UN Staff Mourn Fallen Colleagues in the Past Week

United Nations staff has mourned the loss of at least 40 of their colleagues who perished in the line of duty over the past week with a wreath-laying ceremony at the world body's Headquarters in New York. CRI's correspondent Shen Ting has more.

The ceremony held on Wednesday was to commemorate the fallen UN staff in Haiti, C?te d'Ivoire, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo during and the Darfur region of Sudan during the past week. They include seven died in an attack on the UN compound in Mazar-i-Sharif of Afghanistan on Friday, and 32 killed in a plane crash in Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Monday.

In a speech delivered on the ceremony, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the loss as shocking, but also stressed that the UN staff are united in sorrow and mission.

"The roster of the fallen, in recent days, has been shocking and profoundly sad. We stand in solidarity with their friends and families, united in sorrow, but united also in our mission."

Ban Ki-moon said like those who have gone before, the fallen staff of the UN gave their lives to the most noble of causes, which is to help those in need and work for peace. He pointed out that with greater responsibility, the UN staff are now facing greater risk as well.

"As an Organization, we are asked to take on greater and greater responsibility, at greater and greater risk. In light of these evolving realities, I have instructed my senior managers to undertake an immediate review of the personal security needs and policies."

In recognition of their sacrifices, all UN offices around the world have been asked to fly the UN flag at half-mast on Wednesday.

One day before, in a letter to all UN staff members, Ban Ki-moon had expressed his sorrow at the tragic life losses in recent days. He also said he is sure that his fallen colleagues would want the UN to carry forward the work they performed so valiantly.

For CRI News, this is Shen Ting from the UN Headquarters in New York.