YouSaid · the spoken record

Mark Simonoff

lines on the record: 27
first: 2020-05-05
most recent: 2020-12-14
sittings or episodes: 4
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 welcome the Mechanism’s recent progress in increasing transparency and education regarding its work, including the launch of the unified judicial database in September, additional workshops for educators and the public streaming of court sessions. Those efforts are a valuable contribution to establishing a public record of the crimes committed. We must recommit to protecting civilians during armed conflict and holding those who violate international humanitarian law accountable. The Mechanism has been an important part of this work, and we continue to support its efforts on behalf of victims.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“Those proceedings remain vital to ensuring that the pursuit of justice will not end even as prosecutions at the Mechanism conclude. We note Rwanda’s progress in continuing to try cases related to the genocide and urge Balkan States to improve their cooperation across national systems. We remain extremely concerned about the Mechanism’s reporting about genocide denial, the non-acceptance of historical facts and the glorification of war criminals. We must do more to fight such rhetoric, particularly in the Balkans, and we condemn efforts by political leaders to distort historical facts and to use their platforms to increase divisions and exacerbate tensions.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“We welcome the Mechanism’s work to adjudicate General Mladić’s responsibility for grave crimes committed during the war and await the results of the Mechanism’s judgment as soon as possible. Similarly, we commend the Mechanism’s progress on the retrial of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes for their alleged roles in the unlawful, forcible removal of non-Serbs from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With regard to the contempt proceedings in the Turinabo and Jojić and Radeta cases, we are relieved that trial proceedings were finally able to commence, despite attempts to interfere with witnesses and efforts to undermine court proceedings. We also commend the Mechanism’s efforts to support national judicial efforts, from the Balkans to Rwanda.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“The United States continues to offer rewards of up to $5 million for information that leads to the arrest, transfer or conviction of any of the remaining fugitives. We strongly urge all countries to cooperate fully with the Mechanism and bring these people, wanted for some of the worst crimes in history, to justice. We further congratulate the court for successfully holding the appeal hearing for Ratko Mladić. As we all know, General Mladić served as the commander of the Bosnian Serb Army during the genocide of Bosnian Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, and his forces raped women and girls, shelled and sniped the civilian population of Sarajevo and brutalized Muslim and Croat prisoners — all with the horrifying objective of permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats from Bosnian Serb-claimed territory.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“After the historic arrest of Rwandan businessman Félicien Kabuga, who was indicted for genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, it is good to hear that he has successfully passed into the Mechanism’s custody and that pre-trial proceedings have begun. These developments, which are taking place after Kabuga spent 26 years at large, demonstrates the continued relevance and impact of the Mechanism and its work. We support its efforts to ensure that justice is meted out for Kabuga’s alleged role in the horrific acts perpetrated in Rwanda. We will continue to support the Mechanism’s efforts to apprehend the remaining six Rwandans still wanted for their roles in the 1994 genocide.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“We are pleased to hear that the Mechanism was able to make progress on its judicial caseload despite the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic, which continues to affect us every day. The progress made since the most recent briefing (see S/2020/527) is commendable given the circumstances. We are impressed to hear about the steps taken to allow the Mechanism’s work to continue in both its Branches and are glad that the Mechanism is able to hold hearings in a way that does not jeopardize the health and safety of those involved. We thank President Agius and Prosecutor Brammertz for those efforts and for their commitment to justice in these extraordinary times.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“I thank President Agius and Prosecutor Brammertz for their briefings. We are grateful for their hard work and for the unwavering commitment of the judges, attorneys and staff in Arusha and The Hague, as well as in field offices in Kigali and Sarajevo, in their pursuit of justice for the victims in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. We are pleased that Prosecutor Brammertz and President Agius have been reappointed to their positions and that Abubacarr Tambadou has been appointed as the new Registrar. Mr. Tambadou had an impressive record as Attorney General of the Gambia, and we understand that he is already making a valuable contribution to the Mechanism’s work. We also welcome Pierre St. Hilaire, the new head of fugitive tracking, whose work we have also been impressed with.”
