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

“It is imperative that we improve strategic communication at all levels and that we develop effective, targeted messages that demolish the gloss and false righteousness of the narratives of the likes of Daesh and Boko Haram. We must expose their hypocrisy and the monstrosity of the crimes that they commit under false pretexts. Since terrorists like to hide behind a veneer of faith, it is also key to cut through that veneer and expose the abysmal gap between what faith really is and what is being done in its name by violent extremists.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“They know that an educated girl, conscious of her choices and rights in life, is an excellent antidote against the blind subservient ignorance that they are seeking to impose. Fostering critical thinking is key to cutting through extremist narratives. Human rights and tolerance education should be part and parcel of broader education efforts. Clear perspectives for the future, through education, skills development and job and entrepreneurship opportunities, matter everywhere, but they are especially important in conflict-affected areas, including among internally displaced persons and refugees, so that in their desperation such people do not fall prey to radicalization. Particular attention should be paid to juvenile and young prison inmates, since prisons and detention centres are often prime locations for recruitment.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Border and security cooperation, as well as information- and intelligence-sharing to facilitate the tracking of the cross-border movements of young people, need to be strengthened, since stopping potential recruits at the border can often be the last line of defence for preventing them from falling into terrorist hands. As recruitment flourishes on the Internet, it is essential, as others have said, to engage with Web professionals and the wider community of Internet users in order to develop adequate security measures without impinging on the freedoms of expression and opinion. Education is highly important, and the education of girls in particular. No wonder terrorists are attacking girls' schools and their teachers with such fury.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“The Counter- Terrorism Committee, with the support of its Executive Directorate, has developed a wealth of expertise over the past decade with regard to associated risks, gaps and recommendations on future actions. The Executive Directorate's recent creation of a network of academic partners can play an important role in support of the work already carried out. Joint efforts by the United Nations machinery, along with regional, national and local actors, are needed, based on the comparative strengths and expertise of each partner involved, to develop effective, target-specific antidotes to violent extremist propaganda. Rule of law institutions also have a critical role to play.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Since Violent extremism is multifaceted and multidimensional, our responses too must be multidimensional and multifaceted, and they must be articulated at all levels, from local to national to regional to international, with the involvement of role models, moral authorities, religious and community leaders, former recruits who have managed to escape and reintegrate, civil-society groups, the private sector, academia and Governments. We do not need to start from scratch. Violent extremism has been high on the agenda of the United Nations for some time. Last year, for instance, concern about the spread of the violent extremist ideologies that underpin the terrorist narrative was reiterated both during the United Nations Global Counter- Terrorism Strategy Review and in resolution 2178 (2014) on foreign terrorist fighters.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“It is even more mind- boggling to think that, while many girls and women across the globe are fighting against abuse and for their rights and human dignity, girls from normal families would willingly choose to become jihadi brides, serving those who abuse and rape and sell women into slavery. While it is obvious that the causes are as diverse as the individuals, it remains important to establish at least some patterns in order to counteract violent extremism and radicalization. There is no one-size-fits- all model of how and why a young person is radicalized. Correspondingly, there is no one-size-fits-all way of addressing the issue. As we seek to develop effective counter measures against that highly dangerous phenomenon, it is important to make sure that we avoid profiling people on religious, ethnic or any other grounds.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Some are abducted, forcefully converted and forced to fight, like the Yazidi victims of Daesh or the girls, some as young as eight years old, turned by Boko Haram into suicide attackers in Nigeria. Some are pushed onto the deadly path by circumstances of extreme desperation and hopelessness. Some are radicalized in prisons. Many even come from normal families and safe environments where they enjoyed all the comforts of life and opportunities for the future. It is particularly troubling that such young people should reject all that society has to offer and choose the obscurantist, murderous ideologies that radical extremists and terrorists profess.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“We thank the delegation of Jordan for organizing this timely debate and the briefers for their presentations. Radicalization and violent extremism pose an increasingly pressing threat to international peace and security. Today, foreign terrorist fighters have come from some 100 States, as recruitment networks expand their global reach. Young people fall into the trap of those networks for multiple reasons, as diverse as the individuals themselves. Identity issues, peer pressure, online and personal connections, the failure to see the distinction between the violent world of Video gaming and reality, alienation, social exclusion, a misguided search for the meaning of life, and perceived injustices in the world - many things can trigger radicalization. Many have little if any idea about the faith that they claim to defend.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“We welcome the strong presidential statement on Lebanon that the Council issued on 19 March (S/PRST/2015/7). We call on all concerned to implement its provisions and the relevant Council resolutions in full, including by working to ensure stability along the Blue Line. Finally, I would like to express our appreciation for Jordan's tremendous efforts in tackling the Syrian refugee crisis and maintaining a balancing, constructive role in a highly volatile and fragile region.