YouSaid · the spoken record

Mukongo Ngay

lines on the record: 54
first: 2000-07-26
most recent: 2012-06-12
sittings or episodes: 3
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

“Finally, when the Council is called on to take action on the extension of the MONUSCO mandate at the end of the consultations that will soon be under way, the people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo expect it to condemn, in the strongest terms, the Bosco Ntaganda mutiny, which has disrupted our joint efforts to stabilize and consolidate peace in the Democratic Republic. The Council will also, we expect, condemn and remind States in the subregion to respect the commitments that they freely agreed to - that would be justice.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Likewise, I would also like to call on the international community and on friendly countries that wish to do so to come to our country to make major investment and participate in our country's development and economic recovery. The potential of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the vivacity of its population could enable win-win cooperation. Some countries have already understood that, and we call on others to follow in their footsteps and help us along that road.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my Government's willingness to continue its partnership with MONUSCO with regard to military operations against armed groups, justice and the struggle against impunity, as well as in consolidating authority of the State, and in support of the future reconfiguration of MONUSCO. I would also like to reassure all interested parties that the reforms launched last year in the security sector have continued with a view to establishing a police and army that is fully able to guarantee security throughout the country and improving the already favourable conditions for the restoration of economic and social development.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“It is under that new impetus that the Commission published on 6 June the timetable for provincial, senatorial and gubernatorial elections. According to the timetable, three dates have been set aside for the holding of the various elections, which will conclude the electoral process that began on 28 November 2011 with the presidential and legislative elections. The date of 25 February 2013 has been designated for provincial elections, 5 June 2013 for senatorial elections, and 22 June 2013 for elections for governors and vice-governors of provinces.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“To give greater credibility to the next elections, the Commission has adopted a series of measures, including intensifying consultations with its various partners; drafting timetables that take into account the technical and operational demands; conducting advocacy with the State and all partners for the reallocation of revenues to new expenditures dictated by operational needs; defining a vision and intensifying its consultations with stakeholders, such as media, political parties and other partners in the process; stabilizing the electoral register and making it more reliable by including those who have been omitted; reopening dialogue with the political class on the subject of the electoral register; and strengthening the criteria for recruiting and training electoral agents, and more specifically those working in polling stations and in local centres for the compilation of results.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“I now come to the restructuring of the Independent National Electoral Commission, one of the most controversial subjects, both within and outside the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo. In paragraphs 76 and 77 of his report, the Secretary-General stresses the need to restore the credibility of the Commission. I would like to reassure everyone here that the Government fully shares that concern and is about to review the Commission. Within the Commission itself, a process of self-criticism has also begun.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“It is therefore natural, when considering the economic recovery and social rehabilitation and integration components of the stabilization and reconstruction programmes, to think of the need to reassess them and adapt them to the realities of the time. The regions of the north and west, while having been free of conflict, are facing the repercussions of instability in the north and east of the country. We hope that the implementation of the stabilization and reconstruction programme and the programme drafted by the United Nations country team aimed at consolidating and developing the Democratic Republic of the Congo should take into account that dimension of the matter.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“On a different tack, as a stabilization mandate, MONUSCO's mandate requires a transition to economic recovery after a number of years of instability. The Democratic Republic of the Congo already has a stabilization and reconstruction plan for areas emerging from armed conflict and an International Security and Stabilization Support Strategy for the province of North Kivu that extends to cover the districts of Haut-Uele and Bas-Ue'le' in Orientale province, the province of Maniema, the district of North Tanganyika to Katanga, as well as the districts of Sud-Ubangui and Equateur in Equateur province.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“In that respect, the Government supports the process of establishing prosecution support cells that MONUSCO launched to help the victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In conclusion, there is a need for us to take strategic decisions that, inter alia, allow the Government to ensure security, good governance, the consolidation of the rule of law and the economic development of the country. To do that, we are duty-bound to work together to define parameters that will allow us to draw a timetable for the disengagement of United Nations troops while the training of the Congolese army continues. More specifically, it is a matter of working on a road map devoted to an effective and tested transition from a peacekeeping operation to a peacebuilding operation, an operation for supporting the stability of the country.