UN General Assembly condemns Syria

UNITED NATIONS — Suara Indonesia News,  The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday for a resolution backing an Arab League plan calling for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down and strongly condemning human rights violations by his regime.

The vote in the 193-member world body on the Arab-sponsored resolution was 137-12 with 17 abstentions. Several countries complained immediately afterward that they unable to vote due to problems with the U.N.'s voting machine.

Russia and China, who vetoed a similar resolution in the Security Council, voted against the General Assembly measure along with North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and others who heeded Syria's appeal to vote "no."

Supporters were hoping for a high "yes" vote to deliver a strong message to Assad to hand power to his vice president and immediately stop the bloody crackdown that has killed over 5,400 people. The measure had over 70 co-sponsors and won support from more than two-thirds of the General Assembly.

"Today, the U.N. General Assembly sent a clear message to the people of Syria: the world is with you," U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said in a statement. President Assad "has never been more isolated. A rapid transition to democracy in Syria has garnered the resounding support of the international community. Change must now come."

Saudi Arabia's U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Y. Al-Mouallimi called it "a victory for the Syria people," the U.N. and the Arab League.

"It is a message that the international community is sending loud and clear that the struggle of the Syrian people is not unheard and is not unresponded to," he said, and it reaffirms that the Security Council's failure to adopt a resolution on Syria earlier this month "does not reflect the will and the desire of the international community."

There are no vetoes in the General Assembly and while their resolutions are not legally binding, they do reflect world opinion on major issues.

The transfer of power to Syria's vice president is part of the Arab League plan for a transitional government which was adopted on Jan. 22. It calls for the establishment of a national unity government within two months to prepare for internationally supervised parliamentary and presidential elections.

Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari warned that the resolution will send a message to extremists that "violence and deliberate sabotage" are acceptable and will lead "to more chaos and more crisis."qqqq

After the vote, a bitter Ja'afari told the assembly: "The Arab Trojan horse has been unmasked today." He called the 22-nation Arab League, from which Syria has been suspended, "broken both politically and morally." He also accused the cosponsors of using the Arab League to internationalize the situation in Syria.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov called the assembly resolution "unbalanced," saying "it directs all the demands at the government, and says nothing about the opposition," according to Russian news agencies.

UN launches campaign for universal ban on sale and prostitution of children

Suara Indonesia News - The United Nations today launched a major campaign for universal adoption of treaty protocols that outlaw the sale of children, child prostitution and pornography, and protect youngsters in armed conflict, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling for full ratification by 2012.
“The sad truth is that too many children in today’s world suffer appalling abuse,” he told a ceremony at the headquarters of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in New York marking the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the two optional protocols strengthening the Convention on the Rights of the Child by providing a moral and legal shield for youngsters vulnerable to prostitution and pornography or caught up in armed conflict.

“Two-thirds of all Member States have endorsed these instruments. On this tenth anniversary of their adoption, I urge all countries to ratify them within the next two years.”

Mr. Ban cited recent advances: the release three months ago by the Maoist army in Nepal, under UN supervision, of more than 2,000 soldiers who had been recruited as children; the UN-assisted freeing of children from the ranks of armed groups In Côte d’Ivoire; the prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of former Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga for war crimes against children.

He noted, too, that fewer and fewer States now permit children to join the armed forces and reiterated his previous calls to the Security Council to consider tough measures on those States and insurgent groups that still recruit children.

More countries are also reforming legislation and criminalizing the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children, with international cooperation helping to dismantle paedophile networks, remove child pornography from the Internet, and protect children from sexual exploitation by tourists.

“Nonetheless, much remains to be done,” he declared. “In too many places, children are seen as commodities, in too many instances they are treated as criminals instead of being protected as victims, and there are too many conflicts where children are used as soldiers, spies or human shields.”

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said the Optional Protocols “represent a promise made to the world’s most vulnerable children – children born into extreme poverty and despair, children in countries torn apart by conflict and children forced into unimaginable servitude by adults who regard them as commodities.”

The Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict has been ratified by 132 States; 25 States have signed but not ratified it and 36 States have neither signed nor ratified it. “We know from the situation on the ground that much remains to be done. Violence against children in all its forms remains a challenge for societies in the world,” Mr. Ban’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy said.

“There are a multitude of conflicts where children are used as soldiers, spies, human shields or for sexual purposes. Every additional ratification of the Optional Protocol would therefore bring us closer to a world in which no child is participating in hostilities and forced to serve the national military or irregular armies.”

The Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, has been ratified by 137 States; 27 have signed but not ratified and 29 have neither signed nor ratified it.

“The Optional Protocol is an important tool for tearing through the mantle of invisibility surrounding the sale of children, child prostitution, child pornography and other forms of sexual exploitation, to mobilize societies and to translate political commitment into effective protection of children from all forms of violence,” Mr. Ban’s Special Representative on Violence against Children Marta Santos Pais said, citing significant law reforms to criminalize such crimes.

At a later news conference UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hilde Johnson cited called the use of child soldiers and their sale and misuse in pornography and slavery-like sex work as two of the most brutal abuses of children. “This has to come to an end, so the first step is to ensure universal ratification,” she said.

Ms. Santos Pais praised the change that has taken place over the past 10 years, with new legislation introduced and protection system strengthened in most countries. “But unfortunately we are halfway. We are absolutely impatient to see this process of change touch upon the lives of all children in the world.”

Obama admin to soon release new National Security Strategy

Washington, Suara Indonesia News - The United States would soon release a new National Security Strategy, a top Obama administration official has said.

"The new approach would be rooted in and guided by America's national security interests. These interests are clear and enduring," National Security Advisor General (rtd) James Jones said at Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

He said the US had an enduring interest in security of America, its citizens and allies and partners. "We have an enduring interest in a strong, innovative and growing US economy in an open international economic system that promotes opportunity and prosperity," he said, adding US had an enduring interest in upholding universal values, at home and around the world. "We have an enduring interest in an international order advanced by US leadership that promotes peace, security and opportunity through stronger cooperation to meet global challenges," Jones said.

