Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to
Speaker 1: Policy and Rights, the show about the government, policy and
Speaker 1: human rights. All right, welcome back to Policy and right
Speaker 1: here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host to Michael Cloggs.
Speaker 1: So in today's report, we're going to here start. Let's
Speaker 1: start by looking at reports from CNN, and there's two
Speaker 1: that we want to focus on because Hurricane Debbie is
Speaker 1: bear palling Florida. At this moment, Hurricane Debbie Category one
Speaker 1: storm is nearing landfall with the eyewall moving on shore
Speaker 1: in the Florida Big Ben area. According to National Hurricane
Speaker 1: Center forecasts shows Debbie will slowly transfers over the southeast
Speaker 1: US and dump a potentially catastrophic rainfall over widespread parts
Speaker 1: of Florida, Georgia, south and south of Carolina. More than
Speaker 1: one hundred thousand homes and businesses are already without power
Speaker 1: across Florida as Debbie hurricane force winds winds to begin
Speaker 1: to batter the state. According to Power Outage dot US,
Speaker 1: hundreds of flights have been canceled and delayed in the region,
Speaker 1: and several school systems have announced temporary closures. So and
Speaker 1: the US Presidential race president or Vice President. Kamila Harris
Speaker 1: sorry for the slip there is expected to announce her
Speaker 1: running mate UH this week and intends to keep her
Speaker 1: so moving forward. The Israelis are claiming some victory as
Speaker 1: they did target and kill a Hamas leader and other
Speaker 1: other details. As we want to focus for a second
Speaker 1: on UH. The prisoner swap between the United States and Russia.
Speaker 1: We have a recorded statement from President Joe Biden about that,
Speaker 1: and there may be some other details about that prisoner
Speaker 1: swap from reported from the BBC SO sixteen people released
Speaker 1: from Russia jails as part of a prisoner swap tasted freedom.
Speaker 1: They were moving scenes at at air base in US
Speaker 1: state of Maryland. Wall Street journal of reported one of
Speaker 1: the freed Americans lifted in a mother's embrace after being
Speaker 1: greeted on the tarmac as US President Joe Biden swapped.
Speaker 1: The swap involved twenty four prisoners from the US, Germany,
Speaker 1: Poland and Slovenia, Norway, Russia and Belarus and deal origin
Speaker 1: origins can be traced in twenty twenty, and it was
Speaker 1: explained from the first hints during the release of a
Speaker 1: US basketball player Brittany Greener, though it's nearly unraveling over
Speaker 1: the death of a Russian dissident, Alexei Navalali as to
Speaker 1: the conclusion when US officials held a breath and crossed
Speaker 1: their fingers until planes touchdown. So Donald Trump had made
Speaker 1: some statements saying that the efforts are laughable and that
Speaker 1: the nicotiators themselves were basically a joke, as he posted
Speaker 1: that on his Truth network, and he also was also
Speaker 1: touting how it would have never happen under his watch
Speaker 1: to begin with, claiming more crooked Joe theories. The thing
Speaker 1: of it is is should such a thing have ever
Speaker 1: become a political ploy in order for the Republican Party
Speaker 1: and for Donald Trump to attempt to gain votes went
Speaker 1: over the American public. Should should that be allowed? Or
Speaker 1: should we be just simply grateful that someone was able
Speaker 1: to get the job done and get people home. So
Speaker 1: more thoughts. There are some some other thoughts from Vladimir Putin,
Speaker 1: and Putin claiming a win in the prisoner swap, that
Speaker 1: he got exactly what he wanted and he showed how
Speaker 1: he does have power over the Western government. From the
Speaker 1: returning Russians, there was a red carpet reception, a guard
Speaker 1: of honor. There were bouquets of flowers and some hugs
Speaker 1: from President Putin and as he embraced the FSB hitman
Speaker 1: who had been serving a life sentence in Germany for
Speaker 1: assassinating the assassinating Georgia born Uh changing disson it.
Speaker 2: Uh.
Speaker 1: Russia also released more prisoners than it received. Why why
Speaker 1: is put In celebrating this is a victory and Russia
Speaker 1: got what they wanted. They got agents back, including a
Speaker 1: man number one on the list. The German authorities had
Speaker 1: initially been unwilling to release a convicted assassin who, according
Speaker 1: to German court, had acted on behalf of the Russian authorities.
Speaker 1: The message to Kriminlin wants to send to his agents'
Speaker 1: spies is if we send you on a mission abroad
Speaker 1: and things go wrong, will find a way to get
Speaker 1: you home. So mister Putin is claiming a victory, which
Speaker 1: other areas such as in Bangladesh in one case, Lebanon,
Speaker 1: Assyria and are also there's some statements about how they're
Speaker 1: trying to bring justice to those people from the UN
Speaker 1: Security Council in the Sudan and South Sudan, so there
Speaker 1: will be a joint statement. There also.
Speaker 3: Okay, good afternoon everyone. Today is the seventy ninth anniversary
Speaker 3: of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, and a message
Speaker 3: delivered in Hiroshima by his High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Speaker 3: is Zumi Nakamitsu. The Secretary General said that nuclear weapons
Speaker 3: and the threat of their use are not confined to
Speaker 3: history books. They represent a real and present danger that
Speaker 3: remains with us today. He added that we cannot press
Speaker 3: our luck again and must find new solutions to bring
Speaker 3: disarmament to life. We will never forget the lessons of
Speaker 3: the sixth of August nineteen forty five, the Secretary General said,
Speaker 3: and mis Nakamitsu will also be attending the anniversary of
Speaker 3: the Nagasaki bombing on Thursday and will also deliver a
Speaker 3: message on the Secretary General's behalf there. We issued a
Speaker 3: statement yesterday that said that the Secretary General continues to
Speaker 3: closely follow developments in Bangladesh, including the Chief of Army
Speaker 3: Staff's announcement regarding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheiksina and
Speaker 3: plans for the formation of an interim government. He urges
Speaker 3: calm and restraint by all sides and emphasizes the importance
Speaker 3: of a peaceful, orderly and democratic transition. The Secretary General
Speaker 3: stands in full solidarity with the people of Bangladesh and
Speaker 3: calls for the full respect of their human rights. He
Speaker 3: continues to underscore the need for a full, independent, impartial
Speaker 3: and trans instigation into all acts of violence. Turning to
Speaker 3: the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of
Speaker 3: Humanitarian Affairs says that ongoing hostilities and repeated evacuation orders
Speaker 3: continue to severely constrain AID operations and deepen the suffering
Speaker 3: that Palestinians are facing. OJA says that our partners monitoring
Speaker 3: population movements in Gaza report that despite the recent evacuation orders,
Speaker 3: many families continue to stay in areas placed under evacuation
Speaker 3: due to high levels of insecurity and the lack of
Speaker 3: safety across Gaza, as well as harsh living conditions in
Speaker 3: displacement sites where there is limited access to aid and
Speaker 3: basic services that are also fatigued by multiple rounds of displacement.
Speaker 3: Whether they move or stay, people in Gaza must be
Speaker 3: able to receive humanitarian assistance. Those who choose to leave
Speaker 3: their homes must be able to do so safely, and
Speaker 3: they must be allowed to return as soon as circumstances allow.
