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| UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky addresses a press conference at United Nations HQ in NYC [PHOTO: UNifeed] |
New York: The United Nations food relief agency has warned that humanitarian needs in Syria, especially for food, are growing, with
serious bread and fuel shortages across the war-torn country.
During a press conference in New York, the spokesperson for
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Martin Nesirky, stressed that despite
"insecurity, attacks, road closures, fuel shortages and lack of access to
conflict affected areas," UN agencies and humanitarian partners are
continuing to reach hundreds of thousands of people in Syria.
Nesirky noted that, overall, the World Food Programme (WFP)
has reached 800,000 people since the beginning of January and "hopes to
reach 1.5 million people with food distributions in Syria this month."
WFP estimates that 2.5 million people are in need of food
assistance. In November, the distribution cycle had provided aid to 1.4 million
people, slightly less than the target due to poor security conditions; the
December distribution cycle was still underway, so accurate figures were not
yet available.
The spokesperson said the World Food Programme "is
unable to further increase assistance because of the lack of implementing
partners on the ground and challenges reaching some of the country's
areas."
He noted that WFP "recently received approval from the
Syrian Government to import fuel for its operations in Syria."
More than 60,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed
in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in early
2011. Recent months have witnessed an escalation in the conflict, which is now
in its 23rd month.
The security situation's deterioration has led WFP to
temporarily relocate its staff from its sub-offices in the cities of Homs,
Aleppo, Tartous and Qamisl.
On Bahrain, Nesirky said the Secretary-General "deeply
regrets" the decision of a Bahraini appeals court to uphold the sentences,
including life imprisonment, against 20 Bahraini political activists,
He said the Secretary-General "reiterates his firm
belief that the only way to promote peace, stability, justice and prosperity in
Bahrain is through a national dialogue, which addresses the legitimate
aspirations of all Bahrainis and in which all communities can participate
freely without fear or intimidation."
In early 2012, the Gulf country experienced clashes between
security forces and demonstrators; a year after widespread civil protests first
emerged there. In June 2011, the King of Bahrain had established the so-called
Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate incidents that
occurred during the country's unrest.
According to media reports, the 20 activists involved in the
Court of Cassation's decision – made on Monday – were among opposition leaders
and others originally convicted by a special military tribunal in 2011 of
plotting to overthrow the State, and had been sentenced to between five years
and life in jail.
All 20 were reported to have lost an appeal in a civilian
court last September, and the appeal court's decision yesterday upheld their
convictions – although only 13 of them had appealed, with the remaining seven
tried in absentia because they were out of the country or in hiding. -UNifeed