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Amal Clooney says UN did nothing to help Yazidi sex slaves, asking women to help instead

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amal-cloony-unTEXAS,— After appearing before the United Nations for the first time and telling delegates she was “ashamed” to stand before them while they did nothing to prevent the rape and abuse of Kurdish Yazidi women, Amal Clooney stood before a conference of women and urged them to join the fight for women’s rights in countries where they are most under threat.

The renowned human rights lawyer gave the keynote speech at the Texas Conference for Women on Tuesday, where more than 100 leading women from different sectors also delivered talks.

In September, Clooney condemned world leaders for their inaction over the persecution of the Yazidi community, a religious minority in northern Iraq who have been targeted by Isis. In her speech on Tuesday, Clooney spoke more about the plight of Nadia Murad, a Yazidi woman who was trafficked by Isis as a sex slave and now advocates on behalf of Yazidi women.

“I want to talk to you today about what the fight for human rights means for one group of women who I represent,” Clooney began.

“When I addressed the UN Security Council earlier this year, I told them I was ashamed as a supporter of the United Nations that states are failing to punish genocide. I am ashamed that there is no justice being done and barely a complaint being made about it. More than that, I am ashamed as a woman that women like Nadia can today have their bodies sold and used like battlefields. I am ashamed as a human being that we ignore their cries for help.”

Murad was jointly awarded the Sakharov prize, the most prestigious human rights prize in Europe, alongside Lamiya Aji Bashar, who also escaped the terror group, in October. Now living in Germany, she visits refugee camps and speaks around Europe to raise awareness of the brutality inflicted upon her community.

Clooney went on: “One day in August 2014, Isis encircled her [Murad’s] village. Male adults in the family were rounded up and killed. Young boys were checked for signs of puberty. If they had hair under their arms, they were killed. The younger ones, like Nadia’s nephew Malik, were still young enough to be brainwashed. He was taken to an Isis camp, where he was being taught to kill.

“She was forced to pray and forced to dress up in preparation for rape. After she tried to escape from the first house where she was held, her owner invited all of the male guards in the compound to abuse her over the course of the night, two at a time, until she fell unconscious.

“They want to face their abusers in court and create a record of what’s happened to them, of the crimes they have suffered, so that they cannot later be denied.”

“Rape is a weapon of war,” she went on.

“As women, we share a bond, a shared experience. The experiences and struggles that only women go through. The worst thing that we can do as women is not stand up for each other. And this is something that we can practice every day no matter where we are or what we do. Because if we are united, there is no limit to what we can do.”

Islamic State group has captured most parts of the Yazidi Sinjar district in northwest Iraq on August 3, 2014 which led thousands of Kurdish families to flee to Mount Sinjar, where they were trapped in it and suffered from significant lack of water and food, killing and abduction of thousands of Yazidis as well as rape and captivity of thousands of women.

Those who stay behind are subjected to brutal, genocidal acts: thousands killed, hundreds buried alive, and countless acts of rape, kidnapping and enslavement are perpetuated against Yazidi women. To add insult to injury, IS fighters ransack and destroy ancient Yazidi holy sites.

According to Human Rights organizations, thousands of Yazidi women and girls have been forced to marry or been sold into sexual slavery by the IS jihadists.

A Yazidi member of Iraqi parliament Vian Dakhil, said in August that 3,770 Kurdish Yazidi women and children still in Islamic State captivity.

The EU, US, UN and UK parliament recognize Islamic State killing of Yazidi Kurds as ‘Genocide’.

Syria conflict: Food rations run out in rebel-held Aleppo

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food-shortageThe last remaining food rations are being distributed in besieged rebel-held eastern districts of the Syrian city of Aleppo, the BBC reports, quoting the UN as saying.

Humanitarian adviser Jan Egeland warned that without a resupply there would be no food left to hand out next week to the 275,000 people living there.

Mr Egeland ruled out airdrops of food, explaining that they were not possible in densely-populated urban areas.

Government forces launched a major assault on eastern Aleppo in September.