Speaker 3: The World Health Organization reports that mass displacement in Gaza
Speaker 3: as having a grave impact on public health, with overcrowding,
Speaker 3: a lack of proper shelter, and poor water, sanitation and
Speaker 3: hygiene conditions increasing the dangers of communicable diseases. WHO says
Speaker 3: overcrowding is also raising the risk of mass casualties and
Speaker 3: attacks on heavily populated areas. Meanwhile, the agency warns that
Speaker 3: the number of patients in need of medical evacuation outside
Speaker 3: Gaza is expected to increase given the ongoing fighting and
Speaker 3: the shrinking capacity.
Speaker 4: Of the health system.
Speaker 3: WHO continues to call for the establishment of multiple medical
Speaker 3: evacuation quarters out of Gaza to ensure the safe and
Speaker 3: timely passage of patients via all possible routes, including the
Speaker 3: Repha and Caram Shaloam crossings. Meanwhile, OH says that active conflict,
Speaker 3: destroyed roads and infrastructure, access denials, delays, a lack of
Speaker 3: public order and safety, and other challenges continue to hamper
Speaker 3: efforts to move AID in Gaza and therefore reach Palestinians
Speaker 3: with the life saving humanity in assistance that they rely on.
Speaker 3: We must be able to deliver to people in need
Speaker 3: wherever they.
Speaker 4: Are in Gaza.
Speaker 3: Our humanitarian colleagues report that the Karam Shalom crossing was
Speaker 3: closed today due to military operations. This has prevented the
Speaker 3: transport of critical supplies as well as the entry of
Speaker 3: human charian personnel into Gaza. Meanwhile, the Aire West or
Speaker 3: Zikim crossing has been closed since the second of August
Speaker 3: due to maintenance work. Humanitarian supplies have been redirected to
Speaker 3: the Era's crossing. This morning, Security Council members held a
Speaker 3: briefing on the human charian situation in Sudan. This meeting,
Speaker 3: as you know, comes days after the Famine Review Committee
Speaker 3: concluded that famine conditions are present in Zamzam camp close
Speaker 3: to El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Dam musurnu
Speaker 3: Ocha's director of Operations and Advocacy told Council members that
Speaker 3: life saving supplies in Port Sudan are ready to be
Speaker 3: loaded and dispatched to Zamsam, including essential medicines, nutritional supplies,
Speaker 3: water purification tablets and soap.
Speaker 4: She added that she added that it.
Speaker 3: Is crucial that the approvals and security assurances needed are
Speaker 3: not delayed. For his part, the world Food Program's Assistant
Speaker 3: Executive Director, Stephanomolo, said that the agency is significantly scaling
Speaker 3: up operations across the country. WFP will prioritize reaching people
Speaker 3: facing emergency and catastrophic levels of hunger, along with those
Speaker 3: who have been internally displaced. Both officials reiterated that the
Speaker 3: conflict must stop and a ceasefire remains the only sustainable
Speaker 3: solution that will prevent this further spread of famine. The
Speaker 3: Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the
Speaker 3: UN Mission in Kosovo, Carolinziade, today a voice concern about
Speaker 3: recent developments in Northern Kosovo. The UN Mission noted that
Speaker 3: the developments continue to adversely impact the daily lives and
Speaker 3: socioeconomic rights of affected communities, including the closure of nine
Speaker 3: Post Office of Serbia branches in the Northern Municipalite Northern
Speaker 3: Municipalities by authorities in Pristina. Missiade calls for responsible leadership
Speaker 3: to maintain the calm and safety and security of all communities.
Speaker 4: She further reiterated her calls.
Speaker 3: For outstanding issues to be resolved through the EU facilitated
Speaker 3: dialogue and appealed for restraint from taking unilateral action and lastly,
Speaker 3: thanks to Romania. The impasse has been broken. What do
Speaker 3: you think I'm referring to contributions. You're absolutely right, Desi deji.
Speaker 3: The nation of Romania has paid its dues in full
Speaker 3: and their check takes us to one hundred and twenty
Speaker 3: three fully paid up member states. And thank you to
Speaker 3: our friends in Bucharest. And for that you get the
Speaker 3: very first question.
Speaker 5: Thank you, Varhan. Let me ask you some questions steal
Speaker 5: on the OIOS investigation results. We know that the according
Speaker 5: to what I understand, the evidence is sufficient to terminate
Speaker 5: those nine people to say that they might evolve in
Speaker 5: the Hamas attack. I know, I know you cannot. The
Speaker 5: report is confidential, but can you give us like maybe
Speaker 5: one example, like what kind of evidence led to this termination?
Speaker 3: Ultimately, I cannot give you any more precise details than
Speaker 3: what I've provided for you already. The report itself can
Speaker 3: be seen by different countries. I believe some of the
Speaker 3: donors genre are aware now of the contents of that.
Speaker 4: But it is not a public document.
Speaker 3: And so what we have been able to share yesterday
Speaker 3: through the extensive information you saw in the note and
Speaker 3: the questions and answers, is as much as we can provide.
Speaker 5: Yeah, like there's no no case, no examples.
Speaker 3: I mean, okay, anyway, I mean the details are in
Speaker 3: the hands of of oyos and some of those who
Speaker 3: have been shared, like I said, with the donors who
Speaker 3: have been able to see the report.
Speaker 5: I just want to read out the response from the
Speaker 5: Israeli ambassador.
Speaker 4: Are done. Oh, I'm aware of this response, Grace.
Speaker 5: And too late that that's not the part I want
Speaker 5: to ask. He said, and I quote, investigation ignored that
Speaker 5: thousands of agency employees involved in Hamas terrorism and the
Speaker 5: extent of their involvement. Israel has provided the UN with
Speaker 5: precise details of over a hundred on what employees who
Speaker 5: are members of the terrorist organizations Hamas. We didn't hear
Speaker 5: that much. We know that there are nineteen people who's
Speaker 5: under investor, who are under investigation. What about the the
Speaker 5: numbers here thousands of employees, one hundred names.
Speaker 3: What I can tell you is that if we are
Speaker 3: to get precise information, as the ambassador suggested, we will
Speaker 3: follow up on it. So we are willing to look
Speaker 3: into any precise information that is provided by Israel or
Speaker 3: any other authorities. If we do not have that, then
Speaker 3: there's nothing to follow up on But has.
Speaker 5: The Israel provided the precise details of over one hundred names?
Speaker 3: I think you can tell from what the information we've
Speaker 3: been providing to you. We have followed up on all
Speaker 3: of the information we've received as we receive it. If
Speaker 3: we're not following up on it, that means we do
Speaker 3: not have precise information on it. Any other questions, Yes, Evelyn.
Speaker 6: Oh, thank you for ahead. Is there any chance, considering
Speaker 6: what's happening in the Middle East of a cease fire
Speaker 6: humanitarian cease fire? Is a Secretary General still pursuing it.
