In a powerful statement at the UN, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative, Maria Zabolotskaya, condemned Western countries for their "double standards" in addressing the global refugee crisis. Highlighting the devastating impact of the Gaza conflict, she criticized the reluctance of Western nations to provide sufficient humanitarian aid to refugees, particularly those fleeing from war-torn regions like Syria, Afghanistan, and Sudan. Zabolotskaya also pointed out the hypocrisy in Western countries voicing concern over Ukrainian refugees while ignoring the plight of those seeking asylum in Russia. She called out the EU's failure to provide adequate support to refugees, especially those crossing the Mediterranean, and the deadly consequences of this inaction. With lives at stake and no accountability, the international community must confront the moral and legal crisis unfolding before our eyes.
#RefugeeCrisis #Gaza #DoubleStandards #UN #HumanitarianCrisis #RussiaUN #MariaZabolotskaya #WesternHypocrisy #Refugees #InternationalLaw #GlobalPolitics #MediterraneanCrisis #Syria #Afghanistan #UkraineRefugees #SaveTheRefugees
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#RefugeeCrisis #Gaza #DoubleStandards #UN #HumanitarianCrisis #RussiaUN #MariaZabolotskaya #WesternHypocrisy #Refugees #InternationalLaw #GlobalPolitics #MediterraneanCrisis #Syria #Afghanistan #UkraineRefugees #SaveTheRefugees
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you, Mr. President.
00:02We thank the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
00:05Perlipo Grande, for his statement addressing topical issues
00:10of international assistance to refugees and displaced persons.
00:13Assistance to refugees in addressing issues faced by refugees
00:16is particularly relevant in light of the unprecedented scale
00:20of humanitarian crises throughout the world.
00:22Last year marked a record in terms of the number of people
00:25who were forced to abandon their homes and countries
00:28in their quest to survive.
00:30When addressing the crisis of forced displacement,
00:34there is a need first and foremost to address the situation in Gaza.
00:37The indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza has already compelled
00:40more than one million Gazans to flee their homes
00:44in order to save their lives.
00:47Even where destitute people find refuge and a safe haven,
00:52they are threatened with mortal danger.
00:55Since 7 October, Israeli attacks on civilian objects,
00:59including refugee camps and other UNRWA facilities
01:02where people have found refuge,
01:04have resulted in the deaths of 742 people.
01:07More than 2,400 people have been wounded.
01:11Those who selflessly deliver assistance to Palestinian refugees
01:13are also dying as a result.
01:16Since the start of Israel's military operation,
01:19more than 290 UNRWA staff have been killed.
01:21The magnitude of the humanitarian disaster is growing.
01:24With each passing day,
01:25Israeli authorities continue to impede the entry
01:28of humanitarian assistance.
01:29For nearly 60 days,
01:32there has been a block on entry into Gaza of food and medicines,
01:36which has resulted in depleted supplies.
01:39The humanitarian organization has sounded the alarm
01:41about imminent hunger, first and foremost, among children.
01:45There is no water, no food, no fuel in Gaza,
01:49and those who manage to flee the bombardment face hunger,
01:52communicable diseases,
01:53and a lack of necessary medical assistance.
01:56UNRWA, UNHCR's partner organization,
01:59continues to deliver assistance to Palestinian refugees,
02:03and they continue to be subject
02:05to unprecedented political pressure and threats,
02:09including threats of reduced financing,
02:11which is so necessary now.
02:13We understand that Palestinian refugees
02:16are not directly within the mandate of UNHCR.
02:20However, we hope the UN High Commissioner,
02:22as a senior UN official,
02:24will continue to monitor the situation
02:26and call upon Israel
02:26to comply with its international obligations.
02:29The situation in Gaza
02:30and the persecution of UNRWA
02:32blatantly demonstrates the stark reality
02:35of politicization of refugee
02:37and internally displaced persons' issues.
02:39This is particularly evident
02:42in the financing of humanitarian programs
02:44for assisting refugees.
02:46Western countries who have provoked
02:49a lion's share of conflict throughout the world
02:52and these conflicts that have triggered
02:54the flight of refugees,
02:56these Western countries are very reluctant
02:58to finance UNHCR programs
03:00to assist refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan,
03:03and many other conflict-ridden countries.
03:06Western countries are zealously enforcing
03:09a practice of enforced expulsions
03:12of refugee seekers residing on their soil.
03:16And the states of the golden billion
03:18continuously voice alarm
03:20about the situation of refugees from Ukraine.
03:23They fail to mention
03:25that a significant number of these refugees
03:27have turned towards Russia.
03:30There is a notorious practice
03:31of double standards being implemented,
03:33division of the world
03:34into first-class and second-class citizens,
03:36this politicization on the question
03:38of the voluntary return of Syrian refugees.
