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.
**Secretary-General’s Travels
The Secretary-General has just arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he will attend the opening of the Olympic Games and participate in the Olympic torch relay tomorrow. He will soon be paying a visit to the Olympic Village, where he will meet with the Refugee Olympic Team. And this evening, he will meet with the President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach.
**South Sudan
From Geneva, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today published a report on recent fighting in South Sudan. The High Commissioner, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, said the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) killed large numbers of civilians, raped women and destroyed property during the fighting in July. He said violations are continuing, not only in Juba, but in other parts of the country. The SPLA appear to have specifically targeted people of Nuer origin, he said.
The UN counted at least 73 civilian deaths during the month and documented at least 217 reports of sexual violence in Juba alone. Mr. Zeid also expressed concern about allegations that some peacekeepers may have failed to assist women and girls who were reportedly raped and assaulted near their positions. He took note of the UN Mission’s measures to address this situation and urged strong action in those instances. Mr. Zeid said he had provided the Security Council with a report on the situation. He said “the severity of the recent violence, and the very dangerous ethnic undertone, call for urgent action by the Security Council”.
You will have noted that yesterday the Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, asked the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to urge the Government of South Sudan to take action to address sexual violence crimes. The leaders of IGAD are meeting in Addis Ababa tomorrow for an extraordinary summit on the situation in South Sudan.
**Sudan
Our humanitarian colleagues inform us that an outbreak of Hepatitis E virus has been declared in Sortony, North Darfur, with 134 suspected cases of Acute Jaundice Syndrome reported. The current rainy season is likely to contribute to unsanitary conditions due to overflowing latrines and related contamination in living areas, and the outbreak may continue if the issue of overcrowding is not addressed. Humanitarian health, water and sanitation partners are working with the Ministry of Health to address the situation. Efforts aimed at containing the outbreak include strengthening health promotion-related activities and improving water quality through chlorination.
**Syria
The Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Ramzy Ezzeldine Ramzy, spoke to reporters in Geneva today to reiterate the Special Envoy’s commitment to holding the intra-Syrian talks by the end of August. For these talks to be fruitful, he added, the cessation of hostilities has to stand and be reinforced. Regarding Aleppo, Mr. Ramzy noted that the United Nations is currently in intensive discussions with the Russian Federation and the Government of Syria to ensure that the civilian population in Aleppo is protected and that the standards of international humanitarian law are respected in any operation on humanitarian assistance.
In the same press encounter, the Special Adviser to the Special Envoy, Jan Egeland, said that UN and other humanitarian workers had hoped to reach 1.2 million people in besieged and hard-to-reach areas affected by conflict in July, but only reached about 40 per cent of that target, largely because of continued fighting. He said that humanitarian pauses and a temporary end to the fighting are badly needed now, more than ever, for the city of Aleppo. He added that humanitarian workers are ready, able and willing to go, if there are pauses in the fighting.
Also today, the World Food Programme (WFP), the [Office of the] UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] completed an urgent relief operation to provide a one-month ration of desperately needed food and hygiene supplies to more than 75,000 people who are trapped along a land embankment, or berm, at the Syria-Jordan border.
**Iraq
We issued a statement yesterday on the second anniversary of the seizure of Sinjar by Da’esh, in which the Secretary-General reiterated his strong condemnation of the heinous crimes that continue to be committed by Da’esh against the diverse ethnic and religious communities of Iraq. The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the safety of the people who remain in the group’s captivity, in particular the thousands of Yezidi women and children. He calls upon all those engaged in the fight against Da’esh to make their release a prime objective in their military operations.
The Secretary-General stresses that the crimes committed by Da’esh in Iraq may constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity and even genocide, and he calls on the Government of Iraq to continue identifying ways to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice without delay, based on fair trial and due process. This could include the option of a referral to the International Criminal Court. The Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura, also issued a statement in which she said that the extreme acts of sexual violence committed by Da’esh cannot go unpunished, and that we must renew our commitment to the women and girls who have suffered some of the most unspeakable atrocities of our time. Both statements are online.
