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

“Over 70 organizations are on the ground in Leogane, including an office of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Cooperation with the large and effective Canadian military presence was clearly good. Food and shelter distribution had made good progress. However, it was also clear that some of the informal sites, where those unable to return to their homes were living, were not sustainable. They were overcrowded, liable to flood and at serious risk of fire from cooking in the makeshift shelters. The identification of alternative sites is a challenge, but land should be easier to find in Leogane than in the more congested and geographically challenging context of Port-au-Prince itself. In Port-au-Prince, I Visited an informal camp in the grounds of the Petionville Club, where tens of thousands of people have taken refuge.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“We are straining every nerve to speed up the delivery of shelter materials, mainly plastic sheeting, but also tents, before the rains begin in earnest. This shelter and sanitation surge is the top priority. While life may be returning in some ways, the devastating effect of the earthquake is still abundantly evident in the capital and elsewhere. Around 3 million people - one in every three Haitians - were badly affected by the earthquake. The majority of those are in the capital, Port-au-Prince, but also in other surrounding towns and cities, including Jacmel, and the epicentre, Leogane, where 80 per cent of buildings were destroyed. It was encouraging to see in Leogane that, despite the initial difficulties involved in reaching the city, a good deal was happening in terms of relief assistance.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Essential infrastructure - such as the port, airport, electricity and telecommunications facilities and most roads, which during the first days and weeks were bottlenecks for relief and aid workers trying to get into the country- is increasingly operational. Every day, larger quantities of relief supplies are reaching Haiti and being distributed. Nevertheless, it is clear that not everyone in need has yet been reached and that we have much more to do on the ground, particularly in terms of emergency shelter, other non-food items and sanitation. The estimated 1.2 million Haitians in need of emergency shelter support desperately need a waterproof cover over their heads, and we are still only 30 per cent there.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“They have worked tirelessly since just hours after the earthquake struck, in often dreadful working and living conditions themselves, to launch the relief operation in support of the Haitian people. Let me also pay tribute to the peacekeepers of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and United Nations police, as well as to the other military forces, who are all playing a vital role, using their indispensable assets and helping to distribute aid safely and to maintain public order. The humanitarian situation is now gradually improving on a daily basis. The worst of the medical emergency is behind us. More than 3 million people have received food rations and continue to do so on an increasingly targeted basis. Clean water is available for 10-24612 the vast majority of those in need.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Let me repeat first of all that the national and local authorities, civil society and the people of Haiti themselves have coped with extraordinary resilience and patience in the midst of devastation on a scale which has rarely been seen, particularly in a capital city. Life of all kinds was visibly returning to the streets. Meanwhile, a large and complex humanitarian response is in place, despite the destruction of government, United Nations and non-governmental organization (NGO) offices, the loss of many key personnel and the initial absence of so many basic services. It was heartening to see the determination shown by United Nations, NGO and Red Cross/Red Crescent national and international staff in the field.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“I also visited the border area between the Dominican Republic and Haiti to see in particular the fragile and flood-prone road corridor through which large quantities of relief supplies enter Haiti. This road must be repaired and strengthened urgently, before the rainy season causes major damage and blocks it. In Haiti I visited Leogane, the epicentre of the earthquake, where its devastating effects were particularly clear, before going on to Port-au-Prince to look at progress there, as well as to meet the Government and the many actors, humanitarian and military, engaged in the relief operation.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“Mr. Holmes: Thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Council on my visit to Haiti and the Dominican Republic last week and on the humanitarian situation in Haiti. The aim of my trip, following an initial visit with the Secretary-General four days after the earthquake, was to review on the ground the challenges the humanitarian community faces in the months ahead. In the Dominican Republic, a vital logistics hub and 2 staging area for the relief operation, I thanked the Government for its exemplary cooperation and its contribution to the relief effort in Haiti. I visited a public hospital, in which severely injured Haitians, including children, have been receiving life-saving medical treatment.”
