Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS – After long refusing to risk the lives of its workers in Iraq, the United Nations has reversed its stance and is planning to expand its international staff in the violence-ridden country in time for upcoming elections in late January. "The current ceiling of 59 [international staffers] is not adequate for what we … Continue reading “UN Reversal: More Staff Bound for Iraq”

UNITED NATIONS – Despite UN reservations about the legitimacy of upcoming polls and warnings about deteriorating security in military-occupied, war ravaged Iraq, the government is determined to hold elections in January, a senior official told the UN Security Council on Monday. Brushing aside UN misgivings, Iraq’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Samir Sumaida’ie, told … Continue reading “Iraq Disputes UN Over Legitimacy of Election”

UNITED NATIONS – The 191-member UN General Assembly, the largely ignored policymaking body of the United Nations, is threatening to derail a slew of mostly Western European and U.S.-inspired resolutions condemning human rights violations. A key committee of the assembly, which previously refused to take action on resolutions against Belarus and Sudan, took a similar … Continue reading “UN Body Rejects Censure, Threatens Revolt”

UNITED NATIONS – The world’s human rights defenders – including lawyers, journalists, judges, women’s activists, and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – are increasingly coming under attack by repressive governments, according to a senior UN official. "The violation of the physical integrity of defenders takes the form of killings, attempted killings, torture, beatings, death threats, … Continue reading “Human Rights Personnel Under Attack”

UNITED NATIONS – No country can justify torture, the humiliation of prisoners, or violation of international conventions in the guise of fighting terrorism, says a UN report released here. The 19-page study, which is likely to go before the current session of the UN General Assembly in December, does not identify the United States by … Continue reading “UN Report Slams Use of Torture to Beat Terror”

UNITED NATIONS – France is coming under fire for its heavy-handed action in destroying virtually the entire air force of its former colony Côte d’Ivoire in retaliation for the killings of nine French soldiers and a U.S. aid worker last week. "We deeply regret the unfortunate incident," Ambassador Philippe Djangone-Bi of Côte d’Ivoire told reporters … Continue reading “French Role in Côte d’Ivoire Questioned”

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations, which was on the verge of adopting a new international convention against nuclear terrorism, has been forced to shelve the proposed treaty because of opposition from Islamic states. "After six years of protracted negotiations, the final draft was ready for adoption by the UN Legal Committee last week," a … Continue reading “UN Terrorism Treaty Deadlocked”

UNITED NATIONS – UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is at loggerheads with the U.S.-installed interim government in Iraq over national elections scheduled to take place in that strife-torn country in January 2005. The Iraqi government, backed by the United States, wants Annan to dispatch a huge contingent of UN monitors to Iraq’s capital Baghdad – primarily … Continue reading “US Wants UN Fig Leaf for Elections”

UNITED NATIONS – The deaths of two humanitarian workers in a landmine explosion in northern Darfur early this week and the painfully slow response of the world community to the ongoing violence and atrocities have worsened the spreading crisis in Sudan, according to senior UN officials and humanitarian organizations. For months, human rights groups and … Continue reading “Relief Agencies Jolted by Deaths in Sudan”

UNITED NATIONS – When the League of Arab States was created in 1945, it was perceived as the ultimate symbol of Arab nationalism in a politically and militarily demoralized Middle East. But in recent years, the 22 members of the pan-Arab organization have been struggling to find common cause, and their meetings have been characterized … Continue reading “Is Al-Jazeera the New Symbol of Arab Nationalism?”