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Archbishop Celestino MIGLIORE, Thursday, 8 November 2007
Mr Chairman, The Holy See expresses deep appreciation to the UNHCR for all its efforts in assisting the 32.9 million persons who have been entrusted to its protection this year. In particular, I note with satisfaction the creative initiatives for more efficient field operations and a better understanding of the challenges, such as the Field Protection Reference Group, the upcoming Dialogue on the challenges of protection centred on the nexus asylum-migration, and the Cluster Approach, which has made possible more precise and coherent interventions in emergency situations. In the face of a creeping fatigue and pessimism that appears now and then within the international community in the area of humanitarian assistance, this occasion seems appropriate to recall that the UNHCR is one of the essential instruments with which States and the international community as a whole honour their commitment to protect those who flee their homes for various reasons. However, such responsibility cannot be merely left to the Office of the High Commissioner. Rather, concerned States have the duty to protect those persons and sustain them with firm political will and adequate financial resources. In fulfilling their part, States lay a solid basis on which the UNHCR operations can build upon. The challenges are many, complex and daunting. Our sense of humanity is confronted everyday with news of migrants and refugees — generally a mixture of both and most often undocumented — who try to cross borders in search of safety and better living conditions. In such attempts, many lives are lost everyday. We are not dealing here with sporadic cases. Rather, we have before us masses of peoples on the move for various causes and with varied motivations: peoples driven away from their homes by armed conflicts and persecutions, peoples fleeing from extreme poverty, peoples constrained to migrate because of environmental degradation and natural disasters. Preoccupations have been expressed that the status of such peoples is caught in legal grey areas, especially when they move across frontiers of countries or regions with rigid migration policies. Concerns increase when doubts arise regarding the applicability of existing international instruments, or when no legal instruments of protection exist. It seems therefore urgent to consider a coordinated international effort, with a view to seeking greater clarity in existing legal instruments of protection or, if need be, to establishing new ones. However, regardless of such legal grey areas and irrespective of their status as refugees, displaced persons or undocumented migrants, their dignity and human rights cannot be violated nor ignored. Their right to life, to personal security, to liberty of conscience and of religion, to non discrimination, especially of those most vulnerable like children, come before any legal or political consideration. My delegation therefore appeals to all countries and regions concerned to employ all those measures which are apt to ensure that the human rights of those peoples in such precarious situations are adequately protected and their human dignity respected. More concretely, we are distressed by the painful conditions of those who flee due to the long-running conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Chad, in Darfur, in Afghanistan and in numerous other regions, among which the Middle East stands out with its many problems. In particular, I would like once again to draw the attention of the international community to the sufferings of the Iraqi refugees and displaced persons, who flee from indiscriminate attacks, from sectarian and violent acts based on political and religious convictions and on affiliation to specific social groups. This has been the most rapid and massive population displacement during the last years. The Holy See wishes to express appreciation to Iraq’s neighbouring countries which continue to shoulder the burden of welcoming millions of people. The international community must sustain those countries and the UNHCR in their work of ensuring that the Iraqi refugees and displaced persons do not feel abandoned and receive dignified accommodation. Pope Benedict XVI and many Catholic institutions have repeatedly appealed for urgent measures needed to guarantee protection of and assistance to those persons, while waiting that conditions in their country improve to allow their return. These huge humanitarian challenges can only be responsibly faced through factual collaboration among States, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society. Such collaboration, conducted in reciprocal trust and solidarity, can truly generate coherent and concrete answers to the cry for help of those in need of international protection. Thank you, Mr Chairman. *L’Osservatore Romano, 12-13.11.2007 p.2. ___________________________________________________________________________