2010-02-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6274 (2010) · source
“As noted in the last report of the Secretary-General (S/2009/277), there are increasing concerns about the humanitarian impact of explosive weapons when used in densely populated areas in terms of the risk to civilians caught in the blast or killed or injured by damaged buildings, and in terms of damaged infrastructure vital to the well-being of the civilian population such as water and sanitation systems. Again, there is scope for a new look at this crucial issue, and I hope the Council will take it up at some point.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Moreover, violations by one party, including non-State parties, do not permit or justify violations by any other party to that same conflict. Indeed, the nature of contemporary armed conflicts and the increasing prevalence of conflict in urban and densely populated settings means that all parties must be ever more vigilant and determined to respect and ensure respect for their obligations under the law, even if there is room for experts to look at how that can be best done in such challenging circumstances. One issue here is the choice of weapons.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Finally, a few speakers noted that the nature of contemporary conflict, marked by the struggle against non-State armed groups in what is known as asymmetric warfare, poses new challenges for the protection of civilians. I acknowledge the complexity of these challenges, but the suggestion seems to be that fighting an enemy who is difficult, if not impossible to identify or distinguish from civilians, and one that at times commits flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, somehow makes the application of the law to States parties to conflict less relevant. The law itself is quite clear. All parties to conflict must at all times take the necessary steps to spare the civilian population and distinguish at all times between civilians and combatants.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“On the issue of the value of engagement with non-State armed groups for compliance and access, mentioned by a number of speakers, the Secretary- General has called on the Council to convene an Arria formula meeting to discuss the experience of United Nations and non-governmental actors in engaging such groups. I hope the Council will convene such a meeting ahead of the first protection of civilians open debate in 2010. Let me also reiterate the point, made by the Secretary-General and several others, that when it comes to protecting civilians in armed conflict, the Council cannot afford only to address protection concerns in those situations on its political agenda. We need to find ways to address other alarming situations better and to make better use of the unique protection tools at the disposal of the Council.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Let me just repeat that OCHA and DPKO look forward to working with many Council members in the months ahead to take those recommendations forward. Several speakers mentioned the important role of regional and subregional actors in peacekeeping. We certainly intend to share the findings of the study with those regional organizations that have a role in peacekeeping, for example, the African Union, the European Union and NATO. Many speakers have underlined, correctly, the importance of ensuring accountability for those who violate the law, and some have referred to the importance in this context of fact-finding mechanisms. I would certainly urge the Council and Member States to give greater consideration to how to employ such mechanisms on a more frequent, consistent and less politically influenced basis.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“It is too easy to talk of the issue at hand, as the Permanent Representative of Zambia put it this afternoon, "from the comfort of distance and in the shelter of the edifices of wealth" without fully appreciating the genuine horror for individuals and families of what we are actually talking about. It is very late, so let me make one or two rapid concluding comments. Many speakers have expressed support for those parts of the resolution dealing with the role of peacekeeping missions in the protection of civilians and for the findings of the joint study commissioned by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) on this subject.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Mr. Holmes: I will be brief. Let me begin by welcoming the support expressed for resolution 1894 (2009) by many speakers. I hope that it will translate into a serious effort to implement the resolution and, of course, previous resolutions, too. I also welcome the participation of the more than 60 delegations that have spoken today. Again, I hope that this is an indication not only of the seriousness with which States view this tenth anniversary, but also and more importantly a sign of their commitment to action. Otherwise, the gap between rhetoric and reality will yawn further and the credibility of the Council itself will also be further impaired.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216Resumption1 (2009) · source
“What it requires, above all else, is that States and other parties to conflict give top priority to the protection of civilians, that they promote, implement and enforce the practical steps required to apply the law, and that the Security Council not only encourage them to do so but also call them to account when they do not, on the basis of the facts, not political convenience. This tenth anniversary of the protection of civilians is as good a time as any to make a fresh start.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“The Council needs a consistent and comprehensive approach to these accountability issues. The stakes for the civilians concerned are simply too high, and the allegations of selectivity or double standards too easily made otherwise. The systematic application of the aide-memoire (see S/PRST/2009/1, annex), as a checklist against which to identify protection concerns and appropriate responses in any given context, can help here, as can the informal Expert Group. Others have characterized the gap between the rhetoric and the reality of the protection of civilians as that between idealism and realism. But the effective application of international humanitarian and human rights law is not some ideal notion. On the contrary, it is an achievable reality.