YouSaid · the spoken record

Holmes

lines on the record: 557
first: 2007-04-04
most recent: 2010-07-07
sittings or episodes: 25
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“While some return is taking place, mainly from the outskirts of Mogadishu and mainly of people trying to re-establish their livelihoods because they have no assets and are living without support, the vast majority of those who fled have not yet come back to the city. Factors inhibiting larger-scale return include difficulties of movement, continued fear of violence, 07-35031 warnings by the Transitional Federal Government to long-standing IDPs in Mogadishu not to return to so- called public buildings, and the fact that many people from areas badly damaged by the fighting now have no homes to return to. Many of those concerned continue to live in deplorable conditions in the open countryside, sheltered only by trees and with minimal or no access to food, basic sanitation, clean water, shelter and medical care.”
2007-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5677 (2007) · source
“for its professional help in accompanying my visit. It was encouraging that its presence in the streets seemed to be welcomed by the people of Mogadishu. That makes last week's loss of four Ugandan peacekeepers following a further roadside bomb all the more tragic. I repeat my condolences to the Ugandan Government and armed forces and the families of the victims. As I told the Security Council on 24 April, we believe that the intense and deadly burst of fighting in Mogadishu in late April not only resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, many of them innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, but also caused up to 400,000 inhabitants to flee the city.”
2007-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5677 (2007) · source
“Unfortunately, a roadside bomb exploded a few minutes after my arrival in the Somali capital, killing three Transitional Federal Government Security officials. Two other roadside devices exploded shortly afterwards, while the Africa Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) defused a fourth. All those bombs were on or near the routes we had planned to take. I do not think that I - or the United Nations or the wider humanitarian community - was the prime target of those attacks. Rather, I suspect that they were aimed at discrediting any view that the conflict was effectively over. In any case, the bombs reduced my planned movements around Mogadishu and the resulting security and transport problems meant that I was unable to go on to J owhar. Let me take this early opportunity to thank again the Ugandan contingent of AMISOM.”
2007-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5677 (2007) · source
“I visited Uganda to understand better and discuss with the Government the challenges and opportunities we face in northern Uganda in helping displaced people in camps, those moving back towards their homes and others already returning home, against the background of some optimism about the Juba peace talks. My mission to Somalia was the first United Nations visit by someone at my level since the early 1990s. I had intended to spend two days there - first in Mogadishu, to discuss with the Transitional Federal Government ways to improve the humanitarian response, to see the level of destruction caused by recent fighting, to visit settlements of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and to meet some of the war- wounded; and secondly, to visit newly displaced and rural communities in Jowhar for a first-hand assessment of their conditions.”
2007-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5677 (2007) · source
“Mr. Holmes: I thank you very much, Sir, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on my mission to Somalia and Uganda from 11 to 16 May. I Visited Somalia to assess at first hand the humanitarian situation and to discuss with the authorities the key issues of access, protection of civilians and security of humanitarian operations. The recent massive displacement has further compounded one of the most difficult humanitarian situations in the world, in a country affected not only by long-running internal conflict, but also by chronic food insecurity, alternating droughts and floods, and endemic disease.”
