Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon, everyone.

**South Sudan

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative in South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, briefed the Security Council this morning.  She said that after six weeks in South Sudan, she was convinced that every day without a political agreement contributes to a further deterioration of the situation on the ground.  She added that this complicates the work of the Mission and risks negatively affecting the region.

Ms. Løj called on the Security Council, regional leaders and all friends of South Sudan to remain fully engaged with the warring parties so that they make the necessary compromises required to translate their public statements of commitment to peace into actions on the ground.

On the civilians sheltering in UN bases throughout the country, she said that the Mission still provided protection to about 100,000 internally displaced persons in nine sites.  She added that UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and its humanitarian partners have invested substantial resources on existing site enhancements and the construction of new sites to improve living conditions.

Ms. Løj also said that the Mission was exerting all efforts to expand its reach, including through the establishment of forward bases, and active patrolling, where possible on foot, in order to provide protection to vulnerable civilians beyond UN Mission premises.  She said that the deployment of the remaining authorized personnel, as well as equipment, remains vital for the Mission to more effectively deter violence against civilians.  Her full statement is available in our office.

And the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Bangura, also briefed the Security Council following her visit to South Sudan at the beginning of the month.  You’ll recall she briefed you earlier this week in this room on that visit.

**Democratic Republic of the Congo

Yesterday, the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) evacuated 12 staff members from their residence in Beni, in the North Kivu province, as it came under attack by local youth.  The Mission also reports that this morning a large number of youth converged on the MONUSCO premises at Mavivi Airport in Beni territory, North Kivu, throwing stones at the compound.  The Congolese forces and the Mission intervened to disperse the crowd and are currently securing the area.

Also, the Mission reports that yesterday a joint patrol of the Congolese Forces and the Mission was blocked by a large group of armed civilians near Mbau. Two civilians were reportedly killed and one injured.  The Mission is ascertaining the facts about the incident.

Also on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Martin Kobler congratulated Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese surgeon who was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament yesterday.  Mr. Kobler said this award shed light on Dr. Mukwege’s fight against sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  

**Libya

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Bernardino León, and Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdallah Al-Thinni, met yesterday in Malta.  Together, they agreed to focus on efforts to find a peaceful solution based on dialogue to the crisis in the country.  Despite the recent violence, the Special Representative expressed hope that the commitment of the parties, together with strong support from all Libyans, will yield tangible results in the coming weeks.  More information is available on the UN Support Mission’s website. 

**Ebola

Today, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Ebola is meeting for the third time in Geneva.  As you know, it is convened to look at the latest events and to advise whether or not the World Health Organization (WHO) needs to change recommendations on travel and trade restrictions.  Its conclusions will be shared in a press conference tomorrow.

**Tuberculosis

The World Health Organization (WHO) published today its Global Tuberculosis Report 2014, showing that 9 million people developed tuberculosis last year, and 1.5 million died, including 360,000 people who were HIV-positive.  The report stresses that the mortality rate from tuberculosis is still falling and has dropped by 45 per cent since 1990, while the number of people developing the disease is declining by an average of 1.5 per cent a year.  However, tuberculosis is still the second biggest killer disease from a single infectious agent.  In addition, around 3 million people who fall ill from the disease are still being missed by health systems each year either because they are not diagnosed or because they are diagnosed but not reported.  The report is available online.

**Press Conferences

And tomorrow we have a number of briefings taking place here.

At 11:15 a.m., there will be a briefing by Ariel Dulitzky, Chair of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and Emmanuel Decaux, Chair of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances.

Then at noon, I will be joined by Gyan Chandra Acharya, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries (LDC), Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.  He will talk about the launch of the latest LDC report.

At 1:15 p.m., there will be a press conference by Ben Emmerson, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

At 2 p.m., there will be a briefing by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), WHO and the Gates Foundation on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, ahead of World Polio Day, which is 24 October.

