“There are too many times when we still do not come to the defence of civilian populations in need,” Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said at the outset of the [Security] Council’s open debate. “When our response is weak, we appear to wash our hands of our humanitarian responsibilities to protect lives. The world is a safer place for most of us, but it is still a death trap for too many defenceless civilians, men, women and children.”

In Iraq, Sudan, Uganda, Somalia, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said, civilians continued to bear the full brunt of armed conflict and terror. Despite all efforts, women were still raped and violated as a matter of course; children were still forcibly recruited; and defenceless civilians continued to be killed – in violation of the most basic principles enshrined in centuries of international lawmaking.” [More]

“With tens of thousands of illiterate and unskilled former child soldiers in Afghanistan providing a tempting target for recruitment by one of the war-torn country’s numerous armed groups, United Nations agencies need additional funds to continue training projects to reintegrate them as members of a peaceful society.” [More]

The New York Times reported yesterday that the Prime Minister of East Timor, Mari Alkatiri, “who has been accused of arming hit squads in recent battles within the country’s security forces” and instructing them “to eliminate opponents of the government and of Mr. Alkatiri’s political party,” has resigned, an action that many see as the turning point in the recent crisis. As the Times points out, it is unclear how long it will take East Timor to fully recover, but it will undoubtedly be accelerated due the presence of the United Nations, which is already on the ground providing vital security and humanitarian assistance.The UN will soon be sending a police contingent to replace the local police force, which has “virtually evaporated,” and may soon send a peacekeeping force to supplement the Australian-led international force. And UN investigators are helping the Timorese Prosecutor-General look into the allegations of wrongdoing against Alkatiri and former Interior Minister Rogerio Lobato, mirroring the efforts of UN investigators in Lebanon who are helping bring to justice those involved in the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

In addition, the United Nations announced yesterday that the World Food Program has distributed a second round of rations to over 53,000 displaced Timorians; UNICEF has resumed a much-needed measles vaccination program; and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has delivered 1,800 tents, 2,400 plastic sheets, 17,000 blankets, and 1,400 fuel storage cans. A second shipment is on its way.