Venezuela: The country’s people must be heard, insists UN human rights chief
Following the dramatic seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States at the weekend, UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday said that the move had made all countries “less safe”.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights also rejected US justification for the military operation, after Washington cited the Venezuelan Government’s “longstanding and appalling” human rights record.
With more, here’s the UN rights chief’s spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, speaking in Geneva:
“Let us not pretend that this is an action taken in defence of human rights of anyone. This is an action that was taken in contravention of international law and that is clear and the international community needs to come together with one voice to insist on that, to make that clear, that this is an action that was in contravention of the international law that was set up by Member States.”
Beyond the political crisis in Venezuela, almost eight million people, or one in four, need humanitarian assistance after years of economic decline, repression and instability.
The situation remains tense for the millions of refugees living outside Venezuela, too, although for the moment there has been no major displacement across the country’s borders linked to Saturday’s US military operation, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
Ukraine war: After another night of Russian attacks, aid lifeline remains in place
To Ukraine, where UN aid teams continue to provide lifesaving relief to frontline communities facing deadly attacks, ongoing power cuts and a lack of food.
Overnight, Ukrainian authorities reported shooting down 53 drones, which Russian forces have used as part of their full-scale invasion to target residential buildings and power stations, causing widespread damage and electricity cuts.
Oleg Kenin is a Security Operations Support Officer with the World Food Programme (WFP). One of his tasks is to escort convoys to very high-risk areas within a few kilometres of the front line.
To reach them, vehicles pass underneath kilometres of plastic netting, which is designed to deter drone strikes, he told UN News:
“For people who are living in such close…just 4.5 kilometres from the Russian border, so activity of the drones from both sides is very high over there. So, sometimes to such communities, we even conduct what is called the double delivery, so, we are bringing them the double amount of the food kits, because we never know if we will be able to reach them the next months.”
Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue across Ukraine, including a deadly drone strike on Monday on people waiting for bread in Kherson region that left one dead and two others injured.
Matthias Schmale, the UN’s top aid official in the country, condemned the attack. Humanitarian organizations provided first aid to the injured who are now receiving medical care in hospital, Mr. Schmale said.
Sudan: Escalating violence in Darfurs and Kordofan
To Sudan, finally, where escalating violence in the Darfur and Kordofan regions continues to impact civilians.
UN aid agency OCHA warned on Tuesday that drone attacks are causing death, injuries and displacement.
In North Darfur state, it said that drone strikes on Saturday caused civilian casualties in the villages of Al Zurg and Ghurair, with a market and medical clinic hit.
A civilian was also reportedly killed on the same day in West Darfur state, following two drone attacks in Kulbus locality.
Humanitarian partners say those strikes displaced more than 600 people and generated widespread panic.
In South Kordofan state, meanwhile, OCHA said that multiple drone attacks in the last week in the city of Dilling left people dead and injured.
The agency noted that the situation in the city is dire, with civilians trapped under siege. Conditions are continuing to deteriorate as access to essential supplies is increasingly restricted, OCHA warned.
Daniel Johnson, UN News
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Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
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