WAR CRIMES TRIAL OF FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT RESUMES IN UN-BACKED COURT

WAR CRIMES TRIAL OF FORMER LIBERIAN PRESIDENT RESUMES IN UN-BACKED COURT
New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM
After a delay of more than four months, the war crimes trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor resumed today at the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (<" http://www.sc-sl.org/">SCSL).

Mr. Taylor is facing 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law – including mass murder, mutilations, rape, sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers – for his role in the decade-long civil war that engulfed Sierra Leone, which borders Liberia. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

The trial began in The Hague last June, but was postponed in August to give defence lawyers more time to evaluate some 40,000 pages of evidence disclosed by prosecutors.

In 2006, the Security Council authorized the staging of Mr. Taylor's trial at The Hague, citing reasons of security and expediency. Although the trial will be held at the premises of the International Criminal Court (<" http://www.icc-cpi.int/home.html&l=en">ICC), it will remain under the exclusive jurisdiction of the SCSL.
The Special Court, established in January 2002 by an agreement between the Sierra Leonean Government and the UN, is mandated to try "those who bear greatest responsibility" for war crimes and crimes against community committed in the country after 30 November 1996.
Last July, it reached an agreement with the British Government whereby Mr. Taylor will serve out his sentence in the United Kingdom if he is convicted.
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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NEW UN DARFUR FORCE MUST REACH FULL DEPLOYMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SAYS BAN

NEW UN DARFUR FORCE MUST REACH FULL DEPLOYMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SAYS BAN
New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM
The current troop level of the new African Union-United Nations hybrid peacekeeping force seeking to end the violence in the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur is inadequate, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1118">said today, appealing for resources to allow for full deployment.

Currently, there are 9,000 blue helmets serving with the force, known as <"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID. "That is insufficient," Mr. Ban told reporters in New York, urging the international community to ensure that the mission can reach its full deployment of 26,000 personnel "as soon as possible."

He said that during a lengthy telephone discussion with Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir last Saturday, the two men agreed to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the upcoming African Union (AU) summit.

The Sudanese Government, for its part, must commit itself to technical issues, such as a status of forces agreement, the Secretary-General said. Meanwhile, the international community must step up its support for UNAMID by contributing "critical assets" such as helicopters and heavy transport equipment.

A "good framework" – including the Darfur peace process and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the landmark 2005 accord ending the country's long-running north-south civil war – is in place to resolve the problems in Darfur and Sudan as a whole, he added.

In light of increasing tensions between Sudan and Chad, Mr. Ban urged the leaders of the two countries to abstain from using military force, warning that doing so will only aggravate the situation.

The Security Council also expressed its concern today at the rise in the activities of illegal armed groups in western Darfur and eastern Chad, leading to a surge in tensions.

In a <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sc9221.doc.htm">statement read to the press by Ambassador Giadalla Ettalhi of Libya, which holds the Council's rotating presidency for January, the 15-member body called on the two nations "to exercise restraint and pursue dialogue and cooperation" and to adhere to past agreements.

In addition, the head of UNAMID voiced his concern over Chad-Sudan relations, which could have a detrimental impact in an area already besieged by instability.

If problems are not resolved, "great numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees will likely be the first victims of any further escalation," said Rodolphe Adada, who also serves as the AU-UN Joint Special Representative for Darfur.

He is also worried about the impact of tensions on the new peacekeeping force – on which many Darfurians are pinning their hopes for a lasting peace – which needs the cooperation of all countries in the region to succeed.

Mr. Adada called on Chadian and Sudanese leaders to "exercise self-restraint, return to dialogue and abide by their commitments to existing agreements between them."
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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UN WARNS OF WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN POST-ELECTION KENYA

UN WARNS OF WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN POST-ELECTION KENYA
New York, Jan 7 2008 6:00PM
United Nations officials warned today that the humanitarian situation in Kenya, where post-election violence has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people, is getting worse with water, sanitation and shelter among the most pressing needs.

The UN estimates that some 250,000 Kenyans have been displaced and 350 reportedly killed by the violence which erupted after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner in the recent election.

The UN Country Team in Kenya is working with the Kenya Red Cross Society and a number of national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as faith-based groups, to provide immediate humanitarian assistance.

As tensions in the capital and elsewhere have eased, UN agencies and their partners have stepped up their efforts to deliver much-needed supplies, including food, water, mosquito nets, blankets, shelter material and medicine, to those in need.

At the same time, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<" http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1080">OCHA) warned today that the crisis is getting worse, based on an inter-agency assessment carried out on Sunday in the most-affected areas.