Since taking office, the NSA said, US President Barack Obama has made it clear that his first and foremost priority was the safety and security of the American people and he had pursued a new era of US leadership and comprehensive engagement based on mutual interests and mutual respect."Security, prosperity, universal values, and an international order advanced by American leadership-these are the interests that the President and his administration are working to advance around the world every day, including in the Middle East," Jones said.

"To strengthen our security, we are responsibly ending the war in Iraq," he said, adding that as evidenced by the successes this weekend of military operations against al Qaeda in Iraq, Iraqi security forces are in the lead.

"The United States will end our combat mission by the end of August. In accordance with the US-Iraq Security Agreement, all US forces will be out Iraq by the end of next year. Now, the most immediate challenge is for Iraqi political leaders to form an inclusive and representative government," Jones said. As they face the longer-term challenges of expanding prosperity and opportunity, the Iraqi people will continue to have a partner in the United States, he said in his remarks.

Jones said the US is forging partnerships that isolate extremists, combat corruption and promote good governance and development-all of which improves the daily lives of ordinary people and undermines the forces that fuel violent extremism.

"To confront the greatest threat to global security - the danger that terrorists will obtain nuclear weapons or materials - the President hosted last week's historic Nuclear Security Summit, where 46 nations joined the goal of securing the world's vulnerable nuclear materials in four years," Jones noted.

Ban unveils plan for international inquiry into violent crackdown in Guinea

UN, Suara Indonesia News – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today that he will set up an international commission of inquiry to probe last month’s violent crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in Guinea that led to the deaths of at least 150 people and the rape of many others.
The commission will investigate the crackdown by security forces on 28 September in the Guinean capital, Conakry, “with a view to determining the accountability of those involved,” according to a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Haile Menkerios is heading a mission that left for the region today to consider the modalities for establishing the commission. During his visit he is expected to consult with Guinean authorities, members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and regional leaders.
The announcement of the commission of inquiry comes a day after the Prosecutor’s Office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague initiated a preliminary examination of whether the events of 28 September fall under the jurisdiction of the court, which tries people accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said information received indicated that “women were abused or otherwise brutalized on the pitch in Conakry’s stadium, apparently by men in uniform… This is appalling, unacceptable. It must never happen again.”

Today in his statement Mr. Ban said he “remains deeply concerned by the tense situation in Guinea” in the wake of the crackdown, which UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay characterized as a “blood bath.”

Security forces opened fire on the demonstrators and also raped many of the protesters and looted the homes of opposition leaders.

Army Captain Moussa Dadis Camara seized power in Guinea in a coup d’état in December last year after the death of then president Lansana Conté.

Ban enlists UN school in war against poverty

UN, Suara Indonesia News – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon used a visit to the United Nations International School (UNIS) in New York today to rally children in the battle against extreme poverty, a scourge that afflicts over a billion people around the world.
“We know that investing in children and securing their rights is one of the surest ways to ending poverty. And I know that no one can better speak for young people than you,” Mr. Ban said, inviting his youthful listeners to first crouch and then rise in a symbolic gesture of the UN’s “Stand Up Against Poverty” campaign on the eve of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

“We know that if we take a stand – if we act – we can end poverty in our lifetimes,” he added of the first of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seeks to halve by 2015 the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day. “You are the leaders of tomorrow. And every day you are learning more about our world and our challenges. One of our biggest global challenges is poverty.”
He said a great deal of progress had been made on getting more children into schools, especially girls, and on fighting malaria and measles and other diseases, but over 70 million children still could not even go to school, and many nations needed help, with the economic crisis making the situation more difficult for more people.

“It can be difficult to understand, or even imagine, what extreme poverty feels like. But I know that we all feel compassion and solidarity with those who live it every day,” Mr. Ban declared. “Together, let us pledge to stand up in the fight against poverty.”

The children then crouched at the sound of one and stood up at the sound of three, reciting with Mr. Ban the campaign’s pledge: “We are standing now with millions of people around the world on this historic day, to show our commitment to the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and disease.

“Today, we Stand Up together to call on our leaders to keep their promises and act now to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. We will continue to Stand Up, not just today but every day, to say: No more excuses, End Poverty and Inequality Now!”

Mr. Ban then left his young audience with a final exhortation: “Keep taking a stand!”

UNIS was founded in 1947 by UN-affiliated families. It has a multinational staff from 70 countries and over 1,450 students from 120 countries.

Remarks to launch the First World Humanitarian Day

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UNHQ
Excellencies
Colleagues,
Friends,

This is a solemn day.

I know many of you here are humanitarians who have served around the world.

Many of you have risked your lives to help others. Some of you have lost colleagues or loved ones.

Just one minute ago, I [observed] a minute of silence and paid my tribute to all our fallen distinguished colleagues 6 years ago in Baghdad including Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Just yesterday again, we mourned the deaths of two Afghan UN staff members along with more than half a dozen others killed in a suicide attack in Kabul.

Last year, more humanitarian workers were kidnapped, seriously injured or killed during violent attacks than ever before. This is unacceptable.

Today, the first observance of World Humanitarian Day, we remember their sacrifice.

Today, we recognize the millions of people who count on us for their very survival.

The one billion people afflicted by hunger.

The tens of millions forced to flee their homes because of disaster and conflict.

The children who die from diseases we know how to cure.

The women and girls who are brutalized by sexual violence.

We need to tackle these problems at their root. But until we do, lives will hang in the balance. And the humanitarian community will be on the scene, rushing bravely toward danger, determined to help people in need.

In just a minute, we will see a powerful public service announcement produced by OCHA to mark today's observance.

I am sure you will all be moved, as I was, by the footage of Sergio Vieira de Mello mourning the death of humanitarian workers in Timor-Leste. Like so many other great humanitarians, he and his colleagues faced threats day after day so that others could feel safe.

Today is the anniversary of the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq which killed Sergio and twenty-one other people.

I am saddened that the violence continues, including an appalling string of attacks today in Baghdad which took the lives of scores of innocent people.