2007-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5677 (2007) · source
“I had a very good discussion with the Prime Minister of Chad, but I think the problems there, as I have indicated, remain very serious and, if anything, are getting worse. There is a real issue to deal with there, and a real need to move forward, not only with the humanitarian operation, as I have indicated, but also with the deployment of a force in the area. It is very difficult to see how people can be protected without that. I hope that I have dealt with all the problems that people around the table have raised. I apologize if I have missed any, but I think I have covered the ground.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I think that we have no absolute guarantees on implementation of the agreement, but we hope that follow-up committee put in place will provide a mechanism to do that. But, as I say, I think the most important point is that we all continue to give attention to it, to watch closely and to be vocal if we see any signs of backsliding in the implementation of this agreement, which, as I think I have suggested, is vital in many ways for the continuation of the humanitarian effort. It is the combination of the insecurity and the bureaucratic problems which saps the morale of the humanitarian workers in place and renders the operation fragile. The representative of Italy also asked whether I saw any signs of optimism in Chad following my meeting with the Prime Minister. I have to say that I did not.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“We are also looking, as I said, I think, in my opening remarks, to put into place a comprehensive strategy for the next two or three years which can deal at the same time with the problems of the Sudanese refugees who are there and with the problems of the internally displaced persons there, and also with the problems of the host communities: they have been very generous, as has been noted, in welcoming the refugees and the displaced people, but they have nothing left to share now and they are beginning to suffer themselves from the pressure that all these people are putting on the resources of an area that is very fragile and difficult to start with. The representative of Italy asked, like others, about the timely implementation of the joint communique. I think I have partly answered that question.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“It is also very important that when political leaders visit these countries they take the opportunity to become advocates for humanitarian principles and humanitarian effects - not least, as so many representatives around the table have noted, the need for the fundamental protection of civilians to be put in place much more effectively in all the countries we have been talking about than it is at present. The representative of Indonesia asked how the United Nations could improve the situation in eastern Chad. I think I partly answered that question in reference to the urgent 90-day plan that we are putting in place in cooperation with all the non-governmental organizations and agencies there.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations are working very hard to try to ensure that those items can be distributed effectively to those scattered through the bush, although one can imagine the logistical problems that that presents at the moment. The representative of Panama asked about the contribution that political leaders can make to finding political solutions to some of these problems, and I entirely agree with him that those who are visiting these countries in whatever form should take every opportunity to press for political solutions and not simply concern themselves with bilateral problems. I hope that that will be the case in the future.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“That is why, for example, in eastern Chad, we have put a lot of emphasis on the rapid development - which we hope to have in place later this week - of an urgent 90-day plan for all humanitarian organizations dealing with these problems in eastern Chad, so as to have in place everything that we need before that rainy season starts. We are looking at very much the same sort of thing in the Central African Republic. Just to give one example, it is clearly crucial that the people who are displaced in the bush, as I was describing earlier, and who have lost their stocks of seeds and their agricultural tools should be given access to seeds and tools in the next few weeks so that they can cultivate their fields and plant crops. Otherwise, the food situation in 6, 12 or 18 months could become even more dramatic than it is now.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“It tends to be easier in the north than in southern parts of the countries we are dealing with. For example, in the southern part of eastern Chad, it is clear that the rainy season makes virtually all movement in the area impossible. That can apply also to the Central African Republic and to parts of southern Darfur. It is therefore absolutely vital that we have the necessary assistance in place before the rainy season. This is a familiar problem, but it nevertheless presents considerable difficulties - for example, in eastern Chad, in having the right amount of stocks in the right places before the rainy starts: as I say, once the season starts overland movement becomes virtually impossible because of flooded wadis in the area.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I can confirm, incidentally, in response to the comments of the representative of France, that we - the United Nations, not necessarily the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - are proposing to open a series of United Nations offices in the north of the Central African Republic in order to enable us to deal more effectively with the humanitarian problems there, because of the difficulties of communication and infrastructure. The representative of Peru asked what measures we had in mind to deal with the forthcoming rainy season in all three countries. I think we are extremely conscious that the rainy season in all three places represents a huge challenge. It differs from place to place, depending on how heavy the rains are in different areas.