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8
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1997-05-21
most recent
1997-05-21
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1
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un-security-council

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  1. “The ICRC actively cooperates with the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator and it is at present engaged in an ongoing operational dialogue with the major United Nations humanitarian agencies, particularly the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme. In this process, however, the ICRC's concern is always to keep its activities in line with its principles of independence, neutrality and impartiality.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  2. “However, given the complex character of these problems, close consultation is essential between humanitarian agencies and the international community, including the Security Council. Humanitarian organizations must confer closely with peacekeeping forces at every stage and at every level in a spirit of complementarity. Fortunately, this dialogue has become a well-established practice. Experience has shown that consultations should begin at the preparatory stage of any peacekeeping mission which may affect humanitarian activities. This helps enhance the mutual respect and understanding of their respective missions and constraints. We hope that our participation in today's debate will make a useful contribution in this regard. In conclusion, allow me to add that coordination among humanitarian players is more important than ever.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  3. “First of all, all those bearing weapons in refugee camps must be disarmed and interned. We know how difficult it can be to separate genuine refugees from combatants, but making this distinction is essential for efficient assistance and protection. Only prompt action can safeguard the civilian and humanitarian nature of refugee camps and create the proper conditions for truly humanitarian assistance and protection. States are therefore called upon to assist in this difficult but crucial endeavour, as in these circumstances political action is what is needed - that is, an operation of a police or military nature. Considering the urgency of such situations, the possibility for immediate humanitarian action must be safeguarded.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  4. “It should take place in parallel with a political process aimed at addressing the underlying causes of the conflict and achieving a political settlement. Humanitarian assistance should not become a tool designed to mask the absence of resolve to take appropriate political action or to compensate for the inadequacy of such political action. In our view, there is no substitute for the political will to find a political solution. There is a shared responsibility in this regard. Whereas the role of humanitarian organizations is to deliver assistance according to the needs of the victims and to promote their protection, the community of States must help ensure a secure environment for the work of those organizations. In other words, it should create the necessary humanitarian space.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  5. “We feel that armed escorts could jeopardize their impartial status because the direct involvement of military forces in humanitarian action can easily be associated, in the minds of local authorities and of the population, with political or military objectives which go well beyond humanitarian concerns. The importance of this perception, in our view, cannot be overestimated. We strongly believe not only that humanitarian aid and political action must be dissociated from each other, but also that they must be perceived as truly separate. Armed intervention should be aimed at securing the environment for humanitarian action. Furthermore, the provision of humanitarian assistance should not be linked to progress in political negotiations - as has repeatedly been the case in the past - or to political objectives.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  6. “Access is refused by the parties involved, who tend to invoke spurious arguments relating to security, and relief workers are themselves becoming the target of deliberate attacks. Humanitarian action is also made more difficult by the presence of armed elements among the civilian population, in particular in refugee camps. The lives and safety of vast numbers of people are at stake, and humanitarian organizations are looking for remedies in order to be able to exercise their respective mandates. Within the United Nations system they have often worked with armed escorts. The ICRC has chosen another approach and has often had the opportunity to make public statements about its policy. It is of the opinion that humanitarian organizations need to preserve the strictly non-political and impartial character of their work.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  7. “Their plight and the suffering they endure do not receive, in our view, sufficient attention, despite the international efforts deployed on their behalf, as the spotlight is generally focused more on the genuine refugees. The ICRC has a particular responsibility with regard to international humanitarian law, which, as the Council may recall, prohibits the forced displacement of civilians. Many of its rules are all too often ignored and violated on a large scale, and such violations often cause entire populations to flee. As a result, large groups of people find themselves without any means of survival. They are in need not only of assistance, but also of protection. Today the fundamental right to humanitarian assistance is all too often denied. There are many reasons for this.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source

  8. “We truly appreciate being able to take part in this important debate, and we wish to thank you, Mr. President, and the other members of the Security Council for offering us this opportunity today. As the members of the Council are aware, the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is to protect and assist, without discrimination, the victims of armed conflict and internal disturbances. These victims are primarily members of the civilian population, which includes persons displaced within their own countries and refugees. The internally displaced are certainly among the "others" mentioned in the title of today's debate.”

    1997-05-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3778 (1997) · source