United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-03-31

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From: The United Nations Home Page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 31 March 1998

HEADLINES

• Security Council imposes arms embargo on Federal Republic of Yugoslavia pending dialogue with Kosovo.
• United Kingdom gives $2 million to fund for International Criminal Tribunal exhumations in former Yugoslavia.
• A Bosnian Serb mistakenly arrested by Sarajevo police and charged with crimes is released.
• Security Council members underline need for resumption of direct talks between the Cypriot communities.
• Security Council members urge Somali factions to exercise restraint in wake of resumption of fighting.
• United Nations appeals for $79 million to avert widespread humanitarian emergency in Somalia.
• United Nations refugee agency sends a team to Yemen to probe drowning of Somali boat people trying to get there.
• Secretary-General offers condolences on death of Bella Abzug, praising her legacy, which "benefited so many".
• Palestine Observer warns that Israel's refusal to honour agreements could be fatal to peace process.
• Over a dozen persons claiming to be Indonesians force their way into United Nations refugee agency's compound.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees closes its office in Nicaragua after 19 years of work.
• United Nations humanitarian office says drought-stricken Guyana urgently needs water and relief supplies.

The Council, adopting resolution 1160 (1998), acted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which allows for enforcement.

Explaining China's abstention, the country's Ambassador, Qin Huasun, said the question of Kosovo was "in its essence an internal matter" of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which should be resolved properly through negotiations between both parties concerned on the basis of the principle of respect for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The arms embargo was first proposed by the Contact Group after a meeting on 9 March. The Council's resolution notes that the Contact Group's proposals on Kosovo should be based on the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and should be in accordance with the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). At the same time, the Council expressed its support for an enhanced status for Kosovo which would include a substantially greater degree of autonomy and meaningful self-administration.

The arms embargo covers the sale or supply to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia -- including Kosovo -- of arms and related materiel of all types, such as weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment as well as spare parts. States are also obliged to prevent arming and training for terrorist activities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

In imposing the arms embargo, the Council also set up a committee to monitor its implementation. Among other tasks, the committee will be charged with reporting to the Council on alleged violations of the arms embargo. States are required to report to the Committee by the end of April on the steps they have taken to give effect to the embargo.

The Council will review the situation based on reports of the Secretary- General. It will consider terminating the embargo when the Secretary- General reports that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in cooperation with the Contact Group, has begun the dialogue requested in the resolution, "unless any failure to do so is not because of the position of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or Serbian authorities". In addition, the country must withdraw the special police units and cease actions by the security forces affecting the civilian population. Humanitarian organizations and others would have to be given access to Kosovo. Belgrade would also have to accept an OSCE mission to address problems in Kosovo, as well as the return of long-term OSCE missions there. Further, the Secretary-General must report that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has cooperated with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, who has been gathering information on Kosovo. Finally, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights must be able to send a mission to Kosovo.

The Council emphasized that "failure to make constructive progress towards the peaceful resolution of the situation in Kosovo will lead to the consideration of additional measures."

In addition to the contribution from the United Kingdom, the project has received over $280,000 from Canada and over $30,000 from Denmark.

The exhumations programme of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia began in 1996. It aims to allow the Prosecutor to obtain corroborating evidence for its cases before the Tribunal. Exhumations are costly and in addition to voluntary contributions, scores of individuals volunteer their time to take part in the work, according to the Tribunal.

United Nations Deputy Spokesman Liam McDowall said on Tuesday that Dragan Pejic was released on Monday and all the charges against him dropped by the Sarajevo authorities.

United Nations human rights monitors had attended the legal proceedings against Pejic during which the prosecutor's key witness categorically denied that Pejic was the man involved in the alleged crimes.

The United Nations urged the authorities, especially those in Sarajevo to ensure that they compiled and submitted accurate information to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, in accordance with the Rules of the Road.

The United Nations also believed that international community's involvement with Sarajevo's legal authorities in this case had brought about a prompt resolution, said the Deputy Spokesman.

According to Mr. McDowall, Pejic had been visited regularly in detention by officers of the United Nations Police Task Force. Pejic had no complaints against the local police and had been provided with the legal representation of his choice, Mr. McDowall said. He added that United Nations officials had also scrutinized legal proceedings against Pejic.

The President of the Council, Ambassador Abdoulie Momodou Sallah told reporters outside the Council chambers that the members of the Council expressed their strong support for the United Nations efforts to resolve the Cyprus dispute.

Council members had been briefed earlier by Diego Cordovez, the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Adviser for Cyprus on his recent visit to Cyprus, Athens and Ankara. They expressed their support for the efforts of Mr. Cordovez within the framework of the Secretary- General's mission of good offices to make progress towards a settlement of the long-running dispute in Cyprus.

In a statement made to the press by the President of the Council, Ambassador Abdoulie Momodou Sallah of Gambia, members of the Council noted with regret and expressed concern over the recent attacks on humanitarian activities.

They expressed disappointment over the continued postponement of the National Reconciliation Conference.

The Council members also noted with regret the precarious humanitarian situation in Somalia resulting in a new outflow of refugees and great loss of life on the high seas.

The members encouraged the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian agencies to continue "the good work they are doing in Somalia."