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“New civil prosecutors have been recruited, trained and deployed in sensitive areas. Moreover, in provinces where there have been atrocities, mobile military and civilian courts have been brought in, with the support of MONUSCO, to resolve the problem of poor access to courts and tribunals in places where violations have taken place. In that respect, I should like to refer to paragraph 46 ofthe Secretary-General's report. The struggle against impunity continues without leniency. Charges have been brought against members of armed groups, the National Police and the FARDC, and even against corrupt magistrates and economic operators, for serious violations of human rights, which have often resulted in long prison terms, even life imprisonment.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“With regard to the Congolese National Police, we would note the training of the border police, the deployment of police units emanating from armed groups, the retraining of police forces by MONUSCO, and the promulgation a year ago of the organic law on the organization and functioning of the National Police. With regard to improving the rule of law throughout the country through the establishment of civil administration, the guarantor of the rule of law, which is our third goal, we note that the legitimate authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo control virtually all of the territory that was once under the control of armed groups. Today, the Congolese National Police is present virtually throughout all of the liberated territories. The judicial apparatus is increasingly present and is becoming increasingly functional.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Already, we should note that, from Goma to the foothills of Masisi, the Congolese army has taken up positions and calm has returned, and the rebels who crossed the national park have now moved back to the border. Be that as it may, the Government is determined to put a military end to the war in the territories occupied by the armed groups, whether Congolese and foreign, as stated by the Prime Minister and head of Government, Mr. Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon, upon his arrival in Bunagana, North Kivu, at the head of a major Government delegation on Thursday, 7 June.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“To take but one example, the Lord's Resistance Army, which raged in Orientale province, has gone from 1,200 troops in 2008 to almost zero today. The roads from Dungu to Doruma, from F aradje to Watsa and from Dungu to Bangadi, once closed to all traffic, have now been reopened. Things have certainly changed since the insurgents who deserted the ranks of the Congolese army at the start of April turned their weapons against the regular army. Everything leads us to believe, however, that, in terms of balance of forces on the ground, the serious upheavals created by the mutiny could be totally brought under control, provided that the proven involvement in and support for the mutiny on the part of neighbouring countries ceases.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“With regard to the resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Government to effectively protect the population and to increasingly take on MONUSCO's security functions, work to provide the Democratic Republic of the Congo with effective security forces is under way and will continue. Reports of the FARDC 's reorganization, with actions to identify and to manage troops, equipment and training through the reopening of academies, schools or training centres, the reorganization of forces into regiments, the relaunching of officer training and the retraining of existing troops, are encouraging. Now is the time to ask MONUSCO to resume joint FARDC-MONUSCO operations against national or foreign armed groups. In terms of performance, from 2008 to 2012, cooperation between MONUSCO and the FARDC has proved productive.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Indeed, the resolution gave the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO three major goals, with concrete results to be achieved for each. With regard to the findings of the joint assessments on the military operations and to reducing the threat posed by armed groups, the fact remains that the operations led by the FARDC, with MONUSCO's support, have drastically reduced the operational capacities of the armed groups, even though, owing to their number, their criminal activities are still a threat to the population's security in some of the country's remote areas. Progress in reducing the threat against the population's security and in improving the conditions for the Government's handling of that security has been noted.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“That is our understanding of the MONUSCO mandate that the Council will renew, and the justification of the importance of the United Nations Mission to the Congolese populations in the affected areas, whether they be in Rutshuru-Lubero, Walikale-Masisi or Kitchanga in North Kivu, or in Bunyakiri-Hombo in South Kivu. In paragraph 86 of the report, the Secretary-General rightly commends the close cooperation and enhanced dialogue between the United Nations and the Democratic Republic of the Congo authorities. We also commend it. However, for the Government, whose position has remained unchanged since MONUSCO's establishment, the work of the joint assessment team, established pursuant to paragraph 7 of resolution 1925 (2010), must take priority in renewing MONUSCO's mandate.