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

“Faced with the increasing humanitarian needs, the humanitarian community is finding it progressively harder to respond because of insecurity and lack of access. The United Nations Department of Safety and Security has tracked more security incidents in May 2008 than at any time since the Taliban were expelled in 2001. As of late June, for example, there had been 137 serious attacks on humanitarian organizations, seven humanitarian workers killed and 88 staff abducted this year. The World Food Programme has already had 13 armed attacks against its convoys this year alone. Such attacks hurt only the poorest of the Afghan people and are unacceptable, whatever the political or military objectives of those concerned.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“I heard first-hand accounts from tribal elders of how all that has been affecting communities in Kunar and Nangarhar, trapped between the warring parties. They shared their frustration over civilian casualties, frequent house searches by national and international forces, based on what they often saw as poor intelligence and the lack of a clear mechanism for seeking redress where appropriate. Fourthly, Afghanistan is highly prone to natural disasters, notably floods, earthquakes and droughts. Given the current vulnerability of its people, a major natural disaster could have disproportionately catastrophic effects. Meanwhile, we have struggled even to deal with events like the exceptionally harsh winter this year.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“The latest reports of civilian casualties caused by air and missile strikes last weekend can only add to the concern. I particularly regretted the news that three International Medical Corps staff members were killed and one, along with a number of villagers, severely injured in an airstrike in Nuristan that reportedly hit a bus last Friday. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, also highlighted during her own visit to Afghanistan in June the terrible consequences of the fighting for children, too often among the casualties, and now being recruited into anti-Government fighting forces in increasing numbers. Two hundred and twenty-eight schools were attacked with 75 deaths and 111 injured in 2007. In 2008, a further 83 schools have already been attacked.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“During the first five months of 2008, a total of 698 civilian deaths were reported by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), compared to 430 in the same period last year. The vast majority of those casualties were in the south. Of those 698 deaths, 422 were attributed to anti- Government elements, with 255 attributed to national and international pro-Government forces. Another 21 deaths were unattributable. The share of the casualties attributed to national and international pro-Government military forces has decreased from 2007 to 2008, and significant efforts are clearly being made to reduce those accidental deaths. However, since the fighting itself has intensified, the overall numbers of casualties caused by all parties to the conflict have also increased.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“They were completely dependent on outside assistance, with water, for example, sent by truck every day. The United Nations agencies, particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the NGOs are doing their best, but the longer-term prospects for those people are uncertain, at best. Meanwhile, many others are internally displaced. One estimated figure is 150,000, most of whom are in the south of the country. That includes long-term displaced affected by conflict, drought and lack of economic opportunities and others temporarily displaced by recent fighting. Many of the displaced are in areas that are hard to access owing to continued fighting, making it virtually impossible to collect reliable data. Thirdly, the conflict is placing increasing pressure on civilians.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“However, the country's capacity to absorb those returnees is limited, and there are still 2.3 million registered Afghan refugees in Pakistan and another 950,000 in Iran, plus economic migrants who are not registered. Lack of land and jobs, as well as insecurity, prevent many returnees from settling in their original communities. Resolution 1806 (2008) calls for enhanced international cooperation in ensuring voluntary and orderly return, and I hope we can see a specific effort in the region to respond to that. In Nangarhar Province in the east, I visited Tangi 2, a temporary settlement of 369 families who had returned earlier this year from a camp in Pakistan that has now closed. Those families were living in makeshift shelters, with no agricultural land, limited access to basic services and very few livelihood opportunities.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“As Special Representative Kai Eide has just said, a second joint appeal for just over $400 million has therefore been launched today in Kabul, with a focus both on further immediate food, nutrition and health assistance and on agricultural inputs. Initial figures from pre-harvest assessments suggest that the food gap may grow from 500,000 tons of grain this year to 2 million tons next year - in other words one third of the country's annual requirement. I hope donors will respond quickly and generously to that appeal too. Secondly, the plight of millions of returnees from neighbouring countries remains a major concern. Since 2002, 4.8 million Afghans - representing one sixth of the population - have returned home. Over 140,000 have returned so far this year.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“First, food insecurity, fuelled primarily by drought and compounded by the dramatic rise in global food prices, is hurting Afghans badly and is a major concern to the Government and the humanitarian community. Wheat prices across the country rose by 58 per cent in 2007 and by another 30 to 50 per cent in the first four months of 2008. Afghanistan, a country with 42 per cent of its citizens living below the poverty line, is particularly vulnerable to rises in the price of the staple wheat flour. The Government of Afghanistan and the humanitarian community responded quickly to deteriorating food security in January by issuing an initial appeal for $81 million. That has been almost fully funded and is enabling us to reach about 2.5 million people with immediate assistance. But it is far from enough.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“Mr. Holmes: Thank you for this opportunity to address the Council. I was in Afghanistan for four days at the end of June to assess the humanitarian situation, given the growing concerns about the severity of humanitarian and protection of civilians issues. I visited Nangarhar and Kunar Provinces in the east, as well as Kabul, and held discussions with the Afghan Government at the national and provincial levels, and with United Nations representatives, international military force commanders, Member States and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others from the humanitarian community. I also met with many Afghans who spoke compellingly about the problems they face in their daily lives. It is clear that humanitarian needs are indeed serious and growing. I would single out four areas.”