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“On the question of the proposed peacekeeping force in Chad and the Central African Republic, I should say that I agree with those representatives who have commented on the importance of putting it in place soon, as I also said in my opening statement. It is quite clear, as the representative of France, for example, said, that President Bozize of the Central African Republic is very anxious to see this force deployed because of the delicate situation in the north- eastern Central African Republic caused by cross- border incursions of various kinds. I think that underlines the importance of moving rapidly on that issue.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“We are indeed hopeful that some progress was made at that meeting, and we are hoping - as the Secretary- General said, I think, earlier in the week - to organize a meeting with representatives of the Sudanese Government and the African Union in Addis Ababa next week, which we hope will represent progress towards putting in place the heavy support package and, ultimately, the hybrid force. I think our interpretation of this meeting is that it is to clarify what we intend to do on the heavy support package and the hybrid force, not to start a long and possibly fruitless negotiation about the details of the force. It is very much a clarificatory meeting, as we see it.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“In the Central African Republic, CERF contributed $5.5 million in 2006 and $4.5 in 2007. And of course, we have used CERF extensively in Darfur itself; in 2006, some $34 million were contributed and, so far in 2007, up to $39 million altogether, including a loan. We are continuing to look at further use of CERF in all those areas, but I think it is a good illustration of CERF in responding to immediate needs that we have been able to use it in that way. Several representatives, not least the representative of Qatar, have asked about the prospect for the hybrid peacekeeping force and the three-phase approach in Darfur, and referred to the meeting between President Bashir and Secretary-General Ban in the margins of the Arab League summit last week.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I would also like to pay a visit at some stage - perhaps later this year - to the West African and Sahel regions, which I think perhaps need a visit of that kind at some stage. I think that kind of combination of visits would enable me to look at not only conflict situations, but also the problems raised by natural hazards and disasters and the effects of poverty as well. I have no current plans to visit Zimbabwe myself, but it is possible that a senior representative of OCHA will go there at some point this year. The representative of the Russian Federation asked about the use of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in the region. I have some figures which I can give members of the Council. In Chad, the Central Emergency Response Fund has contributed some $10 million in 2006 and $7.5 million so far this year.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I am still finalizing my travel plans for the coming months, but I would like to visit Somalia because of the deep humanitarian problems there. That depends, obviously, to a large extent on security. I would like to visit Uganda, in particular northern Uganda, because of the depth of the problems there, which we have already talked about, and the need to ensure that the Juba peace process continues, puts an eventual stop to the problems there, and allows the many displaced persons to return to their homes. I think it is important that I visit, at some relatively early stage, the Democratic Republic of the Congo because, again, there are still enormous operations there and enormous problems.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Because the immediate humanitarian needs are diminishing, I am glad to say that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) itself is beginning to centralize its presence in Juba, rather than have the network of offices we have had around the South of the Sudan, but we are by no means withdrawing our presence and we remain ready to respond to humanitarian crises as they arise. It is important, however, that the rest of the United Nations development, recovery and reconstruction system step up to the plate to take the development of South Sudan forward effectively so that there is no gap and there is an effective transition. The representative of Slovakia asked about other African conflicts and my travel plans.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Various representatives have commented on what I said about the regional nature of the conflict and how resolving the conflict in Darfur is the key to solving the regional conflict. Of course, I agree with that, but I would also point out that I added that there are in each case national conflicts and national political issues which need to be resolved independently of whether there is a resolution in Darfur. We must not lose sight of that and the need to tackle those issues as well. Many representatives have echoed the point I made about the importance of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the southern Sudan and the need not to lose sight of that. I think the representatives of South Africa, Peru and Italy, for example, referred to that. I repeat that it is absolutely vital.