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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: More than a million receive food aid since the start of the ceasefire

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Over one million people in the Gaza Strip have received food assistance since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect nearly three weeks ago, UN aid coordination office OCHA said in an update on Wednesday. 

    The temporary agreement to stop the fighting and release hostages brought an end to some 15 months of conflict and destruction in the Strip, following the brutal Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel of 7 October 2023.

    The truce came into force on 19 January and OCHA said the surge in the daily entry of supplies into Gaza since then, along with improved access conditions, have allowed humanitarians to meaningfully expand the delivery of lifesaving assistance and services across the enclave.

    Moreover, coordination with the Israeli authorities for humanitarian aid missions is mostly no longer required, except when entering buffer zones. 

    Food and healthcare delivery expands

    “As a result, humanitarian partners are adjusting their response in accordance with population movements, including by expanding their operational presence and services in areas that were previously hard or impossible to access, such as Rafah, Gaza and North Gaza governorates,” OCHA said.

    Needs remain dire in Gaza, where the war has left over two million people fully dependent on food assistance, homeless, and without any income.

    Over the past two weeks, the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered more than 10 million metric tonnes of food to the Strip, reaching roughly a million people through food parcel distributions to households. 

    This is in addition to expanding bread deliveries at bakeries and community kitchens and re-opening a community kitchen in North Gaza on 24 January.  

    WFP also delivered fuel that enabled the five bakeries in Gaza governorate that it supports to increase production capacity by 40 per cent to meet the growing demand.

    Furthermore, 25 emergency medical teams are operating as of Tuesday, with 22 in the centre and south, two in Gaza City, and one in North Gaza. 

    © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

    Palestinian families travel back to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip.

    On the move

    OCHA noted that since 27 January, population movements have continued across the Strip but have largely slowed down.

    Over 565,092 people have crossed from the south to the north, while more than 45,678 have been heading southwards due to the lack of services and the widespread destruction of homes and communities in the north.

    It is estimated that more than half a million people have returned to Gaza and North Gaza governorates, and the need for food, water, tents and shelter materials remains critical.

    Shelter concerns

    “Despite the entry of a large volume of supplies since the ceasefire took effect, priority was given to food during the first two weeks, significantly limiting the entry of shelter assistance,” OCHA said, citing partners working in the sector.

    Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported bringing at least 3,000 tents into northern Gaza on Monday, and an additional 7,000 tents are expected to arrive in the coming days.

    Highlighting other developments, OCHA said this past Sunday saw the start of medical evacuations through Rafah crossings into Egypt. Between 1 and 3 February, 105 patients, including 100 children, and 176 companions were evacuated. 

    Hostage releases continue

    The update also included details on hostage releases. Hamas and other groups killed around 1,200 people in the 7 October attacks on Israel. They also seized some 250 others, both Israelis and foreigners, who were taken to Gaza.

    OCHA said estimates indicate that 79 people currently remain captive, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld in Gaza.

    Over the past week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the third and fourth release operations since the ceasefire took hold.

    On 30 January, three Israeli and five Thai hostages were transferred from Gaza to Israeli authorities, and 110 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. Among the Palestinian detainees were 30 children as well as 20 prisoners from the West Bank who were released to the Gaza Strip. 

    The following day, three Israeli hostages were transferred out of Gaza to Israel, and 183 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. The Palestinians freed included 111 people who were detained from the Gaza Strip after 7 October and seven detainees who were released to Egypt. 

    Overall, the ICRC has facilitated the return of 18 hostages and 583 Palestinian detainees since the ceasefire began. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN agencies warn of worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis in eastern DR Congo

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    United Nations agencies on Friday called for an end to the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as fighting between Government forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group expands. 

    The rebels have already seized the provincial capital, Goma, and reports indicate that they are closing in on the key city of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province.

    The hostilities are occurring in a mineral-rich region that has been volatile for decades amid a proliferation of armed groups, which has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes over the years and seek safety in displacement camps.

    WFP

    A camp in eastern DR Congo provides security for some of the seven million displaced people in the country.

    Critical supplies dwindling

    UN humanitarians warn that the situation continue to worsen for civilians likely trapped by days of intense fighting in and around Goma, which has a population of over one million.

    Displacement camps on the city’s outskirts, previously hosting more than 300,000 people, are emptying out as people flee the violence. Medical services are overwhelmed by the number of injured, both civilians and military personnel.

    The World Food Programme (WFP) said water and food are running low, and the next 24 hours are crucial.

    “People are really running out of food, clean water, medical supplies and that’s a big concern. So, the supply chain has really been strangled at the moment,” said WFP Spokesperson Shelley Thakral.

    Several WFP warehouses have been looted and teams are taking stock of what they will need to procure locally and transfer by road to ensure they have provisions once operations resume in the critically affected areas.

    WFP’s priority is keeping its staff and their dependents safe, and only critical staff remain in the area who are getting ready to resume operations as soon security permits.

    Summary executions and sexual violence

    Meanwhile, the human rights crisis also continues to deepen in the east.  

    At least two sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been bombed, causing civilian casualties, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported.

    Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said OHCHR has documented summary executions of at least 12 people by the M23 between 26 and 28 January.

    The Office has also documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence by the army and allied Wazalendo fighters in Kalehe territory, located in South Kivu.  

    It is also verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gangrape.

    Violations could worsen

    Meanwhile, in other areas under M23 control in South Kivu, such as Minova, fighters have occupied schools and hospitals, forced IDPs out of camps and subjected the civilian population to forced conscription and forced labour.

    Additionally, DRC officials report that at least 165 women were raped by male inmates during the mass prison break from Goma’s Muzenze prison on 27 January, as M23 began its assault on the town.

    Mr. Laurence recalled that conflict-related sexual violence has been an appalling feature of armed conflict in eastern DRC for decades, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, “is particularly concerned that this latest escalation risks deepening the risk of conflict-related sexual violence much further.“

    End the violence

    He said OHCHR continues to receive urgent requests from civilians for protection and is working with UN colleagues and other partners to ensure their safety. 

    “As M23 reportedly advances towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, the High Commissioner calls for an end to the violence and for all parties to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” he said.

    Recognize the crisis

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also voiced deep concern over the hundreds of thousands of civilians uprooted by the heavy fighting and violence in Goma, some of whom were already previously displaced.

    IOM appealed to the international community to recognize the staggering scale of the crisis and support the humanitarian response. 

    “With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse,” said Director General Amy Pope. 

    “IOM joins the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access, so that we can rapidly scale up our response and ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need.”   

    Appeal for support

    The UN agency has been supporting displaced and host communities in Goma and surrounding areas by providing emergency shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance, among other aid.

    IOM warned, however, that both the agency and humanitarian partners are struggling to meet the urgent needs in the DRC.

    This year, humanitarians are seeking $2.5 billion for the country, with at least $50 million urgently needed to address the latest displacement, scale-up life-saving assistance, and prevent further suffering.

    Death and disease

    Humanitarian organizations in Goma continue to assess the impact of the crisis, including the widespread looting of warehouses and the offices of aid organizations, the UN said on Friday.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners conducted an assessment with the Government over the past five days.

    They report that 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured are receiving treatment in health facilities, though numbers are expected rise as more information becomes available. 

    On Friday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, and partners visited sites for internally displaced people in the areas of Bulengo and Lushagala, located on the outskirts of Goma.

    They found that water and healthcare services are still operational, but conditions remain dire. However, cholera cases have been reported and there are risks of an Mpox outbreak among displaced people.

    OCHA warned that without urgent action, the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks will continue to increase. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 50,000 first home buyers in dream home under Minns Government stamp duty leg-up as support passes $1 billion

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 12 February 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Finance

    More than 50,000 first home buyers have found their dream home thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s signature stamp duty assistance program.

    The popular initiative has seen first home buyers save an average of $20,540, easing the pressure on the key task of saving for a deposit.

    Total stamp duty savings for first home buyers across NSW have topped $1 billion since July 2023.

    First home buyers are using the program to get a foot on the property ladder in a market heavily influenced by investors.

    The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme provides a full exemption from stamp duty for eligible buyers purchasing up to $800,000, and a concession for purchases between $800,000 and $1 million. This means first home buyers can save up to $30,529 in stamp duty.

    Of the more than 50,000 first home buyers who have received support under the Minns Government’s program, more than 37,000 first home buyer households received a full exemption and more than 14,500 received a concession.

    More than 3,200 buyer households in the City of Parramatta have saved a total of $74.1 million, while more than 2,100 on the Central Coast have saved a total of $47.3 million.

    The 50,000 households milestone coincides with the release of a helpful dashboard detailing the program’s impact suburb-by-suburb.

    The First Home Buyers Assistance Dashboard also provides program statistics by Local Government Area and regional classifications. It will be updated regularly and can be viewed here: https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/resources-library/statistics/fhba-dashboard

    First home buyers can learn more about the program and calculate their potential stamp duty savings here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/home-buying-assistance/first-home-buyers-assistance-scheme/how-to-apply

    This program is part of a suite of reforms from the Minns Government to help address the housing crisis and ease cost of living pressures.

    This includes sweeping reforms of the planning system to deliver more housing, including establishing the Housing Delivery Authority to speed up approvals.

    Premier Chris Minns said:

    “We have now delivered more than $1 billion for first home buyers since coming to Government.

    “There is more to do on cost of living, but this is real relief that has helped 50,000 NSW singles, couples and families.

    “Our Government is helping more buyers to get a foot on the ladder, without having to leave Sydney or NSW.

    “This is the best first home buyer scheme in the country, and just one part of our plan to address the housing crisis and build a better NSW.”

    Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

    “This is an incredible milestone for this program.

    “50,000 families have been able to get into their first home sooner because of this essential stamp duty relief.

    “The savings mean more money in people’s pockets, easing pressure on households and giving crucial assistance in the task of saving for a deposit.”

    Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos said:

    “Families and households in NSW are feeling under pressure with increasing costs of living. We want to support families and households to realise the certainty of home ownership.

    “This shows our program is working, delivering real savings that can make a real difference for first home buyers.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government’s crackdown on rogue turf businesses to stop fire ants pays off

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 12 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional NSW

    Two Queensland businesses have been separately convicted in the NSW Local Court of breaching biosecurity regulations designed to protect NSW from red imported fire ants and in total ordered to pay $60,000.

    These successful prosecutions highlight the effectiveness of the Minns Labor Government’s surveillance and compliance activities in preventing fire ants into the state.

    Both businesses illegally moved turf, soil, turf underlay and compost from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW.

    Since being elected in 2023 the NSW Government has made biosecurity a priority and fighting fire ants a top order.

    This commitment to fight fire ants entering NSW was demonstrated by raising the funds to address the menace of the fire ants from the former Government’s low $15 million annually, to $95 million over four years, only a few months after the 2023 election.

    To strengthen the fight against fire ants entering NSW in mid-November last year, the NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty took the unprecedented step of banning the movement of any turf from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW.

    These recent successful prosecutions demonstrate that the Government’s crackdown on rogue businesses potentially spreading fire ants is working and is now sending a message.

    The importance of movement controls and the ability of the Minns Government’s restructured NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to trace carrier movements back to their point of origin is producing successful prosecutions.

    The first landscaping supply business was convicted on the 29 January and the second on Friday 7 February.

    The first business, Brytarbri Pty Ltd trading as Allenview Turf, was convicted of nine offences after moving soil, turf underlay and compost into NSW from the Queensland fire ant infested area without the required biosecurity certificates.

    The second business, Marlyn Compost, was convicted of 20 offences under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 for moving turf from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW without certificates.

    Early detection surveillance is continuing across NSW’s border state agencies with detection cameras and operations with Police and Department of Primary Industries and Regional NSW teams working together as exemplified by Operation Victa.

