REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Michele Zaccheo, Chief of the Radio and Television Section, United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was attended by spokespersons for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the World Health Organization.

Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), read the following statement:

“We are alarmed by the increase in violence committed against civilians in Ituri and South Kivu, both located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), due to the activity of armed groups and the inability of the security forces to put an end to the violence. In recent months, this has resulted in a growing number of serious human rights abuses, dozens of burned villages and thousands of people displaced.

The crises in the two provinces are unrelated, but have similar characteristics. Armed groups, largely based on ethnic lines and sometimes in alliance with other groups, attack communities mainly to gain control of land and resources.

As recently as this past Tuesday 17 of September, 14 civilians were brutally killed and four wounded in Bukatsele in Ituri province. The casualties included 11 children aged between seven months and 15 years old, all of whom were shot dead and then decapitated. This attack against victims belonging to the Hema community is believed to have been perpetrated by a Lendu armed group. The following day, another 12 civilians – three women and four children – were killed in three different locations, including a camp for internally displaced people. The victims were all Hema.

These killings are just one of the latest in a long list of massacres in the territories of Djugu and Mahagi, Ituri province. According to data collected by the UN Joint Human Rights Office in DRC, since 1 June, at least 197 civilians have been killed in Ituri in assaults believed to have been carried out by Lendu fighters. All the victims belonged to the Hema or Alur communities. This number does not include the victims of attacks over the past week.

During the same period since 1 June, at least 51 victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence have been reported In Ituri. Most of the victims were gang raped.

According to reports, while conducting military operations against Lendu fighters, security forces killed at least 17 Lendu civilians in what amounts to extrajudicial killings of civilians in reprisal for the actions of armed groups. This is a matter of great concern.

In South Kivu the situation is also alarming, with a number of armed groups associated to various communities fighting each other and carrying attacks against civilians. In the space of six days, from 8–14 September, at least eight civilians were killed in the province.

The successive waves of violence have resulted in mass displacement. According to OCHA, at least 230,000 people have been displaced in Ituri since June, and another 20,500 have been displaced in South Kivu. The great majority are living in a dire humanitarian situation.

In Ituri, there is an alarming new trend in recent weeks of an increasing number of assaults by Lendu fighters targeting displaced people.

Defence and Security Forces have so far been ineffective in preventing or putting an end to violence in both provinces. Progress in bringing to justice those responsible for the human rights abuses has been slow. In most cases – especially in South Kivu – there is still a lack of accountability for the grave crimes committed against civilians.

We welcome President Félix Tshisekedi’s commitment to improve the human rights situation in the east of the country and his offer for dialogue with rebels, and call on the DRC authorities, as a matter of urgency, to implement a serious security strategy to resolve the multiple crises and protect civilians in the east. Such a strategy must of course take full account of international human rights law, and ensure that whole communities are not collectively punished for the actions of certain individuals or groups.

In addition, we call on the Government to spare no effort in addressing the prevailing root causes of the ongoing intercommunal tensions and violence.”

United in Science report issued for the Climate Action Summit

Jonathan Fowler, for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said that the United in Science report set forth the scientific research underpinning the forthcoming United Nations Climate Action Summit. It brought together information and data from a number of different organizations including the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch, the Global Carbon Project, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Future Earth initiative and the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS).

The report was under embargo until 4 p.m. Geneva time on Sunday 22 September, when it was due to be unveiled at a press conference in New York. WMO was to hold a press conference on the report in Geneva at 10 a.m. on Monday 23 September.

Responding to questions from journalists, Mr. Fowler said that he did not believe that climate activist Greta Thunberg, would be present at the New York press conference. WMO adhered to the United Nations system-wide view that science-based climate activism was to be encouraged because it was vital to raise public awareness about the very real challenges posed by climate change.

IOM statement on the death of a migrant in custody in Libya

Safa Msehli, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), read the following statement:

“A Sudanese migrant died from a bullet wound Thursday, hours after being returned to shore by the Libyan Coast Guard. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), whose staff witnessed the tragedy, strongly condemns the migrant's death.

The tragedy occurred at Abusitta Disembarkation point in Tripoli as many of the 103 migrants returned to shore were resisting being sent back to detention centres. IOM staff who were on the scene to provide aid to migrants report that armed men began shooting in the air when several migrants tried to run away from their guards.

The migrant was struck by a bullet in the stomach. Despite immediately receiving medical aid on the spot by an IOM doctor and then being transferred to a nearby clinic, he died two hours after admission.

‘This was tragedy waiting to happen’, said IOM Spokesperson Leonard Doyle. ‘The use of live bullets against unarmed vulnerable civilians, men, women and children alike, is unacceptable under any circumstances and raises alarms over the safety of migrants and humanitarian staff. The IOM calls upon Libyan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of this incident and those found responsible to be brought to justice’.