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“That is one of the main reasons behind the reconfiguration of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo into the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time, the Council emphasized that the protection of civilians should be the priority in deciding on the usage of available capacities and resources. It authorized MONUSCO to use all necessary means to fulfil its protection mandate, which includes the effective protection of civilians. Likewise, the idea ofrefocusing MONUSCO 's action on the Kivus, where foreign and national armed groups rage, must underpin any extension of the mandate of that United Nations Mission.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Unwavering in his resolve to support the stabilization and peacebuilding efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, when he was in Kinshasa for the fiftieth anniversary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in June 2010, the Secretary-General said that we must certainly continue to give priority to the protection of civilians, in particular women, who bear a disproportionate burden. The Secretary-General pledged to spare no effort in combating that very grave violation of fundamental rights. Today, I am pleased to note that MONUSCO's mandate will be renewed in respect of the Secretary-General's vision, pursuant to the spirit and the letter of resolution 1925 (2010), of 28 May 2010. The protection of civilians displaced or threatened by clashes must continue to be at the heart of the Council's concerns.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“He thought that he would be able to evade it by peacefully seeking refuge within our armed forces. However, with his arrest looming, he did not hesitate to defect and launch a mutiny against the national army in a part of the country already gravely affected by the destabilizing actions of foreign and national armed groups that are raging there. As can be expected, such conflicts have caused the massive displacement of people from the affected areas within the country and to neighbouring countries. But what then is the rationale behind the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“To return to the subject of my remarks this morning, my statement covers the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2012/355), the main points of which Mr. Meece has just outlined. My statement will focus on three key points, namely, MONUSCO's mandate, thejoint assessment mechanism and the restructuring of the Independent National Electoral Commission. As is often the case, the conclusion ofMONUSCO's mandate, which the Council is about to renew today, coincides with the resurgence of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as an immediate consequence of the desertion of some elements of the armed forces that came under the command of Mr. Ntaganda. He has been subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since 2006.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Roger Meece, whose presence here I welcome, should be underscored, in particular at this time when our own sources have established beyond doubt, as MONUSCO reported at the very beginning, that Rwandan elements, estimated at between 200 and 300 men, who continue to fight within the ranks ofthe rebels of Bosco Ntaganda's M-23 movement, were recruited, trained and deployed from Rwanda. That support continues since, despite the 38 tons of equipment recovered by the Forces armees de la Republique democratique du Congo (FARDC), the insurgents' firepower has increased since they moved closed to the Rwandan border.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate your predecessor, Ambassador Mehdiyev of Azerbaij an, on his outstanding Security Council presidency last month. I would particularly like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has spared no effort in his quest for solutions to restore lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since his accession to the head of the Organization. The positive efforts of MONUSCO and of his Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“Mr. Mukongo Ngay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (spoke in French): I would like first of all to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of June and to say how honoured we are to see China, a friendly country, steering the Council's deliberations today. I would like to assure you, Sir, of my delegation's support for the success of your very noble task, and to thank you for having given me the opportunity to address the Council at this meeting on the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), an issue of vital importance to my country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2012-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6785 (2012) · source
“The International Criminal Court fights against impunity; the Security Council maintains international peace and security. We favour the full functioning of both bodies.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“Now that the Court's establishment is complete, we think that we should give it the opportunity and the freedom to prove itself, in particular by initiating the prosecutions of those who are still massacring civilian populations and engaging in massive violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law throughout the world. Above all, it should play the greatest role that the world can expect of it: preventing criminals, through the threat of prosecution, from accomplishing their filthy work. Finally, my country hopes that the International Criminal Court will truly be a gift of hope for future generations and a giant leap forward in the march towards the universalization of human rights and the primacy of law, as Secretary-General Kofi Annan has stated.