Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights,
the show about the government, Policy and human rights. Three. Welcome back
to Policy. He writes here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host,
Michael Cloggs. In that segment, we're going to be hearing about what is
going on in Sudan, different factions and the UN Security Council trying to broker
a cease fire, trying to bring everybody to the table to an agreement that
will bring peace to the region. Along with it, there are going there
has been a problem in this in the Sudan. Of course, it is
one of the hot spots for sexual violence and gender base sexual violence in that
area where the different factions you rape as a tool to get people to submit
to what it is that they want, and of course that that is under
u N directives and a to be considered to be war crimes. And with
Sudan being one of the hot spots for for the fighting, and of course
they're going to talk about things that happen in the d r C as they're
also talking about how to stop the the violence against women and children in armed
conflicts. So we're gonna hear hear those those segments, and we also hearing
some other segments about what is happening with humanitarian efforts from the UN floor in
Gaza, how there is During the press conference, there seemed to be some
confusion about if commercial trucks are allowed a different routing into Gaza than the humanitarian
trucks, if there's a different protocol, or we're havy for them, and
it turned out that other trucks, of course have to take the same route
and they face the same dangers. Is part of the security for the U
and humanitarian efforts, especially when they're bringing truckloads of medical supplies and food.
It's trying to keep people believing that this isn't the last truck forever. And
the state of hopelessness that is actually in Gaza at this time, it's reasonable
for people to think that I better get mine now because this could be the
last truck forever and they're less stranded, and that isn't exactly true, but
how do you get people to realize And that is one of the reasons why
the World Food Program trucks and other humanitarian effort trucks needs so much security so
that they can keep people calm while they deliver the services that are needed.
So, and let's move on to other updates in Okay, So, Vladimir
Putin is making a visit to North Korea as he deepens the anti West bond
with leader Kim Jung un. It is Putin's first trip to the country in
more than two decades and the first time another world leader has been invited into
the isolated capital of North Korea since the COVID nineteen pandemic. The US,
South Korea, and other countries have accused North Korea of providing substantial military aid
to Russia's war effort in Ukraine, while observers have raised concerns that Moscow may
be violent the international sanction to aid Korea's development of its nascent military satellite program.
It also comes as tensions remain high on North Korea on the Korean peninsula
after Kim Jong un scrapped a long standing policy of seeking peaceful reunification with South
Korea. Moving forward with updates from CNN, the Biden administration announced an executive
action that will shield certain undocumented spouses and children of United States citizens from deportation.
The policy will provide legal status and protections for nearly five hundred thousand American
families and roughly fifty thousand nonsensen children of immigrants under the age of twenty one
whose parent is married to a US citizen, and A senior Administration official said
the move amounts to one of the federal government's biggest relief programs for undocumented immigrants
since the DACA program was announced in twenty twelve. The action is aimed at
appealing to key Latino constituents in the battleground states including Arizona, Nevada, and
Georgia. And moving forward to the summer heat From CNN, about two hundred
and seventy million people in the US could see temperatures at or above ninety degrees
this week as an intense heat wave ushers the start of the summer. On
Thursday, parts of the Midwest to the Northeast could endure the longest heat wave
they've seen in decades. The National Weather Service Predictions said temperatures on Wednesday and
Thursday will be the hottest days of the week for several metropolitan cities. And
moving on to LGP LGBTQ plus Rights, Thailand announced Thailand will be the first
nation in out the East Asia to legalize same sex marriage after the Kingdom's Senate
approved a marriage equality bill, with supporters calling it a momental step forward for
LGBTQ plus rights. The Thailand's Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of passing the bill,
with one hundred and thirty lawmakers supporting the measure for and for opposing it.
So updates for today from CNN and why don't we move forward with statements
that were made about Sudan and eliminating sexual engender based crimes from being used as
war tactics to control people? And we will move forward with that and other
statements from the United Nations and the UN Security Council. I now give you
the flaw to Miss Martha Poibee, Mister President. Distinguished Members of the Security
Council, thank you for convening today's meeting on the situation in the Sudan,
a situation which continues to dangerously deteriorate. The persistent engagement of the Security Council
is crucio. The warring parties do take note when we act collectively, and
we must do more. Despite efforts by the United Nations, its member states
and the regional organizations, we have not succeeded in preventing the escalation of violence
in the country, and notably in Elfashia. We are deeply worried that the
fighting in and around El Fashia could lead to more mass suffering by the civilian
population. There are atrocities along ethnic lines, and we witness the severe consequences
of relentless shelling and aerial bombardments in densely populated areas. From sixteenth April to
ninth June, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented at least
one hundred and ninety two civilian deaths in Elfashia. Since then, dozens more
civilians, including women and children, have report waterly being killed. Civilians are
in the line of fire, nowhere is safe for them. We strongly condemn
the attack on the South Hospital in Elfascia carried out reportedly by the Rapid Support
Forces on eighth June, depriving hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the city
of one of their last remaining lifelines. Mister President, a ceasefire in Elfashier
is needed now to prevent further atrocities, protect critical infrastructure, and alleviate civilian
suffering. It could and should also pave the way for a broader scale cessation
of hostilities. The adoption of Resolution twenty seven thirty six last week is an
important signal from this Council that the escalation of the military confrontation must stop and
put an end to its deep negative impact on the lives of the people of
Sudan. The resolution underlies the well established responsibility of the warring parties and reiterates
the pressing need for them to abide by international humanitarian law. The parties are
called to immediately de escalate the situation in Alfascia and protect civilians throughout the Sudan
territory. The parties must heed this call without delay. As requested by the
Security Council, the Secretary General will actively develop recommendations to more effectively strengthen the
protection of civilians, Mister President, As the Security Council meets to closely follow
the developments on the ground, the fighting between the warrant parties continues to rage
and is in fact escalating in several other parts of Sudan, including Greater Hatoon,
the Kordofan Regions, and Gazeira State. On fifth June, a horrific
attack carried out in the village of Wad al Nura, Gazerra State, allegedly
by the rapid support forces reportedly killed over one hundred civilians. Violence against civilians
must stop now. No operational justification and even miscalculation would give reason for aiming
at civilians under any circumstances. Without swift action, Sudan risks becoming engulfed in
more ethnic violence and fragment even further. The risk of a conflict SPILOV remains
high as the flow of sophisticated weapons continues to fuel the war. All concerned
external players should and act responsibly and use their leverage over the warring parties to
advance peace efforts. Their positive engagement could make a difference to the trajectory of
this war and on the magnitude of its human tool. Mister President, the
human rights situation remains appalling. Serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights
law continue to be committed at a large scale. This includes summary executions of
civilians and arrest and detention incomunicado of hundreds of individuals in poor conditions, as
well as widespread conflict related sexual violence predominantly perpetrated by their rapid support forces.
