United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-03-26

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Wednesday, 26 March 1997

HEADLINES

• United Nations Secretary-General urges warring factions in Zaire to move to the negotiating table.
• United Nations Secretary-General recommends to extend the mandate of United Nations Verification Mission to Angola until mid- April.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appeals for safe passage of refugees seeking to return to Rwanda from the war-torn eastern Zaire.
• United Nations Children's Fund is to appeal for help for children in Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• Human Rights Committee concludes consideration of Bolivia's second periodic report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• The Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina receives the 1996 International Democracy Award.
• International Seabed Authority reports progress on a code for mining in the international seabed area.

Addressing a special summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Lome, Togo on Wednesday, Mr. Annan said Zaire must now move forward on a clear path towards lasting peace and reconstruction based on democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

"I urge the parties to move to the negotiating table", he said in his statement to the OAU Central Organ for Conflict Resolution Summit. "In this regard I am encouraged by the recent declaration of President Mobutu calling for a cease-fire and dialogue, as well as the decision by the Alliance of democratic Forces to declare a temporary cease-fire in the region of Kisangani".

The Secretary-General assured the Summit that the United Nations, through the efforts of the Joint UN/OAU Special Representative, would continue to press the two sides in the Zairian conflict to accept total cessation of hostilities and commence negotiations.

He said the Organisation will continue the contingency planning for a possible United Nations monitoring mechanism designed to help monitor cessation of hostilities and for the implementation of the peace plan. "Should such a monitoring mechanism be established, African States and the OAU will have to play an important part in it. We would welcome any proposal from your Central Organ towards that end," he stated.

In his report to the Council on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), Mr. Annan said final and courageous steps needed to be taken by the two parties and their leaders in order to complete the peace process.

Even though there had been little progress towards the implementation of the remaining aspects of the Lusaka Protocol over the past six weeks, the Secretary-General felt that his visit to Angola and, in particular, the meetings he had held with the leaders of the two parties, gave rise to expectations that new vigour could be injected into the peace process.

The Secretary-General recommended to the Council that, "given the uncertainty concerning the exact date for the inauguration of the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation, the mandate of UNAVEM III be extended for two weeks only, until 15 April.

The refugees are scattered along a 95-km route from the outskirts of Ubundu to Kisangani, logistics hub of humanitarian operations in eastern Zaire. Some 10,000 - 15,000 of the refugees are encamped 7 kilometres south of Kisangani, at a place called Lula.

Soldiers of the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo- Zaire (ADFL) have refused them entry into the city, the UNHCR said, adding that Alliance wants the refugees to go back to Ubundu.

"These refugees have gone through a terrible ordeal since they were forced to leave the camps at the outbreak of fighting in October in eastern Zaire", High Commissioner Sadako Ogata said in a statement issued in Geneva. "They are malnourished, traumatised and stricken with diseases. They have told us they want to end their agony and return to Rwanda", she added.

Noting that the leadership of the Alliance said on several occasions that they were prepared to open humanitarian corridors to permit the refugees to return safely to Rwanda, Ms. Ogata said she hoped a safe and appropriate place would be found to accommodate the refugees until they are fit enough to make the 400-kilometre journey to Rwanda.

In a statement on Wednesday, the agency said its appeal for quantities of high energy milk for rehabilitation of acutely malnourished children will form part of an overall United Nations appeal now being finalised and due to be released to donors in April.

"Given the widespread dependence in the country on this public distribution of food, and scattered reports already of severe child malnutrition, we feel the international community should be ready to act quickly", said UNICEF Executive Director, Carol Bellamy.

She said the agency was informed that the food distribution system operated by the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was expected to be exhausted by June.

UNICEF said that it was planning to airlift an initial supply of high energy milk to Pyongyang in the coming week, in order to meet immediate needs. It will also continue its on-going activities to provide vaccines for children, multivitamin tablets for pregnant and lactating mothers, and seeds and seedlings for nursery gardens.

The Under-Secretary of State for Human Rights in the Justice Ministry of Bolivia, Katia Saucedo Paz, introducing her country's second periodic report, said laws had been introduced to remedy abuse of the past and now all Bolivians were equal before the law, with the rights of Indians in the countryside also protected and guaranteed.

Turning to the list of questions prepared by the Committee, she said that in cases of grave danger of internal disorder a state of siege might be declared in such areas of the territory as necessary. Such a state had been declared in April 1996, she said, when leaders of labour unions had engaged in violence and blockades. As pointed out in her country's report, a number of trade union leaders were arrested and imprisoned, but were gradually released within weeks, she noted.

The Bolivian Government was commended for the efforts it had made since replacing the prior dictatorship, and for the frank and honest manner in which its report discussed the human rights problems the country faced. Nevertheless, Committee's expert members raised concern about the need for legislation to be adopted and action taken to ensure the implementation of Covenant provisions.

Speaking on the occasion of the presentation of the award on Tuesday, General Assembly President Razali Ismail of Malaysia said the decision to award the prestigious honour was in recognition of President Izetbegovic's outstanding contribution and continuing commitment to peace and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"President Izetbegovic is a man of peace. He led his country in the United States-brokered peace talks that resulted in the signing of the Dayton Agreement in November 1995, a decision requiring great courage and moral strength," Ambassador Razali said.

The regulations will lay down the terms under which States and mining companies, including the mining arm of the Authority, will be able to carry out prospecting and exploration in the seabed area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.

In a brief discussion, the Indonesian representative said that in view of the imbalance of membership on the Commission there should be exhaustive discussions on the draft regulations to ensure that the interests of the Authority were represented.

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

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