YouSaid · the spoken record

Junod

lines on the record: 61
first: 1997-08-14
most recent: 2000-07-26
sittings or episodes: 6
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

“We hope that the universal awareness of the magnitude and acuteness of the problem of the protection of children in armed conflict will give some an uneasy conscience and prompt them to take action.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Programmes, particularly those concerning psychological and social rehabilitation, are now being prepared by national societies, with the support of the ICRC or the Federation. The States parties to the Geneva Conventions that participate in the Movement's conferences reaffirmed their full support for the programme of action at the 27th international conference last November. I wish in conclusion to express the fervent hope of the ICRC that significant progress will be made at the special session of the General Assembly devoted to the follow-up to the World Summit for Children, to take place next year, and which your country, Madam President, will have the honour of presiding over. The follow-up to the major conferences obliges States to present reports on their initiatives.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“ICRC, whose working methods have evolved with the use of computerised techniques, is now studying the best way to cooperate in this initiative while retaining its approach and criteria for dealing with the constraints of situations of armed conflict. With regard to rehabilitation and reintegration, the various entities of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement - the ICRC, the Federation and the national societies - began preparing in 1995 a programme of action for children who are victims of armed conflict. In addition to the principle of non- recruitment before the age of 18, the purpose is to take specific measures to protect and assist children, including in the rehabilitation and reintegration phase.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In the context of protection activities for prisoners, the ICRC takes action to ensure that children are detained in places where they are separated from adults and it calls for their release whenever possible. The ICRC's action in favour of unaccompanied children and the search for their relatives, the exchange of messages and the reuniting of families are the area in which the institution's experience is richest. Agencies such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and non-governmental organizations are also active in this field. In the report (A/54/2000) of the Secretary-General to the Millennium Assembly there is a proposal, at the request of the International Rescue Committee, to establish a world network using a database to search for disappeared children - Child Connect.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“It is also important to bear in mind that recruitment and participation in hostilities of children under 15 are classified as a war crime in the Statute of the International Criminal Court. While legal protection of children has been greatly developed, much remains to be done with regard to ratification and implementation. The advisory services of the ICRC are available to States to assist them in developing national legislation to implement humanitarian law. At the operational level, the specific needs of children, particularly in nutrition and health, are taken into account in assistance programmes directed at civilian populations that have suffered from armed conflict, whether they have remained in their homes or have been displaced.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The ICRC welcomes the fact that this long-term undertaking has ultimately been successful, and we encourage States to ratify it as soon as possible. However, the instrument is not without defects. It does not prohibit indirect participation, and it authorizes voluntary recruitment of children under 18 without defining "voluntary", leaving a loophole for abuse. Furthermore, non-State entities are bound only by a moral obligation. In this regard, it should be noted that the Additional Protocol II to the Geneva Conventions applicable to non-international armed conflicts, ratified by 149 States, goes much further in this regard. It prohibits recruitment and participation in hostilities of children under 14, and gives the same legal obligations to parties to the conflict, whether Government authorities or armed opposition.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“At the legal level, the ICRC, as an expert in humanitarian law, has contributed to all the work undertaken by the conferences that have led to significant developments in international law with regard to the protection of children, from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the recruitment of children through the Ottawa Treaty to the Statute of the International Criminal Court. I shall confine myself to a few comments on the recently adopted Optional Protocol. The formal embodiment of the prohibition on recruiting children under the age of 18 or their participation in hostilities was the most important objective. Moreover, the Protocol would have had no great meaning if it had not taken into account non-State actors.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Whether in its role as guardian of international humanitarian law and legal expert, or in its operational activities, the International Committee of the Red Cross has for a long time paid great attention to children during and after armed conflicts. I should like to give the Council a brief account of the efforts that we have been making in this area at the legal and operational levels, and in the context of the programme of action of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We can no longer ignore the fact that one day a representative or one of our humanitarian colleagues, may lose his or her life because a child soldier, brainwashed or drugged, has targeted him or her. But who could have imagined even a few years ago that the Security Council would be considering such problems? Today's discussion, which follows up on the historic resolution 1261 (1999), is a hopeful sign, because it attests to the universal awareness of the urgent need for concerted action on the part of the international community to try to alleviate the consequences of war for children. In this regard, I should like to pay tribute to the vigorous, enthusiastic and tireless advocacy efforts of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Olara Otunnu.