60. Mgr Migliore (Observateur du Saint-Siège) note avec satisfaction la mise en oeuvre des diverses initiatives visant à améliorer les opérations du HCR et la compréhension du problème des réfugiés (création d’un groupe de référence des bureaux extérieurs sur les politiques de protection, réunion sur les liens entre asile et immigration, application de l’approche modulaire, etc.), mais rappelle que la responsabilité de protéger ceux qui sont chassés de leur foyer par les conflits armés et les persécutions, la pauvreté extrême ou la dégradation de l’environnement et les catastrophes naturelles incombe non seulement au HCR mais aussi aux États, qui doivent apporter un appui politique et financier adéquat. 61. L’intervenant se dit préoccupé par le flou juridique qui entoure parfois le statut des réfugiés, notamment du fait de la rigidité des politiques migratoires. Il arrive également que des incertitudes pèsent sur le champ d’application des instruments internationaux, lorsqu’ils existent. Il est donc urgent de rendre plus clairs les instruments juridiques de protection ou d’en créer de nouveaux si nécessaires. Quoi qu’il en soit, la dignité et les droits de l’homme des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées ou des migrants sans papiers ne doivent être ni violés, ni ignorés, et l’intervenant appelle tous les pays et toutes les régions concernés à faire tout ce qui est en leur pouvoir pour que les droits de ces personnes soient protégés. 62. Le Saint-Siège est consterné par la situation des populations qui ont fui ou fuient actuellement les conflits sévissant en République démocratique du Congo, au Tchad, au Darfour, en Afghanistan et dans de nombreuses autres régions et appelle à nouveau l’attention de la communauté internationale sur la détresse des réfugiés iraquiens et des personnes déplacées en Iraq. L’intervenant signale à ce propos que le pape Benoît XVI et de nombreuses organisations catholiques ont demandé à plusieurs reprises que des mesures d’urgence soient prises pour aider les Iraquiens victimes d’attaques aveugles ou de violences sectaires. Il remercie les pays voisins de l’Iraq qui continuent d’accueillir des millions de réfugiés et appelle la communauté internationale à appuyer ces pays et l’action du HCR en faveur des réfugiés et des personnes déplacées en Iraq. **A/C.3/62/SR.40, par.60-62. ___________________________________________________________________________
60. Monseñor Migliore (Observador de la Santa Sede) toma nota con satisfacción de la ejecución de diversas iniciativas encaminadas a mejorar las operaciones del ACNUR y la comprensión del problema de los refugiados (creación de un grupo de referencia de las oficinas exteriores sobre las políticas de protección, reunión sobre las vinculaciones entre el asilo y la inmigración, aplicación del enfoque por grupos temáticos, etcétera), pero recuerda que la obligación de proteger a los que son expulsados de su hogar por los conflictos armados y las persecuciones, la pobreza extrema o la degradación del medio ambiente y las catástrofes naturales incumbe no sólo al ACNUR, sino también a los Estados, que deben prestar un apoyo político y financiero adecuado. 61. El orador manifiesta su preocupación por el limbo jurídico que rodea al estatuto de los refugiados, en particular por la rigidez de las políticas migratorias. También sucede que ciertas incertitudes gravan la esfera de aplicación de los instrumentos internacionales, cuando existen. Así, pues, es urgente volver más claros los instrumentos jurídicos de protección o crear otros nuevos, tan necesarios. En cualquier caso, no se deben violar ni pasar por alto la dignidad y los derechos humanos de los refugiados y los desplazados o los migrantes indocumentados, por lo que el orador hace un llamamiento a todos los países y regiones interesados para que hagan todo lo que esté en su poder con miras a proteger los derechos de esas personas. 62. La Santa Sede está consternada por la situación de las poblaciones que han huido o huyen actualmente de los conflictos que hacen estragos en la República Democrática del Congo, en el Chad, en Darfur, en el Afganistán y en otras muchas regiones y de nuevo señala a la atención de la comunidad internacional la miseria de los refugiados iraquíes y los desplazados en el Iraq. El orador señala a ese respecto que el papa Benedicto XVI y numerosas organizaciones católicas han pedido en diversas ocasiones que se adopten medidas de urgencia para ayudar a los iraquíes víctimas de ataques ciegos o violencias sectarias. Agradece a los países vecinos del Iraq que sigan acogiendo a millones de refugiados y hace un llamamiento a la comunidad internacional para que apoye a esos países y las medidas del ACNUR en pro de los refugiados y los desplazados en el Iraq.
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