UNITED NATIONS - / MaximsNews Network / 10 June 2009 - Earlier today, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon issued a statement to the press following the news that the death toll of Tuesday night’s bombing at the Pearl Continental Hotel in Peshawar has risen to 18 and that among those dead are two UN employees.

He expressed “his strong condemnation of this brutal act of terror against innocent people, many of whom were in Peshawar to carry out humanitarian work.”

The hotel was turned into ruins by a suicide bomb concealed in a truck that was detonated late Tuesday. The city of Peshawar is the capital of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, where violence has been ongoing millions displaced.

One of the UN personnel killed in the attack was Aleksandar Vorkapic from Serbia who worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He was part of the UN efforts to help the more than 2 million people already forced to leave their homes in the Swat Valley due to clashes between government troops and opposition fighters there.

António Guterres, head of UNHCR, opined that Mr. Vorkapic “gave his life serving others.” He added, “All of us at UNHCR are devastated by this tragedy and we convey our deepest condolences to his family in Belgrade.”

Ban Ki-Moon noted, “Once again, a dedicated staff member of the United Nations is among the victims of a heinous terrorist attack which no cause can justify.”

The other casualty was Perseveranda So, the Chief of Education in Pakistan of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and came from the Philippines. She went by Persy among colleagues and had been employed by UNICEF since 1994. UNICEF Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman explained that Ms. So’s work in Pakistan was “helping implement programmes to assist girls in gaining access to education they so desperately need and “[s]he will be greatly missed by her colleagues.”

A further four UN employees were hurt in the bombing. Two of them were personnel from the UN World Food Programme and are in a hospital in Islamabad. The other two worked for the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

A number of Pakistanis working for UN programs there also died or were hurt and UN Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that it is “deeply saddened to learn that three colleagues supporting our humanitarian work were among those killed.” UNFPA offered its sympathy to the relatives and friends of Mohammad Maskeen, Mohammad Tahir and Mohammad Fawad, as well as “to all the victims of this heinous act.”

The total number who lost their lives in the suicide attack presently stands at 18 but may yet rise. Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the WFP, told the international community, “Our hearts and thoughts are with those suffering from this tragic and brutal attack, including both WFP’s staff and UN colleagues with whom we’ve worked side by side, around the clock, to bring life-saving assistance to millions.”

UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, Fikret Akcura reported, “The whole UN community feels shock and dismay on the tragic deaths and injuries…We are determined to continue our humanitarian support to over two millions Pakistani citizens who have been affected by the ongoing displacement crises.” He went on to say he was offering his “deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.”

The bombing comes in the context of unremitting challenges in the region. UNHCR is adding to its displaced persons camps since existing facilities were overwhelmed and overcrowded as a result of the influx of people who had to flee the violence. One particular problem is the approximately 70,000 pregnant women among the 2 million displaced and health care personnel are needed to provide for safe births. Women have come from far and wide to the clinics set up for this purpose.

However, more camps are needed with those that started accepting people last week already nearly full. Once more land is available, more camps will be erected. UNHCR spokesperson, William Spindler said, “Our field teams report that more and more people who have been staying with host families, with relatives or in schools are now arriving in camps.”

BY CAROLINE PATTON

Labels: United Nations, MaximsNews Network, U.N.

 

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