We urgently need meaningful actions towards ensuring accountability for these violations. The victims deserve
justice, Mister President. So far, mediation efforts have not secured a cease
fire nor a sustained direct dialogue between the parties. Regrettably, there is no
indication that the important discussions held in the context of the Jedder platform will resume
soon. We call on the parties to embrace dialog, desist from destructive blame
games, and seek every opportunity for peace. Mister President, we cannot afford
to be passive. By standards, A negotiated solution remains the only way out
of this conflict. The Personal Envoy of the Secretary General, Mister Rampton Lamamra,
visited the region in May and early June. He held discussions with General
Bohan and other senior commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and members of the Sudan's
Sovereign Council in Port Sudan, as well as with the senior delegation sent to
Nairobi by the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, General Dagano. He urged
them to spare civilians during all military operations, whether via land or from the
air. He urged them to agree on a local ceasefire in El Fashia,
highlighting it is essential to ensure the safety of civilians. He also conveyed the
need for an action oriented meeting of the Humanitarian Forum chaired by the UN Humanitarian
Coordinator, Miss Clementine in Querta Salami, to concretely discuss and eliminate impediments to
humanitarian access. Meeting with them, the Personal Envoy registered the commitment of both
the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to the Jedder Declaration of Commitment
to Protect Civis Bvillians signed on eleventh May twenty twenty three. Some fundamental differences
between the party's styllsists on how to advance the implementation of these commitments. We
call on them to display a constructive attitude in charting a way forward, Mister
President, Mister Lamamar continues to work on advancing a coordinated mediation endeavor, working
alongside member states and regional partners including the African Union, the inter Governmental Authority
on Development and the League of Arab States to advance peace efforts. We welcome
the Cairo Communicy resulting from the consultative meeting convened by the League of Arab States
on twelfth June. The commitment to form a technical working group of the regional
and international organizations is an important state. It will facilitate the exchange of views
and coordination of diplomatic initiatives. We also extend our gratitude to Jibouti for offering
to host next month a retreat for international mediators to be jointly corresponsored by the
concerned multilateral organizations. This retreat will be crucial to revitalize coherent and coordinated peace
efforts. It provides the opportunity to agree on shared responsibilities and a unified approach
to peace in Sudan. We are also encouraged by the decision of the leadership
of the African Union to launch a preparatory process for the convening of a Sudanese
civilian political dialog. The United Nations stands ready to facilitate the provision of a
United Nations appropriate contribution. It is critical that civilian voices, especially those of
women and youth, are heard. Upholding the promise of the transitional period for
a fully credible democratic government remains crucial. We look forward to continuing our work
with the African Union High Level Panel in leading these important efforts, whether support
and contribution of the other consented multilateral organizations. Mister President, it is high
time for the warring parties to spare the Sudanese people from further suffering and come
to the negotiating table to discussing good faith. We encourage the parties to fully
take advantage of the good officers of personal and voila Mamra to promote constructive interactions
which could help them take steps towards the horizon of peace. The plight of
the Sudanese people demands our urgent attention and decisive action. The warring parties have
the responsibilities to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Sudan and make decisions of
historic nature and scope. The people of Sudan deserve no less thank you for
you. We we the Security Council Signatories of the share the commitments on women,
peace and security WPS, Ecuador, France, Guyana, Japan, Bolta,
Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States
of America and my own country, the Republic of Korea, have gathered here
today to voice our concerns on the dire situation for women and girls in Sudan.
The prolonged conflict in Sudan has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crisis,
with millions facing famine and lacking essential health services. The crisis has catastrophic
impacts on lives, dignity and human rights of women and girls. We reiterate
the call for an immediate ceasfire across Sudan and the full compliance with the arms
in Babble in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions. All warring parties should ensure
the protection of civilians and the full safe, rapid and unhindered the humanitarian access
as called for, including the International Humanitarian Conference held in Paris last April.
