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"Lithuania joined more than 50 states in signing a letter of January 13, 2013, which called upon the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court" said Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN, at the Security Council open debate on protection of civilians.

Statement by Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė,
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Lithuania,
at the UN Security Council Open Debate
on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict
12 February 2013
 
Mr. President, 

I wish to thank you for holding this important debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. Lithuania aligns itself with the statement by the representative of the European Union.

It is reassuring to know that considerable progress has been achieved in protecting civilians in recent years. However, to the countless civilian victims of on-going conflicts this knowledge is of little comfort if at all. As indicated in the report of the Secretary General S/2012/376, there remains a significant gap between relevant international legal framework and its implementation. Too many civilians still end up as casualties in armed conflicts- killed, maimed, raped, displaced, and too afraid to speak out.

It is therefore imperative that the Security Council should, with renewed vigour, continue to address the issue on the basis of a regular reporting cycle,   with due analysis of the problems encountered and application of the lessons learned, doing its utmost to garner  political will for closing  this gap between existing normative basis  and the grim reality on the ground.

My delegation supports the Secretary General’s proposal that the Council should systematically request information on the protection of civilians from all relevant United Nations entities. It should continue to develop a more robust collaboration on the matter with the UN’s human rights machinery. Creating civilian casualties tracking mechanisms should also be considered, as a way to provide insights into the causes and context of the harm done to civilians, leading to a better tailoring of actions needed to prevent such harm in the future.

Mr. President,

Accountability is fundamental to improving the protection of civilians. Consistency and determination in tackling impunity would send a strong message of deterrence and prevention to would- be perpetrators. It would also facilitate comprehensive efforts of promoting reconciliation and building a sustainable peace.

The primary responsibility for holding accountable those who failed to protect civilians lies with the states. However, when respective governments are unable or unwilling to tackle impunity, the Council has a responsibility to act, using the various tools at its disposal, including fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry, supporting the implementation of recommendations by such missions, targeted sanctions, consistent follow-up on its own decisions, and referral to the International Criminal Court, among other things.

Lithuania joined more than 50 states in signing a letter of January 13, 2013, which called upon the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. My country continues to support the role of the ICC as an effective instrument of pursuing international criminal justice and encourages the Security Council to develop consistent and coherent practices when it considers referrals to the ICC.

Mr. President,

In conflict situations, journalists play a crucial role by informing the world of the plight of civilian victims in conflict zones. They expose themselves to considerable risks so that we can know the truth - and end up themselves being the object of armed attacks, arbitrary arrests, abductions, and even killings. Lithuania therefore supports the call by the Secretary General on the Council to address attacks against journalists on a more regular basis and to develop a more proactive approach to the issue.

My delegation is profoundly concerned by the obstruction of humanitarian access and the deliberate targeting of health-care facilities and medical personnel. We call on the Security Council to systematically condemn in the strongest terms the attacks on and the killing of humanitarian personnel and medical workers and to demand that all parties concerned put an immediate end to such barbaric actions.

Furthermore, my delegation is deeply troubled by the continued exposure of women and children to extreme hardship and violence, including widespread occurrences of sexual violence and rape as a means of warfare. Protecting children in conflicts is a moral imperative and a legal responsibility.

We encourage reinforcing the Paris Commitments and the Paris Principles as a key standard in combatting the unlawful recruitment or use of children by armed forces or armed groups, as well as in securing the release of children concerned and ensuring them greatest protection possible.

Lithuania calls on all states to further enhance their efforts aimed at implementing the USCR 1325 with respect to ending impunity and guaranteeing accountability for serious crimes against women and girls in armed conflict and post-conflict situations.

Mr. President,

In its landmark Resolution 1894, the Security Council expressed its intention to include in the mandates of UN peacekeeping missions, where appropriate, of provisions regarding the protection of civilians. UNSCR 2086, adopted under Pakistan’s presidency last month, reaffirmed the importance of the  protection of civilians in multi-dimensional peacekeeping.

Approximately 90 per cent of today’s peacekeepers serve in missions which have the mandate to protect civilians. Peacekeeping troops need to be adequately trained and well- equipped to engage in the protection of civilians and to be able to prevent atrocities.

We encourage the UN to further develop the necessary doctrine, guidance and training to ensure that peace operation mandates relating to the protection of civilians can be implemented consistently and coherently. Respective benchmarks would facilitate monitoring the implementation of such mandates and help to further develop and improve them. 

At a national level, Lithuania has introduced mandatory training in international humanitarian law and rules governing armed conflicts both, in  general military education and in specific pre-deployment training for troops about to join UN, EU and ISAF missions. In Afghanistan, for example, such training enabled our troops to take a proactive stance towards protecting civilians by providing medical care, conducting demining, and supporting the rule of law.

Mr. President,

The poorly regulated trade in arms and widespread availability and misuse of weapons play into the hands of the perpetrators of the worst of crimes. Lithuania calls for the adoption of a strong and legally binding Arms Trade Treaty this March that would enhance the protection of civilians in armed conflict and post-conflict situations by strengthening controls on the availability of arms.

We also call for greater resolve and stronger action in responding to the growing use of explosive weapons in high density population areas, which raises serious questions with respect to basic international humanitarian law principles of distinction and proportionality.  

Finally, Mr. President, let me note that while discussing how to reduce the suffering and damage inflicted on civilians in armed conflict, we should increasingly keep our eyes on the horizon and endeavour to develop more pro-active approaches aimed at the prevention of such crimes from taking place.

I thank you.