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“I am delighted that important provisions of resolution 1894 (2009) already give us a head start in this respect. Finally, I believe that there is a gap between rhetoric and reality as it relates to the consistency with which the Council itself pursues its stated commitment to the protection of civilians. For example, targeted sanctions are a critical tool for seeking compliance with the law. They have been imposed against those responsible for humanitarian and human rights law violations in Cote d'Ivoire and in the Sudan. But in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only those committing violations involving the targeting of children or women or obstructing the access to or the distribution of humanitarian assistance are subject to such measures. In Somalia, only those obstructing humanitarian assistance are targeted.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Peacekeeping can assist countries in rebuilding in the aftermath of a conflict and in protecting civilians while doing so. But it cannot substitute for the State, which bears the primary responsibility for the safety and well-being of its own citizens. While we must guard against exaggerated expectations of protection of all civilians wherever missions are deployed, as the study itself makes clear, we can nevertheless reasonably expect greater consistency and success in this core function of peacekeeping than has been the case to date. We are committed to working jointly to take forward the study's recommendations, in consultation with all relevant actors. I trust that we can count on the full cooperation and support of the Council and Member States in doing so.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Fifthly, we must ensure the requisite political commitment to the mission by the Council and by the parties on the ground, and also by troop and police contributors, who must have a firm understanding of the critical role they play in protecting civilians. DPKO and the Department of Field Support will work closely with contributing countries and other stakeholders to ensure that protection of civilians becomes integral to predeployment training, as part of a broader effort to gather lessons learned on the implementation of protection mandates, as requested by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations earlier this year. We must also keep in mind the necessity of strengthening the host State's capacity to protect its population.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Thirdly, leadership is crucial, and Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and the senior mission leadership must ensure protection is considered a priority across the whole mission. They must be accountable for developing and implementing protection strategies and reporting on their results. But if they are to do this effectively, they too must receive the requisite guidance, training and resources before they assume their responsibilities. Fourthly, we must ensure, through better analysis and reporting, that the Council itself is candidly informed of the challenges missions face and the opportunities that exist to protect civilians. Only then can the Council take informed and supportive action.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Such protection strategies must be based on the understanding that protection mandates are not limited to the protection of civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, but involve a much broader range of activities including, for example, facilitating humanitarian access, the return of refugees and displaced persons, human rights monitoring, child protection and addressing sexual violence. Their implementation is not a task exclusively for the military or police personnel of a mission, orjust for the civilian components of missions and humanitarian actors. Rather, it is an overarching responsibility for the mission, whose leadership needs to finds ways to bring together the relevant mandates, capacities and expertise of those different actors.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“It will ensure that Member States, including troop and police contributors, the Secretariat and peacekeeping missions themselves have the same understanding of the expectations and limitations of protection mandates. Support from Member States in the Council and the General Assembly in developing the concept and this guidance will be critical. Secondly, all missions should develop protection- of-civilians strategies, in consultation with humanitarian and human rights actors, and based on a realistic assessment of the threats and risks to the population. Guidance from Headquarters on developing such strategies will be important, and development of the operational concept is an important step in that direction.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“First, we must address the uncertainty as to what missions, and individual actors within missions, should actually do to protect civilians and, critically, how they should do it. We should be clear that, even when they have protection of civilians mandates under Chapter VII of the Charter, United Nations peacekeeping operations continue to be guided by the basic principles of peacekeeping. They are not peace-enforcement operations. DPKO, in consultation with troop and police contributors and other stakeholders, is developing an operational concept to clarify what protection means in the peacekeeping context, which will provide the basis for further guidance.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“We have far to go too in closing the gap between the mandates of peacekeeping missions which include the protection of civilians and the reality of the shortcomings identified in the independent study, jointly commissioned by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), which was released last Friday. I should make clear that this part of my statement includes input from the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Under- Secretary-General Le Roy and I agreed on this in order to limit the number of speakers. The OCHA-DPKO study sheds valuable light on where we must focus our efforts in improving the implementation of protection mandates by United Nations peacekeeping missions.