UN DIGEST JANUARY 29, 2016

SYRIA: UN-MEDIATED TALKS GET UNDER WAY; RELIEF AGENCIES AMPLIFY CALLS FOR ACCESS TO BESIEGED CIVILIANS

With United Nations-mediated talks on ending the five-year crisis in Syria getting under way today as scheduled, UN relief agencies and their partners are reiterating their appeal for unhindered access by relief workers to more than four million desperate people spread across 18 besieged areas in the war-torn country.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva after the first set of intra-Syrian talks, which today featured only a Government delegation headed by the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura said that as was standard practice, a “preparatory meeting” had been held to get an idea about what the next steps will be.

“Now the issue is obviously that any type of ceasefire discussions, which is obviously something that we are aiming at, apart from substantive discussions on the future of Syria, need two interlocutors […] that is why for us it is very important to have an indication of where we are on the presence of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC)” he said, referring to the ongoing discussions among the opposition about attending the Geneva talks.

One of their key concerns he said, included the desire “to see a gesture from the government authorities regarding some type of improvement for the people in Syria during the talks, for instance release of prisoners, or for instance some lifting of sieges.”

While noting that this particular issue is part of a UN Security Council resolution on the situation in Syria, Mr. de Mistura said that “we have been strongly suggesting to them that the best way to actually discuss the implementation of such type of discussion and there after improvement is to be done here and to do it with us, as proxy talks or directly; whatever the format.” At the same time, he said that he expected his talks with the delegation of the Syrian opposition could begin on Sunday.

“I have good reasons to believe that they are actually considering that very seriously. And therefore to be in a position to probably Sunday to actually start the discussions with them in order to be able to proceed with intra-Syrian talks," he said, adding, that while there has been no official confirmation of the opposition attending the talks, “as you can imagine I’ve been hearing a lot of rumours and information already […] I have reasons to believe, but I will only react when I have a formal indication of that, but that is a good signal."

Responding to questions, Mr. de Mistura said that tomorrow, “depending on if and when we have the arrival of an additional delegation, and based on that, I will decide whether we have, like we had with the Government, a specific introduction meeting […] or whether there would be something on Sunday.”

Meanwhile, on the humanitarian front, speaking to reporters at the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva earlier today, Bettina Luescher, for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), said there are an estimated 4.6 million people were besieged in 18 areas.

“WFP is appealing that all humanitarian actors be given access to those areas so that they can deliver life-saving aid,” she said, referring to the town of Madaya and the similarly besieged areas of Zabadani, Foah and Kefraya, flagged by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) as being in dire need of food, medical supplies and other aid.

As for the situation in Madaya – the most widely known of Syria’s besieged towns, coming to the world’s attention after reports of people dying of starvation or being killed trying to flee – she said there was nothing new to report as far as humanitarian access to the more than 40,000 people remaining there.

“It is a very complicated and bureaucratic process, and only a very small number of permissions have been given access to besieged areas, where tens of thousands of families are still waiting for aid,” said Ms. Luescher, adding: “This is why putting an end to the fighting is paramount. WFP is talking to all sides, but an agreement has to be made on the ground.”

She went on to stress that it is also important to think of all the places which might not be in the headlines today, where men, women and children are desperate and in need of urgent help.

Asked if WFP has considered air-dropping supplies, Ms. Luescher said this was a “very hard thing to pull off,” requiring a safe airspace as well as a secured area on the ground, where large packages could land safely. There also had to be people on the ground to distribute those goods. That is not possible under the current situation. Trucks are the safest way to deliver aid at the moment, she explained.


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AT AFRICAN UNION PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL, BAN DISCUSSES BURUNDI, SOUTH SUDAN AND COUNTER-TERRORISM

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today, in an address to the African Union Peace and Security Council, spotlighted three topics high on the regional body’s agenda – counter-terrorism, and the ongoing crises in both South Sudan and Burundi – all of which require urgent attention at the continental-level and from the wider international community.

“Burundi has descended into a deep political crisis in the past nine months. The country now stands perilously close to the brink,” said Mr. Ban, addressing the Council at the start of his three-day visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to attend the African Union (AU) Summit.

Commending the leadership of the AU the East African Community for the steps taken so far to prevent a further escalation of the violence, the Secretary-General said: “You have already made an important difference.”

