World News in Brief: Justice for Yazidis, South Sudan abductions, food prices hold steady

“Captured Yazidi women, girls, and boys, survivors and victims of the Yazidi genocide and other ISIL crimes, are still held alongside their persecutors in these dehumanising conditions in the northeast Syria camps today,” said Commissioner Lynn Welchman. “The international community should be supporting their recovery and wellbeing and pursuit of justice, not perpetuating the atrocities they have survived.”

‘Detained indefinitely’

Today, some 44,000 women and children remain in those detention camps in northeast Syria, including around 27,000 children. Two thirds are foreigners, from Iraq and more than 60 other countries. They are not able to leave and are being “detained indefinitely”, according to the Commission.

The Commission had documented how ISIL committed genocide beginning on 3 August 2014, when the terrorist group launched a devastating assault on the Yazidi people of Sinjar in northwestern Iraq close to the border with Syria, along with multiple crimes against humanity and war crimes through mass executions, forced religious conversions to Islam, enslavement and widespread sexual violence against women and girls.

After the fall of Baghouz in March 2019 when ISIL lost its territorial hold in Syria, tens of thousands of people assumed to be family members of ISIL fighters with many enslaved Yazidi women and girls among them, were detained in internment camps, including Al Hawl and Rawj in northeast Syria, the Commission stated.

“Yazidis should be provided with meaningful choices regarding return to Iraq, reunification with family members or settlement in third countries with their children,” said Commissioner Hanny Megally. “Member States must facilitate these opportunities.” 

South Sudan: Rise in abductions in Central Equatoria state

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) voiced grave concern on Friday over a rise in abductions in the greater Yei region of Central Equatoria state.

Abductions are allegedly being carried out by the National Salvation Front (NAS) and other armed elements, and are occurring mainly in three counties – Yei River, Morobo and Lainya.

Last month, UNMISS received reports of some 12 cases, affecting 134 people, including six children.

The mission warned that abducting children exposes them to various risks including possible recruitment and use in armed conflict, as well as sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation.

Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, called for the immediate and unconditional release of all children and adults held captive.

He urged the Government to conduct immediate investigations and remind involved parties of their human rights obligations.

“We also call for collective action by all stakeholders, including the Government, to strengthen measures that prevent recurring abductions and bring perpetrators to justice swiftly,” he added. 

Global food price index broadly unchanged in July 

Global food commodity benchmarks remained largely unchanged in July, with rises in vegetable oils, meat and sugar offsetting deceases in cereals, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday.

This marked the second month in a row of steady prices, with the UN agency’s Food Price Index averaging 120.8 points in July, marginally below its revised 121.0 figure for June. 

The figure was 3.1 per cent lower than the corresponding values last July. 

The Food Price Index tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a set of globally traded food commodities.  

Cereals down, oils up 

The FAO Cereal Price Index dropped by 3.8 per cent from June as global export prices for major cereals fell for the second month in a row. Wheat prices decreased due to increased availability from winter harvests and favourable conditions in Canada and the United States. Maize prices also fell with progressing harvests in Argentina and Brazil and strong crop conditions in the US. 

Conversely, the Vegetable Oil Price Index rose 2.4 per cent, driven by high demand for soy oil in the biofuel sector and poor crop prospects for sunflower and rapeseed oils. Similarly, the Meat Price Index increased by 1.2 per cent due to strong import demand for various meats, despite a slight decline in pig meat prices.

The Sugar Price Index also saw an increase of 0.7 per cent, influenced by lower-than-expected production in Brazil.