YouSaid · the spoken record

Murmokaite

lines on the record: 1,184
first: 2012-11-19
most recent: 2016-11-07
sittings or episodes: 138
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

“The preventive, deterrent effects of such judgments on would-be perpetrators has yet to be felt. As some cases remain pending, we look forward to the continued work of the ICC to this effect, but also to greater national efforts to pursue accountability. Child recruitment, killings, maimings and attacks against schools are listed as sanctions triggers. In that context, we welcome the adoption of today's resolution 2225 (2015), which draws attention to abductions as a disturbingly prevalent feature ofmodern armed conflict and includes abductions as an additional listing trigger. In conclusion, we have a wide range of instruments to tackle impunity for conflict-related crimes against children.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Such protocols could be a valuable tool for child rehabilitation. As mentioned in the recent report of the Secretary- General (S/2015/409), accountability for Violence against children remains far too rare, even in countries that have criminalized the recruitment of children. Protecting children from serious crimes and preventing such crimes from being committed go hand in hand with tackling impunity and ensuring that the perpetrators are held to account.We welcome the transfer of Dominic Ongwen to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Yet, as some colleagues said earlier today, more needs to be done to combat impunity. While the perpetrators are many, the cases and judgments against them remain few and far between.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“While the release of children is of the utmost importance, it is no less important to acknowledge that release must be accompanied by comprehensive, creative programmes aimed at addressing the profound damage inflicted upon the children, combining measures of reintegration, training, livelihood opportunities, psycho-social assistance and community education. The role of civil society, non-governmental organizations and community leaders, including on tackling the stigma carried by such children, is extremely important. We must remember to treat children as victims first, not as perpetrators. In that regard, we welcome the steps taken by the Government of Chad in signing the protocol agreement with the United Nations regarding the handover of children associated with armed forces or groups to child protection actors.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“No doubt it is a story common to many former abductees and child soldiers, who suffer ostracism and exclusion because of their past. Some of them even wish for the time they were wielding the gun as child soldiers, missing the false sense of empowerment it provided over the lives of others. Today such worrying signals are beginning to emerge from the Central African Republic where the lack of options and opportunities to reintegrate into civilian life may be pushing some of the released former child soldiers back into the hands of armed groups.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Over time, some of those children turn from victims into victimizers themselves, as was the case of Dominic Ongwen, who was abducted at the age of 14 on his way to school and later became a notorious LRA commander. Former abductees face tremendous challenges of reintegrating into normal life. They are often shunned and rejected by their own families and communities, especially former girl soldiers and repeated rape victims. A recent article by photojournalist Marc Ellison provides a telling story of several former LRA girl child soldiers, including one called Mary, who was abducted before she was 10 and forced to become a rebel "wife" at the age of 12. No longer a child soldier, she is rejected by her own community. "If she comes back to live, people have said they will burn her alive in our own hut", says that girl's mother.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“The Lord's Resistance Group (LRA), which the Council discussed only last week, is known to have abducted some 30,000 children, boys and girls, some as young as six, over two decades. Abducted children are forced to commit rape and torture and a re forced into regular combat to kill, often blurring the lines between the victim and the perpetrator. Daesh, known for its exceptional wanton brutality, has been widely reported to turn abducted girls, some as young as 10, into sex slaves, sold and resold on slave markets, some as many as 20 times. It is hard to find the right words to describe the psychological trauma and the impact on children's minds in such situations.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“If we remember yesterday's statement by the Executive Director of UNICEF on atrocities in Unity state, South Sudan - boys castrated and left to bleed, girls as young as eight gang-raped and murdered, some 13,000 children forced to participate in a conflict not of their own making - it reminds us once again of the darkest depths of inhumanity that we humans can reach. Abductions of children are being increasingly used by armed groups and terrorists as a tactic of war, to impose their murderous rule and to target particular ethnic or religious groups. The Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria and the abduction of Kurdish boys and Yezidi children by Daesh are among the best known recent atrocities and crimes against humanity.