In light of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on
the nineteenth of June, we express our strongest condemnation of sexual violence, including
when used as a tactic of war, and here by we affirm our commitment
to supporting survivors and empowering women's participation in peace and security processes. First,
we demand that all parties immediately seize all acts of sexual and gender based violence,
including rape as a tactical war and the targeting women and girls based on
ethnicity, and fully commit to preventing and addressing such acts. We welcome the
prioritization of these are trustees by the International Criminal Court and the UN Fact Finding
Mission. We reiterate that those commit violations of international humanitarian law or human rights
law or other trustees are to be held accountable and may be subject to targeted
sanctions measures in accordance with Skilled Council Resolution fifteen ninety one. Second, we
are committed to supporting a comprehensive survivor centered approach. We urge international partners to
direct funds to local women led organizations and programs that assist survivors. We trust
importance of full access of life saving services, including sexual and reproductive health services,
and all attacks on medical workers and facilities must be stopped. Also,
we condemn any threat or attacks against women human rights defenders and activists and urge
the removal of any restrictions on their work. Finally, we are deepily concerned
that despite numerous courts, Sudanese women have been excluded from multiple talks and negotiations
since hostilities escalated in April twenty twenty three. We demand the full, equal,
meaningful and safe particip vasion of Sudanese women and women's organizations in all political
processes, including humanitarian and accountability efforts. We encourage the Secuitary General as a
personal envoy, and the major regional actors including the African Union, to support
the inclusion of women in peace talks and prioritize gender perspectives in their endeavors.
Thank you the RF and have not listened to your demand for a localized cease
fire and al fashion. By all accounts, the city could fall quickly imminently.
What are the next steps? How long are you going to wait?
To act strongly in the light of this catastrophic situation in Sudan. The Security
Council remains of this important matter and close to the monitor how things develop on
the ground and engage in serious discussions and appropriate action if necessary. Thank you,
Thank you for your cooperation. I have something to say regarding the Security
Council twenty seven thirty six, which for the first time has set at least
a benchmark, which is a mild benchmark, regarding the denunciation of the RSF,
the militia that is destructively launching a war against the Sudanese armed forces,
Sudanese people, the elderly, and we have delivered many times evidences, pictures,
images, satellite imagery regarding the involvement of the United Arab Emirates in this
ague war and the vicious attacks against the Sudanese villians as the RASF is actually
and abusively attacking the civilians at the area of production with a view to augmenting
the food gap into a full blown famine. This is in concert with other
international regional actors. Number two, we have found recently the Intelligence managed to
restore around six passports of United Arab Emirates citizens that has been retrieved in Hartung.
They were are aiding the elements of the RSF. We have submitted new
evidence with these passports to the existing current President of the Security Council and we
ask him to publicize it and we see up until now it has not been
done. And now today as I mentioned and updated the story and the violations
of the RSF, who are receiving regularly massive you know, mercenaries from southern
Libya across Chad and car to support them. Now they are threatening to attack
again Al Fasher, respective of the security Council Operative paragraph and in the same
time the Sudanese authorities and the Stan government will cooperate as we have ascertain will
facilitate the passage and the unencumbered delivery of the humanitarian assistance to all the needy
across the Sudan. And we also updated the situation that if the Security Council
walk the walk this time by naming and shaming the RSF, they have to
walk the extra mile by ami and shaving United Arab Emirates, because it is
well known across the world nationwide, across the war that this drama, this
is the continuous assistance that is giving aid supplies, arms, shipments to the
RSF and the mercenaries to fight Sudan in order to destroy the current state with
a view to replacing it by their proxies local surrogates. The RSF the RSEF
cannot make a body of government. And as much as they are having a
kind of developing a kind of new racial terrorism attacking Sudanese civilians wherever they had
gone or attacked specific cities and towns and villages in in Sudan, so I
denounce the role of the UAE in supporting viciously continuously the RASF military operations against
the Sudanese people, and we will refer this file to the ICC to investigating
this. We have set up lots of or the Sudanese people themselves, lawyers,
judges have set up many forums of legal forums in order to give help
a legal aid to the Sudanese and to the victims of the atrocities committed by
the RSF, and they will submit as well a file to the ICC.
Sudan government have set up also local legal committees to monitor the crimes committed against
humanity from the RSF site. And I am here again to say we are
not dealing in lice. We have waited ten months before we address the Security
Council with our file of complaint. During these ten months, the Sudanese authorities
and the Sudanese leadership have regularly contacted regional mediators and mediators in the Middle East
and beyond in order to inform the UAE authorities to refrain from going on with
supplying their lethal and sophisticated arms, including American arms they have been provided to
the RSF. It means either the provider or the supplier has breached the mutual
agreement of this armed contract. So this is in a nutural we say UAE
continues to support OURSEF. They are their mentor, regional mentor, and Sudan
government is aware of all these vicious machinations and we will can continue. We
will continue without any kind of hesitance to try to provide the media with any
update in disrespect. Thank you very much for your continuous cooperation. A couple
of follow up questions. Could you give us a little situational update from al
Fasher? We didn't hear too much in your statement about it. And what
is the situation of the ESSAYF currently your sixth Infantry Division that's in Fasher.