Friends,

Each year on August 19th, we will honour the memory of fallen humanitarians. We will pay tribute to the dedicated men and women who are out there among the vulnerable, providing hope and help. And we will draw the world's attention to the great magnitude of suffering in our world that needs our urgent attention.

For my part, I pledge to do all that I can as Secretary-General of United Nations to help victims while protecting the security and independence who work so hard to save them.

Thank you for your commitment and for your support. (UN)

Kenya: UN agency sounds alarm on dire food situation

Suara Indonesia News - The United Nations food agency today issued a warning that Kenya faces a dire hunger crisis due to failed rains, appealing today for $230 million to feed nearly 4 million Kenyans – nearly one-tenth of the African nation’s population – over the next six months.

“Red lights are flashing around the country,” said Burkard Oberle, Kenya director of the World Food Programme (WFP).

“People are already going hungry, malnutrition is preying on more and more young children, cattle are dying – we face a huge challenge and are urging the international community to provide us with the resources we need to get the job done,” he added.

WFP is currently distributing 2.6 million drought-affected Kenyans with food aid and hopes to increase that number by 1.2 million.Many parts of Kenya have experienced three or even four consecutive seasons of failed rains, and conditions are expected to deteriorate, with the Government projecting the main maize harvest to fall nearly one-third below the five-year average. In addition, pasture and water for livestock is quickly dwindling.

The hardest-hit Kenyans have taken drastic measures, such as reducing the number of meals each day, eating cheaper and less nutritious food, migrating to urban centres and taking on massive debt.

Acute malnutrition rates among children under the age of five are over 20 per cent in some areas, well above the 15 per cent emergency threshold.

“Life has never been easy for the poor in Kenya, but right now conditions are more desperate than they have been for a decade,” Mr. Oberle said. “WFP is aiming to help almost 1 in every 10 Kenyans to cope wit this serious crisis but we can’t do it without money.”

The agency also hopes the influx of funds will allow it to expand its school feeding programme by 100,000 to reach almost 1.2 million children. The Kenyan Government provides schools meals to some 500,000 more young people through its own scheme.

Across the Horn of Africa, WFP is facing funding shortfalls, including over $160 million for Somalia and nearly $100 million for Ethiopia.

Last month, the agency’s Executive Director, Josette Sheeran, warned that millions of hungry people around the world will not receive food aid from due to a “dangerous and unprecedented” $3 billion budget shortfall this year.

WFP is hoping to reach 108 million people in 74 countries this year with food aid, but it expects to receive only $3.7 billion of the $6.7 billion needed for 2009. (UN)

Secretary-General Meets Permanent Representative of Netherlands

Frank Majoor (left), Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, pays a farewell call on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Ban urges restraint to avoid escalation of political tensions in Honduras

Suara Indonesia News - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his concern about the political and institutional tensions in Honduras and urged restraint by all concerned to prevent any further escalation.

Tensions are rising in the Central American nation, where a referendum slated to be held on Sunday on changing the country’s constitution has put President Manuel Zelaya at odds with the military, the courts and the legislature, according to media reports.

Mr. Ban “believes it is important for the country’s leaders to act with full respect for the rule of law and democratic institutions, and to seek consensus on the pressing political issues through a peaceful and inclusive dialogue,” his spokesperson said in a statement. In addition, the statement clarified that, contrary to reports that have appeared, the United Nations does not have plans to conduct an observation exercise in relation to this weekend’s planned consultation.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Miguel D’Escoto, has also called on the different parties to resolve their differences peacefully and through dialogue, in a statement issued yesterday by his spokesperson.

Afghanistan’s security obstacles ‘interconnected,’ Ban says

Suara Indonesia News - Drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism are among the “interconnected” security challenges Afghanistan faces, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the international community to continue supporting the South Asian nation’s efforts to move towards a better future.

“These ills bring violence into the lives of everyday Afghans,” Mr. Ban said at an informal regional meeting on Afghanistan of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, held in Trieste, Italy.

The obstacles thwart development and endanger not just the region, but the entire world, he said, with drugs flowing out of the country while weapons and chemicals stream in.

“There can be little question that we have a shared responsibility to deal with these threats,” the Secretary-General said, urging the participants at the gathering to provide political and economic assistance to unlock Afghanistan’s “wealth of local expertise and know-how.”

But global support must be coherent and planned in consultation with the Afghan Government and people, he stressed, for “it is they who hope to move irreversibly along a new path, toward a new vision for their future.” In a crucial political and operational move, the first joint counter-narcotics operation was undertaken recently by Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, the Secretary-General said, also welcoming the steps towards closer cooperation taken by Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Improving border management and combating organized crime can boost trade, he pointed out. “So can fighting illicit opium production, as long as it is done in conjunction with increasing productivity in traditional agricultural commodities.”

The fighting in Afghanistan is at its most intense since 2001, according to a new report by Mr. Ban that was made public today, as the country gears towards its presidential and provincial council elections slated for August.

The first quarter of 2009 has witnessed a 43 per cent surge in security incidents compared to the same period last year due to ever-frequent clashes in the south and the east, while insurgent activities in previously stable areas, especially in the north, are also on the upswing.

“Over the past four months, there has been an increase in foreign fighters, most likely affiliated with Al-Qaida, engaged alongside the Taliban,” he wrote.

The report called for momentum to be maintained in making positive gains – such as the increased awareness that military might alone will not ensure success – or Afghanistan will “at best lose valuable time and at worst experience new disappointments and setbacks, leading to further disillusionment in the Afghan public and the international community.”

The report also welcomed the deployment of additional international troops which are necessary to ensure security for the elections and to speed up the strengthening of the Afghan National Army.

“However, every effort must be made to avoid a situation where more troops and more fighting lead to more civilian casualties and behaviour that offends the population,” the Secretary-General said. “Special forces operations must be urgently reviewed and efforts made to ‘Afghanize’ these operations.”

He appealed to military leaders to continue training their personnel to avoid practices which could result in civilian deaths and alienate the population, which could jeopardize gains made.

“It is of critical importance that the international civilian and military presence maintains its broad multinational character,” Mr. Ban said. “Now is not the time to scale back, but to further our efforts in a coordinated way that benefits the entire country.”

