From the Editors - 31 March - 7 April 2024

We are disappointed that the Six Year anniversary issues of the past couple of weeks elicited so few reactions from our members. We  want to again thank Paula Claycomb for her contribution on "Gun Control in the US" which was one of the few we got.

This week we feature Nuzhat's article on Dhaka. As one of our co-editors for some time but also a regular columnist Nuzhat writes a personal memoir and current impresssions from a recent visit to Dhaka which makes for interesting reading.

The survival of children was an important issue in the positive article authored by Bill Gates which was shared by Andre Robertfroid on cutting child mortality in half. The ghost of Jim Grant was evoked by both the article and the comments received.

On the other hand we have a number of items related to dire humanitarian situations that are headlined including Sudan, Yemen, Haiti and Gaza/Palestine where children are facing both physical and mental dangers, coupled with hunger and famine. Especially disturbing is the article in the Guardian in which Doctors are reporting that children in Gaza are being targeted by IDF snipers.

The killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers by the IDF in Gaza has justly elicited condemnations from all over the world, including many western leaders. One cannot but compare this to deaths of many hundreds of UN and other humanitarian workers that were killed in Gaza and the muted reactions in their cases.

The  statement by UNICEF Deputy Dirctor Ted Chaiban to the Security Council on children in conflict areas is another important step in advocating for protection of children in armed conflict situations. 

On the same issue we are heartened by the fact that Malta is chairing the SC this month and are pleased to note the active manner in which  Ambassador Vanessa Frazier has pushed for a cease fire and for discussion on child related matters, as well as exhorting the ICJ to speed up its deliberations and decisions on the genocide in Gaza. We remind our readers that this month the XUNICEF Reunion will be held in Valletta, Malta, which will present another occasion for our Network to review  possible actions.

A few issues related to CIGNA and to UN Health insurance as well as the UN Pension Fund were posted which will interest our membership.

Martin Griffith's retirement from OCHA, and his interview with Christian Amanpour of CNN are worthy of perusal. We regret Martin's departure from the center stage of emergency and humanitarian actions of the UN, a task he has accomplished with flying honors for three years, but wish him well for the future. His remarkable career, starting with UNICEF, is a success story for the UN staff.

For a change in mood our colleague Sree has shared an article on Easter in Spain.

Ramesh Shresta provides us with his think piece on "What? Democracy? "

Ken Gibbs's article on "Time for Family Planning" is another of his delightful stories

Nuzhat Shahzadi also provided this article about the "Joy of Not Being Happy".

Richard Morgan shares with us with another poem on "Who Takes Care of Him?''  

Missing you....we are sorry to learn of the passing of Suleman Rahim Malik  RIP.             

Leo Goulet shares with us a recent photo of Keshab and Shanti Mathema from Katmandu.

With all the good wishes for Eid ul Fitr

For the sixth year Canada Post has issued an EID stamp

Fouad 
Editor of the Week