Islam militant groups – have reached the northern port town of Bossaso since early May, and most of them are hoping that smugglers will transport them to Yemen.

Partners of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report that Bossaso is already very crowded and that smugglers are already collecting cash from refugees trying to reach Yemen.

"As the sea is already very dangerous because of the prevailing conditions, the majority of the people are expected to camp in Bossaso and wait for September, when winds are more favourable," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva today.

Last year, over 50,000 people reached Yemen's shores, marking a 70 per cent increase from 2007. During the first half of 2009 alone, more than 30,000 people have made the "dangerous journey" to Yemen, Mr. Redmond noted.

In 2008, over 1,000 people died, either being thrown overboard or forced to disembark from boats too far from the shore by smugglers, as they attempted to make landfall in Yemen, he added.

So far this year, nearly 300 people have lost their lives or are missing as they tried to cross the Gulf of Aden, according to UNHCR.

"The smuggling phenomenon places increasing strain on Yemen's limited resources and poses more challenges to the Government's efforts to balance its obligations under international law with the need to protect the country from illegal entry," Mr. Redmond said.

New arrivals are picked up by UNHCR's partner agencies and taken to reception centres where they are registered and given food, shelter, medical assistance and other basic assistance while they recover from their journey.

"The Government of Yemen recognizes Somalis as refugees on a prima facie basis," the agency's spokesperson said, adding that the refugees can choose to shelter at the Kharaz camp two hours west of the Yemeni capital, Aden, where they receive legal and physical protection and help.

Already 13,000 refugees, mostly from Somalia, have made Kharaz camp home temporarily, while tens of thousands of other refugees have chosen to stay in urban areas around Yemen.

Somalia is one of the world's biggest refugee-producing countries, and UNHCR is providing protection and assistance to nearly 500,000 Somali refugees in nearby countries while also reaching out to 1.3 million people displaced within Somalia.
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DONOR HELP CRUCIAL AS HEALTH SITUATION CRUMBLES IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL SOMALIA – UN

Donor assistance is urgently needed as the health situation in southern and central Somalia, including its violence-wracked capital, Mogadishu, continues to deteriorate, the United Nations humanitarian arm said today.

Violence in the impoverished Horn of Africa nation has impeded access to essential and life-saving health services, as well as to clean water and sanitation, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

A fresh wave of fighting, which broke out in Mogadishu in May, has driven 200,000 people from their homes, in addition to the more than 400,000 already displaced near the capital and along the Afgooye corridor, west of Mogadishu.

Poor coverage of health care is leading to more frequent communicable disease outbreaks, rising rates of severe acute malnutrition, and falling immunization rates, among other effects.

"With the country already facing one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world, the humanitarian health community is finding itself constrained by the health funding deficit, leaving a number of critical life-saving health projects uninitiated and ongoing ones under threat of cessation," OCHA said in a donor alert.

Earlier this week, relief organizations in Somalia issued an $11 million appeal to meet the emergency water and sanitation needs of those who have fled Mogadishu in recent weeks.

Aid agencies are currently only able to supply two to eight litres of water per person per day in that area, while between 7.5 and 15 litres – less than one flush of an average toilet – is considered the minimum needed for survival, according to OCHA.

There is also currently one latrine for every 212 displaced people in the Afgooye corridor, and a major concern is that effect the lack of water is having on efforts to prevent the spread of communicable diseases in overcrowded situations.
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INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT RECEIVES MATERIALS ON KENYAN POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) today received sealed information about persons suspected of being responsible for last year's post-election violence in Kenya from Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary-general who helped mediate an end to the deadly clashes.

In a press release issued in The Hague, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said he had received a sealed envelope and supporting materials that had previously been entrusted to Mr. Annan – who is also the Chairman of the African Union Panel of Eminent African Personalities – by a commission investigating the violence that erupted in December 2007 and early 2008.

Mr. Moreno-Ocampo's office has had the situation in Kenya under preliminary examination since last year, and last week a high-level Kenyan Government delegation visited The Hague to discuss the need for accountability for those responsible for the violence.

"The Kenyan authorities, while continuing all efforts to set up national proceedings, have committed to start sharing information on the current status of investigations and prosecutions arising out of the post-election violence, as well as on measures taken to protect witnesses, with a view to assisting the [ICC] Prosecutor's work," the press release noted.

