REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE
Alessandra Vellucci, Director, United Nations Information Service, chaired the briefing attended by the spokespersons for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, the United Nations Refugee Fund, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization.
Turkey
Rupert Colville, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that OHCHR had published a report detailing allegations of massive destruction, killings and numerous other serious human rights violations committed between July 2015 and December 2016 in southeast Turkey, during Government security operations that had affected more than 30 towns and neighbourhoods and had displaced between 355,000 and half a million people, mostly of Kurdish origin.
The report described the extent of the destruction in the town of Nusaybin, in Mardin Province, where 1,786 buildings appeared to have been destroyed or damaged, and the Sur district of Diyarbakir, where the local Government estimated that 70 percent of the buildings in the eastern part of the district had been systematically destroyed by shelling. The destruction had apparently continued even after the security operations had ended, reaching a peak during the month of August 2016. Before-and-after satellite images from Nusaybin and Sur showed entire neighbourhoods razed to the ground.
OHCHR was “particularly alarmed about the results of satellite imagery analysis, which indicate an enormous scale of destruction of the housing stock by heavy weaponry,” the report stated.
Heavy damage was also reported from a number of other towns, including Cizre, in Şirnak Province, where witnesses and family members of victims “painted an apocalyptic picture of the wholesale destruction of neighbourhoods” where, in early 2016, up to 189 men, women and children had been trapped for weeks in basements without water, food, medical attention and power before being killed by fire, induced by shelling.
“The subsequent demolition of the buildings destroyed evidence and has therefore largely prevented the basic identification and tracing of mortal remains,” the report continued. “Moreover, instead of opening an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported excessive use of force, recourse to heavy weapons and the resulting deaths, the local authorities accused the people killed of participating in terrorist organizations and took repressive measures affecting members of their families.”
The report described how one woman’s family “was invited by the public prosecutor to collect her remains, which consisted of three small pieces of charred flesh, identified by means of a DNA match. The family did not receive an explanation as to how she was killed nor a forensic report. The victim’s sister, who called for accountability of those responsible for her death and attempted to pursue a legal process, was charged with terrorist offences.”
The report also cited information received from the Government of Turkey indicating that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the Government considered a terrorist organization, “had conducted a number of violent attacks that caused deaths and injuries among Turkish security forces and other individuals. The PKK has also been involved, according to the Government, in kidnappings, including of children; digging trenches and placing roadblocks in cities and towns; and preventing medical services from delivering emergency health services.”
OHCHR said it had been seeking access to the affected parts of southeast Turkey for almost a year, to independently investigate allegations of serious human rights violations. In the absence of meaningful access, the report – the first in a series – had been produced through remote monitoring, using both public and confidential sources, satellite imagery and interviews to gather information about the conduct and impact of the security operations in the southeast of the country.
The report also documented accounts of torture, enforced disappearances, incitement to hatred, prevention of access to emergency medical care, food, water and livelihoods, and violence against women, as well as expressed concern “about the post-security operation policies of expropriation,” citing a number of examples including the Council of Ministers’ March 2016 decision, which had reportedly resulted in the expropriation of up to 100 per cent of all land plots in Sur.
Measures taken under the state of emergency following the attempted coup of July 2016, including the dismissal of more than 100,000 people from public or private sector jobs during the reporting period, had also deeply affected the human rights situation in the southeast. Some 10,000 teachers had been reportedly dismissed on suspicion of having links with the PKK, without due process. The use of counter-terrorism legislation to remove democratically elected officials of Kurdish origin, the severe harassment of independent journalists, the closure of independent and Kurdish language media and citizen’s associations and the mass suspension of judges and prosecutors had also severely weakened checks and balances and human rights protections.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein had acknowledged the complex challenges Turkey had faced in addressing the attempted coup of July 2016 and in responding to a series of terror attacks. However, he had said the apparent significant deterioration of the human rights situation in the country was cause for alarm and would only serve to deepen tensions and foster instability.
“I am particularly concerned by reports that no credible investigation has been conducted into hundreds of alleged unlawful killings, including women and children over a period of 13 months between late July 2015 and the end of August of 2016. It appears that not a single suspect was apprehended and not a single individual was prosecuted,” High Commissioner Zeid had said.
“The Government of Turkey has failed to grant us access, but has contested the veracity of the very serious allegations made in this report. But the gravity of the allegations, the scale of the destruction and the displacement of more than 355,000 people mean that an independent investigation is both urgent and essential.”
