YouSaid · the spoken record

Vieira De Mello

lines on the record: 513
first: 1999-01-21
most recent: 2003-07-22
sittings or episodes: 16
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

“At the district level in East Timor, law and order is of increasing concern, as public security is being undermined by a rising crime rate which reflects - I repeat - the widespread unemployment and the disruptions to the education and social systems that have left too many youth idle. In Baucau, for instance, which I visited earlier this month, gang battles involving hundreds of youths took place on an almost daily basis over the Christmas and New Year period. At present, only 480 United Nations civilian police are in East Timor, far below their full authorized strength of 1,610. The ability of the international civilian police to penetrate the society, understand the society and access local information is obviously very limited. So UNTAET is implementing measures to integrate local participation in police activities.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“Finally, during its first six months UNTAET will have to collect, catalogue and guard evidence on the human rights abuses perpetrated in East Timor. UNTAET has taken a number of steps towards meeting these objectives, but the challenges remain huge. As the members of the Council are aware, in the border areas, and particularly in the enclave of Oecussi, militias continue to pose a threat. Eight cross-border incursions by militias into Oecussi have taken place in the past few weeks. I wish to reaffirm to the Council that the UNTAET peacekeeping force will deter or repel any such threats with the same firmness and determination as has the multinational force known as the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) up to now.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“Furthermore, the country must be moved out of the phase of humanitarian relief, and basic public services must be brought fully on line. Reconstruction must start; I will come back to that in a moment. Health services and the education system must be put back on an even keel, and vital infrastructure, such as electricity and water-supply systems, must be fully restored. To sustain these efforts in the medium and long term, the economy as a whole must be put on a solid footing with basic regulatory fiscal and monetary structures in place. A series of regulations to allow for the resumption of normal economic and agricultural activity have been or will be passed in the near future, and a revenue base to sustain the Government must begin to be collected.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“First of all, UNTAET must ensure the physical security of all East Timorese and their access to a fair judicial system within an environment of law and order. UNTAET must also support the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UN HCR) in the repatriation of all those refugees who wish to return from West Timor and elsewhere, and sufficient resources must be made available to meet their shelter, health and sanitation needs during their integration. Meanwhile, basic administrative structures must be established at both the central and district levels, a civil service must be created and East Timorese at all levels must be empowered to participate fully in the decisions made and implemented through these structures.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“Not surprisingly, there have been growing signs of rising criminality and disaffection over the past months. While this phenomenon stems in good measure from widespread unemployment and youth left idle, there are also indications that local rivalries and long-standing conflicts may be re- emerging in the form of community and gang violence. In the face of these problems, the people of East Timor are justifiably impatient to see improvements in their lives. Towards that end, UNTAET has set itself a number of key objectives for its first six months. The extent to which it achieves these goals will be the measure of its success in meeting the high expectations of the people, repairing and redressing the damage of East Timor's recent past and fulfilling the ambitious and, in fact, unprecedented mandate which this Council has given it.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“Electrical supply was disrupted and generators were damaged. Furthermore, the main airport in Dili became inoperative, and cross-border trade effectively ceased, adding to the Territory's isolation. The social and economic consequences of this upheaval are massive. East Timor was a poor territory before September 1999; it has been in a calamitous state since then. Roughly 80 per cent of the population is without means of support; yet prices of basic commodities are about double those of the pre-consultation period. The allocation system is slowly resurrecting, albeit on an informal voluntary basis. There exist no local mechanisms for maintaining law and order. After so many years of turmoil and successive legal regimes, disputed claims on property are widespread.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I trust the report conveys the situation that the vast majority of East Timorese face every day as they recover from the devastating violence of September last year. In that month, roughly 750,000 persons out of a pre- consultation population of about 880,000 were either internally displaced, if only for brief periods, or fled into West Timor, or were forced across the border into West Timor. In addition to losing their houses, an overwhelming number of East Timorese lost their possessions and their life's savings. In the aftermath of this devastation, they lacked food security, basic health care, potable water and sanitation. Virtually all public buildings were burned, damaged or ransacked; the services they had provided collapsed overnight. The telecommunications system was destroyed, along with many local radio networks.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“I would like to start by congratulating you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency. I am honoured to have been invited to brief the Council under your presidency on the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) for the first time and to introduce the Secretary-General's first report. (spoke in English) Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the first three months of the Transitional Administration in East Timor, and I will ask members to bear with me if my presentation is slightly longer than expected, since, as members can imagine, we have attempted to cover a wide variety of problems and challenges in these first three months of the Transitional Administration.”
