United Nations Daily Highlights, 97-11-25

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

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

Tuesday, 25 November 1997

HEADLINES

• Secretary-General tells high-level group that UN's financial situation has reached a "new level of seriousness".
• UN special committee decries "silent deportation or even ethnic cleansing" of Jerusalem's Arab population.
• Foreign Minister of Liberia requests the Security Council to lift arms embargo on his country.
• Floods hit second refugee camp housing mainly Somalis in northeastern province of Kenya.
• United Nations launches new international assistance programme for areas affected by Chernobyl disaster.
• UN Department for Humanitarian Affairs reports that some 35,000 people have been affected by floods in Ecuador.
• General Assembly calls on all Member States to observe Olympic Truce during Olympic Winter Games in Japan.

Because of the current state of affairs, the United Nations will have to resort to borrowing from peacekeeping funds until Member States pay their dues. But, the Secretary-General noted, "as our peacekeeping funds decrease, so does our ability to borrow".

The Secretary-General asked the working group for advice on the practice of borrowing from peacekeeping funds for regular budget activities. He also called for recommendations on "other measures that the Organization might take to ensure prompt payment of dues".

General Assembly President Hennadiy Udovenko of Ukraine told the group on Tuesday that "it would be short-sighted not to recognize an obvious fact that now the financial issue has evolved to dramatic proportions and obtained a specific political dimension". He called on those present to expeditiously elaborate recommendations that would ensure that Member States pay their dues on time.

The working group was established by the General Assembly in December 1994. Among other issues, it has considered the cash-flow situation of the Organization; the payment by Member States of their contributions in full and on time; and the problem of arrears in the payment of contributions by Member States.

On Monday, the Secretary-General said that the recent failure of the United States Congress to enact legislation on the payment of its arrears to the United Nations was troubling. In an address to Princeton University, he said that although the issue was related to money, the message concerned the United States itself. "Is Washington's will to lead diminishing even as many around the globe look to it for leadership?" Acknowledging President Clinton's commitment to supporting the United Nations, the Secretary- General said he had "every expectation that this situation will soon turn for the better".

In a new 179-page report to the General Assembly, the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories details a deteriorating situation marked by widespread violations. "The Palestinian people are currently facing an unprecedented double challenge: a virtual breakdown in the peace process and an escalation of human rights violations on the ground in the occupied territories."

The report devotes considerable attention to the problems posed by closures. "The closures have continued to generate economic and social difficulties for the inhabitants of the occupied territories whose standard of living is estimated to have declined by 30 per cent since the signing of the peace agreements." Closures also have health repercussions, the report states. "Persons afflicted with serious illnesses, including cancer, heart and kidney patients whose treatment cannot be delayed, have not been able to travel to health institutions in other parts of the West Bank or in Israel during total closures."

According to the report, the number of clashes and violent incidents between the Palestinian population of the occupied territories and Israeli settlers has increased. Settlers continue to vandalize Palestinian property, the report states, recounting examples of Palestinians who have been killed or severely injured in settler violence.

Although there had been a decline in the number of violent incidents involving Palestinian civilians and Israeli troops following the signing of the peace agreements, including by virtue of their separation when the Palestinian Authority came into being, the number of violent incidents in all parts of the occupied territories has increased significantly. The report details the excessive use of force by the Israeli Defence Forces against the Palestinians.

The Special Committee reports on serious cases of sexual harassment of women during searches of houses in Hebron by the Israeli security forces which constitute "violent and degrading treatment". Children are also suffering under the occupation, particularly those who have been placed in administrative detention. At the same time, adult prisoners have been subjected to interrogation methods "that amount to torture". Three prisoners died in custody during the past year, while general conditions of detention have deteriorated to the point that prisoners receive bad food in insufficient quantities.

The request is contained in a letter transmitted to the President of the Security Council by the country's representative, Ambassador William Bull, on Monday.

Ambassador Bull explained to United Nations Radio that the request aims to enable the Liberian Government to assume its normal responsibilities, which include ensuring the security of the State. "The circumstances which led to the imposition of the arms embargo, of course, no longer exist", he said.

According to Ambassador Bull, the arms embargo was imposed on Liberia at the height of the civil war in the country, which is now at peace. "The democratic elections have been held. A duly elected Government is in place", he added.

