World news in brief: Human rights chief ‘horrified’ by deadly violence in PNG, ‘knife-cutting’ between Lebanon and Israel, Sudanese refugees subjected to sexual violence
The attacks on July 16 and 18 were reportedly due to a dispute over land, lake ownership and usage rights.
The attacks are believed to have stemmed from tribal violence in the southwestern Pacific nation in February, which left some 26 people dead.
United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) urged the government at the time to address the issue and ensure the protection of its people – especially women and girls.
Prevent more bloodshed
The death toll from the attacks in East Sepik province could rise to 50 as local authorities continue to search for missing people, the High Commissioner said.
In addition, more than 200 villagers have left the province because their houses were burned down.
“I call on the authorities to conduct a prompt, fair and transparent investigation and ensure those responsible are held accountable,” Mr. Türk said.
“It is also important that victims and their families receive reparations, including adequate housing, effective protection against further attacks and necessary psychosocial support.”
The High Commissioner also called on the authorities to address the root causes of land and lake disputes in affected communities to “prevent a recurrence of violence”.
Diplomatic escape route to avoid Lebanon-Israel still possible: Special Coordinator
Lebanon and the wider region remain in a critical situation as fighting in Gaza continues and gunfire continues across the southern border with Israel, the UN Special Coordinator said. Security Council on Wednesday.
Press conference with ambassadors behind closed doors, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert updated the situation with the head of UN Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, following the latest report on the UN mission monitoring the so-called Green Line border between Lebanon and northern Israel.
Lebanon, along with the wider region, remains in a precarious situation, but a diplomatic way out is possible, she said. according to a press release on the proceedings.
Rejecting the notion that a full-scale conflict was inevitable, she said both Lebanon and Israel had said they did not want war and she expressed hope that a “Gaza deal” would lead to an immediate cessation of hostilities on the Green Line.
Box of explosives
However, the Special Coordinator also expressed concern that any miscalculation by either side could easily spark a regional war.
She therefore called for no effort to be spared to bring both sides back from the brink, while stressing the need to implement Resolution 1701 as the path to lasting security.
She also explained that, in the context of “ongoing presidential gridlock,” the erosion of state power and its institutions is a significant reality on the ground.
“She lamented that Lebanese people are forced to live on remittances or work multiple jobs, and stressed the urgency of resuming the economic and financial reform process,” a statement issued by her office said.
Sexual violence against Sudanese refugees ‘routinely underreported’
Following disturbing reports of conflict-related sexual violence in the eastern provinces of Chad, the United Nations Special Representative for the issue, Pramila Patten, travelled to the Ouaddaï region to assess the situation and meet with survivors.
Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefed members of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue.
Of the 620,000 refugees who have fled there due to the ongoing hostilities in Sudan, about 90 percent are women and children.
The number of refugees is growing, with more than 3,200 people continuing to flee to eastern Chad each week.
Ms Patten met with refugee women and saw first-hand how sexual violence remains a constant threat to vulnerable civilians in the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
The cases involved multiple perpetrators, ethnically motivated sexual violence, rape in front of family members, and targeting of female activists and first responders.
These women also shared their experiences of the challenges they face in accessing essential services, including legal support, mental health care and trauma counselling.
“In any conflict, sexual violence is a crime that is often underreported and this case is no exception,” said Ms Patten.
Survive without help
“Survivors of sexual violence are unable to report their cases or access life-saving support due to the scale of the crisis, distance and lack of health facilities, and shame and stigma rooted in harmful social norms.”
In most cases, women who experience sexual violence in Sudan or on flights only seek medical help when they learn they are pregnant, she said.
The Special Representative called on “all parties to the conflict to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law and, in particular, to ensure an immediate and complete end to all acts of violence against civilians, including sexual violence”.
