REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Alessandra Vellucci, the Chief of the Press and External Relations Section of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was also attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Organization for Migration.

Libya

Ravina Shamdasani of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), reading out a statement of the High Commissioner, said that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had called for immediate cessation of the grave human rights violations committed by Libyan authorities. Navi Pillay had urged an independent international investigation into the violent suppression of protests in the country.

“The callousness with which Libyan authorities and their hired guns are reportedly shooting live rounds of ammunition at peaceful protestors is unconscionable. I am extremely worried that lives are being lost even as I speak,” Ms. Pillay said. “The international community must unite in condemnation of such acts and make unequivocal commitments to ensure justice is rendered to the thousands of victims of this repression.”

Ms. Pillay had cited the reported use of machine guns, snipers and military planes against demonstrators. She had said such extremely serious allegations in brazen defiance of international law must not go without a full and independent investigation. Protection of civilians should always be the paramount consideration. Widespread and systematic attacks against the civilian population may amount to crimes against humanity.

The High Commissioner had said that the people of Libya had long been victims of the serious excesses of the Libyan leadership, and she had praised their courage in speaking out in the face of such harsh repercussions.

The Libyan people were tired of corruption, tired of resource wealth benefitting only a few, tired of being unemployed, tired of their rights being ignored. They wanted a say in the Government and a role in the economy and they would not be silenced.

The Office was available to offer support and assistance towards investigations into the events in Libya, and towards the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. According to Ms. Shamdasani, Ms. Pillay had said that “The international community must work together to ensure that the human rights aspirations of the people of Libya are realized”.

Mr. Frej Fenniche, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Section of the OHCHR, responding to a question, said that various organizations had given different numbers of people killed or injured during the protests. OHCHR, for its part, did not have a clear idea of the number of victims for the time being. However, it believed that about 250 people had been killed and that hundreds had been injured in the country since 14 February. This figure was based on information collected from NGOs and human rights defenders, as OHCHR did not have a presence in Libya and other United Nations agencies were not active there, but it seemed that the actual number was even higher. OHCHR was aware of a number of journalists and human rights activists who had been arrested and whose whereabouts remained unclear.

Responding to another question, Mr. Fenniche said that OHCHR had no information suggesting that any country had requested a Special Session of the Human Rights Council. Many initiatives were being conducted, in particular by international NGOs and other human rights NGOs, but the decision was incumbent on the members of the Human Rights Council. The High Commissioner was always in favour of using United Nations human rights mechanisms to take action based on the human rights situation on the ground. If the Council requested it, the High Commissioner would be available to brief it on the human right situation in Libya.

Asked about the reported use of mercenaries by Libyan authorities, Mr. Fenniche said that much had been said about the use of non-Libyan nationals to oppress the protests. However, the term ‘mercenaries’ must be used with care, including by the media, mainly because this could lead to violence against foreign nationals living in Libya. In such types of conflict, immigrants were sometimes forced to strengthen troops or forces of oppression, but this did not mean that they qualified as mercenaries. According to the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries, mercenaries were people hired to fight with the army or an armed group in an armed conflict. Mr. Fenniche said that he could neither confirm that mercenaries had been used in Libya nor that they had not been used. This information must first be verified.

Reacting to a comment by a journalist, Mr. Fenniche said he did not see any variation among the statements made by the Secretary-General and that made by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. An international and independent investigation was the minimum the High Commissioner could ask for at this moment, based on her mandate and the situation on the ground. This was not new, as the High Commissioner had requested international investigations many times and in many cases.

Alessandra Vellucci added that the Secretary-General had been very strong on this question and had been the first to speak to Colonel Ghaddafi, expressing his deep concern on the events. The statement of the Secretary-General and that of the High Commissioner both reflected the position of the United Nations and related to an evolving situation on the ground.

Melissa Fleming of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that UNHCR had become increasingly concerned about dangers, especially for asylum-seekers and refugees, as they may be caught up in this violence. UNHCR had no access at this time to the refugee community. UNHCR has been trying to regularize its presence in Libya, and this had constrained its work.

Some of the reports UNHCR was getting from third-party sources were very worrying. A journalist had passed information from Somalis in Tripoli who had said they were being hunted on suspicion of being mercenaries. He had said they felt trapped and were frightened to go out, even though there was little or no food at home.

UNHCR had registered over 8,000 refugees in Libya, with a further 3,000 asylum-seekers having pending cases with UNHCR. The main places of origin were Palestine, Sudan, Iraq, Eritrea, Somalia and Chad. UNHCR asked that neighbouring countries in particular and the international community at large to respond to possible arrivals from Libya in a humanitarian manner. UNHCR was stepping up its own contingencies and expressed its readiness to support in particular the neighbouring countries who might very well receive groups of people fleeing Libya.