And finally at 3 p.m., there will be a briefing by Christof Heyns, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

Question and Answers

Deputy Spokesman:  That is it for me.  Any questions?  Yes, Mr. Abbadi? 

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  The High Commissioner for Human Rights, in the statement before the Third Committee, complained that his office is understaffed and lacks financial resources compared with the two other pillars, which are development and security, peace and security.  What does the Secretary-General think of this situation?

Deputy Spokesman:  The Secretary-General supports the work of High Commissioner Zeid [Ra’ad al-Hussein].  As you know in the press conference in Geneva last week, he pointed out in the first world, there is any number of other things, including one of the things he mentioned was costumes for pets for Halloween, that get as much funding in the first world as the operations of the Human Rights Office.  And, of course, the Human Rights Office is a crucial pillar of the UN system.  Human rights underpin a lot of the other work we do, whether it's in the field of peace and security or in the field of development.  And they can't survive and thrive without respect for human rights, so clearly the Human Rights Office needs more funding, and we do encourage Member States to consider what High Commissioner Zeid is saying about the funding his office needs.  Yes?  Yes, you.

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  I would like to ask:  do you know how many civilians living still inside the Kobane, since Mr. [Staffan] de Mistura repeated sometimes that there is an urgent threat inside Kobane for the civilians?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  What Mr. de Mistura said last week, and we don't have any particular update to give on the numbers now, is that there were a few hundred mainly elderly people stuck in the central part of the city, about 700 or so people.  At the same time there are between 10-12,000 people in the border areas between Syria and Turkey in the Kobane zone.  And many of those people could also be under threat from the Da’esh forces, so we need to make sure that all those people are also protected.  Yes, Kristen?

Question:  Farhan, I had a question on the response to cholera, knowing that the lawsuit is going to have a hearing in court this week.  I know that the United Nations has argued that it has immunity based on the peacekeeping agreements in Haiti from a lawsuit like this.  I'm wondering if you can comment though, because the UN does, under its peacekeeping agreements, have a responsibility to provide citizens, Haitian citizens, with some mechanism for hearing their grievances and making good if damages were done.  What is the UN doing to address the concerns of Haitians who feel they have suffered because of the UN?

Deputy Spokesman:  In terms of what the United Nations is doing for the Haitians who feel they have suffered, what we are trying to do is mobilize as many resources as we have at our disposal to make sure that we can bring the outbreak of cholera in Haiti under control.  Thanks to concerted efforts by the Haitian Government and the international community, we have actually achieved some significant progress there.  The number of cases for the first nine months of 2014 is 76 per cent less than during the same period in 2013.  Furthermore, we had projected initially for 2014 that the caseload for this year would be about 45,000.  We have now revised that downwards from 45,000 to 15,000.  So the humanitarian response to the Government and its partners has had a significant impact.  At the same level, however, of course, there is more to be done.  But what we've done in terms of the projects that we have supported is that close to 185,000 Haitians were vaccinated during the two rounds of cholera vaccination earlier this year, adding to the 107,000 people who were vaccinated in 2013.  What we now need is more funding to vaccinate more than 313,000 people as planned under the Government's National Cholera Elimination Plan.

Question:  Just a follow-up.  Can you talk about the Total Sanitation initiative and give us an update where more funding is needed?  Do you have any figures on that?  Where that stands, where it's going?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yeah, certainly.  The Total Sanitation initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of Haiti and the Secretary-General in July.  And the idea is to improve sanitation standards and improve health conditions over the next few years.  That's part of an overall national plan.  The overall national plan is $2.2 billion.  And as of right now, that plan is only about 10 per cent funded.  So last week the Secretary-General and the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, were at a meeting at the World Bank trying to push for more funding for that.  What the World Bank conference that was held last week estimated is that $310 million over the next three years is needed for water, sanitation and health.  And that figure has been produced in collaboration between the World Bank, the United Nations and the Government of Haiti.  And we are trying to get that sort of funding, including through the efforts of our coordinator, Pedro Medrano Rojas.

Question:  Follow-up?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.