You know, since the last six months or before before, the RSF are
in circuit encircled inside Alfashion with the Sudanese cities in trap there. So it
is just lies when you say the Sudanese or staff has bombarded citizens. Why
they are in circuled within and the encirclement is actually affected by the RSF including
their armament and their what do you call it, the mercenaries coming from Chad,
southern Libya and beyond even in the Sile from the Stile. So the
situation now. Even in the second day on Friday, the RASF has attacked
Al Fasher and has killed many citizens in Al Fasher, has destroyed yesterday the
Southern Hospital in Alfashier and Sudan government will cooperate with the Security Council vis a
vis their duties in trying to protect the civilians. They will allow they are
not actually holding any citizen from leaving the town or the city because they are
actually diseased and in circled. But they will escort anybody who wanted to go
out from Al Fasher. But actually it will not decease from defending the city.
It will not decast from defending the city until the last soldier, because
this is a Sudanese to reign, a Sudanese territory and we have duty constitutionally
to defend al Fashia. Because the RSF wanted again to commit racial cleansing or
an ethnic cleansing. They are targeting specific people from the Zagawa tribe. I
have named them and they have committed it before, they are repeating it again
in an ugly scenario. So Sudanese armed forces will defend al Fashion to the
last soldier. Can I just ask you. At the end of your remarks,
you said that US weapons are being used. You're saying that the UA
weapons the UAE has purchased. Yeah, because actually we delivered this evidence.
We delivered this evidence. I said, there are two missiles of an American
med This is not an accusation to the US. Of course, it has
been found and we I think we informed the US authorities about it in this
respect. In even in the last week when I submitted my supplement to the
Security Council, we also placed them images regarding all weapons that we have found
or seized from all different make including Europeans, including beyond, including other countries
in the EU and other Asian countries. We have a list of them.
But when I say that there are the military with no specific weapons that is
lethal, how come? How did how did they find their way to the
cardoon? So this is when the Wall Street Journal and New York Times have
said it that they unleashed their investigation anything. You are United Arab every time
they name it. So when the what do you call it? The pr
of the UE. He's attacking me now, he said, I'm telling the
Council lies. I have corroboration I'm a lawyer. I don't dealer trading lines.
We have corroboration from other actors. We have corroboration from human rights,
investigative journalism and the Congress members who wrote a letter to the UEE authorities and
beyond. So we are dead Shua that we have a case. We have
a good case. We have substantiated it legally, and we will ask the
Security Council just to walk the walk and try to name and shame the UEE
and to lay pressure. I need to stop supplying arms to the RSF.
There one more. The u AM kept referring to you as the saf representative,
yes, as opposed to the Ambassador of Sudan one kind yes, Yes.
What is your reaction to that? Yes? I think this is a
ludicrous kind of characterization. I am I am recognized here by the Secretary General,
the representative of the government of Sudan, not the representative of staff.
I am not a military person. I'm a lawyer. I'm a civilian and
actually in Sudan there is no military regime. This regime the military elements have
been chosen after the revolution together with the civilian sectors who made the government.
In the post revolution, the civilian government resigned and they came again and they
agreed with the military components, and then the prime minister resigned and his government
resigned accordingly. So we did not they were not dismissed. So we have
never seen in the classic coups or the Man and the Horse, when a
person makes a coup against himself. Number two, there is no motherling of
the press. Sudanese people used to shout down to go to take to the
streets to demonstrate willingly, and there is no modeling of the press. There
is freedom of assembly is being guaranteed even after the war, until the war
went even further after that, maybe said of emergency have been declared when when
the RSF attacked the cities in areas and the residracial areas so that they displaced
the citizens for good reason they wanted because they get other people from the sah
and who are now occupying village I mean the towns, I mean the residents
and avoids citizens abodes in on facilities in Hardon and in So this is one
of the things that we said, if the r SF wanted to make peace,
they have to remove their occupants, foreign occupants who are occupying the Sudanese
houses and abudes. So calling me as a self representative does not augur well.
In as much as he is he is an r ASF mentor, he's
a vicious r ASF mentor because RSF is no longer a governmental body but a
killer. So the machine killer of the RSF is being supported by the RSF,
by the representative, by the pr himself states with due respect. So
I'm not worried by whatever he calls me. I can. I can defend
myself well, and I don't feel ashamed to serve my country at this difficult
time and this tragedy being you know, by attacking Sudanese, not all the
Sudanese government or his army, attacking even the cities is on the vulnerables.
So I have the honor to serve my Sudan in this difficult time, and
I don't give it down for whatever the pr uee said of depicting me of
representative of this or that I am here the representative here as is normal following
a three day weekend, I'll have a bunch of notes, so bear with
me. You have a bunch of questions. Okay, that's a fair deal.
