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STORY: UN / KOSOVO
TRT: 1:30
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 26 MAY 2017, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UNHQ exterior
26 MAY 2017, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, spokesperson walking to podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson, United Nations:
“Among the cases reviewed by the Panel was a complaint submitted by 138 individuals from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities that they suffered lead poisoning and other serious health consequences as a result of their relocation to internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps in northern Kosovo.”
4. Med shot, reporters
5 SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson, United Nations:
“The Secretary-General is keenly aware of the particular plight of those individuals, as well as the other members of these most vulnerable communities who also lived in the IDP camps. The Secretary-General wishes to express the Organization’s profound regret for the suffering endured by all individuals living in the IDP camps.”
6. Wide shot, reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson, United Nations:
“In view of the unique circumstances in Kosovo, the Secretary-General has decided, as an exceptional measure, to establish a Trust Fund. The Trust Fund will implement community based assistance projects, primarily in North Mitrovica, South Mitrovica and Leposavić, which will benefit more broadly the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities.”
8. Med shot, journalist asking question
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson, United Nations:
“The Secretary-General believes that it is our shared duty to support the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, and ensure that they receive the assistance that they need.”
10. Wide shot, pan right press conference ending
A Human Rights Advisory Panel, which examined alleged violations of human rights by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), concluded that there had been failures to uphold human rights standards, a UN spokesperson said.
The Panel was a unique human rights mechanism established in the context of a United Nations peacekeeping mission that had an executive mandate in a post-conflict environment. It became operational in November 2007, receiving and reviewing over 500 complaints. The Panel completed its work and subsequently provided a Final Report in July 2016.
Speaking to reporters today (26 May) in New York, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said, “Among the cases reviewed by the Panel was a complaint submitted by 138 individuals from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities that they suffered lead poisoning and other serious health consequences as a result of their relocation to internally-displaced persons (IDP) camps in northern Kosovo.”
Haq also said the Secretary-General was “ keenly aware” of the “particular plight” of those individuals, as well as the other members of these most vulnerable communities who also lived in the IDP camps, adding that “the Secretary-General wishes to express the Organization’s profound regret for the suffering endured by all individuals living in the IDP camps.”
The spokesperson pointed out, “In view of the unique circumstances in Kosovo, the Secretary-General has decided, as an exceptional measure, to establish a Trust Fund. The Trust Fund will implement community based assistance projects, primarily in North Mitrovica, South Mitrovica and Leposavić, which will benefit more broadly the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities.”
He explained the assistance projects will focus on the most pressing needs of those most vulnerable communities, including with respect to health services, economic development and infrastructure.
Haq also said, “The Secretary-General believes that it is our shared duty to support the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, and ensure that they receive the assistance that they need.”
He noted the Organization will make every effort, in consultation with Member States, to mobilize the necessary resources in support of the Trust Fund, adding that the Secretary-General called upon the international community to support this initiative through the provision of resources to the Trust Fund.
The spokesperson said that the Organization will also continue to draw lessons from its experience in Kosovo and from the work of the Panel, and take action to prevent such situations from happening again.
