Good News Agency – Year X, n° 157

Weekly - Year X, number 157 – 12^th June 2009

Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi, Ph. D.

Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.

“…In conveying the appreciation of the Head of State for the passion and the professionalism with which you spread, above all among the young, the culture of "good news", I would like to take this opportunity of adding my personal greeting”. (From the letter of the Adviser for the Press and Information of the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, to the Editor of Good News Agency, 12 October 2007.)

Good News Agency carries positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn out” in the space of a day. It is distributed free of charge through Internet to the editorial offices of 5,000 media in 49 countries and to 2,800 NGOs and 500 high schools, colleges and universities. It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, NGO associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The Association has been recognized by UNESCO as “an actor of the global movement for a culture of peace” and it has been included in the web site http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/uk/uk_sum_monde.htm

Contents

International legislation – Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity

Peace and security – Health – Energy and Safety – Environment and wildlife

Religion and spirituality – Culture and education

In a global perspective: illiteracy and child labour decreases, hunger diminishes

International legislation

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UN Secretary-General congratulates Lebanon on peaceful parliamentary polls

8 June - Congratulating Lebanon on its peaceful parliamentary elections over the weekend, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged all Lebanese people to cooperate “in the spirit of coexistence and democracy.” (...) Both yesterday’s polls and the formation of a new Government “represent further important steps along the path of the revitalization of the State’s political institutions,” the statement added. The Secretary-General also noted that he looks forward to the “full consolidation” of Lebanon’s stability, unity and political independence in line with the Taif Accord, the 1989 deal that followed the country’s protracted civil war, and Security Council resolutions. (...) “The general improvement of the situation in the country, combined with reconciliation efforts in the region, creates a potential momentum to strengthen the sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon and Government control throughout the country,” Mr. Ban writes in the report, which focuses on the implementation of resolution 1559. Adopted by the Security Council in 2004 amid concern about high tensions within Lebanon, the resolution calls for free and fair elections, an end to foreign interference and the disbanding of all militias.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31057&Cr=leban&Cr1

Fight against drugs and crime in south-east Europe gets boost with UN pact

21 May - Tackling the challenges posed by illicit drugs and organized crime in south-east Europe is one of the major priorities of a new agreement boosting cooperation between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). (...) The memorandum of understanding signed today in Vienna between the two bodies lays out the basis for technical assistance, as well as facilitating the sharing of knowledge and best practices in order to build security and the rule of law in the region. Franz Baumann, UNODC’s Acting Deputy Executive Director, said the pact will pave the way for closer integration of south-east Europe with the rest of the continent. Among other things, the memorandum aims to strengthen national criminal justice systems and the protection of human rights, while promoting the independence and integrity of institutions by tackling corruption.

It will also include efforts to address money-laundering and the financing of terrorism, as well as asset recovery, in addition to support for the prevention and treatment of drug-related problems, including the spread of HIV/AIDS. A number of joint activities are planned between UNODC and the RCC - a body launched in February to succeed the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe - including in the areas of training, research and awareness raising.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30873&Cr=UNODC&Cr1

Nepal: senior UN official lauds Supreme Court reforms

19 May - The top United Nations human rights official in Nepal today welcomed Supreme Court reforms initiated by the fledgling democracy’s newly appointed Chief Justice. Among the measures aimed at enhancing transparency in its system of jurisprudence, Chief Justice Bahadur Rayamajhi has established a Court Decisions Enforcement Directorate. A telephone hotline for people to register complaints about irregularities within the judicial system has also been set up along with the installation of CCTV in the Supreme Court. In a report released last month, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted that progress has been made in Nepal’s peace process, including steps towards drafting a new constitution, but warned that differences among key political parties continues to impede the consolidation of peace. (...)

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30841&Cr=Nepal&Cr1

Human rights

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World Day Against Child Labour – 12 June 2009

Geneva - The annual World Day Against Child Labour will be marked by events in scores of countries around the world on 12 June amid growing concerns over the impact of the economic crisis on child labour, and in particular girls. For the World Day, the ILO will release a new report entitled “Give Girls a Chance: Tackling child labour, a key to the future,” highlighting the exploitation of girls in child labour and warning that the crisis could force more girls out of education and into child labour. The report by the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) of the International Labour Office (ILO) will provide latest estimates on the number of girls in child labour and detail the exploitative forms of child labour facing them.