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“One issue critical to enhancing compliance and access is humanitarian engagement with non-State armed groups. Some Member States remain concerned that engagement affords those groups an unwelcome degree of recognition. Yet the reality is that armed groups account for one or more of the parties in virtually every conflict in which we operate today, however much we may condemn their aims or their often bloody acts, which take many civilian lives. For the effectiveness and safety of humanitarian operations - and we have seen some horrific attacks on humanitarians in recent weeks and months - and for the sake of access to those in need, we must have flexibility to engage these groups, to promote their compliance with international humanitarian law and to seek their understanding of our neutrality, independence and impartiality.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Even an optimistic assessment suggests that we still have far to go, first, in closing the gap between the rhetoric of internationally agreed laws for the protection of civilians and the reality of widespread non-compliance with those laws. From Afghanistan to Chad to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, the Sudan, Yemen and beyond, the lack of compliance with the law by parties to conflict, both State and non-State, results in thousands of civilians killed or injured every month and thousands more forced from their homes into situations of dependency, destitution and yet further violations, including rape and other forms of sexual Violence. As the Secretary-General has made clear, access for humanitarians is vital to the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“It condemned the targeting of civilians, demanded an end to such violations and affirmed the need to bring to justice those who violate international humanitarian and human rights law. It expressed concern also over the widening gap between the rules of international humanitarian law and their application. Significant progress has since been made in seeking enhanced protection for civilians and in developing further the normative framework. But can we say with conviction, as we meet today, that those affected by conflict enjoy a significantly greater and more tangible degree of protection than 10 years ago? Have we narrowed the gap between the rules of international humanitarian and human rights law and their application? Have we narrowed the gap between rhetoric and reality?”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“Mr. Holmes: Allow me to express sincere appreciation to you, Sir, and to the Government of Austria for convening this high-level open debate, as well as for your efforts leading to the adoption today of resolution 1894 (2009), which marks a further important advance in the Council's commitment to protecting civilians. When the Council first took up the protection of civilians as a thematic issue in February 1999, against the backdrop of widespread atrocities and displacement in Angola, Kosovo, Sierra Leone and elsewhere, it rightly viewed the situation in very bleak terms. The presidential statement of 12 February 1999 (S/PRST/1999/6), the first on this topic, spoke of the Council's distress that civilians accounted for the vast majority of casualties in conflicts.”
2009-11-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6216 (2009) · source
“In this context, I welcome the intention of the future Austrian presidency to give that debate ministerial attention, and I hope that other Security Council delegations will consider following this example as a sign of the seriousness with which the Council takes these issues and of its determination to achieve practical results. I thank you again, Sir, for organizing debate, and I thank all delegations for their contributions and attention.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Finally, I have noted the numerous calls for improving the quality of the reporting on protection of civilians in the Secretary-General's country-specific reports, and also calls for more assessments and monitoring of the actual implementation of the 09-38414 Council's mandates to protect civilians. This is one area we intend to take forward with Member States and other relevant parts of the Secretariat between now and our next debate in November. My colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will also be consulting with members of the Council and other Member States to identify the most appropriate and effective means of ensuring follow-up to the recommendations in the report, in advance of the next open debate in November.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“I fully acknowledge these sensitivities, but at the same time the truth is that we do need to engage with such groups if we are going to promote and seek improved protection of civilians, if we are to have consistent access to those in need, and if aid workers are to be able to carry out their work in a safe and secure environment, which is frequently not the case at the moment. On the question of access, I am encouraged by the positive response to the annex on access constraints, and we intend to continue to provide detailed information on this issue to the Security Council, including through the Expert Group, with the aim of improving access in practical terms on the ground.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Meanwhile - and I hope, again, that this will respond to some extent to comments made by the representative of Sri Lanka - we certainly are very conscious of the general problem of non-State actors not adhering to their protection of civilians obligations and, more widely, the problems posed in this context by asymmetric warfare, as the Secretary-General's report and, indeed, my presentation this morning made clear. A number of States have, in fact, expressed support for further discussion about engagement with non-State armed groups in order to improve their compliance with the law and the idea of an Arria formula meeting. A number of States also noted the sensitivities that surround such engagement and the need to avoid political legitimization.