A/54/PV.34 General Assembly

It is with deep personal sadness that I learned of the passing of Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, first President of the United Republic of Tanzania, a venerable world leader and one of Africa's most charismatic and respected elder statesmen. He died overnight in London at the age of 77 after suffering from leukaemia. President Nyerere's life was legendary. Born in 1922 in a village near Lake Victoria, he entered politics in 1954, founding the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), and the campaign for independence from colonial rule. He became Chief Minister of British-ruled Tanganyika in 1960. He then led his country to independence in 1961, serving first as Prime Minister and, from 1964, as President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Mwalimu was the pillar of his nation's politics and a mediator whose wise counsel other world leaders sought. He stepped down voluntarily in 1985, one of a very few African leaders of his generation to do so. I, too, was a beneficiary of Mwalimu's political tutelage and of Tanzania's generosity. They provided me with a free haven when I fled my own country, Namibia, in 1962 to escape South Africa's brutal apartheid colonialism in Namibia. The Tanzanian people have lost the father of their nation, the courageous leader of their independence struggle and the architect of the United Republic of Tanzania. The African people as a whole have lost an ardent pan-Africanist, a man of high principles, a man of self-abnegation and a champion of African self- determination, liberation and independence. Without Mr. Nyerere's firm guidance and steadfast support, the struggle for liberation, particularly in southern Africa, would have been even more difficult and divisive within the ranks of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Non-Aligned Movement and other freedom-loving forces in the world. Mwalimu was the force behind the southern African front-line States and their foremost strategist and intellectual mentor. Mwalimu's contributions to public life did not end with his retirement from office. He served as Chairman of the South Commission from 1987 to 1990 and was later named Honorary Chairman of the intergovernmental South Centre, which promotes South-South cooperation and solidarity. At the time of his death, President Nyerere was serving as chief mediator in the negotiations to end the civil war in Burundi. He devoted much of his time to seeking African solutions to African problems, working diligently to promote African unity. On behalf of the General Assembly and in my own personal capacity, I extend heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and to the courageous people of Tanzania at the passing of their founding father and extraordinary leader. Once again, United Nations staff members have paid the ultimate price in the line of duty. They sacrificed their lives in Kosovo and Burundi while serving the cause of peace. The loss of three staff members within a 24-hour period underscores the often difficult and dangerous conditions under which United Nations personnel serve. The deaths of Valentin Krumov in Kosovo and of Luis Zuniga and Saskia von Meijenfeldt in Burundi bring to 13 the number of civilian staff killed this year alone in the field of operations. This saddening statistic indicates a sharp increase in attacks on United Nations personnel and calls for effective measures by Governments, and particularly parties in conflict situations, to ensure the safety and security of United Nations personnel and other humanitarian workers. I strongly condemn these wanton acts of brutality against peacemakers and peace workers and call upon the international community to assist the United Nations in further intensifying public education with the view to putting an end to the loss of innocent lives. In Kosovo, on Monday evening, Mr. Valentin Krumov, a 38- year-old Bulgarian national, was brutally assaulted by a crowd and then shot dead on a street in Pristina. Mr. Krumov had just arrived in that city to take up his assignment with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). He became UNMIK's first casualty. An eyewitness reported that he was shot after replying in Serbian when asked for the time. In Burundi, on 12 October, Mr. Luis Zuniga, a 52- year-old Chilean national and a representative of the United Nations Children's Fund, and Ms. Saskia von Meijenfeldt, a 34-year-old Dutch national and a logistics officer with the World Food Programme, were killed in a road ambush. They were part of an inter-agency team that was carrying out an assessment of humanitarian needs in a camp for displaced persons. Seven Burundian nationals also lost their lives and several others were seriously injured in that terrible tragedy. Justice demands that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes be apprehended and prosecuted. Such criminal acts committed within the territory of a Member State must not go unpunished. While many such incidents are carried out by lawless elements outside the control of Governments, Today, we mourn the untimely deaths of staff members whose loyalty and commitment to the noble ideals of the United Nations remained unflinching to their last breath. In this hour of sorrow and bereavement, I commend the courage and dedication of those who faithfully put their lives on the line in the service of the United Nations and of humanity. It was with this in mind that I told United Nations personnel last month, on the occasion of the Millennium Staff Day, “You are the lifeblood of the United Nations”. For whenever a staff member is killed in the line of duty, all of us bleed. We must ensure the safety and security of those who carry the United Nations flag, especially staff members in the field in peacekeeping missions or at United Nations outposts throughout the world. On behalf of the General Assembly, I extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved families and friends of those who lost their lives in the cause of peace. Let us today pledge, individually and collectively, to do all in our power to stem the tide of violence that destroys hope and impedes peacekeeping and peace enforcement in the world. I call now on the Deputy Secretary-General.