This year’s World Day also marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of ILO Convention No. 182 on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.

http://www.ilo.org/global/About_the_ILO/Media_and_public_information/Press_releases/lang--en/WCMS_107706/index.htm

Committee on Rights of Child holds fifty-first session in Geneva from 25 May to 12 June 2009

Situation of Children’s Rights in France, Sweden, Mauritania, Slovenia, Bangladesh, Niger, Romania and Oman to be Reviewed.

22 May - The Committee on the Rights of the Child will meet at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 25 May to 12 June to review the promotion and protection of children's rights under the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in France, Sweden, Mauritania, Bangladesh, Niger and Romania. The Committee will also review efforts made by Slovenia and Oman with regard to their implementation of the two Optional Protocols to the Convention, on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and on the involvement of children in armed conflict. The Committee was formed in 1991 to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which gives a comprehensive collection of children's rights the force of international law.

http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/84AFEFF3A7B0A3DEC12575BE002A8178?OpenDocument

Good practices in legislation to address harmful practices against women

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-28 May - The United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDAW/DESA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) convened an expert group meeting on good practices in legislation to address harmful practices, to be held at the United Nations at Addis Ababa, from 25 to 28 May 2009.

The expert group meeting was a follow up to an expert group meeting organized by UNDAW/DESA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, from 26 to 28 May 2008, on good practices in legislation on violence against women. That meeting prepared a model framework for legislation on violence against women, including detailed recommendations, commentaries and examples of promising practices. The framework contains two types of recommendations: those that are applicable to all forms of violence against women; and those that are specific to domestic violence or sexual violence. The purpose of this expert group meeting was to further develop the framework by elaborating specific recommendations for legislation on harmful practices against women. (...)

http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/v-egms-gplahpaw.htm

Australia agrees to make sure that all people in detention are treated well

22 May - The Australian Human Rights Commission welcomes today’s announcement by the federal Attorney-General that Australia has signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

“This is an important international agreement,” said Commission President Catherine Branson QC. “By signing this agreement, Australia has agreed that all places where people are kept in detention should be monitored to make sure that the treatment of those in detention meets human rights standards.”

There are many places of detention in Australia - including prisons, juvenile detention institutions, police stations, locked psychiatric wards, immigration detention centres and aged care hostels where residents are detained involuntarily. “The fair and humane treatment of people in detention is a fundamental human right. People who are deprived of their liberty are vulnerable and too often we hear of breaches of detainee’s human rights,” Ms Branson said.

http://www.hreoc.gov.au/about/media/media_releases/2009/39_09.html

Advancing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

United Nations, 18 May - Some 2,000 indigenous representatives from all regions of the world have gathered here for the eighth session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Government representatives, civil society, academia, some 35 UN system bodies and other inter-governmental organizations are also engaged in the Forum, which will focus on implementation of the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Other key topics are the relationship between indigenous peoples and industrial corporations and the situation of indigenous peoples in the Arctic, including the serious impact of climate change in that region. (...)By taking into account different world views, including different religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds, the culturally sensitive and human rights-based approaches adopted by UNFPA encourages finding locally grown solutions in order to ensure ownership and sustainability of development efforts, and advance human rights. (...)

http://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/2717

Economy and development

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First European research con Microfinance: 2-3-4 June 2009 - Brussels, Belgium

The microfinance sector is developing at a rapid pace creating a growing demand for experienced professionals but also precise academic research within microfinance and credit institutions, banks and development investment funds in Europe and abroad.

In partnership with the Centre for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi), the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) has the great pleasure to organize the First European Research Conference on Microfinance, with the purpose of establishing the state of the art in the field.

The First European Research Conference on Microfinance aims at providing researchers with an opportunity to present their work, discuss it with senior researchers and exchange ideas with international colleagues. A Call for Papers has been launched to this extent, with the purpose of presenting the best papers during the workshops. (...)

http://www.microfinconf.eu/

Reward for conserving crops

11 projects announced in Tunis to receive grants from treaty on food plant genes.

Rome/Tunis, 2 June - Eleven developing countries that conserve food seeds and other genetic material from major crops will receive more than $500 000 to support their efforts according to an announcement made today in Tunis at a high-level meeting of the governing body of the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture. Grants are to be awarded to projects in Egypt, Kenya, Costa Rica, India, Peru, Senegal, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Cuba, Tanzania and Morocco. It is the first time funds have become available under the benefit-sharing scheme of the Treaty, designed to compensate farmers in developing countries for their role in conserving crop varieties.

