UN / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PILLAY

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the Security Council that some 80 percent of the Muslim population has been forcibly displaced inCentral African Republicand the anti-balaka – the Christian militias are regarded as criminals. The briefing comes after the Secretary-General visited the capital ofBanguiin a bid to focus the world’s attention on a crisis that has been marked by widespread atrocities and suffering. UNTV / BINUCA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:20
• Production Date: 8 April 2014
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY; HUMAN RIGHTS; CRIMES; CRIMINAL JUSTICE; SECURITY COUNCIL; SECRETARY-GENERAL
• Geographic Subject: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
• MAMS Id: U140408c

Description

STORY: UN / CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC PILLAY
TRT: 2.20
SOURCE: UNTV / BINUCA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 8 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY / 5 APRIL 2014 BANGUI, CAR / FILE

Shotlist

FILE

1. External shot, UN Headquarters

8 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY

2. SOUNDBITE (English), Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Now, with the anti-balaka activities almost 80 percent of the Muslim population has been forcibly displaced. I went there myself last month and saw all their houses and stores and shops totally destroyed. So the forces that are there now regard the anti-balaka groups as criminals and are dealing with them.”
3. Cutaway, camera
4. SOUNDBITE (English), Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“If the Security Council does proceed with establishing a peacekeeping mission there – in all the villages I should say they’ve told us they want gendarmes, they want police for their security. So if this peacekeeping mission includes 2000 police which is what the Secretary-General is recommending, then that would be of immediate help to them.”

5 APRIL 2014 BANGUI, CAR

5. Tracking, street with parked trucks
6. Various shots, people holding banners in French
7. Med shot, Ban exiting vehicle and waving
8. SOUNDBITE (French), Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General:
“The human rights are the priority for the United Nations and myself as the Secretary-General. I have already deployed an international commission to investigate the human rights violations.”
9. Med shot, Ban meeting with members of Parliament
10. Wide shot, Parliament

Storyline

Briefing Security Council members today (8 Mar) in a closed session on the human rights situation in Central African Republic (CAR), the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that some 80 percent of the Muslim population has been forcibly displaced and the “anti-balaka” – the Christian militias are regarded as criminals.

Pillay also recounted her visit to CAR where she witnessed destruction and met local villagers who told her they wanted police for their own security.

She supported the Secretary-General in demanding that the future peacekeeping mission in CAR include a 2,000 strong police component.

The briefing by Pillay to the Security Council comes after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the capital Bangui over the weekend, in a bid to focus the world's attention on a crisis that has been marked by widespread atrocities and suffering.

Speaking to the Muslim population gathered at a local mosque, Ban said that human rights are the top priority.

The UN chief's visit comes amid a recent escalation in fighting in the CAR capital, Bangui, between Christians and Muslims. The crisis, which began in December 2012, has left thousands of people dead, and 2.2 million, about half the population of CAR, in need of humanitarian aid.

More than 650,000 people are still internally displaced, and over 290,000 have fled to neighboring countries in search of refuge.