Asia Pacific

UN welcomes Malaysia’s decision to grant temporary stay to Myanmar refugees

2 November 2004
The United Nations refugee agency today welcomed the recent decision of the Malaysian Government to grant temporary stay permits to the Rohingya refugee population from Myanmar.

UN doing all it can to win release of abducted workers, official says

2 November 2004
The United Nations is doing all it can to support efforts to win the release of the three foreign UN workers abducted last week in Afghanistan, a top official of the world body said today.

Bangladeshi lawyer named UN rights expert on human trafficking

2 November 2004
The United Nations Human Rights Commission has appointed Sigma Huda of Bangladesh as its Special Rapporteur on trafficking of persons, especially women and children.

Turkmenistan reaches goal of universal salt iodization, UNICEF says

1 November 2004
Turkmenistan, with a population of 4.8 million, has become the fourth country in the world to ensure that all salt used in cooking is iodized, thereby heading off likely brain damage, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said today.

UN calls for release of its three abducted workers in Afghanistan

31 October 2004
A United Nations spokesman in Afghanistan today issued an impassioned appeal for the immediate release of three international workers who were abducted on 28 October.
A girl works splitting used batteries for parts

UN officials welcome Southeast Asian agreement on human trafficking

29 October 2004
United Nations officials today hailed the signing of a cooperation agreement by six Southeast Asian countries to tackle the scourge of human trafficking.

UN still seeking release of abducted election workers in Afghanistan

29 October 2004
The United Nations continues to be in touch with authorities in Afghanistan as it seeks to obtain the immediate and unconditional release of three foreign election workers abducted yesterday, a UN spokesman said Friday.

Thailand: UN human rights chief demands swift probe into killings

29 October 2004
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has called upon authorities in Thailand to comply with international law by thoroughly investigating the killing earlier this week of 87 demonstrators in the southern part of the country.

UN rights expert calls for 'unimpeded access' to DPR of Korea

29 October 2004
A United Nations human rights expert today called on the international community to persuade the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to reverse its policy of imposing restrictions on the movement of UN agencies involved in humanitarian programmes.

Three UN electoral workers abducted in Afghanistan

28 October 2004
Three international staff contracted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to work on Afghanistan's first-ever presidential elections earlier this month have been abducted by a group of armed men from a UN vehicle in the country's capital, a UN spokesman said today.