RWANDA TELLS ASSEMBLY REPATRIATION, RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION HELD BACK BY INTIMIDATION IN CERTAIN REFUGEE CAMPS, APPEALS FOR HELP IN NORMALIZATION

Press Release
GA/9012

RWANDA TELLS ASSEMBLY REPATRIATION, RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION HELD BACK BY INTIMIDATION IN CERTAIN REFUGEE CAMPS, APPEALS FOR HELP IN NORMALIZATION

Draft on Aid to Djibouti Introduced as Assembly Discusses Coordination of Humanitarian, Disaster Relief Aid, Volunteer Participation

The representative of Rwanda this morning appealed to the international community to show solidarity and to do everything possible to help re-create life in his country on a normal and durable basis. The Government had made the return of refugees a top priority and to make a break from past segregationist policies, he said. Great progress had been made in establishing a semblance of normality, but the process of repatriation, reconciliation and reconstruction was held back by insecurity and intimidation in certain refugee camps.

Rwanda was one of 15 speakers heard this morning as the General Assembly held a far-ranging debate on strengthening the coordination of United Nations humanitarian and disaster relief, including special economic assistance, and the participation of volunteers.

The representative of Bangladesh stressed the need to address the underlying causes of humanitarian emergencies, cautioning that a failure to do so would cause certain countries to experience what he termed a relief dependency syndrome. Disaster-prone countries needed the resources to strengthen their prevention and mitigation capacities, he said.

The representative of Belarus told the Assembly that approximately one- quarter of his country's national income was spent on mitigating the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. People's health anxieties were impeding the progress of economic reforms, he said. The safety of existing nuclear reactors and the prevention of the distant effects of radiation on ecosystems and people were also concerns.

The representative of United States strongly urged that White Helmet activities be coordinated through the United Nations volunteers. He was pleased that the draft resolution before the Assembly on the subject pointed to the operational role of the volunteers in the selection, training, deployment and effective utilization of the White Helmets.

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The representative of Pakistan said that in humanitarian crises stemming from man-made conflicts, the victims, who were primarily civilians, were often being subjected to horrendous human rights violations. That was evident in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Iran, Cameroon, Uganda, Liberia, Republic of Korea, Japan, India, China, Jamaica, speaking on behalf of the CARICOM countries, and Yemen.

Also this morning Djibouti introduced a draft resolution by which the Assembly would express its solidarity with the Government and people of Djibouti in the face of devastating natural disasters and the new economic realities resulting from the continuing critical situation in the Horn of Africa, especially in Somalia. The Secretary-General would be requested to continue his efforts to mobilize financial, technical and material assistance to Djibouti.

The Assembly will meet again this afternoon to continue its consideration of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance and to consider the report of the Security Council.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to continue its consideration of strengthening the coordination of United Nations humanitarian and disaster relief assistance as well as the participation of volunteers, "White Helmets", in the Organization's activities in the field of humanitarian relief, rehabilitation and technical cooperation for development. It had before it several reports and draft resolutions (For background see Press Release GA/9010 of 27 November).

Draft Introduced

DYSANE ABDALLAH DORANI (Djibouti) introduced a draft resolution on assistance for the reconstruction and development of Djibouti. He said he hoped that the donor community would take effective action to assist his country in its efforts.

By the terms of the draft resolution (document A/50/L.33) the Assembly would declare its solidarity with the Government and people of Djibouti in the face of the devastating consequences of torrential rains and floods and the new economic realities of the country, resulting in particular from the continuing critical situation in the Horn of Africa, especially in Somalia. It would request the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to mobilize the resources necessary for an effective programme of financial, technical and material assistance to Djibouti. And he would also be requested to prepare a study of the progress made with economic assistance to that country, for consideration by the Assembly at its next session.

Statements

KAMAL KHARRAZI (Iran) said his country was greatly concerned with the increasing number and magnitude of humanitarian emergencies, both natural and man-made. In 1960 there were 1.4 million refugees globally. By 1985 that figure had risen to 11.6 million. Natural disasters created additional pressure on the economies of the developing countries. There was renewed emphasis on the important Yokohama strategy, namely the concept of a continuum that spans from relief to development.

