Delegates Call for Durable Solutions to Prolonged Refugee Situations, Third Committee Hears, Ending Two-Day Thematic Debate
Speakers Introduce Range of Draft Texts, Covering Country Reports, Missing Persons, Journalists, Corruption
Armed conflicts and weather-related disasters resulted in prolonged refugee situations, severely affecting host communities as well as humanitarian organizations, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it concluded its discussion on refugees, returnees and displaced persons. The Committee also introduced several draft resolutions covering a range of issues, from missing persons to safety for journalists.
Forty years of war and crisis have forced millions of Afghans to seek safety and security away from their homes in unfamiliar slums, cities and towns inside and outside the country, a representative of Afghanistan told the Committee. Displaced persons in Afghanistan and around the world faced numerous challenges, he added, emphasizing the obligations of host governments under international refugee law. Voluntary return and sustainable reintegration for the over three million Afghans having refugee or internally displaced person status was sought by the Government.
Similarly, Georgia’s representative described a protracted situation in his country, which had been deeply affected by forced displacement. He said nearly 10 per cent of Georgia’s population of 4.2 million had been forced out of their homes in the occupied territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. The human rights situation inside the occupied regions was of particular concern given the lack of international monitoring mechanisms. No progress had been made in the Geneva International Discussions and the Russian Federation had continued to disregard the applicability of internationally recognized principles, he said.
Echoing that sentiment was a representative of Ukraine, who said the situation of forced displacement for more than 275,000 Ukrainians was “of Russia’s own making”. It was a direct consequence of its aggression, he added, which started with the invasion and occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, an integral part of Ukraine, and went on with creating and fuelling conflict in the east of the country. He then urged the Russian Federation to stop waging a hybrid war against Ukraine, halt sponsoring and arming terrorists, fully withdraw its troops and mercenaries and establish effective and verifiable border control.
Fiji’s delegate warned of a different type of threat that was forcibly displacing a growing number of people. Rising sea levels could indeed reshape the world’s coastlines affecting some of the most densely populated areas and forcing communities to relocate, he said. In 2013 alone, 22 million people had been displaced due to natural disasters and had suffered from weather-related crises, including floods and storms.
The humanitarian community had been working closely with governments to ensure that those in need received the assistance and protection they required, a representative of the International Organization for Migration told the Committee. As an example of cooperation on efforts to provide much needed assistance, her organization and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had been deployed in the most severe, large-scale crises, including in South Sudan, Iraq and Syria, in order to provide a coordinated response to the enormous humanitarian needs faced by displaced populations and migrants.
Also speaking during the Committee’s general debate were representatives of Cameroon and Eritrea.
Presenting draft resolutions for the Committee’s consideration were representatives of Bolivia (on behalf of the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Colombia, Canada, Italy, Austria, Azerbaijan, Greece, Chile, Sweden and Qatar.
Representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Iran expressed objections to the texts related to human rights situations in their respective countries.
The Third Committee will meet again on Tuesday, 11 November, at 10 a.m. to take action on draft resolutions.
Background
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to conclude its discussion on questions related to refugees, returnees and displaced persons. For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/4117 of 5 November.
The Committee would also hear the introduction of draft resolutions: Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing (document A/C.3/69/L.14/Rev.1), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/C.3/69/L.54) and the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region (document A/C.3/69/L.36). Other documents related to the International Albinism Awareness Day (document A/C.3/69/L.35), human rights in the administration of justice (document A/C.3/69/L.37), missing persons (document A/C.3/69/L.49), the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity (document A/C.3/69/L.50) and moratorium on the use of the death penalty (document A/C.3/69/L.51).
Also before the Committee were the following draft resolutions on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (document A/C.3/69/L.28), Myanmar (document A/C.3/69/L.32) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (document A/C.3/69/L.33).
A draft resolution on preventing and combating corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption, facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (document A/C.3/69/L.18) was also presented.
PETER THOMSON (Fiji) welcomed the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and emphasized that millions of people had suffered from the impact of weather-related disasters, including floods and storms. With the number of displaced people increasing at an alarming rate, he noted that in 2013 alone 22 million people had been displaced due to natural disasters. It was also concerning that rising sea levels could reshape the world’s coastlines and affect some of the most densely populated areas, forcing communities to relocate. Concluding, he called upon Member States to work together to strengthen their capacity for upcoming challenges.
ZAHIR TANIN (Afghanistan) said that 40 years of war and crisis had forced millions of Afghans to seek safety and security away from their homes in unfamiliar slums, cities and towns inside and outside the country. Over 3 million Afghans held the status of refugees or internally displaced persons at the moment and his Government recognized the importance of their voluntary return and sustainable reintegration. Since 2002, 5.8 million refugees had returned voluntarily to Afghanistan and the Government was working closely with UNHCR to promote repatriation through the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. Concluding, he drew attention to challenges faced by displaced persons in Afghanistan and around the world and highlighted the obligations of host governments under international refugee law.