In response to questions, Mr. Colville said that OHCHR acknowledged that the PKK was recognized by a number of other countries and bodies as a terrorist organization, but in the report OHCHR was pointing out that that was the Turkish Government’s own attribution. He did not believe that the UN itself had officially designated the PKK as a terrorist organization. Regarding the events on the ground in places like Cizre and 30 or more towns and neighbourhoods, mostly urban, but also some rural areas, Mr. Colville said that working out precisely who was responsible for what was why a clear, thorough, independent investigation was needed, to shed more light on what had happened. If violations were being committed on both sides, they needed to be exposed. He also said that while Mr. Zeid had been invited to visit the southeast of Turkey, it was a visit by an investigative team that was needed first, and that had been OHCHR’s constant position for almost one year, ever since the invitation had first been put forward. Mr. Colville also said that the report had been produced under a system known as remote monitoring and that OHCHR had done the best it could under those circumstances, but that there were limitations due to the lack of access.
Asked whether OHCHR was intending to submit the report to the Human Rights Council, Mr. Colville said that the report was not part of the HRC process and was done under the High Commissioner’s mandate to promote and protect the human rights of everybody, everywhere. It was of course possible that States themselves could decide to bring the issue to the Council. The independent investigation that OHCHR called for could be domestic, but it would need to be seen to be absolutely independent and impartial, or it could be international.
Asked about the upcoming referendum in Turkey, Mr. Colville said that was not the focus here and OHCHR was not commenting on the events in the southeast of Turkey in relation to it.
Asked about the number of potentially 800 casualties among security forces mentioned in the report, Mr. Colville said that it was a very high number, that those numbers came from the Government and that it was something OHCHR would want to look into in more detail. The information was sketchy as no-one had been able to conduct a thorough, independent investigation to verify it. It was planned at this point that OHCHR would probably do quarterly reports on the situation, using the remote monitoring system. In his recent speeches at the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner had put an emphasis on the country situations to which OHCHR did not have access, stressing the importance of monitoring those situations despite the lack of access, as those States who fail to provide access should not be rewarded.
In response to a question on the reasons that had been opposed to the High Commissioner’s request, not allowing an investigative team to enter, Mr. Colville said that no reasons had been provided, just a counter-proposal of a visit by the High Commissioner himself. Turkey had certainly been facing huge challenges recently, including horrendous terrorist attacks in several cities leading to loss of life, and the coup attempt which had been a major threat to the existence of the State and of the system. Mr. Colville also said that the focus of the future reports would depend on the circumstances and on what was developing; they might not be exclusively confined to the southeast. Regarding the numbers of deaths, much clearer information was needed, which is why there was a need for investigations. Security operations continued sporadically, and current information from this part of Turkey was very hard to obtain. Alienating large parts of the population, expropriating property and destroying buildings contributed to create resentment and not reduce tensions. The Government had to deal with armed groups but had to be very careful with the way it treated the civilian population.
In response to final questions, Mr. Colville said that almost a year ago, on 1 April 2016, OHCHR had first requested the Turkish Government, through the Permanent Mission in Geneva, to grant access to a technical mission, i.e. a team of human rights staff. The High Commissioner had then followed up in May 2016 with a letter to the Turkish Government requesting their formal agreement to allow an OHCHR team to have access to the country to independently examine allegations of violations of international law. On 13 June 2016, he had raised that point again during his speech to the Human Rights Council. There had been back and forth requests for months, including in recent days. On the proposal that he visit, the High Commissioner had underlined the importance of Turkey in international affairs and the need to maintain cooperation and understanding between the UN and Turkey. He had repeated that he welcomed the invitation for him to visit, but that his visit needed to be preceded by an OHCHR team being granted access to the southeast. The High Commissioner could not be expected to lead that sort of team, it was clearly a job for a team of experts. The Government of Turkey had an open invitation to all Special Rapporteurs to visit, which OHCHR very much welcomed, and there had been recent visits by the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of expression and on torture to the southeast. That was mentioned in the report. The situation in the southeast had also been addressed by several of the committees reinforcing the UN human rights treaties.
Mr. Colville also confirmed that the number of internally displaced people, cited in the report, was 355,000 to half a million, and those were estimates from a variety of sources. There needed to be more transparency regarding the figures, which needed further verification. There was also a need for a separate, independent evaluation of the humanitarian and protection needs of the displaced population. The Government had been providing some assistance and compensation, but that did not appear to be sufficient. OHCHR had received disturbing reports that humanitarian assistance was conditioned on having a clean criminal record. What that meant exactly given the number of people being arrested in Turkey, was a cause for concern.
