YouSaid · the spoken record

Kariyawasam

lines on the record: 52
first: 2005-10-27
most recent: 2008-07-17
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

“With our rich, long-held tradition of promoting the welfare of children, including the provision of free health care and education from primary to tertiary level, we seek nothing less.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“They need special protection after having surrendered to national authorities or having been rescued from armed groups. As the Secretary-General suggests in his report, the successful reintegration of child combatants requires resources as well as expertise. It is imperative, therefore, that current international concern in this important area move beyond words of sympathy into sustained engagement and the flow of necessary resources to facilitate effective reintegration. In that regard, the Paris Principles provide guidance towards a long-term self-sustaining effort that can also lead to peacebuilding and reconciliation. Sri Lanka remains committed to working closely with the Council and the Working Group to rescue children trapped in situations of armed conflict, in the cause of making the world safer for children.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“The Government of Sri Lanka has declared and followed such a policy consistently, with the corresponding commitment to address all abuses identified by resolution 1612 (2005) and other relevant national and international legal instruments. Fourthly, the Council and the Working Group must agree on how to deal with persistent and recalcitrant violators in respect of situations listed in the Secretary-General's report (S/2007/757) and evolve a realistic approach to address the issue. In that regard, we support the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his report calling for increased pressure against persistent and recalcitrant violators, including through effective targeted measures. Fifthly, the most important of all the measures that underpin the effective implementation of 1612 (2005) is the reintegration of child combatants.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“That is a new form of recruitment and use of child combatants adopted by the LTTE. Secondly, it is important to underline that, as distinct from Member States, non-State actors are not bound by internationally enforceable legal instruments and, therefore, should be subjected to stricter scrutiny and more rigorous and internationally enforceable punitive measures so as to make them accountable for grave abuses against children. Thirdly, since the primary responsibility for the protection of children under national and international legal instruments lies with the State, a zero-tolerance policy on recruitment and the use of children by any party whatsoever assumes greater significance as an obligation of a State.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“First, introducing under the Council mandate other categories and subcategories of violations against children without resolving the core issue of child recruitment would only make the Council process on children and armed conflict seem ineffective by missing the wood for the trees. Instead, the Council could, for instance, address issues more relevant to its work on peace and security, such as how armed actors resort to new tactics of recruitment to defy and mislead the international community, whose attention to the matter is based on existing norms. We have observed that discernible trend in the north of Sri Lanka, where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) subject schoolchildren to compulsory weapons and combat training with a view to enlisting them for active combat as and when the need arises.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“It is our hope that those efforts and measures adopted by the Working Group will eventually lead to the elimination of the pernicious offence of the recruitment and use of children for armed hostilities. However, to achieve that end, it is important that the Council and the Working Group, at this point, remain essentially focused on this most urgent task in a more coherent manner and not seek to broaden the canvas to include other issues that are not of immediate practical benefit. Actions that make a difference on the ground should engage our attention in our effort to attain concerted international and national measures to bring perpetrators to justice. In that context, let me offer some views on the issue on children and armed conflict for the consideration of the Council, the Working Group and the Secretary-General.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“Those initiatives, together with the relevant international instruments, have helped strengthen the protection framework for children in armed conflict in its practical and normative aspects. However, the threat of the recruitment and use of child combatants continues unabated and remains the primary concern. Therefore, current efforts in the Council in taking measures against persistent perpetrators of such crimes need to be intensified in a more realistic, practical and effective manner. In that regard, Sri Lanka compliments the efforts made so far by the Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict in recalibrating the monitoring and reporting mechanism.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“Let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate. Sri Lanka is particularly pleased to take the floor on this important issue under the guidance of the delegation of Viet Nam. This meeting provides an opportunity to refocus our efforts in addressing the scourge of the recruitment and use of child combatants. The reports of the Secretary-General on specific situations, as well as his annual report (S/2007/757), are informative and illustrative in that regard. This debate takes place three years after the adoption of resolution 1612 (2005). The journey between that event and today has been marked by the establishment of monitoring and reporting task forces, the evaluation of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, the adoption of the Paris Principles and Commitments and the lO-year review of the Graca Machel report (A/51/306).”