Human Rights Council

Item 2 General Debate - Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General.

12 September 2017

Delivered by Jennifer D. Tapia

Thank you, Mr. President,

This is a joint statement by EAFORD and Geneva International Centre for Justice.
We thank the High Commissioner for his oral update. We would like to express our dismay on the humanitarian crisis, and human rights violations in Yemen and Iraq.  

Mr. President,

Ever since the start of the conflict in Yemen, the situation has only worsened. To this day, the civil war has resulted in thousands of people killed, and displaced. Airstrikes targeting civilians’ facilities are widespread, curtailing civilians’ access to clean water, sanitation and medical services further aggravating the alarming situation of the cholera outbreak.

The situation is no better for civilians trapped in the armed conflict in Iraq. Mr. High Commissioner, you have mentioned the defeating of ISIS. Unfortunately, what we have seen the most, is the destruction of entire cities like Mosul, Tal Afar and Fallujah in the so-called battle for liberation. Even yet, ISIS and other terrorist armed groups are still present in Iraq. But besides ISIS brutality, there are terrible human rights violations committed by the coalition forces, governmental forces, and by the Al hashd alsha’bi militia.

We urge this council to address with high priority the terrible suffering of civilians in these countries, holding perpetrators accountable and exerting pressure on these States to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, guaranteeing the enjoyment of fundamental human rights for civilians.

Thank you.