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“In Syria, the worst humanitarian crisis of our time, 7.5 million children are in need of humanitarian aid, 2.6 million are deprived of education opportunities and close to 2 million are living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Across Yemen, 9.5 million children require humanitarian assistance, 3,600 schools, or 76 per cent of the country's total, have closed due to insecurity and 1.83 million children lost over two months of school. More and more young boys are seen manning checkpoints and involved in armed groups. Those are but a few cases where conflicts are taking a heavy toll of children's lives. The list of such cases, however, is devastatingly long.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“In eastern Ukraine foreign aggression and the reign of lawlessness imposed by illegal militants have caused massive displacement, primarily impacting the elderly and children. The latter account for more than 161,000, or some 18 per cent, among registered internally displaced persons, while the total number of children affected by this conflict amounts to 1.7 million. The restricted access to medical services and education, life in temporary shelters and basements of damaged buildings and continued psychological trauma are the daily reality for those children in eastern Ukraine. Child soldiers have been recently spotted by the monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe among the ranks of the illegal militants.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Granted, in recent years there have been some positive steps in the protection of children in armed conflicts, and we would like to express our appreciation for the dedicated and passionate work of Special Representative Secretary-General Leila Zerrougui to that effect. The incorporation of child protection provisions into peacekeeping mandates, the inclusion of crimes against children among sanctions designation criteria, the campaign "Children Not Soldiers", child protection advisers, national action plans - these have all been important developments. And yet countless children across the Middle East, in Africa and even in the middle of Europe continue to suffer from conflict- related violence.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank Malaysia for holding this open debate. I also thank the briefers for their presentations. Lithuania aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. Armed conflicts continue to have a horrific impact on children and, as we heard today from both the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, last year was one of the worst in recent memory. Recruited as child soldiers, stunted by malnourishment and starvation, forced to witness the death of their parents and siblings, abducted and turned into suicide bombers, sold in slave markets like cattle, children in conflict zones are denied the most basic of human rights.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Certainly, my delegation adds its voice to all of those concerns expressed and calls for accountability and strict implementation of the zero- tolerance policy.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“At the same time, the troop-contributing countries should recognize the need for efforts to flexibly adjust a mission's posture and tasks in an environment that is evolving daily, as well as the growing need for robust peacekeeping operations that are a departure from the long-standing static peacekeeping tradition. That issue is naturally linked to the peacekeeping operations review process and should be further discussed in the light of the new report and recommendations by the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations. Lastly, many delegations have spoken about accountability for sexual crimes and a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual crimes without regard to the perpetrator.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“As has been described before and as the information note indicates, that practice may become a challenge to command and control, and hence to mission performance, and is of course of concern to Force Commanders. In that respect, mutual commitments between the United Nations and the troop-contributing countries are necessary. The United Nations must ensure that the utmost will be done to ensure safe and secure mandate implementation, as well as the safety and security of peacekeepers. We in the Council must support those efforts by ensuring that missions are adequately supplied and trained and that accountability for attacks against United Nations personnel is pursued with all due vigour.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“Is the increase in the ceiling of the missions under the current circumstances sufficient? Would an additional increase be necessary? Finally, on national caveats, the safety and security of peacekeepers is, and must remain, among the top United Nations priorities, as well as one of the key factors for troop- and police-contributing countries to continue providing the forces necessary in the field. In a rapidly changing security environment, even long-functioning traditional peacekeeping missions are facing asymmetric and unconventional threats. Countries therefore resort to using caveats to minimize the risks to their contingents.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“We can only concur with that, and on the use and importance of adequate modern technologies in operations in ensuring a safer environment and facilitating preparations for the adequate protection of civilians. As another delegation has already asked, we too would like to know how the Security Council could better enable Force Commanders to lead and command their forces. What are the current command and control structures, and are they flexible enough to operate in a highly dynamic threat environment? What else can we do, as Council members, to facilitate the work of the Force Commanders? What training and additional equipment would be most needed? If one had to indicate one item, what would it be? What additional measures must be considered to ensure the protection of the force itself?”