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8 August 2013
A report released on 6 August by researchers at Yale University documents how UN negligence caused the cholera epidemic in Haiti, and argues that the UN therefore has legal and moral obligations to remedy the harm caused.
The report also calls for setting up a claims commission, as referred to in the MINUSTAH Status of Forces Agreement, and recommends the Organisation to issue a public apology, direct aid to the victims and comply with its contractual and international law obligations. The report comes after the UN Office of Legal Affairs determined in February that the claims of the victims were not receivable pursuant to Section 29 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nation.
Source: Yale Law School News | New Report Holds U.N. Responsible for Haitian Cholera Epidemic
Source: UN Department of Public Information | Haiti Cholera Victims’ Compensation Claims ‘Not Receivable’ under Immunities and Privileges Convention, United Nations Tells Their Representatives | 21 February 2013
Source: Agreement between the United Nations and the Government of Haiti concerning the status of the United Nations Operation in Haiti | 9 July 2004
8 August 2013
In a UN Security Council debate held on 6 August, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon emphasised the importance of increasing cooperation among regional and sub-regional organisations and the UN in order to address challenges in maintaining international peace and security.
The Secretary General stated that these organisations have unique insights that are critical for mediation, planning a peacekeeping operation, and building lasting peace. He also encouraged states to examine how they can expand cooperation in pursuit of international peace and security. “Only through cooperation will we meet our shared aspirations for a more peaceful world,” the Secretary General said.
Source: UN News Centre | Regional organizations must expand cooperation to tackle global challenges – Ban
8 August 2013
According to a report by CNN, the CIA was conducting a weapons smuggling operation from Libyan arms depots to the Syrian rebels when the United States’ embassy in Benghazi was attacked in September 2012.
The report alleges the possibility that CIA operations in Benghazi were secretly helping to transport surface-to-air missiles from Libyan depots, through Turkey, to Syrian rebel groups. The CIA has not commented on any involvement in weapons transfers, while the State Department has denied involvement and stated it was merely helping the new Libyan government destroy unsafe weapons.
Source: CCN | The Lead | Exclusive: Dozens of CIA operatives on the ground during Benghazi attack
Source: Centre for Research on Globalization | CIA Was Smuggling Weapons to Syrian Rebels During Benghazi Embassy Attack: “Unnamed Source”
5 August 2013
According to news reports, Czech authorities announced on 23 July that they had uncovered an international gang responsible for illegally smuggling white rhinoceros horn from South Africa to Asia, where rhino horn is used in traditional medicine.
According to Czech authorities, the crime syndicate had links to pseudo-hunting in South Africa whereby legislation allowing for non-commercial hunting trophies is exploited by proxy-hunters in order to legally repatriate trophy horns to the Czech Republic and illegally trade them further to unspecified Asian countries. The uncovering comes after concerns were raised earlier this year over the recruitment of sport hunters in the Czech Republic and Poland in order to obtain rhino horn in South Africa on behalf of Vietnamese operatives.
Source: AFP | Czech police crack rhinoceros horn smuggling ring
Source: CITES | Interpretation and implementation of the Convention | Species trade and conservation | Rhinoceroses | Report of the Secretariat | Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, Bangkok (Thailand), 3-14 March 2013 | CoP16 Doc. 54.2 (Rev. 1)
Source: Save the Rhino | Czech authorities uncover major rhino horn smuggling case
29 July 2013
The Guardian reported that Israel has frozen cooperation with the European Union on work in the occupied Palestinian Territories. The move comes after the adoption of new EU guidelines last week that explicitly ban union funding of Israeli institutions operating in the occupied territories.
According to The Guardian, the freeze affects all projects that require civil administration permits, diplomatic access or joint meetings, and no permits have reportedly been issued to EU humanitarian aid workers for several days. The EU provides aid and equipment to the affected Palestinian communities and trains Palestinian security forces.
Source: The Guardian | Israel freezes co-operation with EU in Palestinian territories