Almost all Somalis lack access to education and basic health services, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Repeated outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and one of the world's highest incidences of tuberculosis have drastically lowered life expectancy in the country. After seven years of internal conflict, most public infrastructure has been destroyed. The appeal aims to avert a recurrence of widespread humanitarian emergencies. Activities include ensuring the provision of essential health services through the supply of drugs and pharmaceuticals, training of health personnel, ensuring access to safe drinking water, preventing communicable diseases, and rehabilitating schools.

In the absence of a national government and institutions, United Nations agencies have been required to play an even greater role in Somalia to ensure that potentially manageable emergencies do not develop into major humanitarian crises. United Nations agencies will continue to target much of their assistance towards vulnerable groups, including women and children, returnee refugees, internally displaced persons, and the poorest segments of Somali society, who are most affected by the crisis.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the drama of Somali boat people heading from northeastern Somalia to Yemen continued. According to the agency, a total of 220 persons are believed to have drowned en route to Yemen this month alone. UNHCR said that many Somalis were paying smugglers large sums for the journey on unseaworthy vessels.

In a recent incident, 180 people were reported to have drowned off the coast of Yemen. UNHCR said that approximately 182 passengers and six crew had left Bossasso. On the high seas, the boat began to take on water and sank. The six crew and two other survivors were picked up by another boat which was already carrying 123 Somalis.

UNHCR said that seven more people drowned as a result of an unusual practice of disembarking the passengers some distance from the shore, forcing them to swim to land. The United Nations agency added that two of the passengers had unexplained gunshot wounds and were in hospital.

According to UNHCR, in the first three months of this year, more than 4,700 Somalis had arrived in Yemen, which was an increase of 400 per cent over the same period last year. The agency said that there were also frequently Ethiopian nationals on the boats sailing to Yemen.

Through a statement issued by his Spokesman, the Secretary-General recalled the former Congresswoman's "long record of achievement as a civil rights lawyer, a leading light of the non-governmental organization (NGO) community and a pioneer in the advancement of women."

Mr. Annan noted that Ms. Abzug had worked tirelessly to give women and NGOs a voice at United Nations conferences and other world forums, in particular the 1992 United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit" held in Rio de Janeiro) and the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women (held in Beijing). "We will always remember her description of the Beijing Platform as a morally binding 'contract with the world's women,'" he said.

"So many people benefited from Ms. Abzug's fearlessness and vitality; from her constant pressure on governments and world leaders to make good on their promises of equal rights," the statement noted.

Addressing the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Nasser Al-Kidwa said he hoped this would not be the case, but added that he viewed it as likely, given the current policies of the Israeli Government. If that were the case, he said, the Palestinians would ask the Security Council to deal with the matter.

A recent proposal by the United States had not lived up to full implementation of the existing agreements, by which Israel should have already withdrawn its troops from 90 per cent of the West Bank, according to Palestine's Observer. He warned that if the current Israeli stance proved to be its final position, that might become a fatal blow to the current peace process, thereby opening the door to unforseen developments. The situation did not look bright at all, he said, calling for increased efforts and pressure by the international community.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that the persons, who drove a large truck through the gate of the compound and broke a window to enter the house, asked for protection.

UNHCR said that it was examining the individuals' claims and had asked the Malaysian authorities not to intervene.

According to the United Nations agency, this event was related to the ongoing deportation of immigrants from Malaysia to a number of countries, including Indonesia.

UNHCR said that it had repeatedly requested access to detention centres in Malaysia in order to interview persons claiming to be asylum seekers from the Indonesian province of Aceh. These requests have so far not been granted, the United Nations refugee agency said.

Last week, UNHCR expressed concern about the violence and loss of life which occurred in detention centres in Malaysia. UNHCR said it was also concerned that there were both asylum seekers and refugees among the persons who have been sent back to Indonesia.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that fourteen Salvadoran refugees would receive citizenship in Nicaragua in a ceremony marking the last phase of providing assistance to Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees in Nicaragua.

UNHCR opened its office in Nicaragua in October 1979 to offer protection and assistance to approximately 100,000 Nicaraguan returnees and 800,000 persons internally displaced by civil war in that country.

The United Nations refugee agency said that between 1981 and 1982, it had also assisted 21,000 Salvadoran refugees and 800 Guatemalan refugees who had fled their home country and found refuge in Nicaragua.

UNHCR said that there were just over 400 refugees remaining in Nicaragua and that it will continue to provide them counselling on legal matters.

The United Nations agency said that it will continue to cover Nicaragua from its offices in Mexico and Costa Rica.

In its latest situation report on Guyana, OCHA said that the prolonged drought attributed to the El Nino weather phenomenon continued to cause widespread deprivation and loss throughout the country. OCHA said that acute problems facing the population were lack of drinking water and shortage of food as sea water moved up stream into areas of cultivation.

According to OCHA, in one region, an entire population of more than 14,000 made up of mainly indigenous communities was facing the threat of starvation and destitution.

In addition to crop losses in the rice and sugar sectors, losses of livestock had also been reported, said OCHA.

The situation has been compounded by forest fires which were hindering work on the Moco Moco hydropower project. Smoke from forest fires had also periodically reduced visibility to between 400 and 600 metres around the only international airport at Timheri.

OCHA said that Guyana urgently needed equipment including hand, submersible and mobile pumps for drilling a well and pumping water.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs added that the families of the most affected rice and sugar farmers needed financial assistance over a period of six months. OCHA said that the farmers would also need paddy seeds for the next cropping season.

OCHA said it was prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be used during the immediate relief phase in coordination and consultation with relevant organizations of the United Nations system.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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