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“However, we are convinced that to make a difference on the ground in terms of preventing or mitigating conflicts and violence as well as for combating terrorism, much more needs to be done in terms of eradicating illicit trafficking and trade in small arms by non-State actors. Therefore, the time has come for this Council and the United Nations to expand their scope of action towards preventing small arms and ammunition ending up in the wrong hands. If we fail, violence and terrorism will continue to affect several vulnerable regions and societies worldwide. Our choice is simple. Either we act meaningfully now, or continue business as usual to our own peril.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“It is important, therefore, to ensure that any measure taken by the United Nations and its Member States to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons does not affect the rights of a State to procure and hold arms to ensure the safety of its citizens. In this regard, while commending the Secretary- General and the Office of High Representative for Disarmament Affairs for their efforts so far, we urge action by all States, together with the United Nations, to fully implement the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trafficking and Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“In this context, Sri Lanka joins other concerned parties in appealing to the international community to take urgent action by all available means to stem the flow of weapons into the hands of non-State actors like terrorist groups who do not respect internationally accepted civilized norms and conduct. Unbridled violence and abominable terrorist acts can be stopped only if the supply of and access to such weapons can be halted immediately. Weapons and ammunition should be held only by legal entities and States who are responsible to the international community for their conduct under international law and treaty regimes that govern good conduct and respect for human rights and humanitarian law.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Sri Lanka, like several other countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, suffers from violence and terrorism perpetrated by a non-State actor using ill- gotten small arms and light weapons and ammunition. This terrorist group wreaks havoc in some parts of the country, and their campaign of terror has continued unabated despite all efforts by the Government to seek a solution to the conflict by political means of dialogue and democratic accommodation. All such efforts have failed, primarily as a result of the phenomenon of illicit trafficking and trade in small arms and light weapons, which make it easy for this misguided terrorist group to sustain their campaign of violence and keep faith in the bullet rather than the ballot.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Regrettably, however, the Review Conference neither made progress in that direction nor was able to agree on adequate global measures for the Programme's full implementation, simply due to the intransigence of a few, defying an emerging global consensus. The Secretary-General's report once again provides useful information to enable us to address several issues that could help the international community come to terms with the scourge of illicit trafficking and trade in small arms and light weapons. This is the core issue in achieving success in any endeavour to cope with and mitigate the adverse impact of the proliferation of small arms. Illegal possession of small arms and light weapons by non-State actors is an attendant issue that cannot be left out in any meaningful discussion of this issue.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“That is the reality of easy availability of, access to and illicit possession of small arms and light weapons by non-State actors. The involvement of non-State actors, who often thrive on the power of the bullet to settle political scores, ostensibly fighting for political aspirations, is yet to receive adequate attention in most international forums. For instance, the issue of non-State actors was not adequately addressed by the United Nations at the time the Programme of Action was adopted in 2001. Therefore the 2006 Review Conference of the Programme of Action was seen by a very large number of States as an opportunity to strengthen the Programme through further agreements that would expand its scope on important issues, such as action against non-State actors, that were left unresolved in 2001.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“They are the weapons of choice in several intra-State conflicts and are used by terrorists and criminal gangs who gain easy access to those weapons and connected ammunition. In most situations, unbridled violence unleashed by the use of those weapons affects civilians as well. And it has become evident that one primary cause that engenders and sustains conflicts resulting in violence affecting civilians is the uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons. We recall that in 2001, in recognition of this fact, the Members of the United Nations launched by consensus the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. However, even that Programme failed to recognize the one major cause driving conflicts and spreading terrorism worldwide.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate on this important issue, which begs for the attention of the international community because of its impact not only on peace and security, but also on the well-being of societies in several parts of the world. The Secretary- General's report on small arms, in document S/2008/258, is a stark reminder of the adverse impact of small arms and light weapons. It contains valuable information and several worthy recommendations. As stated in the report, most of the present-day conflicts are fought primarily with small arms and light weapons. Though the weapons may be small, they cause mass destruction in terms of their effects in many parts of the world.”
