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In & Around the UN, Jun 2008

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In & Around the UN, Jun 2008 In & Around the UN A Publication of the Quaker United Nations Office Continuing Challenges in Iraq June 2008 raqis and the international community are such a process seems daunting. Iworking hard to bring peace to Iraq, yet for - In this difficult context, the UN Security midable challenges remain. On the ground, Council passed Resolution 1770 in August the US-led Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I), 2007. This resolution expanded the UN Iraqi army, Sunni and Shia militias, and pri - Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI), man - vate security contractors struggle to assert con - dated to support efforts at national reconcilia - trol, and the country lacks basic rule of law. tion in the country, and to provide humanitar - The government remains deeply divided and ian assistance to vulnerable populations. struggles to provide basic services. Iraqi While striving to expand its role, the UN Democratic Republic refugees are the third-largest refugee popula - faces significant practical challenges. For one of Congo 2 tion in the world, likely numbering more than thing, its presence in the country must contend 2 million, while another 2 million people are with a legacy that includes a harsh sanctions UN Forum on displaced inside the country. There are great regime, the Oil-for-Food scandal, a difficult Indigenous Issues 3 needs for food and shelter among the internal - battle over authorization of the American-led ly displaced and what humanitarian assistance invasion, and the bombing of the UN office in UN Peacebuilding is reaching the population is often politicized. Baghdad. Some of these events have damaged Commission 4 Many agree that a national reconciliation process is desperately needed, but carrying out (continued on page 7) Northern Uganda: Juba Peace Talks 5 Postcard from China New QUNO Director 7 By Andrew Tomlinson ow have I managed to make it to “H ripe middle age knowing so little about the history and culture of a quarter of the world’s population?” This was the ques - tion that hit me half way through my trip to China in April. We were in Xi’an, which in 900 AD was the largest city in the world, strategically placed at the end of the silk road, and now is a bustling, commercial metropolis of some six million people. As everywhere in China, every block was a con - struction site. We were being welcomed to the city at a banquet and I was sitting next to a representative of the provincial foreign US Peace Delegation on the Great Wall of China affairs office. His English was good so I was © Andrew Tomlinson able to learn that almost every one of the Fortune 500, the world’s largest corporations, At short notice I had joined a delegation of had some kind of operation in Xi’an. He spent US peace activists to China, led by the Quaker UN Office most of his time welcoming commercial delega - American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). 777 UN Plaza tions from all over the world looking to develop There were representatives from the Friends New York, NY 10017 or expand business in the area. A high level of Committee for National Legislation (FCNL) [email protected] commercialism and technology—and yet, the and Peace Action and Progressive Democrats www.quno.org day before we had driven by farmers preparing of America, as well as AFSC staff from for planting, walking behind ploughs drawn by skinny cattle. (continued on page 6) Democratic Republic of the Congo: Persistence Needed n January 2008 the Democratic utmost urgency as the people of the stability for the people of eastern IRepublic of the Congo (DRC) took DRC have suffered greatly through DRC is essential. a step toward peace with the signing years of violence and now live in the The peace accords require the con - of the Goma Peace Accords. The midst of a catastrophic humanitarian tinued engagement of the signing agreement is aimed at bringing peace disaster. It is estimated that 5.4 mil - groups through the creation of com - to the war-torn eastern part of the lion people have died in the DRC missions—a set of integrated commit - country and was signed by local, since 1998 and the International tees to address peace and security in regional, and the region. These commis - international sions, known as the “Amani actors, including programme,” will look at the government, reform of the military and militias, regional police, disarmament of com - bodies, religious batants, as well as develop - leaders, and inter - ment and humanitarian national actors. issues. In order to stabilize Although the the situation, militias will civil war in the need to disarm and reinte - DRC officially grate into society. In addi - ended in 2002, tion, the government will insecurity has per - have to reform the military sisted with by providing training includ - renewed hostili - ing lessons in international ties flaring in humanitarian law and build 2006 and again in local police forces and judi - cial systems. The 15,000- 2007 producing MONUC Delegation Arrives in Goma for Peace Conference: Alan Doss 900,000 internal - (right), Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic person strong UN force in ly displaced per - Republic of the Congo, and Head of the United Nations Mission in the the region, MONUC, will sons (IDPs) with - Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) confers with Babacar Gaye continue to monitor the in eastern DRC (left), MONUC Force Commander; as Ross Mountain (center), Deputy ceasefire while helping to since December Special Representative of the Secretary-General looks on upon arrival in push the peace process and Goma for the Peace Conference. 1 the work of the commissions 2006. The new © UN Photo/Marie Frechon Goma Peace forward. Accords require The safe return of dis - continued engagement with the peace Rescue Committee estimates that placed persons and refugees will also process, something lacking in the pre - 45,000 more are dying each month. 3 be a priority for any durable peace. vious Lusaka and Sun City peace Although only a portion of civilian Over one million people need to be agreements. Militia representatives deaths are due to direct violence, pre - able to return to their homes without have agreed to work with the govern - ventable conditions such as illness and fear of renewed violence. In order for ment to implement the agenda of lack of access to clean water kill tens this return to take place, disbanded peace, disarmament, and military of thousands each month. Continued militias and government forces must reform outlined in the accords. While insecurity creates an environment in demonstrate a true commitment to the agreement represents a positive which it is impossible for families to peace. In addition, the government of step for the DRC, Alan Doss, the UN cultivate their fields, medical supplies the DRC and the UN refugee agency Special Representative of the Secretary to reach populations, and local and (UNHCR) will need to employ a General in the DRC, also warned that international organizations to provide great degree of ethnic sensitivity as “Peace agreements do not make consistent programming. Without they support people returning home peace, they only set us on the road.” 2 progress toward stability, delivery or resettling in new areas. Diligence and continued involvement of services to prevent disease and The DRC is on the path to peace by the government of the DRC, mili - development of secure livelihoods to but it is an uncharted course. tias, regional actors, and the interna - produce basic food necessities will not Continued engagement by the inter - tional community, will be needed to be possible. In this context, the com - national community, the government move forward on the path to peace in mitment of the government, militias, of the DRC, regional governments, the eastern DRC. regional actors and the international Continuing down this path is of community to build lasting peace and (continued on next page) 2 Congo (continued from previous page) and former rebel militias will be nec - essary for the DRC to achieve lasting peace. QUNO will continue to look for opportunities to support work in New York that engages the UN sys - tem and governments and centers on the peaceful rebuilding of the lives of people in the Eastern Congo. O 1 UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates 22 April 2008. 2 “A Briefing on the Congo by SRSG Alan Doss,” Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C., 18 April 2008. 3 For further information on the report please go to: http://www.theirc.org/special-report/congo-forgotten- Congolese Women Rejoice after Signing of Peace Accord in Goma: Women represen - crisis.html tatives of local civil society rejoice at the signing of the peace accord between rebel movements and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to end fighting in the east of the country. © UN Photo/Marie Frechon UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues By Jennifer Preston pril 21 – May 2, 2008 marked health and human rights. This was the This year was particularly notable Athe 7th session of the UN first session since the historic General as President Evo Morales formally Permanent Forum on Indigenous Assembly adoption of the UN opened the Forum—the first time a Issues (PFII) at UN Headquarters in Declaration on the Rights of Head of State has done so. During the New York with the theme of “Climate Indigenous Peoples. Many states two week period there were dozens of change, bio-cultural diversity and and UN agencies, in addition to side events on many of the topics dis - livelihoods: the stewardship role cussed in the plenary.
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