If the efforts to conduct national proceedings fail, the Government agreed last week to refer the situation to the ICC within one year.

"The transmission of documents by Mr. Kofi Annan forms part of these collaborative efforts to ensure that justice is not delayed and that future crimes can be prevented," Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said.

The ICC is an independent, permanent court that investigates and prosecutes people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It is based on a treaty known as the Rome Statute, of which 109 countries are now States Parties.
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DEPLORING RECENT ATTACKS, BAN APPEALS TO IRAQIS TO REJECT INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, condemning recent attacks in several Iraqi cities, called today on the people of the strife-torn nation to reject attempts to incite further violence.

Mr. Ban "strongly condemns the attacks and assassinations in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Anbar in recent days that have killed and wounded a large number of Iraqis," his spokesperson said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General notes that Iraq has been benefiting from an improving security environment, and appeals to the people of Iraq to continue to reject these attempts to incite further violence in the country," it added.

"As Iraq prepares to take full responsibility for security in its cities, he calls upon all Iraqi political leaders to work together towards achieving lasting peace through national dialogue and reconciliation."

Earlier this month, Staffan de Mistura, the outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, told the Security Council that the country has the potential to overcome its challenges and flourish, with much depending on a number of key priorities, including an improvement in the daily lives of its people and defusing existing tensions.

The past two years have seen the Iraqis "progressively fatigued" over civil strife, slowly shedding sectarian divisions, seeking reconciliation and turning up at the polls, he told the Council.
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SIERRA LEONE: RECENT VIOLENCE UNDERSCORES NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT – BAN

SIERRA LEONE: RECENT VIOLENCE UNDERSCORES NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT – BAN
New York, May 29 2009 3:00PM
A recent eruption of political violence in Sierra Leone reinforces the need for the international community's continued support for the West African nation's efforts to rebuild following a brutal 11-year civil war, according to a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2009/267">report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

President Ernest Bai Koroma and the top leaders of both the governing and main opposition parties were able to prevent a new round of conflict after clashes broke out, underlining the "fragile nature of the nascent democratic process in the country," Mr. Ban wrote.

The governing All People's Congress (APC) and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) signed a joint communiqué on 2 April, which he characterized in his most recent report on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) as a "major event."

The disturbances, had they devolved into a full-blown conflict, could have heightened regional divisions and increased identification of political parties with ethnic loyalties, he said.

The violence "served as a wake-up call for the Government and people of Sierra Leone on the critical challenges that require urgent and continued attention," the report noted.

"Against this backdrop, the determined manner with which Sierra Leone overcame its recent political crisis was all the more laudable," the Secretary-General said, commending the nation's resolve to overcome differences rather than relenting to attacks.

Further, Mr. Ban wrote, its recent actions have set an example for other countries in the sub-region experiencing similar upheavals.

He expressed concern that the current global financial crisis could dampen international assistance to Sierra Leone in the coming years, calling on nations to continue their support for the country's peacebuilding endeavours.

Last August, the Security Council authorized the creation of UNIPSIL to replace the UN political office in the country, known as UNIOSIL, in a unanimously adopted resolution, which also gave the new structure an initial mandate of 12 months.

UNIPSIL, which works closely with the UN Peacebuilding Commission, is tasked with providing political support to national and local efforts for identifying and resolving tensions and threats of potential conflict, whatever the source. It also monitors and promotes human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law, including efforts to counter transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.

Sierra Leone is one of the first two countries, along with Burundi, to receive support from the Commission, which was established in 2005 to help post-conflict countries determine the priority areas for rebuilding out of the vast array of challenges they face.
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BAN DEPLORES ‘CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE’ AGAINST SOMALI GOVERNMENT

BAN DEPLORES 'CAMPAIGN OF VIOLENCE' AGAINST SOMALI GOVERNMENT
New York, May 28 2009 4:00PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the continuing armed attacks against Somalia's Transitional Federal Government, expressing concern at the growing numbers of civilians killed, wounded and displaced by the violence.

Intense fighting between the Government and the opposition Al-Shabaab and Hisb-ul-Islam groups erupted in several north-west areas of the capital, Mogadishu, on 8 May, uprooting over 67,000 people, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR).