He said that sanctions could create major hardships for civilians. There was a need to assess their likely impact. Iran attached great importance to effective coordination between the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations agencies. The recommendations of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee contained in the Secretary-General's report were useful.

Regarding coordination at the field level, he supported resolution 46/182, which entrusted responsibility for humanitarian work to the United

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Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident coordinator. He reaffirmed Iran's commitment to United Nations humanitarian assistance.

JEAN KOE NTONGA (Cameroon) said he fully supported the White Helmets initiative. Given the presence of refugees and displaced persons in his country, and aware of the value of international solidarity, his Government had decided to create, within its armed forces, a unit specializing in peace- keeping and humanitarian assistance.

The viability of the United Nations initiative would ultimately depend on the amount of resources available for the training and deployment of the volunteers. United Nations financial support and additional contributions from Member States, in particular from the rich countries, were essential. Because of the difficulties Cameroon was facing, it would like to benefit from that support for the training and deployment of its national volunteers so that they could become part of the international peace-keeping and humanitarian-assistance force.

PEREZI K. KAMUNANWIRE (Uganda) said his delegation associated itself with the statement made by the Philippines on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China. For disaster relief assistance to be effective, it should be well coordinated, timely and of the right magnitude. However, emergency relief assistance should not be an end in itself. In addition to addressing the immediate needs, special focus ought to be devoted to the root causes of disaster situations, and emergency assistance should not be at the expense of development assistance.

WILLIAM BULL (Liberia) thanked the Department of Humanitarian Assistance for sensitizing the international community to the Liberian people's needs. He appealed to those who had pledged assistance to fulfil their commitments.

He said there was a firm commitment to peace that was seen in the signing of the Abuja Agreement by various factional leaders. Liberia was grateful to the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), particularly to Nigeria and Ghana, for their efforts leading to the Agreement. The new transitional leadership assumed office on 1 September, and was determined to fulfil the Agreement. Three Government branches had been constituted, and the Transitional Government was endeavouring to extend its authority throughout the country.

Unfortunately, he went on, appeals for support of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) had not yet made possible its full deployment. That could adversely affect the gains achieved so far. He was pleased that the Secretary-General's report on Liberia had identified several sectoral programmes -- including health, medical care, food and nutrition, education and training, agriculture and water supply -- that were receiving capacity- building assistance. Assistance was also needed for several other sectors,

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including reintegration of ex-combatants. The Secretary-General's decision to visit his country on 30 November, to assess the progress in implementing the Abuja Agreement, would be a tremendous source of encouragement.

WONIL CHO (Republic of Korea) said that effective coordination in the field of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance should be based on a clear mandate, which would be supported by a clear division of labour in the United Nations system. A regular consultation mechanism should be formalized and further substantiated in order to strengthen coordination among relevant United Nations agencies.

More attention should also be given to the promotion of participation by the private sector and to effective mobilization of mass media, he said. And everything should be done to ensure the safety and security of assistance personnel.

SHUNJI MARUYAMA (Japan) said the numerous crises that had beset the world in the past few years had highlighted the urgency of strengthening the emergency response capacity of humanitarian organizations. Although the international organizations, within and outside the United Nations, had fared well under most difficult conditions in Iraq, Somalia, the Great Lake region and the former Yugoslavia, there was need for improving coordination and cooperation.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee should reinforce its functions as the primary mechanism for inter-agency coordination under the Emergency Relief Coordinator, he said. He appealed to all Member States to ratify the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel. The Convention should automatically cover humanitarian assistance activities.

He noted that the Secretary-General had recommended that a separate window with an additional $30 million be opened within the Central Emergency Revolving Fund to act as a catalyst for rehabilitation activities. That was very much a part of the development process, he said, and could be better implemented by international development organizations such as the UNDP and the World Bank.