    So far four waves of Operation Victa have resulted in eight penalty notices issued and three warnings after stopping 352 vehicles, 156 of which were from fire ant infested areas, and ordering 12 vehicles back to Queensland, due to not meeting certification requirements.

    In addition, fire ant sniffer dogs are on patrol in Kyogle and Tweed Valley sites to monitor trucks, landscaping sites and target properties.

    The NSW Government’s fire ant team has completed the following since December 2023:

    • Checked 1,366 voluntary community reports of potential fire ant sightings
    • Received 12,750 Record of Movement declarations from businesses
    • Undertaken with 1,613 surveillance events

    NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “The Minns Labor Government is serious in stopping fire ants getting into NSW and in the three instances when they have got through the nets we have eradicated them quickly.

    “There will be no sympathy for a business who flouts our biosecurity controls and threatens our state’s land, homes and farms with fire ants. The full force of the law will be instigated to show this is very serious and will not be tolerated.

    “I urge everyone to do the right thing and comply with our biosecurity requirements to protect NSW from fire ants, or if you know someone is flouting the controls please let us know.

    “We are applying monitoring, CCTV, police, sniffer dogs, controls and border checks to address the fire ant situation as well as supporting the Queensland Government eradicate their infestation.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Greater Sydney is about to get a whole lot greener

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 12 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    Councils in Greater Sydney and the Central Coast are invited to apply for a share of $4 million in grants to build more parks, playgrounds, walking tracks and restore local bushlands.

    The Metropolitan Greenspace Program 2024-25 is available to 34 councils for projects such as shared pedestrian and cycle pathways as well as open space strategies and master plans for future works.

    Established in 1983 by the Wran Labor Government, the Metropolitan Greenspace Program is the longest running open space grants program in NSW.

    Since 1990, more than $56 million has been provided for 680 projects.

    This funding will support the Minn’s Government’s planning reforms as we unlock more homes and deliver supporting community infrastructure and green space.

    Last year, the program awarded $3 million in funding supporting better access to open spaces for more than 31,000 homes within a 10-minute walk from residential areas.

    A panel of experts will assess applications against selection criteria designed to ensure funding is awarded based on merit and impact.

    Applications for the 2024-25 round of the Metropolitan Greenspace Program will open on 12 February and close on 31 March 2025.

    This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more green spaces, so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to relax and play in the communities they choose.

    For more information on the Metropolitan Greenspace Program visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/plans-for-your-area/infrastructure-funding/metropolitan-greenspace-program.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “The NSW Government is fast-tracking the delivery of more homes, and these residential areas will need to be supported by more parks and green spaces.

    “The Metropolitan Greenspace Program helps councils provide more of these facilities where people can relax and enjoy the great outdoors.

    “The program has a strong track record of increasing and improving open space to create thriving places and connected communities.

    “I encourage eligible councils to apply for the next round of funding so they can build more high-quality green spaces for their residents and visitors alike.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Outbound tourists encounter, enjoy Chinese New Year festivities abroad

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Although far away from home, Chinese tourist Ye Manning and her family could still feel the familiar Spring Festival vibes on their trip to Japan, as they came across red street banners and shopping window decorations there in tribute to the traditional Chinese holiday.

    Attracted by the convenient visa application process and convenient transportation services to this neighboring country, the family traveled to Japanese cities including Tokyo and Osaka, and enjoyed local cuisine, scenic spots and pop culture during the Spring Festival holiday, which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4 this year.

    Noting the presence of Spring Festival elements in Japan, Ye was quoted in an article by China Youth Daily as saying: “These details not only arouse a sense of belonging for Chinese tourists away from home during the holiday, but also mirror how far the Spring Festival culture has spread around the world.”

    Like Ye, post-1990 generation youth Zhang Yu also chose to spend the Spring Festival outside China, traveling to the resort island of Phuket in Thailand with his family. As a delightful surprise during this trip, another international tourist hailing from Europe greeted Zhang and wished him a “Happy Spring Festival.”

    “At that time, I felt this holiday also being celebrated in a foreign country, and that really touched my heart,” said Zhang.

    Against the backdrop of China’s inbound travel boom during the holiday, which saw a proliferation of “China Travel” content shared by international tourists on social media platforms, many Chinese people opted for outbound trips to overseas destinations in pursuit of diversified, cross-cultural experiences for the traditional holiday.

    According to China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA), during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, border inspection authorities across the country handled over 14 million entries and exits by domestic and international travelers, up 6.3 percent year on year. Among these, about 7.7 million entry-exit trips were made by Chinese mainland residents, up 5 percent year on year.

    According to Chinese online travel platform Qunar, Chinese tourists visited more than 2,100 overseas cities during the Spring Festival holiday this year, a surge of 50 percent compared with 2024.

    Data from another online travel platform, Trip.com, showed that Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore were among the most popular outbound destinations for Chinese travelers during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday.

    In particular, Japan stood out among short-distance overseas travel destinations as total tourism orders for trips to Japan had doubled compared to last year’s figure during the holiday season. As for long-haul travel, the most sought-after destinations such as the United States, Spain, Italy and France saw an increase of 53 percent, 82 percent, 56 percent and 50 percent in tourism orders, respectively, according to Trip.com.

    “With the recovery of the global tourism market, Chinese tourists continue to expand the radius of their trips during the Spring Festival,” said the China Youth Daily article. “From tropical Southeast Asian islands to ancient European towns and bustling North American cities, Chinese travelers can be found everywhere.”

    This year’s Spring Festival, which marked the start of the Year of Snake, was the first since its inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. With the Chinese New Year becoming a festival celebrated worldwide, nearly 20 countries have designated the Spring Festival as an official holiday, while Spring Festival customs are celebrated in almost 200 countries and regions across the globe. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Incident in Clutha comes to conclusion

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Otago Coastal Area Commander, Inspector Marty Gray:

    The man being sought by Police in Clutha for firearms offending has been located deceased.

    Police, including specialist squads supporting local staff, have been at a rural property overnight working to resolve the matter safely.

    The incident began about 9am on Tuesday, when Police began working to locate a person of interest in relation to alleged firearms offending in the Clutha area.

    This morning, Police made entry to the house around 10:15am and the man was located by officers inside, deceased.

    His death will be referred to the Coroner and Police will assist the Coroner with those inquiries.

    The man’s family are being supported at this very difficult time.

    While this is not the outcome Police would have hoped for, I want to thank the frontline staff and specialist teams for their hard work in responding diligently to this very lengthy incident.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Presses Postmaster General to Withdraw Detrimental Rural Delivery Proposal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Tuesday, February 11, 2025

    Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy regarding a recent advisory opinion issued by the Postal Regulatory Commission that the Postal Service’s proposed Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) would further delay mail delivery for Americans in rural areas. 
    “I urge you to halt implementation of this plan for the sake of rural Americans who depend on the mail and in accordance with the Post Office’s mission to serve all Americans,” wrote Senator Hawley. “. . . [T]hese proposed changes will leave America’s rural communities—including many in my home state of Missouri—with further degraded mail service at a time when rural families already face significant challenges with their mail.” 
    Senator Hawley has fought for rural Americans’ mail delivery as the challenges have continued without relief. In a recent Senate hearing, Senator Hawley pressed the Postmaster General on this proposal before its release to urge his reconsideration. Senator Hawley also introduced the Rural Post Office Reconstruction Act to establish a clear timeframe for reopening rural post offices that experience closure due to natural disaster damage or other unforeseen circumstances. 
    Read the full letter here or below. 
    February 11, 2025
    Mr. Louis DeJoy 
    Postmaster General United States Postal Service 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW Washington, DC 20260 
    Dear Postmaster General DeJoy,
    On January 31, 2025, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued an advisory opinion concluding that the Postal Service’s proposed Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) plan will degrade mail service in rural communities. To quote the report, the RTO plan will have “significant negative impacts on rural communities throughout the United States.” I urge you to halt implementation of this plan for the sake of rural Americans who depend on the mail and in accordance with the Post Office’s mission to serve all Americans.
    In its nearly 300-page opinion, the Regulatory Commission makes abundantly clear that the RTO’s proposed changes are built on forecasts of cost savings and efficiency gains that simply cannot be credited. Worse, these proposed changes will leave America’s rural communities—including many in my home state of Missouri—with further degraded mail service at a time when rural families already face significant challenges with their mail. Accordingly, the Regulatory Commission urged you to “reconsider whether the speculative, meager gains from this proposal outweigh the certain downgrade in service for a significant portion of the nation.”
    When you testified before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in December, I asked you directly whether you would stop implementation of the RTO plan if the Regulatory Commission advised against the plan. You suggested that you would move forward regardless. Now that the facts are in, I am counting on you to reconsider. To be clear: Rural Missourians and every other American from a rural area deserve a postal system that delivers dependable, high-quality service.
    Please answer the following questions:
    Will you adopt any of the recommendations in the Regulatory Commission’s opinion? If so, which ones?
    How specifically will you fix the Postal Service’s RTO plan to ensure that it does not have “significant negative impacts on rural communities throughout the United States?”
    How do you plan to reassure Americans living in rural communities that the Postal Service will not proceed with ill-conceived changes that would harm rural mail delivery?
    Sincerely, 
    Josh HawleyUnited States Senator

