While addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on 'Conflict-Related Sexual Violence' on Tuesday, India's Charge d'Affaires Eldos Mathew Punnoos shed light on Pakistan's history of sexual violence since 1971.
Punnoos accused Pakistan of sexual crimes against women of the minority communities in the country, calling it "highly concerning" in his statement. He said, "The utter impunity with which the Pakistan Army perpetrated heinous crimes of gross sexual violence against hundreds of thousands of women in erstwhile East Pakistan in 1971 is a matter of shameful record. The deplorable pattern continues unabated and with impunity to this day."
He also went on to question the actions of the Pakistani Army back in 1971 against the Bangladeshi women during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Punnoos said, "Rampant abduction, trafficking, early child and forced marriages, domestic servitude, sexual violence, and forced religious conversions of thousands of vulnerable girls and women as weapons of persecution towards religious and ethnic minority communities are reported and chronicled, including in the recent OHCHR reports."
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While claiming that Pakistan's judicial system validates these kinds of offences against women, Punnoos added, "These reports highlight that its judiciary also validates the vile acts by Pakistan. It is ironic that those who perpetrate these crimes are now masquerading as champions of justice. The duplicity and hypocrisy are self-evident."
He called out for accountability, stating that the perpetrators of such crimes need to be punished. Punnoos said, "Sexual violence in conflict zones not only destroys individual lives, but tears apart the very fabric of societies, leaving lasting scars on communities for generations."
He added, "A multi-faceted approach is essential to address this crime and offer support to its survivors. This includes prosecuting and deterring such crimes in conflict situations, ensuring no impunity for perpetrators, and adopting a survivor-centric approach in prevention and response mechanisms."
Highlighting the importance of the UNSC resolution 2467 (2019), he said, "UNSC resolution 2467 of 2019 has been instrumental in highlighting the need to provide victims access to national relief and reparation programs, healthcare, psychosocial care, safe shelter, legal aid, and facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration efforts to bring a semblance of normalcy to their lives."
Punnoos stated that India was one of the first nations to contribute to the UN Secretary General's Trust Fund to support victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. India also signed a voluntary compact with the UN in 2017 on eliminating sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, humanitarian, and development work.
The UN official also said that India has pioneered women-led peacekeeping deployments in the past, in Liberia, Monosco, UNICEF, and UNMAS, and is ready to share this expertise globally.
Concluding India's stance, Punnoos said, "As I conclude, allow me to once again reaffirm India's unwavering commitment to root out sexual violence in armed conflict and support and assist survivors of such heinous crimes."