Asia Pacific

Vitit Muntarbhorn

UN human rights expert laments food aid cuts to DPRK which shares the blame

23 October 2006
The reluctance of donors to provide aid to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) following its reported nuclear test is causing rising hunger in the country and exacerbating the suffering of groups already facing a grim human rights situation, a United Nations independent expert warned today.

Afghan Government, UN seek $43 million more for drought and conflict victims

22 October 2006
The Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations today jointly appealed for a further $43.3 million to fund humanitarian relief for people affected by drought as well as families displaced by recent fighting in the country's south.

Top UN official in Timor-Leste praises calm response to violence report

20 October 2006
Despite fears of violence after the release this week of a United Nations report into recent strife in Timor-Leste, the response so far has been “overwhelmingly positive” and calm in the tiny nation where deadly conflict attributed to differences between eastern and western regions erupted in April, the top UN official in the country said today.
Director-General Rogelio Pfirter

DPR Korea, Middle East nations urged to join UN-affiliated body on chemical weapons

20 October 2006
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and key countries in the Middle East – Egypt, Israel, Lebanon and Syria – form a “hard core” of nations that are resisting any moves towards joining the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the head of the United Nations-affiliated body said today.
Victims of the earthquake

Up to 50,000 Indonesian families still lack shelter after May’s earthquake in Java: UN

20 October 2006
As many as 50,000 families who lost their homes in the deadly earthquake that rocked Indonesia’s island of Java in May are still without sufficient shelter for the approaching rainy season, the main United Nations humanitarian office warned today, as it highlighted ongoing appeals for funding from the World Bank and other donors.

Continuing conflict hinders UN humanitarian operations in Afghanistan

19 October 2006
Insecurity throughout much of Afghanistan, particularly in southern, south-eastern and eastern Regions, continues to impede United Nations humanitarian operations in the war-torn country, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported in its latest update.
File photo of Lena Sundh (R) in DR of Congo

UN Commissioner for Human Rights appoints envoy for insurgency-plagued Nepal

18 October 2006
Lena Sundh, a Swedish diplomat who has specialised in conflict management and peacekeeping during a 30-year career for her country and the United Nations, has been appointed the UN representative for human rights in Nepal, which endures abuses on both sides of a decade-long Maoist insurgency.

UN relief officials say they need better access in war-torn areas in Sri Lanka

18 October 2006
While supporting the Sri Lankan government’s relief efforts for some 204,000 people currently displaced in the north and east, who have fled their homes as a result of the escalating violence, the United Nations’ top emergency relief official said today there are serious concerns about lack of access to some areas, especially in the Tamil north.

UN commission of inquiry issues report on violent crisis that shook Timor-Leste

17 October 2006
Timor-Leste’s then interior and defence ministers and defence force chief acted illegally in transferring weapons to civilians during the violence that shook the small South-East Asian country early this year and should be prosecuted, according to a United Nations report on the crisis released today.

UN says it is encouraged by new Thai government priority to improve Myanmar camps

17 October 2006
The 140,000 refugees from Myanmar living in Thailand may soon be issued identity cards by Thai authorities that should permit them to move freely outside their camps to work legally, the United Nations refugee agency said today after a recent meeting with the new Prime Minister.