Okay, good afternoon everyone. This morning is Zumi Nakamitsu, the head
of our Office for Disarmament Affairs, delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary General
at the fourth Conference to review the implementation of the Program of Action on Small
Arms and Light Weapons. In the remarks, the Secretary General said the conference
arrives at a difficult and dangerous moment for humanity, with global military expenditures on
the rise, yet that there's nothing small or light about the damage these weapons
cause. The New Agenda for Peace recognizes the vital importance of small arms control
in preventing conflict and sustaining peace, and makes a number of recommendations to strengthen
national, regional, and global arms control efforts on both the supply and demand
side. This fourth Review Conference is a critical opportunity to ensure that these instruments
continue to adapt to changing circumstances. The Secretary General calls for bold and action
oriented recommendations that can strengthen this framework, particularly around new and emerging technologies,
weapons diversion, gender and international cooperation and assistance. And tomorrow at nine am
there will be a briefing here by Under Secretary General Nakamisu along with ambassadori Sa
Chan Valverde, President Designate of Revcon four and Ivor Fung, Chief of the
Conventional Arms Branch in the UN Office for Disarmaoned Affairs, and they will brief
you on the fourth Review Conference that is under way. Turning to the situation
in Gaza, the Office where the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that displaced families
continue to face dire conditions and significant challenges in accessing basic services. Additionally,
according to recent assessments led by OCHA and Humanitian partners on the seventh of June,
critically low access to water was reported as a key concern. The World
Health Organization says that it remains concerned about the escalating health crisis in the occupied
Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, where attacks on health infrastructure and increased
restrictions on movement are obstructing access to healthcare. As of the twentieth of May,
WHO has documented four hundred and eighty attacks on healthcare in the West Bank
since the seventh of October two, twenty twenty three. These include at tax
on health infrastructure, ambulances, detention of health workers and patients, obstruction of
their access to health facilities, use of force on health workers, and militarized
searches of ambulances and staff. Meanwhile, also in the West Bank, the
closure of checkpoints, arbitrary obstructions and attentions of health workers, rising and security,
as well as the siege enclosure of entire towns and communities has made movement
within the West Bank increasingly restricted, impeding access to health facilities and A preliminary
assessment released by the UN Environment Program finds that the environmental impacts of the war
in Gaza are unprecedented, exposing the community rapidly growing soil, water and air
pollution, and risks of irreversible damage to its natural ecosystems. Unit reiterates the
call for an immediacya spire to protect lives and eventually help mitigate the conflict's environmental
impacts. The authors find that resolving immediate and chronic environmental challenges in Gaza is
key for its people's health and must be integrated into recovery and reconstruction plans.
This morning, briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Sudan. In
Sudan, Martha Poby, the Assistant Secretary General for Africa said that we are
deeply worried that the fighting in and around El Fasher could lead to more mass
suffering by the civilian population, warning that there are atrocities along ethnic lines.
She stressed that the ceasefire in El Fasher is needed now to prevent further atrocities,
protect critical infrastructure, and alleviate civilian suffering, adding that it could and
should also pave the way for a broader scale cessation of hostilities. Also briefing
Council members, Edemusornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy in the Office for
the Coordination of Humancheeran Affairs, said that fourteen months of conflict have created a
nightmare for civilians in Sudan, with the people of El Fasher at the epicenter
today amid unrelenting violence and suffering, she warned, the lives of eight hundred
thousand people hang in the balance. Miss Wosorno warned that in addition to the
direct toll on civilians, the conflict is also deepening humangeerian needs across the country.
She said that almost five million people face emergency levels of food insecurity and
over two million people in forty one hunger hotspots are at high risk of slipping
into catastrophic hunger in the coming weeks. Women report having to watch their children
starve because they cannot feed them. Both remarks have been shared with you.
Our peacekeeping colleagues and the Democratic Republic of the Congo report that over the weekend,
suspected members of a Mai May armed group attacked to UN patrol dispatched near
Buttembo in the North Kivu Province, leaving one peacekeeper wounded. The injured peacekeeper
was evacuated to Goma for medical treatment and is reportedly in stable condition. The
patrol was dispatched in response to recent attacks on civilians by Allied Democratic forces late
last week, in which at least forty two civilians were killed. Meanwhile,
in response to recent clashes between them twenty three and the Congolese Armed Forces in
Kanyabayongo, also in North Kivu, MONUSCO is continuing joining patrols with the Congolese
Armed Forces to protect the population. These patrols are contributing to restoring a sense
of safety, encouraging a small number of residents to cautiously return to the area.
Turning to Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells US
that attacks on hostilities over the last four days across the country continued to cause
multiple civilian casualties, including among children. The regions of Donyetsk, Kharkiv and
Pultava in the east and the center of the country were particularly affected, with
homes and civilian facilities having been damaged, as well as disruptions to the power
supply. That's according to the authorities and partners on the ground. Following attack
in the Poltava region, humanitarian partners provided psychological support and delivered repair materials,
reaching more than two hundred people. AID workers also distributed construction materials for emergency
repairs to the affected families in the Donyetsk, Kharkiv and Nepro regions whose homes
were damaged by recent attacks. We have a humanity and update from Haiti.
Yesterday, two cargo flights organized through the World Food Program land in the capitol
of Porte Prints, carrying fifty five tons of medicine, shelter and hygiene materials.