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“So, will the Security Council be ready to assume the historic responsibility of steadfastly assisting the Court? In the wake of the Second World War, it was believed that such an institution must be established. Because paragraph 2 of resolution 1422 (2002) is only an optional clause and not a mandatory provision, my delegation wonders about the advisability or the real necessity of renewing resolution 1422 (2002) at a time when our generation wants to have a chance to see the functioning of the first international and permanent legal jurisdiction charged with prosecuting the most odious crimes, which are revolting to the conscience of humanity.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“The international community's efforts to give effect to that request resulted in the holding at Rome in 1998 of the historic United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court. The Statute that was adopted entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of today's meeting, the 18 judges mandated to sit upon the Court have already been elected. The Court's inauguration took place on 11 March 2003, along with the swearing in of the judges. The first Prosecutor of the Court has been elected and is to be sworn in next Monday; 90 States have now ratified the Court's Statute. As one can see, the essential steps have been completed, and the Court's establishment has drawn to a close.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“Moreover, it continues to hold that an International Criminal Court provided with every possible guarantee that it will function well and cleared of suspicions of political influences and partiality will eventually rally the whole world to its cause. That is why my country appeals for respect for the integrity of the Court's Statute. Because Council members will vote shortly on a renewal of resolution 1422 (2002), I should like to remind them of history. On 9 December 1948, the General Assembly, one of the principal organs of the Organization, in its resolution 260 B (111), requested the International Law Commission to create an international jurisdiction charged with trying persons charged with genocide or other crimes under its jurisdiction.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“My country will never cease to recall that its commitment to the International Criminal Court freedom reflects a true attachment to the principles of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Accordingly, my country was among the 120 States of the 160 present that voted to adopt the final text of the Statute of the International Criminal Court at the conclusion of the July 1998 Rome Conference. That commitment was reaffirmed on 11 April 2002, when my Government decided to offer to the international community the sixtieth ratification, which marked the Statute's entry into force. My country wishes to reaffirm its commitment to and support for the International Criminal Court, a Court whose independence in relation to the Security Council bodes well for the attainment of the objectives of its mandate.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“As one speaker said during the ceremony marking the deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification of the Statute of the Court, on 11 April 2002, it is an illusion to believe that a society can attain peace and stability without trying to bring to light crimes committed, determine the responsibility of the perpetrators and give restitution to the victims. At a moment in history such as this, when the trend towards creating ad hoc courts seems to be waning, countries such as mine - where the gravest crimes have been committed and are still being committed - must re-establish the rule of law by prosecuting the perpetrators of such crimes in their own courts, by virtue of the sacred principle of complementarity instituted by the Statute of the Court.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“This is an important historical step forward that marks the end of the Stalinist aphorism, which Secretary-General Kofi Annan once described as a cynical vision, according to which one death is a tragedy whereas 1 million deaths are a statistic. For humanity, the International Criminal Court is the crowning achievement in its struggle against impunity for the most serious crimes that have long shocked our collective conscience. The concept of combating impunity is in no way opposed to the mission of the Council. On the contrary, it complements the maintenance of international peace and security, a principle that is cherished by this body.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“The issue of renewing resolution 1422 (2002) requires my delegation to take up the following three essential points in its statement: first, the importance of the International Criminal Court; secondly, my country's commitment to the Court; and thirdly, the advisability or necessity of renewing resolution 1422 (2002). The International Criminal Court, whose Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002, is for us an unprecedented instrument in the world judicial system, especially given its permanent nature, which distinguishes it from previous institutions, in particular the ad hoc tribunals that are now responsible for examining the consequences of civil wars.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“Mr. Mukongo Ngay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (spoke in French): Allow me at the outset, Sir, to say how pleased I am to see you preside over the Security Council this month. I am convinced that you will accomplish your lofty objectives selflessly and successfully. Allow me also to commend your predecessor, the representative of Pakistan, for the skill and competence that he brought to bear on his difficult work during his presidency last month. I would also like to thank you for the welcome initiative of convening this important Security Council meeting and to hail all members of the Council for agreeing to add today's debate to their programme of work.”