The projects were chosen from hundreds of applications and come on stream thanks to the generous donations of Norway, Italy, Spain and Switzerland in support of agriculture and food security. The projects to be supported include: on-farm protection of citrus agro-biodiversity in Egypt, the genetic enhancement and revitalization of finger millet in Kenya and the conservation of indigenous potato varieties in Peru. For a full list of projects supported click here.

http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/20242/icode/

First fruits of plant gene pact

Delegates from 120 nations in Tunis to share benefits of treaty on food plant genes.

Rome/Tunis, 1 June 2009, - For the first time, farmers in poor countries are to be rewarded under a binding international treaty for conserving and propagating crop varieties that could prove to be the saviour of global food security over the coming decades. A new benefit-sharing scheme, part of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, is to come on stream thanks to the generous donations of several governments that will support five such farmers’ projects. They will be announced at a meeting of the Treaty’s Governing Body is Tunis this week from more than 300 applications submitted by farmers, farmer’s organisations and research centres mainly from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

It is the first time that financial benefits are being transferred under the Treaty which was agreed in 2004. (...) The first batch of projects are to receive around $250 000. Norway, Italy, Spain and Switzerland have contributed the funds as seed money for the benefit-sharing scheme.

http://www.fao.org/news/story/it/item/20162/icode/

Rural Africa can grow the continent out of poverty

IFAD President keynote speaker at Africa Day celebrations hosted by Italy’s President.

Rome, 28 May - As poor people across Africa struggle with the effects of last year’s food and fuel crises and the current global economic downturn, their plight took centre stage today at a panel discussion featuring top Italian officials and international leaders, including Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The panel on the challenges and opportunities facing Africa was hosted by Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy, to commemorate Africa Day at the presidential palace here. Other speakers were Giulio Tremonti, Minister of Economy and Finance; Romano Prodi, UN Secretary-General Special Representative and of the African Union for Peace-keeping in Africa; Jean Ping, President of the African Union Commission and Pier Carlo Padoan, Vice Secretary-General of the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Development. “Poverty and hunger are inhuman and cannot be tolerated,” said Nwanze. “Food security is not just a moral obligation; it underpins national, regional and global security. Without food security, the world is not secure,” he noted.

Africa has been hit hard by the food, fuel and financial crises which today threaten to undo the economic progress achieved in the past 15 years. During that time, countries in the region set in motion major reforms, often at great sacrifice. Those efforts, combined with the global expansion and high demand for commodities, had begun to reap rewards. Africa was recording more than 5 per cent economic growth, giving renewed hope to its people that poverty could in time be eradicated. But now, the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people living on less than US$1 a day by 2015 is becoming more like a mirage for many African countries. (...)

http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2009/27.htm

Solidarity

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Zimbabwe: ICRC distributes food to thousands of detainees

Geneva/Harare, 5 June (ICRC) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started distributing food to 6,300 detainees. It continues to assess needs in prisons and stands ready to assist where required. Working with the Zimbabwean authorities, the ICRC has also set up therapeutic feeding programmes and begun improving cooking facilities and water supply systems inside prisons. (...) Once the food situation has stabilized, the ICRC will continue to assess the overall conditions of detention. (…) The ICRC will work with the authorities to ensure that improvements achieved in the food situation inside prisons are maintained. (...)

http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/zimbabwe-news-050509!OpenDocument

Food provides critical lifeline and stability for Pakistan displaced

Rome, 4 June - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is streaming critically needed food assistance to more than two million displaced people in Pakistan and helping to bring stability to the region through an innovative system which is helping to feed and protect victims.

“Food is a basic building block for life, and in Pakistan it goes beyond immediate nourishment by providing peace and stability to the human tide of people uprooted by conflict,” said WFP’s Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. WFP was already feeding 6.2 million people in Pakistan before the recent crisis, including 510,000 girls attending school.

WFP - in cooperation with the Government of Pakistan and the UN refugee agency, UNHCR - has devised a ‘service point’ approach to distributing food and other relief assistance through “humanitarian hubs” in protected areas close to the homes of displaced families. (...)

http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/food-provides-critical-lifeline-and-stability-pakistan-displaced

Caritas aid getting through in Sri Lanka

4 June - Caritas is supporting 48,000 people who had been forced from their homes in Sri Lanka during fighting in the north of the country. With the end of hostilities, Caritas Sri Lanka is able to provide food and other food items as well as counselling and medical support.

