Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.
A UN General Assembly resolution, initiated by Armenia entitled “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime” was adopted by consensus on September 11 during the UN GA’s 103rd plenary meeting in New York City.
This resolution is a follow-up of a previous one, again initiated by Armenia and adopted by the UN Human Rights Council earlier in March 2015. In that resolution, the UN Human Rights Council recommended the proclamation of such a day to the UN General Assembly.
According to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this resolution adds to the continued efforts of Armenia to promote consolidated international action against the crime of genocide.
Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan introduced the draft resolution on behalf of 84 co-sponsors from all regional groups.
In his remarks, Mnatsakanyan said, “Millions of human lives have been lost as a result of the most horrendous crime – the crime of genocide that humankind has to its shame demonstrated ability to commit. We believe the International Day will serve an important platform for prevention by way of commemoration.”
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted on December 9, 1948.
Reaffirming the significance of the 1948 Convention as an effective international instrument for the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, the UNGA resolution acknowledges that victims of this crime call for a form of memorialization, which plays an important role in the prevention of genocide. It also reiterates the responsibility of each State to protect its populations from genocide, including incitement to it, through appropriate and necessary means. It further states that fighting impunity for genocide is an important factor in its prevention.
The resolution further encourages states, international organizations, civil society and individuals to observe the International Day in order to raise awareness of the 1948 Convention and its role in combating and preventing the genocide, and to commemorate and honor its victims.
Armenia’s Ambassador remarked that the International Day would render dignity to the victims of past inaction, and that justice denied haunts generations of survivors, it undermines the fight against impunity, as much as genuine reconciliation. He also underlined the collective responsibility of Member States in putting together the building blocks of a rigid system to prevent and deny capacity to potential future perpetrators of the crime of genocide. “It would be the most appropriate way of paying tribute to the memories of its victims,” Mnatsakanyan said.
The full text of the resolution below:
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of This Crime
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and other relevant international instruments,
Recalling its resolutions 96 I) of 11 December 1946, 260 A (III) of 9 December 1948 and 53/43 of 2 December 1998, and other relevant resolutions within the United Nations system that have contributed to the establishment and development of the process of prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide,
Recalling also Human Rights Council resolutions 7/25 of 28 March 2008, 22/22 of 22 march 2013 and 28/34 of 27 March 2015 on the prevention of genocide,
Acknowledging that victims of and others affected by the crime of genocide as defined in the Convention call for a form of memorialization, which plays an important role in the prevention of genocide,
Reiterating the responsibility of each individual State to protect its populations from genocide, which entails the prevention of such crime, including incitement to it, through appropriate and necessary means, and that fighting impunity for the crime of genocide is an important factor in its prevention,
Reaffirming its resolution 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on teh proclamation of international years, and Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries, particularly paragraphs 1 to 10 of the annex thereto on the agreed criteria for their proclamation, and paragraphs 13 and 14, stating that an international day or year should not be proclaimed before the basic arrangements for its organization and financing have been made,
- Decides to proclaim 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of This Crime;
- Encourages all Member and observer States, all organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in order to raise awareness of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims;
- Stresses that the cost of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution shall be met from voluntary contributions.
- Requests the Secretary-General to bring the present resolution to the attention of all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and civil society organizations for appropriate observance.
