Implementation

Against that backdrop, peacebuilding must be the primary priority and concern of the United Nations, which should not be distracted from it by dealing with other symptoms of conflict. Moreover, I wish to reiterate that we must take advantage of regional organizations with proven ability and capacity to build and maintain peace, given their direct link to the causes of conflicts and their comprehensive understanding of them.

While encouraging non-State actors to adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law in order to better ensure the protection of civilians is a laudable objective, this may prove to be a double edged sword, as it could also confer unintended legitimacy on violent perpetrators of terrorism and terrorist groups.

We welcome the emphasis put by the Secretary General on the need to achieve a more tangible improvement in the protection of civilians most affected by conflicts.

Today in Sri Lanka, 78 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including local NGOs, and 11 United Nations agencies, are working in partnership with the Government on rehabilitation, resettlement and reconstruction programmes. Sri Lanka takes the policy view that NGOs establishing parallel services to those of the Government that are not sustainable cannot have long term benefits for the welfare of the people.

The Government policy of zero civilian casualties had a deep impact the country's professional armed services, which were trained in humanitarian standards by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC also assisted in evacuating over 7,000 injured and their care-givers to Government-run hospitals.

Sri Lankan society — which has experienced two violent youth insurgencies and a 27-year terrorist onslaught during the critical part of its development trajectory — is one that is now gradually coming into its own.

Sri Lanka respects and firmly identifies with the principles underlined in the thematic resolutions adopted by the Security Council since 1999. It will continue to strengthen its human rights framework as the security situation further improves.

Pivotal to civilian protection is the partnership based on trust that was established with United Nations agencies and other humanitarian actors on the ground. Trust is the first casualty of any subtle politicization or assumption of a judgmental approach by external entities, which invariably upsets the delicate balance between the parties in such situations.

The challenges ahead also concern the implementation of normative standards. We support the use of benchmarks, which would facilitate monitoring the implementation of those standards and peacekeeping mandates.

Slovenia believes that the Council must increasingly focus on preventing conflict, including through early warning, as failure to do so bears only grave consequences for the affected civilians.