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Mrs. Junod (International Committee of the Red Cross) (spoke in French): I should like first of all, on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross, to thank you, Madam President, as well as the other members of the Council, for allowing me to take the floor in this discussion of children and armed conflict. Our grave concern about this issue is part of the larger question of the protection of civilian populations which lies at the heart of the Committee's mandate. The plight of children, of all the victims of war, is undoubtedly the most tragic. They have been maimed, orphaned and separated from their kin; they have witnessed or even perpetrated unspeakable atrocities; and they have been deprived of education and traumatized for life. Entire generations and societies have mortgaged their future to pay for their terrible past.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Day-to-day cooperation between the members of the humanitarian community is another factor in reducing risks and in this connection I would stress the importance of the conduct of humanitarian personnel in the field, which requires not only professionalism, but also a thorough knowledge of the cultural context and customs. One can never overemphasize the value of advice from locally recruited personnel or the number of lives that such Wise advice has saved. In conclusion, I wish to note that the ICRC is thinking more and more in terms of preventive strategy through its network of regional delegations. In most cases, these have already been in place for several years when a crisis arises in a country, which allows us from the outset to benefit from the trust of being known, particularly through educational programmes on humanitarian law.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“This position, which is well known, is also supported by a recent experience in which the ICRC was forced to withdraw from a region and to evacuate its representatives, whose security had been gravely jeopardized due to the use of armed escorts by another humanitarian organization that had chosen that option to protect its own personnel. I would also like to point out that, as we understand it, a dialogue with all actors is not confined to the political or military authorities, be they legal or de facto; it is also a question of working transparently with all the other humanitarian organizations present.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In order to gain a minimum level of trust, the ICRC attaches great importance to the establishment of a regular dialogue with all actors in the field so that its mandate, its role as neutral intermediary and the limits of its action can be clearly understood. That approach, based on the acceptance of its presence by all the parties involved, has led the ICRC to be extremely prudent in taking measures of armed protection for its personnel; these are taken only in situations where there is a significant risk of banditry and when it is genuinely vital for the victims it seeks to reach. The ICRC remains firmly convinced that humanitarian action must be clearly distinguished from the use of force.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“It is important and encouraging to recall in this regard that the Statute of the International Criminal Court specifically stipulates that it is a war crime to attack persons involved in humanitarian assistance operations. The last aspect that I would like to touch upon is no less important, for it has to do with the modalities of humanitarian action, which can have a decisive effect on the security of humanitarian personnel. Effective humanitarian action must be conducted neutrally, impartially and independently. Rigorous respect for these principles in such a way as to foster relations of trust with the parties to a conflict is a key factor for the security of humanitarian personnel.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“In that exercise it will be important to take into account the relevant rules of international humanitarian law, a good part of which fall under customary law. The ICRC will be pleased to contribute its expertise on this subject and will follow this work with all the attention it deserves. The law exists, however imperfect it may be. What remains to be done is to implement it. The protection of humanitarian personnel requires concrete measures that States must enact in order to reduce the numerous violations of law and to put an end to the impunity of the perpetrators. Ratifying treaties, adopting national legislation to make possible the prosecution of war criminals and more effective dissemination of legal rules are all sine qua non conditions, as was emphasized repeatedly in this morning's debate.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Moreover, the red cross and red crescent emblems confer special protection to medical facilities and personnel, be they military or civilian. As the Council is aware, these emblems, whose use is strictly governed by international humanitarian law, also protect the activities of the ICRC, as well as those of other components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement - in other words, national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies and their International Federation. The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, adopted by the General Assembly in 1994, has bridged certain gaps. Fresh thought is being given today to strengthening the protection it provides.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Allow me briefly to outline, not exhaustively, the three major compartments of this toolbox: legal protection, the implementation of and respect for law and, lastly, the modalities for humanitarian action. With regard to legal protection, it may be useful to recall that the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols contain basic rules for the protection of humanitarian personnel that are rooted in the principle of protecting civilian populations against the effects of hostilities. Civilians must be protected and respected in all circumstances. To this general immunity are added specific rules of protection covering individuals participating in impartial humanitarian assistance actions.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“First of all, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, as well as the members of the Council, for having invited the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to speak in this important debate. (spoke in French) The provision of protection and assistance to the victims of armed violence - which is the raison d'etre of the ICRC - depends upon the existence of a minimum of security conditions for humanitarian personnel. That is why this subject is particularly close to our hearts. The deterioration of security conditions today raises a daily challenge to humanitarian action in numerous contexts. Like the protection of civilian populations, the protection of humanitarian personnel is linked to a number of legal and operational considerations that are to some extent the tools to be used in trying to meet this challenge.”