Jemini Pandya of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that IOM had an office in Libya that had provided a variety of programmes, but the activities had been halted for the time being because of the situation in the country.

Ms. Vellucci pointed out that the Human Rights Council would look into the human rights situation in Libya by considering the final outcome of its Universal Periodic Review during the forthcoming session.

Migrants undeterred by bad weather as they land on Lampedusa

Ms. Pandya said that despite bad weather and rough seas, small numbers of migrants were continuing to arrive on the Italian island of Lampedusa. A boat carrying about 43 people managed to land on the island early this morning although sea conditions were rough. IOM staff on Lampedusa had said they were from Tunisia, said Ms. Pandya.

Another boat which had been intercepted on Monday arrived on Lampedusa in the afternoon carrying nearly 60 Tunisian migrants. Among them was a pregnant woman accompanied by her husband, both frozen and soaked through. The two had been taken to the local hospital where they were kept-in overnight, Ms. Pandya added.

IOM staff had said that hot drinks had to be served immediately to the migrants on the pier as they disembarked as they were all extremely cold and wet from their journey. An Egyptian fishing boat had raised the alarm when it saw the migrants' boat in distress in stormy seas and contacted the Italian coastguards.

The arrival of the nearly 60 Tunisian migrants on the afternoon of Monday followed that of two other boats in the morning carrying about 130 migrants. Meanwhile, nearly 330 Tunisian migrants had been transferred on Monday from the migrant reception centre on Lampedusa where IOM and its partners, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Save the Children and the Italian Red Cross, were providing humanitarian assistance. Those transferred, including 13 women as well as accompanied children, had been taken to reception centres in Puglia in southern Italy and to Sicily, said Ms. Pandya.

New Zealand

Elisabeth Byrs of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that New Zealand’s second most important city, Christchurch, had declared a state of emergency after being hit by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. As 80 per cent of the town was without electricity, the situation was serious, but well managed by the New Zealand authorities. New Zealand’s National Crisis Management Centre had been activated and some government teams were on their way to Christchurch to conduct first assessments. Australia had already dispatched a team and was deploying another one, while the United States, Singapore and Japan each had one team on stand-by. Christchurch’s airport was currently open to military flights only but may be reopened for civil flights on Wednesday, said Ms. Byrs. She added that OCHA's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific was in regular contact with the New Zealand authorities.

Ms. Leoni said that the earthquake had destroyed many buildings. UNISDR therefore wished to reiterate that falling buildings were a frequent cause of death.

Other

Ms. Vellucci said that the Conference on Disarmament this morning held a public meeting, which marked the beginning of Chile’s four-week presidency.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, for its part, concluded this morning the review of the report submitted by Norway. This afternoon the Committee would start examining the report of Ireland, to be followed by Spain from tomorrow afternoon onwards, and Serbia on Thursday.

Ms. Vellucci said the Human Rights Council would next week start its sixteenth regular session. The first three days would be dedicated to a high-level segment with the participation of dignitaries from some 60 countries, including several Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The Council would examine several thematic reports and reports on specific situations submitted by Special Rapporteurs and other experts, as well as the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General. A background release would be issued on Thursday, Ms. Vellucci said. Answering a question, she added that a list of participants in the high-level segment dated 16 February was available from the Extranet of the Human Rights Council.

Ms. Vellucci said that on 24 February the new United Nations agency “UN Women” would be officially launched. The launch would be held in New York with a ceremony presided over by the General Assembly President Joseph Deiss, by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and by UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet. This conference would be webcasted live.

Ms. Vellucci said that OCHA would give a press conference on the situation in Afghanistan, led by Robert Watkins, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, to take place at 23 February at 12 p.m. in Press Room 1.

Brigitte Leoni of the United Nations Secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) said that Margareta Wahlström, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, was currently in Pakistan to meet representatives of the Pakistani Government following the floods of last July. The floods had used almost one third of Pakistan’s national budget and Ms. Wahlström therefore visited the country to discuss the preventive measures that should now be put in place. The press release of the press conference the Special Representative was giving today had already been sent to journalists.

Catherine Sibut-Pinote of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said UNCTAD would today publish a note on the situation in North Africa and the Middle East. This was a re-articulation of the recommendations of the Trade and Development Report with regards to the situation in North Africa and the Middle East, explaining the current issues and making recommendations on that basis.

Ms. Sibut-Pinote also said that UNCTAD would bring together experts around the topic of South-South cooperation in a meeting entitled “Multi-year Expert Meeting on International Cooperation: South-South Cooperation and Regional Integration", to take place on 23-25 February in Geneva. The list of participants and the programme of this event, which was aimed at examining how trade flows could contribute to the growth of developing countries, would be sent to journalists shortly.