Asia Pacific

Electoral unrest continues in Timor-Leste as UN police, partners deploy

8 August 2007
United Nations police officers in Timor-Leste, together with their international and national colleagues, have been fully deployed to put a stop to the violence that has erupted in the small South-East Asian country following the appointment of a new government.

UN relief chief tours conflict-wracked areas of eastern Sri Lanka

8 August 2007
The top United Nations humanitarian official toured eastern Sri Lanka today, meeting with some of the tens of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the region and holding talks with local authorities to try to improve the relief effort there.
UNPol respond to disturbances in Dili

As sporadic violence continues in Timor-Leste, UN warns of crackdown on criminal acts

7 August 2007
With sporadic fighting, rock throwing and tyre burning breaking out in Timor-Leste after the announcement of a new government, the top United Nations envoy in the small South-East Asian country warned today that any political party supporters engaging in acts of violence would be treated as criminals and swiftly dealt with.

Afghan returnees from Iran receive vital aid thanks to UN emergency fund

7 August 2007
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has provided crucial assistance to over 1,600 Afghan families returning home from Iran since the end of July thanks to the help of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon concerned by devastating effects of South Asia floods

7 August 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his deep sadness at the hundreds of lives lost and the millions affected by the recent floods in South Asia, and reaffirmed the readiness of the United Nations to assist the victims.

Afghanistan: UN agencies help in nationwide polio vaccination campaign

6 August 2007
United Nations agencies are helping Afghanistan’s Health Ministry carry out a new nationwide polio vaccination this week, which aims eventually to protect over 7 million children under the age of five from the highly infectious, often paralyzing and sometimes fatal disease.

Unveiling of new Timorese Government welcomed by UN envoy

6 August 2007
The top United Nations envoy in Timor-Leste today welcomed the announcement of a new Government to be led by Xanana Gusmão in the small Asian nation, which the world body helped shepherd to independence in 2002.

Pakistan: UN experts welcome reinstatement of Chief Justice

6 August 2007
Two United Nations experts today welcomed the reinstatement of Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by the Supreme Court after being suspended this March by President Pervez Musharraf over unspecified allegations of “misuse of office.”

Sri Lanka: UN relief chief calls on Government to probe aid workers’ murders

6 August 2007
Terming the killings a year ago today of 17 Sri Lankan aid workers “probably the single worst crime committed against humanitarian workers in recent history,” the top United Nations humanitarian official called on the Government to investigate “with the full weight and force of the justice system” the crime that has seemingly become a cold case.
Tom Koenigs, SRSG for Afghanistan

UN envoy speaks out against killing of Afghan deminers

6 August 2007
The murder of three men working to rid Afghanistan of the scourge of landmines has sparked outrage from the top United Nations official in the country.