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UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, said, “the situation is very uncertain until a transitional government is formed and announced”

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Tuesday, 06 August 2024 19:27

Written by Gentry

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh, Gwyn Lewis, said, “the situation is very uncertain until a transitional government is formed and announced,” adding that “discussions are ongoing across the broad spectrum of political parties, including the students themselves.”

In an interview today (06 Aug), the Resident Coordinator spoke about the recent developments in Bangladesh via video link from Dhaka.

She said that the UN has been doing what it can as a system, echoing the Secretary-General’s call for "calm and restraint" and the High Commissioner for refugees’ call for “independent, impartial and transparent investigation to help Bangladesh understand what has happened over the past weeks, but also to hold perpetrators to account and to rebuild trust within the society.”

Lewis also said, “Our good offices as conveners have been used by all sides. We've reached out to the government last week when we had concerns about the situation on the ground calling for restraint, calling as well for the violence to stop and the killings to stop.”

She added, “There's also been a very high number of arrests, and we've really done a lot of advocacies around that. And now we're really thinking through, we're in a changing situation, potentially a new government in a very short space of time. And the UN has a huge range of technical and different types of operations support that we will provide and continue to provide to the people in Bangladesh.”

Asked about the human rights situation in the country, the Resident Coordinator said, “There's been a lot of concern around repression, lack of freedom of assembly, lack of freedom of expression. So there's many issues around human rights. And so this is why I think the call from the High Commissioner for Human Rights to put in place an investigation and really delve into what happened, why it happened, and to hold people to account is very important because the human rights situation is and has been problematic.”

Lewis continued, “hopefully we can turn a page with this new transition government and begin on a new footing. One built on trust and holding people to account and moving forward so the future can be brighter and the human rights issues can be addressed more systematically.”

As the country is still recovering from the destruction from recent cyclone and floods, the Resident Coordinator said, “I think we really need to think about how we support the most food insecure people, but also how, we adapt our current programing to make sure that they are best fit for purpose, because Bangladesh is a country on track to graduate from these developing countries and is still a country that is on track to do well in terms of the 2030 Agenda. So we really need to maintain that momentum and make sure that the support we're providing to the government is fit for purpose.”

Lewis also said, “if and when this transition government is shaped and the voices of the young people in the country are heard, I think we can really shape and move forward to continue the trajectory of positive development, improve that trajectory to make sure it's more inclusive, to make sure that there's no communities that are left behind.”

She concluded, “I think the UN really has a critical role in terms of issues like transitional justice to support institutional reform, to support security sector reform. And so there's lots of technical areas as the development side that I think we can contribute to and hopefully and continue to build, and work with the people of Bangladesh for a brighter future for everyone.”

Security Council debates ‘serious and dangerous escalation’ in the Middle East

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Wednesday, 31 July 2024 21:33

Written by Gentry

UN Photo/Loey Felipe A wide view of the UN Security Council meets on the situation in the Middle East.

The UN’s top political affairs official reiterated the urgent need for de-escalation in the Middle East, appealing in the Security Council on Wednesday for “swift and effective diplomatic action”, as ambassadors met in an emergency meeting on the latest flare-up in hostilities.

“The international community must work together to prevent any actions that could make the conflict much bigger and wider very quickly,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs said, warning of skyrocketing tensions in the wake of the killing of a top Hamas leader in Tehran earlier in the day.

The killing came against the backdrop of Israeli strikes against southern Beirut, following an apparent strike in a village in the Israeli-occupied Golan, and intense exchanges across the Blue Line, which separates Israeli and Lebanese armed forces.

The incidents claimed several lives, including those of children.

UN Photo/Loey Felipe Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefs the Security Council.

Serious and dangerous escalation

“The various attacks over the past few days represent a serious and dangerous escalation,” she continued, highlighting the ongoing war in Gaza, which erupted following the brutal 7 October attack by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in southern Israel.

Over 1,200 Israelis were killed and over 200 were taken hostage. Dozens among them still remain in captivity.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 38,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed as a result of Israel’s military operation, a further 88,000 injured and about 90 per cent of the population displaced – many several times.  

Effective diplomatic action needed

Ms. DiCarlo reiterated UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for “maximum restraint by all”, stressing that “restraint alone is insufficient at this extremely sensitive time.”

“Diplomatic efforts to change the trajectory and seek a path toward regional peace and stability are urgently needed,” she underscored.  

“Communication by means of missiles, armed drones and other deadly attacks must end.”

She appealed to the international community to work together to prevent “any actions that could make the conflict much bigger and wider very quickly”.