The death is a stark reminder of the grim conditions faced by migrants picked up by the Coast Guard after paying smugglers to take them to Europe, only to find themselves put into detention centres, whose conditions have been condemned by IOM and the UN.

This tragedy comes two months after 53 migrants, among them 6 minors, were killed in an airstrike on the Tajoura detention centre. That facility remains operational to this day, despite persistent calls to end the arbitrary detention of migrants. IOM believes alternatives to detention must be found.

Some 5,000 migrant women, children, and men remain detained in inhumane conditions in Libya. Over 3,000 are detained in areas of active conflict where they are at heightened risk.

While IOM continues to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and conflict-affected persons across Libya, the increasing reports of abuse and human trafficking from detention centres are truly alarming.

Concern over the humanitarian situation in Libya must now be transformed into immediate action. All sides must act to put an end to the suffering of civilians in Libya, especially detained migrants.”

Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that UNHCR condemned the killing of the migrant as an utterly deplorable act. I was now irrefutably clear that refugees and migrants should not be returned to Libya following rescue at sea. Libya could not be considered a safe haven. At the same time, far greater efforts were needed to provide safe alternative pathways to asylum, so that refugees did not feel so desperate that they risked their lives on dangerous boat journeys in the first place.

Responding to questions from journalists, Ms. Msehli said that the disembarkation point was located inside a military facility. IOM had no confirmation about the identity of the person or persons responsible for the shooting, which had taken place in a situation of great confusion with more than a hundred migrants and just three IOM staff. It was possible that the shooting had been accidental, but it was vital for the Libyan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.

Answering a question put by a journalist, Mr. Yaxley said that UNHCR had been calling for the evacuation and resettlement of migrants out of Libya for a number of years. However, it was important to note that there was a renewed sense of urgency because the situation in the country had deteriorated sharply since April 2019. UNHCR was grateful to States that had already helped, but more people needed to be evacuated and more quickly. He also hoped that States would help to find solutions for persons who were shortly to be transferred to the new UNHCR emergency transit centre in Rwanda.

Report on latest Mediterranean Sea arrivals and deaths

Joel Millman, for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that IOM was issuing a report that day showing a recent surge in migrant arrivals across the Mediterranean. Around 30,000 persons, or almost half the yearly total, had arrived over the previous nine weeks. Of them, 20,000 had arrived via Eastern Mediterranean routes to Greece and Cyprus. By contrast, arrival levels from North Africa into Spain and Italy remained very low. Deaths on the Eastern Mediterranean route tended to be much lower than elsewhere. IOM had information about just five such deaths since 18 July, while 270 migrants had died in the Central Mediterranean during the same period.

Over the previous two weeks, the deaths of several dozen people had been documented on sea routes across the Mediterranean. On Tuesday 17 September, a boat had sunk 10 kilometres off the coast of Sfax, Tunisia. Nine persons had been rescued alongside the remains of three others who had drowned. Survivors had reported that four people remained missing. Another boat had capsized on Wednesday 18 September off the coast of the Tunisian island of Djerba. Six people had been brought safely to shore, but four others had lost their lives.

At least two shipwrecks had also been recorded off the coast of Algeria. On 17 September, the remains of three young Algerian men had been retrieved during a rescue operation five nautical miles north of Cap Falcon, Oran, on the western shores of Algeria, where boats departed for the Spanish mainland. Eight survivors had been rescued from the sinking boat and brought back to shore. On the night of 17 September, another boat had sunk off the coast of Cap Djinet/Dellys, 70 km east of Algiers. While reports of the number of dead and missing were still being verified by the Missing Migrants Project (MMP) team, initial information indicated that up to 13 people might have lost their lives in that shipwreck.

The most recent incident was not included in the total figure of 953 deaths so far in 2019. According to Spanish media, several boats had departed the Algerian shore near Dellys on Tuesday night. Six boats had reached Spain's Balearic Islands and one had arrived in Jávea, in mainland Spain.

In answer to journalists’ questions Mr. Millman said that he understood that the migrants involved in the upsurge in movement in the Eastern Mediterranean towards Greece and Cyprus were chiefly Afghans most of whom had come not from Afghanistan but from Iran.

Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that it was important to note that Cyprus, like other Mediterranean States, was shouldering a disproportionate responsibility for receiving incoming migrants. In fact, it was taking in more migrants per head of the population than any other European State. In that context, UNHCR welcomed the increased cooperation among States in recent weeks and it hoped that might open the way to more consistent, regular and timely disembarkation of rescued migrants and to a more predictable relocation mechanism for distributing the migrants among other States.

Rising of xenophobic attacks in South Africa

Charlie Yaxley, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), read the following statement:

“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is deeply concerned about recurring violence against foreign nationals, including refugees and asylum-seekers, in South Africa, most recently taking place in Katlehong near Johannesburg in Gauteng Province.

At least twelve people, including both foreign nationals and South Africans, have reportedly been killed since the onset of the recent violence.