Question:  Sure.  I wanted to ask about the second Haiti cholera case.  Recently they announced, the plaintiffs' lawyers announced that they added more than a thousand new plaintiffs to the cases, the one filed in the Eastern District in Brooklyn, and they reiterated that Ban Ki-moon was in fact served or handed court papers as he entered the Asia Society and they say that that case is going forward.  So I wanted to know, one, do you have any reaction to a thousand individuals looking at the case and signing on, obviously unconvinced by what you have just said?  And, two, what is your position and where will you argue your position on, that… Ban Ki-moon not receiving legal process in the second case?

Deputy Spokesman:  We have already stated our position about the claims and their receivability.  I don't feel the need to go into that.  Regarding tomorrow's events, you will recall that the United Nations has maintained its immunity from legal process in respect of this lawsuit.  In light of this, the United Nations will not appear in court. 

Question:  I'm speaking about the second case.  There are two cases — the case that will be heard on the 23rd and there is a larger case with more plaintiffs that is filed in Brooklyn.  I wanted to know:  does your statement about tomorrow's events apply to Brooklyn or did he receive the papers or not?

Deputy Spokesman:  We would have to see as events proceed.  But our position on the receivability of the case has not changed.  Yes, Joe?

Question:  Yes.  As a follow-up to Mr. Abbadi's question in terms of the funds available for the human rights, does the Secretary-General think it was a wise use of funds to send UN representatives to the city of Detroit to essentially investigate what was, you know, an internal domestic matter regarding suspension of water access for non-payment — something that would be handled within the courts of the United States?  Because that is an example that some have criticized as a misuse and waste of UN funds when the matter is being adjudicated within the jurisdiction of the Member State as a domestic matter.  Thanks. 

Deputy Spokesman:  Thanks, Joe.  As you're aware, independent experts dealing with human rights do not report to the Secretary-General.  They report, in fact, to the Human Rights Council.  And it's really for the Human Rights Council and not the Secretary-General to determine whether they are falling in line with their mandate and the advisability of the course of action that they take.  So the Secretary-General wouldn't have any real comment on the work of these independent experts.  Yes, please?

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  Monday here was some question about Press TV correspondent in Turkey and Stéphane [Dujarric] promised me to follow up on this subject.  Do you have any update about this subject?

Deputy Spokesman:  We don't have any further details.  We have been following up to see whether any of the other bodies dealing with the rights of journalists have anything to say on this.  But at this stage, there is nothing further to give.  If that changes, I'll let you know.  Anna?

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  On Ebola, there were three more potential cases of Ebola reported here in the United States:   Two in Chicago and one in Newark, New Jersey.  It still has to be confirmed but suspicions are high, as is the tension.  How would you comment on this situation?  Does UN have any more information on this?  And how overall would you evaluate the global situation with Ebola today?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, first of all, regarding your question about these reports, I would like to put in the caution that, yes, they are reports that would need to be confirmed by the authorities, principally in this case the Centers of Disease Control.  So we will wait to hear what they have to say on that.  Regarding the situation globally, our concern is really to make sure that the right resources are in place to deal with the three main affected countries, that is to say Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.  Those countries have had a tremendous impact from this disease.  We want people… we want to be able to deal with the disease, but we also want people not to have to live in fear in these countries.  So we are trying to get the resource in place and that is what is needed.  In the world as a whole, there is really no need for panic.  You have to remember the ways in which Ebola is and is not transmitted.  And it's very difficult, in fact, for the disease to be spread far and wide, given the way that it can only be spread by people who are showing symptoms.  And so with the right precautions, with the right screening, the right measures, there really should be no worries in the world as a whole about this.

Question:  Which is the best way to stop Ebola from jumping borders?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, every country is making its own decisions; and, of course, that is their right.  The World Health Organization today is reviewing whether any further consideration needs to be given to change in travel measures.  And probably by tomorrow, Thursday, we will have some remarks from them about what steps are needed.   At this stage, what they have recommended is screening.  If there is any need for change, this is exactly what they are discussing, and we will have to see what they have to say about that.  Joe?