03:41For many years,
03:42the West has blocked their return
03:44to their homeland,
03:44including by thwarting the implementation
03:46of humanitarian projects.
03:48The West is now making declarations
03:50about assistance to Syrians.
03:52However, they continue to impose
03:53unilateral sanctions against Damascus,
03:56which afflict ordinary citizens,
03:59first and foremost.
04:00There's a murky situation
04:02in the notorious Al-Hol and Al-Rozh refugee camps,
04:06so where thousands of women and children
04:08who have fled the barbaric bombardment
04:11of Raqqa, Hadjina, and Baguz
04:13are seeking shelter.
04:16Let us recall that 2014,
04:19after the coup in Ukraine,
04:21hundreds of thousands of Russians
04:23in Russian language residents of Ukraine
04:25turned towards Russia fleeing Ukraine.
04:28The mass exodus from Ukraine to Russia
04:32has been ongoing in recent years
04:34as a result of the unabated shelling
04:36by the Ukrainian armed forces
04:38and their shelling of peaceful areas in Donbass.
04:42Approximately 5 million people
04:43are seeking shelter in Russian regions,
04:45and Russia is continuing
04:46to provide full assistance
04:48to accommodate and resettle these persons,
04:51as well as to provide them
04:52with comprehensive assistance.
04:54UNHCR representatives in Moscow
04:55are always able to see for themselves
04:58how effective the work
04:59that is being carried out is
05:00in various Russian regions
05:02vis-à-vis the provision
05:03of dignified living conditions
05:05for refugees.
05:06In the context of the situation
05:08of refugees,
05:09the African continent
05:10stands out as an example.
05:12Despite the economic difficulties
05:14they face,
05:15African countries have for years
05:16been setting the example
05:18to the world
05:19vis-à-vis solidarity
05:20and assistance
05:21to displaced persons
05:22in a stark contrast
05:24to Western countries.
05:26And here they have every right
05:28to count on international support
05:30and recognition.
05:31The burden of refugee outflows
05:34is borne by all neighboring states,
05:37including Egypt, CAR, Chad,
05:39Ethiopia, South Sudan.
05:41Together these countries
05:42have already accommodated
05:43more than 2 million Sudanese.
05:46The number of internally displaced persons
05:47in the country
05:48is reaching 11 million people.
05:50This is a situation
05:51which makes it necessary
05:52to systematically step up assistance
05:55to the Sudanese government
05:56to address the whole gamut
05:59of humanitarian problems
06:00they face.
06:01Let us stress
06:02that cooperation
06:03can be established
06:04with the central authorities
06:05of the country
06:06who bear the full responsibility
06:08to normalize the situation
06:09in the area of security
06:11and to address
06:12the myriad issues
06:13related to refugees and RDPs.
06:15I wish once again
06:16to draw attention
06:17to the plight of refugees
06:18in the Mediterranean.
06:19Year after year,
06:20the Mediterranean continues
06:21to be a mass grave
06:24for many of those
06:25who each year attempt
06:26to reach Europe.
06:28Appalling tragedy.
06:30Deaths continue
06:31to occur on a regular basis.
06:32At the same time,
06:33when it comes to attempts
06:34to deliver assistance
06:35or response,
06:36this is something
06:37we have not seen
06:38from Western European countries.
06:40Instead of delivering assistance
06:42to victims,
06:43they are thrown out
06:45to areas outside
06:45of their jurisdiction
06:47condemning people
06:48to certain death.
06:49And they continue
06:50to interfere
06:51in the activity
06:51of humanitarian NGOs,
06:54NGOs who attempt
06:55to deliver assistance
06:56to refugees.
06:57The situation
06:57is intolerable
06:58in terms of international law
06:59as well as in terms
07:00of pure humanity.
07:01People are dying,
07:02but nobody is being
07:03held accountable
07:03for this naturally
07:04without delivery
07:06for refugees
07:07rescued at sea
07:09with a provision
07:10of safe ports
07:11for them
07:12to disembark
07:12on shore.
07:13In accordance
07:14with international norms,
07:16the situation
07:17will not change.
07:17We call upon the UNHCR
07:19to continue to call
07:19upon the EU
07:20to comply
07:20with international obligations
07:21to demonstrate accountability
07:23and to combat impunity.
07:24To conclude,
07:25we wish to support
07:26Mr. Gandhi's call
07:27about the need
07:28to continue
07:29to finance humanitarian efforts
07:30despite the financial difficulties.
07:33For our part,
07:34the Russian Federation
07:35wishes to note
07:35that as financial constraints
07:37notwithstanding,
07:38last week,
07:39Russia managed
07:40to allocate $2 million
07:41to support
07:42the activities
07:43of UNHCR.
07:44Thank you for your time.
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