2008-04-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5881Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The rehabilitation of children, who have been used as combatants by non-State actors, is as important as preventing children from being recruited for armed conflict. However, rehabilitation efforts to ensure the successful reintegration of children into society require resources and expertise. Tangible international assistance and support for such efforts, as opposed to mere declarations of concern, will be invaluable not only in promoting the welfare of children but also for consolidating peace and peacebuilding efforts. Collective will is required to take focused action with respect to real issues of concern on the ground. Therefore, first and foremost, the Security Council needs to be more resolute in taking action to prevent children from being used as soldiers and accessories in all conflict situations.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The Security Council's initiative to address the issue of children in armed conflict and subsequent efforts by the Security Council Working Group must be made to focus more on the real underlying core issue: the recruitment of children. We must be cautious in considering the expansion of the mandate without addressing the core issue, since such an approach may not usher a change on the ground and will not inspire confidence in the process undertaken by the Security Council. We agree with the views indicated in paragraph 132 of the report concerning the responsibility of Governments in relation to rehabilitative measures for children who seek special protection and surrender to Government forces.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Almost a decade has now passed since the LTTE gave a public undertaking to cease the recruitment and use of children as combatants, and also to release children within its ranks. This commitment was never implemented by the LTTE, which continued to recruit and use children as combatants even after the Council adopted resolution 1612 (2005), under the terms of which parties to armed conflict that recruit or use children for armed hostilities must cease such practices forthwith, release children within their ranks and enter into action plans with UNICEF or relevant peacekeeping missions. Repeated violations of all undertakings given to the international community by non-State actors, like the LTTE, must stop. It is our collective responsibility to find ways and means to make such non-State actors fall in line.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The Secretary-General suggests in paragraph 149 of his report that increased pressure is required against persistent and recalcitrant violators of child rights such as LTTE by further considering the need to impose targeted measures against those parties. This suggestion of the Secretary-General is in accordance with his recommendation in paragraph 163 of his report, which welcomes the Security Council's continuing consideration of effective targeted measures against parties to armed conflict who continue to systematically commit grave violations against children in armed conflict in defiance of recommendations by the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and of Council resolutions. This clearly singles out the terrorist group LTTE as deserving stronger targeted measures.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“The report of the Secretary-General, referring to the situation in Sri Lanka, calls upon the listed offenders in annex II of the report to mend their despicable behaviour and calls upon the Security Council to consider deterrent action against repeated violators. Specifically identifying the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as responsible for numerous repeated grave abuses, the Secretary-General has listed that group as a persistent violator, repeating its listing since 2003. The Karuna faction of the LTTE has also been listed as a violator. We look forward to the opportunity to soon consider the issue as it relates to Sri Lanka, in depth and in all its aspects, in the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflicts.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“We seek the support of the international community to eradicate this menace and urge stronger international measures against those who perpetrate such crimes. In that context, the Government of Sri Lanka reiterates its long-held policy of zero tolerance towards the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. The Government believes strongly in addressing issues of children and armed conflict pursuant to resolution 1612 (2005). In that context, we reiterate our View that the Security Council must consider this issue on the basis of supporting the establishment of security and consolidating peace in conflict-afflicted societies, to enable States to protect their children from non-State actors who violate children with impunity.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Recognizing the need to safeguard our children from non-State actors who recruit children as agents of violence and terrorism, the Government has unveiled specific measures to strengthen the existing regime of protection of children and child welfare in its blueprint for peace and development for the country. We are conscious that the primary responsibility for the protection of children and promotion of their welfare lies with the State, and that it is imperative for the State to ensure that children are not in danger and to prevent them from being used as accessories for violence. Therefore, just as we reject terrorism, we also continue to reject the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as unjustifiable under all circumstances.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Radhika Coomaraswamy, to this cause, which we believe can be more focused and results-oriented. As Sri Lanka celebrates the 60th anniversary of our independence this month, we take pride in the remarkable strides we have made in the social sector, especially in health care and education. For the past 60 years, Sri Lanka has invested heavily in children. Free compulsory primary education leading towards free university education, and free health care have been the hallmarks of our efforts. We are determined that our children continue to reap the benefits of those measures. We do not want our children to succumb to the diabolical efforts of non-State actors who use our innocent children for violent purposes.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Mr. President, allow me to first congratulate you on your able stewardship of the Security Council this month. At the outset, allow me to convey my sincere appreciation to you and the members of the Council for convening this meeting, which provides an opportunity to focus our attention on the use of children in armed conflict. This debate takes place in tandem with the 10-year review of the Graca Machel report, which brought this issue to the fore. It is therefore time to take stock of action taken thus far by the international community to address the detestable practice of the use of children for violent purposes in conflict situations. We recognize the role of the Secretary-General and the contribution of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834Resumption1 (2008) · source