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“Any unilateral action or incident could lead to renewed and dangerous violence that would close the remaining window of opportunity for reaching a peaceful settlement of the conflict. In Lebanon, multiple challenges collide. The refugee burden is huge. The country's policy of dissociation from the Syrian crisis must be maintained. The presidential vacuum has lasted too long and must be solved without further delay. The international community should continue supporting the Lebanese security and armed forces and helping the country to manage the impact of the influx of Syrian refugees, including the provision of essential services such as education and health care. That is vital to the preservation of Lebanon's stability and security.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“There can be no solution other than an immediate resumption of peace negotiations aimed at reaching a final political settlement based on the relevant Security Council resolutions, the Madrid principles - including land for peace - the road map, the agreements previously reached by the parties and the Arab Peace Initiative, leading to two democratic and sovereign States living side by side within established borders, in peace and security and mutual recognition. That is the only way to address both the aspirations of the Palestinian people to viable statehood and Israel's concerns about genuine and lasting security. The current stalemate is not sustainable, and it is explosive.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“We take note of the Prime Minister's calls to the Iraqi armed forces and Shia militias to refrain from violence. Progress must be made in the areas of genuine inclusiveness, reconciliation and just and adequate revenue- and wealth-sharing. We also urge the Government of Iraq to reaffirm its commitment to international justice by acceding to the Rome Statute. Moving on to the Middle East peace process, we welcome the appointment of Mr. Nickolay Mladenov as the Special Coordinator and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General, as well as that ofthe new Special Representative of the European Union, and wish them all the best in their exceptionally important and difficult tasks. The challenges are enormous, but the process must move forward. Wait-and-see is not an option.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“In March, Da'esh militants stormed several churches and Christian graveyards, smashing hundreds of crosses and headstones on Christian graves. Historic cities, the monuments of Khorsabad, Nineveh, Nimrud and Hatra, and Sufi shrines, all forming a precious and irreplaceable part of the world's historical and cultural heritage, have been destroyed. Unique artefacts are being trafficked to finance criminal terrorist enterprise. As they chase Da'esh out, the Iraqi people are now discovering mass execution sites in areas liberated from the terrorists and are mourning their loss. It must be stressed, however, that the lingering grievances that preceded Da'esh's onslaught should not be compounded by new abuses directed at Sunni communities, which would undercut the progress that the country so badly needs.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“It is our firm beliefthat the United Nations remains indispensable to efforts to bring Yemen back on a track towards a peaceful transition. In Iraq, political leaders, led by Prime Minister Al Abadi, are working to promote national unity and reconciliation. Those efforts are taking place in the shadow of the deadly presence of Da'esh, which has managed to grab large parts of Iraqi territory and launch savage attacks on ethnic and religious minorities, including torture, executions, enslavement, gang rapes and child recruitment. Last year, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria torched ll of 35 churches and monasteries scattered around the city of Mosul, destroyed the statues of poets and literary and historical figures and dug up the grave of the prophet Jonah.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“The commission of inquiry has suggested possible avenues to be followed to make sure that all those who have committed serious violations of human rights, crimes against humanity and war crimes are brought to justice. The onus is on the Council to act. Hailed as a success story only a year ago, Yemen is now on the brink. The Council must do everything it can to prevent Yemen from falling into the abyss of sectarian strife, civil war and fragmentation. We welcome the adoption of resolution 2216 (2015), which has imposed an arms embargo and expanded sanctions measures against the spoilers and their associates. The resolution also includes an important call to resume and accelerate inclusive United Nations-brokered negotiations.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“This already unbearable situation has been compounded by the spread of Da'esh, whose extreme savagery has shocked the world time and again. The four long years of the Syrian crisis have put the Council's credibility increasingly in question. A political solution could not be more urgent or imperative. Relaunching a political dialogue in line with the Geneva communique of 30 June 2012 (S/2012/522, annex) is paramount. The Council should stand united behind the efforts of Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to alleviate the suffering and plight of the Syrian people and find a viable and inclusive political solution to the crisis. Ensuring justice and accountability should be an integral part of that process.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons should urgently investigate all such reports, and the perpetrators must be brought to account, including through referral to the International Criminal Court. Security Council resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014) and 2191 (2014) remain largely unimplemented. The lack ofhumanitarian access in Syria is devastating. As we have discussed twice this month in Council consultations, the situation of the Palestinian refugees in the besieged camp of Yarmouk in Syria remains horrific, and the suffering there defies description. There are other besieged locations to which access has been cut off for even longer periods of time, such as Darayya, where United Nations aid last arrived in October 2012. We can only imagine the situation there.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“The political and security situation in the Middle East has rarely been more dramatic. The worst possible humanitarian crisis is unfolding there, and the most brutal and savage abuses of human rights are being committed as conflicts flare and radical extremists seek to strengthen their foothold in the region. As the conflict in Syria enters its fifth year, the situation in that country could not be more dire. We have lost count of the dead, and the Syrian Government continues to fail in its responsibility to protect its own people, instead waging a war on its own population, using barrel bombs, mortars, shelling, torture and forced disappearances. While the dismantling of Syria's declared chemical-weapons programme is nearing completion, reports of repeated chlorine attacks on civilians raise new concerns.”
