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	Health Facilities Under Attack, Severely Limiting Access to Care by UN News, MSF, Amnesty International, agencies Yemen, Afghanistan   January 25, 2016   Yemen: Health Facilities Under Attack, Severely Limiting Access to Care. (MSF)   The conflict in Yemen is being waged with total disregard for the rules of war, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) declared today, following the latest attack on one of its health facilities.   MSF’s medical activities in Yemen have been bombed four times in less than three months, with two hospitals, a clinic and an ambulance coming under fire. The organization is seeking guarantees from the warring parties that medical activities will be protected according to international humanitarian law.   “The way war is being waged in Yemen shows that the warring parties do not recognize or respect the protected status of hospitals and medical facilities,” said Raquel Ayora, MSF director of operations. “It is causing enormous suffering for people trapped in conflict zones. Public places are being bombed and shelled on a massive scale. Not even hospitals are being spared, even though medical facilities are explicitly protected by international humanitarian law.”   http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/article/yemen-health-facilities-under-attack-severely-limiting-access-care http://healthcareindanger.org/   Tragic air strike on Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan.   United Nations officials have criticized what they called a “tragic” and “inexcusable” air strike on the Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Kunduz, a city in northern Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of medical personnel, patients and other civilians.   MSF said some 105 patients and their caregivers, as well as more than 80 international and local MSF staff, were in the hospital, the only medical facility in the area that can deal with major injuries, at the time of the bombing.   The charity said Afghan and coalition forces were advised of the exact location of the hospital, having been given GPS coordinates of the facility it said had been providing care for four years.   "Twelve staff members and at least seven patients, including three children, were killed; 37 people were injured," the charity said.   Kunduz is facing a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians caught in the crossfire between Afghan government forces and Taliban insurgents who launched an attack on the town. At least 60 people are known to have died and 400 have been wounded in recent fighting.   In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Ban Ki moon condemned the airstrikes in Kunduz that resulted in the death and injury of medical workers and patients at a the MSF hospital on 3 October.   “The Secretary-General recalls that hospitals and medical personnel are explicitly protected under international humanitarian law,” said the statement adding the Mr. Ban calls for a thorough and impartial investigation into the attack in order to ensure accountability.   Médecins Sans Frontières have been operating the only hospital in Kunduz under extremely trying conditions, the statement continued, noting that the UN chief commends the courageous and dedicated staff of the organization and extends his deepest sympathies to the families of those killed and injured in this attack.   A news update from Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General''s Special Representative for Afghanistan, emphasized that hospitals accommodating patients and medical personnel “may never be the object of attack,” and noted that international humanitarian law also prohibits the use of medical facilities for military purposes.   Mr. Haysom commended Médecins sans Frontières for its work, and expressed condolences to the medical personnel, their patients, family and friends.   “I reiterate my call on all parties to the conflict to respect and protect medical and humanitarian personnel and facilities,” the UN envoy added.   UN''s Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Mark Bowden, said he is “deeply concerned” for the MSF staff and their patients, and the loss suffered by the people of Kunduz. “The civilian population is now facing a further acute situation, finding themselves cut off from vital medical support,” he warned.   From Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra''ad Al Hussein said there must be a swift, full and transparent investigation into the airstrikes that hit the clinic.   “This event is utterly tragic, inexcusable,” Mr. Zeid said in a news release. “International and Afghan military planners have an obligation to respect and protect civilians at all times, and medical facilities and personnel are the object of a special protection. These obligations apply no matter whose air force is involved, and irrespective of the location."   According to MSF, pro-Government forces had been informed of the precise location of the medical facilities. While it has yet to be established whether or not the hospital or immediate surroundings were the target of the attack, or were recklessly endangered by it, airstrikes reportedly continued to hit the area for a further 30 minutes after pro-Government forces were informed they were endangering a medical facility.   According to the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR), a United States spokesperson has reportedly been quoted saying US planes were carrying out airstrikes at around the time the hospital was hit.   The UN Human Rights chief said it was essential to ensure any inquiry was independent, impartial, transparent and effective. “This deeply shocking event should be promptly, thoroughly and independently investigated and the results should be made public," he said.   "The seriousness of the incident is underlined by the fact that, if established as deliberate in a court of law, an airstrike on a hospital may amount to a war crime," he explained.   http://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/under-secretary-general-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-stephen-o-brien   * President Obama has apologized for the bombing, calling it a tragedy, and has committed to rebuild the hospital and pay compensation to the bereaved families. Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) continues to call for a fully independent investigation of the tragedy: http://www.msf.org/article/afghanistan-enough-even-war-has-rules   30/9/2015   Condemning the violation of human rights and International Humanitarian Law during the armed conflict in Kunduz City. - Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)   The AIHRC strongly condemn the attack of the anti-government armed elements on Kunduz City, and targeting of civilian areas, public buildings and governmental and non-governmental infrastructures, including relief and charity organizations.   Capturing of Kunduz City by the anti-government armed elements resulted in civilian casualties, displacement of thousands of families, destruction and burning of governmental and non-governmental agencies, charity organizations, stop of public service (water and electricity), blocked of highways and closure of schools and health centers, higher education institutions and looting of public, national and international institutions and properties, including the AIHRC’s Regional Office in Kunduz, UN Office, UNHCR, Midiotic Office and freeing hundreds of prisoners, and detainees from Kunduz prison.   