Statement by President Michael D. Higgins following illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date: Tue 1st Mar, 2022 | 14:53
That we have returned to the terror of war, the abuse by the powerful of its neighbour, the flagrant violations of the principles the United Nations, a great sense of darkness has fallen across the world at the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine.
The hearts of the Irish people go out to all of those who are suffering from this completely unacceptable, immoral and unjustified violence. Our television screens carry images of all those mothers and children crossing borders in order to flee the mayhem which is being inflicted upon them by the military forces of an invading powerful neighbour, one that is operating with total disregard for the principles of international law, and our thoughts are with those brave Ukrainian people struggling to defend their homes and country.
This violence must stop. Its continuance has catastrophic consequences, yes most immediately for Ukraine, but for the entire world. Troops must be withdrawn by Russia. The rise of this imperialism and militarism must end. Full humanitarian access must be given to all civilians in need. Every glimmer of hope through diplomacy must be seized.
Humanity that had achieved one of its most significant acts of co-operation with the international agreements on Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Goals. Now, as we hear reports of the perilous level to which the planet has come, in some aspects near irreversible, as millions are displaced by desertification through climate change, we must not allow ourselves to be mired in militarism, while our planet burns and millions are dying of hunger.
I call on all those inflicting this violence to reflect on that great principle that is lodged in the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and its affirmation that “recognition of the inherent dignity, and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family, is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. The price paid for what are blatant abuses of human rights principles and international law will fall on citizens on whom all of the consequences will endure in global isolation. We must support the efforts of all those who in such difficult circumstances are bravely calling for peace.
These times, these events, however challenging are times for diplomacy, for multilateralism and for our international institutions. At times like these, it is essential that the peoples of the world come together and demand that the peace that is in the Charter of the United Nations remains not only an alternative to war, but where our best hopes for humanity lie.
We must respond, all of us to the tiny glimmers of hope, through dialogue, which we have seen to bring this dreadful nightmare to an end and restore our shared task of peace-building, tackling global hunger, needs of nutrition, poverty and the consequences of climate change.