[04 February, 2008]

ALARMED AT RESUMED CLASHES IN CHAD, BAN KI-MOON URGES PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT

New York, Feb 1 2008 2:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced deep concern at the deteriorating security situation inside Chad, where fierce fighting has resumed between Government forces and opposition groups, and called on the parties to settle their differences peacefully. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban “deplores any action that could worsen the already grave humanitarian situation, especially in eastern Chad, where the international community is actively engaged in activities to provide relief and secure the voluntary, safe and sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons in eastern Chad and north-eastern Central African Republic (CAR).” He also reiterated the United Nations’ long-standing condemnation of the use of military means to try to seize power. “The Secretary-General calls on all parties to abide by their commitments under the different peace accords signed by them and to urgently resort to dialogue to reach a peaceful and negotiated settlement of this latest crisis.”... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[28 January, 2008]

HAITI: UN ORGANIZES WORKSHOP FOR POLICE TO ADDRESS PROBLEM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

New York, Jan 25 2008 5:00PM United Nations police have trained their Haitian counterparts serving in Jacmel on dealing with sexual crimes as part of a broader campaign to tackle the problem. At a recent workshop, some 20 Haitian police stationed in Jacmel were sensitized about how to help the victims of crimes of sexual violence as well as how to deal with the suspects. Participants discussed the different categories of sexual crimes, including rape and aggression, as well as procedural techniques for investigating them. The workshop is part of a broader awareness-raising campaign being conducted by UN Police not only in Jacmel but also Marbial, Marigot, Cayes-Jacmel, Dekouze, La Vallee and Bainet. In a news release, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said the workshop would help the Haitian National Police to better serve the victims of sexual violence... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[21 January, 2008]

SUDAN RELEASES EIGHT DARFUR REBELS INTO UN CUSTODY

New York, Jan 17 2008 6:00PM The Sudanese Government today released eight rebel detainees to the newly-deployed United Nations-African Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping force, known as UNAMID, which is seeking to bring peace to the war-ravaged Darfur region. The eight members of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) were released in El Fasher in North Darfur, into the custody of UNAMID Force Commander General Martin Luther Agwai in his capacity as Chairman of the Ceasefire Commission (CFC). “This is evidence of a change of heart by the Government, and I hope that it is the beginning of a new way of doing things in Darfur,” said General Mohammed Bashir of JEM, calling today’s release “a new way to settle differences and a new beginning for all parties, who should now understand that there is no military solution to the conflict in Darfur.”... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[14 January, 2008]

NEW UN DARFUR FORCE MUST REACH FULL DEPLOYMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SAYS BAN

New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM The current troop level of the new African Union-United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force seeking to end the violence in the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur is inadequate, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, appealing for resources to allow for full deployment. Currently, there are 9,000 blue helmets serving with the force, known as UNAMID. “That is insufficient,” Mr. Ban told reporters in New York, urging the international community to ensure that the mission can reach its full deployment of 26,000 personnel “as soon as possible.” He said that during a lengthy telephone discussion with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir last Saturday, the two men agreed to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the upcoming African Union (AU) summit... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[08 January, 2008]

STRANDED UN FOOD SHIPMENTS BEGIN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO DISPLACED KENYANS

New York, Jan 6 2008 5:00PM After being stranded for days due to insecurity, the first convoy of trucks from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) left the Kenyan port of Mombasa today bound for Nairobi and Eldoret, where thousands displaced by the recent post-election violence have arrived. The agency said more food assistance arrived in the Northern Rift Valley town of Eldoret for 100,000 people driven from their homes by the violence that broke out after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of last week's polls. Opposition leader Raila Odinga has disputed the results. The UN estimates that some 250,000 Kenyans have been displaced, and 350 reportedly killed, as a result of the violence. WFP had been waiting at Mombasa, a major port for several countries in the region, with 30,000 metric tonnes of food, enough for 1.5 million people, for eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Somalia and Southern Sudan... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[01 January, 2008]