UN Secretary-General’s report
Ms. Vellucci said that the UN Secretary-General had launched on 9 March a new report on “Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and abuse: A new approach.” The report had been submitted for consideration to the General Assembly. It outlined a victim-centred strategy, rooted in transparency, accountability and ensuring justice. It focused on four main areas: putting the rights and dignity of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse at the forefront of our efforts; establishing greater transparency on reporting and investigations, in an effort to end impunity for those guilty of sexual exploitation and abuse; building a truly multi-stakeholder network to support the UN effort to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse; and raising awareness and sharing best practices to end this scourge. The Secretary-General was highly committed to the implementation of this strategy, and had instructed and expected all his leadership to take immediate action. The report was available in all of the UN’s official languages.
South Sudan
Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that more than 338,000 people in four key flashpoint areas in central South Sudan had now received humanitarian assistance since localized famine had been declared in the Leer and Mayiandit counties on 20 February. Some 100,000 people were facing starvation in the two counties of Leer and Mayiandit, while people in Koch and Panyijar nearby were considered at high risk of famine.
Humanitarian organizations in South Sudan were now including deployment of rapid response teams to reach the people in the hardest-hit areas, and had scaled up delivery of food, emergency livelihood assistance, nutrition supplements, health services, water and sanitation services.
Apart from the areas where famine was already declared, a further 1 million people were on the brink of famine across South Sudan, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification which the UN used. However, in the middle of the response since 20 February, 28 humanitarians had been advised to leave Mayiandit town by local authorities, following skirmishes north of the town. Intensive negotiations had been undertaken to try to get the aid workers back, as they were critically needed in the response. However, renewed fighting had been reported on the outskirts of the town on 1 March and the 28 aid workers had not been able to return because of the continued fighting.
The response was scaling up, but funding had so far not followed suit at a pace that was necessary. The overall requirements for South Sudan for 2017 were at USD 1.6 billion and as of now, the UN had received 9.3 per cent of that amount, and more funding was urgently needed, not least to respond in those areas where famine was already a reality.
In response to questions, Mr. Laerke said that he did not have any information on direct consequences on the humanitarian operation of what had been said by the UN representative in South Sudan, but that it was clear that those who were fighting their war did not seem to consider the urgent need for relief that the civilian population had, and that was deplorable. Humanitarian aid was a right for civilians in need and it was a right and an obligation for humanitarian workers to deliver it. Wherever the UN did have access, that would alleviate the suffering. It was difficult to say if the access that the UN had had in order to scale up the response and deliver to some 338,000 people in the flashpoint areas, would be sustained. It depended on the dynamics on the ground. Of course, that was the UN’s hope and it was planning to be able to deliver whenever access was possible.
Ms. Vellucci referred the media to a press conference given by the UN Secretary-General on 8 March in Nairobi. In it, he had specifically said about the military situation in South Sudan that based on the agreement that had been reached during the African Union Summit, there was a complete convergence of IGAD - the regional organisation, the African Union and the UN. “Based on that convergence, we had now President [Alpha Oumar] Konaré as Representative of the African Union, President [Festus] Mogae as Representative of IGAD and Mr. [Nicholas] Haysom as Representative of the UN, working seriously, to define a common strategy to mitigate as much as possible the fighting and move to a cessation of hostilities and to have an inclusive national dialogue, able to provide a solution to the political problems of the country.” Obviously humanitarian assistance was part of that strategy.
Colombia
William Spindler, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that violence continued to uproot thousands of people in Colombia, despite a peace agreement signed in November 2016 between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Fighting for territorial control in the Colombian Pacific Coast region among irregular armed groups had displaced 3,549 people (913 families) since the beginning of 2017, according to local authorities. In 2016, UNHCR had recorded 11,363 people (3,068 families) displaced by violence in the same areas.
Afro-Colombian communities and indigenous people have been particularly affected by the violence, which is endangering their survival. Those two ethnic groups accounted for 10 per cent and 3 per cent respectively of the 7.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Colombia.
Since the signing of the peace agreement, increased violence by new armed groups had resulted in killings, forced recruitment -- including of children -- gender-based violence and limited access to education, water and sanitation, as well as movement restrictions and forced displacement of the civilian population.