At least 1,500 foreign nationals, predominantly migrants but also refugees and asylum-seekers, have been forced to flee their homes.

Our staff are receiving a significant increase in calls to our telephone hotlines in recent weeks, with people reporting that their homes and businesses have been looted, buildings and property have been set on fire, increased gang activity on the streets and rising incidents of sexual and gender-based violence. Many refugees are now too afraid to go to work or carry out their day-to-day trade, despite having no alternative sources of income.

Refugees and asylum-seekers are feeling particularly vulnerable, as their situation is often worsened by a lack of documentation, leaving them struggling to access health care, education and other public services.

Some 800 people, mostly from Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, have sought safety in community halls in Katlehong. Many wish to return home, saying they no longer feel safe in South Africa. Reports indicate that 73 Malawians, 138 Mozambicans, 314 Nigerians and 72 Zimbabweans have decided to return already.

We are strengthening our response and operational presence in South Africa to ensure refugees’ safety. We are deploying additional staff and resources, including relief items, emergency shelter, psycho-social care, legal assistance and support with recovery of lost livelihoods. Community dialogues are being established with host communities to strengthen social cohesion. UNHCR experts on child protection and sexual and gender-based violence will arrive in the coming days.

UNHCR is calling on State authorities to take every possible measure to ensure people’s safety and welfare. No effort should be spared to quell the violence and enforce rule of law. Those responsible for committing criminal acts must be held to account in court.

South Africa’s recently adopted National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance must now be swiftly implemented and sufficiently resourced to avert further damage and destruction. Those with a voice in the public domain have a responsibility to ensure their language does not further inflame the situation, and that foreigners do not become scapegoats for complex socio-economic challenges.”

Answering questions from journalists, Mr. Yaxley said that UNHCR had also received reports of rising tensions against foreigners in KwaZulu-Natal and in the Western Cape. In addition to the National Action Plan, the authorities needed to take measures to address the underlying causes of tension, specifically the economic challenges, persistent poverty and lack of employment opportunities facing both host communities and migrants.

Universal Health Coverage summit next week

Tarik Jasarevic for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus would be meeting with climate activist Greta Thunberg the following day in New York to hold a “climate conversation” on the health impacts of climate change. Air pollution pods would be set up at United Nations Headquarters to show what the air was like in different cities.

The WHO report on Universal Health Coverage Monitoring was now available. It identified a need for further investment in health care in order to eliminate existing gaps and to prevent people falling into poverty in order to meet health-care costs. Currently, some 925 million persons had to spend more than 10 per cent of their household income on health care and 200 million spent more than 25 per cent. The report was under embargo until its launch at a press conference in New York on Sunday evening by the heads of WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Also on Sunday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, would lead the special mass participation event, “Walk the Talk”, in New York’s Central Park.

International Day of Peace

Michele Zaccheo, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, reminded journalists that the International Day of Peace was due to be celebrated on 21 September. The Secretary-General of the United Nations had issued his Message for the Day, which had as its theme “Climate Action for Peace”. In the message, the Secretary-General stated that peace was at the heart of all the work of the United Nations and drew attention to the perils of the climate emergency, which threatened security, livelihoods and lives.

A number of events were being planned at United Nations Headquarters in New York in the lead-up to United Nations Climate Action Summit, which was due to take place there on 21–23 September. The Secretary-General would be addressing the Youth Climate Summit on 21 September. In Geneva, the Jet d’Eau would be illuminated in green on 23 September as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the Climate Action Summit.

Geneva announcements

Michele Zaccheo, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, said that the Human Rights Council would be continuing its current session with an examination of the universal periodic review outcomes for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Brunei Darussalam, Costa Rica, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Qatar and Nicaragua. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of South Sudan was due to visit the Council that morning.

Mr. Zaccheo also said that the Committee on the Rights of he Child would that morning conclude its review of the report of Portugal – the last country scheduled for its current session. The other countries it had reviewed during the course of the session were: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mozambique, Panama, Georgia and the Republic of Korea.

Mr. Zaccheo added that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities would conclude its twenty-second session that afternoon and issue its concluding observations on the nine States parties reviewed: Albania, Myanmar, Ecuador, India, Greece, Kuwait, Iraq, El Salvador and Australia.

Press conferences

Monday, 23 September 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Room III
WMO
New WMO report on the state of the climate in 2015-2019, with details on global temperatures and other climate change indicators like ice melt and sea level rise. It forms part of United in Science synthesis report with the latest scientific findings to inform the United Nations Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit in New York. The synthesis report will be presented in New York at a science side event by WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas and other members of the Science Advisory Committee to the Climate Action summit. The report will be distributed to Geneva journalists in advance.

Speakers:
• Maxx Dilley, Director of WMO Climate Prediction and Adaptation Division
• Omar Baddour, WMO Senior Scientific Officer and Coordinator of the report

The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog200919