BAN KI-MOON VOICES CONCERN OVER VIOLENCE IN WEST DARFUR BETWEEN REBEL GROUP, GOVERNMENT

New York, Jan 1 2008 3:00PM United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his deep concern today over the resumption of hostilities between a rebel group and Government forces in West Darfur... The Secretary-General said that he "strongly urges all parties to show restraint and cease all military action in order to create a positive atmosphere for political negotiations leading to a definitive and inclusive peace agreement."... Authorized by the Security Council in July, UNAMID will have some 20,000 troops and more than 6,000 police and civilian staff at full deployment. Currently, there are more than 9,000 uniformed personnel on the ground, including 7,000 troops and 1,200 police serving with the AMIS, as well as UN soldiers and police officers serving as part of the UN's "heavy" and "light support packages."... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[26 December, 2007]

SOMALIA: SECURITY COUNCIL APPEALS FOR DIALOGUE TOWARDS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION

New York, Dec 19 2007 7:00PM The Security Council today called on all sides in Somalia to use peaceful means to consolidate peace in the East African nation that has not had a functioning national government since 1991. Foreign Minister Massimo D’alema of Italy, which holds the Council’s rotating presidency this month, read out a statement urging “all Somali parties to reject violence and… to enter into substantial dialogue aimed at achieving a full and all-inclusive national reconciliation.” The 15-member body lauded last month’s appointment of Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein, which “offers a renewed opportunity to make further progress on dialogue and political reconciliation,” as well as on tackling the humanitarian crisis in the country. Mr. Hussein’s appointment, the Council said, also bodes well for the implementation of the National Reconciliation Congress’ outcomes, “leading to a road map for the remainder of the Transitional Period and democratic elections in Somalia, as set out in the Transitional Federal Charter.”... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[17 December, 2007]

SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN FORCE IN GOLAN HEIGHTS FOR FURTHER SIX MONTHS

New York, Dec 14 2007 1:00PM The Security Council today extended for a further six months the United Nations force that has monitored the ceasefire between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights for over 30 years. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body renewed the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force until 30 June 2008. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had recommended the extension of the Force in a recent report, noting that while the situation in the Golan Heights has been “generally quiet” recently, the overall region remains tense. Mr. Ban’s report also drew attention to the growing financial shortfall faced by UNDOF, which supervises the disengagement accord between Syrian and Israeli forces after the 1973 war. As of the end of August, some 24 million US dollars is owed to the countries that contribute troops to the Force: Austria, Canada, India, Japan, Poland and Slovakia. For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[13 December, 2007]

BAN KI-MOON RECEIVES CONTACT GROUP REPORT ON KOSOVO

New York, Dec 7 2007 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received the report of the ‘Contact Group’ of countries working to address the status of Kosovo, the Serbian province which has been run by the United Nations since 1999. A spokesperson for Mr. Ban said the Secretary-General would transmit the report to the Security Council on Sunday. The Contact Group, comprised of France, Germany, Italy, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, had promised to report by 10 December on the progress of negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade. The Group’s report is expected to cover talks led by the so-called Troika of the European Union, Russia and the US, which began after a stalemate emerged over a proposal by Mr. Ban’s Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, for a phased process of independence for the province, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others by nine to one... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

[03 December, 2007]

BAN KI-MOON CONDEMNS SUICIDE ATTACKS IN SRI LANKA

New York, Nov 28 2007 6:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced outrage at today's twin suicide attacks in the Sri Lankan capital, which have killed or wounded dozens of people, and yesterday's aerial assault on a United Nations aid office in the far north of the troubled country. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban condemned the attacks in Colombo, which occurred outside the Ministry of Social Services building and in the Nugegoda district, and offered his condolences to the families and friends of the victims. Media reports state that at least 16 people were killed in the Nugegoda blast and 37 others were injured, while one person was killed and two others hurt in the earlier bombing at the ministry building. The statement from Mr. Ban's spokesperson noted that he was also concerned about yesterday's aerial attack in the town of Kilinochchi in which the office of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was damaged... For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

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