Asia Pacific

Maldives: UN law expert stresses need for ‘guaranteed’ judicial independence

2 March 2007
A United Nations legal expert has called for a completely independent judiciary in the Indian Ocean nation of the Maldives, stressing also that an appropriate police bill is “key” in preventing abuses, while calling as well for improved drug prevention and rehabilitation programmes as criminalization has failed.

Thousands more Timorese become displaced but security improves in capital: UN

1 March 2007
More than 5,000 additional Timorese have fled to internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps over the past month or so because of the recent violence in the capital Dili, although this is now under control as more United Nations police are patrolling the streets, top UN officials said today.

Moldovan courts now more humane towards child offenders, UNICEF says

1 March 2007
Due to last August’s Parliamentary amendments to penal codes, the Moldovan justice system is now more youth-friendly and closer to international standards, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Condemning rebel attack in Sri Lanka, Ban Ki-moon calls for end to violence

27 February 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today condemned an attack by separatist rebels in Sri Lanka which injured senior aid officials, including one from the United Nations, and urged both sides in the conflict to halt the bloodshed and resume talks.

Ban Ki-moon hails new agreement on victims of forced labour in Myanmar

27 February 2007
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today hailed a recent agreement reached between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Myanmar on the establishment of a complaint mechanism for victims of forced labour.

Philippines: UN expert blasts milk industry for seeking profit at cost of infant health

27 February 2007
An independent United Nations rights expert today denounced a campaign by Filipino milk companies to promote breast-milk substitutes for manipulating UN data to protect their huge profits regardless of the interest of a country where 16,000 children under 5 died in 2003 from improper feeding practices including infant formula.

UN health agency investigates first report human bird flu case in Laos

27 February 2007
United Nations health agency officials are monitoring an area of Laos following the first human case of bird flu to be reported in the South-East Asian country, bringing to one dozen the total number of States with human infections.
Paulo Sergio Pinheiro

Myanmar: UN expert urges immediate aid to areas affected by military operations

26 February 2007
Expressing concern about the humanitarian and human rights implications of ongoing military operations in Myanmar’s southeastern Kayin State, a United Nations human rights expert has urged the country to grant aid groups immediate access to affected civilians.

UN envoy to Nepal calls into question June polls unless political consensus reached soon

26 February 2007
Amid violence in the Terai region of southern Nepal, Maoist combatants leaving their cantonment sites and a continuing lack of agreement among the country’s political parties, the United Nations envoy to the Himalayan country today warned that June’s scheduled elections may have to be postponed unless some form of consensus is reached “very soon.”
Ban Ki-moon (R) and ElBaradei brief the media

DPR Korea invites UN nuclear chief four years after leaving non-proliferation pact

23 February 2007
More than four years after ordering United Nations inspectors out and withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has invited the head of the UN atomic watchdog to visit for talks next month.