Asia Pacific

Afghanistan: top UN envoy voices concern over mounting civilian toll

31 December 2009
As the United Nations investigates a joint raid by Afghan and international forces in which 10 people – mostly students – were killed, the world body’s top envoy to Afghanistan today appealed to all groups, both government and insurgent, to step up efforts to distinguish between civilians and combatants.
UNHCR/J. Pagonis

UN rights experts call for end to Thai expulsion of Lao Hmong

31 December 2009
Reports of ongoing forcible return of a large number of ethnic Lao Hmong, despite a chorus of international protests, including from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have sparked the concern of independent United Nations human rights experts.

UN welcomes Pakistan’s protection of registered Afghans refugees

31 December 2009
The United Nations refugee agency today welcomed Pakistan’s decision to continue extending hospitality for the next three years to some 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees living within its borders.

UN agency distributes 35,000 tents to Pakistanis displaced by military offensive

31 December 2009
The United Nations refugee agency has rushed assistance to hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis driven from their homes by an intense military assault against militants in South Waziristan since October, including around 35,000 tents and 54,000 aid kits.

Ban to extend independent probe into Bhutto killing

31 December 2009
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is to extend the mandate of the independent United Nations commission charged with examining the facts and circumstances behind the December 2007 assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto by another three months, it was announced today.

Britain’s ‘Curry King’ shows Myanmar refugees way to nutritious food at UN event

30 December 2009
Britain’s renowned “Curry King” has been giving poor refugee women in Bangladesh lessons on concocting nutritious dishes using United Nations food rations along with locally grown fruit and vegetables.

UN food distribution brings New Year cheer to Tajik widow

30 December 2009
The United Nations distributed enough food to feed 250,000 people for two months in impoverished Tajikistan last month, but it is the smile in the eyes of a 42-year-old widow on a cold winter’s day in the mountains that puts a face on the statistics ahead of the important New Year’s Day celebration.

Timor-Leste: UN helping to investigate deadly police shooting

30 December 2009
The United Nations today confirmed its participation in the criminal investigation of a deadly shooting allegedly committed by the police in the capital of Timor-Leste, and has called on the people of the nation to respect the law.

Philippines: UN sends food for nearly 50,000 people driven from homes by volcano

30 December 2009
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has sent 20 metric tons of high energy biscuits to aid nearly 50,000 Filipinos forced to leave their homes by a possible eruption of Mount Mayon volcano in the northern Philippine island of Luzon.

Maldives: UN helps protect children against neglect and abuse

30 December 2009
Child neglect and abuse, subjects that were long hidden behind closed doors in the traditional society of the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives, are now being dealt with thanks to a United Nations-backed social services programme.