2000-02-09 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4100Resumption1 (2000) · source
“This opens the door to a new era of synergy that can strengthen the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The international Red Cross and Red Crescent movement must, by its very essence, be an important mechanism of this mobilizing strategy. The protection of civilians in armed conflict goes to the heart of the debate to be held at the twenty-seventh International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva at the beginning of November, in which all States parties to the Geneva Conventions, as well as the movement as a whole, will participate. Its work should lead to the adoption of a specific plan of action for the years 2000 to 2003.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“I should like once again to state that in the framework of its mandate to protect humanitarian law, the ICRC is in the process of putting the final touches on a universal study to determine the content of customary regulations. That study, which will be issued next year, will define more clearly the obligations of all parties to an armed conflict, whether the conflict be international or internal. In his opening statement, the President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session mentioned a number of urgent challenges to be faced: war, displaced persons, refugees, gender equality and the fate of children, in particular children in armed conflict - this last being a direct follow-up to the important resolution recently adopted by the Security Council on that subject.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Yes, our advisory services for international humanitarian assistance are prepared to continue to help States to adopt, on a national scale, specific measures for the appropriate implementation of this law. The adoption of national legislation for punishing war crimes is a priority, especially since the future International Criminal Court will be complementary to national criminal jurisdictions. The propagation of humanitarian law remains a priority on the agenda of our institution. Local networks are increasingly being trained in this area, and play an irreplaceable role in helping the ICRC to adapt its message to its various audiences and take fully into account different cultural contexts and traditional values.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Respect for humanitarian law, which is a sine qua non for the physical protection of civilians, is of great concern to the members of peacekeeping forces. The ICRC therefore warmly welcomes the rules and principles in the Secretary-General's bulletin of 6 August, which was drawn up with the participation of his legal experts. It is furthermore essential, as the report of the Secretary- General indicates, that the personnel involved in regional operations respect and observe humanitarian law. Adequate training seems to be absolutely necessary if the rules and principles are not to become a dead letter. The ICRC has repeatedly expressed itself on measures recommended for strengthening legal protection. I will therefore keep my comments in this area brief.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Humanitarian organizations should not, therefore, be criticized, as is sometimes still the case, for maintaining necessary working relations with armed opposition groups during an armed conflict. Rather, they should be encouraged to maintain dialogue with all of those who have some influence on the fate of the victims they are trying to reach. We join with the Secretary-General in recommending that the Council call upon non-state actors to adhere to these humanitarian norms. The ICRC would like to point out that, if we deny the very existence of armed groups or simply reduce them to the status of criminals or terrorists to whom we should not even speak, that could provide them with a pretext for them to flout their responsibilities towards civilians, prisoners and the wounded.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“The ICRC is endeavouring to protect civilians in armed conflict by intervening directly with all parties, including non-state actors, whatever cause they say that they are defending. In this respect, paragraph 51 of the report of the Secretary-General rightly states: "humanitarian actors must be able to maintain a dialogue with relevant non-state actors without thereby lending them any political legitimacy". That is, indeed, the letter of the law. According to common article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, offering the services of an impartial humanitarian organization such as the ICRC does not at all modify the legal status of the entity to which the services are offered.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Cornelio Sommamga, expressed his deep concern about the fact that in a number of armed conflicts both States and non- State actors do not respect even the minimum norms of conduct of international humanitarian law. That grim picture is brightened today by a note of hope. Indeed, the results of the "People on War" consultation, recently conducted throughout the world by the ICRC for the fiftieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, show that the norms enshrined in humanitarian law are still relevant. The basic principles of that law have just been reaffirmed in a solemn appeal, adopted on 12 August, in the presence of the Secretary- General. The ICRC would like to reiterate its deep gratitude to him for his unconditional support.