This is what President Zelensky told the United Nations about the atrocities committed against Ukrainian citizens by Russian soldiers:“They cut off limbs, slashed their throats, women raped and killed in front of their children. Their tongues were pulled out only because the aggressor did not hear what they wanted to hear from them.”
“The Russian military … purposefully killed anyone who served our country. They shot and killed women outside their houses…They killed entire families, adults and children, and they tried to burn the bodies. I am addressing you on behalf of the people who honor the memory of the deceased every single day and the memory of the civilians who died, they were shot and killed in the back of their head after being tortured. Some of them were shot on the streets.”
“There is not a single crime they would not commit there just for their pleasure.”
“Where is the security that the Security Council is supposed to be guaranteed?”
“Are you ready to close the U.N.? Do you think that the time of international law is gone? If your answer is no, then you need to act immediately.”
His words are powerful because he is right. War crimes are being committed against innocent civilians in Ukraine. Genocide is being committed against the Ukrainian people. And that's not all. Putin has ordered the bombing and missile strikes against civilian population centers.
One American general has declared that the war could go on for years. If true, that would be devastating for the Ukrainian population. The population would virtually be wiped out!
The United Nations is failing the Ukrainian people!
NATO is failing the Ukrainian people!
The United States is failing the Ukrainian people!
All of these organizations claim to be defenders of human rights. But they are failing in their duty to actually defend human rights.
Applying and supporting economic sanctions does not stop the human rights violations. Supplying weapons to the Ukrainian army does not stop the human rights violations, since it could take years for them to win the war.
I am not usually in favor of any war. But there are times when it cannot be avoided, and failure to engage those committing human rights violations on a massive and continuing scale is cowardice -- not prudence.
The United Nations cannot act because of their structure (with Russia having a veto over any proposed action). But the United States and NATO could act.
At the very least, a no-fly zone could be established over Ukraine (including the Eastern provinces). This, along with supplying missile defenses, could stop much of the carnage. And the West should stop saying troops would not engage the Russians in Ukraine. That should be an option that Russia has to consider when violating human rights, and may actually be needed in the future.
It's easy to mouth platitudes about human rights. But it's time for the West to live up to their words.