2003-06-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4772 (2003) · source
“I take this opportunity to ask whether the $500 million allocated last year for victims of conflicts and natural disasters in Africa might not be of some benefit to Congolese children who have been the victims of the aggression by Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. I take this opportunity also to ask all cooperation and development agencies to join the action of the Congolese Government, which has led the way, and to support its efforts in the framework of the National Commission on Demobilization and Reintegration, which is mandated to carry out the successive phases of these activities both in Kinshasa and in all the provinces of our country.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“But this is just one way for the United Nations to ease the effects of armed conflict on children. If Government efforts to protect children, inter alia by completing the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers, are to yield the desired results, the Security Council, which bears primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, must shoulder its responsibilities to the full. It must rigorously apply Council resolutions that call for the total, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Ugandan and Rwandan troops from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which they are occupying in violation of the very Charter of the United Nations.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“If these efforts are not sustained, we are could see the dream of protecting our children vanish into thin air. My Government appreciates the activities carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by representatives of the United Nations system, especially by the country office of the United Nations Children's Fund, whose deep interest in this matter we hail. We also appreciate the activities of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and that of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in support of Government efforts in the process of demobilizing child soldiers. We thank the humanitarian agencies for their constant assistance to refugees and those displaced by the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, of whom children constitute the most vulnerable group.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Laurent-Desire Kabila, promulgated decree-law 66 on the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That law provides the Democratic Republic of the Congo with an intergovernmental coordination arrangement - or even better, with concerted action to address all aspects of the demobilization and reintegration of children who had been recruited as soldiers. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the convening of the Kinshasa forum on the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers was welcomed as a source of great hope and as a response entirely commensurate with the expectations of Congolese families and communities ravaged by the suffering and trauma of the war of aggression.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“They called on States to pay particular attention to disabled children, to so-called witch children and to children who are under the protection of the law. They encouraged reintegration, especially by returning individuals to their family units, to their jobs, to education and to training, bearing in mind the specific needs of various groups. They called on international advocacy groups to refrain from looking at the problem of child soldiers from a political standpoint and from using the phenomenon for political purposes, pointing out that this would run counter to the clear interests of the children and of human rights. On 9 June 2000, as a culmination of all these efforts, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“They also expressed the view that the demobilization of children should be included as a priority objective of any peace process and that keeping children out of wars is an act to prevent conflict and uphold human rights ideals. They called on African States to incorporate in their national legislation the principle of setting 18 as the minimum age for enlistment in their armed forces. They appealed to the international community for effective support for domestic processes to demobilize and reintegrate child soldiers, in particular in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They invited the media to launch a campaign to promote demobilization and reintegration among children themselves and in societies at large, and to refrain from broadcasting pictures and reports that could encourage children to enlist in armies.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Delegations were present from, inter alia, Angola, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique and Chad for Africa; the United States of America, El Salvador and Nicaragua for America; Belgium, France and Switzerland in Europe; and Cambodia and Sri Lanka for Asia. At the close of their work, the participants in the Kinshasa forum paid tribute to the political resolve of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to recognize the phenomenon of the child soldier and its determination to demobilize these children. They took note of the decision to establish an intergovernmental arrangement for coordinating and addressing all aspects of demobilization and reintegration.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The main objectives of the forum were, first, to confirm the commitment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the peace process and to complying with the international conventions to which it is a party; secondly, to share the experiences of other countries in the demobilization and reintegration of minors into family and society; and, thirdly, to alert donors, partners in bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and national and international non-governmental organizations specialized in this area to the need to become heavily involved in supporting the process. The Kinshasa forum was a total success. It enjoyed the participation of experts from several Africa, European, Asian and American countries.