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  Another question about a journalist and whether the Secretariat or the SG would comment:  there is a reporter in Slovenia on trial right now, she faces seven years in jail for writing a story that proved links between a political party there and neo-Nazi groups.  She is on trial because she used classified information that was leaked to her.  I was wondering if you're aware of that case.  And, if not, if you can find out? I can give you some more details if you can get a comment?  Thank you. 

Deputy Spokesman:  I'd seen a media report; but, sure, we always appreciate more details.  At this stage, of course, I would only reiterate the Secretary-General’s constant plea that reporters around the world be able to go about their work without hindrance and without obstruction.  And we stand for freedom of the press.  And if we have anything specific to say about this case, I will let you know at this point.  Yes?

Question:  Farhan, I asked a few days agree about 28 Christians who were arrested in Saudi Arabia, including children and women, for just praying in a place in the Eastern Province.  Also, there are reports that the Saudis are cracking down badly on human rights, especially in the Eastern Province.  Two young people were sentenced to death yesterday, just for taking part in the protests there.  Also, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, of course, still sentenced to death and Sheikh Hassan Maliki, who is a Sunni, also has been arrested, and there is no charges pressed against him.  All this happens without any observation by human rights or without any defence, as it looks. 

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, Nizar, you did ask about this a few days ago.  We have been checking with colleagues in the Human Rights Office.  I don't have any details to give you on the specific case at this stage, but they are looking into the various cases that you've described.  Regarding the youths and the case of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, you are aware of our concerns about the application of the death penalty.  And, of course, several years ago, the General Assembly passed a resolution, seeking ultimately steps for the progressive abolition of capital punishment.  But our concerns about the application of the death penalty in all instances continue to apply in this case, as well.

Question:  How about, I mean, they arrested Sheikh Hassan Maliki, and also what is the Human Rights Council doing about this?

Deputy Spokesman:  As for your larger question, as I said at the start, the Human Rights Office is looking into the specific charges.  If we can get any further comment down the line, I will let you know at that point.  Yes?

Question:  Sure.  I wanted to ask you about the events in Beni in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.  And there is a wire service report, saying that the UN peacekeepers used live fire against protesters and that two people were shot dead on Tuesday protesting the UN Mission's failure to stem violence of the ADF [Alliance of Democratic Forces]-Nalu.  I didn't hear that.  Do you deny that?  Is the UN using live fire?  Were two individuals killed?  Are the protests you described against the UN for failure to stop ADF-Nalu?  And, finally, yesterday Stéphane said he would look to see whether MONUSCO works with the Congolese police units that were mentioned in Scott Campbell's report, and I'm waiting for a "yes" or "no" on that.

Deputy Spokesman:  And we don't have a "yes" or "no" on that particularly.  I believe that the people mentioned in the reports were not Army units.  They were police.  And so this was a report specifically about the Congolese police.

Question:  MONUSCO does work with the police and crowd control in instances; that is why I'm asking whether they work with those units and whether that support should be withdrawn given the expulsion of Mr. Campbell and the matters in the report?

Deputy Spokesman:  Obviously, if Mr. Campbell is not allowed to go into work, that will have repercussions.  We will have to see how that will affect our work on the ground.  You have seen what the Secretary-General had to say, so I would refer you back to our statement from yesterday and his call for the Congolese authorities to allow Mr. Campbell back in and, if not, for the Security Council and others to consider the appropriate action.  Regarding Beni, the details I have are what I've just read; and that's what we have from the mission. If we get anything further…

Question:  It's reported that there was live fire.  Can we get a "yes" or "no" on that today, bullets at the crowd?

Deputy Spokesman:  That is not in the reports I have.  If I have anything different, I will let you know.  Yes, Mr. Abbadi?