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“But it would also be very helpful if constant attention were paid to that by representatives of the international community in Khartoum. It was helpful, for example, that, shortly before my arrival in Khartoum on the occasion of the annual aid consortium meeting, mainly devoted to the southern Sudan, the representatives of the countries who were there put a very strong emphasis on the need to resolve those bureaucratic problems and made clear their desire to see some progress. I think that kind of attention is very welcome, and of course if the Security Council wanted to call for regular reports on how that was being implemented, that would no doubt be a helpful step as well.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“As various representatives have pointed out, we have seen similar agreements in the past that have sometimes been respected for a period, but then that respect has declined. What we want to see in this particular case is implementation of a continued and complete nature. I think it is important that countries represented around this table, and the international community in general, follow the implementation of the agreement in Khartoum themselves through their local representatives. An important part of the agreement is the establishment of a practical follow-up committee on which there are representatives of the donors and the non-governmental organizations, and that would therefore be a mechanism to keep implementation of the agreement on track.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“It needs our support. It needs continuing financial and other support from us while we await its strengthening with the heavy support package and, ultimately, the hybrid force, because that is an essential building block for a future force. So I hope that everybody will contribute in whatever way they can to the maintenance in place of AMIS and its future strengthening. Many people have referred in a welcoming way to the joint communique which was agreed on 28 March. Many people have asked how we can reinforce support for that. I repeat my own welcome for that agreement, but I also repeat what I said in my introductory statement: the key is not in the words contained in the agreement, but in whether it is actually implemented.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I think that the effort to find a lasting political solution which all the parties can sign up to and respect afterwards is absolutely fundamental, because without that it is very hard to see how we are going to make the progress we need and put an end to the tragic humanitarian problems that I have talked about. In parallel, obviously, we need to continue the effort to put in place a strengthened peacekeeping force in Darfur, and I agree with those who have put their emphasis on that. It is clearly important, as the representative of South Africa said, that we give our continued support to the presence of the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). AMIS is facing a number of difficulties - not just the recent tragic loss of its personnel, but also difficulties in carrying out its mandate in the situation in which it finds itself.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Mr. Holmes: I will try to cover the various points that have been raised by the representatives around the table. First of all, it gives me no pleasure to say this, but I note that there is a large measure of agreement on the analysis of the gravity of the humanitarian situation in all three countries. There is no dispute as to the seriousness and the need to take action. I think that is an important message for all of us. I also agree very much with those, such as the representatives of Belgium and France, who have said that we need to press on with all our efforts in parallel, if you will - that is to say, the search for a political solution, which is being led at the moment by Jan Eliasson and Salim Ahmed Salim. I am happy to confirm, in response to the representative of Qatar, that I give my full support to those political efforts.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“That means that the politicians and leaders concerned must cease to play protracted games with each other with little or no thought for the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens, whom the international community meanwhile keeps alive. For the international community itself it means investing more intensely than ever in conflict prevention, resolution and mediation. There is no more important actor in that endeavour than the United Nations Security Council. That is the best investment of all, especially compared to the appalling human cost of what we see in the three countries I visited. Of course, what we are spending on the sticking plaster of massive humanitarian aid could be so much more productively spent on development.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“If we are going to solve the individual conflicts in a lasting way, we need a regional approach in which the issues are tackled, as far as possible, in parallel. Thirdly, however, there is a clearly internal aspect to each conflict as well, as tempting as it is for the Governments concerned to shift all the blame onto Darfur. In other words, there have to be national solutions in addition to the regional approach. Fourthly, and finally, in each country the fundamental and crying need is above all for political solutions brought about through dialogue and mediation, aided from outside where necessary but relying on national actors themselves.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Let me conclude - and I apologize for the length of my presentation - with a few brief thoughts about what I saw and heard overall. First, I was struck by the complexity of the conflicts in each of the countries I visited, involving as they do, in addition to deep political problems, many- layered mixes of ancient rivalries and tensions between different ethnic and tribal groups, between pastoralists and farmers, exacerbated by the encroachment of the desert and the breakdown of traditional structures, and between leaders with complex past and present relationships. Secondly, there is a clear regional aspect to the conflicts that drive the deep humanitarian problems with which we are trying to grapple. The spillover effect from Darfur is clear, not least in eastern Chad.