Speaker 3: We are encouraging it amongst all of our parties. We
Speaker 3: continue to pursue discussions on this. As you're aware, are
Speaker 3: envoy there towards ven Island. Has been in touch with
Speaker 3: various authorities and he continues to push, as of course
Speaker 3: do a number of concerned nations, and we are encouraging
Speaker 3: their efforts to make sure that this conflict does not
Speaker 3: spiral out of control.
Speaker 6: That what doesn't, sorry, what's not what's out of control.
Speaker 3: We believe that the longer the crisis in Gaza continues
Speaker 3: and that there's no ceasefire, there's a greater risk for
Speaker 3: the conflict expand and we want that to be avoided
Speaker 3: and we're pursuing that from all avenues.
Speaker 6: Okay, thank you Gabriel.
Speaker 7: Thanks Varhun. Does the Secretary of General have any comments
Speaker 7: about Muhammed Unis perhaps returning to Bangladesh to lead an
Speaker 7: interim government?
Speaker 3: Well, on that what I can what I can say, Uh,
Speaker 3: hold on just one second. Obviously at this stage, Uh,
Speaker 3: he's he's keeping abreast of all the efforts that are
Speaker 3: that are underway to form an interim government. And here
Speaker 3: are just all parties to seek a broad national consensus
Speaker 3: on government information and a timetable towards democratic elections.
Speaker 8: Statement on behalf of the following members of the Security
Speaker 8: Council as well as incoming members that are state parties
Speaker 8: to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Denmark, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guyana, Marda, Panama,
Speaker 8: the Republic of Korea, Sera Reone, Slovenia, the United Kingdom
Speaker 8: and our own countries, Japan and Switzerland. We thank the
Speaker 8: ICC Prosecutor Mister Karen Khan for the presentation of the
Speaker 8: thirteen ninth Report to the Security Councncil on the straation
Speaker 8: in Dar Rule in accordance with Resolution fifteen ninety three
Speaker 8: a miss the present conflict in Sudam. We also thanked
Speaker 8: his office or its airports to implement its mandate on
Speaker 8: the ground under difficult circumstances. We are gravely concerned about
Speaker 8: the dire humanitarian situation, as well as the numerous reports
Speaker 8: of serious viorations of international humanitarian law and violations and
Speaker 8: abuses of international humanitari human rights law. We insist the
Speaker 8: international law must be upheld all at all times, and
Speaker 8: justice and accountability must be insured for violations all violations.
Speaker 8: As an ongoing conflict in Sudan demonstrates once again, accountability
Speaker 8: for past and present authorities is an essential prerequisite for
Speaker 8: peace and stability in the future. We thus welcome the
Speaker 8: progress achieved by the ICC in the pursuit of accountability
Speaker 8: for past crimes and share the commitment to bring the
Speaker 8: perpetuators of atrocities to justice. In the context of ongoing hostilities,
Speaker 8: we command a continuing investigation into the irrigations of crimes
Speaker 8: committed to Endurhurd since twenty twenty three, prioritizing in particular
Speaker 8: crimes of sexual and gender based violence and crimes against children.
Speaker 8: We welcome the further progress of the trial of Mista
Speaker 8: Arii Muhammad Ari abudurur rahuman. We value the law given
Speaker 8: to victims, witnesses and affected communities in the process of
Speaker 8: the trial. We note the current pace of proceedings will
Speaker 8: lead to judgment in the course of twenty twenty five
Speaker 8: and hope that the justice can be delivered without father deray.
Speaker 8: Notwithstanding the current armed hostilities in Sudan, we commend.
Speaker 9: The efforts by the Prosecutor's office to engage with effect
Speaker 9: the communities in a challenging environment, and we welcome the
Speaker 9: continuing communication with CEOs, women's organizations, victims and witnesses. Outside
Speaker 9: of Sudan, we hear repeated calls for justice not just
Speaker 9: from those who witnessed and suffered from the crimes perpetrated
Speaker 9: two decades ago, but also the victims and survivors of
Speaker 9: the crimes allegedly committed since April twenty twenty three in Darfur.
Speaker 9: This conflict must not become the world's forgotten atrocity. We
Speaker 9: welcome the efforts made by the Sudanese authorities to constructively
Speaker 9: engage and communicate with the Prosecutor's office, including through the
Speaker 9: provisions of visas and executing requests from the office. We
Speaker 9: also take note of the office's first engagement with the
Speaker 9: tribal leadership of Arab communities from Darfur. We hope that
Speaker 9: this positive momentum will be further consolidated to enable the
Speaker 9: Prosecutor's Office to fulfill its investigative and prosecutoral mandate, including
Speaker 9: through the surrender and arrest of fugitives. It is crucial
Speaker 9: to recognize the link between the pain and suffering inflicted
Speaker 9: on our four twenty years ago and the current situation.
Speaker 9: We renew our unwavering commitment to uphold, defend, and promote
Speaker 9: the principles and values of the Roman Statute, and to
Speaker 9: preserve its integrity, undeterred by any threats or measures against
Speaker 9: the Court, its officials, and those cooperating with it. In
Speaker 9: this regard, we continue to comply with our cooperation obligations
Speaker 9: and encourage all member states to fully support the Court
Speaker 9: in carrying out its mandate of insuring justice for the
Speaker 9: victims of the most serious crimes under international law. We
Speaker 9: underlined the important role played by the ICC in maintaining
Speaker 9: international peace and security. In this regard, we are affirm
Speaker 9: our support for the Court as an independence and impartial
Speaker 9: judicial institution. The ICC embodies our collective commitment to fight
Speaker 9: against impunity for the most serious crimes under international law.
Speaker 3: Thank you, but anyway, good afternoon on Bangladesh. I can
Speaker 3: tell you that we expect a formal statement shortly. We're
Speaker 3: watching the situation in the country very closely. We continue
Speaker 3: to call for calm and restraint and to urge all
Speaker 3: parties to respect the right to peaceful assembly and expression.
Speaker 3: We are security forces to protect those out on the
Speaker 3: streets of Dhaka and other cities of Bangladesh. You'll have
Speaker 3: seen that the High Commissioner for Human Rights Wulker Turk,
Speaker 3: issued a statement yesterday in which he called for violence
Speaker 3: in the country to stop. He added that accountability for
Speaker 3: human rights violations, including those for those with superior and
Speaker 3: command responsibility, is crucial. The international community must make it
Speaker 3: clear that at this pivotal time there will be no impunity.
Speaker 3: You'd been asking for a long time about the Office
Speaker 3: of Internal over Site Services work concerning the UN Relief
Speaker 3: and Works Agency. I can tell you the following. The
Speaker 3: Office of Internal Oversight Services has completed its investigation into
Speaker 3: nineteen area staff members of the UN Relief and Works
Speaker 3: Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East UNRAW regarding
Speaker 3: allegations of their involvement in the armed attacks of the
Speaker 3: seventh of October twenty twenty three in Southern Israel. OIOS
Speaker 3: made findings in relation to each of the nineteen UNRW
Speaker 3: staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks.