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham, Blumenthal, Cotton, Rosen, Britt Introduce Resolution to Affirm Hamas Cannot Retain Control of Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Jackie Rosen (D-Nevada), and Katie Britt (R-Alabama) today introduced a bipartisan resolution to affirm that Hamas cannot retain any political or military control of the Gaza Strip.
    “One of the defining moments for the future of the Middle East and the world at large is to state directly and with moral clarity that Hamas – a terrorist organization – will no longer have political or military control of Gaza at the end of this conflict,” said Senator Graham.
    Senator Graham continued, “Hamas is responsible for the brutal and horrific October 7 attack against Israel and ruthlessly detaining hundreds of hostages, including many Americans. They have oppressed the Palestinian people under their control. They are corrupt and would push the world into further darkness if they could. Hamas exists to destroy Israel, not to bring a better life for the Palestinian people. I appreciate the bipartisan support for this resolution and believe it will receive overwhelming support in the U.S. Senate.”
    “Hamas is an anathema—to Palestinians and Israelis alike, indeed to all who live in the region,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Their barbarity and inhumanity is a terrorist scourge—demonstrated most tragically in the October 7 massacre—and a major barrier to peace and stability. Eliminating Hamas ought to be common ground as a paramount goal.”
    “Hamas is a group of murderous terrorists with American and Israeli blood on their hands,” said Senator Cotton. “The United States must back Israel to the hilt and help ensure Hamas isn’t allowed to retain any political or military control in Gaza.”
    “Hamas is a terrorist organization backed by Iran, and it is responsible for committing the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. In order to best ensure the safety and security of Israel, as well as the Palestinian people, Hamas cannot be allowed to remain in power in Gaza in any capacity,” said Senator Rosen. “It is imperative we continue to push for diplomatic solutions to the current conflict, which must make abundantly clear that there is no future for Hamas in the Middle East.”
    “It has been almost 500 days since Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel,” said Senator Britt. “I will continue to stand with my colleagues and call for our nation to use every tool in our toolbox to halt all sources of funding for Iranian-backed terrorists. Our support for Israel’s right to defend herself is unwavering as they work to bring every single hostage home. The threat of Hamas must be ended permanently. Only through strength can we achieve lasting, sustainable peace.”
    This resolution:
    Affirms that Hamas cannot be allowed to retain any political or military control in the Gaza Strip;
    Calls upon the President to use all economic and diplomatic tools possible to halt all sources of funding for Hamas from the Islamic Republic of Iran and all other sources of revenue; and
    Supports the State of Israel as it continues to defend its sovereignty against attacks from Hamas, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all other Iranian proxies.
    To read the full resolution text, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Demands VA Secretary Defend Veterans’ Private Information from Elon Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a group of her colleagues called on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to take immediate actions to secure veterans’ personal information provided by the VA or other agencies from Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call follows Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    “Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans,” wrote Baldwin and the lawmakers in a letter to VA Secretary Collins. “Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.”
    There are millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. These confidential records include veterans’ prescriptions, diagnoses, and procedures they have undergone. Access to these medical records could give Musk and DOGE the ability to identify veterans who have received abortions or abortion counseling in the past. The Million Veteran Program, which manages the genomic data of its more than one million veteran participants for authorized research programs, also stores its data in VA data systems. In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s payment system stores private information of veterans, surviving spouses, and their families, including their monthly disability compensation amount, home address, and bank account numbers.
    A full version of this letter is available here and below.
    Dear Secretary Collins,
    Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans. Today, we call on you to immediately secure any personal and related information regarding veterans provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and associates under the auspices of the “Department of Government Efficiency” established under Executive Order 14158. Further, we call on you to deny and sever their access to any VA or other government system that includes information about veterans, and to require them to immediately and permanently delete any information in their possession. Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.
    Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information. Veterans and VA employees entrusted the Department with this information with the understanding that it would be kept private and only used to help deliver the highest quality of services to veterans, their families, and survivors.
    Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.
    These actions are in direct violation of federal laws meant to protect our national security and the privacy of our citizens’ personal information. This includes information on Social Security payments, Medicare, Medicaid, student loans, veterans’ disability compensation payments, GI Bill payments, federal civil servants’ personnel records, and much more. With every hour, we see DOGE further expand its efforts to create a massive private database of previously guarded data outside the federal government’s cyber and legal protections. It is an abhorrent and illegal overreach of executive powers, which conflicts with various federal statutes, including the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, the Privacy Act, the E-Government Act of 2002, and likely several other cyber and national security laws.
    During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Urges Opposition to Tulsi Gabbard; Cites Lack of Experience, Questionable Judgement, Capacity to Do the Job 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) tonight took to the Senate floor to speak on his opposition to Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump’s pick to serve as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). Senator Welch expressed concerns about Gabbard’s judgment, integrity, and character, and how her lack of independent thought and devotion to President Trump could endanger national security. 
    “On the basis of lack of experience, of questionable judgment, and lack of confidence that I think many of us have in the capacity of this person to be the Director of National Intelligence, I urge that we vote no on her nomination,” said Senator Welch. 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Senator Welch’s Committee and Subcommittee Assignments for the 119th Congress include:  
    Senate Committee on Finance  
    Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry 
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit  
    Senate Committee on the Judiciary 
    Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Constitution  
    Senate Committee on Rules & Administration 
    Senator Peter Welch has spent the bulk of his life working to improve the lives of folks who too often get left behind. After fighting housing discrimination in Chicago, he enrolled in law school at the UC-Berkeley, and later settled in White River Junction, Vermont, where he worked as a public defender before founding a small law practice. He was first elected to represent Windsor County in the Vermont Senate in 1980. Peter was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 2022. In the Senate, he’s focused on lowering costs for Vermonters, making Washington work better for Vermont, and protecting civil rights and democracy in America and abroad. 
    Learn more about his work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Rebuts Elizabeth Warren’s False Claim That CFPB is Only Cop on the Beat: “We Ought Not to Try and Scare Consumers Right Now”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    February 11, 2025
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, rebutted a false claim by Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is the only entity responsible for protecting consumers in the banking industry.
    “I want to address something that the Ranking Member started talking about, which was characterizing the CFPB as being the cop on the beat here,” Ricketts said. “But I can tell you, having been a Governor and having a Department of Banking that reported to me, that if any consumer would contact us and make a complaint about a bank, even a big bank like JP Morgan, we would investigate. As could the OCC, the FDIC, FTC. So to characterize it ‘no one is out there working for consumers’ is inaccurate. And we ought not to try and scare consumers right now that somehow this is the case.”
    During questioning of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, Ricketts also highlighted his concerns about the expansion of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet.
    [embedded content]
    “The Fed’s balance sheet at the end of 2019, so before the pandemic, was about $4.1 trillion,” Ricketts said. “By May of 2020, the Fed expanded that to $7 trillion, and by 2022, the Fed’s balance sheet hit an all-time record of $8.9 trillion. Inflation peaked at 9.1% that year, a high we had not seen since 1981. Now, I’m encouraged by the actions the Fed has taken with quantitative tightening, to shrink the balance sheet down to $6.85 trillion, but $6.85 trillion is still too high.”
    Ricketts’ comments came in a hearing of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs entitled: “The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress.”
    TRANSCRIPT:
    Senator Ricketts: “Well thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member for holding this important hearing and thank you Chairman Powell for being here today to talk about our economy and all of the things that are going on.
    “I want to address something that the Ranking Member started talking off about, which was characterizing the CFPB as being the cop on the beat here. But I can tell you, having been a governor and having a Department of Banking that reported to me, that if any consumer would contact us and make a complaint about a bank, even a big bank like JP Morgan, we would investigate, as could the OCC, FDIC, FTC.
    “So to characterize it ‘nobody’s out there looking for consumers,’ I think is inaccurate.
    “And we ought not to try and scare consumers right now that somehow, this is the case, because if you do have an issue, if you’re a consumer, please reach out to your state Department of Banking because those folks are going to look out for you.
    “I can tell you that because I used to have one of those Department of Banking, so they did a fantastic job of looking out for the consumers.
    “One of the things that has also impacted consumers is inflation. Prices under the Biden Administration were up 20%. An average household is paying $13,000 more today than they were for the same standard of living they had before Joe Biden got elected. We see that, grocery prices, for example, are up 22%, rents up 23%. Simply put, Nebraskans are economically worse off today than they were four years ago, and I expect that that’s part of the reason why we saw this change in the administration. They thought that that was not something that they wanted to continue to pursue. They didn’t want the same policies being followed. We have to end the reckless federal spending, rein in inflation and, you know, be responsible about how we make decisions to be able to grow the economy.
    “One of those areas that I’m concerned about is the expansion of the Fed balance sheet. The Fed’s balance sheet before, at the end of 2019, so before the pandemic was about $4.1 trillion. By May of 2020, the Fed expanded that to $7 trillion, and by 2022, the Fed’s balance sheet hit an all-time record of $8.9 trillion. Inflation peaked at 9.1% that year, a high we had not seen since 1981. Now, I’m encouraged by the actions the Fed has taken with quantitative tightening, to shrink the balance sheet down to $6.85 trillion, but $6.85 trillion is still too high. And one of my concerns with this, Chairman, is that, that’s kind of what are your tools, to be able to guard against a downturn in the economy or some sort of shock? Obviously used it during the pandemic. Looking ahead long term, will the Fed Reserve continue to this course of unwinding the balance sheet?”
    Chairman Jerome Powell: “Yeah. So, what we said is that we intend to slow and then stop the decline when reserve balances are somewhat above the level that we judge, consistent with so-called ample reserves. The most recent data and the feel of the markets is definitely the reserves are still abundant. They’re about the level that they were at when run off started because the, the run off is really happened out of the overnight repo facility, reverse repo. So yes, it’s, it’s an ongoing thing and we’re not, we’re not yet we’re where we’re headed.”
    Senator Ricketts: “So what kind of pace can we expect, and I know that obviously there’s going be a lot of factors like what happens to the economy over the course of next year, but if you were, if things were going to go along the way you are today, you’ve already said the economy’s doing well, inflation’s a little higher than we want it to be at 2.6%, but unemployment’s at 4%. If these conditions, and I think you use the word stable quite a bit, if these conditions were to remain stable throughout the course of the year, would you have a range to give us a where the balance you might be, if we were talking again here in January 2026?”
    Chairman Jerome Powell: “We basically we’re going to be, looking at reserve conditions, conditions in reserve markets, and trying to stop a little bit above what we consider ample. And we think we’re, you know, meaningfully above that now. We, we can’t put a number on it because you can’t directly know the demand for reserves other than by observing behavior in the market and then putting a little bit of a of a buffer on it. So I can’t give you an exact number. But for now, it’s ongoing and we have a ways to go.”
    Senator Ricketts: “What kind of conditions would happen, have to happen for you to start going back to quantitative easing?”
    Chairman Jerome Powell: “You know, so quantitative easing, so, you know, that’s a tool we, we tend to use when we’re at the effect of lower bound and we can’t cut interest rates anymore, so nothing like what you’re seeing in the current day. It’s a different test for stopping quantitative tightening, but we would use QE going forward only, only in a situation where when we’re rates are at zero and, you know, we’re a long way from zero now.”
    Senator Ricketts: “So that, you think that, again, just generally speaking, then if things remain stable, you’ll continue to unwind the balance sheet, you’ll continue to the quantitative tightening? Can’t give me a range on that, is that what I hear you saying?”
    Chairman Jerome Powell: “That’s right, that’s right.”
    Senator Ricketts: “Okay. Great. Well, I encourage you to keep doing that because, again, I think that’s important, to be able to make sure that you’ve got powder, for the next, issue that we may face. So, thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate you being here.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human rights expert welcomes clemency for Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    The UN independent expert on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday welcomed the decision by outgoing US President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous leader who has spent nearly 50 years in prison under controversial circumstances.

    The Executive Grant of Clemency, signed on Sunday just hours before Mr. Biden left office, commutes Mr. Peltier’s life sentences to home confinement, allowing him to receive proper medical care and reconnect with his community, the Special Rapporteur said in a statement.

    The Human Rights Council-appointed expert Albert Barume praised the decision, describing it as “an important gesture by the United States toward the country’s Indigenous Peoples”.

    Decades of advocacy

    Mr. Peltier is a member of the Chippewa and Lakota Nations, who was convicted of murder in 1977, in connection with the deaths of two FBI agents during a confrontation with Indigenous activists at Pine Ridge reservation. He received two life sentences following his trial after being extradited to the US from Canada in December 1976.

    “Over the years, Mr. Peltier has maintained his innocence, and concerns have been raised about the fairness of his trial and about his legal representation,” the Special Rapporteur said.

    His trial raised serious concerns about due process, with international human rights bodies, including the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, calling for his release.

    In its 2022 findings, the UN Working Group determined that Mr. Peltier’s detention constituted arbitrary imprisonment.

    Previous UN Special Rapporteurs, including a 2012 report on Indigenous rights in the US, had called for clemency for Mr. Peltier, framing his case as emblematic of the systemic injustices faced by Native Americans.

    “Mr. Peltier has also suffered from serious health conditions, which prison authorities have been unable to properly address,” Mr. Barume noted.

    Step toward reconciliation

    “Although this clemency cannot restore the decades of life he has lost, it provides an opportunity for him to receive proper medical care and reconnect with his People,” said the independent expert.

    Mr. Barume underscored that while the clemency decision does not absolve Mr. Peltier’s conviction, it represents a critical acknowledgment of past wrongs.

    “States have a duty to ensure due process for all defendants at every stage of criminal proceedings, including parole hearings, as required by international law”, he said.

    The decision also aligns with broader calls for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in the US, including addressing historical injustices such as forced removals, cultural erasure and disproportionate incarceration rates.

    Mr. Peltier’s early life reflects this history: forcibly removed from his family at age nine and placed in a government-run boarding school, he endured the systemic severance of Indigenous children from their culture.

    His case has since become a symbol of the need for justice and reconciliation.

    Looking ahead

    While Mr. Peltier’s clemency has been celebrated by advocates, it also underscores the need for continued reforms to ensure fairness and equity in the US justice system.

    The decision “highlights the importance of addressing systemic issues within the criminal justice system, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background, are afforded their fundamental rights”, Mr. Barume affirmed.

    As Mr. Peltier transitions to home confinement, the Special Rapporteur called for the clemency decision to be a turning point in efforts to address historical and ongoing injustices.