Conditions in the camps for the 280,000 people displaced by the conflict remain basic, with special concerns over poor sanitation and access to clean drinking water. Vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant mothers and children are a major concern. Between the 24 and 27 May, 14 people over the age of 70 died in camps in one area, primarily due to lack of care and extreme heat.

Latest reports indicate that releasing elders is to begin on 5 June. More than 2,500 applications have been approved. Caritas Sri Lanka staff and community organisers are organizing the cooking and distribution of food to the camps. They have set up 12 community kitchens in camps in Chettikulam. Community support has been remarkable with the active involvement of local parishes that have provided up to 10,000 food parcels a day. (...)

http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease04_06_09.html

Pakistan: ICRC and Pakistan Red Crescent substantially expanding operations

Geneva/Islamabad, 4 June (ICRC) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is stepping up its support for people affected by fighting in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). The organization will work closely with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society and other partners within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. (...) The humanitarian crisis under way in the NWFP has forced over two million people to flee their homes over the last few weeks. Up to 120,000 displaced people (IDPs) are living in camps, but most have found refuge in host families, rented accommodation and makeshift shelters all over Pakistan. The ICRC, the Pakistan Red Crescent and other Movement partners plan to help a total of 380,000 displaced people in the coming weeks and months. (...)

The ICRC is also reinforcing the capacity of its surgical hospital in Peshawar and, given the influx of wounded people in the area, intends to set up a similar facility in Quetta. (...) Following today’s appeal, the ICRC budget for its Pakistan operation will stand at over 90 million Swiss francs, making the operation the ICRC’s third largest worldwide.

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/pakistan-news-040609

Save the Children brings relief to stranded survivors of Cyclone Aila in Bangladesh and India

Westport, Conn., USA, 1 June - Save the Children is addressing acute water shortages and other needs endangering many of the approximately 9 million people affected by Cyclone Aila, which hit southwestern Bangladesh and eastern India on May 25 and killed close to 300 people. The floodwaters have partially receded, but some villages remain underwater, others are flooded twice daily with the high tide, and seawater contamination of freshwater supplies is a widespread problem. In Bangladesh, Save the Children is operating five water treatment plants and is distributing tens of thousands of gallons of purified water daily. Diarrhea and other waterborne diseases are a major concern, with young children among the most vulnerable. (...)

http://www.savethechildren.org/newsroom/2009/cyclone-survivors.html

Cyclone Aila strikes Bangladesh – ADRA launches response

Silver Spring, Md., USA, 2 June - Cyclone Aila made landfall on the southwestern coast of Bangladesh on May 25 killing approximately 180 people, displacing more than 500,000, and destroying homes, businesses, and thousands of acres of cropland, said the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA). (...) On June 1, ADRA distributed emergency supplies to survivors within the severely affected sub-district of Tala, in Satkhira District near the border with India, providing assistance to 1,200 families, including rice, lentils, rice, sugar, salt, oral rehydration salts, and water purification tablets. According to ADRA staff on the ground, severe food and water shortages have affected many villages. In some low-lying areas, seawater has contaminated water supplies, leaving communities with little or no access to drinking water. (...) Local officials stated that ADRA was the first aid organization to distribute relief supplies in the region since the cyclone hit. ADRA’s emergency response group remains on-site, and continues to survey and monitor the situation.

http://www.adra.org/site/News2/860249783?page=NewsArticle&id=10171&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1141

Romania: new home for abused women provides safety

Silver Spring, Md., USA, 2 June - To combat the prevalence of domestic violence in Romania, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) inaugurated a new shelter called ADRA House near the capital of Bucharest, on May 21. The center, which is located in Ilfov County, a rural area outside Bucharest, can accommodate up to 24 guests and is equipped with separate reception and counseling offices to better meet the needs of its residents. At the shelter, beneficiaries receive social and psychological evaluations, a medical check-up, access to social and legal services, and psychological counseling. In addition, ADRA helps ADRA House residents find employment and a new home where they can live once their stay is complete. Beneficiaries can also request ADRA to monitor their individual case for up to one year after their departure from the shelter to ensure their continued safety. (...)

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

http://www.adra.org/site/News2/860249783?page=NewsArticle&id=10163&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1141

ACT Alliance: Giant global humanitarian body to be created

29 May - Church-based emergency and development organisations are about to create one of the world’s biggest networks. The name of the new body will be the ACT Alliance with a common income of more than US$2 billion dollars and a staff of 40,000, including volunteers. The formal launch of the new alliance will take place in March of next year in Malawi.