“Moreover, unbridled expansion of the mandate could dilute the attention paid to the core issue of concern, that is, the recruitment of children as soldiers. Sri Lanka, as an affected State, appeals to all concerned not to miss the wood for the trees.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“If strategic plans are developed by the United Nations in the framework of the agenda on children and armed conflict in consultation with all stakeholders, in particular affected States, that will no doubt increase confidence in the ability of the United Nations to effectively address issues of concern. My delegation therefore calls for greater dialogue between the Secretary-General and concerned Member States in the preparation of programmes and policies relating to children and armed conflict and for the involvement of concerned Member States in all processes and mechanisms for the implementation of such programmes and policies. "Megaphone advocacy", on the other hand, will hardly help to curb and eradicate the menace of child recruitment and abuse during armed conflict.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“A meaningful review would require not just an assessment of the administrative effectiveness of the mechanism but also a focus on the gaps and overlaps in mechanisms and processes within the United Nations system, as well as the integrity of the system in general. The Secretary-General also states, in paragraph 116, that "key partners are fully cooperating with the exercise". In our view, there would be no better partners than the affected States themselves in devising and implementing action plans and assisting in the review of the monitoring and reporting mechanism. When key stakeholders are not involved, serious lapses could occur in the outcomes that ensue, impeding the smooth implementation of the results of the review and the decisions made.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“My delegation's view that we should concentrate more on consolidating the implementation of existing action plans and mechanisms than on making ambitious recommendations that cannot be implemented unless accompanied by the corresponding necessary technical, financial, and, above all, political support. The report of the Secretary-General seems to assume that the review on the monitoring and reporting mechanism will be done in an administrative or managerial sense. However, several of the aspects involved in such a review go beyond the mandate of the Office of Internal Oversight Services.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“However, in paragraph 116 of his report, the Secretary-General states that he has "requested the Office of Internal Oversight Services to carry out this independent review", that the "review is ongoing and key partners are fully cooperating with the exercise", and that he will "present the results of this review to the Security Council in November 2006". At the same time, in paragraph 135 of his report, the Secretary-General recommends that the Security Council "expand the call for action plans to all situations of concern". My delegation wonders why the Secretary-General should make this recommendation to expand the call for action plans to all situations of concern in the absence of a timely review of monitoring and reporting mechanisms, as required by resolution 1612 (2005), or an explanation for the delay.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“In this regard, we would like to reiterate that our decision to be considered first was voluntary and not intended to change the order of chronological precedence or the timeline set by resolution 1612 (2005), which requires addressing the situations listed in annex I before considering those listed in annex II. It was the voluntary nature of the scrutiny provided for in resolution 1612 (2005) for situations listed in annex II that prompted Sri Lanka to place itself in the programme of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and take action to put in place the task force on monitoring and reporting in a timely manner. Let me recall that resolution 1612 (2005) requested that an independent review of the monitoring and reporting mechanism be submitted to the Security Council by 31 July 2006.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“Understandably, this specific priority focus on "the recruitment and use of children" is due to its grave and far-reaching implications for international peace and security, which is the main responsibility of the Security Council and the reason why this issue was included in its agenda. The Council must therefore continue to maintain its focus on this issue in order to ensure that the important issue of child soldiers and related abuses receives undiminished attention, with a view to taking definitive action. The report also contains an erroneous observation. In paragraph 117, it is stated that Sri Lanka is among "the seven situations that were designated as priorities for the first phase of implementation".”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“We note that several aspects of the report relating to issues such as development and humanitarian access could be considered by the relevant bodies of the United Nations mandated to address those issues, so that we do not lose focus on our core issue of concern. In his first recommendation, the Secretary- General suggests that the Security Council expand its focus and give equal weight to all categories of violations against children. However, my delegation supports the position reflected in all resolutions adopted by the Security Council and the General Assembly on this subject, which specifically identify the "recruitment and use of children in armed conflict" as the first category, while referring to other categories of violations as "other violations and abuses".”