"Although the overall security situation in the country may have improved over the past couple of days, the humanitarian crisis is deepening," OCHA's Jens Laerke told reporters in Nairobi.

According to OCHA, people are still on the move in and around Eldoret and Kericho, and several convoys with internally displaced persons (<" http://www.unhcr.org/protect/3b84c7e23.html">IDPs) were seen leaving Eldoret yesterday and heading for Nakuru.

The UN Children's Fund (<" http://www.unicef.org">UNICEF) is working with its partners to provide emergency water and sanitation to some 22,000 internally displaced persons in two camps located in Eldoret.

"In both camps, shelter, water and sanitation and protection are the most pressing needs," said UNICEF's Pamela Sittoni. "People are sleeping in the open and the toilets are inadequate."

She also highlighted the plight of women and children who are "bearing the brunt of the violence," noting that a number of children have been separated from their families during the events of recent days, as well as reports of sexual violence.

Meanwhile, the UN World Food Programme (<"http://www.wfp.org/english/">WFP) said a convoy of trucks carrying supplies for displaced people in the Northern Rift Valley left Nairobi today, and more of the agency's food left the town of Eldoret for thousands of desperately hungry people in the western town of Kisumu.

Twenty trucks loaded with 670 metric tons of food – enough to feed at least 70,000 people for two weeks – arrived in Nairobi from the port of Mombasa on Sunday. Nine of the trucks unloaded their food in Nairobi and the remaining 11 headed on to Eldoret today.

In addition to those displaced within the country, over 3,000 Kenyans have crossed over into neighbouring Uganda, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<" http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">UNHCR) which is assisting the Ugandan Government and Uganda Red Cross in providing assistance.

An emergency response team that arrived from the agency's headquarters in Geneva will be providing items such as blankets, plastic sheets and kitchen sets to the Kenya Red Cross to distribute to the displaced in the Rift Valley and in other areas around Nairobi.
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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UN-BACKED PEACE SUMMIT BEGINS IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO

UN-BACKED PEACE SUMMIT BEGINS IN VOLATILE EASTERN DR CONGO
New York, Jan 7 2008 4:00PM
A United Nations-supported <" http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=16410">conference aimed at bringing peace, security and development to the strife-torn eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is underway in North Kivu province, where fighting has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people in the past year.

Over 1,000 delegates are taking part in the nine-day summit which began yesterday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, where fighting has escalated in recent months between Government troops and rebels allied with the dissident army general, Laurent Nkunda, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

The UN <"http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home">refugee agency estimates that over the last year, a mix of conflict, military build-up and spiralling lawlessness has displaced 400,000 people in North Kivu – the worst displacement since the end of the civil war in 2003. In total, there are an estimated 800,000 displaced people in the province, including those uprooted by previous conflicts.

Last month Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <" http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2931">voiced his hopes for the summit, stating that it has the potential to make "important steps towards ending the suffering of the population and establishing a global plan for security, stability and progress in these provinces."

Among those attending the conference are representatives of the national and provincial authorities and delegates from the Congress for the Defence of the People, the political wing of the armed rebellion led by General Nkunda.

Although the DRC held its first democratic elections in over four decades in 2006, solidifying its transition from a six-year civil war that cost 4 million lives, fighting has continued in the volatile east of the vast country.

The outgoing Special Representative of the Secretary-General, William Swing, recalled the efforts made by the DRC with the assistance of the international community in relation to the elections.

"In spite of the encountered difficulties, you have a Government which functions, a parliament which functions; all the new institutions resulting from the ballot boxes were implemented," he pointed out.

Mr. Swing, who is also head of the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC), led a delegation of 40 ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps to Goma. "This conference is a noble chance to find the practical solutions to the problems which divide you," he told delegates.
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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SENIOR UN OFFICIAL ARRIVES IN NEPAL TO VISIT MISSION SUPPORTING PEACE ACCORD

SENIOR UN OFFICIAL ARRIVES IN NEPAL TO VISIT MISSION SUPPORTING PEACE ACCORD
New York, Jan 7 2008 4:00PM
A senior United Nations political official arrived in Nepal today for a four-day visit to the UN mission supporting the peace process in the South Asian country after a decade-long civil conflict between the Government and Maoists claimed some 13,000 lives.

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane will also assess preparations for the election of a Constituent Assembly, already delayed from last year, which is to be held in April to draft a new constitution.

The UN Mission in Nepal (<"http://www.unmin.org.np/">UNMIN) was set up a year ago to support the peace process after the Seven-Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) signed a peace accord in 2006.