    Special Rapporteurs and other independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary and are independent of any government or organization.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Robbed’ of their childhood: UNICEF warns of crisis facing Haiti’s youth

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    Violent clashes this week between security forces and armed groups on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince have led to another wave of displacement, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).  

    In a briefing on Friday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that more than 1,600 men, women and children have fled. 

    Two-thirds are seeking refuge with host families and over 500 sheltering in three newly established displacement sites, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

    Children at risk

    The situation for children remains particularly dire. The number of internally displaced children in Haiti has increased by nearly 50 per cent since September, now exceeding half a million. 

    UNICEF reports that approximately one in eight children in the country is now displaced.

    The agency also warns of a 70 per cent rise in child recruitment by gangs over the past year, with up to half of gang members in Haiti now estimated to be children.

    ‘Childhood is a right’

    Speaking from a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder described the growing desperation:

    “I’m in a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held,” he said, explaining that 85 per cent of this capital city is controlled by armed groups.

    “So, child recruitment into armed groups is rampant. Children get recruited. It’s out of desperation. It’s out of manipulation, out of being engulfed in violence,” he emphasised.

    Mentioning a 16-year-old girl who dreamt of being a paediatrician, but was caught up in a raid, he said: “The point of this is that childhood should not be a gift. Childhood is a right.”

    Humanitarian needs grow

    The crisis is further aggravated by forced returns from neighbouring countries. 

    In the first two weeks of January alone, nearly 15,000 Haitians were returned from the Dominican Republic, adding to the 200,000 people deported across the region last year.

    Meanwhile, natural disasters have worsened conditions across the country. 

    Since November, nearly 330,000 people have been affected by floods in six of Haiti’s departments, leaving dozens dead and damaging or destroying nearly 50,000 homes.

    UN appeals 

    The UN has launched a $908 million humanitarian appeal to assist 3.9 million people in Haiti this year.

    “We urge the international community to scale up its support so that we and our humanitarian partners can support the people of Haiti who need it,” said Mr. Dujarric. 

    As conditions deteriorate, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations stress the need for urgent international action to protect Haiti’s most vulnerable, particularly its children – trapped in a cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation.

    “For those of us with freedom, those with safety, those who have an opportunity – we also have a responsibility. We have a responsibility to raise our voices for those who simply do not have one,” Mr. Elder said.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Haiti: ‘I was deported to a country I never lived in’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Antoine Lemonnier in Haiti

    Human Rights

    Migrants who have been deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti – the two Caribbean nations that share the island of Hispaniola – have been talking to the UN about the challenges of returning to a crisis-ridden country they barely know.

    Mireille

    Pregnant and exhausted and clutching a small bag with all that was left of her belongings, Mireille* stood under the relentless Haitian sun, not sure what to do next.

    She had just been deported from the Dominican Republic, a country she had called home since she was eight years old.

    Over the years she has seen Haiti, the land of her birth, overcome by gang violence as well as humanitarian, political and economic crises.

    © IOM/Antoine Lemonnier

    Mireille gazes through the protective bars at the GARR facility, reflecting on her journey back to Haiti.

    “I was deported to a country I never lived in,” she said, filled with a mix of anger and despair.

    The Dominican Republic had been her home for nearly three decades. It was where she built her life, forged relationships and created memories. But overnight, she became an outsider, stripped of her dignity and forced to return to a country she didn’t know.

    Mireille’s ordeal began in the early hours of the morning, five days before she crossed the border into Haiti when she was taken to a crowded and uncomfortable detention center, where she stayed for several days before being transported to the border.

    © IOM/Antoine Lemonnier

    A deportation truck arrives at the Belladère border crossing between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

    “I arrived in Haiti feeling scared and unsure of what to do,” Mireille said. “I barely know this country, and I’m struggling to figure out where to start. It’s disorienting and difficult.”

    Guerson and Roselène

    Guerson and Roselène* had spent over a decade in the Dominican Republic, building their lives in Loma de Cabrera, not far from the border with Haiti.

    Guerson worked as a mechanic at a small garage fixing cars, motorbikes, and agricultural equipment. His hands, often smeared with grease, were a source of pride. “People trusted me with their vehicles,” he said. “It was hard work, but I could provide for my family.”

    Roselène, meanwhile, managed their modest home. She prepared meals and supplemented the family income by selling patés and fried plantains to neighbours.

    Soundcloud

    A simple life

    Their daily life was simple but stable. Their son Kenson attended a local preschool, and Roselène spoke of her pride seeing him learn to write his name.

    Then the Dominican authorities arrived. “My children didn’t understand,” said Guerson. “Kenson asked if we were going on a trip. I didn’t know how to answer him.”

    The family was herded onto a truck “I held my baby so tightly. I was afraid we wouldn’t survive the journey,” Guerson recalled.

    Crossing the border into Haiti felt like stepping into chaos.

    The town of Ouanaminthe, already struggling with a sharp increase in deportations, lacked the capacity to respond to the growing crisis.

    Families stood on dusty roads, clutching bags and children, unsure of where to go.

    “We stood there for hours, lost,” Roselène said. “The children were hungry. I didn’t know how to comfort them because I had nothing left to give.”

    Crisis country

    Mireille, Guerson and Roselène are just three of the more than 200,000 Haitians who were forcibly repatriated to their homeland in 2024, some 97 per cent of them from the Dominican Republic.

    Nearly 15,000 people were returned from across the border in the first two weeks of January alone.

    They returned to a country in crisis.

    © IOM/Antoine Lemonnier

    Guerson (left) and Roselène are beginning a new life in Haiti.

    Armed groups now control large parts of the country, including key roads in and out of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

    The years of violence have displaced over 700,000 people, forcing families into precarious shelters including abandoned schools and churches. In these places, access to food, water and healthcare is limited, leaving many extremely vulnerable.

    Nearly 5.5 million people, half of Haiti’s population, require humanitarian aid to survive.

    Safety net across the border

    Fortunately, when migrants cross over the border into Haiti, they are not alone.

    The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) works with the Support Group for the Repatriated and Refugees (Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés, GARR) to ensure the returnees have access to a range of services to meet their immediate needs, including psychosocial support, health referrals, for example pre-natal care, and the distribution of basic items such as clothing, hygiene products, and toiletries.

    Temporary accommodation is also available for the most vulnerable, so they can rest and take stock before moving forward with their lives.

    © IOM/Antoine Lemonnier

    IOM staff prepare to assist deported Haitians as they re-enter their home country.

    For unaccompanied children, family reunifications are organised and in cases of gender-based violence, survivors are provided with specialised care.

    IOM also works with the Office National de la Migration (ONM), Haiti’s government agency for migration.

    ONM leads the registration process, ensuring that each individual is accounted for and works with IOM to assess vulnerabilities and provide individual assistance.

    The future remains unclear for many returnees in a country where the vast majority of people struggle to get by on a daily basis.

    Guerson and Roselène remain somewhat hopeful that they will return to the Dominican Republic someday. “In the meantime, I will find a way to work,” Guerson said softly, his words conveying uncertainty. “I do this for my children.”

    *Names have been changed for their safety

    Fact box:

    The work of IOM as well as GARR and ONM is supported by international donors, including the European Union’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: First Person: Bodies of children in Haiti have turned into ‘battlegrounds’

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    Armed groups in Haiti are inflicting “unimaginable horrors” on children, turning their “bodies into battlegrounds”, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

    The agency’s spokesperson James Elder has just visited Port-au-Prince, the capital of the embattled Caribbean nation and has been speaking about what he experienced there.

    Staggering abuse and neglect

    “There has been a staggering 1,000 per cent rise in sexual violence against children in Haiti, which has turned their bodies into battlegrounds. The 10-fold rise, recorded from 2023 to last year, comes as armed groups inflict unimaginable horrors on children.

    Almost equally staggering is how little coverage this gruesome statistic has received. And so, if numbers have lost meaning, perhaps the children living this horror will count.

    © UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

    Gangs control the majority of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

    Roseline* is 16. Late last year, she left her friend’s house to go to the shop and was abducted by armed men.

    She was placed in a van with other young girls and taken to a warehouse. There she was extensively beaten. She was then drugged and over the course of what she believes to be a month, she was relentlessly raped.

    When the armed group realised Roseline had no one to pay her kidnapping ransom, she was released. She is currently in a UNICEF-supported safe house with more than a dozen other girls, all receiving care.

    Astounding insecurity

    Armed groups now control 85 per cent of Port-au-Prince. Let me repeat that. 85 per cent of the capital of Haiti is under the control of armed groups, an astounding case of insecurity in a capital city.

    Last year alone, child recruitment into armed groups surged by 70 per cent. Right now, up to half of all armed group members are children, some as young as eight years old.

    Many are taken by force. Others are manipulated or driven by extreme poverty. It’s a lethal cycle. Children are recruited into the groups that fuel their own suffering.

    And in Haiti, the suffering is immense – 1.2 million children live under the constant threat of armed violence.

    Collapse of essential services

    Essential services have collapsed. Hospitals are overwhelmed. More than half of Haiti’s health facilities lack the equipment and medication to treat children in emergencies.

    © UNICEF/Maxime Le Lijour

    A woman collects relief items distributed by UNICEF.

    Playgrounds, schools and homes have turned into battlegrounds, forcing many families to flee. More than 500,000 children have been displaced. An estimated three million will require urgent humanitarian assistance this year.

    And education? More than 300,000 children have seen their education disrupted due to recurrent population displacement and school closures.

    And as noted, sexual violence is rampant. The abhorrence of an attack on a child is obvious. A 10-fold increase is ruinous. The pain of course does not stop with the survivor – it ripples through families, shatters communities and scars society as a whole.

    Engaging communities through young reporters

    And yet, Haitians refuse to give up in the face of crisis.

    Take one example: UNICEF’s 135,000 “U-reporters” in the country. These young people embody the commitment of everyday Haitians, bringing their energy and dedication to help those who need it most.

    © UNICEF/Rachel Opota

    A U-reporter gives a presentation on proper hygiene practices and cholera prevention.

    U-Report is a digital platform created by UNICEF to engage communities, especially youth, in social issues.

    And in Haiti, in one month in 2024 alone, U-reporter efforts led to the identification and referral of cases of malnutrition, under-vaccination and essential support for pregnant women in displaced sites and host communities.

    Underfunded programmes

    Haiti’s progress starts with its children. With incredible partners, UNICEF has created 32 mobile safe spaces to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, deployed more than 380 health professionals across 105 institutions, distributed cash to almost 30,000 families and treated more than 80,000 children for moderate and severe wasting.

    Programmes that meet children’s needs can disrupt cycles of violence and reduce the risk of them becoming perpetrators or victims.

    Despite this, UNICEF Haiti’s 2024 emergency funding appeal of $221.4 million was 72 per cent underfunded.

    This starkly contrasts with the urgent need for education, protection and development opportunities to prevent children from being drawn into violence. Without these efforts, violence will continue to consume future generations.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar: UN experts call for ‘course correction’ as civilian deaths reach 6,000

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    UN independent human rights experts have called for urgent international intervention in Myanmar as civilian deaths hit 6,000 since the military junta seized power in February 2021 following a coup, leading to mass civilian resistance and international condemnation. 

    “There are now 6,000 reminders that the international community is failing the people of Myanmar,” the Human Rights Council-appointed experts stated in a news release on Monday. “It is time for a change, starting with moving this disaster out of the shadows of international attention”.

    ‘Course correction’ needed 

    The experts called for an urgent “course correction” in the international response, emphasising that while targeted action has proven effective – with sanctions reducing the junta’s weapons procurement by one-third – current measures “remain grossly inadequate and lack the coordination and strategic targeting necessary to deliver the support the people of Myanmar need and deserve”.

    They urged increased assistance for civil society organisations documenting abuses and delivering humanitarian aid.