2008-07-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5930 (2008) · source
“But not to mention at all the problems of access we have been having in the particular natural disaster situation in Myanmar, which merit further consideration in due course, seemed to me slightly perverse. Let me conclude there. I would like to thank all the speakers in the debate for the all the comments they have made, which we will certainly take very seriously. We look forward to the Secretary-General's next report, in the autumn and a further opportunity to brief the Council then on its main findings.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“It is also particularly clear, at least to me, that the particularly cynical and unacceptable attacks against the crossing points by Hamas, or from within Gaza, are something that we should really focus on and try to prevent, because they simply cannot possibly be seen as helping the local Gaza population. Finally, I think it was the representative of Myanmar who questioned my reference to access issues in the natural disaster context. The reason I did that was because it seemed to me to be slightly perverse, when I was addressing the Council at some length on the problems of access that apply in armed conflict and all the difficulties that that entails, not to mention that there is a separate aspect to this - which I made perfectly clear was outside the particular scope of this debate.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Many speakers referred to the problems in the occupied Palestinian territory, and in particular to the problems in Gaza. Let me repeat that we certainly still believe that there is a tragic situation in Gaza. We continue to appeal to Israel to relax the restrictions that it has put in place. Those restrictions have been described by many, including myself, as a kind of collective punishment. We hope that that can be brought to an end so as to allow Palestinians to live and breathe rather more than they have the chance of doing at the moment. At the same time, it is clear that the indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza should stop.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“What we are therefore looking for through the expert group is some way, as I said, in a very informal and light way, of institutionalizing or regularizing and systematizing the exchange to make it more effective in all ways. Several speakers also referred to the importance of regional organizations as regards the question of the protection of civilians. I agree very much that that is a dimension that we need to focus on. It is very much part of our current efforts to engage more with the relevant regional organizations in all parts of the world in order to help build the capacity they have inside those regional organizations to deal with humanitarian and protection-of-civilians affairs. For example, we recently established an OCHA liaison office with the African Union in Addis Ababa.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The idea is to be able to communicate and exchange, systematically and transparently, information and analysis and, when necessary, propose language on protection matters to all Council members so that they have the best possible information when they are considering mandates or other protection-of- civilians issues. We believe that would help to ensure more consistent application of the existing aide- memoire and other protection-of-civilians concerns in the Council's deliberations. What we find is that our current efforts to engage the Council on those issues tend to be rather bilateral, ad hoc and, often, rather late.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Fifthly, on the question of the expert group of the Council on the protection of civilians, I am heartened by the support expressed during the debate by many speakers for the establishment of such an expert group. Let me just repeat that we are not suggesting, as one or two speakers seemed to suggest that we were, the establishment of a formal subsidiary of the Council like the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. What we are suggesting is something significantly more modest than that: an informal forum for timely and systematic consultation on protection- of-civilians concerns between all members of the Council and OCHA and other relevant departments of the Secretariat.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Clearly, there has been quite a lot of progress in extending the reach of accountability mechanisms and international justice mechanisms, in particular through the International Criminal Court and other international judicial mechanisms. But, I think it is also worth drawing attention to the fact that States are also obliged to take steps at the national level to try to prevent and halt acts that contravene the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, and to search out, investigate and punish people who have committed or ordered the commission of grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. It is at the national level also where we need to see far greater progress. Of course, the United Nations is prepared to help countries in doing that.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Let me assure the members of the Council that we do take it extremely seriously and are in no way complacent about it. Fourthly, there is the question - the broad question if you like - of accountability, which was mentioned in particular by several speakers in the context of sexual violence, but also in the context of violations of international humanitarian law, more generally. I welcome that emphasis on accountability, because it is very important in terms of trying to prevent violations in the first place, as part of the constant struggle to prevent a culture of impunity, which does such damage where it takes root, as we can see in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the context of the sexual Violence there.