2015-04-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7430 (2015) · source
“Next week, Lithuania will host a regional conference together with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and UN-Women on the review of the women and peace and security agenda, providing a good opportunity to address these issues as well. Finally, prevention requires inclusion - inclusion ofwomen, minorities and vulnerable groups - in a full and meaningful way in all conflict resolution, post- conflict reconciliation and peacebuilding processes as active contributors and not merely as a token presence at the negotiating table. Their equal participation will contribution significantly to building the enduring peace that will break the cycles of violence, including gender-based violence.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“In particular, the stigmatization and integration of children born out of conflict-related sexual Violence and rape need to be addressed delicately but seriously to prevent lingering marginalization and animosities that may ultimate explode in unrest and renewed conflict. As Special Representative Bangura noted, national, regional and subregional cooperation mechanisms are very important. They should continue to actively engage in promoting effective responses to conflict- related sexual crimes, including through awareness campaigns, action plans, cooperation frameworks, capacity-building and shared good practices.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“In a wider context, the provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty that oblige States to take into account the risks of arms being used to commit or facilitate gender- based Violence before issuing export licenses must be robustly implemented. One should also bear in mind that while women and girls are usually the first victims of conflict- related sexual violence, rape as a weapon of war is also used against men and boys to humiliate, break down the morale, intimidate and subjugate. Taking into consideration the distinct roles of women protection advisers and gender advisers, systematic deployment of both in conflict zones remains essential. Male rape victims should also be accorded all necessary support and treatment.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Lithuania intends next month to hold an open debate on the human costs of small arms and light weapons that will aim to identify means by which the Council could more systematically take into account small arms and light weapons-related threats, including their exacerbating effect on sexual and gender-based Violence. Ensuring that gender considerations are given due attention, the creation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform programmes; the systematic integration of gender-based Violence into designation criteria of sanctions regimes; and improving the collection of disaggregated data are just a few examples of where further advances are needed.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“On the protection side, the deployment of women protection advisers, the provision of human rights and gender-awareness training for staff to be deployed in peacekeeping missions and the inclusion of sexual violence issues in the drafting or renewal of peacekeeping mandates have proven useful and should be further expanded. To change the calculus, more women peacekeepers need to be deployed. While the Secretariat's efforts to address this gap merits our full support, respective troop- and police-contributing countries can contribute a great deal. A policy of due diligence must be applied and fully implemented. The much-too-easy availability of small arms and light weapons in conflict and post- conflict situations adds to the already high risks faced by civilians, including an increased threat of sexual violence.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“The Council should be more vocal and systematic in its condemnation of conflict-related sexual violence and demand credible investigations of all allegations of sexual Violence committed in conflict zones, be they allegations against Government-affiliated forces, armed groups or United Nations peacekeepers, and use sanctions to this effect. When signals of rape reach us, we cannot afford to ignore them or brush them under the carpet. Our silence and equivocations inflict additional wounds on the Victims and only serve to embolden the perpetrators.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Human rights monitoring, reporting of peacekeeping mission human rights and gender components, independent commissions of inquiry, and rapid deployment of the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict to situations of particular concern can all be instrumental in bringing perpetrators to account. As a founding party to the ICC, Lithuania calls for the universal application of the Rome Statute, as it recognizes sexual violence offences as crimes against humanity. Ensuring accountability for conflict-related sexual crimes and for sexual and gender-based crimes in general is key to prevention. The perpetrators must know their heinous acts will carry consequences.