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“As to the manner in which the report refers to the conduct of Hamas during the conflict, we are unfortunately not in a position ourselves to verify reports of improper use of civilian objects or civilians themselves as shields - inter alia, for some of the reasons given by Israel - and therefore cannot speak with a greater degree of certainty. However, the information we do have does raise extremely serious concerns in this regard. The fact-finding commission currently being conducted by Judge Goldstone under the auspices of the Human Rights Council is aiming to clarify this question, as well as others raised in this context. It is a matter of regret that the Government of Israel has not so far been willing to cooperate with the inquiry.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“I listened carefully to what the distinguished representative of Israel said, and I of course take seriously the points he made, while not necessarily agreeing with him. I have one or two specific comments to make in response. The brief factual paragraph that was devoted to the conflict in Gaza at the beginning of this year could not, of course, cover all the points or all the nuances of a complex situation in the same way that references to other situations did not pretend to be comprehensive, while still aiming to be balanced. The report did not mention on this occasion the rocket attacks against southern Israel, but the Secretary-General, I and many others from the United Nations have strongly and systematically condemned such intentional targeting of civilians in the past, so there should be no question about our position on this.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Again, in response to what was said by the representative of Sri Lanka, in our considerations, we do indeed try to take account of the ground realities, civilian casualties from suicide bombings and other indiscriminate attacks, which I mentioned specifically this morning, and the need to both respect national sovereignty and cooperate with national Governments while, of course, at the same time, respecting the basic humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality. What that means is that once the response to terrorism is such as to reach the threshold of an armed conflict, it must comply with international humanitarian law and, as I have emphasized before, violations of this law by the parties the affected State is fighting does not entitle it to ignore its own obligations under international law.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“That being said - and I hope this will respond in part to comments raised by the representative of Sri Lanka - it is important to repeat and to reassure Member States that such a determination or inclusion in such a report should not be seen as judging or condemning the conduct of the parties or in any way questioning States' entitlement to take the measures to put an end to terrorism, nor does it affect the legal status of the parties involved or equate the parties in any way.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“They have been marked by prolonged and intense military engagements, including by Government armed forces as opposed to just by police, by the use of heavy weapons and by the displacement of thousands of civilians as well as significant civilian casualties. The motive for an operation and how it is referred to by the affected States themselves do not alter this determination.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Some speakers raised concerns over the inclusion of certain situations in the report of the Secretary- General and therefore their characterization as situations of armed conflict, explaining that they should be seen rather as law enforcement or counter- terrorism operations. Whether a situation constitutes an armed conflict is in fact determined by the facts on the ground on the basis of criteria developed in the jurisprudence of international tribunals, notably the involvement of organized parties fighting one another and the intensity and duration of the violence. Situations referred to in this report, in our view, meet these criteria.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“1 am heartened by the support expressed for many of the recommendations in the Secretary-General's report and for the continued activities of the informal Expert Group, and by the comments on the value of the revised aide-memoire and the importance of the future report by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on the protection of civilians in peacekeeping mandates. Given the lateness of the hour, I will not try to respond to all the detailed points that have been made by individual delegations, but let me comment on one or two points of particular significance.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“Mr. Holmes: I have listened carefully to all of today's debate, and I welcome the clear commitment to the protection of civilians agenda shown both by the number of speakers and their obvious commitment in their comments to this issue. I also welcome the recognition by virtually all speakers of the need to do much more to ensure that our words and actions make a tangible difference on the ground for civilians affected by armed conflict.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151Resumption1 (2009) · source
“We will consult with Member States on further possible steps to make the most of the tools at the Council's disposal in advance of the next debate on protection of civilians, in November, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the Council's consideration of the protection of civilians as a thematic issue. Ultimately, the aim must be to enhance compliance and accountability, not just in respect of the law but also, crucially, in respect of the demands and decisions of this Council. The Council's willingness and ability to uphold and enforce its own demands and decisions is inevitably the real test of its commitment to the protection of civilians.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“And in situations like that of Sri Lanka, it means key members of the international community and this Council supporting international calls for an independent investigation into alleged violations committed during the hostilities. Accountability also means reparations. I would urge the Council to call on States to establish, or itself to mandate, in relevant contexts, mechanisms to receive claims alleging violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The last 10 years have provided us with a tantalizing sense of the potential of the agenda on the protection of civilians. We now have to realize that potential by meeting these five core challenges.