Thank you, Excellency President, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you for this opportunity to update the Human Rights Council on my mandate as Under Secretary General and Special Advisor to the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide.
The role of the Human Rights Council remains critical in taking action on situations that are of concern to my mandate.
A day before the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide on 9th December 1948 as its first Human Rights Convention.
This reaffirmed the gravity of this crime and the commitment to ensure its prevention and punishment.
This year, 2023, we commemorate the 75th anniversary of both the Convention and the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The theme of the 75th anniversary is the legacy of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Past, Present and Future of the Promise of Never Again.
This Convention designates genocide, whether committed in times of peace or in times of war, as a crime against international law.
The Convention also defines what constitutes genocide, so I'm mandated to collect existing information on massive and serious violations of human rights and international human humanitarian law of ethnic and racial origin that if not prevented or halted, might lead to genocide.
Act as a mechanism of early warning to the Secretary General and threw him to the Security Council by bringing to the attention potential situations that could result in genocide.
Make recommendations and actions to prevent a whole genocide and last with the United Nations system on activities for the prevention of genocide and work to enhance the United Nations capacity to analyse and manage information relating to genocide or related crimes.
However, I do not investigate, conduct human rights monitoring, or legally qualify situations either ongoing or from the past as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity, respectively.
Instead, I make assessments as to whether there's a risk of genocide occurring in a particular situation, with the objective of preventing or halting those crimes in case they're suspected to be already occurring.
The United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on his speech, which notes that his speech was a precursor to genocide, including in Rwanda in Bosnia as a governor, was launched by Secretary General Antonio Guterres in 2019 with my office designated as a global UN focal point for his speech.
So, Excellencies, we are living in a time of digital transformation.
The link between new technologies and prevention was prioritised by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 49 nine of March 2022 on the prevention of genocide.
Whereas new technologies have connected us, they have also been used for online surveillance.
Harassment and social media has indeed spread across the world without the corresponding content moderation resources and capacities.
This has resulted in an exponential spread of online hate speech, often instrumentalized for political gain, that foments division, violence, and in the most serious cases, atrocity crimes, by which I mean genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
The office I lead has organised annually since 2020 roundtable discussions with tech and social media companies.
We've developed a policy guidance based on the outcomes from this roundtable that will be launched tomorrow.
Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers are facing serious human rights violations and abuses by smugglers, traffickers, militias, and sometimes even government officials.
The increasing number of migrants and asylum seekers dying in transit, including at sea, constitutes risk factors for atrocity crimes, that is, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Racists, hate speech and discrimination against refugees, migrants and asylum seekers are common practise prevalent in transit territories and once they arrive at their destination in the Mediterranean.
For example, the violations in abuses documented, especially in Libya, against refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, as affirmed by the Human Rights Council UN Fact Finding mission may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Countries of transit or arrival of migrants need to end the arbitrary arrests, confinements in inhuman conditions and indefinite detention of migrants and refugees solely based on their migration status.
They must focus on protecting human rights rather than continuing policies that result in the containment of people in situations of *****.
Safe and legal routes need to be opened, including by offering a meaningful number of places for resettlement and alternative pathways to international protection.
Greater efforts are urgently needed to strengthen search and rescue capacity, especially in the Mediterranean Sea, to support the work of human rights and humanitarian NGOs and to adopt A common and human rights based arrangement for the timely disembarkation of all people rescued at sea.
Ensuring that every refugee migrant in asylum seeker rescued in the Mediterranean or elsewhere is disembarked place of safety.
So imaging and protected conflicts with devastating impact to human life continue to be evidence in the now more than 10 years old war in Syria, in Yemen, in Ukraine, Mozambique, Bukina Faso and many more.
There have been serious violations along identity lines in Afghanistan, with attacks against the Shia, hazardous places of worship, and schools in Mali, Central African Republic and South Sudan, including continued reports of armed mobilizations in the Upper Nile.
The United Nations Security Council, in resolutions 827-1993 and 955-1994, invoked the Genocide Convention to set up the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
These courts showed the value in bringing forward evidence that might otherwise not have been disclosed and have become a reference point, including for refuting ongoing genocide denial of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the Srebrenica genocide.
The court processes show evidence of well documented, systematic, bureaucratic, state sponsored persecution and ******.
It is unacceptable that the survivors of these genocides are themselves at risks from the denialists.
Once again in the Western Balkans, I'm concerned over tensions along identity lines manifesting in Bosnia Herzegovina through deepening mistrust and growing denial of past crimes, in particular the Srebrenica genocide.
Growing tensions have been witnessed in Sabia and Kosovo, and more than ever, there needs to be a strong investment in peace and reconciliation in the region.
This requires genuine efforts by all actors to address the legacy of past crimes, embrace dialogue and understanding, and ensure reparations.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, multiple attacks against civilians along ethnic lines, as well of mass killing, sexual violence, abductions, destruction of property, and attacks, including against IDP camps perpetrated by the numerous armed groups continue unabated.
My office has consistently identified risk factors for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the DRC.