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“Nevertheless, despite international condemnation, the LTTE continues to disobey and disregard its commitments to demobilize children and to cease the recruitment of children. Therefore, the time has come for the Security Council to seriously consider targeted punitive action against repeat offenders such as the LTTE. It is imperative that we keep our attention focused firmly on preventing the use and recruitment of children as soldiers. In that context, my delegation has studied carefully the report of the Secretary- General on children and armed conflict, including its recommendations.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“That policy has found constant reflection in our contributions to the work of several United Nations bodies on subjects ranging from human rights to disarmament and international terrorism to organized crime. Ever since it was discovered that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) armed group was engaged in the recruitment and use of children in battle, Sri Lanka has not only voiced concern but has taken every possible action to persuade the LTTE to cease that deplorable practice. The LTTE has been designated as a terrorist group by many States, including those of the European Union, and has been identified continuously for several years in reports of the Secretary-General as a recruiter of children for armed conflict.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“I am personally happy, Sir, to see you presiding over this important discussion in the Security Council. My delegation welcomes this debate on the issue of children and armed conflict, and I thank Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy for her presentation this morning. Sri Lanka, as a party to all seven core United Nations human rights conventions and several related protocols, has taken the necessary legislative, executive and judicial measures to promote the rights of children and their welfare. The Government follows a cooperative approach with respect to all United Nations human rights mechanisms and has accordingly subjected itself to constant scrutiny by treaty bodies and United Nations mechanisms. In addition, Sri Lanka is committed to a policy of zero tolerance on the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573Resumption1 (2006) · source
“We in Sri Lanka, therefore, are well aware of the damage caused to the social fabric of a country and its future by this abominable practice on the part of a terrorist group. As an affected country, we urge the international community to take swift and decisive action, without further delay, to end the impunity enjoyed by non-State actors, which continue to abuse children. Let us not, in this endeavour, miss the forest for the trees, and let us not divert responsibility. Let us not fail in our quest to ensure a safe and secure world for our children.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“In setting up this task force, we took into consideration the report of the Secretary- General dated 9 February 2005, in particular annex II of the report, and the terms of reference of the Security Council Working Group on children and armed conflict. Detestable crimes have been committed against young children, particularly against Tamil children living in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka, by a rebel group, the Tamil Tigers, for more than two decades. It is no secret that the situation has scarcely seen any improvement, as has been well documented by none other than UNICEF, which has taken the lead role in bringing this sad state of affairs to public attention. Those children have been forcibly conscripted for battle. Some of them have been programmed into becoming suicide bombers.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“As we embark on our task of addressing the plight of children in armed conflict and promoting rights of children, we need to agree that a necessary corollary of that effort will be to provide them assistance, including through meeting their education, health, and recovery needs. This will involve the greater challenge of finding adequate resources through enhanced international cooperation. As I conclude, I would like to take this opportunity to inform the Council that, in pursuance of resolution 1612 (2005), the Government of Sri Lanka is in the final stages of establishing a task force for monitoring and reporting.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“This will help ensure that States are not burdened with multiple reporting responsibilities and that non-State actors are brought under a punitive regime. In September 2005, world leaders adopted what constituted their vision and plan of action for the United Nations - the outcome document - which also identified the use of children in armed conflict as a growing menace. It is important that we reflect on this call by our leaders as we commemorate the first anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1612 (2005). The international community must now take the next logical step - the most important one - of addressing the priority of normalizing the lives of children affected by armed conflict.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Unlike non-State actors, however, States are subject to international treaty regimes, which include the Convention on the Rights of the Child, its Protocols and core human rights covenants. All these together constitute a comprehensive international mechanism which ensures that States protect children and promote their well-being. The human rights records of States come under strict scrutiny at periodic reviews held by treaty bodies to monitor the implementation of obligations undertaken by States at the national and international levels. It is therefore necessary that the Security Council Working Group place its primary focus on non-State actors that are neither bound by, nor have any respect for, international treaty obligations.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“These non-State actors operate beyond the pale of international law, ethics and universally accepted norms of conduct. The Security Council and its Working Group must consider a series of punitive measures against such non-State actors that can increase incrementally when they refuse to fall in line with international norms and practices. It is essential that the Security Council Working Group and the Office of the Special Representative for children and armed conflict show innovativeness and act with firmness to ensure that punitive measures are taken against those non-State actors that are parties to such crimes against children. We fully recognize and acknowledge the undiminished responsibility of States to protect children at all times, in time of peace and in time of conflict.