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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3778 0141850
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141841Z JAN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0000
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 0000

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