I should now like to speak in my capacity as representative of Indonesia.

Let me first join others in thanking the Secretary-General for his statement and written report. I should also like to preface our statement by expressing appreciation to the Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordination, Mr. John Holmes for his statement.

Every year, thousands of civilians fall victims of armed conflict situations. Their plight should be a concern for all of us. It is our shared responsibility to alleviate the suffering of victims wherever it occurs.

A humanitarian crisis caused by armed conflicts can be streamed in a glimpse of seconds. This can be imputed to no small part to the role of the media in projecting and amplifying such strong images into our private sphere.

However, it often takes more time and efforts before needed assistance can be funneled in time and in line with the needs of civilians in those precarious circumstances. Thus, as a Council, we should offer guidance both to the way assistance can be provided to the victims and steps taken against those who deliberately exercise disregard for human life and to discourage these actions from taking place in the first place. The Council in addressing such acts would act in accordance with the fundamental principles of the Charter and international law.

Our efforts to stabilize any particular conflict situation are focused on political dialogue, negotiations, and reconciliation processes. However, the plight of victims does not always obtain full attention. Civilians are most often the victims and by-standers in war. As non-combatants, they do not choose to engage in the conflict taking place around them. While any loss of life in a war is regrettable, formal and informal laws of war have, throughout time, intended to protect civilians. We believe that those who are innocent should be protected by the international community and the perpetrators of illegal acts be served justice.

The report by the Secretary General made valuable contribution in identifying various means to assist victims of armed conflicts. It also highlighted the plight of victims in various armed conflict situations. It has indeed facilitated in presenting a well-rounded picture of the situation.

The impact of war on civilians goes far beyond targeting them as combatants to the auxiliary effects of war, including physical displacement, disease, hunger, and the wreckage and death wrought by the stationing of anti-personnel landmines on civilian territory. Efforts to combat these ills and to sanctify basic human rights can include a range of measures, including the timely delivery of food and medical support, rehabilitation, and advocacy to victims

We view all acts taken against relief workers, humanitarian aid convoys and others engaging in humanitarian assistance to the population from the effects of war to be deplorable. The deliberate targeting of these individuals is a crime and we invoke relevant international laws, including the 1994 Convention on the Safety of the UN and Associated Personnel and Optional Protocol for this purpose.

In the twenty-first century, the number of civilian deaths in wartime has been growing and the dynamics are complicated by the role of non-state actors. Civilians are deliberately targeted in many conflicts, going against international norms on the laws of war and human rights and drawing the condemnation of the international community. These practices must be stopped.

Non-state actors pose further problems because they are difficult to identify and apprehend. Non-state armed groups pose special challenges for penalty and law enforcement. For non-state actors, such as terrorist groups, there should be equal protection of civilians through the penalties of international law enforcement for individuals in addition to the sanction that they receive for their activities as a group. My delegation condemns civilian casualties brought about by any terrorist acts

Let me reiterate that protection of civilians is a universal and timeless issue. Generation after generation has envisaged effective measures to protect civilians from the looming danger of armed conflicts. Our current discussion is part of that long and unbroken chain of efforts. Our effort requires togetherness, and no one can claim this issue alone. This is an issue of humanity that binds us together. But, it can be unraveled by our own narrow political objectives. We should avoid this trap as well as the trap of engaging in a blame game. Hopefully by bringing this issue to the attention of the Council today we will be able to reinvigorate it and encourage the quest for new solutions to address it or strengthen the existing mechanism.

The Secretary-General’s report contained an array of recommendations in furthering our common efforts that can contribute to the overall efforts of the UN system, international stakeholders, and national governments to address this pertinent issue. We believe that the best protection from armed conflict is in its prevention, but in the absence of peace we must remain vigilant of its impacts on the civilian population and do our best to attenuate human suffering and death.

Finally, our efforts should be focused to maintain the momentum by strengthening the UN system with Member-States and other stakeholders to work as a whole in a coordinated, coherent, comprehensive, and cooperative manner. An approach that includes development and humanitarian dimensions is required, under-girded by the political will of states to ensure that civilians are protected in times of war.

I shall now resume my responsibilities as President of the Security Council.