16 January 2014 – Joint police and military patrols and the use of metal detectors are among the security steps being taken by the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to protect some 65,000 displaced civilians seeking refuge on its bases and in the surrounding community. “An array of security measures have been put in place,” the Mission today confirmed in a news release. It noted that UN Police Commissioner Fred Yiga is meeting regularly with South Sudan’s Police Inspector General and with the Central Equatoria Police Commissioner to address all security concerns. Weapon searches are being undertaken…
Author: UN News
15 January 2014 – Twenty years after the Rwanda genocide, where “the consequences of failing to heed the warning signs were monumentally horrifying,” the world must respond early to the risk of mass atrocities amid mounting religious and ethnic polarization and demonization, a United Nations special event warned today. “We must never forget the collective failure to prevent the Rwandan genocide,” Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told participants at UN Headquarters in New York. “Repeating the phrase ‘never again’ is in itself a sign of continued failure.” The event, formally called “Understanding early warning of mass atrocities twenty years after the…
15 January 2014 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke out about a new anti-homosexuality law in Nigeria, saying he feared it may fuel prejudice and violence, as he voiced the strong hope that the constitutionality of the legislation can be reviewed. The Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, signed into law earlier this month, introduces a wide range of offences, including 14-year jail terms for same-sex couples who live together or attempt to solemnize their union with a ceremony. The law has already drawn strong opposition from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, the Joint UN Programme on…
15 January 2014 – The United Nations human rights chief today urged African leaders attending a high-level meeting in Angola on the strife-torn Great Lakes Region to ensure that persons suspected of serious human rights violations do not continue to jump borders to escape justice. The meeting represents “an unprecedented opportunity for member States to advance the fight against impunity in this violence-stricken region,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said of the Fifth Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). Noting that the goal of the Summit…
15 January 2014 – As the conflict escalates in South Sudan, where fighting has now driven more than 400,000 people from their homes and left twice as many in dire need of aid, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned anti- and pro-Government forces for stealing food and vehicles used by the humanitarian community, reiterating that the United Nations will continue to actively protect civilians applying strict impartiality. In a statement issued last night, his spokesperson said Mr. Ban is “alarmed by the rising number of fatalities resulting from the continuing fighting in South Sudan”. He also noted reports received on…
14 January 2014 – The United Nations in South Sudan is assisting hundreds of students to complete their primary education this week by sitting for final exams that were disrupted when fighting broke out between anti- and pro-Government forces. More than 400 people, ranging in age from 14 years up, have begun taking their Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) at the UN compound in the capital Juba. The week-long exams, scheduled for 16 December last year, started yesterday. UN and partner organizations have been working in support of community elders and teachers to prepare the students to take those exams,…
14 January 2014 – With Egyptians casting their votes in a referendum on a new constitution, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on them to express their differences without violence and ensure that the next phase of their country’s transition is carried out peacefully. Mr. Ban “stresses the importance of respect for freedom of assembly and expression, as well as commitment to non-violence,” his spokesperson said in a statement. “The Secretary-General encourages all Egyptians to ensure that the next phase of the transition is conducted in an inclusive, peaceful, and transparent manner.” Egypt has been undergoing a democratic transition since the…
14 January 2014 – The United Nations today reported a new rebel attack in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the region continues to suffer from deadly violence even after the defeat of a major dissident group, the M23, over a month ago. In the latest violence, Mayi Mayi Sheka fighters attacked Pinga, in North Kivu province, but left after a 30-minute gun fight with the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), the UN peacekeeping force in the DRC (MONUSCO) reported. Around 1,000 civilians sought refuge during the confrontation near the UN Mission’s base in Pinga, but only 90…
13 January 2014 – The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today denounced the murder of television journalist Zakir Ali in Pakistan’s Sindh province and urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. “It is important that no effort be spared in seeking out those responsible for this crime. Attacks on journalists and media workers represent a serious attack on citizens’ right to be kept informed,” said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “Press freedom and freedom of expression hinge on journalists’ ability to…
12 January 2014 – United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos sounded the alarm today on behalf of more than 9 million desperate Syrians – particularly people trapped in areas cut off from aid by months of fighting between Government and rebel forces – and called on the world to also do more for those that have been displaced by violence or otherwise impacted by the ongoing crisis. Ms. Amos issued her call to action, spotlighting the dire humanitarian situation affecting 9.3 million Syrians, as she wrapped up a visit to the war-torn country’s capital, Damascus, today. The top UN…