    “Governments and donors also need to significantly step up assistance to civil society organisations documenting human rights abuses, protecting civilian populations and delivery life-saving humanitarian aid”.

    The experts revealed recent evidence demonstrates that coordinated international pressure can yield results.

    “We know that international action makes a difference. We have documented it has reduced the junta’s access to weapons that its uses to attack civilians,” the experts said, following the publication of UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews’ ‘Billion Dollar Death Trade’ report.

    Soundcloud

    Brutal and inhumane violence

    Since seizing power “thousands of lives have been cut short in indiscriminate attacks by the military, which often targets civilian homes and infrastructure”.

    “Many victims have been tortured to death. Others have been subjected to acts tantamount to enforced disappearance before execution. Beheadings, dismemberment and the disfiguration of bodies are shockingly common,” the experts said.

    According to credible reports, nearly 2,000 individuals have died in military custody, with 365 victims executed by headshots and 215 burned alive. The experts detailed how “unlawful killings by junta forces are common and characterised by their brutality and inhumanity”.

    The military’s campaign of suppression extends beyond killings. Over 21,000 people have been arrested since the February 2021 coup remain in detention, with many held incommunicado. The experts expressed alarm at the widespread use of arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance to silence opposition.

    “Many are held incommunicado and in many instances with their families and lawyers having no information on their fates or whereabouts,” they reported.

    Soundcloud

    Spurious election plan

    The experts have strongly condemned the junta’s planned elections. “You cannot hold an election when you deposed a democratically elected Government in an unconstitutional coup and continue to arbitrary arrest, detain, disappear, torture and execute opposition leaders, nor when it is illegal for journalists to report the truth,” they stated.

    “It is time for a change, starting with moving this disaster out of the shadows of international attention. It would be unconscionable to allow thousands more innocent lives to be lost when options for effective action by the international community remain on the table” they concluded.

    Special Rapporteurs and other independent human rights experts work on a voluntary basis, are not UN staff and receive no salary for their work. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN surge teams mobilise as Vanuatu hit by second earthquake

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Humanitarian Aid

    UN agencies are intensifying their response in Vanuatu after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake killed 12 people and injured over 200 earlier this week, with a second 6.1 magnitude tremor on Sunday further exacerbating the challenges for affected communities.

    A state of emergency remains in effect across the island nation, and a seven-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in parts of Port Vila was scheduled to end on 24 December. Access road to the seaport is also reportedly blocked.

    The second earthquake heightened concerns, with further updates on its impact, including on the reopening of Port Vila airport to commercial flights, still awaited.

    Humanitarian needs

    As of Saturday night (local time), over 80,000 people have been affected by Tuesday’s earthquake, with nearly 1,700 individuals temporarily displaced. Eleven evacuation centres are sheltering more than 1,200 people, while others are staying with host households.

    Immediate needs include access to clean water, food and healthcare, as communities face rising risks of waterborne diseases.

    Health services are also reported to be severely strained, with the Vanuatu Central Hospital (VCH) requiring essential medical supplies and coordinated surge support to address critical gaps.

    Source: UNOCHA

    Vanuatu earthquake Impact in Shefa province (as of 21 December 2024).

    Coordinated response

    In response to the escalating crisis, a humanitarian flight coordinated by the UN World Food Programme (WFP)’s Pacific Humanitarian Air Service (PHAS) landed in Port Vila on Saturday, delivering surge teams from UN agencies, huamnitarian partners and relief supplies.

    Agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) are working alongside national authorities to support the response.

    UNFPA has set up maternity tents at VCH, while UNICEF has established four tents to manage patient overflow and deployed child protection teams to support families and healthcare workers.

    UNICEF also delivered bladder water tanks to VCH to ensure continued access to clean water.

    WFP has deployed emergency telecommunications specialists to restore disrupted communication networks crucial for coordinating relief efforts. It is also working with the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and partners to assess food security needs.

    Additionally, the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) is conducting satellite-based damage assessments to guide resource allocation and prioritize affected areas.

    Humanitarian partners, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), are also providing on-the-ground assistance alongside national response teams.

    Timely response crucial

    Alpha Bah, Director for WFP Pacific Multi-Country Office, based in Fiji, underscored the need for timely response for affected families.

    “We are saddened by the loss of lives and destruction to property caused by this earthquake. This concerted effort is crucial to ensure that people affected by the earthquake receive timely and essential assistance,” he said.

    “WFP is dedicated to supporting the NDMO and other national institutions, and we will continue to step up our efforts to bolster Vanuatu’s response in the face of this crisis.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Toxic air threatens children’s lives across East Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF warns

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Health

    More than 100 children under the age of five die every day in East Asia and the Pacific due to air pollution, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned in a new analysis released on Thursday, calling for urgent action to tackle the crisis.

    The analysis underscores the devastating impact of toxic air on young lives, with air pollution now linked to nearly one in four deaths of under fives in the region.

    Exposure begins in the womb, increasing risks of premature birth and low birth weight, and continues throughout childhood, impairing lung development, reducing cognitive function, and contributing to chronic diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular conditions.

    “Every breath matters but for too many children every breath can bring harm,” said June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific.

    “The air they breathe, at a time when their bodies and minds are still developing, too often contains unhealthy levels of pollution that can comprise their growth, harm their lungs, and impair their cognitive development.”

    Every child at risk

    The report reveals that all 500 million children in the region live in countries with unhealthy air.

    Over 325 million children are exposed to annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines by five times or more, while 373 million live in areas with dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide, a gas emitted by vehicles and industrial processes.

    Nearly half of PM2.5 pollution in the worst-affected countries comes from the burning of fossil fuels, biomass, and agricultural waste – also major contributors to climate change.

    As extreme weather events worsen due to climate change, air pollution is expected to become an even greater threat, UNICEF warned.

    Impacts beyond health

    The impacts of the air pollution crisis go beyond health.

    High pollution levels force school closures, disrupt learning, and increase medical expenses, straining already overwhelmed healthcare systems.

    The World Bank estimates that in 2019, the economic cost of air pollution from PM2.5 in East Asia and the Pacific amounted to $2.5 trillion, or 9.3 percent of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP).

    © UNICEF/Patipat Janthong

    Students at a primary school in Bangkok wear masks during their morning lineup as air pollution levels soar.

    Urgent call for action

    In response to the “silent killer,” UNICEF called on governments, businesses, healthcare professionals, parents, and educators to take immediate steps to reduce air pollution and protect children’s health.

    Governments must enforce stronger environmental policies, transition to clean energy sources, and implement air quality standards aligned with WHO guidelines, alongside, businesses should adopt cleaner technologies, reduce emissions, and ensure their practices prioritize child safety.

    Parents and educators also have a crucial role in raising awareness, advocating for cleaner environments, and empowering young people to take action, UNICEF highlighted.

    Solutions exist

    Furthermore, UNICEF is collaborating with governments, businesses, and communities on multiple initiatives to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution.

    These include pushing for stronger environmental regulations, improving air quality monitoring by installing affordable sensors and implementing programmes to reduce household air pollution, such as cleaner cooking stoves and better ventilation.

    The agency is also working to strengthen healthcare systems to better diagnose and treat pollution-related illnesses and is supporting young people to become clean air advocates, raising awareness, and pushing for stronger policies.

    “Addressing air pollution will lead to enormous improvements in children’s health, education, and well-being, with ripple effects across entire societies and economies,” Ms. Kunugi underscored.

    “Solutions exist, and our collective future depends on implementing them.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Deadly virus outbreak in Uganda, $500 million human rights appeal, Thailand’s lèse-majesté laws in spotlight

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Health

    The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Uganda, which is part of the Ebola virus family. 

    Health authorities in Kampala confirmed that one patient has died – a nurse who had sought treatment at various other medical facilities after developing fever-like symptoms.

    In response to the outbreak of the often deadly and infectious haemorrhagic fever which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and tissue, WHO is mobilising efforts to support national health authorities in swiftly containing and ending the outbreak.

    Senior public health experts and staff from WHO’s country office are being deployed to support key outbreak response measures.

    Additionally, WHO has allocated $1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to accelerate early action. Medical supplies, including personal protective equipment, are being readied for delivery from WHO’s Emergency Response Hub in Nairobi.

    Race to develop a vaccine

    Although there are no licensed vaccines for Sudan virus disease, WHO is coordinating with developers to deploy candidate vaccines once all necessary approvals are obtained.

    Regarding the deceased man, no other health workers or patients have shown symptoms, said WHO.

    A total of 45 contacts, including health workers and family members are under close monitoring. The identification of the case in a densely populated urban area necessitates a rapid and intense response, the agency stressed.

    Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, welcomed the prompt outbreak declaration saying the agency was supporting the Government and partners “to scale up measures to quickly identify cases, isolate and provide care, curb the spread of the virus, and protect the population.

    “Uganda’s robust expertise in responding to public health emergencies will be crucial in ending this outbreak effectively.”

    There have been eight previous outbreaks of Sudan Ebola Virus Disease, with five in Uganda and three in Sudan. Uganda last reported an outbreak in 2022.

    UN rights chief launches $500 million global appeal

    The UN human rights chief on Thursday launched a $500 million funding appeal for 2025 to address a multitude of crises threatening to reverse decades of progress.

    The appeal aims to support critical human rights efforts, including rights mainstreaming, advisory services and technical cooperation, alongside field offices of the UN human rights office, OHCHR.

    It will also boost special trust funds, such as those supporting victims of torture, Indigenous Peoples, or those impacted by slavery.

    Launching the appeal in Geneva, UN rights chief Volker Türk, reiterated the importance of these efforts: “During conflicts and in peacetime; in developing countries and advanced economies; from historic grievances to emerging risks – my Office is holding the line for humanity.

    Low cost, high impact

    “Human rights are a low-cost, high-impact investment to mobilize people for peace, security, and sustainable development; and to build social cohesion based on the contributions of every individual,” he added.

    The appeal is in addition to the OHCHR’s regular budget of $238.5 million as part of UN’s overall budget that was approved in late December 2024. That amount is not sufficient to cover all of its mandated work and the requests for assistance it receives.

    Mr. Türk underscored the need to ensure OHCHR has sufficient resources to carry out its vital work.

    “I am very concerned that if we do not reach our funding targets in 2025, people who should otherwise be free, may remain in prison,” he said.

    “Women and girls may lose out on opportunities, ignored by the world. Violations and abuses may go undocumented, leading to a lack of accountability and increased impunity. And human rights defenders may lose the little protection they have,” he warned.

    Independent rights experts urge Thailand to end lèse-majesté prosecutions

    A group of independent UN human rights experts condemned Thailand’s continued use of lèse-majesté laws to imprison activists and human rights defenders, calling for the repeal or significant revision of the country’s criminal code.

    In a news release on Thursday, the experts – who are mandated and appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council – warned that Article 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, which punishes criticism of the monarchy with up to 15 years in prison, violates international human rights standards.

    Free speech rules

    “Under international law, individuals have the right to criticise public officials, including a King, and to advocate peacefully for the reform of any public institution, including the monarchy,” the experts said.

    They described the law as “harsh and vague”, highlighting that it grants excessive discretion to authorities and courts, leading to widespread misuse.

    Since 2020, more than 270 people have been prosecuted under Article 112, many receiving lengthy consecutive sentences.

    “Lèse-majesté laws have no place in a democratic country,” the experts said, warning that their use stifles political expression and silences activists, journalists, and opposition members.

    They urged the Thai Government to amend the country’s criminal code to align with international human rights laws and called for an immediate moratorium on prosecutions and imprisonments under lèse-majesté laws.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: US executive orders continue, killings in Sudan, breast cancer alert in Africa, human rights in Tunisia

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    UN Affairs

    New executive orders issued by the White House are set to further impact the cooperative, multilateral work of the United Nations, two weeks since the United States declared that it was pulling out of the UN health agency, WHO.