2000-02-03 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4097 (2000) · source
“Moreover, the Secretary-General was responding to the Security Council's February request to submit concrete proposals on how to improve its ability to provide civilians with legal and physical protection. We attempted to respond to that call - your call - in an imaginative yet balanced manner. Needless to say, not everything we have suggested is the sole prerogative of the Security Council. These recommendations are addressed to the membership as a whole and to other organs of the Organization, as well as, obviously, to other actors on the international and regional scene. Do not blame us, therefore, for having attempted to respond to your own request, which provided us with immense encouragement, as did the debate in this room. Let us not forget that the Charter begins not with the words "We the States" but "We the peoples".”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Rather, we tried to focus on those which have been most acute and have had the most acute impact on civilians in recent years. Regarding the list of countries or situations that were mentioned in the report in which United Nations personnel have lost their lives, although we are, needless to say - and I know something about that, most unfortunately - greatly concerned at the loss of life among United Nations peacekeepers. Paragraph 22 of the report lists only the countries in which United Nations humanitarian staff and other humanitarian personnel have died. I also note that two delegations believe that the Secretary-General's proposals invite the Security Council to go beyond its mandate as contained in the Charter. But the Charter, we believe, was not intended to be a static document. It is alive.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“The initiatives taken in this Council are heartening. Their plight should indeed be of central concern. We should treat all conflict situations around the world equally. The best way to protect civilians is, however, as was stressed, to prevent conflict, and in this context, development and combating poverty is an indispensable tool to achieve sustainable peace and stability in conflict- and post-conflict areas. One Security Council member said the Secretary- General had done his job and it was now up to the Council to implement his recommendations. Let me assure you, however, that the Secretariat remains ready to provide every support for the mechanism which the Council will establish to follow up on the recommendations. We did not include, in responding to some of the more critical observations, reference to all continuing conflicts.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“On the question of sanctions, we were pleased to hear several speakers give priority to the development of targeted and smart sanctions so as to penalize those directly responsible for wrong-doing, rather than aggravating the suffering of civilian populations. This is an area in which my office has attempted to actively support decision-making by the Council. Other issues that were also mentioned included raising the age of recruitment for participating in hostilities; the suffering of all civilians, but particularly of women and children; the question of access; and more cooperation by the Council with other United Nations bodies and regional organizations. We are in full support of those. In conclusion, the plight of civilians can no longer be set aside because of other interests that might be at play.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“As you can imagine, this theme is very close to our hearts, almost on a daily basis. We are grateful for yet again overwhelming support for action to strengthen the protection of United Nations personnel. Only yesterday in Somalia a senior programme officer, a UNICEF medical doctor, was murdered in an ambush, adding his name to a very long and sad list of fatal casualties among civilian staff working for humanitarian organizations. I welcome the support expressed by some for an additional protocol to ensure better protection of all humanitarian personnel, not just those from the United Nations.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“This is something we have been striving for over the years, and it should, in our opinion, include, in addition to military, also civilian components, including humanitarian civilian police and others. Fifthly, as for the need to control the flow of small arms and, I might add, of heavy and more sophisticated weaponry and equipment, often in violation of this Council's decisions, this is something we have flagged in the past. We are extremely happy to see that most of the members of the Council recognized it as an important priority in terms of protecting civilian populations. We welcome the suggestion by one of the members that arms embargoes be imposed as soon as a party to a conflict begins to target civilian populations. Sixth is the question of the Convention on the Protection of United Nations and Associated Personnel.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Needless to say, the Secretary-General, when requested, will be prepared to assist. Fourthly, in terms of comprehensive peacekeeping mandates, it was encouraging to hear members emphasize the changing perception of peacekeeping operations and the recognition that modern peacekeeping entails more comprehensive operations with extremely complex, multifaceted programmes and, indeed, more robust enforcement mandates, as has been discussed in this Council in recent days. We were particularly encouraged by the recognition of the need for a rapid deployment capacity, including of a preventive nature, both in terms of headquarters as well as actual contingents.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“There was a recommendation that action be taken by the Security Council to deal with States that do not cooperate with the international tribunals, which we have noted. Secondly, the Council addressed the issue of inducing the compliance of non-state actors with international law, including private-sector companies and private security firms. In this context, we welcome calls for States to ratify the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, particularly since the obligations which they create for non-state actors under international law are those that are most frequently violated in conflicts of the new generation. Thirdly, regarding enforcement action, we were pleased that several members referred to the need to develop and apply objective criteria, ensuring consistency in the Security Council's action.