The General Assembly of ACT Development, holding its meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina has decided to unify with the emergency network, ACT International. Both alliances are based in Geneva, bringing together more than 150 agencies, churches and organisations.

Through emergency appeals, ACT International coordinates humanitarian operations all over the world, and has been recently active in hot spots like Sri Lanka, Gaza, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Colombia and India. ACT Development works on long-term development issues and coordinates work in areas such as aid effectiveness, impact assessment and malaria. The members of the alliances come from both the global north and south. (...)

http://www.danchurchaid.org/sider_paa_hjemmesiden/newsletter_publications/news/act_alliance_giant_global_humanitarian_body_to_be_created

CARE provides critical assistance for the second wave of people fleeing the former conflict zone in Sri Lanka

Geneva, 20 May - With the end of the war in northern Sri Lanka, a second wave of more than 80,000 people are fleeing the former conflict zone and are in desperate need of food, water and shelter. As people arrive by the thousands to the camps for displaced people in Vavuniya, CARE is working with the government, United Nations and other aid agencies to provide enough tents, emergency supplies and water. With the new arrivals, the total number of people in the camps will eventually be nearly 280,000 people. People are arriving in the camps hungry and severely dehydrated after months in the conflict zone, and have nothing but the clothes on their backs.

CARE work crews are working around the clock building tents, latrines, water distribution stands, and providing water and emergency supplies to people in the camps. CARE has provided assistance for nearly 40,000 people so far. (...)

http://www.care.org/newsroom/articles/2009/05/srilanka-conflict-zone-refugee-emergency-20090520.asp?s_src=170920500000&s_subsrc

Peace and security

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UN Secretary-General ‘encouraged’ by progress in Iraq

8 June - The successful and mostly peaceful polls earlier this year and an agreement on a new Speaker of Parliament are among the “encouraging signs of progress” Iraq has witnessed in recent months, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in a new report. Following the January provincial elections, “we witnessed local democratic processes at work with the formation of political alliances to allow the selection of governors and their deputies in each of the 14 governorates that held elections,” Mr. Ban says, expressing hope that “this will serve to promote greater accountability in local governance institutions.” Additionally, the Iraqi Security Forces continued to show they can assume stepped up security responsibilities, he notes. “Those developments underscore a general positive trend in the country on both the political and security fronts,” the report says. (...) “Iraq’s recovery is entering a new phase, with the Government leading the effort and shifting from a multi-donor trust fund to an emphasis on bilateral donor relations,” it adds, noting that the UN will now focus on sustainable social and economic development. “A healthy economy, jobs, services and a functioning government system are the benefits of good democratic governance,” the Secretary-General writes. (...)

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31061&Cr=iraq&Cr1

UN-backed ‘Smile Darfur’ campaign wraps up with call to end violence

7 June - The week-long “Smile Darfur” outreach scheme, backed by the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Sudanese region, has wrapped up with a call for peace and an end to the violence. At yesterday’s closing ceremony for “Ibtasim [Smile] Darfur,” Henry Anyidoho, Deputy Joint Special Representative of the mission, known as UNAMID, urged Darfurians, as well as all Sudanese, to “join your hands and hearts together to work for the peace, development and prosperity of your land.” (…)

“Smile Darfur” was part of the celebrations to mark this year’s International Day of Peacekeepers on 29 May, the date in 1948 when the first UN peacekeeping mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), began operations in Palestine.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31052&Cr=unamid&Cr1

US State Department funds Clear Path International programs in Vietnam & Cambodia

Posted by: James Hathaway

Washington, D.C., 5 June - The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons Removal & Abatement has approved matching grants totaling $177,000 for Clear Path International’s humanitarian mine action programs in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The largest grant of $127,000 will be used to fund efforts that assist survivors of accidents with landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in central Vietnam. The second grant of $50,000 will be used for CPI’s rice mill enterprise for landmine survivors in Battambang, Cambodia, where its beneficiaries receive training, microcredit and crop processing services.