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The Secretary-General issued a separate statement on this today that makes clear his concern at that report and his recognition that that continues to be a significant and painful issue, and one that we have to address candidly, comprehensively and robustly. As all members know, the United Nations has already taken a series of measures designed to tackle that problem. We are committed to training and monitoring our civilian staff and working with police- and troop-contributing countries to make sure that everybody has the highest codes of conduct available to them and is accountable for their behaviour in response to those codes of conduct. Nevertheless, we recognize that there is still more to do on this. There is still some way to go to try to put a stop to this shameful practice.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We expect it to make recommendations for all the relevant actors concerned - that is the Council, of course, the troop- contributing countries, DPKO, OCHA and the special representatives of the Secretary-General on the ground - in order to try to make sure that all steps of the process can be improved and the ability of peacekeeping operations to protect civilians can be increased. Obviously, we will be reporting to the Council in due course on the findings and the recommendations of that report. Thirdly, a number of speakers have referred to the Save the Children report, which I think was published today, drawing attention to continuing evidence of sexual exploitation and abuse by both humanitarian workers and peacekeepers.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“That is why, 10 years on from the establishment of the first express protection-of-civilians mandate in a peacekeeping forces mandate, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations have now commissioned an independent study to review each stage of that process, to look at where the fault lines are and where we have made progress and where we have made less progress, to identify the main difficulties encountered by the key actors - and therefore to identify areas where action is required - as well as to identify the good practices to be replicated in the future. That will be a 12-month study, which should be finalized, I hope, around this time next year.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Secondly, on the question of provisions for the protection of civilians in peacekeeping mandates, which several speakers also referred to, and the question of how well those protection-of-civilian mandates are being implemented, clearly there is concern that the success of these provisions to date has been a little mixed. The reasons for that may vary - and they can arise at any stage of the establishment and implementation of a given mandate - from the actual language that is in the resolution to how the concept of operations and the rules of engagement for peacekeeping forces are actually elaborated to, finally, obviously, the actual implementation on the ground.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“First of all, on the question of humanitarian access, I welcome the support that many speakers expressed for our own effort to improve our reporting on and analysis of access constraints in conflict settings in order to enable us to keep the Council better informed in a systematic way. Several speakers called for this monitoring to be proactive and to be a good basis for action. Clearly, such analysis will provide an opportunity for action in response to particularly grave situations, but by the same token it will produce an expectation of action by the Council. I am encouraged by the recognition of that fact, but it will be a challenge for us all to turn these expectations into truly effective mechanisms.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“I will say how much I welcome the clear commitment that I have heard from every speaker today to this important agenda of the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and the recognition by, I think, all speakers of the need to do more to ensure that our words are more than just words and that they are followed up by actions that have impact where they matter most, which is on the ground. There was also a very clear recognition by many, if not all, speakers that civilians are more than ever the main victims of the modern kind of conflict we so often see - that is, internal conflict within States rather than outright war between States. Given that it is late, I will not try to respond to all the detailed points made by individual delegations, but let me comment briefly on some of the key points.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Mr. Holmes: I will start by apologizing to members of the Council for my rather intermittent attendance today. That would not have been my wish, but there was urgent business connected to Myanmar that I had to attend to, so I ask the Council's indulgence for that. Nevertheless, I have listened very carefully to those parts of the debate I have been able to hear and to the comments that have been made, and of course the comments made in my absence have been fully reported to me.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898Resumption1 (2008) · source
“A more consistent approach to integrating the protection of civilians into all relevant aspects of the Council's work could make a very real difference to the lives of millions of people trapped in the chaos and horror of war. An expert group of the kind I have described would, I believe, be a useful vehicle to help take you there.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“To this end, I would emphasize the importance that we and, I believe, a number of Council members, attach to the Secretary-General's recommendation for the creation of a Security Council expert group on the protection of civilians. For those who harbour reservations, let me be clear that we are not proposing a subsidiary body of the Council with the bureaucratic and resource issues that that implies. Rather, we envisage an informal forum that would bring together all of the Council Member States at the expert level for transparent, systematic and timely consultation on protection of civilians concerns, particularly, but not only, in the context of the establishment or renewal of peacekeeping mandates. The Security Council has come far in addressing the protection of civilians in armed conflict. But I believe the Council could go further.