“We need swift and effective diplomatic action for regional de-escalation. This Council plays a crucial role in this regard. The time is now,” she concluded.

Video feed of the Security Council meeting.

Council members urge actors to act with restraint  

Following the briefing, Security Council members emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation, ceasefire and diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of the conflict in the region. They also highlighted the impact on civilians, especially on women and children who are bearing the brunt of the fighting, as well as on humanitarians and journalists.

Algerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative Amar Bendjama condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh by Israel as “not merely an attack on one man” but “a vicious assault on the very foundations of diplomatic relations, the sanctity of State sovereignty and the principles that underpin our global order”. He called for full accountability for Israel’s “heinous war crimes” and “egregious human rights violations”.

United States Ambassador Robert Wood and Deputy Permanent Representative, underscored Israel’s right to self-defence, stating that his country was not involved in the strikes on Lebanon or in the apparent death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. He urged Council members with direct influence over Iran to increase pressure on the country to stop escalating its proxy conflict against Israel and other actors.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani of Iran addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Iran: The killing is an act of terror  

Amir Saeid Iravani, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iran to the UN, said that his country called for the emergency Council meeting “to address a matter of grave importance of urgency.”

He denounced the “cowardly assassination…by Israel” of Ismail Haniyeh, the top Hamas political official, who was on an official visit to Iran, upon invitation of the Government, to attend the inauguration of the new Iranian President.

“This act of terror is another manifestation of Israel’s decades-long pattern of terrorism and sabotage targeting Palestinians and other supporters of the Palestinian cause across the region and beyond,” he said.

In addition to its terrorist objective, Israel was also pursuing political goals, aiming to disrupt the first day of the new Government of Iran that has prioritized peace and stability in the region, he alleged.

He strongly condemned the “horrible act” as the most serious violation of international law and the UN Charter, urging “immediate and effective action” by the Security Council. 

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Ambassador Feda Abdelhady, Deputy Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Palestine: Grave breaches of international law

Feda Abdelhady, Deputy Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, said that it had been nearly 300 days since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, which has “gravely breached all tenets of international law” and flagrantly violated the UN Charter.

“A war that threatens international peace and security. Yet, Israel is being permitted to wage this war in broad daylight, with no restraints and no consequences,” she said, adding that “every day brings more horrors, losses and suffering for our people as Israeli occupying forces murder Palestinian children, women and men.”

Ms. Abdelhady “unequivocally condemned” the breach of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iran as well as of Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, by Israel.

“We call once again with utmost urgency on the Security Council, the General Assembly and all law-abiding, peace-loving nations to act forthwith to bring a halt to these horrific, criminal Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and on our region,” she said.

Israel: ‘Hypocrisy’ on display today

UN Photo/Loey Felipe Brett Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative of Israel, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Israeli Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Brett Jonathan Miller began his remarks by stressing what he called “the rank hypocrisy on display here today” as the meeting was called by “the world’s number one sponsor of terrorism”.

He said Iran has used its proxies - Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah - to target Israel and its citizens from every direction.

Mr. Miller asked where were the condemnations of Hezbollah and their Iranian suppliers for the butchery of the 12 children in Majdal Shams.

“All that was heard were expressions of concern for escalation and calling for both sides –again equating a democratic Member State of the United Nations with a vicious terrorist organization - to show restraint,” he said.

He told the Council that those who really seek stability in the region should welcome the removal of arch terrorists and not call on both sides to restrain themselves.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Ambassador Koussay Aldahhak of Syria addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Syria: Serious crime committed in the Golan

Syrian Ambassador and Permanent Representative Koussay Aldahhak said the Israeli occupying entity “had committed a grave crime” in Majdal Shams that led to the death of 12 children in Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which “is and always has been” Syrian territory.

Reiterating that fellow citizens in the occupied-Syrian Golan have always been part of Syria, he said they call for Israeli practices against them to end. An occupying power cannot claim that they are defending themselves under Article 51 of the UN Charter, he stressed.

Syria condemns Israeli aggression on States in the region, including the assassination of Mr. Haniyeh in Iran and the killing of citizens in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

“The war criminals in Israel would not be able to continue without support,” he said, calling on the Council to immediately put an end to these crimes and ensure accountability.

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Ambassador Hadi Hachem Lebanon addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Lebanon: We do not want war

Lebanese Ambassador and Permanent Representative Hadi Hachem said his country and its people “do not want war”, adding that Beirut has presented a roadmap to ensure security and break the cycle of violence, but has not yet received a response.

At the same time, Israel’s attack on the capital had resulted in deaths and injuries, he said, adding that such an act demonstrates its true intentions. In the same vein, Israel’s killing today of two journalists show a pattern of targeting media.