In addition to working meetings with UNMIN, Ms. Kane will hold discussions with Government officials and political leaders and travel to the country's eastern region, where she will meet with the UNMIN team based in Biratnagar and visit the Maoist cantonment site in Ilam.

Last month Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2932">welcomed the decision by the CPN-M to rejoin the Interim Government and urged all parties "to swiftly move forward in the implementation of the agreements reached and lay the grounds for a peaceful, inclusive, and credible Constituent Assembly election."
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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KYRGYZSTAN: UN HELPS 3,000 QUAKE VICTIMS LIVING IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES

KYRGYZSTAN: UN HELPS 3,000 QUAKE VICTIMS LIVING IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES
New York, Jan 7 2008 3:00PM
United Nations agencies are providing emergency supplies, including heating, for some 3,000 people who were displaced in a New Year's Day earthquake in southern Kyrgyzstan and are now living in summer tents under outside temperatures ranging from -15 to -20 degrees Celsius.

In support of Government assistance to the victims, the agencies have offered over 200 mattresses, 200 sleeping bags, 400 blankets, nearly 500 kitchen sets, almost 2,000 pieces of soap, shoes for over 700 children, nearly 450 children's winter sweaters and 20 bails of clothing, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/">OCHA) reported today.

As the country is short on winterized tents, heating oil and fuel, crucial for supporting the affected persons, OCHA offered over $30,000 for the purchase of additional heating devices as well as petrol to transport the relief items.

Unfortunately, the heating devices might need to be brought from outside the country as those available in Kyrgyzstan are not suitable for distribution in the affected area near the city of Osh. OCHA has secured 120 winterized tents, donated by the Norwegian Government, and these should be dispatched shortly from the UN warehouse in Brindisi, Italy.

Currently, winter tents and heaters still remain priority needs. The Kyrgyz Government has requested 500 winterised tents, 500 charcoal stoves, 2,500 warm jackets, 1,000 adult winter footwear, 22 tonnes flour, 3,000 litres of cooking oil, over 11,000 cans of meat, 4.5 tonnes of sugar, 2.25 tonnes of spaghetti, and 150 kilos each of rice and tea, OCHA said.

The Government has also requested nearly 4 tonnes of construction materials such as cement, roofing slate, bricks and paint.
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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SECRETARY-GENERAL APPEALS FOR PROGRESS IN UN-LED WESTERN SAHARA TALKS

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPEALS FOR PROGRESS IN UN-LED WESTERN SAHARA TALKS
New York, Jan 7 2008 2:00PM
On the eve of the third round of United Nations-led talks on Western Sahara, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the parties to use the opportunity to enter into a more intensive and substantive phase of discussions.

"The Secretary-General recognizes that it will take both time and patience to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution to this longstanding dispute," according to a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=2941">statement issued by his spokesperson.

Mediated by the Secretary-General's Personal Envoy Peter van Walsum, the three-day talks are taking place in Manhasset, New York, at the Greentree Estate, the site of the two previous rounds of negotiations that took place in June and August of 2007.

Mr. Ban expressed his appreciation to Morocco and the Frente Polisario, as well as to neighboring States, for accepting his invitation to the discussions to be held under the terms of Security Council resolutions <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1754(2007)">1754 (2007) and <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1783(2007)">1783 (2007).

The second round of talks last August ended with agreement among the parties that the status quo is unacceptable and the process of negotiations will continue.

In his October 2007 <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2007/619">report on the issue, Mr. Ban said the two sides held mutually exclusive positions that had prevented them from seriously discussing each other's proposals during the talks.

Morocco holds that its sovereignty over Western Sahara should be recognized, while the Frente Polisario's position is that the Territory's final status should be decided in a referendum that includes independence as an option.

The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/minurso/">MINURSO) has been in the Territory since September 1991 to monitor the ceasefire between Morocco and the Frente Polisario.

Last October, the Security Council <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/res/1783(2007)">extended MINURSO's mandate through this April, calling on the two sides "to continue to show political will and work in an atmosphere propitious for dialogue in order to engage in substantive negotiations."
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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2008 SHOULD BE THE YEAR OF THE 'BOTTOM BILLION,' STRESSES BAN KI-MOON

2008 SHOULD BE THE YEAR OF THE 'BOTTOM BILLION,' STRESSES BAN KI-MOON
New York, Jan 7 2008 2:00PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed that 2008 should be the year of the "bottom billion," citing the need for renewed determination to address the needs of the poorest of the world's poor who have been left behind by global economic growth. </p>

"We must address ourselves to the needs of the weak, the disadvantaged, those who have been excluded from the mainstream international community," Mr. Ban told reporters at a Headquarters <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1118">press conference, his first for the new year. </p>

