YouSaid · the spoken record

Gumbi

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17
first
2000-07-26
most recent
2011-10-24
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2
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un-security-council

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  1. “My delegation looks forward to meaningful progress that will bring us closer to a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East region. In that connection, South Africa will continue to contribute in any way that can lead to the resolution of the Middle East problem in all of its aspects. Last, but by no means least, I would like to add the voice of my delegation in pledging solidarity with the people of Turkey in the aftermath of the natural calamity that befell their country yesterday. Likewise, we convey our sympathy to the people of Saudi Arabia during this period of grief over the passing of their Crown Prince.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  2. “3] (c)) A few days ago, in a statement to the Third Committee of the General Assembly, the Special Rapporteur expressed concern about reports of violence against Palestinian children, including their arrest and detention by Israeli military authorities. We regret that there has been an increase in detentions of minors in recent years. Again, we call on Israel to fulfil its obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law and to protect the rights of children. South Africa looks forward to welcoming Palestine, sooner rather than later, as the 194th Member of the United Nations. We also hope that the process will achieve its stated objectives as soon as possible and ultimately bring about lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  3. “Needless to say, we are all very much aware of the long-lasting adverse psychological effects that such abuses will have on this vulnerable group. In that regard, a 12 June statement by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East cited in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 states that "The impact of home demolitions on children can be particularly devastating. Many children affected by demolitions show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety." (see A/66/358, para.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  4. “The agreement, which the Secretary- General described as a significant humanitarian breakthrough, is a positive step towards cooperation between Israel and Palestine. We hope that those who have been released will be allowed to live normal lives without persecution, and that the Israeli Government will fulfil its obligation to facilitate the release of all the remaining prisoners as soon as possible. The Government of Israel must also fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law with regard to the remaining Palestinian political prisoners - by ensuring their safety, allowing access to them by family members and respecting the basic human rights of the prisoners. We reiterate our active concern about the abuse of the human rights of Palestinian children and about their detention.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  5. “We also call on those countries that have influence on the parties to encourage them to participate in the negotiations in good faith and without preconditions or changing the parameters of a final outcome. The single obstacle to the negotiations is clearly the incessant building of illegal settlements by Israel. Just last month, after the promulgation of the Quartet blueprint, the Government of Israel defied unanimous calls from the Council and the Quartet, and announced its intention to construct 1,100 new units in the settlement of Gilo. Certainly, that regressive act alters facts on the ground and the parameters of final status issues. That, not the Palestinian application for membership of the United Nations, is an obstacle to peace. South Africa welcomes the recent agreement on prisoner swaps.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  6. “Mindful of the political sensitivities inherent in that process, we believe that it is now more important than ever that we act in a manner that befits the stature of the Council and recommend Palestine's full membership of the United Nations. In addition, the Council should further fulfil its obligations under the Charter and simultaneously resuscitate the negotiations process, with the aim of achieving a two-State solution. While the Quartet proposal for negotiations is welcome, and, in fact, long overdue, we should recall that we have had concrete time frames for those negotiations before. However, every time, the parties have fallen short of an agreement within a given time frame. We hope that the parties will this time commit themselves to finding a solution even earlier than the envisaged end of 2012.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  7. “In that connection, South Africa wishes to reaffirm its conviction that Palestine is a peace-loving State and that it is willing and able to carry out its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations. Furthermore, South Africa believes that the issue of Palestine's membership of the United Nations should be resolved expeditiously and in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, the relevant rules of procedure of the General Assembly and the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council. Above all, South Africa believes that we cannot make Palestine's membership of the United Nations conditional upon a peace agreement.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  8. “Since our latest debate (see S/PV.6623) there have been significant developments related to the Palestinian-Israeli question, including the Palestinian application for full membership of the United Nations, the Quartet proposal for resuscitating direct negotiations, and the exchange of prisoners. However, the significance of those developments continues to be diminished by Israel's continued building of illegal settlements. On 23 September, President Abbas submitted an application for Palestine's full membership of the United Nations. The near universal excitement and support that accompanied that historic event is an indication of how important the issue of Palestinian statehood is, not just for the Palestinians but, in fact, for the rest of the world.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  9. “My delegation expresses its appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Lynn Pascoe for his briefing to the Security Council. We associate ourselves with the statement to be delivered later today by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We also wish to thank the Ambassadors of Palestine and Israel for their statements. The Arab Spring has prompted the Council to consider decisive actions in a number of cases. Yet, in the matter of the longest-standing item on our agenda pertaining to the Middle East, we remain paralyzed by inaction. We meet every month to discuss the situation in the Middle East. For the past several years, statements made around the table have followed similar lines. Yet, there is no real movement towards a final settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian question.”