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“First, it has addressed the culture of impunity and the issue of ensuring accountability for breaches of international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law. It was recognized that it is a duty of all States to hold accountable, through their national legal systems and through effective international tribunals, those responsible for the most heinous crimes. In particular, member States emphasized the importance of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its need to step in where national judicial institutions fail to act. Several members called for compliance with the existing ad hoc tribunals and the possible creation of others, pending the establishment of the ICC. The effectiveness of an international court will depend first, obviously, on its coming into being and thereafter on the support given by member States.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“I thank the Security Council members for the rich and varied debate, as well as the non-members for their contributions yesterday and today. The seriousness of the membership's responses reflects the recognition by the Council - and more largely by the membership of the Organization - that the protection of civilians goes to the very core of the mandate of this and other organs of the United Nations. I am particularly grateful that, both in the presidential statement of February and in comments today, this concern is not one that is limited to the legal protection of civilian populations, but includes their physical protection, which is often what is lacking. We note with particular satisfaction that the Council gave particular consideration and support to the following issues.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“Mr. Vieira de Mello (Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator): On behalf of the Secretary-General and, indeed, of all heads of agencies, members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on humanitarian affairs, let me express the gratitude of the Secretary-General and of the humanitarian community as a whole for the Council's generous reception of the report. In particular, I thank you personally, Sir, as well as Ambassador Fowler and your respective countries for the particular role you played in bringing this debate about. We welcome the draft resolution before the Council, which reaffirms the role of the Council in responding to situations in which civilians are targeted, as has so often been the case in countries that have been affected by conflict in the last decade.”
1999-09-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4046Resumption2 (1999) · source
“As the Ambassador of Slovenia stated - and I fully share this comment - please help us make sure that the evil does not prevail.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“We welcome what the representative of the Netherlands stated, i.e., that there is a dominant role for humanitarian concerns in the Security Council's agenda. Nothing, I would suggest, is more logical. Peace and security are about ensuring order and ethics in international relations for the good of humanity and for the prevention of conflict. That is to say, to make humanitarianism, as such, unnecessary, redundant and, hopefully, anachronistic. You may count on us as your servants to make the seemingly impossible a reality. I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for stating that verbal moral indignation is important but that it is definitely not enough; and Brazil for reminding us that the Security Council's collective moral responsibility is aimed at results.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Perhaps the best opportunity to obtain this commitment to existing instruments will be the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which is to be held in Geneva next November. That could be the most important event of 1999, and we all want to contribute to it, starting with today's debate. (spoke in English) I would like to thank the representative of Canada in particular for his suggestion that a thorough study by the Security Council of its role in ensuring the protection of civilian populations, which is central to our concerns, be given priority attention by members of the Council. This is important, as I have just said, in creating momentum for the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which will be held next November in Geneva.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“I would like to say, and I hope I am not misinterpreting my colleagues in the Red Cross Movement, and in the International Committee of the Red Cross in particular, by saying that the current instruments and the existing conventions, those of 1949 and 1951, the Organization of African Unity Convention on refugees, the Genocide Convention, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child obviously could and should be improved. But there is always a risk, and often when one tries to fill gaps in international law there is a risk of opening the door to a weakening or an erosion of existing law. Thus, the current priority of the Red Cross Movement, and our own priority, is to strengthen respect and to find ways to ensure respect for existing norms. This was emphasized by the representative of Gabon and other speakers.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“I can only say, as far as the Great Lakes region is concerned, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular, that what we need is not a humanitarian coordinated response - we have a plan of action for the Democratic Republic of the Congo which we will try to implement in coming weeks - what we need is progress in the Lusaka political process, to which the Secretary- General, and, indeed, Council members themselves pay priority attention, leading to a ceasefire and all that should follow in terms of bringing stability, tolerance and reconciliation to that area. (spoke in French) The Permanent Representative of France asked whether new rules of international law might be needed in order to fill the gaps that are of concern to us today.