UN responsible for establishing peace, prevent crimes against humanity in dispute regions: Speakers
Geneva: The speakers addressing a seminar in Geneva said the role of the United Nations in peace-building operations is crucial, especially in the context of addressing rights violations as warning signs of conflict.
According to Kashmir Media Service, hosted by World Muslim Congress was held on the sidelines of the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and addressed by noted international law experts, rights activists, academicians and journalists, including Dr Joseph Wronka, Leon Kaulahua Siu, Robert Fantina, Misbah Shafiat, Zafar Ahmed Qureshi and Altaf Hussain Wani, the permanent representative WMC.
Throwing light on the UN role and responsibilities to ensure the implementation of international law and enforcement human rights mechanisms, the speakers said human rights components in peace operations play a significant role in advancing inclusive development, rule of law and peace. “These components also help prevent future conflict by addressing grievances”, they said, adding ensuring human rights serve as a shared and effective basis for UN’s work.
They said that maintaining peace and security, protecting human rights, preventing genocide, crimes against humanity, supporting sustainable development and upholding international law were prime responsibilities of the UN.
Discussing the failure of the UN peace-building operations in effectively addressing human rights as warning signs of conflict, they said that there was a dire need to enhance strategies to ensure that human rights of the people were protected and respected under all circumstances and more important to add teeth to human rights machinery.
Referring to the continued bloodshed and violence in the disputed regions like Palestine and Kashmir, the speakers emphasized that it was imperative for the UNSC to use its diplomatic clout to make sure that the international law was upheld in letter and spirit.
They said unfortunately UNSC has become a political forum and big powers use veto to save their interests in different regional conflicts. It is the failure of UNSC.
Stressing the need for the early and amicable settlement of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes, the speakers said that the UN’s agenda for sustainable development, rule of law, peace and prosperity was inescapably linked to the settlement of these lingering disputes.
They said these unresolved disputes have been the main cause of unrest and human rights violations and it is the responsibility of the Human Rights Council to bring perpetrators to justice and make them accountable.