United Nations Daily Highlights, 08-05-06

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

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY MARIE OKABE

DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

BAN KI-MOON SENDS LETTER TO CYCLONE-HIT MYANMAR

In follow-up to yesterdays statement on the UNs response to cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter directly to Senior General Than Shwe, expressing his condolences.

He is in the process of mobilizing the UN system to provide humanitarian assistance to affected populations. A UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team is now standing by in the region and is ready to travel to Myanmar to coordinate relief efforts together with the Myanmar authorities.

The World Food Programme (WFP) today began distributing food in cyclone-damaged areas of Yangon, in heightened response to the looming humanitarian needs in the southern coastal regions of Myanmar that were hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis.

WFP has taken initial steps to meet the enormous logistics challenge of bringing in disaster relief supplies, equipment and prepared foods urgently needed by people in badly-hit areas.

WFP now has more than 800 metric tonnes of food stocks available in WFP warehouses in Yangon, and will deliver these food resources to all areas in need, including the Ayeryawaddy Division, the largest and hardest hit of the five major Divisions affected by the cyclone.

Additional food supplies will be airlifted into Myanmar as soon as possible.

The UN refugee agency on Tuesday was preparing emergency aid in Thailand for swift dispatch to some 10,000 desperate victims of this weekend's devastating cyclone in southern Myanmar.

"Our response to this disaster was immediate. In [the Myanmar capital] Yangon on Monday, we purchased and distributed US$50,000 worth of basic supplies to help the victims of this disaster and now we are emptying our stockpiles of emergency supplies in Thailand to send to Myanmar as soon as possible," Janet Lim, director of UNHCR's Asia Bureau, said in Geneva on Tuesday.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes in Geneva said today that the U.N. is prepared to provide an initial grant from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to facilitate aid for survivors of the cyclone, adding that it is also ready to allocate a significant amount as the most urgent needs become clear.

A five-member Disaster Assessment and Coordination team, composed of disaster management professionals from the region, is now being dispatched to Myanmar, while UNICEF staff members are awaiting their visas.

Meantime, the 81 staff members of the World Health Organization and the 70 staffers of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) all based in Myanmar have quickly mobilized to help the population.

The Spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the letter from the Secretary-General mentioned visas for humanitarian staff, noting that it had not been confirmed yet that the Government had received the letter.

Asked whether the Secretary-General has a view on whether the referendum in Myanmar should take place under the current circumstances, the Spokeswoman said, We are confident the Myanmar Government will make an informed and responsible decision based on an overall assessment of the situation.

She said she could not comment on allegations that soldiers killed 36 political prisoners following the cyclone, saying that the United Nations had no firsthand information on that.

In response to further questions, Okabe said that some UN staff were already at work on the ground in Myanmar, with a further team lined up to go once a green light is received for their entry.

DARFUR: ACCESS NEEDED TO VICTIMS OF REPORTED ATTACKS

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan Ameerah Haq says she is deeply concerned about the reported attacks on civilian installations in North Darfur.

In Oslo for the Sudan Consortium, which is evaluating progress in implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South Sudan, she joined her voice to delegate after delegate who called for an immediate end to these attacks in North Darfur.

Ms. Haq called for immediate access to the concerned areas so that seriously injured civilians can be medically evacuated.

UNICEF say it is also deeply concerned at reports that a number of children have been killed during attacks on two villages of North Darfur, in the west of Sudan, and calls on the Government forces and the other parties to the ongoing conflict to take every necessary action to prevent future deaths or injuries amongst children.

UNICEF reminds all parties to the conflict in Darfur that under international conventions, children are to be afforded special protection during military operations and urges that every effort must be made to ensure that schools, health centers and other such humanitarian facilities are considered as zones of peace.

The conflict in Darfur has taken a high toll upon children. UNICEF estimates that half of the conflict-affected population in Darfur are children including at least one million who have been displaced by fighting.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary-General also addressed the Sudan Consortium in Oslo.

She noted that peace remains a distant dream for the people of Darfur, many of whom depend on the UN for assistance through the worlds largest humanitarian operation.

At the same time, she said that it is of critical importance that the focus on Darfur should not eclipse work for peace throughout the rest of Sudan.

Asked whether advisers from the Republic of Korea received briefings in Darfur from the United Nations, the Spokeswoman said that delegations from potential troop contributing and police contributing countries regularly send assessment missions in advance to places where they might deploy, so such briefings would not be surprising.

Asked whether the Secretary-General was interested in having the Republic of Korea contribute to the UN-AU mission (UNAMID), the Spokeswoman said that he was keen on having contributions from any qualified countries to UNAMID.

SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS DEBATE ON

COUNTER-TERRORISM AND NON-PROLIFERATION COMMITTEES

The Security Council today is holding an open debate to discuss the work of its main committees dealing with counter-terrorism and non-proliferation.