**Nuclear Weapons
The Secretary-General will send messages to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Ceremonies to commemorate the seventy-first anniversary of their atomic bombings, respectively on 6 and 9 August. They will be delivered by Kim Won-soo, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, who will participate in the ceremonies on his behalf. On this occasion, Mr. Kim will also pay tribute, on the Secretary-General’s behalf, to the Korean victims of the Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima by attending the ceremony organized by the Korean Resident Union in [Mindan], Japan, on 5 August, alongside Japanese political and social leaders. Six years ago, the Secretary-General personally visited the Monument Dedicated to Korean Victims and Survivors.
**Migrants
The UN refugee agency has welcomed the draft declaration on refugees and migrants reached Tuesday by the General Assembly. Filippo Grandi, the High Commissioner for Refugees said: “The message from the negotiations is clear: no one Government can address large-scale movements of refugees on its own.” He added that “international cooperation is the only way forward”. Mr. Grandi said that the declaration includes a reaffirmation of basic principles of international refugee law and responsibility-sharing for refugees. He said “it represents a solid basis on which to develop more coordinated — and more equitable — comprehensive responses to future large-scale refugee movements”. The draft will be adopted at the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants meeting here on 19 September. And that is it from me. Any questions? At all? Yes. Okay. And then you.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Yeah, I wanted to ask you two things about South Sudan beyond what you'd said about what Prince Zeid… Zeid's report. One is this report that… that, in the camps, in light of the recent violence, the people that have gone into them weren't, in fact, registered as… as… basically, in order to have food delivered to them, to register… to get bigger WFP and that this is in fact leaving some of them without food, and so, they have to go out of the camp, and it puts them at risk. The second question I have it from an UNMISS [United Nations Mission in South Sudan] memo I've obtained and published, which said that on 3 August an UNMISS military personnel was stopped at the airport by the Government. Computer laptop and phone all taken. UNDSS [United Nations Department of Safety and Security] is aware of it. And I wanted to know, what is the protocol for a Member State to take electronics concluding… presumably including secret information from UNMISS military personnel? And what is the UN doing in this case both to protest it and to make sure the information is not misused?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, I will check what UNMISS is doing by way of reaction, but, certainly, our… all of their personnel are supposed to have freedom of movement. And they and their belongings, including, of course, their communications, are to be protected.
Question: This one… I just want to ask you, because what it says is that this was taken because they were taking photographs inside the airport. So I wanted to know, does your interpretation of freedom of movement and freedom of action include taking photographs inside an air… the airport, which is the Government's rationale?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, we would have to see whether the actions taken by staff are appropriate. But, certainly, the Government knows what its obligations are under the Status of Forces Agreement, but also, of course, UN personnel are… wherever they go are supposed to have freedom of movement if they go in accordance with their work responsibilities.
Question: And registration? Did you have an answer on that, on whether IDPs [internally displaced persons] that have gone into the camps last week have registered…?
Deputy Spokesman: As far… if I hear otherwise, I can let you know, but as far as I'm aware, all… at all Protection of Civilians sites, the registration continues.
Correspondent: There's an AP story that says totally the contrary, by Justin Lynch.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, registration is a standard practice of the sites. I don't know whether there's a problem at any particular site, but it's standard for all of the inhabitants to be registered. Yes?
Question: Farhan, I have two questions on South Sudan. So, in the Zeid statement, he says that he has taken note of measures taken by UNMISS in relation to these allegations that peacekeepers have failed to assist women who were raped. Can you elaborate on what those measures that have been taken are?
Deputy Spokesman: At this stage, we're in the process of following up. We'll have more to say on this later, but, as I believe I mentioned at the time, we take it very seriously that if any soldiers have failed in the responsibilities, including protecting people who then go on to be raped, that's a very, very serious problem. So, we are looking into these, and we'll follow up and… but certainly, it's clear that all the soldiers who are witness to anything that's a potential crime or potential violation need to take action to prevent anything from… any of these abuses from happening. Masood? And then you.
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I just want to know when the Secretary‑General will break his vow of silence and say something about Kashmir. The riots broke out yesterday over there again after killing of two children over there, and the situation continues to grow from bad to worse. Nothing that you can add to what Stéphane [Dujarric] said about four weeks ago?
Deputy Spokesman: As far as that goes, yes, what he said a few weeks back remains what we've said. It's not a vow of silence. We did say something, but that's where we stand on it right now.
Question: But, the thing of it is, the situation seems to be going from bad to worse. And is there… does the Secretary‑General have any plans to send his Special Envoy over there? It's getting really bad over there.
