Libyans Need a Break from Fighting: UN

UN officials today called for a pause in the fighting between Libyan government forces and rebels, to allow humanitarian aid to get through to civilians caught in the cross fire.

UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos told the Security Council this afternoon that continued fighting in the port city of Misrata as well as Western Mountain towns like Nalut and Zintan put those areas at the forefront of humanitarian concerns.

 “Civilians still coming under fire in these areas of conflict.” she said .“The Security Council must insist that all parties respect international humanitarian law and ensure civilians are spared. The reported use of cluster bombs,sea and land mines as well as death and injuries caused by aerial bombings show a callous disregard for the physical and psychological well being of civilians.” 

Amos says that after being shelled over nearly two months, Misrata is facing important shortages of medical supplies and trained personnel to treat civilian casualties. 

“All parties need to agree a temporary pause in the conflict in Misrata and other areas. This would provide respite from violence for the civilian population and enable those who wish to leave to do so”

Continued fighting in Libya’s Western Mountain region has similarly reduced access to food and medical supplies and forced at least 50 000 people to flee into Tunisia.

Human Rights Watch has received several reports that civilian areas in the towns of Nalut, Takut and Zintan had come under fire by Gaddafi forces.

The breakdown of supply lines along with fuel and cash shortages and high food prices could also have important consequences on food security in these areas in the coming months. 

“The food stocks are depleted. Libya is a food deficit country, heavily reliant on imports.Between 75 and 90 % of all of consumed cereals are imported.” she said. “ The reports that we are getting is that the East has enough food stocks for about two months and in the West they have enough food stocks for about three months”

Amos said that implementation of sanctions against Libya were also making the delivery of aid more difficult.

“One of the issues for a country like Libya, is that it has a very central distribution system for things like food for example. So if for any reason, commercial supplies coming into the country are not able to come in, then it has an impact on that central distribution system and it has an impact on food stocks across the country.”