PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
PRESS RELEASE
Ref: 88/2003
Date: 03 August 2003
PCHR calls upon the international community to provide immediate financial assistance for UNWRA’s emergency appeal
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) calls upon the international community to provide immediate financial assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). PCHR urges all member states of the United Nations, in particular those of the Arab and Islamic world, as well as private donors and organisations to take immediate steps to contribute to an emergency appeal for US$103 million.
In June, UNRWA launched an urgent appeal for donors to contribute much needed funds in aid of their development and emergency relief programs for Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). UNRWA provides employment opportunities for thousands of refugees, as well as financial assistance, food aid and educational, social and medical services.
“The Palestinian population has suffered so much in the last three years that their distress will not quickly be reversed,” said UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Peter Hansen, at the appeal’s launch in Geneva. “The Palestinian economy has been gravely damaged and poverty rates have tripled; hundreds of families have been made homeless and thousands of people have been killed and injured. If the international community wishes to encourage peace in the region it must continue working to ease the plight of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.”
On 23 July 2003, Mr. Hansen held a press conference in Gaza City, to further express his concerns for the ongoing humanitarian suffering in the OPT. Mr. Hansen stated that UNRWA has received only US$3.5 million of the US$103 million necessary for the full implementation of their development and emergency aid programs for the second half of 2003.
Due to the severe financial constraints UNRWA has been forced to cease their assistance to approximately 31,000 refugees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and there are further fears that the agency may be forced to dismiss approximately 8,000 refugees currently working under UNRWA’s job creation program.
In the last three years, the already deplorable humanitarian situation in the OPT has deteriorated rapidly, due to increased Israeli aggression and violations of basic human rights, resulting in the collective punishment of the Palestinian population. PCHR stresses that the need for financial assistance is a direct result of the Israeli government’s policies, which have resulted in the social and economic suffocation of the Palestinian people. PCHR asserts that ignoring the plight of the Palestine refugees provides de facto support for the policies of the Israeli government, whose occupying forces continue to perpetrate violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including war crimes.
With this in mind, PCHR urges the international community to take immediate steps to ensure the continuation of UNRWA’s invaluable services, by contributing to the emergency appeal.
PCHR calls:
Upon member states of the United Nations to immediately provide the financial assistance necessary to fund UNRWA’s emergency appeal.
Upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 1949 to take all necessary steps to force the Israeli occupying authorities to stop violations of human rights and grave breaches of the Convention, including war crimes, against Palestinian civilians and property.
Upon the international community to force an end to the injustice and persecution which the Palestinian people have been subjected to, including dispersion and forced migration.
Upon the international community to take effective steps to pressure Israel to lift the siege imposed on the OPT and allow the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and control over their natural resources in accordance with UN principles and international human rights instruments.
Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 - 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org