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“We pay our respects to all of those that have lost their lives in that noble Mission. The recent mine attack of 28 May in the region of Tombouctou on the MINUSMA convoy in which the Force Commander and Police Commissioner were travelling is yet another reminder that the Mission has become a primary target of attacks by extremist groups. In our view, the lack of accountability in that case, as in many others involving the deaths of peacekeepers, has certainly become a big challenge. With regard to the operational environment, the Force Commander has spoken about the importance of intelligence gathering and better intelligence analysis.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) is one of the missions that is operating in an exceptionally challenging environment, where local populations seem to expect it to substitute for the Government and provide services for which the Government is responsible, while at the same time they are interpreting its role as biased in favour of one or another side to the conflict. All of that is taking place in the presence of a persistent terrorist threat and growing interconnections between trans-border organized crime, terrorist networks and traffickers - as a result, MINUSMA has become one of the deadliest missions. Attacks on peacekeeping personnel in Mali have taken a significant toll on the Mission's efforts: 28 peacekeepers have lost their lives.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“Other questions to the Force Commander would be: To what extent would an arms embargo help UNMISS in its task to protect civilians? How do peacekeepers themselves feel in that complex environment? What measures have been taken to ensure their safety under the current circumstances? What is the perception of the operating climate in terms of the Mission, at present? Turning to operations in an asymmetric environment, it is important to recognize that a number of countries hosting United Nations peacekeeping operations are countries where the levels of threats from militant and terrorist groups are among the highest.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“All parts of the United Nations should work together to find suitable solutions to address the situation. Closer interaction with local populations, as some of the Force Commanders noted earlier today, and better cooperation with the Government of South Sudan are required, especially when it comes to securing a safe environment to facilitate the voluntary return of internally displaced persons. However, continuous violations of the status of forces agreement do not help and are a cause of serious concern. In that context, I would like to inquire whether Force Commander Tesfamariam could elaborate on the practical impact of such violations on the protection mandate and on the Mission's own provisions and supplies.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“Peacekeepers must be ready to demonstrate their willingness and the courage to act in a proactive manner - to fight insecurity and protect civilian lives and themselves. Within the mission, all must be fully committed to the mandate, prepared and ready to defend it by force if necessary. Implementing protection mandates requires clear focus, improved situational awareness, intelligence and analysis, adequate structures, logistics and materiel, training and resources. In South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) took an extraordinary step to accommodate thousands of internally displaced persons at its sites, saving countless lives. However, acknowledge the challenges such a step poses to the Mission. As a political solution remains distant, the numbers of those in need of protection can only keep growing.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“However, as seen in various crises, there is often a tragic lack of the national capacity needed to protect one's own populations, and at times even a lack of political will. The protection of civilians under imminent threat therefore remains a key priority for peacekeeping missions. Mission leadership is crucial, as it must ensure that the protection of civilians, including women and children, is considered an essential task by the mission as a whole. That is a key element of the "one mandate, one mission, one force" approach, which we strongly support. In the current environment, a static presence is far from sufficient; peacekeeping has progressed along a much more kinetic line.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank today's invitees for their insightful, thought-provoking and detailed briefings. As we heard earlier today, Lithuania also welcomes this once-a-year opportunity to hear from United Nations Force Commanders about the most pressing challenges in today's peacekeeping. Given the changing peacekeeping environment and the ever more complex challenges that peacekeepers face, an exchange of this kind once a year is the very least we can do. Let me take this opportunity to express our appreciation to all of the Force Commanders, whose sound judgment and decisions under increasing fire are critical for the successful implementation of mandates, as well as for the lives of peacekeepers and those they serve to protect. The primary responsibility to protect civilians, as we often say, rests with the national Governments.”