He added that the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) needs “adequate resources” to carry out its Security Council mandate, as well as to fulfil the expanded role assigned to it by more than 80 countries and groups at an international conference at The Hague, Netherlands, in March.

Currently, UNAMA has eight regional offices and 12 provincial ones, and has the funding required for three additional offices to be opened soon. To have a presence in each of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, it would need more resources, including for security, to set up 11 more offices, the report said.

From Gaza to Sudan, Ban highlights crises confronting Arab world

Suara Indonesia News - From the widening fallout of the global economic crisis to the suffering of victims of armed conflict, the Arab world faces insecurity today and the potential for more tomorrow, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Summit of the League of Arab States in Doha today.

“The toll in human lives and deferred development has been tragically high,” he said in his address to the gathering. “The region’s large groups of refugees and internally displaced persons continue to live with their dignity under attack and with little ability to plan for their futures.”

Mr. Ban said he remained gravely concerned about the situation is Gaza, which is dealing with the aftermath of the three-week offensive launched by Israel in late December 2008.

“The people of Gaza are suffering, and the situation at the crossings is intolerable,” he stated, asserting that the way forward is a durable ceasefire, open crossings, and Palestinian reconciliation. On Sudan, the Secretary-General urged the Government once again to reverse its decision to expel key international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and suspend the work of three national NGOs that provide life-sustaining services for more than one million people.

The Sudanese Government took that decision on 4 March, immediately after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Omar Al-Bashir, who was also present at today’s Summit in the Qatari capital.

“Despite the efforts of Sudanese line ministries, UN agencies and the remaining NGOs, the gaps cannot be filled with existing capacities,” Mr. Ban noted concerning the humanitarian crisis in the western Darfur region of the country. “Relief efforts should not become politicized. People in need must be helped irrespective of political differences.”

Turning to another hot-spot on the continent, he said the present situation in Somalia offers a “rare window of opportunity,” and urged immediate support for the new Government that was sworn in last month.

“Those of us with influence on the groups remaining outside of the peace process should call on them to join for the sake of national reconciliation,” Mr. Ban said, adding that more must also be done to promote security on the ground, including by supporting the African Union mission there (AMISOM) and Somali security forces at an upcoming donor conference.

The Secretary-General also highlighted the multiple elections taking place this year in Iraq to strengthen democratic representation, advance the political process and promote stability, and said he looked forward to free and transparent polls on 7 June in Lebanon.

While in Doha, Mr. Ban held bilateral talks today with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Amre Moussa, as well as with the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Foreign Minister of Norway and the President of the United Arab Emirates.

Yesterday, he held separate meetings with the Emir of Qatar and the Presidents of Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Somalia and Syria.

Tomorrow the Secretary-General will open the International Conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, which will assess the current political, security and development issues in the South Asian nation.

Ban more determined than ever after Gaza war to achieve Middle East peace

Suara Indonesia News - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today his recent visit to war-wracked Gaza had left him more determined than ever to achieve the two-State solution of Israel and Palestine living side by side in security as well as a lasting peace between Israel and all its Arab neighbours.
“The peace process must be revitalized, and negotiations should resume leading to a lasting settlement of the conflict, based on relevant Security Council resolutions, the Road Map, and the Arab Peace Initiative,” he told the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, referring to the two-State solution and the Saudi plan for full Arab peace with Israel in return for full withdrawal from territory it seized in 1967.

“I renew my pledge to do all I can to ensure that this goal is achieved. The international community must also do its part. This is now more urgent than ever.”

Mr. Ban reiterated his demand that all Gaza crossings from Israel be re-opened to allow full access for humanitarian goods, and eventually commercial traffic, following the three-week Israeli offensive launched in December with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups.

At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed and some 5,300 were injured in the heavy bombardment and fighting in the densely populated areas of Gaza, which reduced homes, schools, hospitals and marketplaces to rubble. Fourteen Israelis were killed and more than 530 injured

“Hundreds of thousands of civilians, including children, have suffered deep psychological trauma. Many Gazans are now dislocated, having lost family members and homes. Some 90 per cent of Gaza’s population now require food aid,” Mr. Ban said.

“The civilian populations in both Gaza and southern Israel bore the brunt of the fighting, destruction and suffering. People who had already endured much hardship for many years have been subjected to even greater misery. They now face an uncertain future with anxiety and despair.”

Despite the unilateral ceasefires announced by both sides, the situation remains fragile, and there has been further violence, he warned.

The Secretary-General repeated his call for Palestinians to reconcile under the leadership of President Mahmoud Abbas, within the framework of the legitimate Palestinian Authority. Hamas ousted Mr. Abbas’ Fatah movement from Gaza in 2007.

New Zimbabwe government must tackle human rights abuses – UN official

Suara Indonesia News - The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today called on Zimbabwe’s new Government of National Unity to immediately restore the rule of law and address abuses committed over the course of the recent political crisis.
“The long drawn-out process to reach a political settlement was marked by the perpetration of serious human rights violations and caused untold damage to the rule of law in Zimbabwe,” Navi Pillay said in a news release. “All eyes will be on this new Government to see if it can undo that damage.”

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in yesterday as Prime Minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe, following months of political tensions after disputed presidential elections last March.

Ms. Pillay voiced concern over the disappearance of opposition officials, the reported use of torture to extract false confessions and infringements of the independence of the judiciary.

“The pattern of enforced disappearances and unlawful arrests in recent months – for which the Government has acknowledged some responsibility – spread fear among opposition officials and their supporters as well as human rights activists and the independent media,” she said

“In cases where the accused were later produced in court, the police often failed to respect or enforce court orders,” she added.

Ms. Pillay noted that undue pressure had been put on the judiciary to keep several people, including human rights activist Jestina Mukoko and journalist Shadreck Anderson Manyere, as well as members of the opposition, in custody.

“This is a serious infringement on the independence of the judiciary,” she said, “and it is particularly disturbing in cases where the courts had already ordered medical examinations and treatment for people who reported they had been tortured.”

