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The photo of Alan Kurdi, the three-year old Syrian boy whose body appeared on
the shores of Turkey recently, has underlined the seminal humanitarian challenge of our
time. Our global paralysis on Syria has contributed to the death of over 200,000
civilians and displacement of millions. There is nothing new in the current refugee crisis
we are witnessing.
With modern communication technology, we cannot say that we did not know
about the killing fields of Syria, where children like Aylan are being injured and killed
on a daily basis. Our problem is not the lack of information but one of indifference and
inaction. Nevertheless, the innocent death of Aylan provides a compelling reminder
about the sheer magnitude and brutality of the Syrian crisis, and why we must overcome
the yardsticks of our self-interests and step up to our collective responsibility.
Last week at the UN headquarters in New York, the General Assemblys annual
forum on the Responsibility to Protect took place. The informal and interactive
dialogue focused on the UN Secretary-Generals latest R2P report, entitled A Vital
and Enduring commitment: Implementing the Responsibility to Protect. Sixty-nine
member states and the European Union delivered statements on behalf of 91 states.
The Canadian Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, based at the Munk School of
Global Affairs of the University of Toronto, was one of the four civil society groups to
speak at the dialogue.
Since 2009, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, with the assistance of his Special
Advisor on the Responsibility to Protect and in consultation with member states and
civil society, has been producing an annual report on the issue. (R2P states that when a
state or government fails to protect its people from four mass atrocity crimes
genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing the international
community has the responsibility to do so.)
With a different theme every year, the Secretary-Generals reports have made
enormous contributions in providing conceptual clarity to R2P such as the three-pillar
approach, role ofregional and sub-regional organizations, prevention mechanisms, and
operational aspects oftimely and decisive response. Over the years, there has been a
growing support for the Secretary-Generals special advisor on R2P and the Office on
the Prevention of Genocide.
latest member, South Korea, will be hosting next years meeting of Group of Friends of
R2P excellent news for gaining momentum in the Asia-Pacific region.
The UN Secretary General has introduced a Human Rights Up Front initiative
to mainstream protection and human rights across the UN system, while Jennifer Welsh,
his Special Advisor on R2P, is working closely with member states and civil society
organizations to develop a compendium of practice for implementing R2P.
Considering that R2P marks one of the most significant developments in our
understanding of sovereignty, with an aspiration only matched by the UN Charter, the
momentum gained in the last few years for R2P is truly remarkable. Looking ahead, the
focus should be on careful and consistent implementation, because every challenge we
successfully manage using R2P will set a precedent for future crises.
There are six main ways in which we can take a step closer towards
institutionalizing R2P in the next decade.
First, domestic embracing of R2P by all member states is critical. Appointing the
National R2P Focal Point is an important first step, but it must be accompanied by an
action plan with specific policy options and long-term strategies tailored to national and
regional circumstances. The UNA-UK report on implementing R2P, authored by Jason
Ralph, provides a very helpful prototype on turning R2P into policy at the domestic
level.
Second, a stronger partnership must be built between parliamentarians,
academics, journalists, businesses, security sectors, and civil society groups across the
globe, to widen and deepen public support for R2P. The Canadian Centre for R2P has
a R2P Scholars Network of over 100 fellows around the world working to solidify the
knowledge base of R2P, while the International Coalition for R2P has a growing
network of over 80 civil society organizations. Advancing R2P requires input from all
sectors of society, particularly for a successful long-term movement.
Third, to make prevention a priority for R2P, more resources must be dedicated
towards education, training, and investment in infrastructure. We must be proactive in
using technology and social media to track and assess risks, refute hateful messages,
and empower the younger generations. Addressing the root causes of mass atrocities
and building national resilience will be a slow process, requiring patience, persistence
and paradigm change.
Fourth, to end the culture of impunity, member states that have yet to join the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the Additional Protocols I and II
to the Geneva Conventions must ratify them in a timely manner. A firm mechanism to
hold perpetrators accountable will be an important deterrent against future mass atrocity
crimes.
Fifth, mainstreaming R2P across the UN system in line with the Human Rights
Up Front initiative will require a careful re-assessment of the UNs protection capacity,
as well as enhancing clarity and efficiency in its coordination mechanisms. Restraining
the Security Councils use of the veto power for mass atrocity situations is an important
component of this process.
Lastly, the real success of Pillar Three for R2P will depend on building
deployable capacity in political, financial, technical, humanitarian, and if necessary,
military terms. Timely and decisive responses will require a credible pool of resources
and a comprehensive strategy of engagement, especially in the face of violent
extremism.
As the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon once said, there will never be a
clear blueprint for tackling mass atrocities, because every situation will require a
different set of responses. We must also be mindful of unintended consequences, new
challenges and threats, as well as difficulties of overcoming our short-term political
interests in the face of every new crisis.
Nevertheless, R2P remains a powerful paradigm to unite our efforts, mobilize
resources, and choose hope over cynicism in our struggle against hate, indifference and
mass atrocities. Canada has
humanitarianism history will judge us for our actions more than our words. Fighting
for human dignity everywhere is a challenge that each one of us must embrace, for the
death of an innocent three-year old boy is one too many while we remain as bystanders
to the worst humanitarian crisis of our time.