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	2015 Martin Ennals Human Rights Defenders Award by Members of the Human Rights Community   The final nominees for the 2015 Martin Ennals Human Rights Defenders Award are: Robert Sann Aung, Myanmar ; Asmaou Diallo, Guinea and Ahmed Mansoor, United Arab Emirates   This award is selected by the International Human Rights Community and given to Human Rights Defenders who have shown deep commitment and courage in the face of personal risk. The aim of the award is to highlight their work and protect them through increased visibility.   Robert Sann Aung, Burma (Myanmar)   Since his first year of University in 1974, Robert Sann Aung has courageously fought against human rights abuses. He has been repeatedly imprisoned in harsh conditions, physically attacked as well as regularly threatened. His education was interrupted numerous times and he was disbarred from 1993 – 2012. In 2012 he managed to regain his license to practice law. Since then he has represented jailed child soldiers, those protesting at a contested copper mine, peaceful political protesters, those whose land has been confiscated by the military, as well as student activists. Throughout his career he has provided legal services, or just advice, often pro bono, to those whose rights have been affected.   He stated, "I feel humble and extremely honored to be nominated for this prestigious award. This nomination conveys the message to activists, human rights defenders and promoters who fight for equality, justice and democracy in Myanmar that their efforts are not forgotten by the world. And this is also the nomination for the people in Myanmar who stand together with me, who struggle with me, for the betterment of citizens so that they can live in dignity, under the just law, in conformity with the principles of UN human rights declaration."   Asmaou Diallo, Guinea   Her human rights work started following the events of 28 September 2009 when the Guinean military attacked peaceful demonstrators. Over 150 were killed, including her son, and over 100 women raped. Hundreds more were injured. She and l’Association des Parents et Amis des Victimes du 28 septembre 2009 (APIVA), which she founded, work to obtain justice for these crimes and to provide medical and vocational support to victims of sexual assault, many of whom cannot return to their homes.   She has worked to encourage witnesses to come forward and supported them as they provided information and testimony to court proceedings. As a result, eleven people have been charged, including senior army officers.   She stated, “As a human rights defender in Guinea, I am very comforted to be among the nominees for the Martin Ennals Foundation, this prize encourages me to continue my fight for the protection and promotion of human rights in Guinea. I trust that this award will have a positive effect on the legal cases concerning the events of the September 28, 2009, and will be a lever for all defenders of human rights in Guinea.”   Ahmed Mansoor, United Arab Emirates   Since 2006, he has focussed on initiatives concerning freedom of expression, civil and political rights. He successfully campaigned in 2006-2007 to support two people jailed for critical social comments. They were released and the charges dropped. Shortly after, the Prime Minister of UAE issued an order not to jail journalists in relation to their work. He is one of the few voices within the United Arab Emirates who provides a credible independent assessment of human rights developments.   He regularly raises concerns on arbitrary detention, torture, international standards for fair trials, non-independence of the judiciary, and domestic laws that violate international law. He was jailed in 2011 and since then has been denied a passport and banned from travelling.   He stated, “I''m very pleased to be nominated for the Martin Ennals award. This recognition indicates that we are not left alone in this part of the world and that our voices resonate and our efforts are appreciated by a well-informed people. I hope this nomination sheds further light on the human rights issues in the UAE. It is not just full of skyscrapers, big malls and an area attractive to businesses, but there are other struggles of different sorts beneath all of that.”   (This award is selected by the International Human Rights Community - members of the jury are International Commission of Jurists ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, International Federation for Human Rights, World Organisation Against Torture, Front Line Defenders, EWDE Germany, International Service for Human Rights and HURIDOCS).   http://www.martinennalsaward.org/ http://www.icj.org/martin-ennals-award-2015-the-final-selection-is-known/ Visit the related web page