She called on the new Government to meet its obligations under international law, including the prohibition of torture and respect for the independence of the judiciary. “It is vital that international attention is focused on preventing future violations in the country by ensuring that human rights defenders and independent media are able to carry out their work without being harmed, arrested or harassed,” she stated.

“I call for the immediate release of all those people currently still being held in unlawful custody.”

Concern was also expressed over the “politicization” of the police and their failure to undertake credible investigations and arrests of individuals alleged to have committed serious violations during the election violence in June and July.

These include hundreds of cases of alleged summary executions, torture and sexual violence, including rape, the great majority of which are believed to have been carried out by supporters of Mr. Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party. “The Government of Zimbabwe has the primary responsibility to see that justice is done for these victims,” said Ms. Pillay.

The UN human rights chief is awaiting word from the Government for a visit to Zimbabwe, which has been faced with a worsening humanitarian situation owing to years of failed harvests, bad governance and hyperinflation, as well as its worst-ever cholera outbreak which has already claimed 3,400 lives and infected more than 69,000 people.

Hundreds displaced by conflict arriving daily at Pakistani camp, UN reports

Suara Indonesia News - The United Nations refugee agency reports that more than 100 families, or about 500 people, uprooted by fighting in northern Pakistan are arriving daily at the Jalozai camp, which housed some 100,000 Afghan refugees before it was closed down last year.
The escalating conflict between the Government and militants in the Swat district of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and other areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) had displaced around 450,000 so far.

However, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says that number, which includes people made homeless by floods in August, could top 600,000 within weeks.

While UNHCR is working to expand the capacity of camps like Jalozai to cope with the new influx, it has also stepped up distribution of basic relief supplies to help people living outside the camps – where 80 per cent of registered internally displaced Pakistanis reside – as part of a broader coordinated humanitarian effort.

The agency has already assisted more than 8,000 families with items such as sleeping mats, blankets and kitchen sets in the Mardan, Nowshera, Swabi, Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Kohat districts.

The rising tensions, coupled with a general economic crisis in what is already among the poorest areas of Pakistan, is putting huge strains on the resources of the displaced as well as host communities. Although it is providing relief, UNHCR emphasized that people needed much more help.

“The humanitarian community as a whole, in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, needs to expand the range of assistance we can provide, so people can rent houses, restart livelihoods and access services. They need to regain their dignity,” stressed Kilian Kleinschmidt, UNHCR's assistant representative in Pakistan.

More than 64,500 people in 12 camps in NWFP have now been registered by the Pakistani Government, with UNHCR’s help, up from around 15,000 from the previous month. Another 245,000 people living outside camps have been registered, while many more are expected to be registered in weeks to come.

Mr. Kleinschmidt noted that the registration of a significant portion of displaced people has been a critical step in managing the crisis. “Registration is always a complex task, but we now have much better information to plan and distribute the assistance required,” he said.

UNHCR, as part of an overall $98 million UN appeal launched last week, is seeking a further $16.8 million to boost aid to displaced Pakistanis.

Timor-Leste: Ban encouraged by progress since 2006 crisis

Suara Indonesia News - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he is encouraged by the strides made by the leaders and people of Timor-Leste since violence shook the small Asian nation in 2006, but warned that the root causes of that crisis, including poverty and unemployment, still linger.
In late April 2006, fighting – attributed to differences between eastern and western regions – erupted when 600 striking soldiers, or one-third of the armed forces, were fired. Ensuing violence claimed dozens of lives and drove 155,000 people, 15 per cent of the total population, from their homes.

In the more than two years since that crisis, Timor-Leste, which the UN shepherded to independence in 2002, has “made remarkable progress in overcoming the most visible reminders of that year,” Mr. Ban writes in his latest report on the UN mission in the country (UNMIT).

Last February, President José Ramos-Horta sustained serious injuries, while Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão escaped unscathed in two separate attacks.

Since those incidents, the pace of closures of camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) has picked up and the uprooted are being reintegrated into civilian life, according to the new publication.

The Secretary-General also says he is encouraged that the issues relating to rebel commander Alfredo Reinado, who was target of investigations by the UN Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste regarding the 2006 violence, have been overcome.

The fugitive leader was killed in fighting during the attack on Mr. Gusmão’s motorcade last February.

But Mr. Ban cautions that the stability in Timor-Leste “remains fragile,” and the underlying reasons behind the 2006 violence – poverty, urban areas with an influx of migrants, a weak judicial system and nascent security institutions – still need to be tackled.

“The Government has made efforts to address these issues, but until these efforts bear fruit there is an ever-present danger that Timor-Leste’s progress towards self-sufficiency could be derailed,” he writes.

Local elections scheduled to be held this year will be a test for the country, the report notes.

Bolstering security institutions, shifting policing responsibilities to the Timorese Government and building up the judiciary, among other tasks, are “not necessarily about solving particular issues, but about strengthening the institutions of State and improving policy and decision-making processes marked by transparency, accountability and consultation, so that Timor-Leste can continue along the path towards self-sufficiency,” the Secretary-General says.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ban’s top envoy to the country is on a two-day visit to Japan, where yesterday he met with Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone.

Special Representative Atul Khare and Mr. Nakasone discussed Japan’s contribution to peacekeeping and peacebuilding in Timor-Leste.

The envoy will be in New York to attend the Security Council meeting on Timor-Leste, slated to take place on 19 February.

Zimbabwe: Ban calls on new government to tackle economic, humanitarian crises

Suara Indonesia News - Zimbabwe’s new Government of national unity needs to immediately address the economic and humanitarian crises, including the country’s worst ever cholera epidemic, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, pledging full United Nations support.
“The period ahead will also be critical for consolidating human rights and democratic freedoms,” Mr. Ban said in a statement issued by his spokesperson, welcoming today’s swearing-in of Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe.

“The United Nations reiterates its offer of support to the new Government in its recovery efforts to ease the suffering of the Zimbabwean people.”

Mr. Ban recently met with Mr. Mugabe at the African Union summit in Addis Ababa where he stressed to him that the Government must protect the human rights and democratic freedoms of all Zimbabweans.

