States 'have responsibility to stop genocide'

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Countries should view sovereignty in a positive light as 'responsibility to protect' people, the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide told MPs this week.

Dr. Francis Deng spoke to a joint meeting of the all-party parliamentary groups on genocide prevention, the great lakes region of Africa and the United Nations.

Dr Deng's approach signals a move "from treatment to prevention" of genocide.

The duty to protect theory argues that sovereignty should not be seen as a barricade to international involvement because sovereign states have a responsibility to protect populations from genocide.

If they cease to fulfil this it is right that the international community step in, he declared.

Dr Deng, who has won several distinguished prizes for his work on conflict resolution, said that a state of denial surrounds genocide, on the part of both the perpetrating state and the international community.

He told the audience that genocide is the most "heinous" of crimes and that having such an emotive and despised word in his title has hampered his attempts to establish dialogue with states.

"We need to de-mystify genocide and break it down," he added.

Commonly-held views were disputed by Dr Deng on two counts.

First, he declared that the potential for genocide is global - the phenomenon is not confined to developing states.

Second, he said the idea that strong states are imperialists who are always keen to intervene in the affairs of weaker states is misplaced.

In fact strong countries are often too reluctant to intervene.

The audience were invited to participate in the discussion.

"How can an outsider going to a sovereign nation talk to them about their power structures," one gentleman asked.

"We need to create an environment where nations are actually interested in being helped," Dr Deng responded.

This can be achieved by adopting a "regional and individual" approach to talks, he claimed.

Another questioner was interested to know how Deng's work could be applied to the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where up to six million lives have been claimed in a conflict that does not fit the "technical definition" of genocide.

Deng said that he has a broad remit which allows him to deal with the precursors of genocide and cases such as this.

An investigative journalist caused something of a stir when she criticised "secret talks" held by the UN Security Council during the Rwandan crisis.

Lord Hannay, a former ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations and chair of the UN Association in the UK, defended the institution.

"The security council cannot adopt a resolution or presidential statement without a public meeting," he said.

"Informal consultations cannot make those decisions and never do."

Dr Deng was more sympathetic.

He admitted relations between his office and the UN Security Council could be precarious.

To overcome this he has been taking a long-term and incremental approach to establishing ongoing and open communication channels, he said.

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