Moreover, by authorizing deployment of the prevention and protection mission known by the acronym, MAPROBU, “this Council has sent a strong signal to the entire continent and the world that you will not stand by while the violence escalates and human rights abuses continue unpunished.”

“Now we must do everything we can to put in place an inclusive political process. We will work with our partners to support dialogue and find ways to prevent a further deterioration of the situation, through my Special Adviser, Mr. Jamal Benomar, and his team, and the rest of the UN presence on the ground,” said the UN chief, noting that 15 years ago, the commitment of regional governments and the support of the international community led to the Arusha Agreement, which ended decades of terrible violence in Burundi.

“Today, I am convinced that Burundi can be brought back from the brink. But we must all urgently direct our efforts in the same spirit and towards that same goal,” he said.

Turning to the situation in South Sudan, the Secretary-General said he was deeply disappointed that the signatories to the peace agreement had failed to meet the 22 January deadline for the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity.

“I call on all parties urgently to resolve the disputes that are preventing the establishment of the government. The parties must place the interests of their young nation and its people, who have suffered long enough, above their own,” said Mr. Ban, adding that it is critical that AU member States and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), hold the signatories accountable for following through on their commitments.

He went on to say that Terrorism and violent extremism are a growing threat on the continent. Indeed, Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Boko Haram, and the Lord’s Resistance Army had established a presence and expanded their activities across borders. Terrorism is also impacting peace operations, particularly in Mali and Somalia. The radicalization and recruitment of young men and women is a cause for great concern.

“I commend the African Union’s efforts to strengthen its counter-terrorism efforts by coordinating its activities. Sub-regional initiatives are another welcome development,” he continued, noting that the new programmes make the need for coordination and partnership between the AU and the UN even more urgent, across a broad spectrum of activities.

“As I have said before, bullets may stop terrorists, but only development, good governance and respect for human rights can prevent terrorism,” he underscored, recalling that he had recently launched a UN Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism which provides more than 70 recommendations to Member States and the United Nations System.

It recommends that Member States consider adopting their own national plans, and that regional organizations cooperate on border security, kidnapping and terrorist financing. “I hope the African Union will back a consensus resolution to support the Plan in the General Assembly, which will convey a strong message of unity in the face of violent extremism. African Governments must be at the forefront of this effort,” said Mr. Ban.

Among his other activities today, the Secretary-General met with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission. They discussed UN-AU cooperation and committed to deepening the strategic partnership in conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as continue to seek ways to find flexible, predictable and sustainable funding to AU operations authorized by the Security Council. They also discussed the situations in a number of countries where the UN and AU are cooperating, including Burundi, Libya, South Sudan and Somalia.


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UN EXPERTS URGE US TO ADDRESS LEGACIES OF THE PAST, POLICE IMPUNITY AND ‘CRISIS OF RACIAL INJUSTICE’

The legacy of slavery, post-Reconstruction ‘Jim Crow’ laws and racial subordination in the United States remains a “serious challenge” as there has been no real commitment to recognition and reparations for people of African descent, a United Nations expert panel said today in Washington D.C., at the end of its second official visit to the country.

“Despite substantial changes since the end of the enforcement of Jim Crow and the fight for civil rights, ideology ensuring the domination of one group over another continues to negatively impact the civil, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental rights of African Americans today,” said human rights expert Mireille Fanon Mendes France, who currently heads the group of experts, who added that: “We understand these changes are part of a larger effort to pass criminal justice reforms now pending in Congress, and a lot more needs to be done.”

Indeed, the experts found that contemporary police killings and the trauma it creates are reminiscent of the “racial terror and lynching” of the past. Impunity for state violence has resulted in the current human rights crisis and must be addressed as a matter of urgency, they said.

From 9 to 29 January, a delegation of the UN Working Group of experts on people of African descent visited Washington D.C., Baltimore, the town of Jackson, Mississippi, Chicago, and New York City, to address current concerns, and assess progress made in the fight against racial discrimination, ‘Afrophobia,’ xenophobia, and protecting and promoting the human rights of African- Americans.
The Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, visiting delegation, which also included human rights experts Sabelo Gumedze and Ricardo A. Sunga III, welcomed various efforts undertaken by the Government to address the issue, like a ban on solitary confinement for juveniles in the federal prison system announced this week.