Let me start, Mr. President, by joining you in paying homage to Julius Nyerere, the founder and first President of the United Republic of Tanzania, an architect of the Organization of African Unity and one of the giants of the twentieth- century African liberation movement. He was Mwalimu, or Teacher, to us all, and his death takes from us a good friend and a tireless supporter of the United Nations. As I address the General Assembly this morning, the following scenes are unfolding elsewhere: the family of Valentin Krumov of Bulgaria is mourning his brutal murder in Pristina on the very day he took up his duties there. The families of Luis Zuniga of Chile and of Saskia von Meijenfeldt of the Netherlands are preparing to bury their loved ones, killed in cold blood while on a mission in Burundi to assess humanitarian needs. And the families Such incidents — killings, assaults, harassment, kidnappings — have become far too routine in conflict zones throughout the world. United Nations staff have become targets, not through any fault of their own but because there are those who seek advantage in flouting international humanitarian norms and simple human decency. All too often the targeting is deliberate, directed not only against United Nations staff but also against non- governmental organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. This is not only wrong; it is depriving the international community of a precious tool with which to relieve the suffering caused by war and humanitarian emergencies. Some will say there is little that can be done against hatred and violence. I beg to differ, and I do so in the strongest possible terms. Some things are indeed beyond our control, but much is within it. Member States bear primary responsibility for ensuring the security of United Nations staff. Here are some measures they can take: first, they can conduct vigorous investigations into all such killings and incidents, prosecuting those responsible to the full extent of the law. To our knowledge, only one person has ever been found guilty and has been imprisoned for killing or causing the death of a United Nations staff member. This impunity cannot be allowed to stand. Secondly, those who have not done so already can sign and ratify two conventions. The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel has come into force at long last, but only 29 nations have ratified it. The Rome Statute for an International Criminal Court, not yet in force, will make it a war crime to attack personnel involved in a humanitarian-assistance or peacekeeping mission pursued in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Thirdly, Member States can provide the funding needed to improve staff security. We need more security officers and stress counsellors, and more training. Improved security is not a luxury. It should be viewed, as it would be in any private firm, as an essential operating cost. And fourthly, Member States can use their influence over those who control the territories in which these atrocities occur. They can exert more influence over States, We all know that risk is part of our jobs. But a desperate irony is developing: Member States are willing to send unarmed civilians into places where they will not send well armed soldiers. As the Secretary-General has said to them in the past, these are your own citizens who are venturing into peril. Let us consider what more we can do, on an urgent basis, to ensure that they can carry out their vital work in safety. Let us send our prayers to all who are mourning today. And let us recognize that if we fail to act there will be more families and friends who will mourn tomorrow, and the day after that. That is not something any of us would wish on any other human being, or want to have on our conscience. So we must prevent it.

I now invite representatives to stand and observe a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of those deceased staff members.

I should like to inform members that the Gambia has made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter. May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information?

In this connection, a new document will be issued tomorrow morning under the symbol A/54/464.

In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, the election shall be held by secret ballot and there shall be no nominations. From among the Eastern European States, there are two candidates for one vacant seat. The candidates are Slovakia and Ukraine. As for the Latin American and Caribbean States, Jamaica is the endorsed candidate for one vacant seat. In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, we shall proceed now to the election by secret ballot. Ballot papers marked “A”, “B” and “C” will now be distributed. I request representatives to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed and to write on them the names of the five States for which they wish to vote. A ballot paper containing more names from the relevant region than the number of seats assigned to it will be declared invalid. Names of Member States on a ballot paper which do not belong to that region will not be counted. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Saizonou (Benin), Mr. Toscano (Ecuador) and Mr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha (Viet Nam) acted as tellers.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group A — African and Asian States Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 172 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 172 Required two-thirds majority: 115 Number of votes obtained: Bangladesh 172 Tunisia 172 Group B — Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 171 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 171 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 92 Slovakia 79 Group C — Latin American and Caribbean States Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 171 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 171 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Jamaica 171

There remains one seat to be filled, from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to the first restricted ballot. This second round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot, namely Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. Ballot papers marked “B”, for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “B” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia or Ukraine, as well as if they contain the names of more than one State.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group B — Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 171 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 170 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 170 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 98 Slovakia 72

Since no candidate obtained the required two-thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to a second restricted ballot. This third round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot — namely, Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. Ballot papers marked “B”, for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “B” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia and Ukraine, as well as if they contain the name of more than one State.

The result of the voting is as follows: Number of ballot papers: 170 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 170 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 170 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 113 Slovakia 57

I call on the representative of Slovakia.

I should like to express my Government's deepest gratitude to all delegations that lent Slovakia their valuable support in its quest for membership of the Security Council for the first time ever — to those delegations that have promoted the principles of rotation and equal opportunity. We are particularly grateful to them, and will remember their support in our future work here in the United Nations. I now formally withdraw the candidature of Slovakia, and wish Ukraine well.

We shall now begin the voting process, taking into consideration the statement just made by the representative of Slovakia. Since no candidate obtained the required two-thirds majority, there still remains one seat to be filled, from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to a third restricted ballot. This fourth round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot, namely Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. Ballot papers marked “B”, for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “B” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia or Ukraine, as well as if they contain the names of more than one State.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group B — Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 168 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 167 Abstentions: 6 Number of members voting: 161 Required two-thirds majority: 108 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 158 Slovakia 3

I congratulate the States which have been elected members of the Security Council and I thank the tellers for their assistance in this election. This concludes our consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 15.