Statement delivered by Ms. Stephanie Savory, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN, at the Arria Formula meeting organized by the Russian Federation on “Beyond the Battlefield: Atrocities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Against Civilians"

Thank you, Chair,

I extend my appreciation to the briefers for their testimony. Today’s discussion on accountability for atrocity crimes is timely.

Against the backdrop of a proliferation of armed conflicts around the world, where the rules and principles of International Humanitarian Law are increasingly being violated, Guyana wishes to underscore the following points:

First, all parties to an armed conflict are bound by treaty and customary rules of IHL, which apply at all times to all parties. Moreover, every Member State of the United Nations, in accepting the obligations of its Charter, has agreed to be bound by all its provisions, including on the prohibition on the use of force and the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

Guyana deplores the mounting violations that have been committed during this war and the devastating impact that the lack of basic protections and indiscriminate attacks have had on civilians.

We stress that there is no justification for any deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure nor the use of prohibited weapons. We reiterate our demand for the parties to the conflict to comply fully with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and call for full accountability.

Second, we wish to underscore that equality and non-discrimination are fundamental principles of international human rights and international humanitarian law and are essential in the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance. 

Guyana stands firmly against any form of discrimination or the oppression of any group of people and demands that all UN Member States respect the human rights of all peoples, irrespective of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political persuasion, social origin, or any other status.

Third, we maintain the view that the only means of ending the suffering is to end this conflict and to do so through peaceful means. We stress that only a serious political and diplomatic process can pave the path to peace and encourage the further intensification of diplomatic dialogue at all levels, to de-escalate hostilities and achieve sustainable peace.

I Thank you.