Since then, troops have pushed into several outlying areas with the help of Iranian-backed Shia militias and Russian air strikes.

Rebels launched a counter-attack in an attempt to break the siege in late October. But their progress slowed after early gains.

The UN says weeks of air strikes and shelling have killed more than 700 civilians in the east, while rocket-fire has left scores dead in the government-controlled west.

Humanitarian agencies have been unable to get into rebel-held Aleppo since the government siege resumed in September, and the last time significant aid supplies were delivered was in July.

On Thursday, Mr Egeland told journalists in Geneva that the UN’s humanitarian taskforce had received a report that the last remaining food rations were being handed out.

“[Food] prices are now skyrocketing on the market. We have reports of desperation for families and within communities,” he said.

He warned that the “terrible” situation in eastern Aleppo might be about to get “much, much worse”, with Russia saying it would soon resume air strikes after a three-week pause intended to allow civilians and rebels to be evacuated – an offer very few people took up.

Mr Egeland revealed that the UN had presented all the warring parties and their backers last week with a four-point initiative for getting aid to eastern Aleppo.

The plan would involve medical evacuations for about 300 patients in urgent need, delivery of food and medical supplies, and permission for medical personnel to enter the city.

Mr Egeland said he was confident that access would be granted because “the consequences of no help and no supplies will be so catastrophic I cannot even see that scenario”.

But he admitted that he had never seen such “politicisation and manipulation” of aid as was taking place in Syria, adding that the constant preconditions being imposed on aid operations were making successful deliveries of supplies impossible.

Reacting to the result of the US presidential election, Mr Egeland said the UN needed “uninterrupted, full engagement” from the US over Syria, pointing out that the only progress made at all had taken place when the US and Russia were involved and using their influence.

The Obama administration has backed the opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since the uprising against him erupted in 2011 and also condemned Russia’s air campaign. But President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to mend ties with Moscow and is against regime change in the Middle East.

UN rep. vows commitment to aid Syrian-Armenians

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syrian-refugees-unThe country representative of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights affirmed the organization’s commitment to aid Syrian-Armenians as he met with Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan for a special discussion.

According to a press release by the Human Rights Defender’s Office, the sides particularly considered housing-related issues and the UN’s possible role in facilitating assistance.
The ombudsman also stressed the importance of legal counseling.
Christoph Bierwirth said that the UN Refugee Agency has undertaken the necessary efforts towards directing its aid to the families settling in Armenia.
Tatoyan highly praised the mission’s role in aiding Syrian-Armenians. Both sides mutually stressed the importance of more frequent meetings and discussions.

UN Expert: Azerbaijan’s Civil Society Facing ‘Worst Situation’ In 25 Years

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un-civil-societyA United Nations human rights expert says that Azerbaijan’s civil society has been “paralyzed” by the government and, in the past two to three years, has faced “the worst situation” since the country’s independence in 1991.

Michel Forst, the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said on September 22 that Azerbaijani authorities have applied crippling pressure to journalists and rights activists critical of the government, and made it virtually impossible for nongovernmental organizations to operate.

“Civil society has been paralyzed as a result of such intense pressure,” Forst said in a statement as he wrapped up a nine-day visit to the oil-rich South Caucasus nation to assess the situation faced by rights advocates there.

“Human rights defenders have been accused by public officials to be a fifth column of the Western governments, or foreign agents, which has led to misperception in the population of the truly valuable role played by civil society,” Forst added.

Western officials and right advocates in recent years have criticized a broad crackdown on dissenting voices under President Ilham Aliyev’s government, including the jailing of journalists and activists who say they were targeted for their criticism of authorities.

Those jailed include RFE/RL journalist Khadija Ismayilova, who spent 17 months in prison before her release in May in a case widely seen as linked to her investigations of the Aliyev family’s secretive wealth.

Aliyev’s aide for public and political affairs, Ali Hasanov, rejected Forst’s assessment, telling the APA news agency that it was “biased” and did not take into account “the Azerbaijani government’s stance.”

