YouSaid · the spoken record

Kohona

lines on the record: 237
first: 2009-10-05
most recent: 2015-01-15
sittings or episodes: 30
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 settlement activity, which is a key source of human suffering and continuing friction in the occupied territories, and the resentment fuelling the conflict will be brought to an 12-30747 end, consistent with obligations under international law and in line with the wishes of the wider international community and, of course, this body. The law on that matter is very clear: settlements in the occupied territories are not legal. Tolerance and understanding must be the key to peaceful coexistence in the Middle East, which is dotted with many religious sites that are holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians. We encourage all parties to exercise the utmost restraint for the sake of the civilians and for the greater goal of a lasting peace.”
2012-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6757Resumption1 (2012) · source
“We hope that, even in the midst of doubts and frustrations, the parties will remain focused on the need to achieve an enduring peace and to explore all proposals on the main goals. We owe that to all the people of the region. The settlement activities by Israel continue to be one of the main factors in the recurrence of violence in the region. The Quartet and the wider international community have repeatedly called for a freeze of settlement activity and an end to the demolition of Palestinian homes. As the Under-Secretary-General said in his briefing on 28 February (see S/PV.6725), incidents of settler violence against Palestinians continue in the West Bank.”
2012-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6757Resumption1 (2012) · source
“I join other speakers in commending you, Madam President, for convening this important debate. The delegation of Sri Lanka associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The peace process in the Middle East is a matter of intrinsic interest to us all. The Secretary-General travelled to the region recently to see the situation on the ground for himself, and strongly encouraged the resumption of bilateral negotiations. We support and value his efforts. The Quartet envoys have continued to push on with their task, as has Jordan. Even though a just and durable solution to the situation in the Middle East continues to evade us, it is important to remain engaged.”
2012-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6757Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Sri Lanka is happy to note that the issue of women and peace and security continues to receive the attention it deserves in the Security Council and in the Secretary-General's reports. We congratulate Ms. Margot Wallstrom and her staff on the effective work that they are doing to assist women and children in conflict situations. It is unquestionably our collective responsibility as Member States to ensure a world free, safe and fair for all women and girls.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“In this area, too, reporting from the field must contain verifiable information that would enable Governments that are committed to sincerely addressing issues of sexual violence in post-conflict situations to investigate and provide redress to the affected. It is equally important that monitoring missions do not confuse common criminal activity with such gender-based violence. Such a distortion would smack of politically motivated targeting of Member States. Sri Lanka stands ready to extend its support to achieving gender parity in United Nations peacekeeping activities and in carrying our gender- related mandates of the peacekeeping missions. Necessary predeployment training has been completed to deploy an all-female battalion comprising 855 personnel and 28 female officers, at any time.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“While the Government will continue to adopt social, economic and security measures relating to women and children, which also have relevance to the Commission's findings, courses of action will also be taken in response to the Commission's recommendations. The Government finds the Commission's suggestions regarding institutional mechanisms to deal with land documentation and user- right issues to be valuable, as the resolution of competing equities of land titles in the former conflict- affected areas is strikingly complex. Sri Lanka has had a very constructive engagement with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We appreciate the open and transparent manner that has been adopted by the Special Representative's Office in working with Sri Lanka on this important issue.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Currently, the national action plan is at the implementation stage. It characterizes the Government's commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, especially those relating to women. In addition, His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation in May 2011, which heard testimony in many parts of the island, especially in the former conflict-affected areas. The Commission submitted its report in November 2011 and, subsequently, it was introduced in Parliament on 16 December 2011. It is now a public document. The report offers detailed observations and recommendations on international humanitarian law issues and on grievances, in particular those of women, relating to the final phase of the conflict.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“They include resettlement, rebuilding livelihoods, the rehabilitation and reconstruction of dilapidated infrastructure, and bringing normalcy to the conflict- affected areas. Many of the economic rehabilitation activities implemented in the north and the east have women at the centre. In addition, as an incremental step to enhance the mechanisms to safeguard the rights of women that are already in place in Sri Lanka, the Government has developed a national action plan for the promotion and protection of human rights, which has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. The national action plan contains a specific section dedicated to the rights of women, covering a plethora of issues. The priority area on women in this new mechanism focuses on enhancing and strengthening the rights of women through proactive measures.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Every effort is being made to ensure that their lives are returned to normalcy, as far as possible and as speedily as possible. Although resource- constrained, Sri Lanka has set up special women's protection units with female police officers and women's centres in the camps for internally displaced persons, and is continuing to provide psychosocial counselling services in the formerly conflict-affected north and east. Many women in those areas were psychologically devastated by the conflict and the attendant terrorism that lasted over 27 years. With the end of the 30-year struggle against terrorism in May 2009, Sri Lanka has now entered a post-conflict phase that is challenged by many issues.