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“In conformity with the mandate entrusted to it by the most recent International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, held in 1995, the ICRC undertook a study of the availability of arms and the situation of civilians in armed conflict, in which it provided an account of its experience in the field and analysed the consequences of the availability of weapons in terms of human rights violations. It is therefore very pleased to note that the Secretary-General agrees with the various initiatives taken to deal with this difficult problem, and has proposed several recommendations to States as part of the measures to be taken to strengthen the physical protection of civilians. During the open debate in this Chamber on 12 February, the President of the ICRC, Mr.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“This is an important step towards discharging the collective responsibility that flows from common article 1 of the Geneva Conventions, which requires States parties not only to respect but to ensure respect for the provisions of these Conventions. In this context, I should like to point out that Article 89 of the first Protocol Additional of 1977 requests States to act in cases of serious violations of the Conventions and the Protocol, both jointly and separately, in cooperation with the United Nations and in accordance with the Charter. The uncontrolled availability of arms is a threat to civilians that the Council is now beginning to take into account.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“In extreme cases, when all initiatives to ensure respect for basic human rights and humanitarian law have failed and when such principles have been rejected outright, humanitarian action as such is disputed, and States must find new remedies. Rapid action must be decided upon and, if necessary, imposed. Such measures should create new conditions enabling humanitarian players to act. But they should not necessarily be included in political decision-making on possible enforcement action. The ICRC is particularly pleased to note that, when the Council decides to take action based on Chapter VII of the Charter, it will no longer limit itself to political and military considerations but will henceforth take account of the humanitarian consequences of armed conflict for civilians.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“To illustrate this point I will only cite two situations in which our organization has been working for 25 odd years: Angola and East Timor. We hope that in the latter case the imminent deployment of an international force will help to limit the terrible sufferings of a population that remains in danger. To avoid such situations, the ICRC would like political and humanitarian actors in due course to join forces and unite their efforts in accordance with their respective responsibilities. It seems to us that in calling upon the Security Council to give increased attention to the prevention of conflicts by attacking the root causes of crises and, to that end, establishing a more systematic and specific framework for action, the recommendations of the Secretary-General are on the right track.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Mrs. Junod (International Committee of the Red Cross) (spoke in French): First of all I would like to thank you, Sir, along with the other members of the Council, for making it possible for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to speak here regarding the protection of civilian populations in armed conflicts. The ICRC warmly welcomes the Council's initiative to undertake an open debate, on the basis of concrete proposals, on a subject of such fundamental importance. But we cannot fail to express our disappointment over the fact that this essential debate is taking place at the very time when we must deplore the powerless of the international community to assure the protection of civilians in various parts of the world.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“The ICRC and other agencies, such as the United Nations Children's Fund, can only assist in this endeavour. Finally, we would like to emphasize once more that combating impunity is the key factor in the prevention of future violations.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“In every situation, clarity regarding the sharing of tasks between the various actors remains one of the best guarantees for effective security and, in essence, the ICRC feels that the following measures should be respected. First, humanitarian action must not become the main instrument of foreign policy. Political entities should focus on finding political settlement to a conflict. Secondly, any international military presence, such as a peacekeeping force, should have a clear and appropriate mandate and not simply become a supplier of humanitarian assistance. That can easily lead to confusion and a distorted perception of humanitarian work. Thirdly, the primary responsibility for the implementation of international norms lies with the States.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“It may be recalled that, during last year's debate on this topic, the ICRC expressed the opinion that humanitarian organizations need to preserve the strictly non-political and impartial character of their work, the perception of which could be jeopardized by the presence of armed escorts. While ICRC delegations have hired armed guards for its premises and staff residences against criminal acts, it does not intend their use as protection for humanitarian activities in the field or to have military personnel or armed escorts in conflict areas. I know that this is a well-known position, but it is maintained by my organization. Humanitarian work must be clearly dissociated from any military operations aimed at ensuring security and restoring law and order in regions plagued by violence.