2020-12-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/1236 (2020) · source
“As I close today, I want to again stress my gratitude to my colleagues here who have been providing the humanitarian and military support needed to get Mali and the region healthy and to a much healthier place. While we breathe a sigh of relief that Droukdel and other evil actors no longer have the ability to terrorize people, the threat remains. The Security Council must do its upmost to support the peace process and work to address the violence and political problems that plague Mali. Terrorism thrives in the current instability and we, as a Council, must be relentless in our resolve to help the people of Mali and millions of other people in the Sahel.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“We are also committed to supporting the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel by providing equipment, training and advisory support to fill critical capability gaps on a bilateral basis, and continue to call on other countries to do the same. As Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix pointed out last week (see S/2020/515), extremists are attempting to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine State authority and destabilize Governments. With innocent lives lost daily, schools shuttered and many people denied access to basic services, we all must be proactive in the face of such devastation and danger.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“We also commend his efforts to maximize troop capabilities through the development of the adaptation plan. We continue to call on Member States that have those capabilities to consider providing them to MINUSMA. We desire more candid reporting from the Secretary-General, and for the Force to have greater influence in how it applies and distributes its resources. The United States is committed to establishing peace, security and a brighter future for the people of Mali, the Sahel and West Africa. This is why we are the largest financial contributor to MINUSMA and the largest supporter of predeployment training for its contingents. It is why we have spent billions of dollars on security, development and humanitarian assistance in Mali and the region.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“MINUSMA must begin planning its gradual withdrawal and eventual exit, so that genuine trust can develop between the signatory armed groups and the Government of Mali, and so that the Government can also gain confidence in taking over the country’s security responsibilities. MINUSMA should assess when it can make a troop reduction to signal the Council’s expectation that MINUSMA’s presence is not indefinite. The Council must also continue to increase MINUSMA’s efficiency and effectiveness by supporting the Commander’s force adaptation plan and improving troop and police quality throughout the mission. We commend the Force Commander, Lieutenant General Gyllensporre, for his work to prioritize troop performance and hold poor performers accountable.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“Moreover, the humanitarian situation is worsening — Mali’s displaced population has more than doubled in the past year and millions of people are suffering from food insecurity. The signatory parties’ inability to make significant progress since the signing of the accord in 2015 perpetuates the worsening security environment in the Sahel and prevents MINUSMA from fully implementing its mandate. We have a tremendous opportunity to use this mandate renewal to bring real and lasting change to the people of Mali. It begins with incentivizing the parties to follow through on the mandate’s benchmarks.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“As the Council renews MINUSMA for its eighth year, we must be clear-eyed about the pattern of failure by the signatory parties to implement the 2015 Algiers Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. Most of the benchmarks in last year’s mandate have not been achieved. Constitutional reform and transfer of State services are far from complete; no pilot projects for the Northern Development Zone have been implemented; and while the goal of redeploying 3,000 reconstituted Malian forces only fell short by 500, many of these forces are far from operational and still receive support and protection from United Nations forces. Meanwhile, the people of Mali continue to suffer under a stalled peace process. Terrorist attacks and intercommunal violence continue to kill and maim innocent civilians.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“Last month, three Chadian peacekeepers were killed in northern Mali — a stark reminder that the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) remains the most dangerous peacekeeping mission in the world. The United States offers its gratitude and appreciation to the troops, police and civilians of MINUSMA and other security forces in the region, whose personal sacrifices promote peace and stability in Mali and the Sahel. We also recognize the challenges of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and commend the mission for taking the necessary steps to protect its people and the civilian population while accomplishing its mission. We mourn the two individuals the Mission has lost to COVID-19 and wish a speedy recovery for those who are sick.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“This daring operation and others, such as the capture of a senior Islamic State group commander in Mali last month, are exacting severe blows on terrorist groups that not only threaten the people of the Sahel and Maghreb regions, but all of us who are gathered here today. We are grateful for France’s commitment and sacrifice. The Pau summit in January has re-energized the region’s efforts to address the failing security situation in the Sahel, and we welcome tomorrow’s ministerial meeting on the Coalition for the Sahel and its objective of improving coordination. The United States also recognizes that peace and stability in that region are not a shared effort.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“I thank Secretary-General Guterres and Special Envoy Buyoya for their briefings today. I welcome Foreign Ministers Le Drian and Dramé and all the Foreign Ministers to the Council and thank you, Sir, for convening this briefing. Your nation, Mr. President, has been committed to bringing peace and stability to the Sahel region and tens of millions of its people who want a better future free of the daily threat of terrorist groups and widespread trafficking of drugs, weapons, and even humans. I wish to congratulate you and your country’s courageous forces for killing the leader of Al-Qaida in northern Africa, Abdelmalek Droukdel, along with members of his inner circle, last week.”