"This campaign of violence is aimed at the forceful overthrow of a legitimate government which has reached out to its opponents in a spirit of reconciliation, through an 'open door' policy and negotiations," read a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3886">statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

"In the face of this ongoing threat to the peace process, Somalia's government is appealing for international assistance, and the Secretary-General wishes to strongly and urgently echo that appeal," the statement added.

Mr. Ban called on the international community to follow through quickly with the urgently needed financial and other forms of support recently pledged in Brussels to both the Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), as well as to provide direct bilateral assistance to the Government.

"The Secretary-General believes there is a unique window of opportunity for peace in Somalia, but the situation is fragile and international assistance is needed now."

The Security Council, too, has condemned the recent resurgence in fighting in the Horn of Africa nation, and called for the end of all hostilities, in a resolution adopted on Tuesday. The 15-member body also authorized an extension of AMISOM's mandate until 31 January 2010.
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FRESH ATTACKS BY HUTU REBELS LEAD TO MORE DISPLACEMENT IN DR CONGO – UN

FRESH ATTACKS BY HUTU REBELS LEAD TO MORE DISPLACEMENT IN DR CONGO – UN
New York, Mar 20 2009 10:00AM

The United Nations refugee agency said today that attacks by a Hutu rebel group are continuing to uproot thousands in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reportedly displacing nearly 30,000 people just over the past two weeks.

Altogether, an estimated 1 million people are displaced in North Kivu province by a series of conflicts involving Government forces and various rebel groups, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The ethnic Hutu militia known as the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), which has been the target of a joint military operation conducted by DRC and Rwanda since January, has been retaliating against civilians and attacking villages in North Kivu.

"The FDLR fighting has left more than 160,000 civilians displaced since mid-January," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva.

Local authorities tell UNHCR that in the province's Lubero territory, fresh attacks on civilians by the FDLR have displaced nearly 30,000 people over the past two weeks. Newly displaced families in the Lubero area report that FDLR raids increased during the first half of March, along with growing human rights violations.

Also, further south in Masisi territory, local authorities said the FDLR mounted attacks that killed at least three civilians on 15 March and caused a number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to flee. The rebel group has reportedly threatened to continue its attacks in the area.

"Most of the displaced from the continuing FDLR attacks are spending their nights in the bush for fear of attacks and harassment," said Mr. Redmond.

He added that UNHCR is reinforcing its activities in Masisi and trying to establish presence in Lubero for the swift delivery of humanitarian assistance and protection.

Meanwhile, the agency is concerned that continuing violence against aid workers will hinder assistance to the displaced. In the latest incident, armed men attacked and looted a vehicle belonging to an international non-governmental organization (NGO) in Rutshuru on 18 March. No fatalities were reported.

During a visit to North Kivu yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for DRC, Alan Doss, pledged that the UN peacekeeping mission there – known as MONUC – will reinforce its presence in localities and continue to logistically support the Government army in its operations against the FDLR.
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DARFUR RIFE WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS, CIVILIANS, UN SAYS

DARFUR RIFE WITH VIOLENCE AGAINST PEACEKEEPERS, CIVILIANS, UN SAYS
New York, Mar 18 2009 6:00PM

Attacks on peacekeeping staff, carjacking, other banditry, and harassment of civilians continue to proliferate in Darfur, the African Union-United Nations mission in the strife-torn region of Sudan (UNAMID) reported today.

A UNAMID vehicle was carjacked in Nyala, South Darfur, this morning by armed men in military uniforms, and on Monday, two of the mission's national staff members were stopped while they were driving a UN vehicle, beaten and left by five armed men dressed in civilian clothes in El Geneina, West Darfur.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday condemned an ambush that led to the death of a blue helmet, the second attack on a peacekeeping patrol in the region in a little over a week, and said he was "deeply concerned by the increased security threats faced by UNAMID in Darfur.

At the same time, concern continues to mount over the safety of humanitarian workers, many of whom have been ordered to leave the region following the recent indictment of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.

The joint UN/Government of Sudan assessments of humanitarian gaps in Darfur being conducted in the wake of those expulsions continue, having been extended by one day to be completed tomorrow, UNAMID added.

The three assessment teams will have wrap-up meetings at the level of state Government tomorrow and then travel to Sudan's capital, Khartoum, where they will sort through the data for the following few days, the mission said.

