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Session Human Rights Council 23. march 2021 - Item: 10 General Debate (Cont'd) - 47th Meeting, 46th Regular Session 

I had the opportunity to speak at the UN on human rights. My short speech:

Dear participants. Dear High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Bachelet. Thank you for the opportunity to speak here.

My name is Hendrik Weber from Norway. I am the head of the organization "People´s Diplomacy Norway". Since 2016, I have made numerous trips to see and assess the situation in Crimea and in the two self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

During my travels, I was able to compare the two regions, Crimea and Donbass, and see the different living conditions.

In Crimea I could see a peaceful situation where almost all people are satisfied with the reunification with Russia in 2014. In the republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, on the other hand, war continues and a whole generation of children grow up with the trauma of war.

Despite the Minsk agreements, we see a new escalation of the situation by the Ukrainian government and military in recent weeks. Civilians and children on both sides of the frontline are suffering from this war that has been going on for 7 years now.

That is why I would like to ask the High Commissioner for Human Rights to advocate that the Ukrainian government enter into direct talks with the governments in the two self-proclaimed republics. Only a direct dialogue can end this war.

Thank you very much.