Question:  As you know, next Monday, 27 October, the Security Council is supposed to be taking the question of Sahara and the person involved, Mr. Christopher Ross, is expected to address the Council.  What specific aspect of the question would he be dealing with?

Deputy Spokesman:  He deals, of course, with the same questions that have been dealt with throughout, which is to say the question of ultimately the dispensation of the Saharawi people and the overall question of the status of Western Sahara.  This is something that has been troubling us for several decades now and he continues with his brief, as before.  Yes?

Question:  Question on Yemen.  Of course, with the turmoil that is going on in Yemen, there are so many refugees, and maybe millions from Africa.  Is the United Nations doing any… extending any help at this stage to these refugees?  Even Yemenis are suffering from a bad situation there. 

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, it is.  The UN refugee agency has been assisting.  At the end of last week, they actually provided some information about the work that they have been doing to help refugees and their concerns also about the ones who have been perishing in the Gulf of Aden, trying to get to Yemen, mostly from the Horn of Africa.  So they are continuing with the work on the ground and trying to assist the Government of Yemen to make sure that the people who are able to make it into Yemen can be assisted.  Yes, in the back?

Question:  Thank you very much.  I just wanted to ask if there is an update about the Turkish Cypriot leader [Derviş] Eroğlu’s letter to Secretary-General and if there is going to be any initiative taken by either Secretary-General or his Special Envoy, Mr. [Elspen Barth] Eide?  Thank you. 

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, I believe Mr. Eide is going to be in town over the next couple of days.  And he expects to meet with the Secretary-General, and they can discuss the way forward.  Regarding the letter, there is not a letter from… there is not a letter from Derviş Eroğlu, the Turkish Cypriot leader, but there is a separate letter, which I believe is the one you're referring to.  Hold on just one second while I look for it.  And now it's lost here.  Here it is.  The letter actually is… was submitted by the Permanent Mission of Turkey from Mr. Mehmet Dana, his last name is spelled D-A-N-A, who was described as a representative.  And so that letter has gone to the Secretary-General, and it ought to be circulated as a document of the General Assembly under agenda item 42, so it will become a document, and you can see it for yourself.  Yes, Anna?

Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  On Kobane, as we know, Turkey still doesn't do anything to help its people trapped there, but at least after a harsh criticism by global community, they led the Kurdish forces within Turkey, the PKK [Kurdish Workers Party], to interfere, you know, and help their Kurdish brothers or brothers in arms there.  Do we have any information on the movement of these forces?  Did they rejoin with their brothers?  And is the international community helping them somehow, with ammunition or maybe supplies or something else?

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, we don't have a presence on the ground there, so I don't have any details to give about the forces on the ground.  But, certainly, the Secretary-General has encouraged all who can help in assisting and protecting the people of Kobane to do so.  And so he welcomes any efforts that can help to make things easier for them.

Question:  Just a little follow-up.  Thank you.  There were air drops by [the United States] of ammunition and supplies and stuff like that.  Is the UN going to do these things, as well?

Deputy Spokesman:  The United Nations at present does not have any mandate to pursue that sort of activity on Syrian territory.  So it would have to be a matter for the Security Council to consider if that were to change.  Linda?

Question:  Farhan, turning to Syria, do you have any latest information about UN efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to difficult areas?  I mean, basically I'm talking about implementation of 2139, and if Valerie Amos will be briefing next week?

Deputy Spokesman:  I believe she will provide a briefing after the next periodic report.  As you know, every month her office has been providing information about how resolution 2139 is being implemented and what kind of access we have, and so she will continue to do that.  In fact, as you know, she just visited Turkey just a few days ago.  But in terms of the overall humanitarian efforts, the big picture is that in areas controlled by the Government of Syria, there has been an improvement that she has reported regarding the ability to get access to people in need.  At the same time, there has been a larger problem getting access to areas controlled by Da’esh, so that remains a crucial concern for us.  Yes?