IVAN KENIK, Minister of Emergency Situations and for the Protection of the Population from the Consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster of Belarus, said post-Chernobyl radiation doses for the Belarus people were the highest in the world. His Government was particularly concerned with the progressive growth of thyroid cases. Approximately one-quarter of Belarus' national income had to be spent on mitigation of the consequences of the disaster. People's anxieties regarding their health and their children's lives created additional tensions and seriously impeded the progress of economic reforms and the formation of market structures.

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Because of its post-Chernobyl experience, Belarus had become aware of the necessity of international cooperation to prevent technological disasters, he said. He called upon the international community to pay due attention to preventive measures such as the elaboration and implementation of arrangements for the safety of existing nuclear reactors and the prevention of the distant effects of radiation on ecosystems and people. He was convinced that the assistance rendered to Belarus as well as Ukraine and Russia was not charity; it provided an opportunity for the gathering and analysis of unique scientific information of benefit to all humankind.

He said he hoped that the financial-resource shortage for international projects and programmes -- in particular those of the World Health Organization (WHO) -- would be overcome. He appealed to the Member States for increased assistance.

OMEM MOYONG DEORI (India) said her delegation associated itself with the statement of the Philippines on behalf of the Group of 77. It understood the prevailing anxiety to strengthen the Department of Humanitarian Affairs and safeguard the personnel on ground. However, some of the recommendations in the report of the Secretary-General related to concepts like preventive diplomacy and peacemaking activities of the United Nations, which were under discussion among Member States. Specific recommendations on those matters, at the present stage, could have the unintended effect of prejudging the issue.

She said India had reservations about the proposals which involved diverting the Central Emergency Revolving Fund, either the principal or the interest element, toward any administrative requirements like initial security arrangements. Moreover, the problem of resistance from specialized agencies to a coordinated and disciplined allocation of their duties needed to be addressed.

The allocation of funds under all agencies should not become an open- ended process as that would not be fair to the recipient countries already reeling from a serious resource crunch for developmental activities, she said. Recommendations from the Secretariat directed at donors to earmark a portion of their contributions to the Department of Humanitarian Affairs were highly inappropriate.

JAN ALI JUNEJO (Pakistan) said the international community had been confronted with an increasing number of humanitarian crises, mainly from man- made conflicts and not from natural disasters. The victims were mainly civilians, and women and children primarily bore the brunt of the fighting. The victims were subjected to the most horrendous human rights violations. "Women are subjected to rape and sexual abuse. Young men are ruthlessly tortured and executed", he said. The aim in the conflicts was to terrorize opponents into submission.

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Those elements were evident in such crises as in Rwanda, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian armed forces had unleashed a reign of terror on defenceless civilians, he said. A focus on humanitarian assistance alone would not be of much help in the context of such conflicts. Among other needed measures, the international community must identify the underlying causes of the conflict. And, while the conflict was going on, there needed to be strict adherence to international humanitarian law. Violators of international law should be held accountable for their crimes. The strengthening of United Nations machinery to deal with humanitarian crises also needed consideration.

He said his country supported certain steps being taken. He welcomed the Department of Humanitarian Affairs focus on the need to adhere to humanitarian law. He appreciated the Department's efforts to involve all relevant entities in emergency coordination activities. The effectiveness of the humanitarian assistance machinery depended on the funding it received.

YUAN SHAOFU (China) said funding was needed for the United Nations to enhance its capacity to coordinate humanitarian assistance activities and to respond rapidly and effectively to disasters. However, the Central Emergency Revolving Fund was suffering from dwindling sources. It was essential to increase donations to the Fund as soon as possible.

Humanitarian assistance activities should respect the principles set out in General Assembly Resolution 46/182, namely, humanitarianism, neutrality, equity and freedom from political conditions, he said. And he hoped that the United Nations system and concerned States would provide the necessary protection to humanitarian assistance workers.

China fully endorsed giving economic assistance to Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, the Sudan, Somalia and Rwanda, he went on. It also supported efforts to strengthen coordination and cooperation with regard to the Chernobyl disaster. Concerning the White Helmets, the principle of voluntarism should be observed, and the Department of Humanitarian Affairs should take necessary measures effectively to coordinate the roles and activities of the volunteers.

