GUIDANCE: PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS, REMARKS FOR

UNCLAS STATE 003778

SIPDIS
USUN FOR LAVIN AND MERCADO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC
SUBJECT: GUIDANCE: PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS, REMARKS FOR
JANUARY 14 OPEN DEBATE


1. USUN may draw from the following remarks during an
January 14 open debate regarding the Protection of
Civilians in Armed Conflict. Guidance regarding a draft
PRST on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict will
follow septel.


2. Begin suggested remarks:

Mr. President:

On behalf of the United States, I would like to thank
Under Secretary General Holmes for his briefing. I would
also like to thank him and his staff for their work in
updating the aide memoire on the protection of civilians
in armed conflict.

Discussion of this issue is important.

The United States shares the concerns of the international
community regarding the vulnerability of civilians who
find themselves in the midst of conflict through no choice
or fault of their own. While the need for protection of
civilians is clear, how to achieve this goal is one of our
most pressing collective challenges.

The primary responsibility for protecting civilians lies
with all parties to an armed conflict. The United Nations
also has an important role. Protection of civilians is
now specifically included in half of the mandates of
current peacekeeping operations, and is a core mandate of
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Children's
Fund, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Today I would like to make five points.

First, the United States shares the view that we must
stand ready to help promote the safety and security of the
dedicated humanitarian workers who attempt to provide
relief throughout the world. As we all know, there is a
lack of humanitarian access in many areas of conflict that
should be urgently addressed.

With respect to Gaza, the United States reiterates the
call recently made in Resolution 1860 for a durable and fully
respected ceasefire.

We must not forget, however, that this recent outburst of
violence was instigated by Hamas. On December 19, Hamas
announced an end to the cease-fire and soon unleashed a
barrage of rockets and mortars that deliberately targeted
innocent Israelis -- an act of terror that is opposed by
the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people, President
Abbas. Hamas has further victimized Palestinian civilians by
firing from schools and mosques and other sites populated by
innocent civilians so as to assure that even carefully
controlled counter battery fire will kill Palestinian
civilians.

The rocket attacks by Hamas, including from sites utilized by
relief agencies, have exacerbated the plight of the
Palestinian people by making it more difficult for the
international community to deliver much needed humanitarian
assistance and goods to the people of Gaza. The United States
supports the unimpeded provision and distribution of adequate
humanitarian
assistance to meet the growing humanitarian needs of
Palestinians in Gaza, including of food, fuel, shelter and
protection for the displaced, and medical treatment throughout
Gaza.

The United States further notes an additional obligation
of all parties to armed conflict to refrain from deliberately
using the civilian population to shield active combatants,
command and control facilities, and munitions stockpiles. The
United States calls on Hamas to immediately cease this
reprehensible, cowardly practice that places innocent
civilians at grave and unacceptable risk.

Israel has an unquestionable right to defend itself against
terrorist attacks. We have urged the Government of Israel to
take all appropriate steps to ease access and movement for
humanitarian goods and workers, avoid civilian casualties and
to minimize the impact on innocent civilians, and have
welcomed Israel's commitment to do so.

Turning to another area of the world, I would also like to
discuss the situation in Sri Lanka. The fighting has been
expanding there, heading towards the north. The United States
is deeply concerned about the protection of innocent civilians
who are caught in the conflict and humanitarian access for
those who are working to care for the needs of those who are
displaced and affected by the fighting.

Second, my government believes that the use of sexual and
gender-based violence in conflict situations throughout the
world must be severely punished in order to deter a
continuation of these despicable practices.. This is a
significant protection challenge, and one that is too often
ignored. Sexual and gender-based violence must be more
effectively addressed, and UN peacekeeping missions have a
clear role to play in preventing this violence and addressing
its impact.

The United States calls on all Member States to end this gross
injustice. The United States urges all Member States to take
concrete steps to end both the use of rape as an instrument of
war by ending impunity for perpetrators. Member States should
review their criminal legislation to ensure it is adequate to
permit effective prosecution of those responsible.

Third, the recruitment of child soldiers by both governments
and rebel movements through wide swaths of Africa, including
in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, by the Lord's
Resistance Army in Uganda, by the Burmese regime, by the LTTE
in Sri Lanka, by the FARC in Colombia, and by other groups and
governments too numerous to name here must be effectively
opposed by Member States.

Fourth, the United States continues to seek comprehensive
approaches to resolve protracted refugee situations in all
parts of the world through support for durable solutions.
We also seek innovative approaches to develop livelihood
strategies and to maximize opportunities for refugees'
self-reliance and empowerment. But fundamentally it is not
acceptable that displaced persons remain in refugee camps for
decades.

Where conflict is causing civilians to flee and seek
asylum, we are actively working with other governments to
provide protection to those in need. We call on all
Member States to renew their commitment to uphold the
right to asylum, to protect civilians from forcible return
to situations where they fear persecution, and to provide
durable solutions for refugees and stateless persons. The
United States for its part, provides a significant portion
of the funds needed by UN agencies to do their good works,
as evidenced, in part, by the United States' recent pledge
of 85 million dollars to assist UNRWA in its work to care
for Palestinian refugees. But keeping Palestinians in camps
for decades is not a solution.

Finally, the United States is working in other ways to
actively promote the protection of civilians. A primary
example is the United States' work in training peacekeepers
through the Africa Contingency Operations Training and
Assistance Program, or ACOTA. Through ACOTA, the United
States provides training for African peacekeepers preparing to
deploy to international missions on their continent. As an
example of its scope, in calendar year 2008, the United States
trained 26,039 African peacekeepers - comprising 34 African
battalions -
through this program. 92 percent of these ACOTA-trained
peacekeepers are deployed to UNMIL, MONUC, UNAMID, UNOCI,
UNIFIL, and AMISOM, with the additional 8 percent standing
by for planned deployment.

In addition to the ACOTA program, the United States
maintains similar programs in Central America and other
areas of the world. The United States also provides
logistics support on an ongoing basis, most recently, and
perhaps dramatically, through an ongoing airlift of 75
tons of equipment for the Rwandan peacekeepers assigned to
war ravaged Darfur. In addition, the United States also
provides training for stability police units, again with a
strong human rights component.

Mr. President, the United States remains committed to the
protection of civilians in armed conflict, both in connection
with the work of the Council and our activities throughout the
world. We applaud efforts by OCHA and other UN offices to
assist the civilian victims of armed conflict, fully endorse
the work of the UN is this realm, and pledge continued U.S.
support to prevent and mitigate the effects of conflict on the
civilian populaces of this world. The United States looks
forward to continuing the close cooperation we have enjoyed
with our fellow Member States and with the United Nation's
professionals, as we
work together to strengthen and foster peace. Thank you.

End suggested remarks.
RICE