    According to President Trump’s latest directive from the White House on Tuesday on international cooperation, the US will no longer participate in or financially support the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is set to meet on Friday to discuss the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    The executive order also calls for a review of US membership of UNESCO, the UN agency for education, science and culture.

    Leading the review will be US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has 90 days to evaluate “how and if” UNESCO supports Washington’s interests.

    The third UN agency immediately affected by the order is UNWRA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, which the White House order maintained “has reportedly been infiltrated” by terrorist affiliates.

    The presidential order withdraws US funding from UNRWA and notes the UN agency’s alleged involvement in the 7 October attacks on Israel, something which UNRWA strongly condemned and responded to by opening itself up to an independent as well as an internal investigation, ultimately sacking nine staff for their possible involvement.

    Israel did not provide independent investigators with evidence to fully corroborate its allegations.

    By 4 August 2025 – in just six months’ time – the US executive order also calls for a review of US membership in “all international intergovernmental organizations” and all conventions and treaties.

    Praise for lifesaving US support

    UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in response to questions regarding the latest executive order that “from day one”, it has been clear that US support for the UN has “saved countless lives and advanced global security”.

    “As I have mentioned, the Secretary-General looks forward to speaking to President Trump. He looks forward to continuing what was a very frank and productive relationship during the first term,” he said.

    Mr. Dujarric recalled President Trump’s remarks in the Oval Office on Tuesday where he said the UN has “got great potential” with a critical role to play in taking on many big challenges facing the world.

    At least 40 children killed in three days as violence escalates in Sudan

    A surge in violence across Sudan has reportedly killed at least 40 children in just three days, with shelling targeting multiple areas of the country, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

    On Monday, heavy shelling in Kadugli, South Kordofan state, killed 21 children and injured 29 others.

    Over the weekend, attacks on markets in El Fasher in Darfur state and Sabreen in Khartoum state claimed the lives of at least 19 more children, with several others wounded.

    “Sadly, it is rare that more than a few short days go past without new reports of children being killed and injured,” said Annmarie Swai, the UNICEF representative in the country.

    Daily killings

    Since June 2024, as the conflict has spread into new regions, an average of over four incidents per day has been documented, with an overwhelming 80 per cent of these cases involving killings and maimings.

    The violence has also hit vital civilian infrastructure. In late January, shelling reportedly struck the only functioning hospital in El Fasher, killing and injuring seven children, while another attack on a UNICEF child-friendly space in Khartoum state left three children dead or wounded.

    “Children in Sudan are paying the ultimate price of the relentless fighting,” Ms. Swai said, urging all parties to uphold international humanitarian law.

    135,000 women in Africa could die from breast cancer by 2040, warns WHO

    An estimated 135,000 women could die from preventable breast cancer by 2040 in sub-Saharan Africa without urgent action, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

    According to a WHO study in 42 of the region’s 47 countries, there are significant gaps and disparities in breast cancer control.

    Key findings included a critical shortage of healthcare workers who are essential for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

    Tackling breast cancer is also limited by a lack of access to specialised cancer centres, WHO said.

    Lack of screening

    The UN health agency found that only five out of 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have regular breast cancer screening programmes. Lab screening facilities are also lacking, with only two countries meeting the standard of one lab per 100,000 people.

    Breast cancer-related deaths in the region continue to be driven by late diagnosis and insufficient prevention and care. Much more healthcare investment is needed, WHO insisted.

    In 2022 alone, the UN agency said that 38 out of every 100,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 19 per 100,000 died from the disease.

    Tunisia: Rights panel demands immediate release of activist on hunger strike

    Top independent rights experts reiterated their call to the Tunisian authorities on Wednesday to release an imprisoned activist who is intensive care after going on hunger strike.

    Sihem Bensedrine, 75, was the former president of the Truth and Dignity Commission in Tunisia until she was detained in August last year.

    In a joint appeal, the independent rights experts insisted that Ms. Bensedrine must be immediately and unconditionally released and any charges against her dropped.

    The rights experts – Special Rapporteurs Bernard Duhaime, Mary Lawlor and Margaret Satterthwaite – said that her arrest appeared to be in retaliation for her activism.

    Truth to power

    In particular, they cited her contribution to the Truth and Dignity Commission’s report which they said “should lead to the prosecution of alleged perpetrators of serious violations of past regimes”.

    The Tunisian commission was established in 2014 in collaboration with the UN human rights office, OHCHR, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It was tasked with investigating alleged abuses going back six decades as well as acting as an arbiter in cases of corruption and gross human rights violations.

    Ms. Bensedrine is accused of falsifying the commission’s report on corruption in the banking system and has been the subject of judicial investigations since 2021, before her pre-trial detention last year.

    The Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts further argued that commission members and staff cannot be held liable for any content, conclusions or recommendations in the report as their work was carried out in line with their mandate.

    Chad and Nigeria sign agreement for voluntary refugee repatriation

    The governments of Chad and Nigeria, in collaboration with UN refugee agency, UNHCR, have signed a tripartite agreement to allow the voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees currently residing in Chad.

    It marks a significant milestone in regional efforts to provide durable solutions for refugees, ensuring that any future returns are voluntary, safe and dignified.

    A tripartite commission will be set up to develop standard operating procedures for implementing the agreement. This includes facilitating ongoing dialogue, joint assessments and coordination between Chad, Nigeria and UNHCR. The commission will ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and that the protection needs of refugees remain central to the process.

    “This tripartite agreement is a crucial step toward ensuring that any voluntary repatriation of refugees is conducted in a manner that upholds their fundamental rights and dignity,” said UNHCR regional bureau director Abdouraouf Gnon-Kondé.

    The signing of this agreement is part of a broader commitment by the governments of Chad and Nigeria to strengthen protection and solutions for forcibly displaced populations. This includes ongoing cooperation with neighbouring countries to enhance regional coordination on voluntary repatriation and reintegration efforts.

    UNHCR commends the governments of Chad and Nigeria for their leadership in promoting durable solutions while safeguarding refugee rights. The agency stands ready to implement its commitments under this tripartite agreement.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: US funding pause leaves millions ‘in jeopardy’, insist UN humanitarians

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    UN agencies on Tuesday offered a dire assessment of the global impact of deep cuts to grassroots humanitarian funding by the incoming US administration and reiterated calls for Washington to retain its position as a global aid leader.

    The development follows the pause announced to billions of dollars of funding on 24 January by the US administration affecting “nearly all US foreign aid programmes, pending a 90-day review”, said Pio Smith from the UN’s sexual reproductive health agency, UNFPA, briefing journalists in Geneva.

    ‘Unwavering commitment’ to serve people in need

    In a letter to all UN personnel released on Tuesday morning in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he had responded to the executive order from US President Donald Trump with a call to “ensure the delivery of critical development and humanitarian activities”.

    Mr. Guterres said the organization will remain actively engaged in assessing and mitigating the impact of the order.

    “Now, more than ever, the work of the United Nations is crucial…Together, we will ensure that our organization continues to serve people in need around the world with unwavering commitment.”

    Deadly consequences

    Mr. Smith said that in response to the executive order, UNFPA “has suspended services funded by US grants that provide a lifeline for women and girls in crises, including in South Asia”.

    The UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific warned that between 2025 and 2028 in Afghanistan, the absence of US support will likely result in 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies.

    Mr. Smith said the agency was seeking “more clarity” from the administration “as to why our programmes are being impacted, particularly those which we would hope would be exempt” on humanitarian grounds.

    Meanwhile, the UN aid coordination agency OCHA, said that there have been no “layoffs or closing down access” in response to the executive orders. 

    Spokesperson Jens Laerke added that the agency’s country offices were “in close contact” with local US embassies to better understand how the situation will unfold.

    He explained that the US Government funded around 47 per cent of the global humanitarian appeal across the world last year; “that gives you an indication of how much it matters when we are in the situation we are in right now, with the messaging we’re getting from the Government”.

    The move follows the announcement that the new US administration has placed the country’s principal overseas development agency, USAID, under the authority of the Secretary of State.

    Staff from the agency have been locked out of their offices, while the head of the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency has accused USAID of criminal activity and a lack of accountability.

    “Public name-calling won’t save any lives,” said OCHA’s Mr. Laerke, while Alessandra Vellucci, head of the UN Information Service at UN Geneva, highlighted the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for a relationship of trust with the Trump administration.

    “We are looking at continuing this work together [and listening]…if there are criticisms, constructive criticism and points that we need to review,” she told reporters, underscoring the “decades-long relationship of mutual support” between the UN and the US.

    © UNICEF/Anmar Anmar

    USAID and UNICEF sign a partnership in 2024 to improve water and sanitation services across Iraq.

    Retreat from Human Rights Council

    At the same scheduled press encounter, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council responded to news reports that President Trump plans to issue an executive order withdrawing the US from the 47-member world body.

    The US was a member of the Council from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, meaning that since 1 January this year it has been an “observer State…like any of the 193 UN Member States that are not Council Members” explained spokesperson Pascal Sim:

    “Any Observer State of the Council cannot technically withdraw from an intergovernmental body that is no longer part of.”

    Preventable problems

    Amid uncertainty about future US funding, UNFPA’s Mr. Smith underscored the immediate impact on at-risk individuals in the world’s poorest settings: “Women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions; the risk of obstetric fistula is heightened, newborns die from preventable causes; survivors of gender-based violence have nowhere to turn for medical or psychological support,” he said.

    “We hope that the US Government will retain its position as a global leader in development and continue to work with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families as a result of catastrophes they did not cause.”

    Afghanistan emergency

    UNFPA works across the world including in Afghanistan, where more than nine million people are expected to lose access to health and protection services because of the US funding crisis, it said.

    This will impact nearly 600 mobile health teams, family health houses and counselling centres, whose work will be suspended, Mr. Smith explained.

    “Every two hours, a mother dies from preventable pregnancy complications, making Afghanistan one of the deadliest countries in the world for women to give birth. Without UNFPA’s support, even more lives will be lost at a time when the rights of Afghan women and girls are already being torn to pieces.”

    Pakistan, Bangladesh fall-out

    In Pakistan, the UN agency warns that the US announcement will affect 1.7 million people, including 1.2 million Afghan refugees, who will be cut off from lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services, with the closure of over 60 health facilities.

    In Bangladesh, nearly 600,000 people, including Rohingya refugees, face losing access to critical maternal and reproductive health services.

    “This is not about statistics. This is about real lives. These are literally the world’s most vulnerable people,” Mr. Smith insisted.

    In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar refugee camp complex –where more than one million Rohingya refugees remain trapped in dire conditions – nearly half of all births now take place in health facilities, with UNFPA’s support.

    “This progress is now at risk,” Mr. Smith continued, noting that the agency requires more than $308 million dollars this year to sustain essential services in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Rights experts call for immediate release of Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    UN independent human rights experts have called for the immediate release of Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, known as Abu Zubaydah, who has been detained without charge by US authorities at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility for almost 20 years.

    On Monday the United States military sent 11 long-term detainees from the facility to Oman after reaching agreement with the Government there on relocation and resettlement. 

    Only 15 detainees now remain, according to news reports. The prison opened in 2002 and at its peak it held more than 600 prisoners overseen by over 2,000 military and civilian personnel.

    Captured in Pakistan

    Captured in March 2002 in Faisalabad, Pakistan, following the 11 September 2001 attacks, Abu Zubaydah was transferred to CIA custody and held at multiple secret locations, where he was reportedly tortured, the experts reminded in a press release issued on Wednesday.

    Despite being imprisoned for nearly two decades, he remains in Guantánamo Bay without any formal charges having been made.

    Release ‘long overdue’

    “We are exceptionally requesting a Presidential pardon for Mr. Abu Zubaydah, owing to his treatment while in detention and the lack of due process since he was first detained,” the experts stated. “His immediate release and relocation to a third safe country are long overdue.”

