United Nations: The United Nations has
said that the situation in the ethnic riot-hit southern
Kyrgyzstan has improved but security concerns are still
preventing humanitarian workers from reaching everyone.
"The situation in Osh has improved with many small
shops and banks opening up, with traffic in circulation and
with farmers from neighbouring provinces bringing in
products," said Martin Nesirky, UN spokesperson.
"However, food, shelter, non-food items and hygiene
kits remain important needs," he told journalists.
"It is essential that, where people are returning,
they are able to do so safely, voluntarily and in a
sustainable manner," Nesirky said.
"We also urge that returns should happen foremost to
areas that humanitarian agencies have access to," he added.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) said that humanitarian workers were finding it
difficult to reach all of those in need due to security
concerns.
The clashes that erupted in Osh and Jalabad regions
between ethnic Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbek groups have so far
claimed the lives of hundreds of people and thousands have
been injured.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has determined that
300,000 people are internally displaced due to the ethnic
violence, and an estimated 100,000 have fled to neighbouring
Uzbekistan.
The UN has launched a flash appeal for USD 71 million
dollars for the thousands of people impacted by the ethnic
violence that broke out in southern Kyrgyzstan on June 10.
The UNHCR now finds that there are mass returns from
Uzbekistan and according to the Kyrgyz authorities, 70,000
refugees have returned so far.
UNHCR noted that both refugees and internally
displaced persons had expressed mixed feelings about going
back they wanted to be reunited with their families but they
were also worried about their safety.
Ban`s Special Representative for the region, Miroslav
Jenca, noted that there were ongoing consultations with the
Kyrgyzstan government on establishing an international
presence in the country.
In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council passed a
resolution that called on the Kyrgyzstan government to
organise a probe into the violence.
PTI
