Ban Looks Back at Arab Spring in 2011

The United Nations lent its support to the aspirations of Arab Spring protesters in 2011, speaking forcefully against government repression through out the region and playing an essential role in the liberation of Libya, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said during an end of year press conference today. 

“This has been a remarkable year, in terms of our commitment to help those people who have been oppressed.” he said “Of course more needs to be done. It is quite sad and tragic that so many people have lost their lives and have been wounded in the course of these demonstrations and expressing their freedom of speech and aspirations.”

Ban, who will begin his second term as UN Secretary General in the new year, compared the Arab Spring uprisings to the independence movements of the 1950’s and the unification of Germany in the 1980’s. He said the UN needed to continue engaging with countries affected by important political and social change and urged greater cooperation to address the situation in Syria. 

 “ I hope the United Nations and international community will be able to take constructive and coherent action.” he said, adding that he also welcomed recent steps by the Arab League to condemn the violence. 

 Ban said he was increasingly concerned by humanitarian conditions and recent developments in Syria.

On Monday, after the Security Council was briefed by Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pilay, European and American diplomats blasted other Council members for failing to support a strong resolution against the Assad government.

Pilay reportedly provided Council members with updates on casualty figures, which she says has now reached over 5000, and gave an overview of some of crimes Syrian security forces have carried out against civilians, including the alleged killing of at least 300 children. 

The UN rights chief said she was alarmed by reports of a military build up around the city of Homs, although her office was unable to independently verify that information.

US Deputy Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo said the Security Council’s failure to speak out against the Syrian government crackdown, after both the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly agreed to resolutions, was “unconscionable”,and urged Council members to stand “on the right side of history”.

Russia and China have both already used their veto at the Security Council to block a resolution on Syria. They say the UN has so far placed too much blame on the Assad government while ignoring attacks by armed protesters against security force personnel, and argue some governments are calling for regime change rather than a ceasefire. 

Moscow and Beijing have also said they are concerned a Security Council resolution could open the door to foreign military intervention as was the case in Libya.

Other Security Council members like India and South Africa have also repeatedly criticized the US and Europe for using the the cover of civilian protection in Libya to justify overthrowing the Gaddafi regime.

Ban defended NATO’s implementation of the Libyan resolution in his press conference today. The Secretary General said the UN worked closely with NATO to prevent rights abuses and civilian casualties and that ultimately, the Libyan people had led efforts to oust Gaddafi. 

UN:Tough Road Ahead After Historic Day for Libya

Muammar Gaddafi’s death is a historic moment for Libya, marking “the end of the beginning” of the country’s transition and a chance for all parties in the conflict to lay down their weapons says UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

“Now is the time for all Libyans to come together. Libyans can only realize the promise of the future through national unity and reconciliation. Combatants on all sides must lay down their arms in peace.” Ban said before his opening address at a UN panel on global sustainability. 

Ian Martin, the Secretary General’s special representative for Libya told to reporters via video conference from Tripoli that the formation of an interim government and election preparations are expected to begin once the National Transitional Council formally declares liberation, which NTC officials have reportedly set for Friday.

The NTC has already indicated it wants the UN’s help to create a transitional justice system and national reconciliation initiatives.

 After decades of Gaddafi’s rule and month of civil war marked by forced disappearances and summary executions, the extent to which opposition groups will be able to work together remains unclear. 

“No one should underestimate in this moment of celebration in Libya how great are the challenges that lie ahead.” Martin said.“With the history that Libya is today coming out of, nobody should be surprised when this turns out to be a difficult challenge for its new leaders.”

Martin says considerations of amnesty will not be extended by the NTC or UN to former Gaddafi officials accused of war crimes or other grave offenses. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Col. Gaddafi, his son Saif and spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi. Several media reports indicate al-Senussi and another Gaddafi son, Mutassim, were killed in the battle for Sirte. Martin was unable to confirm Saif’s whereabouts or if Mutassim and al-Senussi were alive. 

Martin says he has no information about the events surrounding Col. Gaddafi’s death but was expecting to be briefed by the National Transitional Council.

Ban Urges Security Council to Set Libya Mission

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has asked the Security Council to establish a UN Mission in Libya, where months of fighting between Gaddafi loyalists and NATO backed rebels seem to be coming to a close. 

Ban is on an official visit to Australia, but his Special Envoy for Libya Ian Martin briefed the Security Council in closed door consultations this afternoon. 

Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) leadership has already said it does not want a UN peacekeeping force or even unarmed military observers in the country, but was looking for help from the world body with the eventual planning of an election and the creation of a transitional justice system.

Martin told reporters afterwards the Secretary General had proposed an initial short term UN support mission of three month to Libya, which would work to advise and assist the NTC on pressing issues, as well as discuss a more long term UN presence. 

