Statement by Ambassador Dr. Maleeha Lodhi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on “Victims of Attacks and Abuses on Ethnic or Religious Grounds in the Middle East (27 March 2015)

Mr. President,

We are honoured, Mr. Foreign Minister, by your presence here today and for presiding over the Council's deliberations on this important issue.

We have heard the statements of the distinguished Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights with great interest.

Mr. President,

The recent escalation of violence and terrorism against religious and ethnic groups in the Middle East are an affront to humanity and all civilized norms. We endorse the calls for relief and redress for the victims of these atrocities who have suffered grievously from religious and ethnic bigotry and extremism.

Throughout history, millions have been killed, tortured, maimed and dispossessed by the venom of religious and racial hatred. Violence and atrocities against minorities and other vulnerable groups must be unequivocally condemned.

Mr. President,

What is deeply offensive and unacceptable is that some vested interests attempt to blame our great faith- Islam - as the source of the current chaos, rather than recall its historical and political roots.

The current chaos in the Middle East contrasts sharply with its history and ethos. The Middle East is a cradle of major religions and civilizations. Islamic history in the region is replete with examples of what true Islam preaches - love, brotherhood, tolerance and humanity.

Mr. President,

Over the course of history, the rights of minorities have been preserved and prosperity promoted when effective authority and order have combined with enlightened governance of nations, empires or states. The weak – minorities, and women and children – have suffered the worst excesses whenever order and justice have collapsed.

It is now clear that disorder and the collapse of state authority across North Africa and the Middle East have transformed the Arab Spring into a brutal winter.

The partial or complete breakdown of state authority in Iraq and Syria has allowed the rise of violent groups – such as Daesh – inured to extremist ideologies and radical agendas. The quest for power by cynical and brutal leaders, wrapped in religious cloaks, is not surprising in the circumstances.

What is surprising and alarming is the fatal attraction of some of these groups for disaffected and alienated youth within and outside the Middle East.

Military and police action can deal with the symptoms of this phenomena, but not the disease. This requires a more comprehensive approach – one that offers a path for the constructive involvement of youth in the economic, social and political life of their societies and states. Most importantly, it requires an effective and thoughtful response to the narrative of many of these extremist groups: that Muslims have been historically oppressed and can regain their rights and freedoms only through violent means.

This narrative will not be neutralized by solemn declarations alone. It can be credibly countered only by genuine efforts to resolve the underlying political problems: among them a solution for the Palestine issue and other conflicts raging across the Levant and beyond.

Mr. President,

Historical and recent experience has demonstrated that the challenges posed by the current chaos in the Middle East will not be overcome by foreign intervention. The sovereignty and the territorial integrity of countries will have to be fully respected. Ultimately, durable peace can be restored through national reconciliation in each affected state, encouraged and promoted with regional and global support.

The Security Council can contribute to restoring peace and defeating the extremist and violent groups by helping to evolve a global consensus on the principles and structure for the solution of the challenges confronted in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and, most importantly, in Palestine. In this, the Council cannot but adhere to the principles of the UN Charter and its own unimplemented Resolutions.