2020-06-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/541 (2020) · source
“I must reiterate our long-standing and principled objection to any assertion of International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over nationals of States that are not party to the Rome Statute, absent a Security Council referral or the consent of such States. Our concerns regarding the ICC and the situation in Afghanistan are well known. Our position on the ICC in no way diminishes the United States commitment to supporting accountability for atrocity crimes, violations of international humanitarian law, and gross violations of human rights.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“Ali Kushayb must be held accountable for his alleged abuses. The people of Darfur, victims, survivors and their families deserve justice. We must also ensure that those who oppose the Sudan’s efforts to address its painful past have no power to hijack the Sudan’s future. We were deeply concerned to learn of the attempted assassination attempt against Prime Minister Hamdok. Such attempts undermine the Sudanese people’s hard-fought liberation efforts. The United States has historically been and will continue to be a strong supporter of meaningful accountability and justice for victims of atrocities through appropriate mechanisms. Perpetrators of atrocity crimes must face justice, but we must also be careful to recognize the right tool for each situation.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“There are few in the Sudan more deserving of facing justice than Omar Al-Bashir. While we are encouraged by his recent conviction in April, we note that the charges narrowly related to financial corruption. We believe that more needs to be done. As we have said for over a decade, there will be no lasting peace in the Sudan until there is genuine accountability for all of the crimes that have been committed against the Sudanese people. To date, no one has been held accountable for the estimated 300,000 people killed in Darfur, the rampant sexual violence or the looting and burning of homes. Those most responsible for the crimes committed in the conflicts in Darfur and the Two Areas must be held accountable for their actions. We have received reports that Ali Kushayb is in custody.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“We will continue to encourage them to use a survivor- centred approach during these negotiations and ensure that the voices of women, youth and other groups who have borne the brunt of the Al-Bashir regime’s violence are heard, in order to ensure that crimes against the Sudanese people committed under the Al-Bashir regime are not forgotten or ignored. The United States supports the Sudan in its path to upholding democratic values, strengthening an independent justice system and pursuing legal reform to ensure equality for all, regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity. We will continue to support Sudanese efforts to ensure justice and encourage open, inclusive national dialogues about how transitional justice mechanisms can facilitate truth, justice, reconciliation and healing.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“Genuine accountability would be a positive step for the Sudan, a clear break from the past and a clear demonstration of its commitment to freedom of peaceful assembly. We urge the Prime Minister and the civilian-led transitional Government to honour this commitment. We also call for the national independent committee investigating the massacre to conduct a thorough, credible investigation that addresses all the crimes committed on that day and identifies those responsible for the grave crimes that were committed so that they can be brought to justice. The United States will continue our efforts to deepen diplomatic relations with the new Sudanese Government and support ongoing peace negotiations with armed opposition groups.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“We commend the civilian-led transitional Government for agreeing to justice and accountability measures in the transitional justice and reconciliation protocol negotiated in February with the Darfur armed opposition, including through the formation of a special court in Darfur to try atrocity crimes. Actions like this, taken to address the decades of violence committed with impunity against Darfuri victims, will increase the prospects for a just and enduring peace across the Sudan. We are encouraged by Prime Minister Hamdok’s Eid speech on 25 May, during which he stated that the perpetrators of the 3 June 2019 massacre, when 127 protestors were killed during a sit-in and other protesters were beaten and sexually assaulted, will be held accountable.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“I thank the Prosecutor for her briefing. Despite the impacts of the coronavirus disease pandemic, which are being felt everywhere, we are heartened to see continued positive developments in the Sudan over the past few months. The civilian-led transitional Government, in its discussions with the armed opposition, is demonstrating that it is committed to justice for victims of atrocities in the Darfur conflict. We have been encouraged by concrete steps parties in the Sudan have taken to build a more stable, secure and human rights-respecting future.”
2020-06-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/538 (2020) · source
“Perpetrators of atrocity crimes must face justice, but we must also be careful to use the right tools for each situation. I must reiterate our long-standing and principled objection to any assertion of International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over nationals of States that are not party to the Rome Statute, absent a Security Council referral or the consent of such States. Our concerns regarding the ICC and the situation in Libya are well known. Our position on the ICC in no way diminishes the United States’ commitment to supporting accountability for atrocity crimes, violations of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights.”
2020-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/371 (2020) · source
“We are deeply alarmed and continue to call for de-escalation and a ceasefire to end those abuses and permit Libyans to address the threat posed by the coronavirus disease pandemic. Libya’s political and security instability has created an environment conducive to the commission of human rights abuses. In an effort to address that environment, the United States continues to oppose foreign military intervention in Libya and to support a rapid return to a political process, and we thank Acting Special Representative Stephanie Williams and her team for their ongoing efforts to secure a negotiated political solution to the crisis. The United States has historically been, and will continue to be, a strong supporter of meaningful accountability and justice for victims of atrocities through appropriate mechanisms.”
2020-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/371 (2020) · source
“Accountability for the architects of Libya’s darkest days would bring justice to the victims of these atrocities and their families and help ensure that they are not forgotten. It would also deliver a powerful deterrent message to potential future abusers and to those involved in the current conflict who may be guilty of atrocities. The United States Government continues to receive other reports of human rights abuses in Libya occurring today. Accounts include arbitrary killings, forced disappearances, unlawful detention, torture, human trafficking and sexual violence. The conflict in Libya is destabilizing the region and has displaced many, including migrants and refugees. Libyan militia groups and security forces on all sides, as well as their international backers, stand accused of perpetrating those human rights abuses.”
2020-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/371 (2020) · source
“It is shameful that several of the most notorious perpetrators of crimes against the Libyan people this past decade continue to enjoy impunity. Saif Al-Islam Al- Qadhafi, Mahmoud Al-Werfalli, Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled and Abdullah Al- Senussi should face justice for their alleged crimes. We call on those who harbour Saif Al-Islam Al-Qadhafi and Mahmoud Al-Werfalli to deliver them to the Libyan authorities immediately. We also call on those who shelter Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, the former head of Libya’s notorious Internal Security Agency, to end their protection of this perpetrator. We are monitoring the status of the Supreme Court of Libya’s case against Abdullah Al-Senussi.”
2020-05-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/371 (2020) · source