United Nations: The UN, which lost at least
28 civilian personnel and seven peacekeepers in attacks last
year, on Wednesday said it was "frustrating" that none of the
perpetrators have been brought to justice.
Last year, 16 civilian staff members were killed in
separate incidents in Afghanistan and Pakistan alone,
according to the world body.
Five were killed during the Iraqi operations in the Gaza
strip and two were killed in Somalia.
"Once again, UN personnel had to pay with their lives for
their efforts to assist population in distress," said Stephen
Kisambira, United Nations Staff Union President.
"It is frustrating that hardly has anyone responsible
been brought to account".
He said a particularly disturbing trend of "deliberate
attacks" continued last year in Afghanistan, Pakistan and
Darfur to intimidate and undermine the United Nations.
During 2008, at least 34 United Nations personnel lost
their lives as a result of malicious acts, down from at least
42 deaths in 2007.
The Staff Union head noted that 15 years after the
adoption of the Convention on the Safety of the UN and
Associated Personnel, it had not been ratified by 104 nations.
Kisambira asked member states to "take seriously their
primary responsibility to protect the United Nations
personnel" who are working to maintain "peace and fostering
development in far flung areas of the world".
PTI