CÉCILE MBALLA EYENGA (Cameroon) noted the situation of refugees and displaced persons had worsened over the course of the past year and called on the international community to act. She recognized the need for durability as an essential component in managing the refugee situation, asking that international solidarity and shared responsibility be the main guidelines. As 86 per cent of refugees were hosted in developing countries, she urged the international community to increase financial assistance. Attention should also be paid to long-term issues, such as finding durable solutions in protracted refugee situations. As many refugees relied on humanitarian aid to survive, she called for humanitarian aid to be accompanied by development aid.
ELSA HAILE (Eritrea) said poverty, natural disasters and insecurity had spurred large movements of people in all parts of the world. In that regard, she called upon all stakeholders to galvanize efforts to ensure that refugees’ rights were fully protected. As a signatory to the African Refugee Convention, Eritrea supported the idea that all refugee camps should be under the control of UNHCR. In conclusion, her delegation encouraged Member States to assist in refugees to return to their home countries.
VAKHTANG MAKHAROBLISHVILI (Georgia), aligning his delegation with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union, said that his country was doing its best to provide asylum to those fleeing from Syria and Ukraine. Unfortunately, Georgia was among the countries deeply affected by the problem of forced displacement, with nearly 10 per cent of its population of 4.2 million subjected to ethnic cleansing and forced out of their homes in the occupied territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. So far, there was no progress in the Geneva International Discussions, where the Russian Federation continued to disregard the applicability of internationally recognized principles. The human rights situation inside the occupied regions was of particular concern given the lack of international monitoring mechanisms, he said.
OLEKSIY SHAPOVAL (Ukraine) said forced displacement in his country had been a direct consequence of foreign aggression and activities of illegal groups terrorizing its people in the eastern regions, with the support of the Russian Federation. The number of internally displaced persons had reached beyond 275,000, and their rights and freedoms were guaranteed by specific laws, he added. He then underscored that the so-called “humanitarian convoys” that the Russian Federation was sending to Ukraine constituted a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, international and national law. Responding to the statement of the Russian Federation delegate, who stated that over 830,000 Ukrainian refugees were on Russian territory, he said the situation of forced displacement in Ukraine was “of Russia’s own making”. It was a direct consequence of its aggression against Ukraine, which started with invasion and occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, an integral part of Ukraine, and continued with creating and fuelling conflict in the east of Ukraine. He then urged the Russian Federation to stop waging a hybrid war against Ukraine, halt sponsoring and arming terrorists, fully withdraw troops and mercenaries and establish effective and verifiable border control.
AMY MUEDIN, of the Permanent Observer Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlighted the continuing tragedies in the Mediterranean and said urgent action and intensified cooperation were required to protect asylum seekers, other migrants and vulnerable persons who were forced to undertake often dangerous land and sea journeys across the globe. The latest report from IOM highlighted that Europe was the world’s most dangerous destination for “irregular” migration, which had cost the lives of nearly 4,000 since the start of 2013, and of more than 22,000 migrants since 2000. Accordingly, the ongoing UNHCR-IOM partnership and collaboration was an important example of how the international community had come together to address issues related to refugees, returnees and displaced people.
Together, IOM, UNHCR and other partners in the humanitarian community had been working closely with governments to ensure that those in need received the assistance and protection they required. Both agencies were being deployed in the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises, including in South Sudan, Iraq and Syria, in order to provide a coordinated response to the enormous needs of displaced populations and migrants. Further, UNHCR and IOM were working closely in refugee resettlement operations, helping tens of thousands of people every year to begin new lives. Concluding, she reiterated her organization’s strong commitment to a mutually collaborative partnership with UNHCR.
Introduction of Draft Resolutions
The representative of Bolivia introduced on behalf of the “Group of 77” and China a draft resolution titled Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing (document A/C.3/69/L.14/Rev.1).
The representative of Sweden and Qatar submitted, respectively, drafts on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (document A/C.3/69/L.54) and on the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for South-West Asia and the Arab Region (document A/C.3/69/L.36).
The representative of Austria presented a draft resolution on Human rights in the administration of justice (document A/C.3/69/L.37).
The representative of Azerbaijan tabled a draft text on Missing persons (document A/C.3/69/L.49), while the representative of Greece introduced a draft resolution on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity (document A/C.3/69/L.50).
The representative of Chile submitted a draft resolution on a Moratorium on the use of the death penalty (document A/C.3/69/L.51).
The representative of Italy, on behalf of the European Union and Japan, introduced two draft resolutions, on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (document A/C.3/69/L.28) and on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (document A/C.3/69/L.32).
The representative of Canada presented the draft text on the situation of human rights in Iran (document A/C.3/69/L.33).
The representative of Iran said it was astonishing that Canada was more concerned about Iran than Iranian people were. Noting that Canada was the most disturbing human rights violator in the American continent, she urged all delegations to reject the draft resolution on the situation in her country.
The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said the draft text had nothing to do with human rights, but was a product of hostile policies. If the European Union and Japan pressed that resolution, he added, it could have unpredictable results, for which they would have to take responsibility.
The representatives of Colombia tabled a draft on Preventing and combating corrupt practices and the transfer of proceeds of corruption, facilitating asset recovery and returning such assets to legitimate owners, in particular to countries of origin, in accordance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (document A/C.3/69/L.18).
Introduction of the draft text titled International Albinism Day (document A/C.3/69/L.35) was postponed for another day.