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“It should be emphasized that faithful implementation of the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as of refugee law and the various human rights instruments, first and foremost aims at increasing respect for the civilian population, including refugees and the internally displaced. In our view, a fundamental condition for any humanitarian operation involving humanitarian assistance or protection is the consent of the warring parties. Such action should never be imposed by force. Rather, it must be transparent in its objectives and impartial in its implementation. Discussion and persuasion should be used to negotiate access for humanitarian action, in full accordance with the basic principles of neutrality and impartiality. If one's work is accepted, one faces less risk.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“Differences in ethics and failure to respect certain principles can be hazardous to the safety of humanitarian personnel. A common approach by humanitarian organizations is necessary, and the promotion of the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Govemmental Organizations in Disaster Relief should be pursued. Fourthly, we must seek a more balanced relationship between humanitarian organizations and the media, whose growing influence has made public advocacy common practice. While a degree of publicity is necessary for any organization, there have been too many exaggerated attempts to be in the picture at any cost, regardless of the risks involved.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“Confronted with these new challenges, humanitarian action needs to adapt, and organizations need to work together. With this in mind, the ICRC is firmly committed to pursuing the following practical steps. First, we must work more through local contacts and networks. The ICRC has multiplied its efforts to enhance the acceptance of its work not only by the people it seeks to assist, but also by the warring parties and local authorities. Secondly, we must strengthen the ICRC's ability to understand today's new conflicts by analysing political, social and economic aspects, in order to better adapt its operations. Thirdly, we need to strive to develop a more coherent approach to the various authorities in the field. Humanitarian organizations are finding it more and more difficult to gain access to the victims.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“As a result, the main challenges today are the protection and upholding of the rights of a civilian population, rather than merely material assistance, and the promotion of a new culture of accountability to replace that of impunity. When the aim of parties to a conflict is to annihilate an ethnic group or permanently remove it from a given territory, humanitarian workers can become embarrassing witnesses, and humanitarian action as such might be perceived as running counter to the objectives of warring parties. Yet another factor is that in certain parts of the world humanitarian action is associated with "the West" and is perceived as a vehicle for the spread of "Western values". This misconception means that international humanitarian work in such places is accepted only with great reluctance, if not completely opposed.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would like to express its solidarity with organizations that have been so targeted, in particular those whose staff have been taken hostage or killed. Another reason is that humanitarian action is being increasingly politicized. Humanitarian action conceals the fact that Governments are unwilling to take the risks involved in addressing the root causes of conflict. However, humanitarian action can be no substitute for political settlements. A further problem is that civilians continue to be the main target of armed hostilities - indeed, they are increasingly becoming an integral part of political and military strategies.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“Many of them have already been mentioned by other speakers. We would like, however, to outline, without being exhaustive, some factors contributing to the worsening of the situation. Economic interests, as well as criminal elements engaged in drug- and weapons-trafficking, are often involved. Organized crime and banditry play an important role in many of today's conflicts. Bandits and many armed groups covet the often considerable and highly visible material deployed by humanitarian organizations. They also know that most of the time these items are not protected in any way and that no action will likely be taken if they are stolen. Humanitarian organizations are simply considered easy targets. The abduction of expatriates for money is a new and growing dimension of banditry.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“We would like to thank you, Mr. President, and the other members of the Council for the opportunity to take part in this important debate. Taking action to help the victims of conflict has always involved a degree of risk. What is new and particularly alarming about the tragedies of recent years is the ever more violent and volatile environments in which refugees, displaced persons and other victims of conflicts find themselves, and in which humanitarian organizations are expected to operate. It is in these new environments that humanitarian workers are being deliberately targeted and killed. As the Secretary-General points out in his report, it is in this context that the urgency and importance of addressing today's topic should be seen. There are a number of reasons why the security problem has become more acute over the past few years.”