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Their vulnerability has been ruthlessly exploited by armies and armed groups consisting mainly of men. In post-conflict environments also, the challenges faced by women remain formidable. Often they are forced to contend with family dislocation, shattered livelihoods and being the sole breadwinners. Many face the everyday reality of being single mothers and, in some contexts, that increases their vulnerability to sexual harassment, exploitation and violence. Gender parity and equity continue to elude women in many parts of the world in post-conflict contexts. Sensitive to the vulnerabilities of women in post- conflict situations, the protection of war-affected women and children is a priority for the Government of Sri Lanka.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting under your leadership. The adoption of resolutions 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009) were seminal steps towards enhancing the protection of women and girls from sexual violence in conflict situations. The widespread abuse of women and children in conflict situations has caused much revulsion in civilized minds. Humankind had to take action to deal with this appalling reality. Sri Lanka is particularly thankful that the Security Council has adopted those proactive measures. Even though the devastation accompanying armed conflict does not discriminate along gender lines, it has been our common experience that certain conflict situations subject women and girls to a disproportionate share of violence, degradation and deprivation.”
2012-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6722Resumption1 (2012) · source
“We have always supported a peaceful negotiated settlement to the Palestinian issue and have called for the implementation of General Assembly resolutions regarding the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to statehood and the attainment of a two-State solution. We hope that Palestine's application for admission to full membership in the United Nations will receive sympathetic consideration this year. We remain convinced that the two-State solution is the only sustainable solution for this issue for Israel, Palestine and their neighbours to coexist in peace and harmony. The political unity and economic advancement of the Palestinian people will contribute to the viability of the two-State solution. In that regard, we welcome the holding of the forthcoming Palestinian legislative and presidential elections.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“I would also like to commend the work that has been carried out by the United Nations Agency for Relief and Works for Palestine Refugees in the Near East in assisting millions of Palestinian people in need, especially in the Gaza Strip. The Member States of the United Nations also have a critical role to play in upholding the relevant international laws and United Nations resolutions. We align with the NAM. view that efforts by the high contracting parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure respect for the Convention in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, would be a vital contribution. Sri Lanka's position with regard to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian People has been unswerving.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“These will not help in building confidence and will take the two parties away from establishing a climate conducive to finding a way forward towards the much-cherished two-State solution. We must not forget the need for Israel to withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan and southern Lebanon. Its failure to do so will add to the mistrust, tension, frustration and instability in the region. All sides have an obligation to desist from acts that generate uncertainty, suspicion and intolerance. We appreciate the ongoing efforts by international donors, regional organizations and the United Nations agencies in alleviating the sufferings of innocent civilians, especially children, and in providing protection for them.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“The implementation of United Nations projects in Gaza, especially schools, is proceeding with the construction materials entering through the Kerem Shalom crossing. We hope that these positive developments will continue to enhance confidence- building and to further consolidation of the peace process. Along with such positive developments, there are also some issues of concern, including incidents of violence in Gaza, the demolition of Palestinian structures in the West Bank and in Jerusalem, Israel's continuing settlement activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the ongoing blockade of Gaza and the impact the closure has had on economic activity, and particularly on children in that area, as highlighted by the Department of Political Affairs in its briefing on the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“In this context, my delegation is pleased to note that, in recent months, there have been certain developments that bode well for the future. The two sides, since December 2011, have continued their discussions with the Quartet. Hopefully, this will contribute to de-escalating tension. The Israeli Government has resumed the transfer of tax and customs revenues to the Palestinian Authority and has gone ahead with the second phase of prisoner exchanges. The blockade of the Gaza Strip has been lifted to some extent. The Palestinian security forces have made progress with the security situation in the West Bank, including the seizure of unexploded ordnance. There have been no recent incidents of rockets being fired into Israel.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“I join other speakers in commending your delegation, Sir, for convening this important debate. The Sri Lanka delegation associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The United Nations, since its inception, has pursued the lofty goal of bringing about a peaceful settlement to the Palestinian issue. Over the years, despite many laudable efforts, we have witnessed little tangible progress, while the ongoing conflict has had wide ramifications for regional and international peace and security. It is our hope that this year, against the backdrop of the transformation sweeping through the region, will bring a renewal of hope, trust and constructive thinking among the parties that will lead to much needed progress on this issue.”