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“The establishment by the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of a rapid response and early warning cell to collect information on cases of ill-discipline and human rights violations committed by the FARDC is a welcome step, but in the meantime the FARDC must redouble its efforts to instil discipline and respect for the law into its troops. In Afghanistan, accountability means prompt and credible investigations into air strikes and other incidents causing the death or injury of civilians or damage to civilian property, with adequate and timely information provided on the outcome of investigations and payments made to those affected.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“And it extends to ratification of the ICC Statute and full cooperation with the Court and similar mechanisms. For the Council, it means insisting on such cooperation and, if necessary, enforcing it through targeted sanctions. And it means systematically requesting reports on violations and mandating commissions of inquiry to examine situations of concern. In practical terms - in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example - this translates into ensuring accountability for the seemingly endless and appalling stream of acts of sexual violence attributable to all parties. It also means that allegations of violations committed by members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), including but not only in the context of Operation Kimia ll, be investigated and their perpetrators held to account.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“Just as constraints on access must have consequences, so too must other violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law - and with obvious good reason. It is to a large degree the absence of accountability and, worse still, the absence in many instances even of any expectation or fear of accountability that allows violations to thrive. Addressing this culture of impunity is the fifth challenge identified in the report. Ensuring accountability begins with training combatants on the law, issuing manuals, orders and instructions setting out their obligations and establishing effective disciplinary measures to ensure their observance. It includes adopting national legislation for prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious violations of human rights law.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“Possible steps in particular situations include calling on parties to allow and facilitate the provision of assistance, to allow safe passage for civilians seeking to flee zones of fighting, to conclude and implement agreements to expedite the deployment of humanitarian staff and assets and to condemn systematically acts of violence targeting humanitarian workers. Above all, the Council should ensure that constraints on access have consequences for those that impose them and not just those that suffer because of them. That means, for example, applying targeted sanctions against individuals obstructing access or perpetrating attacks against staff, and even being ready to refer situations involving the prolonged and wilful impediment of relief, or attacks against humanitarian workers, to the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attacks on humanitarian workers have averaged one every three days since the start of 2009. Such incidents are unfortunately not aberrations, and they will not disappear without concerted action. Humanitarian workers are targeted on occasion for political reasons. Relief supplies and assets are viewed as soft targets for criminal exploitation. Critical in this regard is broadening the understanding and acceptance among all actors, State and non-State, of the purpose of independent, neutral and impartial humanitarian action. The Council has an important role to play in bringing this about.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“The most abhorrent and worrying constraint on access stems from violence against humanitarian operations and staff themselves, which has steadily increased over the past decade, including a sharp rise in attacks affecting United Nations agencies since 2006. The year 2008 was the worst on record for all humanitarian actors taken together. I am currently particularly concerned for humanitarian personnel in Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia. The dangers and deaths in Somalia and Afghanistan are well known. Three local humanitarian workers with non-governmental organizations were murdered earlier this week in Afghanistan. In Chad, violent criminality continues to impede humanitarian operations, including situations where humanitarian convoys accompanied by armed escorts have been caught in the crossfire.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“Secondly, all too often parties to conflict neglect to ensure the well-being of conflict-affected populations during intense hostilities, even when they need emergency medical assistance. In Somalia, for example, the renewed hostilities in Mogadishu have led some humanitarian actors to cease activities in recent weeks, including providing medical services for the civilian population at a time when humanitarian needs are significantly rising. It is critical that parties to conflict allow and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance in such circumstances, including through such operational measures as de-conflicting arrangements, days of tranquillity, and humanitarian pauses. They must also allow safe passage to civilians seeking to flee zones of fighting.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source
“Medical supplies can be subject to particularly long delays. Israel's decision in March of this year to allow the unrestricted entry of all foodstuffs from Government-approved sources remains unimplemented and, despite major shelter and reconstruction needs following the hostilities earlier this year, only a fraction of the required construction materials have so far been allowed into Gaza. In the Sudan, the convening of the now-expanded high-level committee represents significant progress towards renewed cooperation to facilitate humanitarian action in Darfur. The committee must now be replicated at the State level in Darfur in order to eliminate inconsistencies in implementation and maximize aid effectiveness, especially given the upcoming hunger gap and rainy season.”
2009-06-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6151 (2009) · source