Forst’s report came just days ahead of a September 26 referendum on changes to Azerbaijan’s constitution that critics say will tighten Aliyev’s grip on power, which he has held since 2003 after inheriting the presidency from his father, Heydar.

Council of Europe experts said on September 20 that the proposed changes would severely upset the balance of power and give “unprecedented” control to the president.

The head of the legal department in Aliyev’s administration called that assessment “hasty” and “politically driven.”

With reporting by RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service

Reports of continued human rights violations in southeast Turkey worrying: UN

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human-right-viiolationThe UN high commissioner for human rights has voiced concerns over allegations of continued violations of international law in southeast Turkey.

Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein made the remarks during a speech at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva on Tuesday.

“We have received repeated and serious allegations of on-going violations of international law as well as human rights concerns, including civilian deaths, extrajudicial killings and massive displacement,” he said.

While adding that his concerns over people’s rights in the region remain “acute,” the high commissioner stressed that sufficient consideration must be lent toward the humanitarian and protection requirements for the thousands who have been displaced and affected by Ankara’s actions in the region.

“We continue to receive reports of destruction and demolition of towns and villages in the southeast,” he added

Stressing that the Turkish government has so far refrained from granting unfettered access to the region, he noted that, “We have therefore set up a temporary monitoring capacity based in Geneva, and we will continue to inform this Council of our concerns.”

Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast has been the scene of severe clashes between government forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) since a shaky peace mechanism, which had started out between the two sides back in 2013, collapsed last year. It is estimated that the resumption of the hostilities killed nearly 2,000 people between July 2015 and July 2016.

Armenia speaks at the UN racism in Turkey and Azerbaijan

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Armenia un turkeyArmenian diplomats have spoken of violations of human rights in Azerbaijan and Turkey to the UN. Mher Margaryan, representing Armenia, made a speech at the 32nd session of the Council of Human Rights of the UN.

He recalled the obvious manifestations of xenophobia and racism in Azerbaijan, who have recently been documented by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance and the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The speech of Mr. Margaryan is presented below:

In response to Azerbaijan

We have already drawn attention to this advice on the scandalous practices of Azerbaijan regarding racism and xenophobia, these are well documented and reported more recently by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance ( ECRI) and the UN Committee on the elimination of racial discrimination. The Azerbaijani authorities regularly cite 30,000 Armenians living in Azerbaijan, which is the same contradiction with their own census data quoted in the current report. This production was also noted by the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention of the Council of Europe for protection of national minorities in its third opinion on Azerbaijan adopted in October 2012, indicating that only 306 people, not 30,000, indicate an Armenian ethnicity in the census of 2009. We are not aware of a movement of people with Armenian origin from Azerbaijan. If the Azerbaijani government has such information why not share it with the international institutions as well? There are many facts of third country citizens who carry an Armenian surname who are denied entry into the country, which are held at checkpoints and airports that are returned. Is it not a contemporary form of discrimination and racism in flagrant violation of the Durban Declaration and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. We urge the Azerbaijani delegation not to air a new wave of hatred and intolerance manifestation within this Council.

In response to Turkey

It is not our intention to raise the issue of the Armenian Genocide recognition or refusal by Turkey. Instead, we will address the manifestations of racism and racial discrimination and xenophobia that accompanies active campaign of denial by the Turkish authorities. Free hateful threats and insults, spread hatred and intolerance towards Armenians and Turks who publicly acknowledge the genocide and to appeal to the government to do the same has become a norm in the political discourse of the Turkish authorities. The situation has reached a point where politicians with Turkish origin in other countries who dare to certify the fact of genocide or vote for their wider recognition are stigmatized, subjected to derogatory labeling, are pushed by blood tests laboratories by the highest authorities of Turkey. Define people by their blood is nothing less than a total manifestation of racism and xenophobia. We believe that these comments should not continue and must be properly addressed by the mechanisms of the Council and of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Thank you.”

