Statement by Mr David Windsor, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of Australia to the United Nations Security Council Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict
27 May 2008
(As delivered)
Mr President
The Australian Government continues to attach the highest importance to the protection of civilians in armed conflict. As articulated by the Secretary-General in his latest report on the Protection of Civilians, where we can not prevent armed conflict, the protection of civilians is, and must remain, an absolute priority. As such, we welcome the attention that the Security Council has rightly focused on this issue, in both thematic and country-specific resolutions and debates. I wish to express my thanks to the United Kingdom for convening this important debate and to the Emergency Relief Coordinator for his update briefing earlier this morning.
It is clearly apparent that the plight of civilians in modern conflict remains dire - the death and displacement of innocent civilians; the recruitment of child soldiers; the use of sexual violence as a deliberate weapon of war – these all remain appalling, and unacceptable, aspects of modern conflicts. The plight of civilians must be addressed effectively as part of any comprehensive international response to conflict, and it is vitally important that efforts continue to be made to bridge the gap between our words and deeds.
Mr President
Civilians account for the vast majority of casualties of armed conflict. UN peacekeeping is one tool we can use to address this situation, but it is important that we use it wisely and effectively. Australia recognises the vulnerability of civilians in armed conflict and welcomes the increasing focus on the protection of civilians in UN peace operations. We strongly endorse the mandating of protection tasks in situations such as Darfur, but note that implementation is proving problematic in a number of missions.
Protection of civilians tasks are now mandated in eight of the twenty DPKO-led peace operations. In order to give substance to protection mandates, there is a need to develop clear guidance to assist in the implementation of such tasks. We call upon the Council to fully implement paragraph 16 of resolution 1674 (2006) to ensure the provision of clear guidelines regarding what missions can and should do to achieve protection goals; that the protection of civilians is given priority in decisions about the use of resources; and that protection mandates are implemented. We also call upon the broader Membership to ensure that UN peace operations are properly resourced to carry out effectively the mandates set for them.
We look forward to the outcome of the joint study being undertaken by OCHA and DPKO on the implementation of protection tasks in UN missions, as outlined by the Secretary-General in his last report. We would also welcome an update of the Protection of Civilians Aide Memoire to reflect the increasing focus on physical protection. We consider this to be an important tool for use by the Council and the wider Membership in addressing these issues.
Mr President
It is an unfortunate reality that some armed conflicts witness the perpetration of heinous mass atrocity crimes. In 2005, member states recognized the responsibility we all share to protect vulnerable communities from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. While it is the primary role of States to protect their own populations from these scourges, the international community has a responsibility to assist states to exercise this responsibility, and, in appropriate circumstances, to take collective action, consistent with the Charter, to prevent such mass atrocity crimes.
More must now be done to develop a practical approach for implementation of the “responsibility to protect” principle as endorsed by world leaders in 2005 and reaffirmed by the Security Council in 2006. To this end, we welcome the Secretary-General’s appointment of Professor Edward Luck as his Special Advisor to focus on the conceptual development of the principle. We look forward to working with Professor Luck and likewise Francis Deng, the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities. We also look forward to working with Member States to continue our consideration of the principle and to give effect to it in appropriate circumstances.
Mr President
Just as the international community has a responsibility to protect communities from such mass atrocity crimes, so too do we have a responsibility to bring those who abuse fundamental principles of international law to justice. We must renew our commitment to end impunity for those who commit mass atrocity crimes and to increase accountability for crimes against civilians.
Mr President
Australia remains committed to working with partners in the international community to translate our words into action in an effort to truly protect civilians in armed conflict. We will work to ensure that UN and other missions on the ground are provided with clear guidance and adequate resources to fulfil their mandates. We will work to prevent the commission of mass atrocity crimes. And we will work to ensure that perpetrators of abuse are held accountable for their actions.
Thank you.