The meeting began with briefings from the Ambassadors of Croatia, Belgium and Costa Rica who chair, respectively, the Counter-Terrorism Committee; the 1267 Committee that deals with al-Qaeda and the Taliban; and the 1540 Committee that deals with non-proliferation.

DISPLACED PERSONS IN KENYA TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO RETURN HOME

Turning to Kenya, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has organized a visit for representatives of internally displaced persons to their villages in the Rift Valley. The convoy left this morning from the provincial capital of Nakuru.

The representatives are assessing the security situation, infrastructure and livelihood possibilities. When they return, theyre expected to share their impressions with other displaced people so that they can make an informed decision about whether to return home.

HUMAN RIGHTS IN SOMALIA REMAIN A TOP CONCERN

Asked about an Amnesty International report on human rights violations attributed to the Transitional Federal Government, the Spokeswoman said that Special Representative Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah and his office have repeatedly issued statements condemning the violence in Somalia.

In addition, Okabe said, the human rights situation in Somalia remains a major concern for High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, and discussions have continued since last year about a possible mission there by UN human rights staff.

However, such a mission depends on the willingness -- and ability -- of the host country to accept it, and also on security conditions, she said.

She said the High Commissioners office is establishing a monitoring and technical cooperation unit within UN Political Office for Somalia over the next few weeks. As for the Amnesty International report, the High Commissioner's office has received similar reports, shares their concerns, but notes that it is exceptionally difficult to monitor events inside Somalia.

U.N. WORKPLACE PROGRAMME A MILESTONE IN RESPONSE TO HIV

The Secretary-General today spoke at the launch of UN Cares -- a workplace program on HIV that will serve UN personnel and their families across the entire system.

With this initiative, the UN is committing to making available the staff, time and resources needed to meet a specific set of 10 minimum standards by the end of 2011 -- from training, counseling and testing to insurance coverage and access to condoms.

This launch marks a milestone in the UN response to HIV, the Secretary-General said. He added that, because our workplace is global and spans so many activities, cultures and conditions, the challenge is particularly great.

EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS WORK OF U.N. PALESTINIAN REFUGEE AGENCY

The Secretary-General spoke yesterday evening at an exhibition marking the work done by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

He said that, were it not for UNRWA, the lives of millions of Palestinians would be much worse, and the threat to peace and security in the Middle East would undoubtedly be far greater.

He defended the agency from any accusations of bias, asserting that the UN is strictly impartial in its approach to the conflict. If we harbor a bias, it is towards the peace and welfare of all people, Israelis and Palestinians alike, he said. The exhibition is on display near the first-floor staff entrance.

Asked about reports that a recently killed UNRWA teacher had worked for Islamic Jihad, the Spokeswoman confirmed the recent killing of an UNRWA employee, who was Deputy Headmaster of a Boy's Preparatory School in Rafah. She could not confirm whether or not the individual was the deputy commander of Islamic Jihad.

UNRWA has a policy of zero tolerance on politics in the workplace, Okabe asserted. In the past 18 months the Agency has summarily dismissed three teachers in Gaza for breaching Agency rules on political involvement, all of whom worked for Hamas.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

U.N. REFUGEE AGENCY CONDEMNS ATTACK ON BUS IN NEPAL: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) condemn the attack on an IOM bus Monday evening by some masked men near the Khudunabari refugee camp in eastern Nepal. UNHCR is calling for the apprehension of those responsible so that they are brought to justice. The driver and two refugees were injured in the attack while 15 refugees were being transported back to the camp.There are more than 108,000 refugees from Bhutan living in seven camps in eastern Nepal.

SECRETARY-GENERAL TO TAKE PART IN AWARDING OF DISABILITY AWARD: At 5 p.m. this afternoon in the Economic and Social Council Chamber, the Secretary-General is taking part in a ceremony to award the Franklin D. Roosevelt International Disability Award to New Zealand Governor-General Anand Satyanand. The Award is presented by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute to a UN Member State that makes noteworthy progress towards the full participation of citizens with disabilities as called for in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

NEW HEAD OF FIELD SUPPORT SWORN IN: The Secretary-General today conducted the swearing-in ceremony of the new Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Susana Malcorra of Argentina. Ms. Malcorra, who was Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme before taking her new post, will now direct all support for UN peace missions worldwide.

U.N. AGENCIES TO FIGHT GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS FROM POSTAL SECTOR: The U.N. Environment Programme and the Universal Postal Union are teaming up to

slash carbon dioxide emissions from the postal sector. Under the Plan, the agencies will work together to collect data on such things as vehicle mileage and fuel consumption, and then offer a range of solutions to cut emissions. By the most conservative estimates, the world postal sector uses more than 850-thousand vehicles and hundreds of aircraft, as well as tons of paper, the agencies say.