“I urged him to release all those arrested or secretly detained in recent months. I remain especially concerned about the humanitarian situation,” he told a news briefing yesterday, noting that an estimated 3,400 people have died of cholera and more than 69,000 have been infected.

Zimbabwe has been faced with a worsening humanitarian situation owing to years of failed harvests, bad governance and hyperinflation, as well as months of political tensions after the disputed presidential elections in March involving Mr. Mugabe and Mr. Tsvangirai.

PRESS CONFERENCE on gaza humanitarian situation

Suara Indonesia News - “The situation in Gaza is one of growing misery,” the top United Nations official in the war‑torn territory said today, telling reporters it was “shameful” that Israeli politics had stranded tons of relief supplies at blocked crossing points and, in the latest blow to the beleaguered recovery effort, armed Hamas police had broken into a warehouse and seized thousands of blankets and food packs meant for needy Gaza residents.

Nearly three weeks after an unwritten ceasefire ended fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was struggling to cope with a daunting range of operational challenges. Speaking to reporters at Headquarters via video link, John Ging, UNRWA’s Director of Operations in Gaza, said that the situation was becoming increasingly untenable -- basic humanitarian needs were going unmet, people stuck for hours at aid distribution points were becoming frustrated and, as a result, extremism was on the rise. At the same time, Hamas militants were waging a damaging public misinformation campaign about the Agency’s work.

Clearly frustrated, Mr. Ging said: “There’s no reason to talk about recovery and reconstruction here until we get this business with the crossing sorted out. Let’s not talk about it. It’s […] disingenuous even to consider it.” Israel was refusing to allow into the area not only basic necessities -- the Agency expected to run out of the plastic bags it needed to pre‑package relief supplies by Sunday -- but textbooks and other materials to jumpstart UNRWA’s human rights curriculum. “We are having no success at the operation level [and that] is feeding the despair and frustration of the people,” he said.

He frankly could not understand why the flow of basic necessities, building materials and school supplies was being obstructed. “It’s beyond comprehension. I need these questions answered simply,” he continued, saying he was tired of hearing the same “circular argument rationalized by political analysis” about who might get access to this or that. The politicians were not paying the price. Students and ordinary people were being hurt, because they were being denied access to educational materials and basic necessities. Everyone knew that all this would lead to more desperation, more anger and more violence.

Thousands of tons of aid were stuck outside Gaza, at staging areas in Egypt, Israel and Jordan. Humanitarian agencies were left trying to push supplies “through the eye of a needle” at Kerem Shalom crossing, which was totally inadequate to handle the volume needed, but currently the only point open for bringing in food, clothes and medicine. “The bottom line is, we’re neither getting in the volume nor the range of supplies that we need here and this is, of course, creating a lot of misery among the people, so many of whom […] were still without blankets and clothes and very basic items,” he said.

For example, Mr. Ging said UNRWA was caring for some 900,000 food‑aid recipients, but had been able to get supplies out only at a rate of about 30,000 people a day. “That just gives a sense of how long a wait it will be for those at the end of the queue,” he said, stressing: “We have the infrastructure. We have the staff. We just can’t get the food. It’s quite shameful to have such a backlog.”
He went on to say that, while he and his staff had worked diligently to get United Nations-affiliated schools up and running as soon as possible after the fighting stopped -- UNRWA had merely been able to clean them up and make them safe because no cement or other construction materials were being allowed into the city -- since then, 60 per cent of the students had returned to classrooms that had no textbooks, notebooks, supplies or even writing paper. Those items were being denied entry into Gaza at the moment. “We are being obstructed, as far as I’m concerned, in the education of the children here,” he said.

Responding to questions about the blocked borders and shipping delays, Mr. Ging said Israel was taking those measures and he believed those decisions were “purely political”. For example, he said that the Sufa crossing point in southern Israel had remained open during much of Israel’s 18‑month blockade of Gaza; yet, it wasn’t open today. That being the case, the decision to shut it down appeared to be a political one. Granted, Sufa wasn’t the most optimal location, but if it were open, it would nearly double the number of relief trucks UNRWA could get in, he added.

Continuing, he said that, when plastic bags ran out, there was no back up. Everyone involved was aware that UNRWA needed raw materials on site to make the huge quantity of bags required to pre-wrap packages of relief supplies. Israel had suggested bringing in shipments of plastic bags, but that was ridiculous, because that would require a large number of trucks and only add to the already clogged delivery pipeline.

“So, there is no excuse. Everyone needs to be clear about the consequences of these decisions,” he continued, citing not only the serious humanitarian impact, but also their effect on the mood of the people of Gaza. “Extremism is on the rise here in Gaza and we on the ground are trying to counter it, particularly with our education programmes,” he declared, but warned that trying to ensure Palestinian children were able to build a positive future required adequate tools. “So it continues to be all about the crossings; all about access.”

On the Hamas police force that had raided a warehouse and stolen relief goods at gunpoint yesterday, Mr. Ging acknowledged that such incidents were only making matters worse. Many members of the militant group were disconnected from their leadership, which remained underground since the Israeli offensive. However, those that were above ground remained bent on destructive and disruptive behaviour.

He told reporters that UNRWA had expressed its outrage at the incident and was remaining vigilant. “We’re not bringing aid in to have it stolen by anybody. We’re bringing it in to help refugees according to our criteria,” he said, adding that the Agency was looking to Hamas’ so‑called leadership to get the organization under control “because the reckless acts of a few are jeopardizing our entire operation”.

UNRWA did not know what had happened to the stolen food and blankets, but Mr. Ging sincerely hoped Hamas had the goods intact “because we want them back”. While the amount stolen was small, and while it was the first time an event such as this had occurred, it was massive in significance because Hamas had “crossed a red line”. UNRWA would not take seriously any commitments Hamas gave regarding future action until they first and foremost returned the aid that they had stolen and secondly made public their assurances that it would not happen again.

“I don’t care for the nonsense they’ve been coming out with trying to justify what they did […] their reaction and the way they are spinning this for the public,” he continued. At the same time, however, he was pleased that ordinary Gazans and community leaders had been equally shocked and outraged by the incident and had bolstered their support for the Agency.