Elections were held in Liberia in July, under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and supported by the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL).

The Spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told reporters in Geneva that on Monday, flood waters entered Dagahaley camp, flooding out 5,000 of the 40,000 refugees in the camp. Spokeswoman Pam O'Toole said thousands of refugees have reported the loss or contamination of their food rations as a result of flooding.

The UNHCR Spokeswoman reported on Tuesday that the floods have also submerged Dagahaley's police outpost, UNHCR camp offices, a compound of non- governmental organizations, two schools and residential blocks.

Last week, rains submerged much of the nearby Ifo refugee camp containing some 40,000 Somali, Ethiopian, Sudanese and Ugandan refugees, Ms O'Toole told the press.

Hagadera, the third remaining camp in the area, has been cut in half by floods, but residential blocks have so far not been affected, she added.

She said the agency feared that there will outbreaks of dysentery, diarrhoea, malaria, and bilharzia, in an area where children have been swimming in the floodwaters amidst human and animal waste.

UNHCR is consulting with the Kenyan Government to find out if army helicopters and other aircraft can be used to transport goods from Garisea to Dadaab, which is dry. The agency points out, however, that access by road is difficult.

The programme includes more than 50 projects covering health, social- psychological and economic rehabilitation, and the environment.

The Programme was launched at a special international meeting convened by Yasushi Akashi, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl. It also calls for further support for relief actions and projects that have been prepared in cooperation with the national authorities of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

More than a decade after the accident at Chernobyl, there continue to be increased incidences of thyroid and other cancers reported among the affected populations, as well as higher morbidity rates among recovery workers. In addition, the 1.9 million people living in the affected areas are experiencing economic hardship, and problems in the areas of food production, agricultural and forestry management, as well as other important areas such as environmental and nuclear safety.

In his report on the strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, the Secretary-General expressed deep concern over the ongoing effects of the disaster on the lives and health of people, particularly children, and pointed out the need for further substantial assistance. He also presented recommendations for future actions to improve both the immediate and long-term living conditions of those affected.

On Monday, S.K. Parashin of Ukraine told the General Assembly that his country lacked the experience and funds needed to decommission the nuclear power plant. He emphasized that Chernobyl could not be considered the problem of one country or group of countries; rather, it was an unprecedented technological catastrophe on a global scale that was still a problem for the international community. The related problems could be solved only through multilateral cooperation combining international efforts, he said.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) Resident Coordinator and the United Nations, Disaster Management Team, approximately 7,000 families have been affected, of which 1,200 have been made homeless or require government assistance.

Heavy rainfall since the end of October has caused severe floods in the provinces of Boliviar, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Rios, and Monabi. These heavier than normal precipitation levels have been associated with the El Ni¤o phenomenon.

Wetter than normal conditions, combined with the deterioration of sanitary conditions, are causing health problems.

Various agencies within the United Nations system and several governments have provided relief items and cash grants to help Ecuador cope with the emergency situation. The United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs has said it is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions during the immediate relief phase.

In a resolution which had been sponsored by an overwhelming majority -- 178 States -- the Assembly urged Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee in promoting the ideal of the Olympic Truce, an ancient Greek tradition revived by the Assembly in 1993. According to that ideal, countries agree to stop all hostilities during the Games.

In the resolution, the fourth of its kind adopted since 1993, the Assembly also welcomed the decision by the International Olympic Committee to fly the United Nations flag at all Olympic sites. The Assembly further asked the Secretary-General to cooperate with that Committee in the promotion of the observance of an Olympic Truce, and to draw world attention to its contribution to international understanding, peace and good will.

Speaking before the adoption of the resolution, Penny Wensley of Australia stressed the importance of flying the United Nations flag at Olympic Games as a daily reminder of the importance of the Organization, shared ideals and the commitment of all to the promotion of international cooperation. She added that at the XVIII Olympiad in Sydney, the flag would be seen by an estimated 10,000 athletes and 5,000 officials from 200 countries, as well as 15,000 media representatives and a worldwide audience of 3.5 billion people.

The text was introduced by Japan's representative, Mikako Kotani, an Olympic Gold medalist who said that fair competition in the spirit of sportsmanship fostered mutual respect that excluded discrimination, and served to deepen mutual goodwill. That, in turn, could lead to the gradual realization of peace and understanding -- goals shared by all humankind.

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

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