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Starting with the prohibition of the recruitment of children in the armed forces, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and then assigning them tasks not involving the use of weapons and prohibiting the dispatch of minors to the front in case fighting resumed, my Government moved forward at high speed. A truly decisive turning point was reached when, despite the ongoing state of war, the Government convened in Kinshasa, from 6 to 10 December 1999, an important forum on the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The Democratic Republic of the Congo is no exception to this rule. When the armed aggression against it began, 6,000 to 7,000 children were members of the government forces. However, the number enlisted in the armed groups in the East and in Equateur province is still hard to assess. In response to this situation, the Government quickly understood that the place of children was not in the army but in their families, at school or in communities where their youth and vulnerability would be fully respected. The Government began by taking certain conservative measures to end the recruitment of children into the Congolese armed forces and to begin the process of demobilizing former combatants.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The Congo's legal arsenal will soon be complete in terms of significant legal provisions protecting the rights of children. Through its legislative edict No. 90- 048 of 21 August 1999, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has already ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is in the process of ratifying the related African Charter. It is almost ready to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was opened for signature and ratification on 5 June. It intends to ratify all pertinent instruments relating to that Convention. I need hardly recall that, wherever countries are at war, even those that have signed all conventions relating to the rights of the child, children can be found on the front lines when they should, in theory, be found at their school desks.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“It especially urged States and the agencies concerned to facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration of children used as soldiers. States are mobilizing to achieve this lofty objective and Africa has shown the way. Following the examples of South Africa and Malawi, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has long striven to make human rights the key focus of its national reconstruction police, demonstrated its determination to solve the problem of children in armed conflict. The Democratic Republic of the Congo became the third African country to establish a national plan of action pursuant to the resolution adopted at the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“182 concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour; and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict was adopted last May. Increasingly, protests are being heard and steps taken to put an end to the tragedy of children caught up in armed conflict. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, adopted in July 1999, classifies the enlistment of children under 15 in national armed forces as a war crime. In its resolution 1261 (1999) of 25 August 1999, the Security Council openly urged States and all relevant parts of the United Nations system to intensify their efforts to ensure an end to the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We also welcome the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Secretary-General's report of 19 July, issued in document S/2000/712, and the measures relating to integrating the protection of children into peacemaking and peacekeeping. For some time now, the world has witnessed a phenomenon whose grave consequences trample on universally recognized values, namely, the tragedy experienced daily by tens of millions of children as a result of war. Very fortunately, the international community has become aware of this tragedy. The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been adopted; a Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict has been appointed; the International Labour Organization has adopted Convention No.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Mr. Mukongo Ngay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (spoke in French): As Jamaica nears the end of its term in the presidency of the Security Council for the month of July, my delegation believes that it is time to congratulate you, Madam, on the work you have accomplished. We are extremely honoured to take part in this important discussion, which we are certain will be successful. We especially welcome the concern that the Security Council has always shown for the tragic plight of children affected by armed conflict. We believe that this heightened awareness will prompt the Council to propose the solutions that are required by war situations in which children are the first victims.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Olara Otunnu urged the Council to lean heavily on those countries and Governments that wantonly subject children to armed conflicts. The Government of Uganda cannot overemphasize the gravity of the failure by our neighbours to honour agreements which they have signed. My delegation urges the Council, at the conclusion of this debate, to demand an end to the impunity of the brutal Lord's Resistance Army and to demand that the Sudan deny territory, cover and support to that group. The Council is urged to be unambiguous in its condemnation of the continued abduction of thousands upon thousands of our children. Before I end, I would like to express my delegation's appreciation to the European Union for its recent resolution which condemned the activities of the Lord's Resistance Army and demanded that it be denied cover on Sudanese territory.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The involvement of children in armed conflicts has disrupted the cultural behaviour and practices of our people, because those children are frequently sent back to their villages and districts and carry out systematic and atrocious mutilations of people, including their relatives. In November last year, an non-governmental organization called the Leadership Council on Children in Armed Conflict issued a report on Uganda with the headline "Our Children Are Still Missing". Yes, Ugandan children are still missing in the Sudan. During the past five years, the Government of Uganda has made many attempts to reach an agreement with the Sudanese Government. Indeed, agreements have been signed. One of them was brokered by the President of Malawi, another by Iran. This morning Mr.”
2000-07-26 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4176Resumption1 (2000) · source