"And so I say, let 2008 be the year of the 'bottom billion,'" Mr. Ban declared, employing the phrase used by some economists to describe the poorest of the world's poor – the nearly one billion left behind by global economic growth. </p>

Noting that most of the world's poorest live in Africa or the small developing islands of Asia, "eking out lives of hardship on incomes of less than $1 a day," he pledged to work over the coming year to strengthen the UN's role in development. </p>

He also called for fresh thinking on ways to help nations achieve the pledges to slash poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy by 2015, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). At the mid-point towards the 2015 deadline, it is widely acknowledged that many countries, particularly in Africa, are not on track to meeting the Goals. </p>

To help remedy this, Mr. Ban established the MDG Africa Steering Group last September in an effort to mobilize the full resources of the UN system and its partners to achieve the MDGs in Africa. </p>

In addition, he drew attention to a high-level meeting of the General Assembly to be held in September with the goal of re-energizing the world's commitment to the MDGs, with special attention to the poorest of the poor, noting that a similar forum was used last year to galvanize world action on climate change. </p>

Regarding climate change, he cited the need for a global grassroots public awareness campaign to focus political pressure and keep global warming at the forefront of public consciousness. </p>

"The road from Bali will be difficult as well," he noted, recalling the landmark UN climate change conference held in Indonesia, where nearly 200 countries agreed to launch a two-year process of formal talks to tackle the problem of global warming. </p>

The Secretary-General also noted that the demands on the UN continue to increase, whether it is nurturing a fragile peace process in the Middle East, helping Iraq emerge from conflict, staying the course in Afghanistan or pushing for peace in war-torn Darfur. If the past week is any indication, he said that "the coming year promises to be even tougher than the last," pointing to the recent turmoil in Kenya and renewed violence in Sri Lanka. </p>

"We therefore move into the new year with renewed commitment to our ultimate mission – building a stronger UN for a better world," Mr. Ban stated, pledging to continue his push to modernize, revitalize and streamline the Organization, upholding the highest standards of ethics, performance and accountability. </p>
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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SLOVENIA'S NEW ASYLUM LAW SPARKS CONCERN FROM UN REFUGEE AGENCY

SLOVENIA'S NEW ASYLUM LAW SPARKS CONCERN FROM UN REFUGEE AGENCY
New York, Jan 7 2008 12:00PM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/478229934.html">UNHCR) has criticized Slovenia's new asylum law which it says could lead to people being deported even before their cases have been properly evaluated and to the widespread use of detention. </p>

"We now have a new law that in transposing European Union asylum directives is actually reducing legal standards below international levels and restricting the prospects of asylum seekers to find protection in Slovenia," said Lloyd Dakin, UNHCR's Regional Representative responsible for Slovenia. </p>

UNHCR has previously warned that the EU directives had already set minimum norms, some of which were below international norms. There was concern that this could lead EU nations to lower their own national legal standards. </p>

"This is exactly what has happened in Slovenia, just as it assumes the EU Presidency," said Mr. Dakin. The new law came into force on Friday, just days after Slovenia took over the rotating presidency of the EU. </p>

According to UNHCR, Slovenia has some of the lowest refugee recognition rates in Europe – only one asylum seeker was recognised as a refugee in 2006, and two in 2007. </p>

Among the agency's major concerns with the new law is the increased substitution of accelerated procedures for full-scale asylum procedures, which UNHCR believes should only be applied in exceptional, specifically defined cases. The use of such procedures means that asylum seekers could be returned to another country where their lives or freedoms may be threatened even before their case has been properly evaluated. </p>

In addition, the new law could lead to the widespread use of detention for asylum seekers, regardless of whether they have special needs such as families or children. </p>

Although generally disappointed with the new law, UNHCR noted that it does have some positive aspects, such as the fact that it introduces the possibility resettlement of refugees to Slovenia from camps in other countries, something UNHCR is encouraging among EU countries. </p>

Mr. Dakin pledged UNHCR's continued cooperation with the Government and other actors to ensure that everyone who deserves international protection in Slovenia receives it. </p>
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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UN PREPARES TO HELP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FLOOD VICTIMS IN MOZAMBIQUE

UN PREPARES TO HELP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FLOOD VICTIMS IN MOZAMBIQUE
New York, Jan 7 2008 11:00AM
The United Nations and non-governmental partners are gearing up to launch an emergency relief operation in central Mozambique where flooding has affected nearly 60,000 people. </p>

"The humanitarian community stands ready to support the Government in the ongoing response," UN Resident Coordinator Ndolamb Ngokwey said. "Over the past few months, we have been working closely with national authorities to put in place contingency plans to ensure that needs of those affected by the flooding are met expeditiously." </p>