These supplies will be used to assist displaced people and to prepare for the
hurricane season. WFP's school Meals program has now distributed some thirty million meals across
the country since the start of the current school year. Of these, nearly
seventeen million meals have been provided through its program that supports local farmers. As
we previously said, the education sector has been severely impacted by the recent violence,
with more than two hundred thousand children and four thousand teachers affected in the
West and octopudiate departments across the capital. Thirty nine schools have also been transformed
into displacement sites and have therefore stopped functioning as schools. Since the eighth of
June, UNICEF and the Haitian Education Ministry have started running classes and courses to
compensate for missed classes over the past few months across thirty centres in fort A
Prince. The Deputy Secretary General Mina Muhammed is in Paris today. Yesterday,
she spoke at the first Transforming Education Summit stock take. The Deputy Secretary General
said that whiles in progress has been made since the Transforming Education Summit in September
twenty twenty two, much more work was needed to address inequalities and provide quality
and relevant education for all. She added that there was still an urgent need
for increased investments to achieve the fourth Sustainable Development Goal on quality education, and
she stressed the importance of prop prioritizing education. Meetings with ministers, civil society
leaders and other partners. Ms Mohammad also held meetings with SDG finance stakeholders,
including on issues relating related to the reform of the International Financial Architecture. She
will return to New York tonight during the eth holiday. The UN Special Coordinator
for Lebanon, Janin Hennes Bleischert, and the UNIFILL Force Commander, Lieutenant General
Adol de Lazo jointly called for all actors along the Blue Line to put down
their weapons and commit to a path of peace. Since October, they said,
we have seen too many lives lost, families uprooted, and neighborhoods destroyed.
The express concern about the latest escalation and said that the danger of miscalculation
leading to a sudden and wider conflict is very real and it is with great
sadness that we learn of the passing of General Claudio Graziano, who had served
as UNIFIL's Head of Mission and Force Commander from two thousand and seven to twenty
ten. Are sincere condolences to his family and to the government of Italy.
The World Food Program is ramping up its food and nutrition assistance program in West
and Central Africa, targeting seven point three million people during the ongoing June to
August lean season. The program supports national government's lean season response plants in Burkina
Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Martigna,
Nicher and Nigeria. WFP s as the number of people targeted as part of
the program could expand to twelve million people if adequate funding allows, but they
say dwindling resource available for human charan operations means that despite near record level needs,
WFP has been forced to says fewer people than originally planned. Nearly fifty
five million people in the region are projected to face acute hunger between now and
August, that is four times more than five years ago. Malnutrition has also
reached very high levels, with an estimated seventeen million children under five acutely malnourished.
You can find more information online. Earlier today, in Geneva, the
UN High Commission for Human Rights Wulkur Turk opened the fifty six session of the
Human Rights Council presenting his global update if the High Commissioner voiced his dismay at
the extent to which warring parties have pushed beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable
and legal on many fronts, trampling human rights at their core. We urgently
need to find our way back to peace in line with the UN Charter and
international law, mister Turk stressed. Later in the day, he also presented
his update on the human rights situation in Yanmar. Both statements are online.
We have an update from the Development Coordination Office. The Secretary General has appointed
new Resident Coordinators to Georgia and the Gambia, following followed by the respective host
government's approval. Dide Trebuk from France started his new function over the weekend as
the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Georgia. He brings more than twenty four years
of experience in sustainable development, climate change, social cohesion, crisis prevention,
in humanitarian action with the United Nations and international organizations. He previously served as
the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean States, covering ten countries
and territories. Carl Frederick Bull of Haiti is now the Resident Coordinator in the
Gambia. He brings twenty years of extensive experience in development and humanitarian work,
having held leadership roles within NGOs across Africa and Latin America. Before joining the
UN, he was the Resident Representative for Plan International in Burkina, Faso and
Binan. He also served as Country director for Care in Haiti. Their full
bios are online. Ahead of World Refugee Day this Thursday, the UN Refugee
Agency would like to invite you to two exhibits at the UN which highlight the
skills and talents that refugees bring to the communities that welcome them. The first
is an art exhibit entitled Interwoven Refugee Murals Across Borders, which is at the
UN Visitor's Lobby as of today through the end of July. This exhibition presents
a collection of murals created through a collaborative process, traveling from different locations in
refugee camps, where refugees and host communities contributed to their creation. The second
exhibit is the MAD fifty one exhibit, which showcases refugee craftsmanship from home decor
to accessories and jewelry. You can go see it by the curved wall in
the UN Conference Building and that will be there until Thursday. And staying on
the same topic, UNSCR today announced the appointment of the British actor Theo James
as his new Global Goodwill Ambassador. Mister James is a producer and star of
dramas like The Gentleman and The White Lotus and he has been supporting the work
of UNHCR since twenty sixteen. He has traveled to meet asylum seekers and refugees
in Greece, France and Jordan and has helped raise awareness of the importance of
stars securing access to mental health services for refugees and we wish him the best
of luck. Today is the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. In a
message, the Secretary General knows that hate speech is a marker of discrimination,
abuse, violence, conflict and even crimes against humanity and we have seen this
play out from Nazi Germany to Rwanda, Bosnia and beyond. He stressed that
there's no acceptable level of hate speech. We must all work to eradicate it
completely. And today's also Sustainable Gastronomy Day, and last the Secretary General was
saddened to learn of the death of Beru Sadri, who served as a valued
United Nations senior leader for decades. Mister Sadri was the Secretary General's Deputy Special
Representative in five peacekeeping missions from the nineteen eighties through the early two thousands,
including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola, Mozambique,
and Cambodia. For more than four decades. He was a trusted colleague and
crucial part of you and peacekeeping operations, both at YOU and HAD quarters and
in the field. We extend our condolences to his family. Okay, Edie,
thank you and apologies if I miss this, if this was the first
thing you talked about, But on the pause that the Israelis have announced on
the road from Karam Shoalam to deliver aid, has any aid actually been going
on that road? If so, how much and has it actually gotten to
any Palestinians in need? Okay, well, first of all, I'd like
to say that we do welcome this announcement, but this has yet to translate
into more aid reaching people in need. Regarding the road itself, the area
between Karam Shalom and the Sala at the en road is very dangerous for humanitarian
workers to move goods there. Fighting is not the only reason for being unable
to pick up aid. By the way, the lack of any police or
rule of law in the area makes it very dangerous to move goods there.