Speaker 3: In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to
Speaker 3: support the allegations of the staff member's involvement, while in
Speaker 3: nine other cases the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient
Speaker 3: to support the staff member's involvement. With respect to these
Speaker 3: ten cases, appropriate measures will be taken in due course
Speaker 3: in conformity with UNRAW regulations and rules. In respect of
Speaker 3: the remaining nine cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS indicated
Speaker 3: that the UNRAW staff members may have been involved in
Speaker 3: the armed attacks of September. Of the seventh of October
Speaker 3: twenty twenty three, the employment of these individuals will be
Speaker 3: terminated in the interests of the agency. Turning to GAZA,
Speaker 3: the Office for the Coordination of Humansiaran Affairs reports that
Speaker 3: ongoing bombardment and hostilities continue to kill, injure and displace Palestinians,
Speaker 3: as well as damage and destroy the homes and infrastructure
Speaker 3: they rely on. In just the past forty eight hours,
Speaker 3: three schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza City were reportedly hit,
Speaker 3: resulting in dozens of casualties. According to Palestinian Civil Defense,
Speaker 3: partners on the ground are assessing the knees of people
Speaker 3: who fled and have been providing assistance. Meanwhile, a new
Speaker 3: analysis by the UN Satellite Center Yunisat found that as
Speaker 3: of a month ago, sixty three percent of structures in
Speaker 3: Gaza had been damaged. Yesterday, the Israeli military issued a
Speaker 3: new evacuation order for people living in areas of southern
Speaker 3: Communis and Northern Rufa to immediately move westward to Almawassi.
Speaker 3: Our partners tracking population movements in Gaza estimate that more
Speaker 3: than eleven thousand people had been living in these areas
Speaker 3: affected by this evacuation order. We call once again for
Speaker 3: all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under
Speaker 3: international humanitarian law, including by taking constant care to spare
Speaker 3: civilians and civilian objects. This includes allowing civilians to leave
Speaker 3: for safer areas and allowing their return as soon as
Speaker 3: circumstances allow. People must be able to receive humanitarian assistance
Speaker 3: whether they move or stay. As the violence continues, the
Speaker 3: humanitarian crisis in Gaza's deepening. OUR partners are now reporting
Speaker 3: a surge in malnutrition levels among children in northern Gaza.
Speaker 4: Last month.
Speaker 3: They noted a three hundred percent increase in July, when
Speaker 3: more than six hundred and fifty cases of acute malnutrition
Speaker 3: were diagnosed, compared to May, when one hundred and.
Speaker 4: Forty five such cases were detected.
Speaker 3: Our humanitarian partners say that nutrition conditions are worsening due
Speaker 3: to access constraints, shortages and essential supplies, limited availability of
Speaker 3: fresh produce in meat, poor water and sanitation services, and
Speaker 3: spreading diseases. For example, acute supplies shortages mean that just
Speaker 3: eight percent of the nearly fifty thousand children whom OUR
Speaker 3: Partners had been aiming to reach in Northern Gaza were
Speaker 3: able to receive those supplies last month. Under Secretary General
Speaker 3: Jean Pierre Lacroix concluded his official trip to the Middle
Speaker 3: East on Saturday. On the first leg of this visit,
Speaker 3: he met with personnel in the Unit Its Engagement Observer
Speaker 3: Force ONDOFF and engaged with senior Syrian officials in Damascus
Speaker 3: to affirm the mission's commitment to its mandate and de escalation.
Speaker 3: In Lebanon, Mister Lacroix visited the un Interim Force in
Speaker 3: Lebanon or UNIFIL in South Lebanon after meetings in Beirut
Speaker 3: with Lebanese political and military leaders, where he discussed the
Speaker 3: important role of UNIFIL in supporting de escalation across the
Speaker 3: Blue Line. Throughout these engagements, he stressed the need for
Speaker 3: all actors to cease fire, recommit to Resolution seventeen oh
Speaker 3: one and worked towards a durable political and diplomatic solution.
Speaker 3: He visited UNIFILS Nakura headquarters and joined peacekeepers on patrol
Speaker 3: and in positions along the Blue Line. They were commended
Speaker 3: for their efforts in a challenging environment. Turning to Ukraine,
Speaker 3: our colleagues from the Office where the Coronation of Humancherian
Speaker 3: Affairs tells us that hostilities continued over the weekend and
Speaker 3: today in frontline regions in the east of the country.
Speaker 3: Local authorities reported over seventy civilian casualties, including children, and
Speaker 3: extensive damage to homes and health and education facilities. The
Speaker 3: towns of Bokrovsk, Mirnhad and Toretsk in the Donetsk region
Speaker 3: were particularly impacted, with repeated strikes damaging at least five
Speaker 3: education and health facilities. Due to the worsening security situation,
Speaker 3: local authorities initiated a mandatory evacuation of children in six
Speaker 3: towns and villages in the Dunyatsk region, offering temporary accommodation
Speaker 3: and support to evacuated families. AID organizations, notably in Western Ukraine,
Speaker 3: provided basic assistance, psychosocial support, and other services.
Speaker 4: To the vacuees.
Speaker 3: During the first half of this year, AID workers provided
Speaker 3: humanitarian assistance to more than four hundred and forty thousand
Speaker 3: people in the Donyatsk region, where AID remains a lifeline
Speaker 3: for devastated communities. Turning to Sudan, our colleagues from the
Speaker 3: Office where the Coordination of Humanchaaran Affairs are warning that
Speaker 3: active conflict and worsening flooding continue to fuel misery across
Speaker 3: the country, including in North Darfur. On Saturday, fighting in
Speaker 3: the state capital El Fasher reportedly displaced nearly two thousand
Speaker 3: people from the Al Salam camp. As you may remember,
Speaker 3: the Famine Review Committee warned last week that famine conditions
Speaker 3: are likely prevalent in Al Salam Camp. In Zamzam Camp,
Speaker 3: where famine can conditions have been confirmed, more than five
Speaker 3: thousand people have been displaced due to heavy rains in
Speaker 3: recent weeks. There are alarming reports that latrines and water
Speaker 3: points are being flooded, increasing the risk of water borne
Speaker 3: diseases at a time when people are already dying from
Speaker 3: hunger and illness. We and our humanitarian partners are trying
Speaker 3: to scale up assistance in these and other hunger hot
Speaker 3: spots in Sudan, but we continue to face major challenges,
Speaker 3: including access constraints, impassable roads, and funding gaps for the
Speaker 3: aid operation. Once again, we call for safe and unimpeded
Speaker 3: humanitarian access, including across borders and battle lines, to stop
Speaker 3: a large scale famine from taking hold. And you will
Speaker 3: have seen a statement we issued over the weekend and
Speaker 3: in which the Secretary General strongly condemned Frieda's attack at
Speaker 3: Ledo Beach in Mogadishu, which resulted in multiple casualties. He
Speaker 3: expressed his condolences to the families of the breaved and
Speaker 3: wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The Secretary General
Speaker 3: said that he is saddened that the people of Somalia
Speaker 3: continue to be victims of such heinous acts of terrorism.