Over the past few weeks, heavy rains in Mozambique and neighbouring countries have sharply swollen the Zambezi, Pungue, Buzi and Save rivers. The country's disaster management agency estimates that so far some 56,000 people have been affected, including 13,000 who have been relocated to resettlement centres. </p>

UN teams deployed to the affected regions are undertaking a rapid assessment of the flood's impact on various key areas – agriculture, water and sanitation, nutrition, education and child protection. </p>

They are working with national disaster management authorities, the Red Cross and non-governmental humanitarian partners on the ground to carry out a rapid assessment and identify the most urgent needs. The Government is planning a more detailed multi-agency vulnerability and food security assessment for the coming week. </p>

In anticipation of this year's rainy season, emergency supplies have already been pre-positioned in several strategic locations in flood-prone areas. The supplies for distribution include shelter and non-food items, to enable a quick first-line response. </p>

Localized flooding is common in Mozambique during the southern Africa rainy season from November to March. Last year, an estimated 285,000 people were affected along the Zambezi River Basin. As rising water levels from heavy rains flooded low-lying areas, over 100,000 people took refuge in temporary accommodation centres. </p>
2008-01-07 00:00:00.000

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STRANDED UN FOOD SHIPMENTS BEGIN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO DISPLACED KENYANS

STRANDED UN FOOD SHIPMENTS BEGIN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO DISPLACED KENYANS
New York, Jan 6 2008 5:00PM
After being stranded for days due to insecurity, the first convoy of trucks from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) left the Kenyan port of Mombasa today bound for Nairobi and Eldoret, where thousands displaced by the recent post-election violence have arrived.

The agency said more food assistance arrived in the Northern Rift Valley town of Eldoret for 100,000 people driven from their homes by the violence that broke out after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner of last week's polls. Opposition leader Raila Odinga has disputed the results.

The UN estimates that some 250,000 Kenyans have been displaced, and 350 reportedly killed, as a result of the violence.

WFP had been waiting at Mombasa, a major port for several countries in the region, with 30,000 metric tonnes of food, enough for 1.5 million people, for eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Somalia and Southern Sudan.

Some trucks left Mombasa but then were stranded due to insecurity on main roads and checkpoints set up by vigilantes in western Kenya.

WFP's Peter Smerdon told reporters in Nairobi that 20 trucks loaded with 670 metric tons of food, enough to feed at least 70,000 people for two weeks, left Mombasa today escorted by police. Eleven of the trucks, carrying pulses and vegetable oil, are headed to Eldoret and the others to Nairobi.

"The trucks for Nairobi will provide stocks that WFP can draw on as soon as a plan to provide food assistance to the hungry in Nairobi's slums is agreed by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRC), other partners, church-based organizations and the authorities," he said.

WFP is providing non-cereal items to the KRC to feed the 100,000 people estimated displaced in the Northern Rift Valley. At the same time, the Kenyan Government is providing the KRC with over 1,800 tons of cereals, enough to feed 120,000 people for one month, for distribution.

The KRC in Eldoret informed WFP that
to nearly 26,000 people in the Northern Rift Valley so far. Two trucks loaded with 35 tons of WFP high energy biscuits arrived in Eldoret on Saturday.

Mr. Smerdon said that to respond to the current crisis, WFP is drawing on stocks from its other operations in Kenya -- feeding 700,000 people hit by drought, a country programme for 1.1 million children in 3,800 schools, and an HIV/AIDS project in Nairobi and Eldoret. "But the borrowed food will need to be repaid," he added.

Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is supporting the Government and partner organizations in setting up a central camp for 50,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Eldoret.

The agency noted that a number of children have been separated from their families during the recent violence, although it is not possible to establish the exact number right now. "There are also reports of sexual violence but it is not possible to get a very clear picture," Pamela Sittoni of UNICEF Kenya said.

Currently, an inter-agency UN mission is assessing the situation in Eldoret. Jens Laerke of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that preliminary reports indicate "very disturbing evidence of houses burnt to the ground and people on the move."

For its part, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it will aid to up to 100,000 displaced people in the Rift Valley and in other areas around Nairobi.

The agency has supplies for 50,000 people in its Nairobi warehouses and will bring in additional items from its regional emergency stockpiles in Dubai and Tanzania.

"Considering the long and distinguished record Kenya has in hosting tens of thousands of refugees from across Africa, we are committed to assisting and supporting Kenya and will do our level best to help ease them through this crisis," UNHCR's Emmanuel Nyabera said in Nairobi.

2008-01-06 00:00:00.000

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