Question:  I just wanted to ask, in listening to SRSG (Special Representative of the Secretary-General), the SRSG for South Sudan speak this morning in the Council, it doesn't seem there was a mention of the shoot down of that helicopter that many attributed to Peter Gadet of the opposition.  But it was said at the time that the UN was going to investigate that and it has been some time.  What is the status of that investigation?  And also in Darfur, it was also said that by the end of September there would be conclusion of the inquiry into the cover-up of attacks on civilians by UNAMID [African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur] and now Mr. [Mohamed ibn] Chambas has given his final speech in Darfur and is headed to West Africa.  Where is the report?

Deputy Spokesman:  I believe the report is with the Secretary-General, and he will review it and decide on next steps accordingly.

Question:  Is he going to make it public?

Deputy Spokesman:  That is for him to decide.

Question:  What about South Sudan and the copter?

Deputy Spokesman:  Regarding South Sudan, what we said about the investigation still holds.  And I believe that Ms. Løj will speak to reporters at the stakeout, so you can also ask her if you need.  Yes?

Question:  Has there been any visits from the United Nations to the refugees who are fleeing the Kobane area and see if any of them are arrested or still in custody by the Turkish authorities?

Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  This is something that the UN refugee agency has been following up on, and they have been trying to provide assistance to people fleeing from Kobane, including into Turkey and into Iraq.  Of course, we have been encouraging efforts to make sure that people who are fleeing the fighting in Kobane can be received in other countries without hindrance.  And ultimately the refugee agency is trying to make sure that they can get the assistance they need once they get to a place of safety.

Question:  Did they identify any of those refugees being arrested or still in custody?

Deputy Spokesman:  I'd refer you to the reports from the UN refugee agency.  That is not in the reports that I've seen.  Yes, Mr. Abbadi? 

Question:  Farhan, when would the Secretary-General give a press conference in this room?

Deputy Spokesman:  The Secretary-General spoke to the press here in New York just a week ago and gave a fairly lengthy press encounter.

Question:  No, I'm talking about a formal press conference in this room?

Deputy Spokesman:  We certainly will have one before the end of this year.  But when we can have them, it depends.  Certainly he spoke to you just a few days ago, and he will continue to do so.  Yes? 

Question:  Sure, so then I'll ask this question to you.  There is a report in today's Chosun Ilbo in South Korea, listing the Secretary-General among various candidates for the presidency in the next round in South Korea, along with Seoul's mayor and an executive from Hyundai and various others.  So I wanted to know:   Since… what is his response to that?  Can you say whether he has any intention at all to run for office in South Korea?  And what's his response to being included in polling data by Chosun Ilbo there?

Deputy Spokesman:  It's not his decision to be included in a poll.  What the Secretary-General is doing and what he is concentrating on is his job as Secretary-General, and that is what he will continue to do for the rest of his mandate.

Question:  I mean, I guess I'm just wondering, it seems it's like a natural question, is he going to run or not?  Has he made a decision never to run?  Is the door open?  What is his position?

Deputy Spokesman:  His position is that right now he is focused on his work as Secretary-General and that is where it will stand.  Yes?

Question:  The Lebanese Army has found a lot of weapons in many Syria refugee camps close to the border and of course you heard about arrests there.  What is the United Nations doing about that?  I mean, using camps for recruitment and for terrorist operations inside, within Lebanon and across the border?

Deputy Spokesman:  We need to see whether those reports are indeed accurate.  And then, as you know, Derek Plumbly has been visiting different parts of Lebanon, and he visited Bekaa just, I believe, a day or so ago.  So he has been receiving information about the various incidents.  But whether there is anything to react to at this stage — that would need further evaluation to see whether the facts are as you describe them.

Question:  How about the flow of refugees from Syria into Lebanon?  The Lebanese have said they will not receive any more.

Deputy Spokesman:  Well, I would just refer you to what Mr. Plumbly said just about the situation just yesterday.  He made some comments about the pressures that Lebanon has been facing and the assistance that it needs in order to deal with this heavy flow of refugees.  Have a good afternoon, everyone.