Ending Israel’s occupation of Arab lands is essential if the region is to return to calm and stability, he said.

That requires good faith, he continued, however, Israel’s behaviour demonstrates otherwise and its claims of self-defence in occupied territories are not valid.

“History will spare no one; what starts in the Middle East will spread to the whole world,” he warned, calling on the Council to take a stand “before it is too late”.

St. Lucia’s Joseph Edsel Edmunds, icon of Caribbean unity, dies at 89

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Monday, 05 August 2024 15:58

Written by Gentry

Celebrity media republished the report based on the email news provided by diplomat Washington. Diplomat

St. Lucia's former ambassador to the United States, Joseph Edsel Edmunds, displays his acrylic paintings at Art Impact USA’s first annual International 2016 Art Exhibition in Washington DC. Edmunds, 89, died July 21. (Photo by Larry Luxner)

Prominent scientist, diplomat, conservationist, artist and poet Joseph Edsel Edmunds, a former ambassador of St. Lucia to the United States, died July 21 at the age of 89.

With just 180,000 people, St. Lucia—one of the smallest countries in the Western Hemisphere—is barely half the size of Montgomery County, Maryland, where Edmunds resided until his death.

Yet his legacy “is one of profound impact and lasting inspiration,” said Allen Chastanet, leader of St. Lucia’s parliamentary opposition, in a Facebook post citing the late ambassador’s numerous awards. Among them: Office of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award.

“And the honor of having a nematode, Longidorus edmunsi, named after him,” he added, “is a testament to his exceptional contributions to nematology and agriculture.”

David E. Lewis, vice-president of Manchester Trade Ltd., called Edmunds “my great friend and mentor” and said he was “a stalwart supporter of Caribbean regionalism and integration, and always ready to mentor and support the next generation.”

Edmunds is survived by his wife, Lucy Mohamed-Edmunds, and sons Anton and Sebastian.

“We very much viewed him as a renaissance man, a great father, and of course a great diplomat who was committed to the Caribbean and its place in the hemisphere,” said Anton Edmunds, 58, who himself served as ambassador in Washington from 2016 and 2021. “For me personally, it was the greatest professional honor to follow in his footsteps as ambassador.”

Joseph Edsel Edmunds in an undated photo as St. Lucia’s ambassador to the Organization of American States. (Photo courtesy of Anton Edmunds)

Currently general manager for the Caribbean at the Washington-based Inter-American Development Bank, Edmunds said his father’s biggest virtues were his patience and willingness to listen to all sides of an issue.

“He was not an overtly political person, and he really and truly enjoyed a good dialogue,” he said. “At the end of the day, he was just very much an advocate for peaceful solutions in the hemisphere.”

The elder Edmunds, who was born in 1935, earned a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. From there, he went to Cornell University, receiving a master’s degree in plant pathology and a PhD in nematology.

Among other things, he was director of R&D at the Windward Islands Banana Research and Development Center, senior research fellow at the University of the West Indies, and director of the general secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Suriname.

In addition to a stint as senator in the St. Lucian government, Edmunds served for 13 years as St. Lucia’s ambassador in Washington, with concurrent accreditation to the OAS. At the time of his departure in 1997, he was vice-dean of the DC diplomatic corps. Following his diplomatic career, Edmunds served as consultant to various international agencies on projects in the South Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Edmunds was also an artist. In January 2016—well into his retirement—Edmunds unveiled some of his works at Art Impact USA’s first annual international art exhibition in Washington’s Penn Quarter, along with 14 other artists from various countries.

Anton Edmunds, left, and his father, Joseph Edsel Edmunds, attend a benefit gala for St. Lucians in the diaspora. Both men previously served as St. Lucia’s ambassador to the United States. (Photo courtesy of Anton Edmunds)

By then, he had already been an artist for 30 years, but, as he told the Diplomat, “I discovered myself in the States.”

“I’ve always dabbled in the arts, and when I was made ambassador, I was given a beautiful home with four floors, but they didn’t provide any art,” he said at the time. “I’m not a trained artist by any means, but I filled up the whole house with my own works, and exhibited here and there.”

After leaving office, Edmunds bought a house in Rockville, he said, “but it was too small to accommodate all my art, so I converted my garage into a studio.”

None of Edmunds’ acrylic paintings could be mistaken for the kind of art typically purchased by cruise-ship tourists while in port.

“I often say I am an artist from the Caribbean, and not necessarily a Caribbean artist,” he said. “When you talk about Caribbean art, you think of canoes, mountains, beaches and coconut trees. But most of my work is a conceptualization. I also dabble in poetry and I have written a book of poems. And as a former ambassador, I delve into world affairs.”