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We all agree that the responsibility to protect civilian populations, including from rape and sexual violence as a tactic ofwar, lies first and foremost with the State. Having judicial and penal frameworks adequate to that end is essential, as is making sure that national civilian and military justice systems comply fully with international legal and human-rights standards. But where that responsibility is not lived up to, whether for lack of resources, capacity or political will, it is imperative that the perpetrators of mass-atrocity crimes, including those involving sexual violence, be held to account through existing international justice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Of course, rape victims will choose to keep Silent when those who rape them are from the ranks of local authorities, police or armed forces; where reporting a crime may expose the Victim and her family to additional attacks; where rape victims are forced to marry their rapists and punished for moral crimes or where sexual abuse is committed by peacekeepers - those who by their very definition are expected to protect, not to abuse. The Secretary- General's reports and those of various human rights bodies repeatedly point to such problems, and while in many cases significant progress has been made at the normative level, both nationally and internationally, the gap between the law and reality on the ground remains wide.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“A report released by Amnesty International in December details the abominable suffering of Yazidi women and girls under Da'esh. A girl is quoted in that report describing her attempt, with a fellow captive, to take her own life. "We tied scarves around our necks and pulled away from each other as hard as we could until I fainted. I could not speak for several days after that." Like her, many captives of terrorist groups prefer suicide to suffering the savage abuse and consequences of rape. Even in modern societies, rape victims can be slow to speak out, and rape is often underreported. With all the care and services available, it takes years for victims to heal. Imagine rape victims in countries where services are non-existent and social norms ostracize and punish the Victims of rape, not the perpetrators.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Ms. Bangura's task is indeed a tough one, but her leadership provides a lifeline for many affected by monstrous crimes such as these. Our appreciation also goes to Ms. Hamsatu Allamin for her contribution to today's debate. Brutal and barbaric sexual Violence as a weapon of war is scarily cheap and effective. It is used to intimidate, change local demographics, attack ethnic and religious minorities, seize land and clear access to scarce resources and force entire communities into submission. With the emergence of Da'esh and Boko Haram, public gang rape, sexual slavery, the sale of women and girls as young as pre-teens and forced impregnations and abortions have become trademarks of the wanton and depraved reign of terror.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We believe that an arms embargo against the spoilers and their associates, as well as the designation of the Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, and the former head of the Republican Guard, Ahmed Saleh, will send a strong signal that the use of violence against peaceful transition, in defiance of Security Council resolutions, will not be tolerated. At the same time, the Council must now make sure that both existing and new sanctions are vigorously and fully implemented by all. The United Nations has been able to pull Yemen away from the brink before through its good offices and mediation. We must not forget that the role of the United Nations remains vital if a return to sustainable peace in Yemen is to stand a chance.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“Lithuania underscores the call of the resolution on all sides to strictly observe international humanitarian and human rights law. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need without delay. The Council has a responsibility to do everything in its power to prevent Yemen from falling into a disastrous spiral of civil war, sectarian division and disintegration. The Council's message should be united and clear: a political solution can be found, violence is not the answer, and those who continue their spoiling acts will face serious consequences.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“Lithuania voted in favour of resolution 2216 (2015), which was just adopted and sends a strong and much-needed signal from the international community that all parties in Yemen should quickly come back to the negotiating table, relaunch the transition process as per the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference, and thus spare the lives and livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of Yemenis affected by the fighting. As we all know, the humanitarian situation in Yemen is dire: 16 million people, almost a third of the population, are in need of humanitarian assistance. Due to the conflict, hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded, and 100,000 civilians have fled their homes.”
