Statement
by H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Representative of the Holy See
to the
United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva
at the
General Debate of the 65th Session of the Executive Committee of
UNHCR
Geneva,
1 October 2014
Mr. President,
Today,
we have reached the highest number of forcibly displaced persons since World War
II. It is not merely an increase in quantity but there is also a concomitant
increase of complexity due to non-state actors in current conflicts and
unpredictable massive displacement as a consequence.
The
common goal of protection is an ever-growing challenge. This is due in large
part to the unprecedented number of persons on the move; the lack of financial
resources as a result of donor fatigue; ever-more restrictive measures limiting
access for asylum seekers; the reality of tensions which tend to arise between
local populations and newly arrived; and additionally, the phenomenon of unaccompanied
minors, that is increasingly visible in the Americas, and also in Europe.
The
practical preparedness of States to accommodate this increasing number of asylum
seekers and refugees appears to be decreasing. But the generosity shown so far
by the International Community is a sign of hope, and it should continue by
expressing solidarity to the victims of armed conflicts and situations of
constant violation of fundamental human rights.
Such
a state of affairs should help all of us who form the International Community to
reflect upon and urgently to devise preventive measures so that people are not
forced to leave their homes in order to survive. This phenomenon creates a
tremendous burden upon the host States, who must invest an exceptional amount
of their resources, and thus places an obligation of solidarity by the wider
community.
The
necessary change of policy from focusing on assistance to prevention implies an
important cultural shift, in which the human person, with his inviolable
dignity and inalienable human rights, is the center of attention, rather than
being a mere instrument for economic and political decisions. Such a
perspective requires of the International Community a reformulation of methods
and structures of prevention, humanitarian assistance, and long-term development
The
Delegation of the Holy See encourages the continued extraordinary generosity of
many donor countries and of those hosting societies that have welcomed, often
at a great sacrifice, millions of forcibly displaced people. We also support
the development of an increased global partnership, based more upon human
solidarity and less upon selfish interests, to answer the plight of the current
massive number of asylum seekers and refugees. Indeed, this solidarity is not
simply an abstract idea, but a concrete moral imperative derived from the fact
that together we form one human family. This is the first step to realizing
reconciliation and restarting a productive life.
As
Pope Francis emphasizes: “It is
necessary to respond to the globalization of migration with the globalization
of charity and cooperation, in such a way as to make the conditions of migrants
more humane. Solidarity with migrants and refugees must be accompanied by the
courage and creativity necessary to develop, on a world-wide level, a more just
and equitable financial and economic order, as well as an increasing commitment
to peace, the indispensable condition for all authentic progress.”[1]
Mr. President,
In
conclusion, the continued, long-term stay of populations in camps and the
increasing number of persons in overcrowded urban areas are in themselves a
clear manifestation that violence can only destroy and fragment society. The
present situation in the world is an appeal to the International Community that
the only positive way forward is to pursue the path of dialogue toward
“peaceful coexistence”.
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