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“We have been discussing this with President Kabila and his Government, and my deputy, in fact, is there today. We hope to obtain the explicit agreement of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to provide support for the needy in rebel-controlled areas, using the territory of Tanzania, because it is much easier from a logistical point of View and much cheaper. I shall report back to the Council on the success of those talks.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“As members know, there have been ups and downs in the situation in Kinshasa, and the situation in Kisangani is dire. In the south, Angolan refugees keep pouring in, and UNHCR has great difficulties in coping with the problem. And we have the situation in the east, where refugees remaining from the dispersion of the camp populations in 1996 and 1997 - refugees, as distinct from criminals, from ge'nocidaires and from members of the interahamwe and of the Rwandese Armed Forces - these people are still in need of international protection, as are others who have entered eastern Zaire in recent months as well. We also have populations of internally displaced persons fleeing discriminatory treatment and, indeed, persecution on both sides. They need support.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Peacekeeping operations and multinational forces would also be welcome, but, as the representative of France remarked, they cannot always be counted upon, as was the case in eastern Zaire with the multinational force approved by this very Council, but which never saw the light of day. Finally, one important element in reply to the United Kingdom is strategies to counter disinformation. We have developed those in the humanitarian community, but I must say that they are not always effective when the grip, the psychological grip, exercised by criminal elements that control refugee populations is more powerful than the truth we try to provide them with. There was a question from the representative of the United States on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“I think I have mentioned a few ideas on how to improve protection to refugee camps, such as the role of national authorities. One example is the support that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has provided the Tanzanian Government, and its Ministry of Home Affairs in particular, in improving its capacity to ensure the strictly humanitarian nature of Burundian refugee camps in north-western Tanzania. The Zairian contingent on security and camps in eastern Zaire in 1994, 1995, and 1996 is another example of what can be done to provide training and financial support to local forces.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“But we need to broaden such coordination and consultations to include other actors, not least the international financial institutions. As the Council knows, the Deputy Secretary-General is considering applying the strategic framework approach to new in-conflict or post- conflict transitional situations from conflict to peace. One of the options is, in fact, Sierra Leone, where a lot needs to be done and where we must act now, as in that country we are back, unfortunately, to square one. I also welcome what the Permanent Representative of Brazil and our President stated about the role of the Economic and Social Council and its humanitarian segment in bringing about this cohesive approach, in particular in post-conflict situations.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“The representative of the United Kingdom asked me what could be done to support the development of civil society and greater cohesion and cooperation among agencies, particularly as conflicts die down. Obviously, an early strategy which, in Afghanistan we have called, as members know, a strategic framework - although it came belatedly in that case - might be the answer. I believe that member States now strongly support this approach, as did the Permanent Representative of France and others. I think the integration here and the consultations in the Secretariat with our colleagues in peacekeeping operations and political affairs are excellent, as they are with our colleagues in the United Nations Development Programme and, it goes without saying, with humanitarian agencies.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Regarding access, I think I described that in my introduction, but I wish to welcome the statement by the Permanent Representative of the Gambia supporting our call for minimal guarantees, as he also did yesterday in a different debate. Long and protracted conflicts and the search for political solutions is another obstacle to humanitarian work. It is practically impossible for humanitarian personnel in humanitarian operations to uphold impartiality and to be perceived as impartial when conflicts are prolonged for so many years. This is one of our major dilemmas, the only answer to which is, obviously, greater efforts in terms of prevention and early resolution of conflicts.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“I mentioned a few. So did he. Financing is one, and he asked me what the gap is between needs and contributions. The gap last year was about 50 per cent globally, although some operations, such as those in the Sudan and the former Yugoslavia were financed up to 80 or 82 per cent, while others, such as in Tajikistan, were financed up to only 23 per cent. This year, the 1999 consolidated appeals have globally been reduced by one third as an expression of our realism and also of our expectation that what is available in terms of humanitarian assistance will actually come forward. So we very much hope that this reduction in the overall humanitarian budget for 1999 will bring about greater generosity on the part of the donor community - without forgetting the generosity of host countries, whose contribution is seldom acknowledged.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“The role of the Security Council is also essential, as noted by Namibia and others. I must say, that the representative of Namibia alluded to a point I made only yesterday, in connection with Angola, and I welcome very much that support. Local arrangements are also essential, and I wanted to point out that we have, to the extent possible, worked out practical agreements, such as the security protocol signed with the Taliban movement in Islamabad at the end of October of last year, and indeed another such security agreement, signed with the Government of the Sudan and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement at a technical meeting held in Rome last December. These, we hope, will increase our ability to ensure a security regime on the ground. I was also asked by the Ambassador of Bahrain what the new obstacles are to humanitarian work.