NAZRUL ISLAM (Bangladesh) said it was increasingly important to identify and address the root causes of emergencies. "Otherwise, recurrence of emergencies cannot be prevented and States will not be able to grow out of a 'relief dependency syndrome'. It is therefore important that the transition from relief to rehabilitation and long-term sustainable development programmes is ensured," he said. Increasingly, humanitarian activities were linked with peace-keeping. It was necessary to ensure that when formulating a United Nations humanitarian response to complex emergencies, the humanitarian aspect would not be overtaken by political considerations. The humanitarian diplomacy being conceptualized and carried out by the Department of Humanitarian Affairs formed an important part of preventive diplomacy.

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Given the magnitude and variety of crisis situations, Bangladesh fully supported the White Helmets initiative, he said. Since the impact of natural disasters was 20 times greater in poorer countries than in industrialized ones, international solidarity was critical to reducing the consequences of such events in developing States. The broader problems of poverty, population growth and other factors must be addressed in an integrated and urgent manner. Mitigation measures such as disaster preparedness and early warning systems should be built into development programmes. Disaster-prone countries must be provided with resources to strengthen their prevention and mitigation capacities.

M. PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica), speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said the onslaught of sudden crises and the proliferation of natural and man-made disasters, new challenges and competing needs highlighted the importance of establishing a well-organized, adequately financed humanitarian assistance machinery. CARICOM welcomed the evolution of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, consolidated appeals and the Central Emergency Revolving Fund. It also acknowledged the importance of work in database and information compilation.

She said the growth of intra-State conflict was a defining feature of the 1990s. Damage caused by natural disasters had also risen. Although the democracies of the Caribbean had been spared the ravages of war and civil strife, hurricanes, floods, storms and landslides had had equally destructive effects. Hurricanes Luis and Marilyn had caused great damage in many Caribbean countries. That had led the region to give priority attention to strengthening natural and regional preparedness capabilities.

She said the CARICOM countries fully supported the outcome of the Yokohama Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction. They were persuaded from their own experience that priority should be given to strengthening local, national and regional disaster management capabilities.

AHMED AL-AKWA (Yemen) expressed appreciation for the report of the Secretary-General on assistance to his country, and to those States which had provided such assistance. Yemen, which had been the victim of a civil war, was currently undergoing political and economic reform, he said. It was hoped that further assistance would be provided to help rehabilitate the country.

VENUSTE HABIYAREMYE (Rwanda) said he was speaking to reiterate his country's appeal to the international community to show solidarity to Rwanda and to do everything it could to help his country recreate life on a normal and durable basis. Since coming to power in July 1994, the Government had made the return of refugees a top priority both to restore its human capital and to make a break from past segregationist policies. Great progress had been made in establishing a semblance of normality in Rwanda, especially in

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finding a definitive solution to the problems of displaced people and for re- establishing peace and assuring socio-economic development.

The process of repatriation, reconciliation and reconstruction had been held back by insecurity and intimidation in certain refugee camps, he said. The Member States -- particularly those of the Great Lakes region -- must apply the relevant Security Council resolutions and arrest and detain those against whom there was sufficient evidence that they were guilty of acts within the purview of the international tribunal for Rwanda. True justice would make it possible for the Rwandan people to find peace among themselves, and once it was established, it would be possible to sort the criminals from the innocent, and relieve prison crowding.

ALFRED DECOTIIS (United States) said that to succeed, the White Helmets concept would require material and logistical support, experienced leadership, a clearly defined and achievable mission, and coordination with the many organizations involved in relief, recovery and development. Therefore, the United States had strongly urged that White Helmet activities be coordinated through the United Nations volunteers. It was pleased that the draft resolution pointed to the operational role of those volunteers in selection, training, deployment and effective utilization of the White Helmets.

The greatest challenge would not be to find opportunities or willing and capable volunteers, but to define achievable project goals clearly to ensure the support and safety of the volunteers once they were in place, he said. In general, the White Helmets concept was a useful mechanism for expanded North- South and South-South cooperation. Its greatest strength would be the enthusiasm of those selected for the honour of representing all Member States in service to those in greatest need.

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