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Similarly, the success of the peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda, which are set to restart later this month, is vital. A peaceful resolution to that 20-year conflict would not only help to stabilize the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, it would also relieve one of the longest-standing humanitarian crises in Africa - with 1.4 million people still displaced in northern Uganda. Special Envoy Chissano's work has been critical in reinforcing that African-led initiative. For our part, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will continue to support the Juba Initiative Project, together with our colleagues in the Departments of Political Affairs and Peacekeeping Operations.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I also visited Juba, in southern Sudan, to review humanitarian efforts there in the context of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. While there has been significant progress, such as the beginning of the return of refugees and IDPs, other issues - including those relating to the Abyei boundary, the realignment of forces and demobilization - remain outstanding. However, while the immediate humanitarian need is diminishing, there is an urgent need to increase recovery and development assistance to help maintain peace. In particular, Darfur must not distract the international community from the fundamental importance of the north-south Agreement. On the other side, as the Government of southern Sudan themselves clearly recognizes, they have a huge stake in a peaceful and rapid resolution of the conflict in Darfur.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“In sum, despite its scale and success in sustaining millions and saving literally hundreds of thousands of lives, the Darfur humanitarian operation is increasingly fragile. The agencies and the people keeping it going are under growing pressure from the factors I have described. Morale is low. If things do not get better, or if there were to be more serious incidents involving humanitarian workers, some organizations could start to withdraw, and the operation could start to unravel. Then we could face a rapid humanitarian catastrophe. No one wants that. We must do everything in our power to avoid it. But the Government of the Sudan has a particular responsibility to ensure that it is avoided. I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that I do not have to do another briefing like this one, or an even worse one, next April.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“But speaking out to protect civilians is part of the core of humanitarian action today and reflects the overwhelming concern of the international community - and this Council - with the safety and protection of civilians in Darfur. I expect that kind of insidious pressure on agencies, and discrimination between "good" and "bad" ones, to cease. Let me also take this opportunity to offer my deepest condolences to the families of the five Senegalese AMIS protection force soldiers killed in Darfur on Sunday. That grievous loss, following so closely after the murder of two AMIS peacekeepers in Gereida exactly one month ago, is yet another example of those who come to assist the population of Darfur themselves being targeted.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I strongly urge once again that my request be quickly acted upon. However, the latest news that those concerned have been asked to appear in court tomorrow in Nyala does not look like the symbol of cooperation that the international community is expecting. Let me deal with one important point in that context. During my trip, Government officials repeatedly suggested that some NGOs were engaged in inappropriate political activities in Darfur. That allegation usually appeared to refer to advocacy activities concerning the protection of civilians from abuse of their rights. In other words, giving food and shelter is acceptable; speaking out about violations of humanitarian law is not.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“In short, those who have come to help the population are now themselves targets, not helped by a media campaign about the supposed crimes of relief workers, including suggestions of espionage and hidden political agendas. One particular incident, in Nyala in January, involved a raid conducted by Government officials on an NGO compound. Twenty United Nations, NGO and African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) staff were arrested, verbally and physically abused and charged with criminal offences. I asked all those I met from the Government to ensure that those charges would be dropped altogether. The humanitarian community rightly feels doubly victimized in this incident. Those concerned were not only assaulted, but then themselves charged with a crime, literally adding insult to injury.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“It also establishes a joint follow-up committee, co-chaired by the Sudanese Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, which will meet monthly. Full and continued implementation of all aspects of that agreement is not too much to expect. The Government of the Sudan should do all it can to facilitate the work of those who are saving the lives of its own citizens. The fourth threat is the continuing consequences of violence against the aid workers themselves. Staff have been physically and verbally abused, offices and residences raided and personal belongings stolen. Vehicles are routinely hijacked at gunpoint, often in broad daylight - even, on occasion, right in state capitals. Here too, none of the parties can claim innocence.