Speaker 3: He reiterated that the UNS stands firmly with the government
Speaker 3: and people of Somalia against terrorism and violent extremism. Turning
Speaker 3: to Haiti, the Office where the Coordination of Humanitian Affairs
Speaker 3: remains concerned about the protection of civilians in the capital
Speaker 3: of Porta Prince and in neighboring towns, as well as
Speaker 3: in the Artebinit department in the north, where violence continues
Speaker 3: to displace families. Despite the volatile contacts, VIEWN and partners
Speaker 3: in Haiti continue to support people in need. Since the
Speaker 3: beginning of March, partners distributed twenty nine point five million
Speaker 3: liters of drinking water to nearly ninety seven thousand displaced
Speaker 3: people across the country, including in Porto Prince and Lorain.
Speaker 3: Partners have also distributed seventeen thousand hygiene kits to nearly
Speaker 3: seventy thousand displaced people living in these areas. Since March,
Speaker 3: the World Food Program has distributed more than one point
Speaker 3: six million hot meals to one hundred and thirty two
Speaker 3: thousand displaced people acquiss Porto prints Over the last two weeks,
Speaker 3: Health Partners reach more than one thousand, three hundred children
Speaker 3: with psychosocial and mental health support activities across display sites
Speaker 3: in port of Pants and provided water and sanitation support.
Speaker 3: The Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimo Inditu,
Speaker 3: underlined them perative for ensuring full accountability for international crimes
Speaker 3: committed during the nineteen ninety four genocide against the Tutsi
Speaker 3: in Rwanda and the nineteen ninety five Srebernitica genocide. In
Speaker 3: a statement issued by her office today, she referred specifically
Speaker 3: to the more than one thousand fugitive genocideas from Rwanda
Speaker 3: and thousands of suspected war criminals from the former Yugoslavia
Speaker 3: who were still at large despite existing indictments and international
Speaker 3: arrest warrants. She called on states hosting these fugitives to
Speaker 3: take active and immediate steps to ensure that they can
Speaker 3: be brought to justice by prosecuting them before their own
Speaker 3: jurisdictions or by extraditing them to jurisdictions in which they
Speaker 3: can be prosecuted.
Speaker 4: And some good news, the.
Speaker 3: UN Refugee Agency flag that yesterday the refugee athlete Sindi
Speaker 3: and Gamba competing in the women's seventy five kg category
Speaker 3: secure the first ever medal for the Refugee Olympic Team
Speaker 3: in Brazil. In Paris, she triumphed in her quarter final
Speaker 3: bout and guaranteed herself at least a bronze with the
Speaker 3: next bout on Thursday for a potential place in the
Speaker 3: gold medal match.
Speaker 4: But whatever the outcome and whatever.
Speaker 3: The eventual color of her medal, UNHDR said that her
Speaker 3: historic achievement has already sent a powerful message of hope
Speaker 3: to some one hundred and twenty million forcibly displaced people worldwide.
Speaker 3: Bizing Gamba is one of thirty seven athletes competing in
Speaker 3: Paris as part of the Refugee team, which was created
Speaker 3: by the International Olympic KABINI to give displace sportspeople the.
Speaker 4: Chance to compete at the highest level.
Speaker 3: Wait, I'm about to sneeze first and then no, it's
Speaker 3: not going to happen, all right, Bena, thank.
Speaker 2: You so much. Fun So on the OIOS investigation, First,
Speaker 2: the technical question in my recollection, the Secretary of General
Speaker 2: terminated the contract ofven or unrout workers already when it
Speaker 2: happened in January. Is that incorrect?
Speaker 3: Well, there were, yes, he had taken that immediate action,
Speaker 3: and then there was an additional twelve cases that were
Speaker 3: brought to his attention for nineteen and all. Now we
Speaker 3: have found out of those nineteen that in ten cases
Speaker 3: there's either no information or insufficient information to support the
Speaker 3: allegations of their involvement in the October seventh attacks. The
Speaker 3: nine for whom there is sufficient information will be terminated,
Speaker 3: and that of course includes some who had been terminated earlier,
Speaker 3: as in the immediate aftermath of the others of the reporting.
Speaker 2: The seven from January are included in the nine.
Speaker 3: That's what you want to tell me, I think mostly
Speaker 3: included in the nine. It's quite possible that even of
Speaker 3: the initial group of seven, I think some of them
Speaker 3: may have had insufficient information against them.
Speaker 1: And then.
Speaker 2: My actually question is about when you say evidence obtained
Speaker 2: indicates that they were involved in the armed attacks, I
Speaker 2: think we all like to know to what degree, what
Speaker 2: kind of evidence is it, and what do you know?
Speaker 3: Well, I don't have specific information about the specific allegations.
Speaker 3: What I can tell you, and we'll be sharing some
Speaker 3: of this with you after the briefing as well, is
Speaker 3: that the OIOS investigation involved the following visits to Israel
Speaker 3: for discussions with Israeli officials and receive and review information
Speaker 3: held by Israeli authorities.
Speaker 4: Visits to amand to obtain.
Speaker 3: And review information held by UNRA relevant to the investigation,
Speaker 3: including on UNRA staff and on UNRAW operations. Review of
Speaker 3: information and communications technology data, including email records and information
Speaker 3: on UNRA vehicles. Review of information received from various other sources,
Speaker 3: including that release through the media and other public sources.
Speaker 3: And communications with several member states to obtain any additional
Speaker 3: information relevant to the investigation. However, one thing I'd like
Speaker 3: to point out is that since information used by Israeli
Speaker 3: officials to support the allegations have remained in Israeli custody,
Speaker 3: OIOS was not able to independently authenticate most of the
Speaker 3: information provided to it.
Speaker 2: Sorry last follow up, With all due respect, I think
Speaker 2: this is not really sufficient given all the million of
Speaker 2: funding for UNROE, when we had a half year long investigation,
Speaker 2: and in the end it says like, yeah, they were
Speaker 2: involved in the attacks, but we don't tell you.
Speaker 3: How we are sharing information with the donors about this,
Speaker 3: And there has been a report that some of the
Speaker 3: donors are getting to review here at headquarters.
Speaker 4: That is a.
Speaker 3: Confidential report, not able to share that with you, but
Speaker 3: the note I just read will be shared as well
Speaker 3: as the information I just provided, and a little bit
Speaker 3: more in the interests of transparency.
Speaker 7: Gabriel, thank you for han following up on that you
Speaker 7: said the nine may have been involved in the attacks
Speaker 7: of October seventh? Is that correct or did I miss
Speaker 7: hear you?
Speaker 4: You heard me correct? That is exactly what I've said.
Speaker 7: So what do we make of the fact that you
Speaker 7: say may That means that you do not have conclusive
Speaker 7: evidence they were, but there's enough indicating they might have been.
Speaker 7: I mean, it's a word that needs to be clarified
Speaker 7: if you don't mind.
Speaker 4: Well it is.
Speaker 3: It is exactly what I would say that again, you
Speaker 3: know we that is to say, OIOS was not able
Speaker 3: to independently authenticate most of the information provided to it
Speaker 3: that was in the hands of Israeli authorities. That was,
Speaker 3: you know that is information remains in the custody of Israel.
Speaker 3: Beyond that, regarding those nine cases, the evidence provided in
Speaker 3: support of allegations that the UN staff member was involved
Speaker 3: in the armed attacks of the seventh of October twenty
Speaker 3: twenty three could, if authenticated and corroborated, provide a factual
Speaker 3: basis to conclude that the UNRUSS staff member may have
Speaker 3: engaged in conduct sanctionable under the applicable UNRAUW regulations and rules.
