United Nations Daily Highlights, 99-08-31

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 31 August, 1999

HEADLINES

• East Timorese reconciliation commission holds first meeting after UN- sponsored autonomy vote.
• Secretary-General welcomes signing of Democratic Republic of Congo ceasefire by last rebel group.
• Rebel attacks on civilians in Burundi capital draws condemnation by Secretary-General.
• Security Council members encourage Central African Republic to hold presidential elections as scheduled.
• Humanitarian efforts can house vast majority of Kosovars through winter, says UN refugee agency.
• UN in Kosovo appoints Serb and Albanian judicial officers for Mitrovica.
• Recent insecurity prompt Sierra Leonean refugees to flee camps in Liberia -- UNHCR.

The East Timorese Consultative Commission is composed of 10 members each from the pro-independence and pro-autonomy camps as well as five members appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

A UN spokesman reported that not all Commission members participated in the meeting, while those who were abroad were represented by alternates.

Meanwhile, tensions were still high in Atsabe the day after a local UN worker had been killed. A group of UN personnel were besieged by militia before the head of the UN civilian police contingent, Alan Mills, was able to negotiate their departure. Mr. Mills was in Atsabe to investigate the murder of Joao Lopes Gomes, who was stabbed after leaving the polling office, the spokesman said.

Yesterday's fatality was the only one among UN staff the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) was able to confirm after 98.6 per cent of registered voters turned out to cast their ballots on whether East Timor should remain within Indonesia as an autonomous region or be granted independence.

In a statement released at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Manoel de Almeida e Silva said the signing by the Rally for a Democratic Congo (RCD), the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) and all Governments concerned should "clear the way" for the timely implementation of the ceasefire agreement and "enhances the peace and security of the region and facilitates the long-awaited international support towards national recovery."

The Secretary-General also reiterated his call that all belligerents honour their commitment to implement the ceasefire and facilitate the early start of national dialogue on the political future of the country, Mr. de Almeida e Silva said.

The Deputy Spokesman said the Secretary-General underlined the importance of ensuring food aid and the reestablishment of essential services such as health, safe water and education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "He also calls upon the donor community to respond generously to the humanitarian interagency appeal and resource mobilization for the peacekeeping and related efforts," he said.

The Lusaka Agreement was signed on 10 July by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Angola; the MLC signed the pact on 1 August.

Deputy Spokesman Manoel de Almeida e Silva said the Secretary- General learned with "great distress" of the murderous attacks committed on 28 and 29 August in Bujumbura against civilians in Mutanga North and Musagao.

"The Secretary-General reiterates his call on the rebels to end all attacks against civilians and abide by international humanitarian and human rights norms," Mr. de Almeida e Silva said.

In a press statement, Council President Martin Andjaba of Namibia said the members noted the progress made in preparation for next month's elections and commended the efforts of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA).

"They stressed that the full implementation of the Bangui Agreements is the only viable option for obtaining peace and security in the Central African Republic," Ambassador Andjaba said.

UNHCR, which leads the humanitarian efforts of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), estimates that some 50,000 homes in Kosovo are beyond repair, with an equal number of houses damaged.

In the case of homes that are deemed repairable, UNHCR has launched an emergency rehabilitation programme to help reconstruct at least one warm room per home before the onset of winter. Through the distribution of shelter kits, stoves and other building materials, UNHCR and its partners þ the European Community Humanitarian Office and the US Agency for International Development þ is on schedule to help house some 380,000 people.

For the additional 300,000 whose homes have been completely destroyed, UNHCR has been working to provide temporary accommodations. Already most have been placed with host families, where they will likely remain through winter.

In addition, the international humanitarian community in Kosovo is undertaking contingency measures to create housing capacity for some 90,000 more people, including establishment of community temporary shelters and the distribution of all-season tents.

Vital to the success of these humanitarian efforts, UNHCR says, is the civil administration work to reconnect electricity and other utilities throughout the province.

Beyond emergency humanitarian efforts, additional long-term reconstruction and development will be necessary in the spring to permanently repair and rebuild Kosovo, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pristina said.

Noting that the rebuilding projects will be beyond the scope and capacity of UNHCR, the refugee agency has called on the donor community and other agencies with experience in reconstruction to begin planning for spring now.

Dr. Bernard Kouchner, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Kosovo, travelled to Mitrovica to name the seven new judges -- five of whom are ethnic Albanian and two Serb -- and two additional prosecutors.

Speaking at a ceremony where the new officers read their oaths in their own languages, Dr. Kouchner said the appointments marked another important step towards building a new, independent and multi-ethnic judiciary for Kosovo.

Dr. Kouchner told the new judges and prosecutors that with the UN, they would develop a legal system compliant with international human rights standards, and based on the principle of non-discrimination.

Under the executive authority of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), a Joint Advisory Council on Legislative Matters has been formed to guide legal reform in Kosovo. The Council's tasks include drafting new non-discriminatory legislation.

UNMIK has now appointed more than 30 judges and prosecutors.

According to a UNHCR mission which went to the area last Friday, the refugees were found to be in decent physical condition. However, there is still concern about continuing tension and humanitarian access to the zone.

UNHCR said it will transfer the group to Sinje, an existing Sierra Leonean camp in Cape Mount County. Other missions will be carried out to canvas the forested area and encourage Sierra Leoneans to move to Sinje.

There are 90,000 Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia with about 35,000 in Lofa County, UNHCR said.

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

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