Ban, top diplomatic partners call for immediate ceasefire in Israel-Gaza fighting

Suara Indonesia News - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today held a teleconference with his principal international partners in the search for Middle East peace, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and southern Israel as United Nations agencies warned that hundreds of wounded in Gaza hospitals faced a surge in preventable deaths due to lack of medical supplies.
The so-called Quartet – the UN, European Union (EU), Russia and United States – called on “all parties to address the serious humanitarian and economic needs in Gaza and to take necessary measures to ensure the continuous provision of humanitarian supplies,” according to UN readout on the teleconference.

The consultations took place as the air strikes which Israel says it has launched in reply to Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza entered their fourth day, with over 300 Gazans killed and many hundreds more wounded, and the UN World Health Organization (WHO) urging Israel to ensure immediate provision of fuel and critical life-saving and trauma care supplies.

UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd told the UN News Centre as part of its Newsmaker profile series that the current situation is “much, much worse” than past eruptions of violence in Gaza.

“I’ve been here throughout the Intifada [Palestinian uprising] for the last eight-and-a-half-years and although we’ve had some very bad times when there was heavy bombing, never so many people killed in one day and then in the four days that have been going on here,” she said.

Besides Mr. Ban, those participating included EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France, current EU president, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Quartet Representative Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister.

“They called for an immediate ceasefire that would be fully respected,” the readout said. “They agreed on the urgent need for Israelis and Palestinians to continue on the road to peace. They intend to remain in close touch.”

Mr. Ban issued a similar call yesterday, demanding Israel and Hamas halt acts of violence, avoid civilian casualties, and that Israel keep open all border crossings needed the continued provision of humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Noting that he had repeatedly condemned rocket attacks by Hamas against Israel, he added, “While recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, I have also condemned the excessive use of force by Israel in Gaza.”

WHO underscored the precarious state of Gaza’s medical facilities as the wounded poured in. Hundreds of wounded people, including women, children and elderly, lie in hospitals that already lack basic supplies,” it said.

“The inability of the hospitals to cope with a problem of this magnitude, if the situation continues unchanged, will result in a surge in preventable deaths from complications due to trauma. Civilians are paying the price for the prolonged blockade,” it added, referring to the closure of crossing points which Israel has imposed, citing rocket attacks by Gaza militants.

“As a top priority, the shortages of essential and life-saving medicines need to be abated without delay. The current escalation of the violence only compounds the health situation and unnecessarily exacerbates the fragile status of the civilians caught up in this conflict.”

WHO has secured, in collaboration with several Member States, the dispatch of medical kits to cover surgical and trauma interventions and is following up with Palestinian and Israeli authorities to ensure these supplies reach those who need them.

Negotiations with the Israelis are ongoing to guarantee the passage of urgent medical supplies, the agency said, adding that it was also coordinating with other UN agencies, donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure aid arrives to those most in need.

“The functioning of hospitals and access to health services is critical in order to respond to the mass casualties,” WHO stressed, calling for the removal of blockades to allow in much-needed food, water, fuel, medicines and other humanitarian aid.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) voiced deep concern over the impact of the current violence on youngsters and urged all parties to abide by their international legal obligation to ensure that children are protected and receive essential humanitarian supplies and support. Over half of the population in Gaza are children.

“It is critical that humanitarian assistance, including food, medical supplies and equipment be allowed into Gaza to address the urgent needs of children and women,” UNICEF said in statement.

Ban calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Suara Indonesia News - With the crisis in Gaza and southern Israel having reached its fifth day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appealed for an urgent ceasefire to end the violence and to allow crucial humanitarian aid to reach Gazans.

“The civilian population, the fabric of Gaza, the future of the peace process, stability in the region, and goodwill among people throughout the world: all are trapped between the irresponsibility displayed in the indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas militants and the disproportionality of the continuing Israeli military operation,” Mr. Ban told the Security Council this evening.

“All will be further threatened if the conflict continues or escalates to a new phase of deadly violence,” he cautioned.

The impact of the recent fighting – which has claimed over 300 lives, including those of dozens of women and children – has been “nothing short of terrifying” for the 1.5 million people in Gaza, the Secretary-General said.

Southern Israel has seen a “continuous stream” of rockets launched from Gaza by Palestinian militants, with longer-range weapons with hundreds of thousands of people in range hitting major cities, he noted.

“It is the civilian populations that are bearing the brunt of this escalation, and there must be swift and decisive action by the international community to bring to an end their suffering,” Mr. Ban told the Council.

Without a halt to the violence, humanitarian supplies cannot reach the vulnerable and civilians cannot leave their homes to access medical care, he said, calling on all parties to deal with the humanitarian and economic needs in Gaza.

“I urge all members of the international community, in particular those in the region, to exert what influence they have on the parties to end this violence now,” Mr. Ban said. “I welcome the efforts underway, including by Arab and European leaders but I must repeat: not enough has been done, and more is urgently required.”

He stressed that the underlying issue must not be forgotten, stating that “there must be an end to occupation, an end to conflict, and the creation of a Palestinian State” and calling for the fulfilment of the goal of “two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security, and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.”

John Holmes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, today expressed disappointment that Israel has so far rejected the idea of a 48-hour in the fighting, but voiced hope that “diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire will bear some fruit in the coming days.”

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted by media reports as saying conditions were not yet ripe for a ceasefire since they had not yet reached the point of promising safety in southern Israel which has been targeted by increasingly longer-range Hamas missiles from Gaza.

Speaking by video link from Gaza, UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd portrayed the deep disappointment felt by ordinary Gazans.

“This is something that had gone round the public in the markets and so on for those people who are venturing out and they were very disappointed because they'd been rather cheerful, thinking 'oh good, it's going to stop for a couple of days at least and we'll get things in and we'll have a little bit of peace from the noise of the bombs and the noise of the drones overhead,'” she said.

She noted the traumatic effect the air strikes were having on the civilian population, with some parents trying to quiet their alarmed children by telling them the bombs were the sounds of wedding celebrations.

Ms. AbuZayd said she was not optimistic over the prospects for a ceasefire.