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“We are continuing our analysis so that the first fruits will be available to the Council in the autumn. Vital progress has been made in the nine years since the Council first considered the protection of civilians in armed conflict. There is increased awareness among Member States of the issues involved and their relevance to the Council's work. Four thematic resolutions on the protection of civilians, in particular resolution 1674 (2006), have established a comprehensive - and ambitious - framework for action. The challenge now is to realize that ambition and ensure the systematic consideration of protection of civilians issues in the Council's work.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“While United Nations flights resumed the following day, the ban on road travel has effectively curtailed access throughout the State except for in, and around, the major humanitarian hubs. While clearly outside the scope of this report and debate, I note in passing that access can, of course, be an issue not only in situations of conflict but also in the aftermath of natural disasters, as we have seen most recently following Cyclone Nargis. I hope this issue is now resolved, but implementation will be key. Meanwhile, this example demonstrates that we must find a satisfactory way of dealing with access issues for natural disasters as well. 08-3528] As I hope you will see from this, the issue of constraints on access is complex. But the issue is crucial.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Operations in Sri Lanka are further constrained by restrictions on the amount, type and mode of transportation of relief goods and other items. For example, restrictions on the movement of construction materials and fuel from Government to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam-controlled areas is affecting shelter and sanitation activities. Ad hoc demands and requirements by officials at the local level also reduce, or paralyse, the passage of assistance. In North Darfur, for example, the Wali issued a decree earlier this month directing the cessation of flights to and from E1 Fasher by the United Nations and other organizations and the suspension of road travel outside El Fasher for the United Nations and NGOs.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Interference in humanitarian activities or the overt diversion of aid is another significant constraint on our operations in some contexts. In Somalia, for example, we face an acute phenomenon of so-called gatekeepers who try to control access to communities in need, often in return for a portion of the aid being provided. Another major constraint stems from bureaucratic requirements for the entry and movement of staff and goods. For example, requirements governing the entry into Sri Lanka of humanitarian personnel and relief items continue to impede our operations. The entry of international staff designated for work in conflict areas requires the authorization of three ministries and many staff hours to process the necessary documents.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In Somalia, the proliferation of such obstacles has led to severe delays, diversion and looting of relief items and additional costs incurred through charges levied at checkpoints, which can run into hundreds of dollars. Between October 2007 and March 2008, the number of checkpoints on routes used by the World Food Programme increased from 224 to 311. In a different and less dangerous but no less frustrating context, in the West Bank, there are still over 600 checkpoints and roadblocks, though I hope recent promised reductions will improve this situation. Between November 2007 and April 2008, United Nations vehicles experienced delays or were turned back at checkpoints on 516 occasions. Over 4,000 staff hours were lost due to delays or denials of access at checkpoints in March 2008.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Humanitarian workers have been forced to relocate from areas of operation on eight occasions, disrupting the provision of vital assistance to populations in several locations. In Somalia, 12 humanitarian staff were killed in the first five months of this year. The threat of violence is exacerbated by public threats and accusations of partisan behaviour levied against the humanitarian community by the Government and armed groups. In Afghanistan, a significant proportion of attacks against NGO staff by anti-Government elements are said to be motivated by perceived support for the Government on the part of NGOs. Another major constraint on our operations stems from restrictions on the movement of staff and goods owing to checkpoints and spontaneous roadblocks.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Are they connected with a party to the conflict? Are they targeting humanitarian staff, whom they do not perceive as neutral? Are they armed or criminal elements taking advantage of the climate of insecurity and preying on a soft target? Or is there some personal or revenge motive? Less than four weeks ago, Save the Children's Country Director in Chad was killed when his convoy was attacked by unidentified gunmen, underlining the increasingly dangerous operating environment for humanitarian workers in that country. Across the border in Darfur, seven humanitarian workers were killed and 109 abducted in the first four months of this year. 131 agency vehicles were hijacked and humanitarian premises broken into by armed actors on 52 occasions.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Not all constraints on access constitute violations of international humanitarian law. For example, some result from the absence, or poor state, of roads or other infrastructure, such as in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Climatic conditions make areas inaccessible during rainy seasons when rivers cannot be crossed, or in winter, in periods of heavy snowfall, a particular problem in parts of Afghanistan. Sometimes, our access is temporarily constrained by active fighting. Other constraints clearly are violations of international humanitarian law. One of the most alarming and direct threats to humanitarian operations today stems from deliberate attacks against humanitarian workers in addition to other security- related incidents. Often it is difficult to determine the motivation of the perpetrators and their affiliation.