2015-04-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7426 (2015) · source
“It is imperative that those responsible for terrorist atrocities, war crimes and serious violations of human rights, including those against minorities, be properly identified and punished by tribunals, including the International Court. The fight against impunity is a prerequisite in ensuring that the historical, cultural and religious diversity of the Middle East are preserved and protected.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“It is also important to take into account good practices already existing in this area. We must win the hearts and minds of the local population so as to overcome existing divisions, prejudices and marginalization. We bear in mind that in Iraq considerable efforts have been required to achieve national reconciliation and a fair and inclusive policy. In that respect, we fully support the necessary efforts of the Iraqi Government, while recognizing that much remains to be done. Unfortunately, the Syrian regime persists on its path of death and destruction, while facilitating the expansion of forms of terrorism that are most atrocious and barbaric, including those of Daesh. Before I conclude, please allow me to underscore another key point, namely, justice.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“That massive and multifaceted task requires coherence, coordination and complementarity of action on the part of the entire United Nations common system. In particular, we must overcome the silo mentality that still persists in the work of the various entities of the system. We know very well that at the heart of the fight against terrorism lies respect for human rights, good governance, legality, trust on the part of populations in their Governments as being truly capable of ensuring them a dignified future based on inclusion, integration and equality among all ofthe elements of society - true economic and social cohesion. We must coherently and consistently promote the ideas of tolerance, rewarding diversity and open and inclusive dialogue among religions, cultures and civilizations.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“While terrorism is becoming more modern, the international community's response must also evolve. The new dimension of the threat requires continued work on intelligence and analysis to deal with the propaganda, recruitment and misinformation created by these Internet terrorists. Additional efforts are required to disseminate persuasive messages and counter-arguments - and to hunt down, neutralize and punish those responsible for brutal and extreme cruelty. We insist that Security Council resolutions be fully implemented. Daesh and other terrorist groups that are overrunning the region should no longer be allowed to find sanctuary there. We must dismantle their financing, recruiting and weaponization networks. Additionally, we must attack the marriage of convenience between terrorism and cross-border organized crime.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“These fighters come from other countries, and given the fact that they are not local, they are often the perpetrators of the most brutal and inhuman crimes against local populations, including minorities. In spite of all that Daesh's propaganda claims, we the international community must remain very clear and unequivocal with regard to one fact - Daesh is simply a murderous and perverse organization. We must stop these barbaric extremists by taking all necessary measures against them. We must coordinate our efforts in order to destroy the fabric of their deceitful propaganda. We must rip off their religious mask to reveal their true criminal, brutal and depraved face. Daesh is a modern terrorist organization. It is sophisticated in its use of media technologies and social networks.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The report that the Human Rights Council has just published does not falter in addressing Daesh crimes against humanity and their genocide with reference to the Yazidis. The situation of other minorities in the region is equally tragic. In particular, the Christians, an integral part of the historical regional diversity, a people of the Book, are disappearing in the areas controlled by Daesh. The terrorist scourge of Daesh knows no borders. From Syria and Iraq, it is moving to Libya; it carries out attacks in Mali, Yemen, Tunisia and elsewhere. It threatens to destabilize the entire Sahel region. It is creating dangerous ties with radical movements in Nigeria and Somalia. It is recruiting thousands of foreign fighters, which is further fuelling the conflict.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The attacks in Tunisia and Yemen last week, which followed several others, including those that struck France in January, have confirmed the urgency of the common battle against radical extremism in all its manifestations. The Daesh fanatics are not like other terrorists. They control a vast territory and present themselves as an illegal and criminal version of a State. They aspire to create a space for themselves, one of a fanatic extremism that is blind and deadly, a space where those who do not share their Vision - whether Yazidis, Shabaks, Kurds, Christians, or even Muslims who have a different concept of their faith - are left only with the alternatives of flight, forced conversion, enslavement for women and girls, forced conscription for children, or, in the end, massacre.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Ms. Murmokaite (Lithuania) (spoke in French): My delegation would like to thank the French presidency for having convened this important meeting. Without a doubt, the force of humanity lies in its diversity. But entire communities, which have existed in the Middle East for thousands of years, are at risk of disappearing owing to fanatic and radical attacks. Without the richness of religious, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity, the Middle East would no longer be itself. We are not only talking about the loss of an age-old heritage, but also structural transformation into a region where extremism no longer finds any obstacles to its spread. The situation in Iraq and Syria no longer constitutes merely an armed conflict or a conflict of values, but a global human, economic and cultural tragedy.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The recent appearance before the ICC of Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier and a commander of the Lord's Resistance Army, is another welcome step. While we welcome these two developments, such successes and cases are too few and far between. As terrorists increasingly use children and adolescents both as targets of recruitment and brainwashing and as perpetrators, coherent and pro-active efforts are needed to inform vulnerable communities on how to best protect their children under given circumstances. Developing effective counter- narratives, exposing the terrorist criminals for what they really are, and cutting through the slick media and online recruitment campaigns are required. To conclude, it is our collective responsibility to stem violence against children, including by non-State actors, by resolute and targeted action.