Mr. Holmes said it was difficult to get reliable figures on casualties, which have ranged from 320 to 380 dead and 1,500 to 1,900 wounded. Ms. AbuZayd estimated “conservatively” that a quarter of the dead were civilians, with 41 children and probably the same number of women killed. Four Israelis have been killed by Hamas rockets.

“This is a very bloody operation by anybody's standards, even by the standards of that part of the world, and it's hard to exaggerate the degree of constant fear felt by those in Gaza in particular as the attacks continue every 20 minutes or so in many cases both during the day and during the night,” Mr. Holmes, who also serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said.

“Of course there is stress on the Israeli side, too, because of the constant threat of rockets which continue to fall, and falling in new towns and cities as the range increases,” he added, appealing to all parties to respect international humanitarian law, in particular the distinction between combatants and civilians, and responding in a proportionate way to any attacks.

“That's conspicuous mostly by its absence so far. But apart from that, the biggest need remains an immediate ceasefire, one that is fully respected by all sides so that we can have the chance to get humanitarian goods in a more systematic way and to deal with all the casualties and damage that's happened so far.”

Israel has closed most crossing points into Gaza, citing the rockets attacks, but some 60 truckloads of food, medicines and other supplies were allowed through today. That compares with over 125 a day in October, and 475 a day in May 2007. The fuel pipeline remains closed and Gaza power station had to shut down yesterday. Mr. Holmes said Israeli military and civilian authorities had been cooperative “but we need to see more results,” with the major needs remaining food, medical supplies, fuel and cash.

Ms. AbuZayd said the Israeli authorities were very good in checking what UNRWA needs. “They've been very good lately to let us bring in whatever we say we need. Our problem is more that there's no capacity to bring in everything we need,” she added, also noting that Israel warns the agency if there are going to be air strikes near where its workers are operating.

Earlier today UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory Maxwell Gaylard said it was essential that Karni, larger than the currently open Keren Shalom crossing, be opened to bring in wheat since UNRWA had none left for the 750,000 people who need it, warning, “we are in a life or death situation for many people.

“We need fuel to the power station so that the power plant goes back on. Gaza's hospitals are facing their largest ever trauma caseloads under some of the most adverse conditions imaginable. They must have reliable power,” he said.

“We are in hourly contact with the Israeli authorities. They are offering their cooperation and we are offering ours. They have been responsive to specific requests, which we appreciate. But the gravity of the situation now demands more. Today, we need that cooperation translated into real results on the ground.”

UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy called on all parties to commit to an immediate cessation to the violence. “The situation in Gaza is unbearable for the civilian population and especially for children. They are trapped within the conflict and deprived of their fundamental human rights. Children are victims of the bombings and traumatized by the escalation of violence. The access to humanitarian aid, basic services, education, and medical assistance is severely hampered,” she said.

LE BUREAU DU COMITÉ POUR L’EXERCICE DES DROITS INALIÉNABLES DU PEUPLE PALESTINIEN CONDAMNE FERMEMENT LA MEURTRIÈRE OFFENSIVE ISRAÉLIENNE CONTRE GAZA

Le Bureau du Comité pour l’exercice des droits inaliénables du peuple palestinien condamne, dans les termes les plus fermes, les attaques militaires meurtrières et les destructions perpétrées par Israël, la puissance occupante, dans la bande de Gaza, et qui ont, selon diverses estimations, tué plus de 390 Palestiniens.

Ce bilan, qui n’a cessé de s’alourdir depuis le 27 décembre dernier, inclut de nombreux civils, dont des femmes et des enfants. Vu le nombre élevé de blessés, et au rythme où les opérations militaires israéliennes se poursuivent, le nombre de morts provoqué par cette escalade de la violence risque d’augmenter.

Le Bureau du Comité demande qu’Israël mette fin, immédiatement et sans condition, à la brutale campagne militaire menée contre les Palestiniens dans la bande de Gaza. La puissance occupante devrait être tenue responsable de la mort de nombreux civils innocents et du nombre élevé de blessés causé parmi la population innocente de Gaza. Les victimes, dont des femmes et des enfants, sont dues à l’usage massif, par Israël, de missiles et de barrages d’artillerie lourde. Le Bureau demande qu’Israël rouvre, immédiatement, les points de passage de la bande de Gaza pour y permettre la livraison d’aide médicale d’urgence et d’autres articles vitaux aux personnes désespérées et dans le besoin. Le blocus imposé au cours de l’année qui s’achève à la bande de Gaza a déjà causé une catastrophe humanitaire, et un état de peur, de désespoir, et d’anxiété élevé chez les Palestiniens.

Le Bureau a régulièrement condamné les tirs de roquettes palestiniens contre Israël, mais rien, y compris les agissements d’une minorité, ne saurait justifier la punition collective illégale infligée par Israël à l’entière population de Gaza. Le Bureau rappelle au Gouvernement d’Israël que l’applicabilité de la Quatrième Convention de Genève au Territoire palestinien occupé a été maintes fois affirmée et répétée par la Conférence des Hautes Parties contractantes et par l’Assemblée générale et le Conseil de sécurité. La bande de Gaza demeure un territoire occupé, Israël y contrôlant tous les aspects de la vie quotidienne de la population palestinienne.

Le Bureau appelle les Hautes Parties contractantes à la Quatrième Convention de Genève à prendre des actions urgentes et immédiates pour s’acquitter de leurs obligations, et notamment de celle relevant de l’article 1 de la Convention, qui les enjoint de « respecter et faire respecter la Convention en toutes circonstances ».

Au vu de la gravité de la situation actuelle, le Bureau est convaincu qu’il revient au Conseil de sécurité d’exercer toutes les responsabilités qui lui incombent aux termes de la Charte des Nations Unies. Le Conseil devrait pleinement s’engager dans la diffusion de la crise. Ses membres devraient prendre des mesures visant à protéger la population civile de Gaza, à mettre fin au bain de sang et à imposer un cessez-le-feu immédiat et permanent, tout en veillant à ce que l’aide humanitaire soit fournie à Gaza et en encourageant le dialogue entre les parties.