Speaker 3: And those cases, those nine cases have been referred for decision.
Speaker 7: Okay, And are those nine people still alive?
Speaker 3: I believe one of the nineteen people is dead. The
Speaker 3: remainder are alive.
Speaker 7: All right, I'll move on from that for a second.
Speaker 7: On Bangladesh. Sorry, let me go back to the OOS
Speaker 7: one more time. I'm sorry. What does his Secretary of
Speaker 7: General feel about these findings? What is his view of it?
Speaker 7: As you it's his personal feelings about what the oios
Speaker 7: he believes.
Speaker 3: It's important that we go through this very carefully, given
Speaker 3: the fact that any involvement in these attacks would constitute
Speaker 3: a major betrayal of trust. Obviously, there were actions that
Speaker 3: were taken for the benefit of the agency that were
Speaker 3: very swift and very decisive in terms of dealing with
Speaker 3: the individuals who had been named at first, and now
Speaker 3: it's good to have all of the information available. I
Speaker 3: do think it's important to bear in mind the huge
Speaker 3: number of unra staff members who have been taking enormous
Speaker 3: risks for months keeping your tens even hundreds of thousands
Speaker 3: of people alive, whether in shelters or whether by helping
Speaker 3: with the provision of food and services. And we want
Speaker 3: to make sure that the reputation of our unrusted staff
Speaker 3: are dedicated staff, including about two hundred people who have
Speaker 3: lost their lives since the seventh of October, is fully
Speaker 3: recognized and that UNRUGG gets the support that it needs.
Speaker 10: Maggie, just continuing on OIOS. First of all, any chance
Speaker 10: OIOS could do a briefing for us, because I mean,
Speaker 10: this is really opaque and you're you kind of mumbled
Speaker 10: at one point. Confidential. Is this report confidential or is
Speaker 10: it going to be published?
Speaker 3: Or it is confidential it will not be published. Why
Speaker 3: all such reports are confidential?
Speaker 10: Is it because it's a personnel matter?
Speaker 3: Why is it for a variety of reasons, including by
Speaker 3: the way, legal reasons having to do with how information
Speaker 3: is obtained and so forth. So OOS investigation reports are
Speaker 3: strictly confidential. The report has been provided directly to the
Speaker 3: Secretary General and will not be made public. However, I
Speaker 3: mean the General Assembly has previously decided that OIOS reports are,
Speaker 3: upon request, made available to any member state. In those cases,
Speaker 3: the Undersecretary General for Internal Oversight Services retains the discrection
Speaker 3: to redact or withhold access to an OIOS report for
Speaker 3: reasons of confidentiality or access might risk violating the due
Speaker 3: process rights of those involved in OIOS investigations.
Speaker 10: All right, wait, I'm not done. Okay, Okay again, could
Speaker 10: we have OIOS do some sort of briefing.
Speaker 3: I will make the requests where that goes.
Speaker 10: And wait, So the nineteen that were investigated, were these
Speaker 10: nineteen all on the list of employees of UNRA that
Speaker 10: was originally sent to the Israelis because they were vetting people.
Speaker 10: And as you remember when we heard about this in
Speaker 10: the beginning.
Speaker 3: I believe all employees are ones that we are. All
Speaker 3: names go over to Israel for vetting, so all un
Speaker 3: RUS staff members that would apply to Okay, Frank.
Speaker 11: Yeah, in your remarks about this, you said these people
Speaker 11: may have been involved. Is that your words or is
Speaker 11: that the investigator's words?
Speaker 4: That is my words? As as as summarizing.
Speaker 11: You just fire somebody out of may have it is
Speaker 11: it is.
Speaker 3: The words I have been given to tell you, which
Speaker 3: have been very precisely written for me.
Speaker 11: Right right, But can you give us what's behind and
Speaker 11: may have, I mean, any kind of evidence that he got.
Speaker 3: A short of the manigator point is if, as I
Speaker 3: said to Gabriel, you know, if these allegations are verified
Speaker 3: and corroborated, then that that could constitute sanctionable violations of
Speaker 3: unra's rules and regulations. Now the question is one of verification.
Speaker 3: I said earlier, I think before you came into the
Speaker 3: room that since information used by Israeli officials to support
Speaker 3: the allegations that remained in Israel, because the OYOS was
Speaker 3: not able to independently authenticate most of the information provided
Speaker 3: to it.
Speaker 11: Can we assume though, that the people that were terminated
Speaker 11: they verified the information and then they were terminated.
Speaker 3: Process Wise, the appropriate processes have been followed, uh and
Speaker 3: and the termination followed the as you can see, an
Speaker 3: extensive OIOS examination into this deshing.
Speaker 5: Yes for hunt a couple of follow ups also on
Speaker 5: the oy OS investigation. Just now you mentioned the sources
Speaker 5: of the evidence, the visit to Aman to Israel, email,
Speaker 5: the car and other other information. But to what level
Speaker 5: can can the OIOS determine that this person might involved
Speaker 5: or one hundred percent certainly involved in the attack. I
Speaker 5: mean where where is the what what is the percentage?
Speaker 5: Like how how you put the le level of those
Speaker 5: information to to to to to determine like who is
Speaker 5: in this in this involvement.
Speaker 3: There would need to be further process of authentication and corroboration.
Speaker 3: We are evaluating what the next steps will be in
Speaker 3: that regard.
Speaker 5: So which means which means, so far you have people
Speaker 5: may be may be involved, but there might I just
Speaker 5: I just don't understand this may because I feel like
Speaker 5: you don't have one hundred percent confirmation.
Speaker 3: We have sufficient information in order to take the actions
Speaker 3: that we're taking, which is to say, the termination of
Speaker 3: these nine individuals. Beyond that, there will need to evaluate
Speaker 3: what further steps are needed in order to fully corroborate
Speaker 3: and evaluate.
Speaker 5: So there's a further further action on this report, on
Speaker 5: this investigation. Because you said this it's been already concluded.
Speaker 3: Then this is the iOS investigation has been concluded. There
Speaker 3: may be further action taken, and we'll need to see
Speaker 3: how that is done.
Speaker 8: Right.
Speaker 5: Another thing is in your statement you said the ten cases,
Speaker 5: the indefficient evidence and the no evidence cases, appropriate measures
Speaker 5: will be taken in due course? What what what are
Speaker 5: those appropriate?
Speaker 3: We're evaluating, Uh, we're evaluating what to do with those
Speaker 3: staff members now that there is no there is no
Speaker 3: sufficient evidence linking them, so.
Speaker 5: Their employment is now still on hold. I mean you're not.
Speaker 4: Going to well, we'll have to review this. We'll have
Speaker 4: to review each individual case to see how to be
Speaker 4: how that is to be handled.
