United Nations Daily Highlights, 98-09-11

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Friday, 11 September, 1998

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General condemns "cruel murders" of nine Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan.
• Cambodia Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights calls for disbanding of groups of purported demonstrators.
• High Commissioner for Human Rights discusses projects to promote human rights in Tibet.
• World Food Programme plans to launch major relief operation in flood- stricken Bangladesh.
• In New York, United Nations family mourns death of its members on Swissair flight 111.
• General Assembly committee approves agenda for fifty-third session.
• Executive Director of UN Environment Programme says global food security will be key future issue.
• UN environment agency cosponsors international painting contest for children.

Mr. Annan received a letter from Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid stating that the nine were killed, "either intentionally or unintentionally" by unidentified soldiers who acted on their own.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns these cruel murders and violations of international law," said his Spokesman, Fred Eckhard. "He calls for an urgent investigation so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice."

According to Mr. Eckhard, the Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the fate of the other two Iranians who were at the Iranian Consulate- General in Mazar-I-Sharif on 8 August and have been missing ever since. He urged all States and parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action which might be construed by others as provocative.

The Secretary-General also noted that Mullah Omar had asked the United Nations to mediate between Iran and the Taliban. "While the United Nations is ready to do anything at its disposal to defuse the increasing tension, the Secretary-General called on the Taliban to cease all military activities in Afghanistan immediately and without precondition."

Mr. Eckhard told reporters that the Secretary-General was also concerned about the intensifying fighting in the central Afghan province of Bamyan between the Taliban and the Shiite Moslem faction Hezb-I- Wahdat. "He appeals to all the Afghan warring parties, in particular the Taliban, to respect the human rights of all Afghan ethnic and religious groups," said Mr. Eckhard.

"The Secretary-General also reminds the Taliban leaders of their own pledge that -- should their forces capture the region -- they would not damage the statues of Buddha and other priceless historical monuments in Bamyan," his Spokesman continued. "He stresses that the international community is closely watching how the Taliban will behave in this respect."

The Office said on Friday that these groups, estimated at several hundred people, appeared to be "agents provocateurs" and claimed to be demonstrating in support of the Cambodia People's Party. "Many are armed with bamboo or wooden sticks and stones, and some firearms such as pistols have also been seen," a statement of the Office said.

According the statement, the presence of these groups which had been seen beating several other demonstrators had caused at least one death on Friday.

The Office of the Human Rights Commissioner warned that in the current volatile climate, the activities of these groups could provoke further violence among crowds of demonstrators who had been largely peaceful. It said that the demonstrators might be incited to turn to violent reprisals and revenge.

The human rights commissioner said that the security forces appeared to have shown restraint, thereby limiting the violence to a minimum. "It is therefore essential that those who seek to provoke violence should be identified and isolated to prevent an escalation of the situation," the statement said.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reiterated its call on all political parties, demonstrators and their leaders and the security forces to continue to exercise maximum restraint so that political differences could be resolved without further bloodshed.

Continuing her ten-day visit to the People's Republic of China, Ms. Robinson on Friday visited Lhasa First Primary School where she discussed, among other issues, projects of human rights education, particularly in primary and secondary schools.

During her stay in Tibet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights was expected to discuss with the authorities of the Tibet Autonomous Region various human rights issues. They include religious, cultural and educational questions. She was also expected to meet with representatives of the Tibet Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission, the Tibet Culture Department, the Tibet Planning Committee and Tibet University.

Ms. Robinson on Friday planned to begin identifying, along with local authorities, possible areas of cooperation to follow up on the Memorandum of Intent she signed with the Chinese Government on Monday. That agreement deals with the development of technical cooperation programmes for the promotion and protection of human rights in China.

The High Commissioner planned to use her visit to Tibet to focus attention on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whose fiftieth anniversary is being commemorated this year. The Declaration will be posted on the Website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.unhchr.ch) in over 200 languages, including Tibetan.

WFP Executive Director Catherine Bertini said that after two months of flooding, during which water had not subsided, the people in Bangladesh had lost whatever assets they once had. "Many have been dislocated. Their savings are gone, and their main source of employment, agricultural day labour, has vanished," Ms. Bertini pointed out.

WFP said that the people needed emergency food aid at least until January when rice crop was harvested. Without assistance, the agency added, malnutrition was expected to increase along with the spread of diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases.

Citing government estimates, WFP said that the floods had destroyed 300,000 metric tonnes of rice, 600,000 homes, more than 9,000 kilometres of roads and 4,150 kilometres of flood protection embankments. In addition, 8,500 schools had closed, some of them to serve as temporary shelters.