    2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636 (2011) · source

  10. “Graca Machel to the United Nations General Assembly on the impact of armed conflict on children. In this connection, Ms. Machel stated: "All of us find it hard to believe that at the end of the twentieth century children are targets, children are expendable children are refugees, and even perpetrators in one conflict after another, on virtually every continent". As we are entering a new millennium, the recruitment and use of child soldiers should be eliminated, since it constitutes not only an affront to human values, but also a fundamental impediment to socio-economic development. Our children have a high stake and a right to live in peace and stability.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  11. “The United Nations system, especially key agencies such as the Security Council, in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund, is critical in helping Governments to address and alleviate this problem. It is for this reason that my delegation welcomes the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict, as well as the convening of this debate in the Council Chamber. In the same vein, South Africa applauded the adoption of resolution 1261 (1999). In adopting this resolution, the Council took the decision to protect children exposed to war and recognized that armed conflict has long-term consequences for peace, security and development. In conclusion, I would like to remind this body of the ground-breaking report (A/51/306) of Ms.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  12. “South Africa's policy now conforms with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which we signed on 10 October 1997 and ratified in January 2000. The African Charter defines a child as a person below the age of 18, and stipulates that States parties should refrain from recruiting any child into the armed forces and that no child shall take a direct part in hostilities. All these measures are South Africa's response to the appeals for worldwide protection of children from warfare. Sadly, national initiatives alone cannot solve the problem; hence the need for enhanced international cooperation in dealing with the predicament of children in armed conflict situations.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  13. “Former South African President, Mr. Nelson Mandela, established a children's fund bearing his name, to which he contributes a large portion of his own financial earnings. On 16 July 1995 South Africa ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child. To ensure the Convention's implementation, the South African Government announced on 7 June 1999 its decision to amend the South African national defence policy to raise the age of enlistment into the armed forces from 17 to 18 years. In the past, a person of 17 could be recruited into the South African Defence Force, although he had to be 18 to be permitted to participate in armed conflict. This has now been amended to 18 years for recruitment as well as for active combat.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  14. “It is therefore important to strengthen international cooperation to ensure the implementation of the Protocol and the rehabilitation and social integration of children who are victims of armed conflict. Furthermore, South Africa supports the provisions of the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Labour Organization Convention. These instruments deserve our full support because they offer internationally recognized recourse to ensure the protection of children in armed conflict. At the national level, soon after the transition to democracy in 1994 the Government of South Africa took the first steps to address the demobilization, reintegration and re-socialization of children. Different institutions, including the National Youth Commission and the National Programme of Action for Children, were created.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  15. “At this conference the ministers of the Non- Aligned Movement also expressed their deep concern about the conditions that children face on account of poverty and under-development, such as their use in armed conflict, including as child mercenaries. At the multilateral forums, South Africa strongly supported the "straight 18" position regarding the age limit for both voluntary and compulsory recruitment set by the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We believe that this Protocol is an important step in the right direction and goes a long way in setting legal norms to address the plight of children in armed conflict situations.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  16. “It is therefore imperative that the need for special attention to protect children in United Nations peacekeeping operations be recognized by this body and that adequate training be provided on the special needs and rights of children in armed conflicts. That is of the utmost importance if we are to protect our children now and for generations to come. It was such circumstances that compelled the Non-Aligned Movement, at its thirteenth ministerial conference in April 2000, to warmly welcome the convening of a special session of the General Assembly in 2001 to review and assess global issues affecting children, following the 1990 World Summit for Children.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source

  17. “South Africa too would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your sterling stewardship of the Council for the month of July. Your diplomatic skills and tenacity have had a positive impact on the work of the Council. The suffering that children experience in situations of armed conflict is unspeakable. Children who are increasingly drawn into combat as child soldiers are exposed at tender and sensitive ages to the gruesome and unbearable side-effects of war. Their fundamental human rights are violated; they are orphaned, maimed or uprooted from their families. Girl children in particular are raped and sexually abused. Ultimately, these children are left emotionally scarred and traumatized. This in turn compounds and complicates the task of working with children in post- conflict situations.”

    2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source