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Such practices will, inevitably, have unwelcome implications for free and unhindered access by humanitarian actors working in the same area. Ultimately, the analysis should provide the basis for more nuanced, targeted and practical measures to mitigate access constraints. One known key factor in all this is the degree of acceptance of humanitarian actors by local populations and parties to the conflict. This is critical for reducing security risks and enhancing access. This means good local knowledge and contacts, as well as constant reassertion to all concerned of the need for full respect for humanitarian principles. It also requires sustained and consistent dialogue about principles and needs with all actors who can facilitate our access to people in need. And that may, in some situations, include those seen by many as terrorists.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“It should provide a clearer understanding of how constraints impact different humanitarian actors, that is how insecurity impacts differently on United Nations agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It will help to identify programmes that are seen by parties to a given conflict as more acceptable and which may constitute possible entry points from which operations can be expanded. In Afghanistan, for example, insurgent groups tend to be more disposed towards health programmes and those that provide employment opportunities for local populations. The analysis will also help to identify emerging trends and patterns, such as the increased presence of commercial enterprises that are prepared to "pay for access".”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Overall, improving access in concrete and practical terms remains a key priority for me. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is continuing to develop a mechanism to enhance its capacity for reporting and analysis on access constraints in conflict settings. This analysis will be annexed to future reports of the Secretary- 08-3528] General on the protection of civilians and included in my briefings to the Council. The intention is not to establish a league table of situations, ranked according to the severity of access constraints. Rather, it is intended to provide a disaggregated and qualitative picture of access constraints and their humanitarian impact.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“But it is no less essential that we take action to prevent the same horrific crimes against the displaced persons returning home to southern Sudan; or that we seek accountability for those who raped their way across Cote d'Ivoire and ensure support to their victims. It is precisely this need for consistency in approach that stands behind the proposed expert group of the Council, to which I shall return. The third issue on which I would like to focus is humanitarian access. Safe, timely and unhindered access is fundamental to our efforts to protect civilians and assist those in need. Yet, throughout the world, including in countries on the Council's agenda, the harsh reality is that millions of people in need of protection and assistance remain beyond our reach owing to a variety of constraints.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“I welcome provisions in Council resolution 1794 regarding the need to ensure accountability for the perpetrators of sexual violence and requesting the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) to pursue a mission-wide strategy on sexual violence and to report regularly to the Council on actions taken. But I would like to have seen similar requirements in subsequent Council resolutions 1795 and 1812 on Cote d'Ivoire and the Sudan respectively. The Democratic Republic of the Congo may stand apart in terms of the intensity of sexual violence.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“For example, consideration could be given to creating a special, possibly internationalized, chamber within the Congolese criminal courts to prosecute sexual violence cases. 08-3528] The Secretary-General also recommended using targeted sanctions in response to sexual violence. I welcome provisions in Council resolution 1807 on the Democratic Republic of the Congo that foresee the possibility of imposing such measures against the perpetrators of sexual violence. It is essential that the Group of Experts and the Committee of the Council have the necessary capacity to ensure implementation of these provisions and that Member States apply the required measures. This problem must be approached with the same degree of concerted action wherever it occurs.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“This includes reversing, in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the continued failure of the police and judiciary to take sexual violence seriously. Ineffective investigations, minimal prosecutions, interference by military and other officials in the administration of justice: these are all practices which have to stop. They are an affront to the rights of victims and serve only to reinforce the culture of impunity on which sexual violence has thrived for so long. They also reaffirm the importance of the Secretary-General's recommendation in the protection of civilians report that consideration be given to establishing ad hoc judicial arrangements to support the national authorities in addressing sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“The Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been at the centre of our discussions on sexual violence, given the pervasiveness of the problem there and the sheer brutality with which those crimes are often perpetrated. We have long urged the Government and other actors on the ground to seek to address the issue. In March, the Ministry of Gender, Family and Children, in partnership with United Nations and civil society actors, launched a national campaign to raise awareness of sexual violence and the need for accountability. This is a welcome step, as was President Kabila's reaffirmation of his zero-tolerance policy on sexual violence during the Conference on Peace, Security and Development in January. But we need to intensify our efforts to make this zero-tolerance a reality.