Raymond Alcide Joseph was Haiti’s ambassador here from 2004 to 2010 and knew Joseph well.

Joseph Edsel Edmunds (center) attends a family birthday party in 2010. (Photo courtesy of Anton Edmunds)

“I used to joke with him at times using some words in Creole, because they also speak Creole in St. Lucia,” recalled Joseph, 92, who now lives in Brooklyn. “’With your name—Joseph—we are family,’” I told him, and he’d usually flash a smile.”

Antonio J. Colorado Jr., Puerto Rico’s former secretary of state and resident commissioner in Washington, also has fond memories of Edmunds.

“Knowing that he had studied in Puerto Rico, we became very close in things that had to do with the islands, and especially with St. Lucia,” said Colorado, 85, architect of Puerto Rico’s project in the 1980s and early 1990s to link the US Caribbean Basin Initiative with the island’s own Section 936 tax incentive program. “We also established several businesses in St. Lucia. On several occasions, he would even come with us to St. Lucia and meet with the prime minister.”

Beyond his political and scientific contributions, Edmunds was a key figure in St. Lucia’s conservation movement, advocating for sustainable practices and environmental preservation.

Denis Antoine, a former Washington-based ambassador from Grenada, called Edmunds “a pioneering voice for small island developing states” in the Caribbean, and worldwide.

“He weighed in on the multidimensional challenges facing the Caribbean in its drive for sustainable development, and the need for more effective US-Caribbean relations,” Antoine told the Diplomat in an email from Grenada. “He was an artist, a scientist, a family man, a son of St. Lucia, and a true champion of the arts and culture. He fought for peace and justice in the inter-American system and contributed to making our region in the world a better place.”

By Larry Luxner

Miami native Larry Luxner, a veteran journalist and photographer, has reported from more than 100 countries in Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia for a variety of news outlets. He lived for many years in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Washington, D.C., area before relocating to Israel in January 2017. Larry has been news editor of The Washington Diplomat since 2005.

UN urges peace and respect for Olympic Truce as Paris Summer Games begin

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Friday, 26 July 2024 15:36

Written by Gentry

© IOC/Greg Martin UN Secretary-General António Guterres (left) and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in Paris ahead of the opening of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

As the Summer Olympics and Paralympics get underway in Paris on Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for global respect of the Olympic Truce – a custom of halting all hostilities from before to after the Games.

In November, (2023) the UN General Assembly adopted a vote to observe the truce in Paris.

“In a moment like this, it's important to say that the first recorded in history real peace initiative was the Olympic Truce,” Mr. Guterres said during a press encounter in the French capital alongside International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach.

“And so, in a moment in which the Olympic Games are going to start, it's time to remind the world of the importance of the Olympic Truce and to make the world understand that we must silence the guns,” he added.

The UN chief noted many points of existing conflict across the globe including in Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and more. He said the Olympic Games symbolise “cooperation and loyal competition, instead of division and conflict”. Therefore, he encouraged countries to foster unity the way athletes are during these games. 

Mr. Guterres is set to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. 

© IOC/Greg Martin The 2024 Refugee Olympic Team Paris is presented by Chef de Mission Masomah Ali Zada at the Palais des Congrès, Grand Amphithéâtre.

Refugee Olympic Team

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees encouraged everyone across the globe to promote “peaceful co-existence and mutual respect” as the refugee teams competing in the games are doing.

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“Sport is a symbol of hope and of peace, which are sadly in short supply in our world today,” The High Commissioner, Filippo Grandi, said.

“The refugee team is a beacon for people everywhere. These athletes show what can be achieved when talent is recognised and developed, and when people have opportunities to train and compete alongside the best. They are nothing short of an inspiration,” he added. 

This year’s squad consists of 37 athletes – the largest since the 2016 Rio Games when refugee teams first debuted. 

Olympic Laurel 

On Tuesday, the IOC announced that Mr. Grandi would be the third recipient of the Olympic Laurel, an award created to “honour outstanding individuals for their achievements in education, culture, development and peace through sport.” 

He will receive this award during the Olympic opening ceremony.    

Gender equality history  

UN Women is recognising the 2024 Olympic Games as the first time in history where an equal number of male and female athletes are competing. 

“This 50:50 representation of athletes makes the Summer Games the first to reach gender equality,” UN women said.  

The agency said the Paris Games are set to ensure a more balanced coverage of the sports events, creating a “spotlight” for all athletes.

However, UN Women recognises that many gender gaps remain in sporting events and says that progress does not stop with balanced gender competitors at the Olympic Games.