The two grants are matched by financial contributions from the private sector, including the McKnight Foundation of Minneapolis, the Johnson & Widdifield Charitable Trust, the Seattle-based law firm Marler Clark and the Dutch charity Stichting Mensenkinderen. (...)

http://clearpathinternational.org/cpiblog/archives/001001.php

DR Congo police receive UN training ahead of local elections

3 June - The United Nations has begun training the first of some 75,000 policemen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in preparation for local elections, the world body’s peacekeeping mission there said. The mission, known as MONUC, said much of the training is an update of a course already received by members of the Congolese National Police (PNC) in previous years. The instruction includes the management of queues in front of polling stations, the escort and transport of the material to the local centres of compilation and the evacuation of currently illegally occupied buildings, MONUC said. The aim of the first stage of the programme is to train 2,578 agents from the various police stations of Kinshasa, who will be deployed in 143 registration centres in the capital for a revision of the electoral rolls. The training will continue at a national level in the coming weeks starting with the PNC of Bas-Congo. The revision of the electoral roll, regarded as the first step towards the next local elections, begins on 7 June in Kinshasa and in Bas-Congo, and on 3 August in the nine other provinces.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31007&Cr=democratic&Cr1=congo

Former Somali army officers to meet for UN-backed talks in US capital

3 June - Former senior army officers from Somalia are slated to meet in Washington D.C. tomorrow for United Nations-backed talks aimed at bolstering security institutions in the strife-torn nation. The two-day gathering, arranged with the support of the Somali Ministry of Defence and the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), will look at the structure of Somalia’s military before the collapse of the State and the best ways to address the country’s current and future security needs. (...) Stressing that this is a “great opportunity for Somalis to find within their past some solutions for the future,” Mr. Ould-Abdallah noted that the former Somali military officers participating in this meeting are respected for their experience in training soldiers from other African nations. UNPOS said in a press release that the meeting will serve to prepare for follow-up discussions with Somalia’s top military officials, expected to take place in late July, as part of the Government’s commitment under the Djibouti Agreement to strengthen its defence forces. (…)

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31008&Cr=Somali&Cr1

Voter registration in Kurdistan off to good start – UN envoy

1 June - The United Nations envoy to Iraq has congratulated the election officials and people of the Northern Region of Kurdistan “for completing a successful and peaceful first week of the voter registration” for next month’s regional elections. Staffan de Mistura, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, said 89 voter registration update centres successfully opened across the Northern Region of Kurdistan (KRG) and in Baghdad, according to a news release issued by the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). In addition, nearly 40,480 people visited the centres during the first week to verify or correct their information so that they are properly registered to vote in the KRG elections on 25 July. Mr. de Mistura said that the turnout and participation in the voter registration update in the KRG is a “positive signal” for greater participation in the national voter registration update scheduled to begin in early August for the Council of Representatives election in January 2010. (...)

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=30979&Cr=Iraq&Cr1=Elections

EU Heads of State receive Desktop Peace Pole for their Offices

Prime Ministers, Presidents or Chancellors of all 27 European Community member states received a present this month of the World Peace Prayer Society Europe and its sister organisation, the Goi Peace Foundation Europe: a 50 cm Desktop Peace Pole with an peace message on each of its four sides. Two sides of these wooden pillars were engraved in the respective country`s national language saying “May Peace be in ....(name of the country) and “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. The other two sides feature the peace message in English.

In their letter to the 27 Prime Ministers and Presidents the World Peace Prayer Society and the Goi Peace Foundation mention that the peace poles shall not only inspire the leaders`daily mission of peace but also commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the iron curtain as this historical moment enabled the reunification of Western and Eastern European countries to one unique body - The European Union.

Peace Poles (in its usual length of 2,50 meters) are an international project with more than 250.000 to be found in universities, schools, parks, churches, townhalls, at the United Nations, the World Bank in Washington, the OPEC office in Vienna or the Pentagon :Chapel to just name a few. More information about peace poles can be obtained at:

www.worldpeace.org (US office) or www.worldpeace.de

(European office).

Stockpile destruction signals end for cluster munitions

New report looks at government engagement on ban treaty.

Geneva, Switzerland, 29 May - Several states that have signed the new international treaty prohibiting cluster munitions have already started to destroy their stockpiles of the weapon, even before the treaty formally takes effect, according to Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice, a 288-page report released today. The report is being issued one year after the conclusion of the negotiations of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Dublin, Ireland on 30 May 2008. (...) The new report documents, on a country-by-country basis, how and why such dramatic shifts occurred. Many treaty signatories are expected to complete destruction of their stockpiles earlier than the eight-year deadline imposed by the convention. Spain completed destruction of its stockpiled cluster munitions in March 2009, the first to do so since signing the treaty. Several other signatories have begun to destroy their stockpiles of cluster munitions including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. (...)