Efforts by the African Union and the East African Community to end the violent conflict in a region where a genocide against the Tutsi and Rwanda happened in 1994 are to be commended.
the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, ICGLR, of which DRC is a member, requires of its Member states to take action to prevent and punish genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and all forms of discrimination.
My office worked closely with the ICGLR to support the establishment and activities of our regional committee and national mechanisms that, if supported, can implement this protocol, which can ensure that responses developed at the national or regional level are closely aligned with local needs in Sudan.
I'm gravely concerned by the ongoing fighting between Sudan's military and the Rapid Support Forces RSF in deaths, injuries, displacements in thousands in a war that has no respect even for an aid ceasefire.
The humanitarian situation is dire amid a security vacuum and protection gap in several states, including in Darfur, Cordofan as well as in the Blue Nile states.
In November 2022, I had voiced concern on hundreds of civilians killed in intercominal clashes of a land dispute among the House of Four generator ethnic communities of the Blue Nile state.
This violence may soon engulf the entire Sudan in a civil war with **** risk of atrocity crimes being committed.
I welcome the ICC prosecutors briefing to the Security Council on the situation in Darfur as constituting an opportunity to engage and push for accountability.
I support the intervention of the African Union, including the trilateral mechanism, the African Union, the intergovernmental authority on development in the United Nations, and call on the Security Council's leadership as an integral part of that trilateral mechanism, including on language or concrete action, which echoes the gravity of what is unfolding in Sudan and in Darfur.
These attacks could constitute risk factors for atrocity crimes, genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
I'm forewarning the Council today that the conflict in Sudan has the capacity to trigger violence in the entire region, including along ethnic lines.
In the Central Sahel region, intercommunal violence and violent extremism continue, with civilians facing targeted attacks along ethnic and community lines, ill treatment, destruction of property, as well as hateful and discriminatory speech.
In Myanmar, the crisis continues to present **** risk for civilian populations, with the Rohingya remaining one of the most marginalised and vulnerable minorities in the country and across the region.
Investigations have been carried out by the Fact Finding Mission established by the Human Rights Council and accountability processes at the ICC, the ICJ and the IIMM all continue there and the Rohingya remain incredibly vulnerable.
Ethiopia is to be lauded for the peace agreement.
However, I reiterate my call on the Ethiopian authorities to strengthen national mechanism for accountability of ethnic and religious tensions, hate speech and alleged serious human rights violations, address the root causes of ethnic violence and foster national cohesion and reconciliation.
This needs to go hand in hand with implementing the recommendations of the International Commission of Human Rights appointed by the Human Rights Council.
Haitians faced with governance challenges and poverty and frequent disaster such as earthquakes and hurricanes face significant challenges and in some of the places they Sikh refuge have been met with his speech.
Human rights violations such as racism, discrimination, dehumanisation and scapegoating for economic challenges, especially in political discourse and this could lay the foundation in the future.
In some of the countries, they have sought refuge for atrocity crimes.
In Armenia and Azerbaijan.
I echo calls for dialogue and peace and to avoid any escalation of tensions based on the binding order of the International Court of Justice.
I also reiterate calls me to promote free and safe movement through the Latin corridor in Brazil.
I've spoken consistently on the situation of indigenous people and peoples of African descent.
I so fast hand the impact of mining and excessive use of force against the Yanomami in Roraima state and the Gurani Kiowa in Mato Grosados whole state.
The killings of their leaders in human rights and environmental defenders, as well as rapes of women and girls, arbitrary arrests and detentions are well documented.
The racial profiling and targeting by the police of people of African descent must be addressed.
I will come the cooperation of the Government in facilitating my recent visit and in following up on my recommendations in Indonesia.
The human rights situation in Papua remains deeply concerning.
This includes alleged harassment, arbitrary arrests and detention of Papuans in non recognition of the rights of indigenous Papuans that has enabled the alleged appropriation of indigenous lands.
Humanitarian assessment and assistance, as well as a genuine inclusive dialogue to address underlying grievances is encouraged in many of the situations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and they are no Mami in Brazil, the Grani Kiowa in Brazil and the Papua people.
Risk factors cannot be mitigated without addressing the role of extractive industries and exploitation of natural resources.
We know all too well the devastating impact and legacies across generations that genocides have on victims, targeted communities and societies.
The imperative to prevent genocide is hence legal and moral.
This includes acting acting early at community, national, regional and international level on the warning signs and indicators of risk, including violence and discrimination based on identity, hate speech and systematic violations of fundamental rights against civilian populations.
The failure to promptly respond to those warning signs allows genocide to happen.
Prevention of genocide and related crimes is closely linked to ensuring accountability.
Failing to hold perpetrators accountable and allowing impunity to take hold increases the risk of future genocides.
Likewise, the denial of past genocide hampers truth seeking and reconciliation, and I will continue to work closely with the Human Rights Council to foster both prevention and accountability.
In conclusion, the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms continue to make important contributions in preventing genocide.
I encourage this Council to continue these efforts and with a particular focus on the situations I have highlighted today, including through the Universal Periodic Review.
I will continue to raise alarm and support national, regional and international efforts for atrocity prevention.
Genocide is a process, and because it takes time to prepare, genocide is a process that can be prevented.