2015-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7464 (2015) · source
“The Committee will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure a practical, responsive and dynamic approach to its dialogue with all Member States, with a view to ensuring the effective implementation ofresolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005) and 2178 (2014).”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“To that end, it has been implementing measures to act more rapidly in its dialogue with Member States, and thus improve its responsiveness to their needs without sacrificing the quality of that dialogue or the opportunity for the States to consider carefully their responses to the Committee's outreach. One example is the Committee's request that CTED present an overview immediately on return from its follow-up visits. In the course of 2015, CTED has reported pro tempore to the Committee on visits to Oman, Tunisia, Turkey and Uzbekistan, while the Committee looks forward to the productive dialogue it continues to have with each of those Member States.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“Aiming to convene with them to lead the formulation of integrated and coordinated responses on important issues, this year, the Committee is working on preparations for two special meetings - one on stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, to be held in Madrid next month, the first meeting outside New York since 2011, and a second on preventing terrorists from exploiting the Internet and social media to recruit terrorists and incite terrorist acts, to be held in November. Earlier this year, on 19 February, the Committee launched a global research network developed by CTED with a view to enhancing its analytical capacity and engagement with leading think tanks and research institutions. The Committee recognizes that its effectiveness rests not just on what is done but when it is done.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“It has therefore increased the number of open briefings, with three scheduled in this month alone - on Thursday, 18 June, on the use of advance passenger information, in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association; this morning, on crisis management in the aftermath of a terrorist attack, with speakers from NATO, INTERPOL and the World Health Organization; and on Friday, 19 June, on the adoption of the new Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. The Committee's close relationships with various stakeholders have always been one of its great strengths.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“Throughout its engagement, the Committee has consistently recalled the position of the Council that all measures taken by Member States to combat terrorism must comply with all their obligations under international law and that Member States should adopt such measures in accordance with international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law. The Committee is also taking steps to communicate more effectively to the wider membership the outcomes of its dialogue with Member States, international and regional organizations and various other stakeholders.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“For instance, on 4 June, as Chair of the Committee, together with the Vice-Chairs and CTED, I held a meeting here in New York with the representatives of five Central Asian countries, which was also attended by the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force and the Department of Political Affairs. Earlier this year, from 2 to 6 February, I conducted a high-level political mission to Mali and the Niger, together with CTED and the participation of the Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for the Sahel and the Special Representative of the Chair of the African Union for Counter-Terrorism Cooperation.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“The huge diversity of Member States, in terms of their size and population, the nature of the various threats posed by terrorists to particular Member States, as well as the Member States' relative capacities and vulnerabilities to address those threats, makes a one-size-fits-all approach impractical. Member States should develop a response to the threat of terrorism based on their own particular national security concerns, rather than on a fixed template that might have little relevance to their situation. In the same context, the Committee has been reinforcing its direct outreach to Member States.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“The Committee's goal this year has been to adopt measures by which this unique store of evidence can be swiftly and responsively leveraged and utilized to facilitate useful and sustainable technical assistance where and when it is needed. It aims to produce not an assessment or critique of the shortfalls of Member States, but rather a detailed road map of concrete measures to be taken by Member States and close partners to help them build their capacities to resist the threat of terrorism. The Committee needs to take such measures not in the least because of the tasks that the Council has assigned to it in its presidential statement of 29 May (S/PRST/2015/ll). To that end, the Committee has for the first time adopted a risk-based approach, where appropriate, aimed at facilitating capacity-building tailored to each Member State's needs.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“In the 13 years of its existence, the Committee and CTED have accumulated a vast database of information and analysis about the implementation of counter-terrorism measures in all Member States. Since 2005, the Committee has visited more than half the membership, and many Member States more than once. That has enabled the Committee to track the progress of implementation over time. In its recent visits, particularly since September 2014, the Committee was able to address measures related to the implementation of resolution 2178 (2014) in order to gain a better understanding of the practical measures undertaken by Member States to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. Those on-site assessments, especially in the most affected regions, have proved to be of great value to the Committee in carrying out its mandate.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“The Committee has dedicated much of its efforts in 2015 to identifying principal gaps and good practices that stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. It submitted to the Council three relevant reports: on challenges in prosecutions related to foreign terrorist fighters (S/2015/ 123), on the implementation of resolution 2178 (2014) by some Member States affected by foreign terrorist fighters (5/2015/338) and on the use of advance passenger information (S/2015/377). I would like to inform the Council today on the ways in which in recent months the Committee has more broadly revitalized the way it works in order to maximize the speed and effectiveness of its responses to new and urgent challenges.”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“Allow me to make a brief statement on behalf of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to provide an overview of the developments in the work of the Committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED). As I reported on 29 May (see S/PV.7453), the Committee, with the support of CTED ande as mandated by paragraph 24 of resolution 2178 (2014), has undertaken a wide range of actions to address the threat of foreign terrorist fighters and is in the process of producing a series of new tools designed to facilitate its dialogue with Member States on the implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005), as well as aimed at analysing measures specific to resolution 2178 (2014).”
