Category: Pacific

Though exact numbers are yet to be confirmed, initial estimates indicate that more than 87,000 refugees could have been affected in the fire, which started around 3pm on Monday (local time) in Camp 8W of the Kutupalong mega camp.  It is not currently clear exactly how the fire started.  The blaze then rapidly spread to Camps 8E, 9 and 10. In… Read More

Arriving in Guangzhou as a first-time visitor to China, I could not help but think of former U.S Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s description of what he saw as an underdeveloped provincial city in the 1980s. As I gazed at the city’s architecture and infrastructure from the airport and hotel during my 21-day quarantine period, I felt amazed as if my… Read More

“During my pregnancy, my family planned to help me deliver my baby at home, following in the footsteps of my ancestors”, says tea worker Ruma Munda. “I was never aware that there were alternative, safe methods of childbirth delivery, in health care facilities with clinical specialists. “My husband, Sunil, is also a tea garden worker, and we were never introduced… Read More

“The killing of peaceful demonstrators and arbitrary arrests, including of journalists, is utterly unacceptable”, reiterated UN chief António Guterres, in a statement issued by his Spokesperson.   ‘Firm unified response, is urgently needed’ “The military continues to defy calls, including by the Security Council, to end violations of fundamental human rights and return to the path of democracy. A firm, unified international… Read More

Christine Schraner Burgener is seeking to visit Myanmar as part of her efforts to calm the situation and set the stage for dialogue and a return to democracy, said UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, briefing journalists in New York.  Visit not yet possible   “A visit to the country under the current circumstances is not yet possible, as highlighted during the… Read More

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres, said that Mr. Arnault “will work closely with SRSG Deborah Lyons and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), whose long standing work in support of the peace process as well as regional cooperation will continue, as mandated.”  Welcome back, Jean Arnault, just named as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Afghanistan! Jean will… Read More

The situation of the arbitrarily detained academic “is truly horrific” and that they are “shocked and distressed by the cruel mistreatment”, the experts said in a news release.  There is only one word to describe the severe physical and psychological ill-treatment of Djalali, and that is torture  – Rights experts Mr. Djalali has been held in prolonged solitary confinement for over… Read More

In a new report, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said that the impact also included sharp drops in the number of young children treated for severe acute malnutrition as well as in childhood immunizations.   Drastic cuts in health across South Asia due to COVID-19 have been deadly for children. It’s vital… Read More

According to the agency, while the price of the staple, rice, rose by about 3 per cent on average in monitored markets across the country, some townships reported spikes of as high as 20 to 35 per cent, between mid-January to mid-February.  “These initial signs are troubling, especially for the most vulnerable people who were already living meal-to-meal”, Stephen Anderson,… Read More

Over the weekend, violence continued to rage across the south-east Asian nation and, according to media reports, dozens of people lost their lives, including 38 on Sunday alone.   The ongoing brutality, including against medical personnel and destruction of public infrastructure, severely undermines any prospects for peace and stability – Special Envoy Schraner Burgener  In a statement on Sunday, Special Envoy… Read More