But we are ready to engage with all parties to ensure that AID reaches people
in Gaza, and we'll continue to work with the authorities and with security forces
trying to see what can be done to have security conditions. We do hope
that this announcement leads to further concrete measures by Israel to address long standing issues
preventing a meaningful humanitarian response in Gaza. A couple of follow ups, whose
responsibility is it to police that area? And are there discussions going on right
now there are? I mean, obviously we'd have to see whether there's arrangements
that could be made with local authorities on the ground to ensure security. A
lot of our security also depends on coordination with the communities. One of the
problems, as we've been pointing out in recent weeks, is when aid gets
to a place people are starving and they're worried that this may be the last
food that they see. They have to be assured that there's going to be
a regular flow of goods so that there's not a panic when we get to
the area. So just to make clear, there actually has been no aid
going on that road since the Israeli announcement. I'm not aware of any aid
traveling on that road so far. We are working to get it realized and
we'll try to get moving as soon as we can. Yes, Emily,
Thanks Fahan. I have a question on Afghanistan. Over the weekend that Saliban
said that they will participate to the next Doha meeting at the end of June.
Can you confirm that they officially accepted the invitation and did they ask for
any condition because we heard that there will not be any session with them with
the Afghan Civil Society and can you confirm the SG is not going and who
will be representing the UN. Then at this stage, the arrangements for the
conference are still ongoing, so I don't have the full details to provided the
stage. You've seen that we had announced the invitation to the Taliban and we're
continuing to work with the various parties, but closer to the date we'll try
to get details about the various arrangements. Mariam, thank you for han.
You mentioned the Human Rights Council. As you know, today the Special Operteur
for Afghanistan submitted has report on human rights in Afghanistan. Has this she seen
that report and what does he think? And also a second question Richard Bennett
and his speech is stressed that the U N and the World the other countries
who are participating in third Doha Meeting should not treat the Taliban as a legitimate
government. And also he is stressed that the World body should support gender apartheid
to be recognized as crimes crime against humanity. Will the Secretary General take his
advice into account regarding a third Doha meeting? And overall what the Secretary General
thinks of gender apartheid campaign that is going on. Regarding the question of gender
apartheid, you'll have seen what the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General who
visited Afghanistan last year and others have said. This is a key concern and
we want to make sure that the rightful role of women in society is respected
in in Afghanistan as it needs to be everywhere in the world. Regarding the
question of the reports, these are reports that are reviewed by the Human Rights
Council, so we will leave the matter in the hands of the Human Rights
Council. Yep, you shouldn't treat the Taliban as a legitimate government. Is
the Secretary General gonna take that advice from there? Well, I just want
to underscore that we treat them as the day factor authorities on the ground.
They are not treated as the recognized government of Afghanistan. Yes, thank you
for han my question on refugees. There was a report, an investigative report
yesterday on the BBC regarding Greek coast guards throwing refugees off board was zip Tide.
This is not the first time that such matter, and earlier in the
year there were also rumors about collusion between Greece and Italy with regard to sinking
refugee ships coming late after SOS messages or calls from smugglers vote. Since Greece
is an member electing Security Council, will the Sexually General be willing to authorize
a thorough investigation about these allegations, especially that this time we have still live
witnesses for such misbehavior. Thank you well. On this, I'd like to
point out that the UN Refuge Agency UNCR has monitored the situation at Greece's borders
over the years, they have received numerous reports of incidents of summary force returns,
some of which have reportedly resulted in the loss of human lives. The
agency brought a number of these reports to the tension of the Greek authorities and
asked for a full investigative, a full and effective investigation. UNCC understands that
a number of investigations have been initiated by the Greek authorities, but UNSCR has
received little information about their progress or outcome, and so UNSCR has been formally
asked to submit information pertaining to number of these investigations, and the refuge Agency
continues to stress them points of independent and conclusive investigations with results clearly communicated so
that any allegations involving human rights violations are thoroughly probed and accountability is established.
Desji yes a follow up on the Kaza humanitarian very situation. Cocat co got
reported that yesterday there are there were sixty two commercial trucks entered Gaza. Can
the un confirm that there's commercial trucks because that's that's you have has been caught
for a long time we wanted commercial trucks to come in. Obviously, what
we need and what World Food Program has been asking for is greater progress and
greater travel by commercial trucks because the problem, particularly in northern Gaza, is
although there has now been some commercial traffic coming in, there's not enough so
that commercial goods are available at affordable prices. So my curiosity here is if
the commercial trucks can even enter Gazo, what is the difference between the commercial
trucks and the un operated trucks. Well, I mean there are un operator
trucks coming in from certain places. But what I can say in terms of
crossing points as of today, this is the information for the World Food Program,
is that the Rafa opening is closed. Karam Shalom or Karam Abusilam,
as you may say, is operating with limited functionality, including because of fighting
in the area. The Ares crossing is non functional and that's also due to
an escalation of fighting the area. Meanwhile, the West Areas crossing and the
kim Uh that that area is operational and so goods are coming in that way.