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“As the report of the Secretary-General dated 9 February 2005 has highlighted, one of the greatest scourges afflicting children today is the practice of their being recruited and used as child combatants in many conflicts around the world. We observe that children are often brainwashed, sexually harassed and provided with guns to kill at will, affecting their own lives and those of others. It is the duty of the Council and of States Members of the United Nations to ensure that the parties identified in the report of the Secretary- General are pursued vigorously in order to bring such abuses to an end. The report of the Secretary-General has identified several non-State actors, some of which have been banned in a number of countries as terrorist groups, as responsible for grave violations and abuses against children.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“It is the responsibility of each State, and indeed, the international community, to protect them and to promote their welfare to ensure that their childhood is spent with proper care, not with undue danger, for children are vulnerable, less able to defend themselves and are therefore subject to easy abuse in many ways. The fate of innocent children caught in armed conflict is one of the most serious concerns before us today. Forcible conscription of children into armed conflict by armed groups stands as one of the most abominable crimes of our day. While the Convention on the Rights of the Child stands as a beacon in international efforts to protect children, the adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) a year ago marks an important phase in the global strategy to make the world safer for children.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“At the outset, let me convey my appreciation to you for the opportunity given to address this meeting of the Security Council which commemorates the first anniversary of the adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict. The Government and people of Sri Lanka, having experienced the bane of a terrorist group recruiting children for armed conflict, are indeed grateful to France for her initiative in bringing to the forefront the issue of children and armed conflict. I am indeed pleased to note the presence of Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, a distinguished Sri Lankan. Her dedicated contribution to a cause that we in Sri Lanka are deeply committed to is indeed heartening. Children are our future.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“My delegation fully supports all such efforts in the manifestation of Sri Lanka's commitment towards the protection of women and children in armed conflict and, more importantly, to further our belief in the value of the participation of women in peacemaking and peacebuilding processes. May I conclude by recalling the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: "For it is not enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“First, the Council should establish a focal point to ensure the integration of resolution 1325 (2000) in the Council's work programme, as well as in mandates, processes and mechanisms of all relevant United Nations agencies. Secondly, it should request the Secretary-General to update, monitor and review the United Nations system-wide action plan on an annual basis. Thirdly, it should determine means by which the Council could be systematically informed of the use of gender-biased violence by parties to armed conflict. It is time that the United Nations redoubled its efforts in taking immediate, coherent and coordinated actions to translate the commitments undertaken in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as in Security Council resolution 1325 (2000).”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“The resolution sets forth responsibilities that should be borne by the international community and Member States of the United Nations to ensure a gender perspective and security for women in its multidimensional aspects related to peace, security and peacebuilding. Against this backdrop, it has now become incumbent upon the Security Council to review the progress made in the implementation of its resolution, as well as to consider further practical measures to strengthen the safety net and security for women in situations of armed conflict and to promote their role in peacebuilding. In doing so, it is essential that the Security Council consider the following important measures.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“This situation where children, in particular girls, are being affected by armed conflict cannot and should not be allowed to continue by the civilized world, and the imposition of targeted actions against the perpetrators of such crimes is a paramount necessity. In our View, for any national or international action plan to be more effective and result-oriented, it should evolve through a process of consultation with civil society and other relevant actors, and it should contain a time-bound set of targets with monitoring and reporting mechanisms. The Government of Sri Lanka supports such processes worldwide and also as part of its national approach to peace and reconciliation. In this context, we view Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) as a groundbreaking initiative.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source
“That is partly a direct result of violence targeted against them. It is often due to an uneven share of responsibility that women have in running the household, caring for children and even earning a living for the family as war widows. In many situations, a level playing field in terms of gender parity still remains beyond the reach of women. The effect of armed conflict on the girl-child has been a grave concern in Sri Lanka for some time. Recruitment of children, including girls, to the ranks of an armed group in the conflict in Sri Lanka is a continuing worry for our people. The armed group LTTE, in gross violation of its commitments, continues such recruitment. This affects women in general, who are the primary care givers in most families.”
2005-10-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5294Resumption1 (2005) · source