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Although the Government Iater apologized, if such an incident could happen on my visit, with journalists documenting my every step, one can easily imagine the daily struggles faced by aid workers on the ground in Darfur - a point that I made forcefully both to the local authorities and to the central Government. Despite that personal experience, I can report some recent potential progress. On 28 March, the Government of the Sudan signed a further joint communique with the United Nations designed to alleviate the administrative burdens that have so severely hampered the relief operation in recent months. The communique commits the Government of the Sudan to the speedy delivery of visas, permits and customs clearance, with specific deadlines.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“For example, I visited a rebel-held area in the Jebel Marra, which has had virtually no help for several months because the main road is blocked and where lack of a decent diet and medical care is beginning to tell. The biggest obstacle to free access is, of course, the general and unpredictable insecurity in Darfur. The impact of that limited access is already beginning to be seen in the main nutrition and health indicators, which are beginning to turn once again in the wrong direction. But there are also significant bureaucratic obstacles. I experienced this third threat first-hand when I was stopped and turned around at a military checkpoint just outside Kutum in North Darfur while trying to visit the Kassab camp.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Nevertheless, as I reminded them at every opportunity, the Government of the Sudan has the primary responsibility for protecting its population and is accountable for the proper investigation and prosecution of those accused of committing crimes. There are also a number of threats to the humanitarian effort itself that could easily lead to its unravelling. The first is the sheer scale of that effort. How long can the international community sustain such a costly and difficult operation? How long can the people of Darfur bear the human cost? The second threat is to access, which has been shrinking steadily for some time now. The position varies from day to day, but at any one time there are up to a million people whom we cannot reach.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“The majority of the 4 million people in need appear to have adequate food, clean water and basic sanitation, shelter, medical care and - at least in some cases - access to rudimentary education. However, and fundamentally, as I have already made clear, we have all failed to protect people effectively from violence and abuses, even if the humanitarian presence itself can represent a significant deterrent, as do the successive reports about what is going on in Darfur - for example, the recent damning report of the Human Rights Council. No one party to the conflict can claim the moral high ground; all parties appear to be responsible for these continuing and widespread violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“One of the saddest facts about the three years that have passed is that the people who were in the camps then are still there today, no doubt beginning to lose hope of ever being able to return to their homes and their former lives. 07-29528 Violations of humanitarian law and abuses of human rights - not the least of which is gender-based violence - continue unchecked. On 16 March, just two weeks ago, a 10-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl were raped, apparently by police officers, in the Tawilla IDP camp in North Darfur. As I walked through the Al Salaam camp, near El Fasher, also in North Darfur, hundreds of little girls and boys trailed in my wake. I could not help but wonder how many might yet suffer that horror themselves. I said that the humanitarian operation in Darfur has been, in many respects, a success.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Over the past six months, nearly a quarter of a million more innocent civilians have been forced to abandon their homes, seeking refuge mainly from Government-supported militia attacks. They have fled to camps in all three Darfur states - in many cases, to camps that were already beyond capacity. WeIl over a third of the population - at 2.2 million people - is now displaced. At the current rate, the same could be true for over half the population in another 18 months or so. That is a truly horrifying prospect. Meanwhile, the poIiticization and militarization of camps have become a fact of life, creating a time bomb just waiting to go off.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Currently, while there is relatively little actual fighting between Government forces and the rebel groups, violent incidents occur almost daily, from bloody tribal clashes in South Darfur, through continued Janjaweed and other militia attacks on villages, to the present state of generalized insecurity and lawlessness, in which unpredictable violence and impunity are the rule. If military casualties are relatively few, civilians remain the principal victims. The need for massive humanitarian assistance continues to grow, with the international community providing 95 per cent of the $800 million or so now needed every year, because the problem itself continues to grow remorselessly.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Indeed, in my view, and as indicated in the Secretary-General's report on the subject (S/2007/97), an international security presence is essential to ensure the protection of refugees and displaced persons in eastern Chad. (spoke in English) Let me finally turn to the Sudan. This week marks a sad anniversary: it was on 2 April 2004, three years ago this week, that the Council heard its first briefing on Darfur, by my predecessor, Jan Egeland. Three years ago, 230 relief workers in Darfur were struggling to assist 350,000 people. Today, more than 13,000 relief workers aim to help almost 4 million people affected by the conflict, more than 2 million of whom are displaced. I was impressed by the scale - and, in many respects, the success - of the operation. I was inspired by the dedication and courage of the relief workers.