UNHCR reiterated the need to ensure that the civilian population had access to protection and assistance. At the same time, any eventual returns of IDPs to their areas of origin needed to take place in conditions of safety and dignity.
UNHCR was present in the Pacific region of Colombia with four field offices and would continue to support the local authorities and communities to address the protection risks they faced, while supporting a comprehensive institutional response to the situation.
In response to questions, Mr. Spindler said that there was a very large number of irregular armed groups in Colombia. There were a number of extreme-left-wing and extreme-right-wing armed groups, as well as criminal elements. There were also dissident elements of FARC that had not abided by the peace agreement and had continued with their activities. It was very difficult to know which groups were involved, and also UNHCR was not focusing on that but on the humanitarian response. As the FARC laid down their weapons and demobilized, in some areas, particularly along the Pacific Coast and the region of Catatumbo, the Colombian regular army had not moved fast enough and that void was being filled by other groups. Those were the groups responsible for the violence. Sometimes there was fighting between the different groups, which also caused displacement.
Yemen
Mr. Spindler, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said that intensified hostilities across western and central Yemen continued to force tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, with many now struggling to cope in abysmal conditions. More than 62,000 had been reported to be displaced within the past six weeks.
On Yemen’s western coast, recent fighting in Taizz governorate had left more than 48,400 people displaced. The majority, some 35,226 people, had fled within Taizz or to neighbouring Hudaydah (9,822). Others had also been displaced to the nearby governorates of Ibb (1,068 people), Aden (900 people), and smaller numbers to Al Dhale’e, Lahj, Abyan and Shabwah.
Most of those displaced were in dire need of assistance and have found shelter in communal and public spaces, including schools and health facilities, whilst others were living in unfinished buildings or even out in the open.
A number of those displaced, including many children, had been reported as suffering from malnutrition, while others were distressed and in need of psycho-social assistance. Overcrowding and unsanitary conditions in areas of displacement were also leading to outbreaks of diseases, including skin ailments.
UNHCR, together with partners, had quickly responded to the needs of the newly-displaced people from Taizz, including through the provision of shelter and relief items.
With fighting still ongoing, UNHCR continued to advocate intensely for access within Taizz itself to reach people in need. UNHCR had participated in a joint mission in late February to the governorate’s flashpoint district of Mokha, which had found that many of the displaced were living in appalling conditions, sheltering in public schools, health facilities and even exposed to the elements with no protection. Both displaced and host community families were struggling with a lack of basic assistance and have reported living in fear of violence.
Whilst UNHCR assistance had previously reached Taizz, intensified hostilities at present were hampering access. UNHCR continued to advocate for unfettered access and was trying to mobilise a response with all national actors on the ground.
Elsewhere in central Yemen, the recent escalation of conflict in Dhamar Governorate, which bordered Sana’a, had left thousands newly displaced. Triggered by a dispute in the governorate’s Utmah district, hostilities had forced more than 13,902 people from their homes across the governorate. Several sub-districts to which people had been displaced remained inaccessible, so the total number of those displaced may be much higher, and 6,978 IDPs among those recorded displaced, were now attempting to return home.
Main roads to the district currently remained blocked, hampering access to the population in need. Significant damage to civilian infrastructure had also been reported. The lack of adequate health facilities in the district also meant that injured civilians could only seek treatment in a general hospital, which was 85 kilometres away.
Many of those displaced from the fighting were now in urgent need of food, shelter and medicine and lacked adequate water and sanitation facilities. A number of women were also reporting psychological distress and malnutrition. UNHCR was currently mobilising to reach displaced families in the governorate.
With international support for the humanitarian response in Yemen severely lacking, UNHCR was immensely concerned about being able to respond to new and ongoing displacement across Yemen. With UNHCR’s 2017 budget for Yemen so far funded at only 7 per cent, available funding was only sufficient to deal with urgent emergency needs.
Human Rights Council 34th session
Rolando Gomez, for the Human Rights Council (HRC), said that the Council was holding this morning an interactive dialogue on the human rights of migrants in the context of large movements. The Director-General of IOM, William Lacy Swing was participating, as were representatives of ILO, UNHCR, the SRSG on violence against children, and OHCHR, among others. Peggy Hicks, a senior staff member at OHCHR, had read out a statement on behalf of the Office, noting that “the attempts we are witnessing around the globe to undermine human rights safeguards with regard to immigration policies, are generated to appease fearful opinion. Such efforts will lead to consequences of tearing families and communities apart and will lead to more precarious migration, not less.”