	Those who target aid workers are penalizing the most vulnerable people in the world by UN News, Alertnet, Red Cross, agencies   World Humanitarian Day, by Ertharin Cousin, World Food Programme   As the World Food Programme marks August 19 as World Humanitarian Day – the 12th anniversary of the tragic deaths of 22 colleagues in the bombing of the United Nations office in Baghdad – we mourn and cherish those members of our own family taken from us.   Over the last year, four of our colleagues in South Sudan have disappeared without a trace. We have searched relentlessly for news of their whereabouts, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. After many months, we must sadly conclude that they are no longer alive. Our thoughts are with their families. We will remember their dedication, compassion and courage.   As we honour the recently fallen, we also pay tribute to the many in WFP and across the humanitarian community selflessly striving day in, day out, to meet the pressing needs of the vulnerable, hungry poor in hotspots around the world.   With 80 percent of humanitarian work now in countries and regions affected by conflict, the task of giving life-saving assistance is increasingly, for too many colleagues, life-threatening.   Today, too often, feeding the hungry demands unlimited courage and boundless commitment from those on the front line. Humanitarians, including our WFP colleagues, must be fearless. I am honoured to say I work with 14,000 of the bravest, hardest working people on earth. During my tenure as WFP Executive Director, I’ve witnessed their personal sacrifices, shared their tears and personally witnessed the losses. Just a few days ago, I stood in the ruins of a colleague’s home in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a.   As securing the access we need to provide impartial assistance becomes increasingly difficult in places like Yemen and South Sudan, more is asked of humanitarian actors than ever before. We thank all those who serve for the inspiration they give all of us every day.   * The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world''s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.   http://www.wfp.org/countries http://www.wfp.org/news/news-releases   23 Aug 2015   Central African Republic: Humanitarian Coordinator strongly condemns attack against humanitarian workers in Bambari - UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs   The Humanitarian Coordinator, Aurélien A. Agbénonci and the entire humanitarian community in the Central African Republic (CAR) strongly condemns the attack against humanitarian workers that occurred on August 20 in Bambari. One staff from the Red Cross Movement in the exercise of their mandate was injured. The violence occurred in the context of renewed inter-communal tensions that caused the death of at least five civilians and the evacuation of eight injured to Bambari health structures.   "I condemn the violence and call on all belligerents to respect and protect humanitarian workers who provide assistance to thousands of people affected by the crisis in the country," said Mr. Agbénonci.   "The humanitarian situation in the country is worrying and the principles of neutrality, independence and impartiality and the rules of international humanitarian law must be respected," he added.   Humanitarian actors pay a heavy price in the exercise of their function. Nineteen of them have been killed since the start of the crisis in CAR. Humanitarian access continues to be hampered by various constraints in the country, particularly by violence against civilians and humanitarian workers. "Attacks against aid workers reduce their ability to carry out these essential activities, leaving the most vulnerable in CAR at a risky situation," said Mr Agbénonci.   The Humanitarian Coordinator therefore called on all parties to ensure that those providing humanitarian assistance can safely access people in need and conduct their activities without hindrance.   http://reliefweb.int/report/central-african-republic/central-african-republic-humanitarian-coordinator-strongly-condemn-0   21 April 2015   Yesterday’s “horrific” attack on the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) staff in Somalia is a reminder of the dangers many aid workers face on a daily basis.   Four UNICEF staff members were killed yesterday when a roadside bomb exploded alongside their minivan as they travelled to work in Garowe, northern Somalia.   “Aid workers are increasingly targets, with serious consequences for our ability to reach people who urgently need help,” Valerie Amos, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a press release.   “Attacks on humanitarian workers can constitute a war crime and are in total violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.”   According to the UN, such attacks have increased every year for more than a decade. In 2013, they reached a record high of 264 attacks, affecting 474 aid workers.   “When aid workers are attacked, they are unable to help people. Those who target aid workers are penalizing the most vulnerable people in the world; those who are struggling to survive. They are violating every principle of humanity and common decency,” the UN humanitarian chief said.   20 April 2015   The United Nations has strongly condemned this morning’s attack on a UN vehicle in north-eastern Somalia, which killed four UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) workers and seriously injured four others when a roadside bomb exploded alongside the minibus in which they were riding.   “All of us at UNICEF are deeply saddened,” Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive-Director, said in a statement to the press. “The horrific attack on our UNICEF colleagues today in northern Somalia is an assault not only on them but on the people they served. Our immediate thoughts are with the families of the four staff members who were killed and with those who were injured,” Mr. Lake added.   “Our colleagues dedicated their lives to working for the children of Somalia. They are not victims. They and those who were wounded are heroes. We mourn their loss and hope for the full recovery of the injured,” he said.   Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned in the “strongest terms” the attack against UN staff who were “working to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the people of Somalia, including the country’s children, many of whom are in desperate need.”   “This is truly a terrible, terrible day for UNICEF, and for all those these colleagues were working to help in the country,” said Edward Carwardine, Deputy Director of Communications at UNICEF.   He said that UNICEF has been in Somalia since 1972 and its programmes are now focused particularly on areas such as water, education, child health nutrition and the protection of children. The agency, he said “is working for some of the most vulnerable children and families in that part of the country.”   And despite today’s tragedy, Mr. Carwardine said, “UNICEF’s ongoing work for these most vulnerable children is our priority and we are committed to continuing that as best we can.”   11 April 2015   The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan today expressed sadness for the death of five staff members of Save the Children International, found dead on 10 April, after being abducted on 3 March in Uruzgan province.   "I am deeply saddened by this shocking news. I share the grief of our colleagues at Save the Children International and the families of those killed,” Mark Bowden said in a statement to the press.   “Afghanistan is one of the most challenging places for the humanitarian community with death, kidnappings and attacks against humanitarians all too frequent an occurrence,” he added.   Aid workers in Afghanistan provide emergency trauma care, run feeding programmes for malnourished children, assist people displaced from conflict and natural disasters, and support the most vulnerable wherever there is need.   Attacks against aid workers lessen their ability to carry out these essential activities.   “I call on all parties to ensure that those providing humanitarian assistance have safe access to people in need are can carry out their life-saving work unhindered,” the Humanitarian Coordinator said.   In 2014, 57 aid workers were killed in Afghanistan, according to United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).   31 Mar 2015   The deaths of three Red Cross and Red Crescent workers in unrelated attacks in Mali, Yemen and Syria within hours of each other this week were condemned as "profoundly shocking and unacceptable" by the organisation"s head on Tuesday.   Elhadj As Sy, secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said his staff and volunteers "are needed today more than ever before, and they must be protected by all".   Malian staff member Hamadoun Daou was attacked while driving an aid truck from Gao in the east of the country to Niamey, the capital of Niger, where he was due to collect medical equipment.   Omar Ali Hassam, a Red Crescent volunteer in Yemen, was shot dead in the southern province of A Dhalea. The unnamed third victim, a volunteer for the Syrian branch of the Palestine Red Crescent, was shot dead in a refugee camp near Damascus.   "All parties to conflict must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and may not attack humanitarian personnel, hospitals or ambulances," said Yves Daccord, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross.   The federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent groups, comprising 189 national societies, has almost 17 million active volunteers providing humanitarian assistance worldwide.   Medicins Sans Frontieres brings together thousands of medical staff to work on projects in 70 countries.   Spokeswoman Teresa Sancristoval, who is helping coordinate a response to the crisis in Yemen, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation that protecting aid workers is a top concern. "We try to do our best, but it"s not always enough".   Humanitarian Outcomes, a policy group, monitors the number of aid workers killed each year. In 2013, the last year for which full figures are available, there were a record 155 deaths, up from 70 in 2012, with 251 attacks on aid workers.   Deteriorating security in Afghanistan, Syria, the Central African Republic and South Sudan explained this increase, spokeswoman Abby Stoddard told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.   But she expected the number of deaths to be lower in 2014, with aid workers deterred from going to countries like Somalia due to the heightened risks. "You have fewer casualties there because there are fewer humanitarian workers there," she said.   Since the Syrian war began in 2011, a total of 48 Red Cross volunteers have been killed, said spokesman Benoit Carpentier. It was not known how many aid workers in total have died in the conflict, which has claimed over 200,000 lives.   The dangers faced by aid workers in Syria were highlighted last summer when Britons David Haines and Alan Henning, and U.S. citizen Peter Kassig were beheaded by their Islamic State captors, with videos of the executions released online.   Hospitals and aid workers have also been targeted in South Sudan in recent months, and the Red Cross has reported that its workers in Guinea have been attacked while trying to combat the deadly Ebola virus.   Carpentier said procedures are in place to minimise the danger faced by aid workers. "But there is no risk zero," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.   http://www.ifrc.org/ http://www.icrc.org/en http://www.msf.org http://www.unocha.org/ http://www.savethechildren.net/ http://www.unicef.org/ Visit the related web page
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