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“We urge relevant Governments to facilitate access to and engagement with non-State actors operating on their territories by the United Nations and other international, regional and non-governmental organizations. Another key aspect is the pursuit of accountability, both as a response to the crimes committed and as a deterrent. Much remains to be done on this, including by strengthening national capacities of the judicial sector and acting more systematically within the framework of international j ustice, including by referring perpetrators to the International Criminal Court (ICC); but also, importantly, creating the political will to pursue justice against those who commit crimes against children. To date, however, we have seen only one verdict for the recruitment and use of children - the Thomas Lubanga case at the ICC.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Other tools at our disposal include regular interaction between the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, whose work we appreciate very much; the relevant sanctions committees and their panels of experts; stronger engagement between the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and the International Criminal Court, fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry; and the continued focus in the Secretary-General's country reports on attacks on and the military use of schools. Further pursuit of relevant action plans is also needed, including with non-State actors. Flexibility and openness are required in handling the complex issue of contacts with these groups; otherwise, the sad state of affairs will not change.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“All efforts aimed at countering child recruitment and violence against children must be undertaken in conjunction with the initiatives aimed at countering the illicit flows of small arms and their misuse. The Council has a whole range of tools at its disposal to tackle violence against children in conflict. One such tool is sanctions designations. Child recruitment and violence against children must become routine sanctions designation criteria. All grave violent crimes against children should be used to trigger designations and listings. The abduction of children should be included as an additional trigger for the monitoring and reporting mechanisms and for the listings.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“They need to be provided with all the necessary care, including psychological and medical help. The lack of financial resources and the stigmatization of the former child soldiers threaten the sustainable reintegration of those children and jeopardize their future. Governments and financial partners must ensure adequate resources for comprehensive reintegration programmes with a specific focus on child soldiers, including the girls among them. There is also a need to build community and family support capacity and education and skills- development opportunities, without which those children will not be able to regain their lives. The uncontrolled flows of small arms and light weapons play into the hands of those who abuse children and use them as combatants.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“On the other hand, UNICEF secured the release of approximately 3,000 children from the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army's Cobra faction. In the Central African Republic, more than 100 children associated with anti-Balaka were released in the past summer. The numbers of children who are forced to carry arms, however, is much higher than those of the children released. To date, merely 12 out of the 51 annexed armed groups have signed action plans. Just one action plan has been signed since 2009, and that is not enough. As the UNICEF representative said, the release of children is only the first step to ensure that affected children can overcome, despite the risk of re-recruitment, the horrific physical and psychological traumas that they have experienced.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“At the national level, the Democratic Republic of the Congo released some 4,000 children from the armed forces, and groups have made progress in the implementation of its action plan. Somalia created a mechanism for the handover of former child soldiers to the United Nations and established a child protection unit. Progress in Chad enabled its armed forces to be delisted from the annex of the Secretary-General's report. Yemen signed an action plan pledging to put an end to the widespread recruitment of children by armed forces and non-State groups. Today, however, as the country balances on the brink, there are various groups and particularly the Houthis that are violating the commitments undertaken in the signing of the plan.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Even in the middle of Europe, the phenomenon of child soldiers seems to be surfacing under the lawless rule of the illegal militants ravaging the eastern parts of Ukraine, where underage soldiers were reported present among the militants, being used, inter alia, to train other recruits. All in all, around the world, some 300,000 child soldiers are being deprived of everything that childhood is supposed to be, mostly by non-State actors. Therefore, in that light, today's focus on children who are victims of non-State actors could not be more pertinent. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Protocols additional to the Geneva Convention oblige non-State armed groups not to use children under any circumstances. The past year saw the launch of the "Children, Not Soldiers" campaign.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Another 132 children were killed in a Taliban attack in Peshawar, and forced conversions; public executions and killings; mutilations; forced marriages; rape and sexual slavery, including that of children, have occurred in areas under murderous Daesh control. Girls as young as eight to ten years old have been used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram. In the past three months, Daesh recruited at least 400 Syrian children 4 children who have already suffered unspeakable hardships and horrors as cubs of the caliphate for military training and hard- line indoctrination.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“I would like to thank you, Sir, for holding this debate. I also wish to extend my appreciation to the briefers today for their stark presentations. Lithuania aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union later today. More than a year ago, 59 students were shot and burned to death at a boarding school in Buni Yadi and more than 270 girls were abducted in Chibok by Boko Haram in Nigeria. As others have noted, abductions have continued as recently as yesterday. There were 150 Kurdish boys kidnapped by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant on their way home from school.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source