2015-06-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7463 (2015) · source
“As the illegal militants and Russian proxies continue their blatant attempts to change facts on the ground, we must stand firm with the people of Ukraine and the United Nations Charter in condemning such criminal efforts. We call on all the parties to respect all existing agreements and the ceasefire and redouble their efforts to move forward in the Trilateral Contact Group.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“Today, as tensions risk to explode once again into open military conflict, sadly, Russia chooses once again to blame the victim, Ukraine, for defending itself, while protecting and arming the illegal militants. We have said time and again that it is up to Russia to rein in the illegal militants and put an end to this bloody conflict which it started with the occupation of Crimea over a year ago. For its part, Ukraine has done and continues to do everything within its power to uphold the fragile ceasefire agreement. But like any country under attack, Ukraine has the right and the duty before its citizens to defend itselfin the face of aggression. No one can take that right away.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“We also support the idea of strengthening the United Nations presence on the ground, including through the setting up of a United Nations peace support office. And yet today we reiterate our strong support for the independence, unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, with Crimea as an integral part. And yet today, because of a Russian-supported asymmetrical war accompanied by an aggressive propaganda campaign, Crimea remains occupied and Ukraine finds itself among the top 10 countries in terms of the number of internally displaced persons. The conflict has claimed some 6,500 lives, while many more - including the children of eastern Ukraine - are wounded or displaced, living in subhuman conditions and constant fear.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“Ukrainian coal is being smuggled out of the country and into Russia in broad daylight while Ukraine itself suffers from a coal shortage. The so-called humanitarian convoys continue their comings and goings as if eastern Ukraine were Russia's own backyard. Prisoner exchanges are stalling. The former United Nations peacekeeper, Ukrainian pilot Nadiya Savchenko, remains illegally imprisoned. Oleg Sentsov and other Ukrainian citizens are being illegally detained in Russia. We support the efforts of the United Nations, the OSCE and other international actors aimed at finding solutions to this conflict, including through the strengthened good offices of the Secretary-General. We call on the Secretary-General to redouble his efforts and act fast, before the conflict claims more lives and flares up once again.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“The comings and goings across the border of individuals in military uniforms without insignia, and most recently with the insignia of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, as reported by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. OSCE monitors can observe less than 1 per cent of the conflict border. Ifthis is happening before their eyes, it is quite easy to guess what is happening in places that they cannot observe, where there are no international monitors. OSCE observers continue to be intimidated and, as noted earlier, threatened and systematically denied access by the illegal Russian militant proxies; OSCE unmanned aerial vehicles are jammed. The training, arming and financing of militants continues unimpeded. Heavy weapons have not been completely withdrawn, have been moved around a great deal and are being returned to the frontline.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“However, all points of the Minsk agreements have been ignored or wilfully breached by the proxy militants. Persistent flows of foreign fighters and weapons from the Russian Federation, as noted in the latest report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, continue to fuel the conflict. Ukraine's eastern borders remain open to the supply of arms and heavy weapons. Russian soldiers have been captured on Ukrainian soil. Russian soldiers continue to die anonymously on the Ukrainian soil. Thanks to arms supplies, the illegal militants have a larger and better equipped military force than quite a few European States and NATO members; it is probably the largest illegal army ever.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“Little does it matter to him and his peers that they have no legitimate claim whatsoever on the sovereign territory of the State of Ukraine and its people, to which and to whom he and his peers, supported and armed by Russia, have done and continue to do incalculable damage. The Council has put its weight behind the Minsk agreements, unequivocally demanding their implementation in resolution 2202 (2015). Among other things, these agreements demanded full withdrawal of heavy weapons, foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine, called for safe, free and unrestricted access for the monitors of the Special Monitoring Mission in all parts of eastern Ukraine, and stressed the release of all hostages.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“On the contrary, such behaviour indicates a clear intent to go on the offensive in breach of all existing agreements. Notably, according to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, last week, outgoing automatic grenade launcher fire from within the city was heard, indicating that the so-called Donetsk People's Republic is using residential areas to launch their attacks, posing deliberate and grave risks to the local population. Furthermore, the self-proclaimed leaders of the illegal armed groups do not hide their intention to seek more territory. Just recently the self-proclaimed militant boss Zakharchenko told journalists: "Slaviansk, Konstantynivka, Krasnoarmiysk are towns of the Donetsk People's Republic", indicating intent to take them by force.