Meanwhile, the number of internally displaced persons (IDP) fleeing violence and harassment continues to grow, with new arrivals in the Zam Zam camp in North Darfur pushing the total in the camp to 80,000.

The majority of the newcomers are from villages and IDP camps in South Darfur, but there are also arrivals from North Darfur.

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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CHAD: UN REGISTERS OVER 5,000 CENTRAL AFRICANS UPROOTED BY VIOLENCE

CHAD: UN REGISTERS OVER 5,000 CENTRAL AFRICANS UPROOTED BY VIOLENCE
New York, Mar 18 2009 6:00PM

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered more than 5,200 refugees in Chad who fled intensified fighting between Government forces and rebels in the north of their native Central African Republic (CAR) last December.

These refugees are sheltering in the village of Daha in south-eastern Chad, roughly one kilometre from the border with the CAR.

UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) have distributed food to refugees this week, marking the second time they have received rations since their arrival in Chad.

Over 100 children have been enrolled at the local school and classes have started in two new facilities built by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which has also trained teachers.

In addition, the agency has begun handing out high-protein biscuits to all children in the two camps in Daha, while it has begun constructing five wells for both refugees and the host population.

Due to wide-spread fighting and armed banditry in recent years in the CAR, some 200,000 Central Africans have been either internally displaced by the violence or forced to live as refugees in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.
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BAN URGES MADAGASCAR PARTIES TO ACT RESPONSIBLY FOLLOWING PRESIDENT’S RESIGNATION

BAN URGES MADAGASCAR PARTIES TO ACT RESPONSIBLY FOLLOWING PRESIDENT'S RESIGNATION
New York, Mar 17 2009 3:00PM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all parties in Madagascar to ensure stability and a smooth democratic transition following the resignation of President Marc Ravalomanana.

"This peaceful path can only be the result of transitional arrangements arrived at by consensus and enjoying wide support," his spokesperson said in a statement.

The statement added that Mr. Ban is "gravely concerned" about the evolving developments in Madagascar, where tensions have been growing in recent months amid a dispute between the President and Andry Rajoelina, the mayor of the capital, Anatananarivo.

Violence surrounding the dispute led to nearly 100 deaths and many more injuries since January.

"He urges all parties concerned to act responsibly to ensure stability and a smooth transition through democratic means," the statement said.

"The Secretary-General calls on all concerned, particularly the police and the army, to ensure the security of the population and work together toward a non-violent resolution of the crisis," it added.

The UN has been trying to help resolve the crisis through the efforts of Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios, who has been dispatched to the Indian Ocean island nation twice, as well as UN Senior Adviser Tiébilé Dramé.

Today's statement noted that the UN, along with all other partners, remains engaged to help achieve a peaceful, consensual solution in Madagascar.
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CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: INCLUSIVE TALKS COULD LEAD TO PEACE CONSOLIDATION – UN

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: INCLUSIVE TALKS COULD LEAD TO PEACE CONSOLIDATION – UN
New York, Mar 10 2009 6:00PM

Recent long-awaited multi-party talks in the Central African Republic (CAR) have provided a window of opportunity to make strides towards consolidating peace in the land-locked nation, a top United Nations envoy told the Security Council today.

François Lonsény Fall, the Secretary-General's Special Representative, said that last December's successful talks held in the capital, Bangui, were a result of two years of "tremendous effort" by various actors, both national – including representatives of the Government, opposition and civil society – and international.

Three committees have been established in the areas of politics and governance; security and armed groups; and socio-economic questions, he said in his last briefing to the Council in his current position.

The first committee has "had to deal with the most contentious issues," such as the legitimacy of the current regime and the country's governance, Mr. Fall said.

At the end of the 12-day dialogue, he told the Council, several agreements had been reached, including the establishment of a broad-based government, a commitment to hold elections in 2009 and 2010, and the setting up of an independent electoral commission.

The security committee, for its part, has dealt with the issues of implementing security sector reform, restructuring the national armed forces and combating the proliferation of small arms, the envoy said, while the socio-economic committee is focusing on putting into place a poverty reduction strategy, reforming public finances and reforming the management of national resources.

