YouSaid · the spoken record

Mbalati

lines on the record
15
first
2013-02-12
most recent
2013-08-19
sittings or episodes
2
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

  1. “In conclusion, South Africa remains unwavering in its commitment to the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The protection of civilians is an important objective that will only be made sustainable by enhancing the capacities of States emerging from conflict in the long term. The objective ofpeacekeeping should always be to assist countries to end conflicts by empowering them through security sector reform, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes and the training of effective and professional national security forces in order for them to assume eventual responsibility over their territories.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  2. “Failing that, the international community has a collective responsibility to act, with the utmost adherence to international law, in accordance with the purpose and principles of the Charter, as prescribed in the 2005 World Summit Outcome and the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It is for that reason that, as peacekeepers, we cannot continue to watch civilians being killed, maimed, raped and displaced. In that regard, the Intervention Brigade of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was piloted by the Southern African Development Community and endorsed by the United Nations, is an unprecedented innovation that could eventually serve as a model for the United Nations in the protection of civilians in armed conflict.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  3. “While we underline that it is the primary responsibility of States to protect civilians within their borders, an important element of protection is prevention. Armed opposition groups also bear responsibility for ensuring that unarmed civilians are protected, and failure by both State and non-State actors to uphold this responsibility should not go unpunished. We wish to re-emphasize that accountability must first and foremost be sought at the national level. It remains the sovereign responsibility of States to determine what their judicial mechanisms are in ensuring accountability.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  4. “It will be recalled that, in 2000, we co-hosted, along with the International Committee of the Red Cross, a regional seminar on international humanitarian law, with the objective of reviewing the ratification and implementation of international humanitarian law and discussing developments in the field. The lack of awareness of international humanitarian law remains a critical challenge in many States, including in Africa. Progress in advancing the protection of civilians will also depend on the consistency with which the Council pursues that goal. Selectivity gravely limits the credibility of the Council in advancing mandates for the protection of civilians and seeking accountability. The Council cannot be seen to place the value of some civilians above others'.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  5. “The International Committee of the Red Cross has reported that in 2012 alone there had been 900 cases in 22 countries of attacks on humanitarian workers, health- care facilities and health-care workers. In many cases, those attacks were fatal. Another alarming feature of armed conflict is the threat posed to the safe delivery of health care. It is through our collective efforts that such senseless acts can be put to a halt. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our international obligations and, as such, will co-host an international workshop on the theme "Health care in danger", intended to draw attention to the plight of health-care workers in armed conflict and other situations of violence.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  6. “Protection for the civilian population is a fundamental principle of humanitarian law. Sadly, despite the provisions embodied in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which have been ratified by almost all nations, their 1977 Additional Protocols, other bodies of international human rights law and our respective national laws, civilians are increasingly becoming the victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. The continued deliberate targeting of civilians through such acts as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, sexual and gender-based violence and the recruitment of child soldiers have all become widespread in areas of conflict, creating an atmosphere of fear aimed at further destabilizing and displacing civilian populations.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  7. “My delegation would like to express its appreciation to you, Madam President, and your delegation for having convened this important debate on the theme of the protection of civilians in armed conflict. We also wish to express our appreciation to the Secretary-General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the Director for International Law and Cooperation of the International Committee of the Red Cross for their respective briefings today. For far too long, many civilians have suffered owing to a lack of protection during armed conflict. Despite a range of efforts by the Council to address the issue of the protection of civilians in armed conflict, we concur with the Secretary-General's conclusion that our record in that regard is very poor.”

    2013-08-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7019 (2013) · source

  8. “In conclusion, we wish to underline that it remains the primary responsibility of States to protect the civilians within their borders. Armed opposition groups also bear responsibility for ensuring that unarmed civilians are protected. The failure by both State and non-State actors to uphold that responsibility should not go unpunished. Accountability must first and foremost be sought at the national level. Failing that, the international community has the collective responsibility to act using the mechanisms at its disposal, including independent fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry, as well as the International Criminal Court. We would also like to pay tribute to those peacekeepers and humanitarian workers who lost their lives while protecting civilians, as well as those who continue to assist civilians affected by conflict.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  9. “As my delegation consistently urges, United Nations peacekeepers should always remain impartial in carrying out their mandated tasks. Mandates to protect civilians under imminent threat could be compromised if the United Nations were perceived as biased and found to be unable to perform its protection mandate due to the lack of requisite resources and capabilities, in particular air assets. Ensuring the long-term protection of civilians requires a mission-wide response and strategy. While peacekeepers must assist States in providing immediate protection for Civilians in the short term, the African Union and its subregional organizations have identified security sector reform and the building of national institutions in the areas of the rule of law and justice as critical to ensuring the long-term protection of civilians.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  10. “There must therefore be scrupulous compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law in carrying out such mandates. United Nations peacekeeping operations are increasingly tasked with mandates to protect civilians under imminent threat. Peacekeeping operations mandated with protecting civilians must be implemented in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the guiding principles of such operations. Peacekeeping missions with such mandates must carry out their task without prejudice to the sovereignty of the host Government and its primary responsibility in that regard. The implementation of such mandates should be supported by a comprehensive peace process that involves all stakeholders and is underpinned by national ownership.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  11. “The responsibility for such a failure must therefore be borne by those that abuse the trust of the Council with seemingly creative interpretations of protection mandates. Another challenge relates to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles against human targets, which inevitably leads to the killing of innocent civilians if not properly managed. That concern is highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General (see S/2012/376) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay is on the record stating that drone attacks raise serious questions about compliance with international law. Those entrusted with the protection of civilians have a stake in ensuring that our actions do not undermine the very objectives that we seek to advance.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  12. “On the contrary, we must ensure that the protection of civilians is not selectively pursued, as that would erode the credibility of the Security Council. A further challenge relates to the abuse of protection-of-civilian mandates, which erodes not only the credibility of the Council when it acts but also its ability to act. Abusing the authorization granted by the Council to advance a political or regime-change agenda is unfortunate. That often creates mistrust within the Security Council and has led to paralysis and inaction on its part, particularly when faced with similar challenges. Moreover, the experience has prevented the Council not only from acting resolutely but also from advancing the protection of civilian agenda.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  13. “Peacekeeping operations such as the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei both include that component. In addition, several other United Nations peacekeeping operations, including the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, the African Union Mission in Somalia and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have developed comprehensive protection-of-civilian strategies. That has put into operation the commitment made by the Council in resolution 1894 (2009). While making such important advances in protecting civilians, we must at the same time ensure that those efforts are not lost in furthering the objectives of the scope of that noble and moral endeavour.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  14. “While significant progress has been registered, particularly since the adoption of resolution 1265 (1999), challenges persist. South Africa agrees that it is extremely important for the Council to periodically evaluate our response to the protection of civilians for the purposes of improving, adjusting or eliminating adverse practices. Protecting civilians from the scourge of conflict is at the core of the mandate of the Security Council, namely, the maintenance of international peace and security. Surely, if the Council, the United Nations and its partners do not play their roles in protecting all civilians, we will have failed communities. The Council has made notable contributions through the inclusion of protection-of-civilian mandates in its decisions.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source

  15. “Let me join previous speakers in thanking the delegation of the Republic of Korea for convening this important debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General; the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay; and the Director for International Law and Cooperation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mr. Spoerri, for their statements. We are grateful to His Excellency Mr. Kim Sung-hwan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Rwanda and Brazil for their presence and their presentations. At the outset, my delegation wishes to acknowledge that the United Nations in general and the Security Council in particular have made significant strides in an effort to ensure that civilians are protected in times of armed conflict.”

    2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917Resumption1 (2013) · source