The United Nations food agency said it was planning to provide 175 metric tonnes of dry biscuits for immediate distribution, 352,400 tonnes of wheat as basic rations and 3,500 tonnes of blended foods to 19 million people most in need at a cost of $76.2 million.

At a memorial service at United Nations Headquarters in New York, staff members observed a moment of silence in memory of Ingrid Acevedo of the United States; Ludwig Baumer and Joachim Bilger of Germany; Catherine Calvet-Mazy of France; Pierce Gerety, Jonathan Mann and Mary-Lou Clements- Mann of the United States; Ahamad Omran of Chad; and Yves de Roussan of Canada.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the loss of these individuals who worked so hard to ease suffering, and did so much to make this world a better place, was a loss to all of humankind.

"Such a bereavement seems so meaningless to us that we risk descending into despair," he said. "But if we were to seek to find a meaning to it, it would surely be this: that the tragedy gives not only us, but the rest of the world, an occasion to reflect upon what we do as members of this vast and varied family that makes up the United Nations," Mr. Annan added.

Extending his prayers to the families and friends of the victims, the Secretary-General expressed hope that their example would leave a lasting legacy. "I ask you therefore to join me in one prayer above all: that they will know, wherever they are, that their work on behalf of the United Nations, and in the cause of building a better world, will not have been in vain; and that we will always carry on the work of these souls borne on wings."

After the ceremony, the Secretary-General met privately with the families of the victims.

A number of States called for the inclusion of an item on the need to review General Assembly resolution 2758 (XXVI) "owing to the fundamental change in the international situation and to the coexistence of two governments across the Taiwan Strait."

The request for consideration of "the coexistence of two governments across the Taiwan Strait" came from the representatives of Burkina Faso, Dominica, Chad, El Salvador, Gambia, Grenada, Liberia, Malawi, Nicaragua, Panama, Sao Tome and Principe, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Swaziland, Solomon Islands and the United Republic of Tanzania.

China's Ambassador, Qin Huasun, strongly objected to any change in the status quo, arguing the proposal was part of an effort to split a sovereign State and create "two Chinas" or one "one China, one Taiwan" at the United Nations. Such an illegal act constituted a grave encroachment on China's sovereignty and brutal interference in its internal affairs, he stated.

China was supported by a number of countries, including Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Georgia, Mexico, Libya, Belarus, Brazil, Djibouti, the Russian Federation, Italy and Syria, among others.

The Assembly also decided to consider a number of new items this year, including the Bethlehem 2000 project commemorating the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ; the World Solar Programme, which aims at promoting renewable energy technologies; and the global implications of the Year 2000 date conversion problem of computers.

According to the World Bank, 740 million people -- one out of eight -- cannot afford enough food to carry on productive working lives, while 340 million experience ill health or growth disorders because they lack sufficient food. Global food production has to increase by over 75 per cent in the next 25 years in order to improve global food security.

Mr. Topfer concluded that land degradation, in particular the deterioration of soils, is one of the most serious challenges facing humankind because it affects the ability of land resources to feed the earth's growing population. "If the ecosystem's capacity to meet human needs is crippled, the plight of those living directly off the land worsens," he noted.

Acknowledging the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in providing assistance to developing countries and the world science community in soil conservation and combatting desertification, Mr. Topfer said "the involvement of the world's NGOs is a promising sign for future cooperation and synergy to tackle this very important issue with such far- reaching consequences for the future of life on earth."

The contest, which will run from September to December 1998, is open to all children between the ages of 6 and 15 years and is expected to attract entries from all regions of the world on the theme "Preserve the Beautiful Oceans, Skies and Forests for the Twenty-First Century."

"The International Contest of Children's Paintings on the Environment is an attempt to encourage children to communicate their vision and hopes for their environment," said Klaus Topfer, UNEP's Executive Director.

The best 390 paintings will be selected for prizes and will also be used to promote awareness and stimulate action on the environment through the development of a calendar for the year 2000. Other paintings will be used for posters, publications and exhibitions worldwide.

The Foundation for Global Peace and Environment of Japan was formed in 1993 to promote environmental awareness and action in Japan, as well as globally. It builds on "Save the Seas Japan," a campaign to stop the degradation of the world's oceans and marine environment. It has set up a website with UNDP that will be operational starting on September 16 at http://www.unep.org/unep/per/ipa/gyf/paint.htm.

From the United Nations home page at <http://www.un.org> - email: unnews@un.org

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