Deputy Spokesman: We're aware of the continuing reports. Regarding that, our position on them is the same as what we'd expressed a few weeks ago. Yes, Emoke?
Question: Yes. Going back to South Sudan, so given the high number of rapes, which I'm sure this is not anything new, but do the UNMISS Protection of Civilians sites… do they have the capability to provide medical or any, like, psychosocial services to these women?
Deputy Spokesman: Yes, what we try to do if we know of these rapes is exactly to provide the necessary assistance, including psychosocial services. So, there are facilities available if acts are confirmed, yes. Yes?
Question: I wanted to ask you, in Burundi, among the various things happening is a move by the Government to either disbar or arrest a number of human rights lawyers that have… have both advocated for victims of torture and other abuse and have been pretty high profile internationally, sending out reports, including Vidal Nsiramana. So, I wanted to know, since you have a team on the ground there and there seems to be a feeling that human rights defenders and lawyers that work on that should be defended, what has the UN done in this public announcement by the Government that they should all be disbarred?
Deputy Spokesman: Well, certainly, we believe that all human rights defenders everywhere should be able to go about their work, and we would have concerns if there's any effort to prevent human rights lawyers or other human rights activists from going about their work, and that is to be avoided. And, yes, we do have team on the ground to monitor any problems with human rights that are recorded. Yes?
Question: Thank you, Farhan. I actually have a question about Pokémon GO application. As it becomes more and more popular and as you may be aware, people are catching pocket monsters everywhere. And, in this context, any indication from Secretary‑General, is he… if he's okay if people will catch Pokémons here at the UN?
Deputy Spokesman: I'm going to sound very, very old, but I really don't know this topic at all. I know that this is something that's going on, but what it is is a mystery to me. Obviously, people who are here at their work need to go about their work. If something is a distraction, we try not to do that. Beyond that, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about.
Correspondent: I just saw people this morning outside of the UN trying to catch monsters.
Deputy Spokesman: Virtual monsters?
Correspondent: Yes, of course.
Deputy Spokesman: Whatever's fun for them. Yes?
Question: Sure. I wanted to… I guess I thought you might have it. Yesterday, I'd asked Stéphane, and he'd said it was not an unfair question, whether the Secretary‑General approved the service of Jane Holl Lute on the Union Pacific's Board.
Deputy Spokesman: Oh, yes. Yes, we checked, and the answer is yes, she did seek approval and did receive it.
Question: And what I wanted to ask as a second question, which is that the special… is Mr. Han Seung‑soo still the Special Adviser on Water and Risk Reduction?
Deputy Spokesman: I believe he was appointed that some time ago. Whether he still has that portfolio or not, I would need to check.
Question: Because what I want to know is that he's also on the board of directors of a South Korean firm, Doosan Infracore, which is listed in the UN procurement database as doing business with the UN. So, I wanted to know if maybe you can get like… actually send me the answer, whether, in fact, if these two services are concurrent, whether it's been approved by the Secretary‑General and whether… whether there's some special kind of safeguards that he recuse himself from business involving the UN or whether it's possible to be a UN Special Adviser on the board of a company that does business with the UN.
Deputy Spokesman: Well, first and foremost, I'll need to check what his status is, whether he's an adviser or not. Have a good afternoon, everyone. Oh, Benny. You just came in.
Question: Yeah. I… so, today, in Israel, there was an indictment of a Hamas operative who took the money that was transferred to an organization… an organization called World Vision in Gaza and basically transferred most of it to the military arms of… military arm of Hamas, according to the indictment. Question is, since the humanitarian coordinator is a UN guy, do you have any comment?
Deputy Spokesman: What I can say on this is that the Secretary‑General is aware of the reports and the seriousness of the allegations. The United Nations is following developments in the investigation and legal proceedings.
Question: Just to clarify, because a couple of weeks ago, there was a fire in a village in the West Bank, and the coordinator… UN coordinator immediately jumped to say that it's an Israeli terrorist, which maybe it was, and likely it was, actually, but there's no… there's legal proceedings, and he didn't wait for the legal proceedings to be over.
Deputy Spokesman: I've given you what we have, which, as you may have noticed, is in the name of the Secretary‑General. Have a good afternoon, one and all.