United Nations Daily Highlights, 03-10-13

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

OF THE NOON BRIEFING

BY

FRED

ECKHARD

SPOKESMAN

FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, October 13, 2003

U.N. AGENCY: 1,240 PALESTINIANS LEFT HOMELESS BY ISRAELI INCURSION

According to an assessment by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), 114 homes and refugee shelters were demolished during the Israeli military incursion last week into Rafah, in the southern Gaza strip. As a result 1,240 individuals are now homeless.

The UN agency has been providing food, in the form of hot meals, and temporary shelter, in the form of tents, to those unable to find immediate accommodation.

The recent incursion brings the total number of Palestinians who have been made homeless in Rafah since the beginning of the current intifada to 7,523. The total for the whole of the Gaza Strip now stands at 11,987.

U.N. ENVOY VOICES CONCERN AT AIR VIOLATIONS OVER LEBANON

Following seven air violations of the Blue Line today by Israeli military jets, the Secretary-Generals Personal Representative for southern Lebanon, Staffan de Mistura, once again expressed his concern over these violations. They come amid an already tense situation in Southern Lebanon and the region in general.

De Mistura reiterated his call on Israel to cease these violations and for all parties to exercise restraint and respect fully the Blue Line, in order to avoid a further deterioration of the situation on the ground.

SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION ON AFGHANISTAN

The Security Council has scheduled consultations at 5:00 this afternoon on Afghanistan, with a view to holding a formal meeting on a draft resolution.

The action follows a letter transmitted by the Secretary-General from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) regarding a possible expansion of the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

An open debate on the Middle East is on the Security Council agenda for Tuesday.

U.N. MISSION INVESTIGATES KILLINGS IN DR CONGO'S SOUTH KIVU

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said it has launched an investigation into the killing of 16 civilians, primarily women, during an attack on October 6 in Ndunda, in South Kivu Province.

The Mission reported last Friday that witnesses said the victims were killed with axes, machetes, clubs, knives and other crude weapons. It said that two survivors were being treated at a Hospital, while four others remain missing.

Witnesses told the Mission that the killings were carried out by a group of 20 who spoke Kirundi, the national language of neighboring Burundi. Some of the witnesses told the Mission that they believed the attackers belonged to Burundis Forces for the Defense of Democracy, reported to be active in the area.

In a statement issued Friday, the UN Mission strongly condemned the killings and reaffirmed the commitment of the international community to bring an end to impunity in the DRC.

U.N. MISSION STAGES PROCESSION ON EVE OF LIBERIA TRANSITION

On the eve of the inauguration of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, the UN Mission in that country staged a military procession in Monrovia and neighboring suburbs. UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh, Ghana and Nigeria took part.

Leading the march was the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Jacques Klein, who rode on the armored personnel carrier at the front of the convoy.

Also today, Charles Gyude Bryant, the chairman-elect of the National Transitional Government, is expected to arrive from Ghana.

Meanwhile, UN Force Commander Lieutenant General Daniel Opande expressed gratitude to the Government of Liberia and to the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) for their cooperation in making Monrovia, and neighboring areas -- Bushrod Island and Paynesville -- a weapons-free zone. He appealed to the parties to continue to cooperate in this endeavor and to ensure that displaced persons camps were also free of weapons.

MONITORING OF CORPORATIONS NEEDED, SAYS REPORT ON 'RIGHT TO FOOD'

A report to the General Assembly on the right to food by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights who deals with that issue, Jean Ziegler, says that mechanisms to monitor the activities of transnational corporations remain limited, and must be strengthened to ensure that such corporations uphold their human rights obligations.

Ziegler adds that gender discrimination persists in a variety of forms that have profound effects on womens right to food, and he recommends that all Governments take action to address such discrimination, particularly where it contributes to the malnutrition of women and girls.

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

KOSOVO PRESIDENT TO HEAD DELEGATION IN VIENNA: Harri Holkeri, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative for Kosovo, on Sunday announced that Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova will lead the delegation from Kosovo attending the opening of direct talks between Pristina and Belgrade, which will take place Tuesday in Vienna. Nexhat Daci, the President of the Kosovo Assembly, will also be in the delegation.

GLOBAL COMPACT HEAD TO OPEN NASDAQ TRADING: Tuesday morning at 9:30, Georg Kell, the Executive Head of the Global Compact, will officially open trading at the NASDAQ stock exchange. Kell will be introduced by Bruce Austin, the NASDAQ Executive Vice President, and will say a few words about the Global Compact before he rings the bell. The event will be broadcast on various financial networks, and the Global Compact logo will also shine over Times Square.

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Fax. 212-963-7055

All other inquiries to be addressed to (212) 963-4475 or by e-mail to: inquiries@un.org

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