Speaker 5: Okay, let me ask you another question. Last Friday or Thursday,
Speaker 5: I think mister Domenico announced a a program called back
Speaker 5: to Learning in Gaza. I'm wondering he's uh. The the
Speaker 5: the purpose is to give children safe spaces to play,
Speaker 5: to learn, to grow, to reunite with old friends and
Speaker 5: make new ones. Given the fact that we heard multiple
Speaker 5: times nowhere is safe in Gaza, will this place of
Speaker 5: those children go back to learn be one hundred percent safe.
Speaker 3: There's not a single place in god so that it's
Speaker 3: one hundred percent safe. We've wanted to ensure the safety
Speaker 3: of our facilities, but as you can see, our facilities
Speaker 3: have been attacked, so we can't guarantee that.
Speaker 4: But we're doing our very best.
Speaker 3: To ensure that areas like this will be safe and
Speaker 3: that children will be kept free from harm.
Speaker 4: Obviously, we need the full cooperation with the parties for that. Yes, please,
Speaker 4: thank you.
Speaker 12: Roan on Bangladesh. Are they concerns of how the situation
Speaker 12: in the country will impact regional security? Have they been
Speaker 12: conversations between the UN and authorities in Bangladesh in the region?
Speaker 4: Thank you. I'm thinking I'm hoping that this will be
Speaker 4: what I need to answer your question.
Speaker 1: No, it is not.
Speaker 12: You know.
Speaker 3: Sorry, I've been waiting for a Bangladesh statement, but it's
Speaker 3: not quite it's not quite ready yet.
Speaker 4: What I can tell you about the situation in.
Speaker 3: Bangladesh is that for us, the important things are are
Speaker 3: that for the parties to remain calm, and we want
Speaker 3: to emphasize the importance of a peaceful, orderly and democratic transition.
Speaker 3: We stand in full solidarity with the people of Bangladesh
Speaker 3: at this time and we call for full respect of
Speaker 3: their democratic and human rights and ultimately, regarding that what's
Speaker 3: happened so far, there's a need for a full, independent
Speaker 3: and impartial and transparent investigation into all acts of violence.
Speaker 4: Is this what I want? I didn't really expect a
Speaker 4: bad time, But.
Speaker 12: Have there been for the conversations, have there been any
Speaker 12: conversations between the UN and authorities there in the region.
Speaker 3: We are in touch with authorities in the region, and
Speaker 3: our country team is in touch with authorities in Bangladesh,
Speaker 3: and we'll see where we go with that. But right
Speaker 3: now the situation is moving very swiftly. We'll have to
Speaker 3: see what happens once the dust settles, if the sum.
Speaker 13: If I had going back to the issue of the investigation,
Speaker 13: so I just want to understand because it's a little
Speaker 13: bit confusing. So you have information, you couldn't verify them independently,
Speaker 13: and you still.
Speaker 14: Making measures against people. Is that correct?
Speaker 3: Well, here's the point. OIOS investigations are not criminal investigations.
Speaker 3: What OIOS investigators do is that they carry out administrative
Speaker 3: fact finding inquiries related to personnel, funds, and activities of
Speaker 3: the organization. The aim of an administrative investigation is to
Speaker 3: establish facts and to allow for a conclusion as to
Speaker 3: whether internal administrative law and procedures of the organization have
Speaker 3: been violated. In this case, the unraw regulations and rules.
Speaker 3: The United Nations has no criminal jurisdiction over its personnel,
Speaker 3: but we can impose disciplinary sanctions in response to wrongdoing
Speaker 3: or take other administrative measures to ensure the smooth functioning
Speaker 3: of the organization, and that is what we're doing in
Speaker 3: this case.
Speaker 13: Okay, but can you say for one hundred percent that
Speaker 13: there was wrongdoing.
Speaker 14: That happened there? Can you say for sure?
Speaker 3: Because one thing I've made clear is it may have happened,
Speaker 3: but we are not able for reasons I've been saying, repeat,
Speaker 3: lead doing this to fully verify and authenticate the reasons
Speaker 3: for this.
Speaker 13: Did you, during this investigation talk to the people who
Speaker 13: were accused of being involved in such activities?
Speaker 11: Uh?
Speaker 3: No, And what I can tell you is, because of
Speaker 3: safety and security concerns, OIOS did not meet with subject,
Speaker 3: unrust staff, and possible corroborating witnesses to conduct interviews and
Speaker 3: take statements. In some cases, however, OIOS was able to
Speaker 3: request and secure video recorded statements from the subjects who
Speaker 3: responded to a series of set questions addressing the allegations
Speaker 3: of their own involvement in the armed attacks of September
Speaker 3: of the seventh of October twenty twenty three. In another case,
Speaker 3: the subject, on his own volition, provided a video recording
Speaker 3: offering a general denial of the allegations raised against him.
Speaker 13: Okay, just sorry, just one last one. So you said
Speaker 13: that the accusation were made by the Israelis. The Israelis
Speaker 13: gave you information without giving you the evidence. They have
Speaker 13: the evidence, the so called evidence question.
Speaker 4: There's some evidence that is in their custody.
Speaker 13: Yes, yeah, so it's in the custody of the israel
Speaker 13: it's not your custody.
Speaker 14: Is that correct?
Speaker 13: And why didn't you give this Why didn't they give
Speaker 13: you this so called evidence.
Speaker 3: That's a question to ask them, not us. That you should,
Speaker 3: of course have asked all relevant authorities to provide any
Speaker 3: necessary evidence. There's some that that we were not able
Speaker 3: to have because it's not in our custody.
Speaker 13: But but I mean, you can understand why you're a
Speaker 13: little bit baffled by your statement, because it seems to
Speaker 13: be that you are coming to a conclusion without having
Speaker 13: enough evidence and without providing us enough evidence to.
Speaker 14: To to to to understand what you are saying.
Speaker 4: I mean, we act on the best information that we have.
Speaker 3: The reason we've come to these conclusions as the result
Speaker 3: of some fairly painstaking work since since January. Obviously, this
Speaker 3: is like I said, this is not a criminal investigation.
Speaker 3: For criminal investigation, you would need different standards and you
Speaker 3: would need a different approach if there is to be
Speaker 3: any follow up as a criminal investigation, other steps will
Speaker 3: need to be considered because this is not the body
Speaker 3: for that.
Speaker 13: Sorry, but why then would you fire the people if
Speaker 13: it's not the criminal investigation, If you don't have enough evidence,
Speaker 13: why are you firing them or taking any steps against them?
Speaker 14: That's what it's not.
Speaker 13: Clear for us.
Speaker 3: Like I said, for nine people, the evidence was sufficient
Speaker 3: to conclude that they may have been involved in the
Speaker 3: seventh of October of attacks, and the UN has the
Speaker 3: ability in its authority to impose disciplinary sanctions in response
Speaker 3: to wrongdoing or take other administrative measures to ensure the
Speaker 3: smooth functioning of the organization, And as I said in
Speaker 3: what I read earlier, that the employment of the nine
Speaker 3: individuals will be terminated in the interests of the UN
Speaker 3: Relief and Works Agency.
Speaker 2: Yes, to understand, Sorry to go back and back to
Speaker 2: the word may, but like to understand better. Does that
Speaker 2: mean like you see that these nine people likely or
Speaker 2: highly likely were part of the text?