    The Human Rights Council-appointed experts highlighted Abu Zubaydah’s serious health conditions, which include injuries sustained during torture that have allegedly been exacerbated by the denial of medical attention.

    They also noted significant impediments to lawyer-client communication.

    Various international and regional human rights mechanisms have examined Abu Zubaydah’s case, establishing that he has suffered multiple human rights violations within the context of the US rendition and secret detention programme, the experts noted.

    “In addition to his liberation, we request that Mr. Abu Zubaydah is accorded an enforceable right to compensation and other measures of reparation, in accordance with international law,” the working group members and Special Rapporteurs said.

    The experts emphasised the profound psychological and physical trauma he has endured due to torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and enforced disappearance. They reiterated their call for the US Government to immediately release and relocate him to a safe third country.

    “We recall the principle of joint responsibility that applies to States when more than one of them was involved in the perpetration of a human rights violation,” the experts said. “Accordingly, we call on States to proactively offer their territory for the prompt relocation of Mr. Abu Zubaydah.”

    The experts also expressed concerns about the continued detention of 14 other individuals at Guantánamo Bay, who are in varying stages of legal proceedings and face allegations of ongoing human rights abuses.

    Independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and are independent of any organisation or government.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Will those responsible for atrocities in Syria finally face justice?

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Conor Lennon

    Law and Crime Prevention

    Hopes are rising that, with the support of the United Nations, the architects of the brutal former regime of Bashar al Assad in Syria will eventually be held accountable for their crimes.

    For years, UN human rights bodies have been documenting, monitoring and publishing reports on abuses, and bringing Syria’s dire human rights record to the world’s attention.

    The fall of Bashar al Assad in December 2024 was largely greeted with euphoria by the Syrian people, but images of hundreds of people pouring into the notorious Sednaya Prison, desperately searching for friends or relatives, and testimony from former prisoners, recounting the sadism and torture they endured, was a vivid reminder of the atrocities committed under the former regime.

    Since 2016, the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), has been amassing a vast collection of evidence, aiming to ensure that those responsible are eventually held accountable.

    In the eight years since, consistently denied access to Syria, they have had to work from outside the country.

    However, everything changed after the rapid collapse of the regime. Just days later the head of the IIIM, Robert Petit, was able to travel to Syria where he met members of the de facto authorities. During this historic visit, he made a point of emphasizing the importance of preserving evidence before it’s lost forever.

    UN News interviewed Mr. Petit from his offices in Geneva and began by asking him to describe the reactions of the Syrians he met during his visit.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

    Robert Petit: It was a sobering and emotional time. I experienced a mix of hope and joy, as well as fear and anxiety, and a lot of sadness from the families of prisoners who had been killed.

    But there was definitely a sense of change across the board. It’s my personal hope that the aspirations of Syrians will be fully realized with the help of the international community.

    UN News: What was the purpose of your visit, and was it successful?

    Robert Petit: As with most of the world, we were shocked at the speed with which the regime crumbled, although in hindsight we should have realized that the foundations were completely eroding for years.

    We had to quickly start thinking about how to address this new situation: for the first time in eight years, we have the chance to really fulfill our mandate.

    The main purpose of the visit was to start engaging diplomatically and explain to the new authorities what our role is and what we would like to do and get permission to do so. We found them to be receptive.

    We formally requested permission to send teams to work and discharge our mandate in Syria. That was back on December 21. We’re still waiting for the answer. I have no reason to believe that we will not be granted permission. I think it’s a matter of processes rather than willingness, and we’re hoping that within days we will get that permission and then we will deploy as soon as we can.

    © IIIM Syria

    Documents are piled up at a court house in Damascus, Syria, which was visited by the head of the IIIM, Robert Petit.

    UN News: How hard was it to collect evidence during the years that you were denied access to the country?

    Robert Petit: Syrian civil society and Syrians in general have, since March 2011, been the best documenters of their own victimization. They accumulated an enormous quantity of evidence of crimes, often at great risk the cost of their own lives.

    Every year since we were created, we tried to access Syria. We could not get permission, but we developed close relationships with some of these civil society actors, media stakeholders and individuals who collected credible evidence, as did other institutions.

    We accumulated over 284 terabytes of data over the years to build cases and support 16 different jurisdictions in prosecuting, investigating and prosecuting their own cases.

    Now we potentially have access to a wealth of fresh evidence of crimes, and we’re hoping to be able to exploit that opportunity very soon.

    UN News: During the Assad years, though, you had no guarantee that anyone would be brought to justice.

    Robert Petit: Our mandate has been very clear from the beginning: prepare cases to support current and future jurisdiction. And that’s what we’ve been doing. There was always a hope that there was going to be some kind of tribunal, or comprehensive justice for the crimes in Syria. In anticipation of that, we have been building cases and we hope to build a wealth of understanding of the situation and the evidence that could support these cases.

    At the same time, we’ve been supporting 16 jurisdictions all over the world prosecuting these cases, and I’m very happy to say that we have been able to support over almost 250 of those investigations and prosecutions and will continue to do so.

    Soundcloud

    UN News: During your trip you said there’s a small window of opportunity to secure sites and the material they hold. Why?

    Robert Petit: Syria’s state apparatus functioned for years, so there will be a lot of evidence, but things go missing, they get destroyed and disappear. So, there is a time issue.

    UN News: Are the de facto authorities in Syria helping you to secure evidence?

    Robert Petit: We had messaging from the caretaker authorities that they were conscious of the importance of preserving all this evidence. The fact is that they have been in control for barely six weeks, so there are obviously a lot of competing priorities.

    I think the situation in Damascus is relatively good in that a lot of the sites, the main ones at least, are secured. Outside of Damascus, I think the situation is a lot more fluid and probably worse.

    UN News: When Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, visited Syria in January he called for fair, impartial justice in the wake of the end of the Assad regime. But he also said that the extent of atrocity crimes “beggars belief”. Do you personally think that justice rather than revenge, in a place where people have been so badly brutalized, is possible or likely?

    Robert Petit: That’s for the Syrians to answer themselves and hopefully be heard and supported in what they will define as justice for them and for what they’ve suffered.

    If people are given the hope that there will be in place a system that will deal fairly and transparently with at least those most responsible for the atrocities, it will give them hope and patience.

    I think it is possible. I have worked in enough of these situations to know that a variety of things can be done to address these very complex situations, but it must be Syria-led, and they must have the support of the international community.

    UN News: Do you envisage that criminal trials would take place in Syria at a national level or at an international level, for example at the International Criminal Court?

    Robert Petit: Again, it will depend on what Syrians want. You’re talking about literally thousands of perpetrators, and a whole state apparatus dedicated to the commission of mass atrocities. It’s an incredible challenge to define what accountability means.

    In my opinion, those most responsible, the architects of the system, must be held criminally accountability. For everyone else, the ways a post-conflict society tackles the issue varies.

    Rwanda, for example, tried to use traditional forms of dispute resolution to try 1.2 million perpetrators over a decade. Others, like Cambodia, simply try to bury the past, and pretend it never happened.

    The best solution is the one that Syrians will decide for themselves. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Syria: Assad’s armed forces must face accountability, says rights probe

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    Widespread pillaging and the destruction of property in Syria by all parties to the conflict have largely gone unpunished and likely amount to war crimes, top independent rights investigators reporting to the Human Rights Council maintained on Thursday.

    The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria’s latest report follows the lightning operation led by mainly Hayat-Tahrir al-Sham fighters that toppled President Bashar al-Assad last December, ending the 13-year war that decimated the country and destabilised the entire region.

    The violence is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and uprooted 15 million, the report’s authors said.

    They noted that various armed groups – including former government troops and opposition fighters – carried out widescale damage to and pillaged Syrian property, particularly in areas that changed hands repeatedly during the fighting.

    The Assad regime’s security forces targeted those perceived as political opponents, including demonstrators, activists, deserters and defectors, their families and communities, the report’s authors continued.

    Persistent and repeated crimes

    Vast areas of land where refugees and internally displaced people had relocated to were also pillaged and ransacked to the point of rendering entire neighbourhoods uninhabitable.

    Forces stole household items, furniture and valuables, which they would sometimes sell at markets including some created specifically for this purpose.

    They also dismantled roofs, doors, windows, iron rods, electrical wires and plumbing fixtures.

    ‘Systematic pillage’

    “Systematic pillage was coordinated by members of the former Syrian army, such as the Fourth Division, and affiliated security forces and militias, who concluded business agreements with private contractors or merchants interested in acquiring looted items, including raw materials,” the Commissioners explained.

    The wrongdoings could “amount to war crimes” if “carried out for private or personal gain”, they added.

    Near-total impunity

    To date, accountability for these crimes has not happened and the overwhelming majority of perpetrators have escaped any accountability. “The impunity for the war crime of pillage has been near total in Syria” except for a few convictions in areas held by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA).

    “The only known convictions that relate to pillage or property offenses concern female former members of ISIL [or Da’esh, the terrorist group]”, the report said, adding that none of the forces perpetrating pillage on a massive scale had been prosecuted.

    Accountability and reform

    Among their recommendations, the Commissioners urged renewed efforts to protect housing, land and property rights as paramount to the country’s efforts to rebuild after a decade of crippling conflict.

    If the violations remain unaddressed, grievances and social tensions will be exacerbated, fuelling cycles of violence and displacement, the commission warned.

    The investigators write that following the fall of the regime, on 8 December, the “devastating patterns” of pillage “must not be repeated”.

    The report urges all military commanders and newly empowered leaders to prevent and punish any instances where property is stolen that was left behind by those newly displaced.

    Independent experts

    The Commissioners representing the top rights panel are appointed and mandated by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. They are not UN staff, do not draw a salary, and serve in their individual capacity, independent of the UN Secretariat.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Hold fast to our common humanity’: UN marks 80 years since death camps were liberated

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Ana Carmo

    Human Rights

    Hate continues to grow at an alarming speed, and the world must do more to fight growing antisemitism the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, honouring the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Nazi death camps.

    More than 15 months on from the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas in Israel, António Guterres said the UN will continue doing its “utmost to ensure it leads to the release of all hostages – since the beginning we have asked for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages – and to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza”.

    Every year on the day the concentration camps were liberated in 1945, the world unites to honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators, a commemoration that also extends to the Roma and Sinti communities, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and all others who suffered from the systemic violence, torture, and genocide of the Nazi regime.

    Lessons must never be forgotten

    In the presence of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in the General Assembly Hall, the Secretary-General underscored the need for remembrance and emphasized that the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.

    This year’s commemoration marks a milestone: 80 years since the Holocaust’s end, and 80 years of efforts to preserve the memory of its victims.

    Underlying the courage of survivors in sharing their stories to ensuring that the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps are never erased from history, Mr. Guterres added that the responsibility to ensure this history is never forgotten “belongs to every one of us”. “Remembrance is not only a moral act – remembrance is a call to action”, he said.

    Combat hatred

    As part of the United Nations’ ongoing efforts to combat hate speech, the commemoration highlighted the importance of educating future generations about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

    Highlighting the acclaimed writer Primo Levi’s words – an Auschwitz survivor, who urged humanity to “carve the knowledge into our hearts” – Mr. Guterres called on everyone to “speak-up against hate”, stand-up for the human rights of all, and “make those rights a reality”.

    Defend human rights

    The UN is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was established in the wake of the Holocaust. In 1948, nations around the world united to affirm the inherent dignity and equality of all people, a direct response to the horrors of Nazi ideology.

    Reminding that the document is a “pure expression of our shared humanity”, the UN chief said that “in dark times it remains a shining light”.