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Therefore, deterrence is essential, which is why we welcome statements, such as those made by the representative of the United States and others, that the 1994 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel must be broadened and strengthened. I have also spoken of the role of the International Criminal Court in providing us with a modicum of deterrence by including such attacks against humanitarian personnel in its purview. Other active protection mechanisms are, obviously, peacekeeping operations, whether United Nations, multinational or others, including very sui generis arrangements, such as the United Nations guards in northern Iraq or, indeed, the Zairian contingent for security in refugee camps in eastern Zaire, which was also entrusted with providing humanitarian workers and supplies with protection.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“I thank him for that and I can assure him that, since he last spoke at the humanitarian segment of the Economic and Social Council, we have been working hard and the Secretary-General himself has decided to pay personal attention to this. Obviously, as in peacekeeping operations, the cooperation and consent of the parties are essential but, as we remarked, seldom present. As the Ambassador of Bahrain indicated, in extreme circumstances, in extreme conditions of insecurity, the only choice humanitarian agencies have is to suspend and withdraw, although clearly we wish to avoid such decisions from having to be taken.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“We welcome the European Union initiative and the West African moratorium, which I think is a model of what can be achieved at the subregional and regional levels with strong international support. We must continue a well-coordinated effort and achieve something similar for the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines. The representative of Bahrain, later supported by the representative of the United Kingdom, asked me what concrete steps could be taken to protect humanitarian workers. First of all, let me thank the representative of Malaysia for repeating here a statement he made at the humanitarian segment of the Economic and Social Council last year on the need, perhaps, to better recognize the sacrifices made by humanitarian workers, particularly those who have lost their lives in action.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“As the representative of China indicated, the focus must be - not least in a preventive sense, as also suggested by the Permanent Representative of Slovenia - on prevention and on tackling the root causes. All heads of humanitarian agencies have insisted on this and I welcome this clear recognition by members of the Council. I wish to thank the representative of the Russian Federation - and to apologize for not being able to express myself in his language - for mentioning the curbing of arm flows as an important element. As a matter of fact, I had thought of including it in my statement, but for the sake of brevity decided to refrain from doing so. This is also central to the concerns of humanitarian organizations.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“(spoke in Spanish) On your example, Sir, I too shall use - and perhaps butcher - the language of Cervantes to refer to the statement made by the Ambassador of Argentina and to thank him for his comment to the effect that this Council, and Argentina in particular, will show zero tolerance for violations of international humanitarian law and humanitarian principles. I wish to ask Ambassador Petrella and all the other members of the Council to help us translate this zero tolerance into specific actions in specific geographic areas. (spoke in English) I also wish to thank other members who indeed insisted on something that is key to our concerns here: that humanitarian problems are key to political solutions.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Mr. Vieira de Mello (Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator): I thank you, Sir, and all members for this opportunity to speak again, for the strong support they have expressed and for their recognition that the humanitarian consequences of conflict are of direct concern to this Council and its members and to the maintenance of international or regional peace and security. It is a very important encouragement to my colleagues - United Nations and non-United Nations alike - and indeed to myself and to my colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“This is an urgent task. We can celebrate the last year of the millennium by helping translate international laws and principles into reality, and elementary moral standards, as well as the universal concern for humanity, into action. I should like to finish by paraphrasing Vaclav Havel and to say that we must not be afraid of dreaming the seemingly impossible if we want the impossible to become a reality.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“In conclusion, the anniversaries being commemorated in 1999 are generating considerable interest in international humanitarian law and in the ways in which the international community prevents or responds to the outbreak of war - with humanitarian aid, by facilitating political negotiations, with military deployment or by promoting forms of governance and development as factors of stability and peace. One theme which is uppermost in the public's mind worldwide is at the core of all the issues I have briefly raised with the Council today: the treatment of civilians in armed conflicts. Humanitarian organizations would welcome any move by the Council to examine practical ways in which we can ensure a greater level of protection for civilians in armed conflict, which we believe is of direct relevance to the Council's core responsibilities.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Last year, the World Food Programme suffered particularly severe losses, but so did other United Nations agencies, the Red Cross Movement as a whole and non- governmental organizations. Well over 90 per cent of the deaths of humanitarian workers were not even adequately investigated by the authorities concerned. The killing will continue either until humanitarian agencies refuse to go where their security cannot be guaranteed or until Governments with influence give the security of humanitarian personnel the importance it merits. In this context, I would like to reiterate our appreciation for the action undertaken by the Government of the Russian Federation to ensure the liberation of Vincent Cochetel, a UNHCR colleague held hostage in the Caucasus for over six months.