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Following October's presidential statement on women, peace and security, Under-Secretaries-General Arbour, Guehenno and I asked peacekeeping missions to provide improved reporting on sexual violence. This will help build a better picture of the problem in different contexts and allow for more targeted prevention and response activities by the missions and other actors. A conference begins today in the United Kingdom, bringing together military commanders, United Nations actors and some Member States to discuss practical actions that could be taken by peacekeepers in this area. We still have problems ourselves in this area and we also recognize that we have much more to do.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Nonetheless, I would reiterate the Secretary-General's recommendation, from October's protection of civilians report, that ISAF and the multinational force in Iraq provide information in their quarterly reports to the Council on steps taken to ensure the protection of civilians in the conduct of hostilities. Turning to sexual violence, we need further robust action to prevent and respond to such violence during armed conflict. Anything less risks condemning current and future generations of women and girls, and boys and men, to indescribable humiliation and cruelty followed by, for those who survive or who are born from such violence, a life defined by pain, stigma and rejection.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Nevertheless, any military response must itself comply with international humanitarian law and demonstrate respect for the dignity of those already exposed to insurgent attacks. Against this background, I welcome the inclusion in relevant Council resolutions of provisions calling for all parties to conflict to comply with international humanitarian law, including in resolutions authorizing multinational forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. I would encourage the continued and systematic inclusion of provisions to this effect in all relevant Council resolutions. I also welcome efforts made by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and other international forces in Afghanistan to minimize the risk of civilian casualties.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In both these contexts, I remain concerned also by civilian casualties resulting from air strikes and search operations conducted by national and multinational forces, as well as the number of so-called force protection incidents in which civilians are shot at after being considered a threat to military convoys or for not obeying instructions at checkpoints. I do not for one second underestimate the challenge, in Afghanistan, Iraq and other contexts, of engaging an enemy whose members are difficult, if not impossible, to identify, and who see the surrounding civilian population as a shield from attack. This is an enemy for whom the principles of distinction and proportionality appear to have no practical meaning or application.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In Afghanistan, 300 civilians were killed in the first four months of this year in attacks by so-called anti-Government elements, the majority in suicide attacks. Though often aimed at military targets, the manner in which these suicide attacks are carried out almost inevitably leads to civilian casualties. Similarly, in Iraq, suicide attacks continue to be used with chilling effect, while members of professional and religious groups, the media, and Government officials are targeted for assassination and abduction.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“In Gaza, Israeli air attacks and ground incursions continue to result in unacceptable Palestinian civilian casualties. Non-State armed groups in Colombia continue to perpetrate killings, mass displacements, hostage- taking, sexual violence and forced recruitment of civilians. In Sri Lanka, hundreds of civilians have been killed or injured this year, including in attacks on civilian buses, railway stations and other public places. Only last month, over 40 civilians, including the Government's Highways Minister, were killed in separate suicide attacks. Yesterday, nine people died and 73 were injured when a bomb exploded on a busy commuter train in Dehiwela, a suburb of Colombo. Last Friday, a roadside bomb in Kilinochchi killed 17 civilians, on a main road used to reach families displaced by the conflict.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Earlier this month, attacks on villages in north Darfur, including the bombing of a school, water installations and a market, resulted in further civilian deaths and injuries. Rebel attacks, often mounted from areas of significant civilian population, have also been heavy in civilian casualties. Last month in Somalia, hundreds of civilians were killed or injured and thousands more were forced to flee their homes due to fighting in Mogadishu between the Government, supported by Ethiopian forces, and non-State armed groups. The number of casualties was no doubt exacerbated through the use of heavy weapons in civilian areas. Israeli civilians remain subject to physical and psychological suffering caused by indiscriminate rocket and mortar attacks launched from the occupied Palestinian territory.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source
“Allow me to elaborate today on three that remain particularly acute in many of today's conflicts: the conduct of hostilities, sexual violence and humanitarian access. First of all, on the conduct of hostilities, civilians continue to account for the majority of casualties in armed conflict, often in flagrant violation of the rules 08-3528] of international humanitarian law governing conduct of hostilities. In Darfur, for example, civilians remain the principal victims of attacks by Sudanese Armed Forces and the Janjaweed militia. In January and February, aerial bombardments and ground attacks on villages in west Darfur left 115 civilians dead, including elderly and disabled persons, women and children.”
2008-05-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5898 (2008) · source