The Group noted that the US has a growing human rights movement which has successful advocated for social change. Following the epidemic of racial violence by the police, civil society networks calling for justice together with other activists are strongly advocating for legal and policy reforms and community control over policing and other areas which directly affect African Americans.

However, the experts expressed serious concerns about the police killings, the presence of police in schools, and violence targeting the African American community with impunity, and racial bias in the criminal justice system, mass incarceration and the criminalization of poverty which disproportionately affects African Americans.

During its 11-day mission, the Working Group’s delegation heard from civil society, researchers and families of victims of police killings about racial discrimination and Afrophobia.

“The persistent gap in almost all the human development indicators, such as life expectancy, income and wealth, level of education, housing, employment and labour, and even food security, among African Americans and the rest of the US population, reflects the level of structural discrimination that creates de facto barriers for people of African descent to fully exercise their human rights,” Ms. Mendes France stressed.

The human rights experts met representatives of the Government at the federal and the state levels, and the US Congress and Senate, as well as hundreds of civil society organization representatives, lawyers and human rights activists from more than 20 states who had gathered in the different cities.

The Working Group regretted however that it did not receive access according to the terms of reference for special procedure mandate holders to visit Mississippi State Penitentiary Parchman. It also regretted that it was not possible to meet with all of the high-level state and local-level authorities requested.

Among other activities, they also promoted the International Decade for People of African Descent , which runs from 2015 to 2024 and aims both to highlight the contribution of people of African descent to societies and strengthen national, regional and international cooperation to ensure the human rights of people of African descent are respected, promoted and fulfilled.

The Working group will present a report containing its findings and recommendations to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in September 2016. Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.


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UN OFFICIALS CITE COUNTRIES WHOSE TROOPS ARE ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING MINORS IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Two senior United Nations officials today disclosed the names of some of the countries whose troops are accused of sexually exploiting and abusing minors in the Central African Republic (CAR), including both non-UN and UN forces tasked with maintaining peace and security in the conflict-torn nation.

“I think it’s hard to imagine the outrage that the people working for the United Nations and for the causes of peace and security feel when these kinds of allegations come to light. Particularly involving minors, it’s so hard to understand” said Anthony Banbury, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Field Support, in an emotional address to reporters in New York.

Fighting back tears, Mr. Banbury said the UN is doing everything it possibly can to assist victims, to bring accountability and justice for them, and to prevent these cases from recurring.

He announced that a new website will soon feature a report by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on special measures to combat sexual exploitation and abuse, expected to be released next month. For the first time, it will identify the countries involved in the cases and provide granular information about individual allegations, the status of investigations, as well as on any disciplinary action taken.

Highlighting that transparency is an important part to combatting this “incredibly difficult scourge,” the UN peacekeeping official today named some of the countries involved—all of which are UN-forces: Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Morocco, Niger, and Senegal.

He noted that all victims in these cases were minors at the time of the alleged abuses, perpetrated by a total of 10 people from these 5 countries. He also indicated that the UN has launched its own investigation in the cases involving the DRC and Niger, as the countries did not respond to the UN’s request to take the lead on the matter.

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights today said he is extremely alarmed at continuing allegations by members of foreign military forces.

The alleged crimes mostly took place in 2014, but only came to light in recent weeks. A joint UN team in CAR recently interviewed a number of girls who said they had been sexually exploited or abused by foreign soldiers.

“These are extremely serious accusations and it is crucial that these cases are thoroughly and urgently investigated,” High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said in a news release.

According to his Office (OHCHR), four of the girls said their abusers were attached to contingents operating as part of the European Union operation (EUFOR/CAR). Two of the girls interviewed said they were raped by EUFOR soldiers, and the two other girls said they were paid to have sexual relationships with other EUFOR soldiers.

While the nationalities of some of the soldiers remain unclear, three of the girls said they believed their abusers were members of the Georgian EUFOR contingent. The four girls were aged between 14 and 16 at the time of the alleged abuse.

UN human rights staff also interviewed a girl and a boy, aged seven and nine respectively when they were allegedly abused in 2014 by French Sangaris troops. The girl said she had performed oral sex on French soldiers in exchange for a bottle of water and a sachet of cookies. Both she and the nine-year-old boy said that other children were abused in a similar fashion in repeated incidents involving several French soldiers.

