Top UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello killed in blast in Baghdad
Iraq-UN, Politics, 8/20/2003

The top United Nations envoy in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was killed yesterday when an unidentified group blew up the UN headquarters in Baghdad, killing at least 14 others and injuring dozens more in what Secretary-General Kofi Annan denounced as an inexcusable "act of unprovoked and murderous violence."

Vieira de Mello, a 30-year Brazilian veteran of many UN peacekeeping operations from the Balkans to East Timor to Africa, had been trapped in the rubble of the devastated Canal Hotel, which served as UN headquarters in the Iraqi capital. He was 55 and was UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Annan mourned his death as "a bitter blow for the United Nations, and for me personally."

"Those who killed him have committed a crime, not only against the United Nations but against Iraq itself," he said in a statement issued in New York. "The death of any colleague is hard to bear, but I can think of no one we could less afford to spare, or who would be more acutely missed throughout the UN system, than Sergio."

Among others killed were Rick Hooper of the United States, Ranillo Buenaventura and Marilyn Manuel of the Philippines, Jean-Selim Kanaan of Egypt and Fiona Watson of the United Kingdom. In addition, the Program Coordinator for the UN ChildrenÕs Fund (UNICEF) in Iraq, Christopher Klein-Beekman, also died. He was a 32-year-old Canadian who was the agencyÕs Officer-in-Charge in the country at the time of his death. ÒThe people of Iraq have suffered an enormous loss today,Ó UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said.

Mr. Vieira de Mello made the establishment of full human rights a major part of his mission to Iraq ever since he arrived at the beginning of June as Mr. Annan's Special Representative and insisted that full sovereignty should be restored to the Iraqi people as soon as possible following the occupation of the country by the United States-led coalition.

As news of his death spread through UN Headquarters in New York and the flags of the 191 Member States were lowered in front of the building - leaving the UN flag alone at half mast - staff gathered in small sombre groups to mourn.

Vieira de Mello only took his Iraqi mission as a short-term four-month assignment, so important did he and the Secretary-General consider the global fight for human rights and the urgency of his return to his post as High Commissioner.

Previous Stories:
  Increased Shiite rejection of occupation   (8/16/2003)
  Shiite rejection to Saddam's call to declare Jihad against occupation forces   (8/15/2003)
  UN envoy sees rapprochement between Iraqi Council and Arab League   (8/14/2003)
  EU lifts sanctions from Iraq   (7/8/2003)

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