Targeting civilian population, non-military buildings and spaces, displacement of thousands of families, destroying, burning and looting of public buildings, using civilians as human shield and continuation of conflict in civilian areas that create terror and fear and endanger civilians’ lives is considered a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law and human rights’ standards.   It is also contrary to the instruction and principles of the sacred religion of Islam as well as internationally accepted human rights norms and standards. Committing of the acts and crimes mentioned above are considered war crimes and violation of human rights.   The AIHRC while expressing its deep concern over the occurrence of above mentioned incidents recalls that all parties involved in the armed conflict are obliged to respect the International Humanitarian Law and human rights standards, otherwise, they shall be fully accountable for violation of the mentioned laws and standards.   The AIHRC calls on the anti-government armed elements and the government security forces to seriously avoid targeting civilians, and civilian buildings, and fully respect the International Humanitarian Laws.   Likewise, the AIHRC urges the Afghanistan security forces to ensure the security and safety of the civilians, human rights activists, as well as civil society and women’s rights activists, journalist, and governmental and non-governmental buildings and infrastructures, and while respecting the principle of distinction try to protect the civilian population against threats of anti-government armed elements in Kunduz City and make their utmost efforts to recapture the areas captured by the insurgents in Kunduz province.   http://www.aihrc.org.af/home/press-release/5022   October 2015   Harrowing accounts emerge of the Taliban’s reign of terror in Kunduz. (Amnesty)   Mass murder, gang rapes and house-to-house searches by Taliban death squads are just some of the harrowing civilian testimonies emerging from Kunduz as Afghan forces today claimed to have regained control of key areas of the northern city, Amnesty International said.   The organization has spoken to numerous people, the majority of them women, who have fled Kunduz since Monday, when the Taliban launched a sudden assault on the city. Women human rights defenders from Kunduz spoke of a “hit list” being used by the Taliban to track down activists and others, and described how fighters had raped and killed numerous civilians.   “The harrowing accounts we’ve received paint a picture of a reign of terror during the Taliban’s brutal capture of Kunduz this week. The multiple credible reports of killings, rapes and other horrors meted out against the city’s residents must prompt the Afghan authorities to do more now to protect civilians, in particular in areas where more fighting appears imminent,” said Horia Mosadiq, Afghanistan Researcher at Amnesty International.   http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/10/afghanistan-harrowing-accounts-emerge-of-the-talibans-reign-of-terror-in-kunduz/ Visit the related web page
	War pushing water shortages to breaking point in the Middle East by International Committee of the Red Cross   25 March 2015   With heavy fighting continuing to tear apart Syria and Iraq, and many communities still recovering from conflicts in Lebanon, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the region''s water resources and aging delivery systems are reaching their breaking point, according to a new report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.   Even without the devastating impacts of recent droughts and ongoing conflicts, many Middle East and Gulf states would be struggling to meet the basic water needs of growing urban populations and rising food production demands.   Now with some 7.6 million people displaced within Syria and some 3.8 million seeking safety in neighbouring countries — along with another 2.5 million displaced due to fighting in Iraq — the situation is even more critical.   "Water systems in the region are under great stress," says Peter Maurer, president of the ICRC. "Water sources are being rapidly depleted and water infrastructure is being badly damaged in areas where local authorities were already hard pressed to meet the needs of growing populations. Massive displacement due to conflict is only amplifying the problem. If urgent efforts are not made, we will reach a breaking point. This is why we must act now to protect and preserve this most essential, life-giving resource."   But record-low rainfalls, diminishing aquifers, overuse of scarce resources and the devastating impacts of conflict have made clean water increasingly difficult to come by. To make matters worse, warring parties sometimes target water and power-supply infrastructure or deliberately interrupt supplies for military or political gain.   "Using access to water as a tactic or weapon during conflict, or targeting water or energy facilities, not only violates the laws of armed conflict, it has very harmful effects on the lives of people whose health is already extremely vulnerable," says Robert Mardini, ICRC''s head of operations for the Middle East.   "Such attacks are particularly harmful because water, sanitation, electrical and energy supplies are intimately interconnected," Mardini continued. "An attack on an electrical station, for example, could have a very serious impact on sewage treatment, water availability, the quality of water, or the functioning of health facilities. The humanitarian community does not have the capacity to meet the populations needs by continually substituting services or by offering quick-fixes."   In many cases, sewage and other wastewater is not being properly treated, posing a serious threat to community health among already vulnerable populations. Water networks lose significant amounts of water due to lack of maintenance — a situation often caused directly by conflict. In Syria alone, local officials estimated in 2014 that they lost 60 percent of pumped water through gaps in the network due to damage caused by the conflict.   While there are no easy solutions to the region''s water woes, the ICRC and its national partners are already making a difference in the lives of millions of people affected by conflict. By working with national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as local water and power authorities, the ICRC has been able to keep vital services running.   Even during intense fighting it has helped provide badly needed clean water to millions of people in all the affected countries. "There are reasons to be hopeful," says Mardini. "This is largely a problem caused by humans and it can be solved by humans.   But it depends on the support and concerted efforts of everyone, from the international community to local communities. The problem and the solutions belong to everyone, and we must make sure the water flows for everyone".   Red Cross and Red Crescent action across the Middle East in 2014: 9.5 million people received water through emergency repairs or rehabilitation of supply systems. 600,000 people received water delivered by tanker trucks or in bottles. 1.1 million people benefitted from improvements to water-storage or distribution facilities.   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/war-pushing-water-shortages-breaking-point-middle-east-says-icrc-report Visit the related web page
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