All six cases involving non-UN foreign military forces took place in, or near, the M’Poko camp for displaced people next to the airport in the capital, Bangui.

High Commissioner Zeid last week raised the cases with the European, Georgian and French authorities, as well as with another country on a similar allegation for which additional corroboration is needed. All four authorities have promptly responded to the High Commissioner and stated that they have already begun investigations or referred the cases to relevant judicial authorities in their respective countries.

“I am heartened at the initial responses we have received from the countries concerned, as well as from the European Union, which show they take these terrible allegations very seriously,” said the High Commissioner, noting that his Office will continue to closely follow up on these cases and any others which emerge as the UN team on the ground continues its investigations.

“Far too many of these crimes continue to go unpunished, with the perpetrators enjoying full impunity. This simply encourages further violations. States have an obligation to investigate, prosecute and ensure that the victims receive the redress to which they are entitled. As more and more cases emerge, implicating more and more national contingents, it is also clear that all foreign military forces, whether UN or non-UN, must employ much stronger and more effective actions to prevent further abuse and exploitation – and not just in CAR,” he stated.


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‘WAVES OF VIOLENCE’ BY REBELS IN EASTERN DR CONGO FORCES THOUSANDS TO FLEE – UN

The “cycle of misery” is continuing in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) three years after a major rebel offensive was defeated by United Nations and Government forces in North Kivu, as now, armed militia and rebel groups are again targeting the region for violence and putting thousands of civilians on the run, the UN refugee agency reported today.

“In the latest major forced mass movement, more than 21,000 people had fled from Miriki village and surrounding areas in North Kivu’s Lubero Territory on 7 January after the killing of at least 14 people in a night raid by suspected Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR),” Leo Dobbs, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told journalists in Geneva during a briefing.

According to Mr. Dobbs, recent waves of violence by Mai Mai militias and rebel groups, such as the FDLR and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of Uganda, have forced large numbers of people to flee, which only adds to “a cycle of misery” in an area rich in minerals but lacking in law and order.

Since November, at least 15,000 people have sought shelter in sites for the displaced run by UNHCR or the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Tens of thousands more are estimated to be living with local families while others have returned to their homes.

“UNHCR is calling on the authorities to ensure security in the areas of return and to facilitate humanitarian access,” said Mr. Dobbs, also underscoring the importance for the authorities to address growing tensions in eastern DRC and scale up support to the newly-displaced.

While the battle between the FDLR and Mai Mai groups has forced thousands to flee home, the ADF, meanwhile, continues to wage a campaign of terror and sporadic attacks and ambushes against the local population and Congolese armed forces in the north of the province.

The UN refugee agency is now providing support by running 31 displacement sites, providing shelter materials, coordinating protection and advocating for their rights.

Mr. Dobbs cited the continuing violence in the DRC as “very much a neglected story,” and noted that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) earlier this month estimated that 7.5 million people in DRC, or nine per cent of the population, are in need of food and other humanitarian aid after decades of crises.


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PARIS AGREEMENT ‘DECISIVE TURNING POINT’ ON CLIMATE CHANGE, SAYS NEW UN SENIOR ADVISER

Less than two months after 196 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement, the global community is already seeing signs of it being a decisive turning point, according to a senior UN official dealing with climate issues.

A month and a half since 196 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement, the global community is already seeing signs of it being a decisive turning point, according to a senior UN official dealing with climate issues.

“Much has been happening since Paris – the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2015 was the hottest year on record, not just by a little but by a lot,” Janos Pasztor, who was today appointed as Senior Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Change, told reporters at a briefing in New York.

For the past year, Mr. Pasztor had been leading the UN’s climate change efforts as Assistant Secretary-General on Climate Change, working towards last December’s 21st United Nations climate change conference (COP21).

Recalling that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has invited world leaders to a signing ceremony on 22 April – which coincides with International Mother Earth Day – the climate advisor noted that it will be the first day the Agreement is open for formal signatures.

He said Mr. Ban is urging countries to quickly ratify the agreement so it can enter into force as soon as possible, adding that the event will also be an opportunity to discuss efforts to implement national climate plans, known as INDCs, and to generally “maintain the momentum of the action agenda.”