At approximately 12.30 p.m. the Council would resume its general debate on item 3, which was expected to last the whole day and possibly spill over to 13 March in the morning. The situation in Turkey might very well figure in the general debate this afternoon, as well as ensuing general debates on country situations next week. There was also a side-event taking place on 13 March at 3 p.m. by a well-established NGO, Article 19, titled “Human rights in Turkey: Expression”.
On 13 March, back-to-back country reports would be presented, probably starting at 9 a.m. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Tomás Ojea Quintana, would present his report along with members of the Group of Independent Experts on the DPRK, Sara Hossain and Sonja Biserko. That would be followed by the report of the new Special Rapporteur on Iran, Asma Jahangir, and the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, followed by the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea, Sheila Keetharuth, presenting an oral update, as well as an oral update from the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi. Each of those debates should take about two hours. Exact timing would be confirmed in a media update later today.
Mr. Gomez announced a press conference on 13 March at 2 p.m. in Room III with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Tomás Ojea Quintana, who would present his first report to the Human Rights Council since his appointment in August 2016, along with members of the Group of Independent Experts on the DPRK, Sara Hossain and Sonja Biserko.
Mr. Gomez also announced a press conference on 13 March at 4 p.m. in Press Room 1, by Yanghee Lee, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar.
The Council would hold a panel on Syria with Syrian victims and witnesses on 14 March between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m., and the Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic would present its report on Aleppo, on 14 March, at 12 p.m., which had already been made public. The COI would also present their oral update on the overall situation of human rights in Syria over the last six months. Exact timing would be confirmed. In response to questions, Mr. Gomez said that such periodic oral updates were a usual feature during all Council sessions since the COI had been established. If there was a concept note complementing the oral update, it would be shared with the press as soon as possible. The concept note along with the oral update would encompass an overview of the entire situation in the country.
Several informal consultations were taking place in parallel to the main session, on numerous draft resolutions. The Bulletin of Informal meetings would indicate where and when those would be taking place.
Geneva Events and Announcements
Fadela Chaib, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that today, WHO would send to the press a situation report on Zika and related complications. It would be the last situation report in the current format. In the future, a more complete report would be sent less frequently, three to four times a year, with information on the state of the research, available data, the development of Zika and its complications. On 18 November 2016, the fifth meeting of the emergency committee on Zika had taken place and had recommended to the WHO Director-General move from a state of emergency to a long-term management process of Zika and its complication. A task force working exclusively on Zika followed all the developments. The situation report would also be accompanied by an FAQ.
Ms. Vellucci said that the Conference on Disarmament would hold a public meeting on 14 March at 10 a.m.
Ms. Vellucci announced that the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, which had opened on 6 March its 12th session at the Palais Wilson, would meet in private until the end of its session on 17 March, following which it would publish its concluding observations on the reports of the three countries examined during the session, those of Cuba, Senegal and Ecuador.
The Human Rights Committee, which had opened this week its 119th session (running until 29 March) would finish this morning its review of the report of Italy, started on 9 March in the afternoon, before starting this afternoon its review of the report of Thailand.
Ms. Vellucci announced a press conference by the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, on 15 March at 10 a.m. in Press Room 1, on the topic of “Unaccompanied children on the move: preserving their dignity and their rights.” The speakers would be the Reverend Father Fabio Baggio, Co-Undersecretary, Migrant and Refugee Section, Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development of the Holy See, the Reverend Father Michael Czerny, Co-Undersecretary, Migrant and Refugee Section, Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development of the Holy See, and Monsignor Robert J. Vitillo, Secretary General of International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).
Ms. Vellucci also announced a press conference on 15 March at 11 a.m. in Press Room 1, by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on the International Patent System in 2016, International Trademark and Design Systems in 2016, as well as Domain Names/Cybersquatting Trends in 2016. The speaker would be Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General.
Finally, Ms. Vellucci announced that the annual lecture of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation would take place on 15 March at 6 p.m. in the Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations. There would be limited seats for the press. Those who were interested should send an email to François Richer. The media gallery would be located on the balcony at the back of the room. A note to correspondents would be sent later today.
In response to a question about the insulation of an area in the Palais next to the cafeteria where there was work underway to remove asbestos, Ms. Vellucci said that a Broadcast message had gone out, stating that the works were being conducted according to Swiss standards, by a Swiss company certified for those kinds of works. She would ask the SHP team and building maintenance to provide more information.
The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog100317