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GENEVA / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
STORY: GENEVA / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
TRT: 2.20
SOURCE: CH UNTV
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
DATELINE: 16 APRIL 2013, UNITED NATIONS GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
FILE – RECENT
1. External shot, Palais des Nations, Geneva
16 APRIL 2013, UNITED NATIONS GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
2. Wide shot, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
“There are now well over 30,000 CAR refugees in Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as 1024 new refugees in Cameroon, and 6728 in Chad. New refugees arriving in DRC have told us that Seleka forces opened fire on Bangui residents resisting or protesting against looting and abuses happening during the course of disarmament operations. Young males, who make up around 80 percent of the refugees we saw crossing this past weekend, have been particularly affected.”
4. Cutaway, table of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
“It is, and I must repeat the points I made earlier, of urgent importance that the Seleka authorities put an end to violence against civilians and restore security in Bangui and the rest of the country. This is necessary both to stem the outflow, and to allow for the resumption of critical humanitarian operations inside the country.”
6. Cutaway, close-up of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for UNHCR:
“Access is a big issue. We don’t have access inside the Central African Republic at the moment. We certainly don't have access to Seleka or others across the country at this time. We urgently need all of us to be able to get back to our jobs to helping this rather large affected population.”
8. Cutaway, journalist with earpiece, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Cécile Pouilly, Spokesperson for Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We know that since the Seleka coalition forces launched their offensive last December, there has been a wide range of alleged violations including targeted killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, recruitment of children, rapes, disappearances, and kidnappings in Bangui and other parts of the country.”
10. Cutaway, table of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Cécile Pouilly, Spokesperson for Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“This current state of lawlessness must not be allowed to continue. The rule of law must be restored, and perpetrators of abuses held accountable. Those carrying out serious crimes and especially their leaders should bear in mind that they may be held individually and criminally responsible.”
12. Wide shot, table of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed alarm at continuing reports of widespread human rights violations in the Central African Republic (CAR) and called for the urgent restoration of the rule of law in the country.
Cécile Pouilly, Spokesperson for Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), briefing journalists in Geneva on Tuesday said: “We know that since the Seleka coalition forces launched their offensive last December, there has been a wide range of alleged violations including targeted killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, recruitment of children, rapes, disappearances, and kidnappings in Bangui and other parts of the country.”,
She noted that the local Red Cross have reported at least 119 people killed since the fall of the former government on 24 March.
Reading a statement on behalf of the High Commissioner, Pouilly warned: “the current state of lawlessness, verging on anarchy, must not be allowed to continue. The rule of law must be restored and perpetrators of abuses held accountable. Those carrying out serious crimes, and especially their leaders, should bear in mind that they may be held individually criminally responsible.”
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, at the same briefing, called for an end to violence in Central African Republic after fresh fighting in the capital, Bangui, forced hundreds more people to flee the country.
"In all, and from the recent instability in CAR, there are now well over 30,000 CAR refugees in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as some 1,024 new refugees in Cameroon and 6,728 in Chad," said UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards, in Geneva.
He stressed: "It is of urgent importance that the Seleka authorities put an end to violence against civilians and restore security in Bangui and the rest of the country. This is necessary both to stem the outflow, and to allow for resumption of critical humanitarian operations inside the country."
UNHCR estimates that there are 173,000 internally displaced people in Central African Republic. In addition to this there are 17,000 mostly Congolese and Sudanese refugees in CAR, plus some 4,000 new Sudanese refugees who crossed into northern CAR ten days ago following tribal clashes in the Um Dukhun area of Western Darfur.
“Access is a big issue. We don’t have access inside the Central African Republic at the moment. We certainly don't have access to Seleka or others across the country at this time. We urgently need all of us to be able to get back to our jobs to helping this rather large affected population,” said Edwards.
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