United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-05-05

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 5 May, 1999

Latest Developments

HEADLINES

• Refugees crossing into Albania tell of atrocities in western Kosovo -- UNHCR.
• UN Population Fund welcomes move in US Congress to restore funding for agency.

UNHCR said the reports from Djakovica had been so consistent and specific in detail that the region undoubtedly was one of the most violent in all of Kosovo, turning it at times into a virtual "killing field".

One of the most vivid stories came from a young female nurse who reported that about two weeks ago three men in their 60s were executed with a single bullet to the head from close range, UNHCR said. She was able to reach one man who was still alive, but was unable to help him.

Meanwhile, UNHCR's struggle to relieve the congestion around Kukes, Albania, continued, as the agency said it was considering the closure or transfer of the tented refugee camps as one way to alleviate the bottleneck of refugees.

UNHCR said around 100,000 refugees remained in the mountainous area, an estimated 30,000 in tents. UNHCR and the Albanian Government have always considered the Kukes area as a transit point for incoming refugees and not a semi-permanent settlement.

On Tuesday a total of 3,260 people left Kukes, the majority staying only one night before moving south, as greater emphasis has been placed on this rapid movement through the town the last few days. A total of around 260, 000 people have now moved through this transit point inland, UNHCR said.

In the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, trains off- loaded some 8,400 refugees the past 24 hours. As huge numbers continued to arrive, the Skopje government agreed to expand the newly established camp at Cegrane to 40, 000.

(Visit UNHCR's for in-depth coverage.)

Senator Jeffords made the announcement today in Washington during a joint press conference with the heads of three non- governmental organizations -- the U.S. Committee for the UN Population Fund, the Global Health Council and the Centre for Development and Population Activities at a press conference in Washington.

"We are very encouraged by this news," said UNFPA's Executive Director Dr. Nafis Sadik. "This legislation, if passed, will help women all over the world. It will give many people in developing countries the right that Americans take for granted -- the right of individual choice in regard to the size and spacing of the family."

Dr. Sadik said that US contributions would strengthen population programmes providing voluntary, high-quality reproductive health services, including family planning, assisted childbirth, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV-AIDS.

Last month UNFPA, which is the largest internationally funded source of population assistance to developing countries, sent much- needed reproductive health supplies to Kosovo refugees in Albania. The supplies included equipment for the safe delivery of newborn babies and emergency contraception for rape victims.

In fiscal year 1998, United States funding for UNFPA amounted to $20 million. UNFPA's total resources in 1997 were $290 million.

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

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