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“Under attack, the Ukrainian military has had no choice but to inform the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission that in order to defend themselves they would need to move weapons toward the line of contact to respond to these attacks by Russian-separatist forces. Notably, the Special Monitoring Mission made several attempts to contact the leaders of the so- called Donetsk People's Republic, including the self- proclaimed Prime Minister, Parliamentary Speaker, Minister of Defence and Chief of the General Staff, in order to facilitate a cessation to the fighting around Marinka. None of the calls were taken. According to the Mission staff, all were either unavailable or did not wish to speak. This is not how anyone caring for a fragile ceasefire would behave.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“It observed, inter alia, eight tracked armoured vehicles moving west, four of which were main battle tanks, at 10.30 p.m.; four main battle tanks at 11.03 p.m.; a military-type truck moving west, towing a 122-millimetre artillery piece, at 11.45 p.m.; two T-64 battle tanks moving west at 4.30 a.m.; and a column of one infantry fighting vehicle, three military trucks - one carrying an ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun - and two T-72 main battle tanks moving west at 4.50 am. Such reports have been increasingly frequent in the last few days. The military attack against the Ukrainian positions in Marinka and Krasnogorivka and the use of multiple rocket launcher systems against Pisky, Nevelske and Vodiane in the pre-dawn hours of 3 June are a most serious blow to the increasingly fragile status quo of the implementation of the Minsk agreements.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“For some time now, the OSCE Mission has been reporting violations of the Minsk agreements and an increased movement of heavy weaponry in the territories held by the illegal militants. For example, the 3 June OSCE Mission report states that the Mission observed the movement of a large amount of heavy weapons in areas controlled by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic - generally in a westerly direction towards the contact line - close to Marinka, preceding and during the fighting. Between 10.30 pm. on 2 June and 5.30 am. on 3 June, the Mission - positioned in the Tekstilshchik area of Donetsk city, controlled by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic i made a number of observations.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“Let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting at short notice. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman and Alexander Hug, Deputy Chief Monitor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, for their assessments of and briefings on the reality on the ground in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. When in February Russian-backed forces occupied Debaltseve in violation of existing ceasefire agreements, many worried that that violation would not be the last and that, just like the September 2014 Minsk agreements, the February 2015 agreement was also signed only to be broken. The only question was when.”
2015-06-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7457 (2015) · source
“While the ICTY and ICTR have dealt with some of the most gruesome crimes, mass atrocities continue to be committed in other parts of the world, and impunity continues to prevail. The legacy of both Tribunals has taken concrete form in the establishment of a permanent international criminal tribunal - the International Criminal Court (ICC) - which today lies at the heart of the entire criminal justice system of the international community. In that regard, support for the ICC is essential in order to ensure its ability to deliver justice to the numerous victims.”
2015-06-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7455 (2015) · source
“We encourage all States to provide full support to Rwanda and the Mechanism so as to achieve the arrest and surrender of the fugitives. We note that the Residual Mechanism, working closely with both Tribunals, has assumed many of their core functions, including with regard to the enforcement of sentences, the protection of victims and witnesses, the management of archives and the relocation of acquitted and released persons. We take note of the remaining challenges regarding the relocation of acquitted individuals and those who have served the sentence imposed by the ICTR. Greater efforts are necessary to find a long-term solution to that issue. In the meantime, we encourage all States to cooperate, with a View to resolving the matter as quickly as possible.”
2015-06-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7455 (2015) · source
“At the same time, we would like to share the concerns expressed by Prosecutor Brammertz with regard to improper attempts to influence independent judicial authorities and to politicize war-crimes prosecutions. We urge concerned States to overcome the most serious barriers to national justice and to properly investigate and prosecute war crimes under their own jurisdiction. With regard to the ICTR, we would like to commend the tireless work and dedication of the staff and judges in the continuing judicial and legal activities aimed at completing the work of the Tribunal. We welcome the fact that the transition to the Residual Mechanism is close to completion and that the Tribunal plans to close by the end of 2015. While the ICTR is completing its mandate, nine fugitives under ICTR indictment remain at large.”
2015-06-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7455 (2015) · source
“Challenging circumstances and delays in judgements canjeopardize the course of justice. We acknowledge the challenges that the ICTY is facing in meeting the deadlines set for the remaining seven trials and encourage it to continue taking all measures necessary to minimize the delays. Accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity depends on the timely completion of the remaining proceedings by the Tribunals and the Residual Mechanism. As the ICTY nears the completion of its mandate, accountability at the national level is of utmost importance. We welcome cooperation between the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICTY and the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.”
2015-06-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7455 (2015) · source