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“Humanitarian operations see a high turnover of staff, and security training is therefore essential. A Trust Fund for Security has been established; so far, only three States have contributed, while one other has pledged. That is an extraordinarily disappointing response. Conversely, the inclusion of attacks against humanitarian personnel as a crime falling within the jurisdiction of the ICC is a very positive development. Humanitarian workers appear to be seen as expendable. Many times they are deployed where Governments consider it too risky to deploy better-trained, better-equipped and better-protected peacekeepers. The casualty rates among humanitarian workers are simply atrocious.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“The recent shooting down of two United Nations aircraft in Angola has brought this issue home to us even more starkly. What can we do? I welcome the fact that the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel of 1994 finally entered into force last week, on 15 January. The Convention relates to personnel serving in operations specifically authorized by the General Assembly or the Security Council and is therefore binding only on States parties. It thus does not apply to most of the situations in which humanitarian personnel work. Ways of extending the Convention to cover all situations in which United Nations and associated personnel, including national staff, are deployed, and of ensuring its implementation by non-State actors, need to be further explored.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“If sanctions can be used to prevent war criminals from enjoying the fruits of their evil, without harming innocent women and children, we have given ourselves a potent new tool for good. The ideas contained in the Secretary-General's report on Africa of using individual targeted sanctions against the perpetrators of abuses of human rights and humanitarian law, and holding them financially responsible to their victims, deserve to be implemented with the broadest possible support. I should like to make one final point before I conclude. Given the environment I described in my initial remarks, assisting affected populations in war zones has become more and more dangerous. In the past six years, 153 United Nations personnel have lost their lives while on duty.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“In a climate of ethnic intolerance and total disrespect for international law, UNPROFOR earlier and the High Representative later ensured that fair, objective, tolerant radio and television as well as newspapers received adequate international support, while broadcasting licences for other stations were withdrawn, and the Stabilization Force (SFOR) took control of transmitters when necessary. A further mechanism at the disposal of the Council to encourage the upholding of international law, combat impunity and help avert or reduce humanitarian crises is the judicious use of sanctions. There is increasing recognition that well-targeted or "smart" sanctions can have a real impact without necessarily leading to the kind of humanitarian consequences which we have seen with some recent sanctions regimes.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“In both cases nationalistic or ethnocentric hate campaigns propagated through the mass media prepared the way for genocide. United Nations-supported radio stations can help to counter such propaganda. In the atmosphere created by such propaganda, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers face a Virtually impossible task. The Council could examine the feasibility of replicating, in other places, the measures taken by the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) first and then by the High Representative in Bosnia to curb the abuse of the media there.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“As members are aware, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is now actively working with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to draw up options for an international mechanism to assist Governments in maintaining security and a humanitarian environment in camps and settlements. The Council's continued support to this effort will be essential. Another non-traditional area the Council may wish to look at relates to the use of the media to prepare and foster conflict. The most powerful weapons in the hands of modern mass killers, or ge'nocidaires, are radio stations and other mass media. The genocide in Rwanda and the "ethnic cleansing" in Bosnia were instigated by criminal politicians using lies and distortions to persuade ordinary people to murder their neighbours.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“The non-combat military resources available to peacekeepers have also proved crucial in dealing with humanitarian emergencies, for instance in the Great Lakes and in Bosnia. I am thinking in particular of their airlift, manpower and engineering capacities. When mass murderers or other criminals hide in refugee camps, as in Eastern Zaire in 1994, the primary responsibility lies with the host Government and its security forces. But peacekeepers can play a key role in strengthening national forces to allow for the separation of combatants from the victims.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source
“There are many positive examples of collaboration between peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies, which I know from experience, such as Cyprus, Lebanon, Cambodia, Mozambique, the former Yugoslavia and Central America. Even where humanitarian objectives were not part of their primary mandates, peacekeeping operations have proved valuable, often vital, in supporting and protecting needy populations, humanitarian workers and supplies in environments where there was limited consent from the warring parties or when the security situation is simply beyond their control. Peacekeepers can also play a valuable role in helping to prevent the diversion or abuse of aid for political or military purposes.”
1999-01-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.3968 (1999) · source