Geneva, Aug 20: The United Nations Human Rights office vowed today to continue its work in Iraq, saying that it would be a fitting tribute to its head, Sergio Vieira De Mello, who was killed in the bomb attack on UN Headquarters in Baghdad. "There is no doubt as a matter of principle that UN activities in general and Human Rights activities in particular will continue on Iraq and in Iraq," the assistant UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, told the reporters here. Vieira De Mello, who was killed along with at least 24 other people when a bomb exploded at UN Headquarters in Baghdad yesterday, was appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in September 2002. He had been on temporary assignment as the UN's top envoy to Iraq since May. "While mourning the loss of the High Commissioner, we will pay tribute to him by taking strength from his death and renewing our resolve to act for the protection of Human Rights worldwide," he added.

Ramcharan said all the other 10 N Human Rights staff present at the time of the explosion in Baghdad were well.

Vieira De Mello had told friends he expected to return to his job as UN Human Rights chief next month. The Brazilian envoy was the most senior UN official to die in a middle east attack since Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish UN mediator, was killed by Zionist radicals in 1948.

Bureau Report