2012-01-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6706Resumption1 (2012) · source
“There is therefore a need to give countries such as these the much-needed space to begin that restorative process so as to set themselves on an even keel. In such contexts, the United Nations must provide leadership in capacity- building efforts to address the gaps by also factoring in local sensitivities. Sri Lanka's willingness to engage with the United Nations to promote the rule of law based on constructive, fair, non-selective and objective assessments remains undiminished.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Negotiations and other such peaceful means must be the first essential resort. Mindful of the fact that conflict and post-conflict settings are complex environments with many competing priorities, we must recognize the tensions and difficulties that emerge in the process of endeavouring to balance national security interests and the maintenance of civil rights under trying local circumstances. Despite the onslaughts on the democratic fabric, countries with strong legal foundations have the resilience and the capacity to restore democratic institutions. Such countries can also create their own local mechanisms to consolidate peace, encourage reconciliation and, most importantly, strengthen democratic institutions.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“The principle of sovereign equality enshrined in the United Nations Charter, which is intrinsic to the international rule of law, must be maintained as international rules are made and implemented. It is a clear principle that Member States must respect; it protects all States, especially the small and the weak. Equally important is the maintenance of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of Member States, especially in situations that do not pose a threat to international peace and security. Specific circumstances may call for involvement, which should be based on the agreement of all States. Unilateral and selective applications of international law principles must be avoided. Sri Lanka has always advocated the settlement of internal and international disputes by peaceful means.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Increasingly, regional approaches have also played an important role in addressing the growing problem of transnational organized crime and terrorism, which threaten international peace and security. That involves close cooperation and capacity- building at both the national and regional levels. However, long-term solutions to, inter alia, transnational organized crime, terrorism and piracy will need to focus on the delivery of basic services by justice and security institutions. In addition, grievances based on violations of economic and social rights have the capacity to spark violent conflict that could spill over borders. The United Nations has a vital role in the promotion of dialogue on the realization of economic and social rights for all peoples.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“The right to improve the rule of law should not be the right of a handful, nor should it be selectively implemented. Selective implementation would cause doubts to arise as to credibility. Internationally, there have been longstanding efforts on the part of States to create an international community based on law. The linkages between the rule of law at the national and international levels are multifaceted. A key aspect of the rule of law at the international level is the codification of international law. In that regard, the multilateral treaty framework, developed mainly under the auspices of the United Nations, has played a seminal role. Today there is hardly an area of human activity that is not regulated by treaty law. The judgments of the International Court of Justice and its advisory opinions have also contributed immensely.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“Many organs and agencies of the United Nations must therefore play a role in contributing to the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law at the international level. In recent times, we have seen that it is ordinary citizens' demands for the rule of law, accountability and transparency, when unmet, that have propelled momentous changes in societies. The basic principles of rule of law contribute to the strengthening and protection of the individual. Governments that have upheld justice and the rule of law as key components of their governance structure are therefore stronger in terms of stability and effectiveness. The rule of law is not a modern, abstract concept; it is ingrained in the history of all nations. All cultures reflect it.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“My delegation welcomes the convening of this open debate at a time when there is a growing realization of the challenges and risks that rule-of-law deficits pose to international peace and security. The United Nations has a fundamental responsibility to maintain and strengthen international peace and security in conformity with the principles of justice and international law under the Charter. At a time when the world is facing ever- increasing threats to international peace in the form of transnational organized crime, terrorism, piracy and climate degradation, it is fitting that the Council highlight the centrality of the rule of law. The strengthening of the rule of law is essential, not just to maintain peace, but also to enable sustained economic progress and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.”