Okay, two follow ups. First, on the US peer, do
you have any conclusion of the assessment of the security. Now, no,
what what exactly does this situation of the security that you're I mean, the
WFP is analysis. Well, it's an analysis by the World Food Program and
also by our security people. And the idea is to make sure that there's
secure conditions for humaniti workers to go about their work. From from which from
from the self distribution part or from that location the shore and and the beach
might be used as military operations. Which part the question is concerns that arose
over the over the recent weeks about the neutrality and the partiality in particular of
human chair workers and how that affects their safety. Okay, yes, Yvonne
and then Stefano. Thanksvahan. Going back to your comments about age deliveries,
you mentioned that when the aid gets to some of these communities, they are
starving and they need to be reassured that this isn't the last aid delivery they
will receive. But presumably that reassurance is impossible to give in the current context.
Is that my understanding, Correctly, it's difficult to give. I mean,
ultimately, we need to make sure that there's a more regular flow of
aid and more regular flow of aid to all areas. There were times when
there were a few weeks ago when you had a more aid going into the
southern part of Gaza, but not to the north. In recent weeks you've
had an improvement in the north, but a drastic deterioration in the south.
And so that that is why in different areas you see different forms of panic.
And it's very reasonable and rational that this is happening if you had had
a low level but regular level of food coming in and suddenly it stops.
So it needs it needs to be something that can happen everywhere. Meanwhile,
basic commodities are available in markets and southern and central Gaza, but as I
was pointing out, it's unaffordable for many people, and so we need a
greater about commercial goods coming in so that food can be sold in the affordable
price. Stefano, thank you, Thank you for an Italian foreign Minister Taiani
today in the Parliament during a question he said that the situation in Lebanon with
UNIFIL is getting worse every day, and these said that the Italian government asks
the Yuan, even very recently, guarantees from the Yuan for the Italian over
one thousand soldiers that are there can you confirm that the Italian government very recently
ask kind of guarantees. I don't know what this, what this means and
it and what it would be the answer if Italy is very very concerned about
it solely in the border there no All I can confirm is that we remain
in regular dialogue with all of our troop contributing countries, including with Italy,
to reassure them about the basic conditions on the ground. And this is part
of a regular dialogue that is part and parcel of the process with which we
interact with all of the member states. Uh, if the car and then
back to eating if the car? Okay, d thank you for just to
follow up on Deshi's question. This is what Why would commercial trucks feel confident
that they could go in using that route and the UN is not confident.
Oh, I'm not talking about that route about I'm talking about the crossings that
are safe. We need more crossing points to be safe. We need RAFA
to reopen, We need much better conditions at Karam Aboushalom. Hopefully, if
the fighting subsides, the area's crossing can can be restored back to the situation
was in a few days ago, but right now there's a reduction overall of
crossing points that are usable Desji. So what you mean is the commercial trucks
are not entering Gaza at the same border crossing as the un operated our deliveries.
No, I mean the crossings that are safe to use for us are
safe to use for them. Well. Sorry, the crossings that we use,
for example, there's a gim crossing are safe for the for the commercial
trucks as well. The commercial you know, the ones that are unsafe for
US are unsafe for all trucks. Yeah, so so they didn't enter with
with the truck. You you you're you're you're trying to enter Gaza. Well
exactly, for example, the rough crossing is close period for everyone. Okay,
A couple of couple of other questions. Well, first, we know
that the last weekend the Prime Minister in Tail who dissolved the cabinets. Is
there any problem for this move for for the U and to communicate with the
all levels in Israeli government. Uh. We continue to be touched with our
Israelian interlocutors. Uh. So, so our work goes on. You know,
as you know, it doesn't have to do with the internal logic of
a government. So and also another thing is primeister who also on the video
said in the video said that that mister Blincoln told him that the US will
remove its limitation on weapon deliveries. Do you're worried that would even put the
conflict up well, let's say in Gaza as well as in northern border even
worse. Our concern about all armed activities is on the record and that continues.
But we wouldn't have any specific comment about dialogue between the US and Israel.
And with that I wish you could have Okay, final thoughts. Word
of itself is bad enough. The one thing that we don't need to see
continually happening is rape and gender based violence. That is it rather aim to
control people or not. We need to put an end to such types of
violence. It owns all based in hate, and we need to relieve the
hate from our human society so that we can move forward as a species and
find a way of doing so in loving and carrying ways, finding ways to
end conflicts without violence, and find ways of setting aside greed and taking up
real security that does not involve thinking that if I don't take it from him,
he will take it from me. So thank you for listening to that.
You've been listening to Policy Rights your in Depictions Media Radio. I have
been your host, Michael Clogges, and please subscribe and support us as we
try to spread a lot loving message about human rights and the policies they go
along with them. The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact
us at depictions dot media for more information.