The UN Envoy for Libya said the NTC’s was also now discussing how to best integrate remnants of the Gaddafi government and security forces into rebel forces. 

“The approach that they are taking is to, at this stage, tell the very top echelon of the military, the police, the civil service to remain at home, while decisions are taken as to which of them should and should not be part of the future.But so far as all other levels of the administration and the police and the military are concerned, they remain in place.” 

Martin said the main challenge facing the NTC would be to bring all militias and rebel groups under a single command 

“The issue of armed groups is not so much those who were within the ranks of official state employees but those who have taken up arms during the conflict.”

UN Trying To Define Its New Role In Libya

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is hopeful the fighting in Libya is coming to an end and is urging UN member states to help Libya’s new Transitional National Council (NTC) prepare for the post Gaddafi era.

“I think we can all be encouraged by the current trends” he told the Security Council this afternoon. “Fighting continues in some parts of the country, most notably Sirte, Sabha, Zuwara and points to the south, yet I think we can now hope for a quick conclusion to the conflict and an end to the suffering of Libya’s people.”

Ban told Security Council members that although the last few days had seen positive developments, the international community needed to continue actively helping the country’s transitional forces.

“Time is of the essence. My aim is to get UN personnel on the ground absolutely as quickly as possible, under a robust Security Council mandate.” he said  “Libya’s future is for Libyans to decide. We will act in accordance with their needs and desires, not vice versa.”

Ban and his special envoys Ian Martin and Abdel Elah Al Khatib will be meeting with members of Libya’s National Transitional Council on Thursday in Paris to discuss how the UN could best assist a new interim-government.

Martin told reporters afterwards the UN had been prepared to send a team of unarmed military observers to Libya, but that NTC officials had declined the offer.

“That was a contingency plan that most likely would have been called upon in the event of a ceasefire. Our discussions today indicate that they are not at all likely to ask for that.” he said.

Martin says the world body’s initial presence in the country will likely be an “integrated politically led mission” rather than the type of “operational deployment” associated with peacekeeping, but said the UN’s long term role would depend on the needs of Libyan authorities on the ground.

The NTC has already outlined a roadmap for the political transition and Martin says the Libyan leadership is looking for advice and help from the UN on several different issues.

“[the NTC roadmap] talks of the establishment of an interim government within 30 days after they declare “liberation” in Tripoli and then the holding of elections to a National Council in 240 days.” he said “Its going to be quite a challenge, organizationally and its clear the NTC wish the UN to play a major role in that process, and that will be a key element of UN support.” he said.

Earlier today, the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee agreed to release over 100 million dollars in frozen state funds to Libyan transitional forces. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon welcomed the move but told Council members more needed to be done. 

“It was vitally important that the Security Council Sanctions Committee acted to release $1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian assistance. The first allocation of these assets – $110 million – has just been made. Further action will be needed in the coming days. I appeal to the Council to continue to be responsive to the requests of the Transitional Authorities for funding.”

UN agencies have scaled up aid efforts in Tripoli and other areas affected by heavy fighting.  Humanitarian officials say the disruption of fuel lines has cut of access to electricity and water supplies to millions of people. The WFP and UNICEF have delivered water, cooking supplies and food aid in recent days, and are working to provide areas without power or water sanitation services emergency fuel reserves.

South Sudan Gets UN Nod: Hard Road Lies Ahead

The international community is less than 24 hours away from recognizing South Sudan as the world’s newest state.

UN Security Council today recommended the new Republic of Southern Sudan as the 193rd member of the United Nations.The General Assembly will vote tomorrow to officially recognize the Republic of Southern Sudan at UN headquarters in New York , where the country’s flag will be raised during a special ceremony.

After over two decades of civil war, Southern Sudanese overwhelmingly voted in favor of independence from the North in a referendum earlier this year.

Although the vote was meant to be the culminating point of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement between North and South, both countries still have to deal with a number of unresolved issues, such as the question of citizenship, demarcation of borders and ongoing violence in regions like Southern Kordofan and Abyei.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon urged both Northern and Southern leaders to continue working towards a peaceful solution to the unresolved elements of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

 “A viable South will need a viable North and vice versa. Together South and North must face their common future as partners, not rivals” Ban Ki Moon told Security Council members.

One of the poorest and least developed regions in the world, Southern Sudan will also face the difficult task of providing basic services to a growing population with little existing infrastructure available through out the country.

Ban warned UN member states that now was not the time to end funding to Southern Sudan, and called  on the international community continue providing much needed resources.

“In many ways our work has just begun. Institutions of government are weak. There are tremendous challenges on every front: social services, health, education” said the Secretary General. “At the day of its birth, South Sudan ranks at the bottom of almost all human development indicators.  Like any newborn, South Sudan needs help. Our responsabilities are enormous.”