2012-01-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6705Resumption1 (2012) · source
“I take this opportunity to commend the work that has been carried out by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, for all these years amid many odds, to assist millions of Palestinian people in need, especially the people of Gaza. Sri Lanka wishes to reiterate its support for the Palestinians quest for their legitimate human and national rights. The Government and the people of Sri Lanka would like to reassure the Council of our continued support and solidarity.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Palestine has been successfully striving to complete its State-building programme, which has been endorsed by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the United Nations and others, as well as by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee in Brussels in June and in New York in September. There has been internal reconciliation between the relevant local political stakeholders, who have united to pursue their common aspirations. It is our sincere hope that the issues before the Council today will be addressed in a just and equitable manner that will encourage the search for peace.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“The resolution of the issue of Palestinian political prisoners in Israel is critical to a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and as a confidence- building measure. Sri Lanka welcomes the recent exchange of prisoners between the two parties. It is a measure that will generate positive momentum for peace talks. My Government is pleased to note the several important developments that have occurred on the ground in the midst of continued international efforts to create conditions for the early resumption of negotiations by Israel and Palestine.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Sri Lanka has consistently supported a peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and called for the implementation of General Assembly resolutions regarding the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to statehood and the attainment of a two-State solution. Our sincere wish is that Israel, Palestine and their neighbours coexist in peace and harmony. Realizing the two-State solution would be the greatest investment in peace in the region in our time. Sri Lanka has called upon all parties to ensure a climate conducive to finding a way forward towards the two-State solution, which is the only sustainable solution. The key players in the Middle East peace process have called upon all parties to scrupulously meet their obligations under the peace agreement.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“It will reflect our collective will and responsibility to help resolve a question that has occupied the attention of this Council and the United Nations system for several decades. While the peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine remains a laudable goal for the United Nations, it is an existential necessity for the Palestinian people. Sri Lanka's position with regard to the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people remains consistent. We hope that the application for admission of the State of Palestine to full membership in the United Nations will receive sympathetic consideration.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“I join other speakers to commend you, Madam President, for convening this important debate. Let me also express my sincere condolences to the Government of Saudi Arabia on the tragic passing away of Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The delegation of Sri Lanka associates itself with the statement made by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. This is a timely opportunity to focus on the situation in the Middle East, particularly the question of Palestine, a question that has occupied the attention of the Security Council for a long time. The developments since our last opportunity to discuss the issue are particularly important. A peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue will be one of the defining achievements of this century.”
2011-10-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6636Resumption1 (2011) · source
“We also agree with the views expressed by some representatives during the side event held on 30 June that the discourse on the issue of children and armed conflict should involve the wider United Nations membership if it is to be truly meaningful. Furthermore, the mandate only covers situations of a conflict. Limiting the discussion to the Security Council and allowing the non-Security Council members to speak on the issue only during open debates really does not accord the issue the seriousness, focus and attention it deserves among the wider membership. Broadening the space of this debate would bode well for ensuring collective responsibility and effective monitoring.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“She proposed that the Council consider adopting an honours list for countries that have registered appreciable progress in addressing issues of former child soldiers, especially those countries that are also parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The three-tier categorization maintained in the methodology of the annual United States Trafiicking in Persons Report is also relevant and instructive in this context. A corresponding list, we believe, would be forward-looking and constructive. It would also encourage more countries with the problem of child recruitment to be willing partners to action plans.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“The individual allegedly responsible for the situation of the aforementioned children was indicted for criminal intimidation, an offence under the penal code. He pleaded guilty and was convicted and sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment, suspended for 10 years with a fine of 250,000 Sri Lanka rupees. 11-41151 We call on the Council and the Working Group to undertake a holistic and fair assessment of the Sri Lankan case and to de-list Sri Lanka from the naming and shaming list. Sri Lanka now has a representative on the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and we intend to play a very active role there. It is pertinent to recall in this context a proposal made by a civil society representative, Ms. Carla Stea, at the meeting convened on June 30.