Meanwhile, he underlined the Secretary-General’s recent call for a doubling of investments in clean energy by 2020, which he said was greeted “very positively” by many investors.

“The Paris Agreement sent a clear message to markets and investors that it’s time to get serious about climate change. We’re now seeing evidence that the signal has been received loud and clear,” Mr. Pasztor stressed.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the UN Spokesperson’s Office, Mr. Ban expressed his deep gratitude for Mr. Pasztor’s “dedicated service and leadership” over the past quarter of a century with the world body on the key global challenges of climate change, energy and sustainability.

“In his new role as Senior Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Change, Mr. Pasztor will support efforts of the Secretary-General to mobilize world leaders and all sectors of society to implement the landmark Paris Agreement,” the statement indicated.


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SECURITY COUNCIL URGES HAITIAN PARTIES TO REFRAIN FROM ACTIONS THAT COULD FURTHER DISRUPT ELECTORAL PROCESS

Expressing strong concern regarding the indefinite postponement of the final round of elections in Haiti – scheduled for 27 December but postponed, for the second time, to January 24 – the United Nations Security Council today reiterated its condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the electoral process, and urged all parties and political actors to refrain from violence.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council expressed their concern that the delay in elections may undermine Haiti’s ability to address the security, economic and social challenges it faces.

As such, the Council strongly encouraged the Executive, the Parliament, and the relevant political actors to come to an agreement by 7 February, providing a Haitian-led and owned roadmap for the swift conclusion of the current electoral cycle to allow the Haitian people the opportunity to vote for their elected representatives in a free, fair, inclusive, and transparent contest.

The members of the Council commended the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the Haitian National Police for their efforts to contain the violence and protect the civilian population.

Reiterating strong condemnation of any attempt to destabilize the electoral process, in particular by force, the Council urged all candidates, their supporters, political parties and other political actors to remain calm, refrain from unlawful violence or any action that can further disrupt the electoral process and political stability, resolve any electoral disputes through established legal mechanisms, and to hold those responsible for such violence accountable.

Further to the statement, the Council welcomed the continued efforts of the UN, other multilateral agencies, regional organizations, and UN Member States in supporting Haiti’s critical needs. Council members expressed their intention to continue to follow closely the situation in Haiti.


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UN ALLOCATES $100 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDS TO ASSIST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN NINE NEGLECTED CRISES

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today released $100 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for severely underfunded aid operations in nine neglected emergencies.

The funds will enable life-saving help for millions of people forced from their homes in Central and Eastern Africa, those affected by conflict and food insecurity in Libya and Mali, and the most vulnerable and at risk of malnutrition in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“I am allocating $100 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to meet critical humanitarian needs in nine underfunded emergencies,” said Mr. Ban in a press release. “This funding is a lifeline for the world's most vulnerable people. It is a concrete demonstration of our shared commitment to leave no one behind.”

According to the UN, CERF is one of the fastest and most effective ways to support rapid humanitarian response. The Fund pools donor contributions into a single fund so money is available to start or continue urgent relief work anywhere in the world at the onset of emergencies and for crises that have not attracted sufficient funding.

Today, some $64 million from the CERF allocation will allow humanitarian partners to respond to the displacement crises in Central and Eastern Africa caused by conflict and violence in South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Urgently needed funds will help an estimated 1.7 million refugees, internally displaced people and host communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

A further $28 million will help relief agencies address the humanitarian needs of up to 350,000 people affected by conflict and food insecurity in Libya and in Mali, where an estimated 300,000 people will be assisted, especially in the North.

An allocation of $8 million will support urgent life-saving humanitarian assistance for more than 2.2 million vulnerable people in DPR Korea, including 1.8 million children who need urgent nutrition assistance.

“With so many crises competing for attention around the world many people in need are forgotten,” said the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien.

“These CERF grants will help sustain life-saving assistance and protection in emergencies where the needs of the most vulnerable communities are alarmingly high but the resources enabling us to respond remain low,” he added. “A strong and well-resourced CERF will help us focus on addressing the most critical needs.”

Since 2006, 125 UN Member States and observers, private-sector donors and regional governments have supported the Fund. To date, CERF has allocated almost $4.2 billion for humanitarian operations in 94 countries and territories.