Speaker 4: I think that's a good way of describing it.
Speaker 2: Yes, Okay, I have more questions. Sorry, Did I understand
Speaker 2: correctly that you didn't conduct interviews out of safety concerns
Speaker 2: with the accused. Then I would like to know what
Speaker 2: kind of safety concerns is this.
Speaker 3: You're well aware of what the safety concerns are of
Speaker 3: going to to GUS at this time.
Speaker 2: Like you can, you can still interview people via like zoom.
Speaker 3: Well, we were able to get video recorded statements, as
Speaker 3: I just mentioned, by the way, a lot of the
Speaker 3: information that I'm saying to you right now, we're going
Speaker 3: to give it to you all on mass following the briefing.
Speaker 4: Yes, I just have.
Speaker 1: Okay, So next we're gonna hear from a person whose
Speaker 1: name is Link. She is speaking at the Training Training
Speaker 1: March in Vancouver, BC. I wanted to make clear that
Speaker 1: the training March is not part of Vancouver Pride because
Speaker 1: of pink washing, so we should not confuse the the
Speaker 1: organizers of one event being involved in this particular event.
Speaker 1: So we're gonna hear what Link has to say. She
Speaker 1: is from or Link is from Palestine, she grew up
Speaker 1: there and has been able to move to Canada into Vancouver,
Speaker 1: and so we're gonna hear what a perspective of person
Speaker 1: who from a person who actually lived the gender oppression
Speaker 1: that is happening in Palestine, along with other types of
Speaker 1: oppression that are happening, and they can see the attacks
Speaker 1: that are going on against transgender people in Palestine and Israel.
Speaker 15: First, I'd like.
Speaker 16: To say thank you to the Trans March organizers for
Speaker 16: giving me space to speak today and for organizing this
Speaker 16: lovely ceremony and for the march coming up.
Speaker 15: All the volunteers. Thank you.
Speaker 16: My name is Link.
Speaker 15: I'm proudly queer in trance and i am proud for Palestinian.
Speaker 16: Let me know if I'm am I speaking loud enough,
Speaker 16: Folks in the back, Okay, thank you, Hello, thank you.
Speaker 16: When I knew I was going to speak today, I
Speaker 16: really didn't realize what would be happening this week on
Speaker 16: a global scale. And so to keep everyone aligned with
Speaker 16: the context of what Palestinians are already well aware of,
Speaker 16: I will give an update. I must provide a trigger warning.
Speaker 16: There are mentions of sexual violence, though I'm not going
Speaker 16: into graphic details. This week, Israeli courts were debating the
Speaker 16: validity of using rape as a form of torture after
Speaker 16: a Palestinian prisoner was hospitalized from a gang rape by
Speaker 16: members of the IOF Shame mobs of Israeli settlers showed
Speaker 16: up in attempts to release the guilty parties, and this
Speaker 16: was later brought up as a topic of debate in
Speaker 16: the Israeli court. She Not only was it a matter
Speaker 16: of debate, but members of the court were speaking in
Speaker 16: favor that this means of torture is justified. The use
Speaker 16: of sexual violence by Zionist forces against Palestinians is a
Speaker 16: long standing practice since the inception of the Zionist entity.
Speaker 16: Violence of this nature does not discriminate based on sex
Speaker 16: or gender.
Speaker 15: Let me be clear, if.
Speaker 16: We cannot have moral clarity to resist these evils we
Speaker 16: are witnessing today, then we as humanity have lost it.
Speaker 16: As an activist, as an Arab, as a member of
Speaker 16: a gender minority, and as a survivor of sexual violence,
Speaker 16: I am continually lost for words. Dindians are tired of
Speaker 16: needing to prove our humanity to the world. Equally so
Speaker 16: I know, trans people, we are also tired of needing
Speaker 16: to prove our humanity.
Speaker 15: To the world.
Speaker 16: If you call yourself a feminist, a believer in social justice,
Speaker 16: if you stand for human rights, then you must stand
Speaker 16: with the plight of the Palestinian people to put an
Speaker 16: end to Zionism and to stop the ongoing genocide and
Speaker 16: torture campaigns of Palestinians. Free the people of Palestine and
Speaker 16: free all Palestinian prisoners.
Speaker 15: Free the land from the illegal occupation from the river
Speaker 15: to the sea.
Speaker 16: If you are unsure of the best way to support
Speaker 16: the movement, look into the boycott, divestment and sanctioned movement.
Speaker 16: Support Palestinian activists, amplify Palestinian journalists, and donate to mutual
Speaker 16: aid funds going directly to Palestinians. If you're unsure of
Speaker 16: about these fundraisers, you can see me any time and I'll.
Speaker 15: Let you know where to donate.
Speaker 16: If you call yourself a feminist, then your feminism must
Speaker 16: include the liberation of trans people. Your feminism must include
Speaker 16: their fight for access to use the bathroom.
Speaker 15: Freely without the threat of violence or harassment.
Speaker 16: The fight for access to healthcare with the help of
Speaker 16: insurance provided to the rest of the population. The fight
Speaker 16: for equal access to legal matters around changing documents the
Speaker 16: same as the rest of the population. A struggle to
Speaker 16: find housing after many become displaced from their families after
Speaker 16: their identities are revealed, and solidarity to affirm and believe
Speaker 16: trans people when they tell us who they are. I
Speaker 16: cannot speak too much to my trans experience, as you
Speaker 16: can tell how much more comes at the forefront of
Speaker 16: my own intersections. How can we expect people to explore,
Speaker 16: or know or share their experiences of gender when they
Speaker 16: are being bombed, forcibly, displaced and starved. Shame.
Speaker 15: It is a privilege to know my gender and have
Speaker 15: it affirmed in my community.
Speaker 16: When I first came out as trans, the most important
Speaker 16: knowledge I gained was.
Speaker 15: The statistics, the statistic about.
Speaker 16: The suicide rate among the trans community compared to the
Speaker 16: rest of the population.
Speaker 15: Shame. I have fought every day since to not be
Speaker 15: another statistic. We are not numbers to the trans youth
Speaker 15: of the future. I pray that you can hold on
Speaker 15: to everything that brings you joy.
Speaker 14: That you are valid.
Speaker 15: You are valid in your identity, and while.
Speaker 16: We realize the ever present cloud of death over our community,
Speaker 16: that we will continue to live as who we are
Speaker 16: and to fight for what we believe in. The commitment
Speaker 16: to our identities is a commitment to the truth, and
Speaker 16: the reason they will hate us is the inherent threat
Speaker 16: we instill to the colonizer's binary, fuck the minery.
Speaker 17: And fuck apartheid. Trans people are.
Speaker 15: Here to stay WO.
Speaker 18: And Palestinians will return as we resist settler colonialism globally.
Speaker 18: Let us be united in our struggles for self determination,
Speaker 18: justice and healthcare for trans people everywhere, WHOA, and all
Speaker 18: of the same things in a free Palestine.
Speaker 14: From the river to the sea.
Speaker 15: Palestine will be free, thank you very much.
Speaker 1: The show has been produced by Depictions Media. Please contact
Speaker 1: us at depictions dot media for more information.