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Sri Lanka provides free education to all its children without distinction from kindergarten to university level. Recognizing that children formerly associated with armed groups continue to be highly vulnerable, the monitoring of the reintegrated former combatants will continue. The Government recognizes that these children should be placed under the purview of the Department of Social Services. Children are an asset and the country will invest heavily in their future, as it had done in the past. Unfortunately, despite the progress I have outlined, Sri Lanka continues to remain on the naming and shaming list in the annexes to the Secretary- General's report. The unresolved cases relating to five children appear to be the reason for this. In comparison with other situations in the world, this would appear to be trite and unreasonable.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Hundreds of such attacks were launched. In the final stages of the conflict, children were thrown up in large numbers as cannon fodder. More than one generation of children were sacrificed to realize a megalomaniac's terrorist dream. These are our children. Tremendous progress is being made in child tracing and family reunions. According to a recently released UNICEF study, 64 per cent of the missing Tamil children had been recruited by the LTTE. Many may have died in mosquito infested jungles. In the post-conflict phase, significant attention is being paid to restoring and rebuilding schools and to the release of schools to the educational authorities. Over 135 schools in the north that were abandoned have now been rehabilitated and are functioning normally.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Inaccurate reporting would cast doubt on the credibility of both reporting sources and the Secretary-General's report itself. The progress made by Sri Lanka in realizing its policy of zero tolerance in the case of child recruitment, including the rehabilitation and reintegration of former child combatants under its "Bring Back the Child" campaign, is by any standard salutary. 11-41151 According to a UNICEF report made public recently, over 60 per cent of the LTTE fighting forces from 1983 to 2002 consisted of boys and girls under 18 years, including orphans harvested after the tsunami. UNICEF recorded over 5,700 cases of child recruitment by the LTTE from 2003 to 2009. Others have suggested a figure closer to 20,000. Child soldiers were often deployed to attack villagers with machetes and used as suicide bombers, especially the girls.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“On the recommendation of filing systematic information on Violations against children in reports and recommendations to sanctions committees, we would like to urge the Council and the Working Group to ensure that the information so collected is objective, accurate, reliable and verified by experts, including forensic experts, and in an open and transparent manner with all the members represented in the country task forces where they exist. Paragraph 3 of resolution 1612 (2005), which clearly states that the monitoring and reporting mechanism must work in close consultation with the country concerned, must be strictly adhered to. We add this note recalling Sri Lanka's unpleasant experience with the global horizontal note filed from 1 May to 31 July 2009. Many reports had been made to the Council without reference to the country task force.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“It appears that the report will stoke embers of a bitter past and politicize the issue of accountability related to child recruitment. Unfortunately, these complex underlying realities have been ignored. This debate takes place against the backdrop of the increasing frequency and intensity of the identified six grave violations against children in armed conflict. Children are the most vulnerable group, and they therefore require conscious protection. We therefore welcome the recommendations in the Secretary- General's report (S/2011/250) on adopting targeted measures against persistent perpetrators of grave violations against children. In Sri Lanka, it was clear that the child soldiers of the LTTE were cannon fodder for the movement who were sent to early graves.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“My Government consistently encouraged former armed groups to denounce violence and to enter the democratic process as a part of the reconciliation effort. Following this approach, the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulighal (TMVP), a breakaway faction of the terrorist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), ceased to be an armed group and entered the political process as a registered party. Like in other countries where former terrorist groups have transformed themselves into legitimate political parties, the TMVP has also joined the democratic process. It has released all child combatants under a tripartite action plan with UNICEF and the Government. The adult cadres are very much part of the democratic process, which has had a salutary impact across the board.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“The relevant discussions underlined the urgency of concerted action at the national and international levels to contain and halt the repugnant practice of child recruitment for armed combat. To deprive a child of his smiles and dreams and burden him with gore and machine guns is an appalling indictment of the values of the certain groups and individuals. However, Sri Lanka has serious reservations about the report issued by Conflict Dynamics International under the auspices of the Permanent Missions of Canada and Germany. For instance, its assertion that individuals implicated in crimes against children in armed conflict continue to hold high Government positions is sadly incomplete and misleading.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“Let me join previous speakers in thanking Germany for convening this open debate under its presidency, and also acknowledge the presence of the Foreign Minister of Germany this morning. The useful work done by the Secretary-General's Office, the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the UNICEF and other associated agencies will no doubt add substantial value to addressing this issue so vitally important to our times. Sri Lanka endorses the three side events that were organized by the Permanent Mission of Germany in association with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the Permanent Mission of Canada and the United Nations Programme on Youth in June. They incrementally advanced our understanding of these issues.”