Over 700 doctors killed in 5-yr-long Syria conflict: UN Panel

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doctors deadA United Nations investigative panel has raised concerns about civilian fatalities in Syria, saying over 700 physicians and medical staff have lost their lives during five years of crisis gripping the Arab country.

Paulo Pinheiro, head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, released the figure in a report published on Tuesday.

Airstrikes on medical facilities across Syria “have resulted in scores of civilian deaths, including much-needed medical workers,” Pinheiro told the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council, adding, “More than 700 doctors and medical personnel have been killed in attacks on hospitals since the beginning of the conflict.”

“As civilian casualties mount, the number of medical facilities and staff decreases, limiting even further access to medical care,” he said.

The UN official further censured frequent raids on other facilities essential to civilian life, such as schools, markets, bakeries, mosques and water stations, noting, “With each attack, terrorized survivors are left more vulnerable.”

Elsewhere in his comments, Pinheiro said the UN commission was investigating allegations al-Nusra Front terrorist group “and other al-Qaeda-affiliated groups have recruited hundreds of children under 15” in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib.

He also denounced rights violations by the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in the violence-wracked country.

In a report published last week, the commission urged action against crimes committed by Daesh against the Izadi minority in Iraq and Syria, stressing that the Takfiri militants are still committing genocide against the Kurdish-speaking community.

Daesh was holding Izadis in conditions “that bring about a slow death,” selling women at slave markets, raping girls as young as nine, and drafting boys to fight for the terrorist group, according to the report.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-sponsored militancy since March 2011. Damascus says Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar are the main supporters of the militants fighting the government forces.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict since March 2011. The UN has stopped its official casualty count in the Middle Eastern state, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

Armenia elected Vice-President of UN General Assembly

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6-15Armenia has been elected Vice-President of the UN General Assembly, the official UN website reports.

Besides Armenia chosen from the Eastern European States, 20 other countries have also been elected Vice Presidents by secret vote. They include Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Mauritania, Nigeria and Zambia from the African States; Bangladesh, Nepal, Solomon Islands and Turkmenistan from the Asia-Pacific States;

Armenia from the Eastern European States;

Bahamas, Belize and El Salvador from the Latin American and Caribbean States; and Belgium and Germany from the Western European and other States.  The five permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States) are also among the 21 Vice-Presidents.

Armenians stage protest outside Azerbaijan permanent mission to UN

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demost-UNA group of representatives of the American Armenian community on Friday staged a picket outside the building of the permanent mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations (UN), in New York.

Their protest was aimed against the Azerbaijani propaganda regarding the Armenian pogroms in Sumgait, Azerbaijan.

The demonstrators held signs that read “[Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev, stop the lies,” “Stop Threats of War,” and “We Remember Sumgait,” etc.

Twenty-eight years have passed since the Armenian pogroms in Sumgait. In late February 1988, large-scale massacres because of ethnicity were committed there.

On February 27 of that year, the situation went out of control in this town, which is just 25 kilometers from the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku.

Several thousand Azerbaijani nationalists started burning the homes of the local Armenian population and killing the homeowners.

According to official data alone, 32 Armenian residents of Sumgait were killed, and hundreds of others suffered severe injuries and became disabled.

The February 27-29, 1988 Sumgait pogroms, about which Azerbaijan is silent to this day, were the first harbingers of the Azerbaijani neo-fascism

These massacres were followed by the Azerbaijanis’ pogroms of the Armenians in Kirovabad—today’s Ganja—and in Baku, deportation of the entire Armenian population in Shahumyan Region, and incitement to war, all in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) people’s demand to exercise their right to self-determination.

Armenia is on UN Honour Roll for punctual payments

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armenia UNYEREVAN. – Armenia is on the UN Honour Roll for the timely and full payment of its UN membership fees to the budget of this international organization.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that in January, the country’s government transferred US$150,039 to the UN regular budget, and as 2016 membership fee.

The UN Honour Roll comprises the member countries which have paid their UN regular budget assessments in full within the specified 30 day due period, and as financial obligations in terms of UN membership. Only 27 of the 193 UN member countries are on the 2016 UN Honour Roll.