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UN / UKRAINE
STORY: UN / UKRAINE
TRT: 02:36
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 DECEMBER 2015, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT
1. Wide shot, flags outside UN Headquarters
11 DECEMBER 2015, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council Chamber
3. Close up, Council’s president
4. Med shot, Eliasson at the Council’s table
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations:
“I strongly appeal to all sides to provide unrestricted and unconditional access for critical humanitarian assistance and to guarantee a freedom of movement for civilians throughout the country. I appeal to all those with influence over the actors to insure the removal of all bureaucratic and political impediments to humanitarian assistance. I remind all parties of the obligations to guarantee free and unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance throughout Ukraine.”
6. Med shot, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ivan Simonovic, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights:
“Even with the relative military calm on the ground, the lack of rule of law makes the human rights situation of the estimated 2.7 million people living in the territories controlled by the self-proclaimed 'Donetsk people's republic' and 'Luhansk people's republic' very difficult. Reports of human rights abuses on these territories persist, including those related to killings, torture and ill-treatment, illegal detention and forced labour.”
8. Wide shot, meeting
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ivan Simonovic, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights:
“Elements of the Security Service of Ukraine appear to enjoy a high degree of impunity, with rare investigations into allegations involving them. The conduct of those elements of the Ukrainian law enforcement, which are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is also of concern.”
10. Wide shot, meeting
11. SOUNDBITE (English) John Ging, Director of the Operational Division at OCHA:
“I protest in the strongest possible terms the suspension of humanitarian programmes and the expulsion of humanitarian actors, which stands in contravention of international norms and principles. Closing protection, food, health, water, shelter and recovery programs has had a devastating impact on an already vulnerable and suffering people. Just one alarming example of the impact involves the ending of an MSF programme which was treating 146 multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis patients which now dramatically increases the risks of the spread drug-resistant tuberculosis.”
12. Wide shot, meeting
Speaking at the Security Council today, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson appealed to all parties of the conflict in the eastern Ukraine “to provide unrestricted and unconditional access for critical humanitarian assistance and to guarantee a freedom of movement for civilians throughout the country.”
Deputy Secretary-General also appealed to “all those with influence over the actors to insure the removal of all bureaucratic and political impediments to humanitarian assistance.”
Also speaking at the Council, Ivan Simonovic, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights noted a “sharp decrease” in number of civilian deaths during the period from 16 August to 15 November comparing to the previous reporting period.
According to the Assistant Secretary-General, 47 civilians deaths have been reported during this period, while 105 people have been killed in the period between 16 May and 15 August.
Nevertheless, Simonovic said “even with the relative military calm on the ground, the lack of rule of law makes the human rights situation of the estimated 2.7 million people living in the territories controlled by the self-proclaimed 'Donetsk people's republic' and 'Luhansk people's republic' very difficult. Reports of human rights abuses on these territories persist; including those related to killings, torture and ill-treatment, illegal detention and forced labour.”
The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights also reported that the efforts of the Ukrainian government to restore law and order in the conflict zone have been accompanied by allegations of enforced disappearances, illegal detention and torture.
He said “elements of the Security Service of Ukraine appear to enjoy a high degree of impunity, with rare investigations into allegations involving them. The conduct of those elements of the Ukrainian law enforcement, which are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, is also of concern.”
Director of the Operational Division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) John Ging, briefed the Council’s members on his visit to the eastern Ukraine via videoconference from Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Ging told members of hardships and indignities faced by people living in the conflict zone and condemned the suspension of humanitarian assistance programs in the area controlled by rebels.
OCHA’s Operations Director said “I protest in the strongest possible terms the suspension of humanitarian programmes and the expulsion of humanitarian actors, which stands in contravention of international norms and principles. Closing protection, food, health, water, shelter and recovery programs has had a devastating impact on an already vulnerable and suffering people.”
He gave an example of closing of an MSF programme which was treating 146 multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis patients which now dramatically increases the risks of the spread drug-resistant tuberculosis.”
In July this year, the separatist authorities in non-government control areas demanded United Nations and NGOs to register for formal accreditation.
When the organizations refused to do so, rebels imposed a four month suspension of the work of international aid agencies, along with the expulsion of the majority of humanitarian actors from these areas.
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