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Madam President,
My delegation thanks the Albanian Presidency for convening this debate on the important topic of “Strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law”.
I wish to thank you, the briefers and speakers who have spoken before me for their valuable remarks and fresh perspectives on today’s topic.
Madam President,
The world order established after the World War II is based on three interlocking and mutually reinforcing sets of obligations:
In accordance with these arrangements, the primary responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security, under Article 24 of the UN, rests with this Council.
Over the years, the Council, in discharging its functions, has contributed to the fight against impunity for serious violations and crimes, in specific, practical and diverse ways.
The seminal moment in the history of accountability of serious violations arrived when the Council applying broad sweep of its powers under Chapter VII of the Charter chose to establish ad-hoc tribunals with the mandate to advance accountability for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Despite this often-declared strong stance and commitment of the Security Council, in many parts of the world, violations of international law persist and continue to have an adverse impact on international peace and security.
Madam President,
Selectivity and double standards in implementation of SC resolutions and decisions, especially on long-standing disputes remain a principal cause of concern.
This issue has proved to be the system’s “Achilles’ Heel”.
In addition, the concepts, such as the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)”, as articulated in paras-138 and 139 of the World Summit Outcome document, continue to remain divisive, particularly because its application remains driven solely by political considerations.
As a result, serious violations in situations of illegal occupation with clear UN Security Council mandates can easily spiral to genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in the absence of international scrutiny and accountability.
Madam President,
The Jammu and Kashmir is one glaring example of such brutal occupation where international law has been flouted for decades.
Over the span of last 75 years, India has not only forcibly denied the right of self-determination to Kashmiri people but also committed gross and systematic violations of international law. More than 900,000 Indian troops that remain deployed in the valley for decades have resorted to worst forms of torture, rapes, renditions, forced displacement, and other grave breaches of international criminal law, including by using live ammunition against civilian protestors in the form of “pellet guns” blinding innocent youth and leaving many others injured.
They have ransacked and pillaged towns, villages and neighborhood to impose what India’s own leaders have themselves called a “final solution” for Jammu and Kashmir.
Since 5 August 2019, India has embarked on a sinister plan to transform occupied territory from a Muslim majority state to a Hindu majority territory, violating 4th Geneva Convention and international law.
Appeasement by the international community would only encourage further impunity.
We call on the Security Council to immediately take cognizance of the compelling evidence of these international crimes in IIOJK and to hold Indian officials and personnel accountable for such activities and grave breaches of international humanitarian law.
Madam President,
In conclusion, universal and consistent adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is imperative, not only to ensure the credibility and legitimacy of the UN system, but also to strengthen accountability and justice for serious violations of international law.
I thank you.