    “Today, our world is fractured and dangerous”, Mr. Guterres warned once more – “80 years since the Holocaust’s end, antisemitism is still with us – fuelled by the same lies and loathing that made the Nazi genocide possible. And it is rising.”

    Efforts to combat the growing tide of Holocaust denial, discrimination, and hate are also central to the United Nations, which has recently launched an Action Plan on Antisemitism to enhance its efforts to educate, promote truth, and resist efforts to distort historical facts.

    Calling for widespread condemnation of antisemitism “wherever and whenever it appears”, Mr. Guterres said that promoting education, combating lies and speaking the truth are key – and that in days of division, all must “hold fast to our common humanity”.

    “We will never forget. And we will never waver in that fight”, the UN chief concluded, leaving the podium to the survivors who were there to share their memories.

    Prayer for peace

    Israel’s President Isaac Herzog told the commemoration that “it is time to acknowledge challenging our right to exist is not diplomacy, it is plain antisemitism.”

    He said 80 years after the Holocaust, he stood in the General Assembly “with deep faith and hope. Our nation rose from the flames of the crematorium not to live forever by the sword, but to build, to repair, to add light, to heal.”

    He added that he hoped peace agreements could be reached between Israel and its neighbours across the region “with all peoples of the Middle East, Israelis, Palestinians and all others”, living peacefully side by side.

    On this historic day, we must commit to joining hands to defeat darkness and hatred and work together to ensure building of a shared future. This is the vow we must share. All of us. The family of nations – that what happened once will never happen again.”

    Roma survivor

    Dumitru Miclescu, Roma survivor of the Holocaust, flew from Budapest to participate at the ceremony in General Assembly Hall on Monday.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Dumitru Miclescu addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    Supported by his niece Izabela Tiberiade, he told his story: “I am here not just for myself, but for all the Roma who suffered during the Holocaust and did not have the chance to be heard.”

    A survivor of the terror camps in Transnistria, he was forced into trains and deported when he was just an eight-year-old boy in Romania, along with his family.

    Building a world without racism

    “I will never forget those moments when we were gathered into the trains. Many people died on the trains before we even arrived. Those who reached the concentration camps suffered even more: forced labor, starvation, disease, and constant terror. Death was a daily presence,” he said.

    Acknowledging the lack of support for the few Roma who survived and returned home, Mr. Miclescu said that being at the UN was “an important step toward recognizing history” but there was still much to be done.

    “Allow me to say to all the young people listening to my story: I ask you to learn about your history. I hope you will build a world without racism,” he concluded.

    Never forget

    Marianne Muller who was just a baby during the Holocaust, also took the podium to share her family’s story. Accompanied by her four children and grandchildren, she said: “they are my personal answer to Hitler”.

    Stressing that antisemitism is rising all over the world, Ms. Muller called on the world to remember that the Holocaust and its horrors “all happened only 80 years ago.”

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Marianne Muller addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    ‘Don’t be neutral towards human suffering’

    At a ceremony in Geneva, Nazi death camp survivor Ivan Lefkovits shared harrowing testimony of his experiences on Monday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a timeless message for present and future generations: “Don’t be neutral, especially not towards human suffering.”

    Recalling the murder of his father and brother, both victims of Hitler’s mission to wipe out Jews, 88-year-old Mr. Lefkovits noted that many European countries subscribed to the Nazi leader’s views.

    Mr. Lefkovits was seven years old when he was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp in November 1944; he spent the last months of the war in Bergen-Belsen camp, where he almost died from starvation and thirst.

    Today he urges younger generations to study history “not necessarily to learn, but to understand” why the Holocaust happened.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rights office urges humane treatment of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    The UN human rights office, OHCHR, called on Monday for Israel and Hamas to ensure that all people they are holding are treated humanely. 

    “Images of emaciated Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees released as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement have been deeply distressing,” Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement. 

    He added that the pictures of Israeli hostages released this past weekend show signs of ill-treatment and severe malnourishment, reflecting the dire conditions they were subjected to in Gaza.

    “We are also deeply concerned by the public parading of hostages released by Hamas in Gaza, including statements apparently made under duress during release,” continued Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    Release all hostages and detainees

    Meanwhile, Palestinians released from Israeli detention have revealed similar treatment under severe conditions, described by OHCHR as distressing and cause for serious concern. 

    “Israel and Hamas must ensure humane treatment, including freedom from any form of torture or abuse, for all those held under their power,” declared Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    The spokesperson reminded all parties to the conflict that torture and other forms of ill-treatment of protected persons are war crimes. and those found guilty must receive sentences commensurate to the severity of their conduct. 

     “We reiterate that the taking of hostages is a war crime,” he said. 

    “Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all hostages, and Israel must immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained.” 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Young Venezuelan refugees get a fresh start in Trinidad’s schools

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    When 11-year-old Venezuelan refugee Astrid Saavedra walked into her fourth-grade classroom in Trinidad and Tobago for her first day of school in September, she was eager to begin lessons in her favourite subject, mathematics. But the prospect of teaching fellow students about her homeland Venezuela was equally exciting.

    Astrid is one of the first refugee and migrant children from Venezuela to be allowed to enter the Trinidadian national public education system, following a change in the country’s immigration rules.

    IOM/Gema Cortés

    Thousands of Venezuelans have fled their country (file)

    She was part of the first cohort of 60 children to meet the admission criteria, which included possession of a certified, translated birth certificate and immunization record, and be assigned a school, marking an important milestone in fulfilling Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to fully meeting its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international UN human rights treaty.

    “These young people, should they stay in Trinidad and Tobago, would be adequately prepared to enter the workforce of this country, filling gaps in the labour market and contributing to innovation and sustainability,” said senior UN migration agency (IOM) official, Desery Jordan-Whiskey. 

    “It’s also an opportunity for these children, who are mostly Spanish speaking, to contribute just as much as they would gain, by helping their peers learn a second language.”

    An investment in the future

    The changes in legislation that allowed children like Astrid to go to school came about in July 2023, during a meeting of UN officials and politicians, at which Trinidad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs officially announced the Government’s decision.

    UN agencies agree that the right to receive an education is an example of the way human rights overlaps with sustainable development.

    “Advocating for access to education is key to bridging the gap between immediate humanitarian needs and long-term development goals,” said Amanda Solano, head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Trinidad and Tobago. “By providing education to refugee and migrant children, we’re not just meeting their immediate needs, we’re investing in their future and the future of Trinidad and Tobago.”

    UNHCR Trinidad and Tobago

    Over 2,000 refugee and migrant children remain excluded from the school system. The UN has made efforts to provide them with alternative learning opportunities, or to place them in private schools but has expressed a preference for wider admission to the state school system.

    A committee of UN agencies and partners, the Education Working Group (EWG), is working with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to better understand the training and logistical support that would be required to accommodate larger numbers of refugee and migrant children into local schools.

    The hope is that many more students like Astrid will be able to walk into the nation’s classrooms to start the 2025-2026 academic year.

    UN support for education in Trinidad & Tobago

    • The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNHCR work with partners to offer informal Child-Friendly Spaces, where children can access learning while they wait for places in the national school system.
    • The Education Working Group (EWG) is assisting with initial English language proficiency testing, facilitated by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI).
    • EWG members have coordinated efforts to reduce economic strain and enable students’ focus on learning and thriving. UNHCR provided school supplies and backpacks, PADF offered access to textbooks and other school supplies, and UNICEF disbursed grants to support any unmet needs, including uniforms, textbooks, and transportation.
    • Through the Heroes Development Program, PADF and its partner the Heroes Foundation also provide complementary life skills development and alternative education support for children and youth who are unable to access formal schools in Trinidad and Tobago.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: More than 5,600 killed in Haiti gang violence in 2024

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    At least 5,601 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, appealing for greater efforts by the authorities and the international community to address the root causes. 

    These deaths represent an increase of over 1,000 on the total killings for 2023, according to figures verified by OHCHR.  A further 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 kidnapped.

    “These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.

    Shocking massacre

    OHCHR recalled that in one of the most deadly and shocking incidents, at least 207 people were killed in a massacre in early December orchestrated by the leader of the Wharf Jérémie gang in the Cité Soleil area of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

    Many of the victims were older people accused of causing the death of the leader’s son through alleged voodoo practices. To erase evidence, gang members mutilated and burned most of the bodies, while others were thrown into the sea.

    OHCHR also documented 315 lynchings of gang members and people allegedly associated with gangs, which on some occasions were reportedly facilitated by Haitian police officers.

    Additionally, 281 cases of alleged summary executions involving specialized police units occurred during 2024.

    Impunity still prevalent

    “It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remain prevalent in Haiti, constituting some of the main drivers of the multi-dimensional crisis the country faces, along with entrenched economic and social inequalities,” said Mr. Türk. 

    “Additional efforts from the authorities, with the support of the international community, are needed to address these root causes.”

    The human rights chief stressed that restoring the rule of law must be a priority. He added that to this end, the UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti needs the logistical and financial support it requires to successfully implement its mandate.

    Furthermore, the Haitian National Police, with the support of the international community, should also strengthen its oversight mechanism to hold accountable police officers reportedly involved in human rights violations.

    Implement sanctions and arms embargo

    Mr. Türk restated his call for the full implementation of the UN Security Council‘s sanctions regime on Haiti, as well as the arms embargo, which are crucial to preventing the supply of firearms and ammunition to the country.  

    “Weapons flowing into Haiti often end up in the hands of the criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed,” he said. 

    He further noted that deportations of Haitians continue even though the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in their homeland do not allow for safe and dignified return.

    The High Commissioner reiterated his call to all States not to forcibly return anyone to Haiti. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief offers condolences amid devastating wildfires in California

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Climate and Environment

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed sorrow over the fast-moving wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming lives and displacing thousands.

    The fires, described as some of the worst in the city’s history, have burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes and left firefighters battling to contain multiple blasts in unprecedented conditions.

    “The Secretary-General is shocked and saddened by the widespread devastation caused by the fast-moving wildfires,” said his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement released on Thursday.

    Mr. Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with those displaced, many of whom have lost their homes.

    The fires have claimed at least five lives, displaced more than 100,000 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings. Damages are estimated to exceed $50 billion, according to US private forecaster AccuWeather.

    Commending first responders

    The Secretary-General commended the courage and dedication of first responders working in “extremely difficult conditions” to protect lives and contain the fires.

    More than 7,500 firefighters are battling the blazes, with officials describing the conditions as historic and dangerous.

    Local fire chiefs reported that dry vegetation and winds with the force of hurricanes have fuelled the fires, leaving four out of six major ones completely uncontained.

    Efforts are being further delayed by resource shortages and the challenging landscape.

    Prevention and preparedness

    Rainfall levels from late 2024 until now have been below average. This has created dry conditions that, combined with the Santana Winds – a well-known weather pattern in the region – have exacerbated fire risks, according to experts.

    The Santana Winds, which typically sweep through the mountains, raise temperatures and drastically lower humidity, rapidly drying out vegetation and creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the importance of prevention strategies to mitigate the impact of wildfires, including regular clearing of underbrush in forests, available water for firefighters and testing firefighting capacities.

    Evacuation planning is another critical priority, with experts stressing the importance of avoiding blocked evacuation routes.

    “Wildfires move rapidly, and any evacuation system needs to account for all people, especially those who are elderly and unable to move quickly,” said James Douris of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), an expert in early warning systems.

    Health risks and climate factors

    Beyond the immediate destruction, wildfires also pose significant public health risks.

    According to WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris, wildfire smoke, a toxic mixture of pollutants, can cause premature deaths and long-term damage to the lungs, heart and brain.

    Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, face heightened risks.

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    UN readiness to assist

    Reiterating the United Nations’ commitment to global solidarity, Mr. Guterres stated that “the United Nations stands ready to provide assistance if needed.”

    While no formal request for aid has been made, his statement emphasised the organization’s willingness to support affected communities.

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