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Mr President
New Zealand is gravely concerned about the deepening human rights and humanitarian disaster in Darfur.
Only last week, on December 7, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concern about the worsening security situation in Darfur and its consequences for the wider region. He said that more than 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the last six weeks, 50,000 in Darfur and 30,000 in Chad. He went on to detail serious violations of human rights.
As a co-sponsor of L1, we acknowledge that the Government of Sudan has cooperated with visits by UN special rapporteurs. However, it is clear more needs to be done, both by the Council and the Government of Sudan to address the ‘worsening security situation in Darfur and its consequences for the wider region’.
An improvement in the human rights situation in Darfur requires an improvement in the security environment. It is essential that all parties to the conflict put an end to the ongoing violence, sign the Darfur Peace Agreement, and honour the commitments therein. We welcome the efforts made by international organisations, including the African Union and the United Nations, and by a number of countries, to mediate and support a ceasefire and peace agreement between the parties to the conflict.
The safety of agencies providing humanitarian access must be guaranteed in all areas and those violating humanitarian law by attacking civilians and humanitarian relief workers must be held accountable. Impunity must not be tolerated.
We continue to believe that, in the present circumstances, the deployment of a UN Mission has the best chance of protecting, promoting and monitoring the human rights situation in Darfur and of guaranteeing the safety of humanitarian workers and civilians under threat of physical violence. For these reasons, New Zealand fully supports UN Security Council Resolutions 1679 and 1706. And we again call upon the Government of Sudan to accept the need for an enhanced UN presence in Darfur and the authority of a UN mission as the best means to protect civilians, to ensure safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, and to re-establish law and order.
The Council must identify the concrete and effective contributions it can make to the international efforts already underway in Darfur. We strongly support the despatch of an independent assessment mission to Darfur as the first concrete step. And we look forward to a discussion at our next session, based on the recommendations of the independent assessment mission, as to how the Council can best discharge its responsibility in respect of this human rights and humanitarian disaster.
Thank you Mr President.