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“I must warn the Council, however, that if nothing is done to improve the security situation in eastern Chad, the humanitarian situation will continue to deteriorate, because humanitarian needs will continue to increase, while humanitarian organizations - whose access to the most venerable populations is already restricted by the current security environment - will no longer be able to respond to new needs. To avoid that disastrous scenario, it is essential - as I said to Prime Minister Coumakoye - that the Chadian Government begin to combat impunity and provide protection to Chadian and refugee populations in the east of Chad. It is also vital that the discussions under way between Council members and the Government on the deployment of a multidimensional force conclude as swiftly as possible.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“This should include finding lasting solutions to the continued presence of refugees and displaced persons and proposing balanced assistance that takes into account the needs of the host populations. Relocating the most exposed refugee camps must also be a priority, with full respect for current international rules and for the dignity of the refugees. In order to ensure that those measures are properly implemented, it is important that donors finance the $174 million humanitarian appeal for Chad. To date, only 23 per cent has been financed.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Finally, pressure on local populations and on the region's natural resources - in particular, water - which were already difficult to manage, is reaching an unsustainable level. The humanitarian organizations, which in the past had always been able to deal with the problem, are in danger of being overwhelmed. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the humanitarian response must be stronger, swifter and more strategic. In particular, we must respond in a better coordinated way to the most urgent needs before the rainy season begins. That is why I have decided to further strengthen the presence in Chad of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Furthermore, we must recognize that refugees and displaced persons will not be able to return home over the next few months. We therefore now need to define a longer-term strategy.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“The Chadian army, which is focused on other objectives, has abandoned a large part of the east of the country to militias and armed groups of all kinds. A great deal of ethnic and political violence has thus ensued. Since the autumn of 2006, hundreds of people have been killed. Dozens of villages have been burned down. In just a few months, the number of displaced persons in eastern Chad has risen from 50,000 to 140,000, including more than 100,000 in the department of Dar Sila alone, of which Goz Beida is 3 the main town. The militarization of refugee camps and IDP areas has accelerated. The phenomenon of forced recruitment, including of children, is becoming a major problem.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Paragraph 55 of that report states: "In Goz Beida humanitarian organizations [expressed] considerable concern at the deteriorating security situation particularly the frequent rebel movement through, and recruitment within, the camps, as well as the Janjaweed attacks against villages. They stressed that, unless better protection was provided, the humanitarian character of their operations would be seriously compromised. They were also concerned at the negative impact of the refugees on the local environment, in particular the use of scarce local resources." Almost one year later, humanitarian concerns in eastern Chad remain. Finding pragmatic responses to this is more essential and urgent than ever. Since the Council mission, the situation in eastern Chad has deteriorated significantly.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“Despite that fact, over the past two years the country has made significant progress, as attested to by the return in 2006 of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The democratically elected Government seems to want to take up the economic and development challenges facing the country. The international community must accompany the people of the Central African Republic in that effort, and must respond to the humanitarian needs in the north and prevent the security and political crises there from wiping out the progress that has been achieved. Regarding the situation in eastern Chad, in particular Goz Beida, which I visited, I have little to report to the Council. I would like to quote from the June 2006 report (S/2006/433) of the mission which you, Mr. President, led to eastern Chad.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source
“This prompts me to wonder about the approach to be adopted: must the deployment of a multidimensional force in the north-east of the Central African Republic be dependent on the acceptance by the Chadian authorities of an international presence on their own territory? Another possibility would be to ask the African Union and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community to study the possibility of strengthening the mandate and the role of the 380 soldiers of its Multinational Force. This could include, 07-29528 for example, the monitoring of military activities in the north of the country and in border areas. The Central African Republic remains one of the poorest countries in the world.”
2007-04-04 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5655 (2007) · source