Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council, and the involvement of the International Criminal Court or threat thereof. Rapid response measures can also be used to re-enforce domestic accountability capacities. While the pre-occupation is often on accountability for mass atrocities we need to begin to look more closely at the impact that widespread criminality plays in increasing insecurity and creating security vacuums that can leave minorities at heightened risk and compels all sides to arm themselves. In the Central African Republic rapid response accountability mechanisms should include measures to help re-build destroyed prisons, provide physical protection to judges and advocates, and provide international legal assistance to try cases involving serious criminality as well as mass atrocities. (3) Peace messaging to counter dangerous speech and divisions as well as local-level mediation and dispute resolution between communities can help to defuse situations. In that process, non-state actors including notably community, religious and political leaders are critical allies in de-escalating situations where violence and atrocities are unfolding. In Guinea in 2010 we saw domestic, regional and international actors use these measures to help avert further atrocities. Following a massacre of over 150 Guineans and the sexual assault of women from ethnic minorities by government security forces, targeted economic sanctions and travel bans were placed on senior Junta leaders, including the former Minister of Defense who was serving as the interim President. This, along with the threat of an International Criminal Court investigation, is reported to have played a significant deterrent impact. The interim President called repeatedly for calm, visited the military barracks to warn soldiers that they would be held accountable for any crimes they perpetrated and he agreed to stop down in favour of a civilian government. In addition to the threat of the ICC, a Commission of Inquiry investigated and reported that crimes against humanity were perpetrated and the UN worked with the government to try to advance accountability at the national level. Mediation between Presidential candidates resulted in the candidates similarly appealing messages of calm to their supporters. An infusion of support from the UN helped to spread messages of tolerance and peace throughout the country though formal and informal means. Religious and community leaders were brought together for peace forums and peace tours, spoke out against dangerous speech and were asked to mediate disputes at the local level amongst their communities. These efforts combined help to avert ethnic conflict and further atrocities. Guinea, though fragile today, is an example of where domestic and international protective efforts worked. They were buttressed by a strong desire from peace amongst the Guinean public, and the tireless efforts of local civil society. Today we need to see the same level of coordinated and sustained engagement and a willingness to use an array of tools in a calibrated way to provide protection to vulnerable targeted minorities around the world. Guinea was fortunate in that there were not major obstacles preventing a response by the UN Security Council nor was there a call for a UN