YouSaid · the spoken record

Mushikiwabo

lines on the record: 55
first: 2013-02-12
most recent: 2014-09-19
sittings or episodes: 5
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

“Civilians are at serious risk today in Syria, the Sudan, South Sudan, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo - right in our neighbourhood - and the Council is likely to face new situations of armed conflict in the months and years ahead. My country's experience explains why we are proud to co-chair, together with the Netherlands, the Group of Friends on the Protection of Civilians. Indeed, I would like to take this opportunity to connect our debate on the protection of civilians more concretely to the evolving norm of the responsibility to protect. Two features of that norm - prevention and the danger of incitement, as set out in paragraph 138 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1) - have not been emphasized often enough.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917 (2013) · source
“The world's response to crimes has been to withdraw international forces, particularly in my country 19 years ago, and in some cases to refuse outright to provide protection. Yet I believe that the course of action adopted by the international community in 1994 and the concepts used to justify it would not be acceptable today - hence, my optimism. Rwanda would be pleased ifthe end result of the process of introspection were to be a world that is much more resistant to crimes and mass atrocities. And if we keep working together, I believe that we can get there. Evidence that progress is possible should encourage us to redouble our efforts, yet we must not neglect the urgent challenges that confront us at this very moment.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917 (2013) · source
“In that regard, I would like to begin my remarks on a note of optimism. Significant progress has indeed been made in the evolution of international norms since the genocide in my country 19 years ago. Normative progress is slow, built year by year and resolution by resolution, almost imperceptibly. It can sometimes seem like we are just repeating ourselves, but the cumulative effect is dramatic. Each year, the consensus grows stronger that the protection of civilians and the prevention of crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity are a fundamental duty of each State, as well as a legitimate and necessary focus of collective action in the international system. The impetus to rethink international norms comes in large part from the effort to comprehend what happened in conflicts such as the tragedy of Rwanda in 1994.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917 (2013) · source
“The proliferation of non-State armed groups makes civilian protection both more urgent and harder to achieve. In particular, I wish to emphasize the importance of increasing investments in the professionalization of military and police forces, especially adequate training in the protection of civilians. Only when the leadership of armed forces shares the international community's preoccupation with civilian protection will we see decisive progress made. As a result of the experience of Rwanda, we feel a moral obligation to participate as vigorously as possible in activities, such as United Nations peacekeeping operations, that increase protection for civilians in armed conflict. We also take very seriously all efforts, such as that in which we are engaged today, to strengthen international norms to reduce tolerance for such crimes.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917 (2013) · source
“I would like to commend the President of the Council for convening this important debate on the protection of civilians and for the draft presidential statement which will be adopted today. I also thank the Secretary-General for his informative briefing, as well as High Commissioner for Human Rights Pillay and Mr. Spoerri for their valued contributions and briefings this morning. The protection of civilians is a very personal issue for my country, Rwanda. In 1994, a genocide claimed the lives of nearly 1 million Rwandans. Rwandans wince in sympathy when they see images of civilians under threat elsewhere in the world today. My country's core message today is that enhancing the protection of civilians in armed conflict requires action before the conflict starts.”
2013-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6917 (2013) · source