Mr. Fall briefed the Council on the deterioration of the security situation in northern CAR, where rebel groups and a spill-over of violence from the Darfur war in neighbouring Sudan have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. He said there has been intense fighting and "some very daring attacks" against government institutions and military installations in some areas.

But in spite of the setbacks, he stressed that the December inclusive dialogue has provided an occasion to bring stability to the country, which has been beset by widespread fighting and armed banditry in recent years, with some 200,000 Central Africans have been either internally displaced by the fighting or forced to live as refugees in neighbouring Chad and Cameroon.

The Representative said that CAR leaders have "underlined the need to obtain support from the international community at the same time as they try to implement the foundations of the dialogue."

Last June, the Government struck an agreement with the rebel groups known as the Union of Democratic Forces for Unity (UFDR) and the Popular Army for the Restoration of Democracy (APRD) after talks in Libreville, Gabon, facilitated by that country's President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.

Also in June 2008, the CAR became the fourth country to be placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, which aims to help States emerging from conflict to avoid the slide back into war or chaos.

A report issued by the Commission's mission that visited the country last autumn stressed that without concrete and substantive progress in inclusive political dialogue, efforts to achieve improvement in security, rule of law and development remained stalled in a country that is beset by unrest, widespread displacement and entrenched poverty.

"There is also a general awareness that progress has to be simultaneous on all three fronts," said the publication, released in January.
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COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF

COST OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 'BEYOND CALCULATION', WARNS UN CHIEF
New York, Mar 8 2009 11:00AM

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today added his voice to a chorus of United Nations officials calling for an end to the routine violence suffered by women and girls around the world, in a message marking the International Day for Women.

In some countries, as many as one in three women will be beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, Mr. Ban said in his message for the Day, celebrated annually on 8 March.

"We must stop the habitual and socially ingrained violence that mars lives, destroys health, perpetuates poverty and prevents us from achieving women's equality and empowerment," he stressed.

Last year the Secretary-General launched a global campaign "Unite to End Violence Against Women" ending in 2015, the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of internationally agreed objectives which include eradicating poverty, achieving universal gender
equality in education and reversing the rate of HIV/AIDS incidence.

"Violence against women is also linked to the spread of HIV/AIDS," said Mr. Ban.

He explained that not only are large numbers of women in some countries forced to have sex, but "Women and girls are also systematically and deliberately subject to rape and sexual violence in war."

"Violence, and particularly sexual and gender-based violence, is one of the defining characteristics of contemporary conflict," said Ron Redmond, the spokesperson of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Mr. Ban noted that "Death, injury, medical costs and lost employment are but the tip of an iceberg. The impact on women and girls, their families, their communities and their societies in terms of shattered lives and livelihoods is beyond calculation."

To change the mindsets and socially ingrained habits of generations will not be easy and will take the collective force of individuals, organizations and governments, added the Secre
tary-General.

"We must work together to state loud and clear, at the highest level, that violence against women will not be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance," he said, adding that "We need a positive image of women in the media. We need laws that say violence is a crime, that hold perpetrators accountable and are enforced."

In another statement, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Ann Veneman underlined the significant role men and boys have to play in ending violence against women and called for putting in place programmes and activities to educate them.

Michael Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, called for gender equality to be at the core of all the world body's actions, saying that it is not only necessary for social justice but also for achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
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NEPAL: UN CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE BY ALL SIDES IN CHITWAN PROTESTS

NEPAL: UN CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE BY ALL SIDES IN CHITWAN PROTESTS
New York, Mar 6 2009 10:00AM

The top United Nations human rights official in Nepal is urging all sides in the troubled Chitwan district to exercise restraint and to resolve their differences through dialogue, following the deaths of two protesters and a policeman in the past two days.

"I have spoken with the Government, the police and representatives of some protesting groups, and voiced my concerns about violent protests and the use of lethal force," said Richard Bennett, representative of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal).

"OHCHR-Nepal is extremely concerned about the use of live ammunition by police," the Office added, saying that one person was reportedly killed and several others injured, three critically, after police fired live ammunition in the Tandi area on the night of 5 March. A curfew has since been declared in the local municipality.

While police claimed they fired in self-defence after protests turned violent, OHCHR-Nepal is stressing that firearms must not be used in policing demonstrations unless there is a very serious threat to life and only once all other methods have been exhausted.