2011-07-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6581Resumption1 (2011) · source
“In keeping with the recognition that it is the first and foremost responsibility of States to address infractions of the law, and with a view to initiating a long-term healing process, the Government of Sri Lanka has established a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission to address reconciliation and confidence-building issues, including accountability. My delegation hopes that the Council's discussion on the protection of civilians will facilitate practical outcomes based on ground realities. It is for this reason that my delegation has sought to share our experience and to urge all of us to invest greater efforts in preventing conflicts and their recurrence and to respond practically and proportionately to situations affecting civilian populations.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“The willingness to accept wild and unsubstantiated allegations made in the media - even those disowned by senior United Nations officials - is extremely unfortunate. Such an inconsistent approach and an unambiguous tendency to target the small and the weak for the rigorous application of principle also affect post-conflict reconciliation in complex country situations. Difficult reconciliation processes that are successfully moving ahead are disrupted by insensitive external interventions.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“Once again, we must seriously investigate the practical realities learned in the experiences of Member States instead of attempting the theoretical application of a one-size-fits-all humanitarian framework. One size does not fit all, and the complex Sri Lankan experience would seem to demonstrate that reality. There is a need to recognize the fundamental role of the State in civilian protection. In the first place, the role of Governments in civilian protection should be respected as it is their primary responsibility to protect their own citizens. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies must support and assist Governments, and in doing so be sensitive to ground realities, including by respecting the sovereignty of States. Unfortunately the politicization and selectivity that characterize the debate have affected its credibility.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“In this context, the challenges posed by terrorism in many parts of the world today may necessitate a re-examination of the rules of military engagement. Many of the rules of war are largely based on the presumption that the parties to a conflict are conventional armies of responsible States engaging other State parties. But terrorists disregard those laws and principles as they wage asymmetric warfare. They mingle with civilians and use them to achieve their goals. Whether it is one human being held as a human shield or many, the fact remains that terrorists employ inhumane strategies that existing international humanitarian law may not have adequately taken into consideration.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“UNICEF recorded over 5,700 cases of child recruitment. The LTTE withheld food supplies sent by the Government and diverted those supplies for use by its armed cadres. The civilians being used as a human shield by the terrorist group were our own people. This strategy of the LTTE posed extraordinary operational challenges to our security forces engaged in combating the group while ensuring the protection of civilians. The Government, for its part, adopted a zero-civilian casualty policy. Our troops endeavoured to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and the protection and liberation of civilians from the clutches of the terrorist group were their highest priority. Over 280,000 civilians were eventually freed.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“Many of today's conflicts take place within States and involve non-State armed groups. Sri Lanka's experience relates in particular to the challenges we faced in protecting civilians in the context of an internal conflict - a challenge to the State itself, involving a ruthless terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In Sri Lanka, that terrorist group made the Tamil civilian population a part of its military strategy. The terrorists' brutal strategy was to create a situation inviting civilian casualties by forcing civilians to be trained in weapons and to take up arms, recruiting children for combat duties, herding thousands of civilians to form human shields, holding them hostage and placing heavy guns in their midst, attracting retaliatory fire. Some of the children were under 12 years of age.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“Once the end of the terrorists became obvious, a well-oiled propaganda machine began to churn out reams of allegations to set the stage to continue the conflict by other means. During the conflict, Sri Lanka also engaged closely with the international community and related human rights and humanitarian mechanisms - United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and local and international non-governmental organizations - to facilitate provision for the needs of civilians in terrorist- controlled areas, despite the constraints imposed by logistical and security needs. This close cooperation has extended to the aftermath of the conflict by providing for the needs of the displaced population, their resettlement and reintegration, and the reconstruction of their homes.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“During almost three decades of combating terrorism in our country, we took utmost care to draw a clear distinction between civilians and terrorists. Those who are intent on dismissing this effort will continue to do so, but successive Governments ensured a continuous supply of essential goods and services, such as food, free health services and education, to civilians in the north and the east of Sri Lanka over the 27 years of the conflict, despite the control that the terrorists had over them. While allegations of infractions of international standards emerged after the end of the conflict, those allegations were not heard until the end became abundantly clear to the terrorist group.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source
“We also emphasize that this protection task cannot be understood or addressed solely within traditional frameworks, as today's threats require us to be conscious of a multiplicity of different factors, ranging from changing political realities, socio- economic factors, the basic rights of individuals, the proliferation of small arms, asymmetric warfare and the sophistication of terrorists to the complexities of disarmament. We must pay special attention to vulnerable categories, such as women and children, who are increasingly exploited by terrorist groups. A realistic and honest appraisal of protection issues will help us to identify gaps in the existing protection policy frameworks and guide our collective efforts at effectively addressing them in a pragmatic manner.”
2011-05-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6531 (2011) · source