1998-09-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3932 (1998) · source
“Today, 10 of our colleagues were freed after having been held for 10 days by their kidnappers in Somalia. I would like to share our happiness and relief with the Council.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“In addition to the usual threats and dangers, the changing nature of wars, the growing numbers of individuals engaging in violence, the diversity of their roles and interests and the general increase in banditry are curtailing yet further the control that authorities in the field have over these individuals and is increasing the vulnerability of humanitarian workers. Members will recall the murders carried out in Rwanda and Burundi, the rapes committed in Sierra Leone and in the former Zaire and the hostage-taking in the Sudan. An African proverb says, "Only man is better than man, only man is worse than man". We are firmly convinced - as the Secretary-General would agree - that the best in each person is an inexhaustible source of energy and hope.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Any effective intervention for the victims must simultaneously allow them to receive their required material assistance, protect them from dangers that prolong and exacerbate their suffering and ensure respect for their dignity. Action by the ICRC regarding protection is primarily aimed at ensuring respect for life and the physical integrity of individuals. Such action is inseparable from action to promote human rights, whose ultimate goal is the functioning of civil society and the enjoyment of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. Finally, allow me to say how greatly the security of their personnel concerns the humanitarian organizations working within the framework of these conflicts.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“In its work, the ICRC mobilizes all possible local support. For the ICRC, as for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the network of African national associations represents enormous support. The volunteers from these associations often work in extremely difficult conditions. Many of them have died during the last few months in carrying out their mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the Republic of the Congo. It also seems important to emphasize the other essential element for the ICRC's action, which is protection. To render assistance without concern for protection would be absurd, and could even be counterproductive.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“In its assistance actions, the ICRC, insofar as possible, has opted for an approach in which the ultimate objective is to allow individuals and the communities involved to regain their autonomy and to break their dependence on external assistance by closely involving the beneficiaries in the conception and implementation of these programmes. It is in this framework that we find the efforts undertaken in many African situations to restore the means of production of population groups that have fallen victim to war, such as agriculture, livestock, fishing and crafts. The same holds true for programmes designed to restore basic health services, as well as for the provision of equipment and prostheses for war amputees and for repairing systems of supplying drinking water and disposing of waste water and refuse.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“That was the case in Liberia in 1996, when the competition between the organizations in the field resulted in the prolongation of the conflict, thus gravely endangering the victims. The ICRC is just as concerned as the Secretary- General by emergency situations in which there are many bodies providing assistance whose objectives and methods of work differ. Such situations require the actors to harmonize their actions and avoid duplication. The point of such coordination is to make it possible to manage various activities, in time and in space, in a context that is often unstable and rapidly changing. The security of all depends very much on this. The report highlights the need to link and to integrate concepts and actions relating to assistance, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development. The ICRC fully shares this point of View.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“Acknowledging the need for a strategic approach, politicians, the military and humanitarians must harmonize their actions. They must seek a synergy between their actions and in their interdependence, but also in their respective mandates and particular characteristics. This approach, however, should not subordinate all humanitarian action to political objectives, to the detriment of principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. The interest of the victims is always at the core of the ICRC's concerns and operations. This does not mean, however, that humanitarian action has no political dimension or that it never has an impact on the evolution of a conflict. The presence of humanitarian organizations has sometimes turned out to have a negative impact by serving the objectives of war.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“The ICRC notes with increasing concern a growing tendency on the part of some States in recent years to resort to humanitarian action instead of political action, or indeed military action, when this is justified within the framework of relevant international instruments. Central Africa provides a good illustration. Nothing, however, can replace the political will to address the causes of conflicts and the tragedies they cause with all of the legitimate means available, including force. Humanitarian assistance cannot be a substitute. It is up to the organizations with a genuinely humanitarian mission and means of action to provide that assistance to the victims of conflicts. The question of the security of refugees in the Great Lakes region provides us an obvious example. Today we are seeing the tragic consequences.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“A tribunal free from all political pressure, one whose competence would be broadly recognized and which would provide maximum guarantees for equitable judgement, would thus supplement national juridical systems. It would send the clear message to the perpetrators of crimes of international scope and their victims that impunity would no longer be tolerated. The Secretary-General has emphasized the need to have the international community use in a consistent and coordinated fashion all the instruments available to it to achieve global solutions to conflicts. These solutions must take into account the political, social and economic elements without which lasting results cannot be obtained.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source
“This universal obligation of solidarity towards all the victims of conflicts is everyone's business. We must also emphasize the responsibility of each State to incorporate in its national legislation adequate measures relating to humanitarian law and to prosecute offenders. In this regard, the African countries have become involved in this process of legislative reform with the technical support of the consultative services of the ICRC. It is sad but true that most of the time war criminals manage to escape any legal prosecution. The establishment by the Security Council of ad hoc Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda constitute an important stage in applying penal measures. Today there is a need to work actively to establish a permanent international criminal court that can contribute to putting an end to impunity.”
1998-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3875Resumption1 (1998) · source