The Office is also extremely concerned at reports that two members of the Armed Police Force (APF) were attacked by protesters with khukuris (large knives) during a demonstration on 6 March. One constable has since died and the other is seriously injured.

"OHCHR-Nepal reiterates its call for thorough and independent investigations into all killings which have occurred," the Office said.

An estimated 13,000 people lost their lives in Nepal during a decade-long civil war that came to an end when the Government and Maoists signed a peace deal in 2006, leading to landmark elections last year.
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SILENCE SURROUNDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HAS BEEN BROKEN – UN EXPERT

SILENCE SURROUNDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HAS BEEN BROKEN – UN EXPERT
New York, Mar 5 2009 10:00AM

Women around the world are no longer fearful of speaking out against the violence they encounter, according to Yakin Erturk, whose mandate as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences, expires in June."As I leave, what gives me encouragement is that the silence about violence against women has been broken," Ms. Erturk said. "It's an initial step, but it's a prerequisite for us to respond to that violence. I think women in all parts of the world now realize that violence is not their fate."

The Special Rapporteur spoke to the UN News Service ahead of this year's International Women's Day (8 March), whose theme is 'Women and Men United to End Violence against Women and Girls.'

Ms. Erturk said she found inspiration in the impressive struggle by survivors of violence to rebuild their lives and those of their families, sometimes against enormous odds.

"The Democratic Republic of Congo comes to mind," she said. "Some women there have experienced total destruction. It's impossible to describe the extent of the violations women and little girls go through. Then those who try to speak out face threats."

The creation of an international mechanism to protect such women should be an urgent priority for the future, she noted.

"We don't have a mechanism to protect these women who speak out, where States are dysfunctional or can't respond," she said. "Sometimes the only solution is to take the women out of the situation – but sometimes they don't want to leave because they have husbands and families. It's a complex issue, but we should not be afraid to act."

The Special Rapporteur pointed out that until relatively recently, the issue of violence against women was itself seen as too complex for legislation or intervention, but that attitudes had changed. In her six years as the UN's expert on the issue, Ms. Erturk has travelled to many countries advocating for action to address violence against women, including its most extreme form, feminicide.

Before leaving office, she will submit mission reports to the Human Rights Council in June on Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Moldova, and on her last country visit to Kyrgyzstan.

Looking back on her time in office, Ms. Erturk said she believed that her 2007 report on the intersections between culture and violence against women had played a key part in changing perceptions, and had inspired some civil society groups to start to look at culture and religion in a more critical manner.

"Anything built in the name of Islam is based on certain interpretations of Islam, and these groups are starting to challenge hegemonic interpretations of Islam which reject universal human rights norms," she said. "I believe that cultural excuses will be challenged more and more in future years, and I consider this to be one of my strongest achievements in fulfilling my mandate."

Considering the different countries she has visited during her mandate, Ms. Erturk said she had particularly enjoyed returning to Saudi Arabia, where she spent time working before joining the UN.

"From a personal perspective, it was amazing to go back," she said. "There's an interest in making changes; for example, a woman has been appointed to the post of deputy minister in the Saudi Government. These changes may appear small but we must contextualize our understanding – while pushing for universal norms."

Ms. Erturk regretted that media outlets and human rights stakeholders were attracted to problems when they erupted in violence, "but we can do more to prevent problems if we deal with them before they reach that point."

She welcomed what she described as "promising gestures" on human rights by the new United States administration, but added: "We need to see action – at home, at Guantanamo, in Afghanistan and in Iraq." She said she was hopeful that the US would ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

"Ratifying CEDAW would be one very visible outcome that could give us hope about what to expect from the new US administration," Ms. Erturk said.
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BAN CONDEMNS ‘ACTS OF VIOLENCE’ IN BANGLADESH MUTINY

BAN CONDEMNS 'ACTS OF VIOLENCE' IN BANGLADESH MUTINY
New York, Feb 27 2009 7:00PM

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned what he called the "brutal acts of violence," in the two-day mutiny by members of the Bangladesh Rifles border guards, which have resulted in a mounting death toll.

"The Secretary-General calls for calm and the resolution of this situation without further violence," according to a statement released by Mr. Ban's spokesperson, which also expressed sympathy for victims and their families.

According to media reports, the revolt against military officers left at least 40 people dead, with dozens of bodies found in mass graves.
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