A/69/266 information is neglected or rejected by the State in question and does not lead to action or further investigation. In some cases, a practice of denia l of allegations by minorities and those working on their behalf and an adversarial relationship between the State and civil society are evident and result in a failure to appropriately address issues and complaints at all levels. This may reflect a wider political stance on minority communities and their marginalized position. A culture of dialogue should replace a culture of distrust. F. Cooperation with regional and international organizations 76. Regional organizations can have a significant role in preventing and responding to violence, including by engaging with States in a preventative, fact -finding or conflict-mediation capacity. Some regional organizations have practical tools dedicated to minority issues based on strong regional standards. The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is devoted to conflict prevention and early warning of situations that pose a threat to minority communities. Strengthening the attention paid to minority issues by other regional bodies, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which currently lack dedicated mechanisms to monitor the situation of minorities, is vital to regional-based violence prevention initiatives. 77. A coordinated crisis response involving regional and international organizations took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2008, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) deployed two teams on the ground to assess the situation of escalating violence in the country. In parallel, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region initiated the creation of a United Nations intervention brigade, which was supported by SADC. In 2013, a comprehensive peace agreement, sponsored by the United Nations and containin g specific measures to foster peace and stability in the region, was signed by the members of the International Conference. VII. Promoting the responsibility to protect 78. The responsibility to protect is a concept of great significance in the protec tion of disadvantaged minorities from violence. The political will to prevent violence and protect vulnerable communities is an essential prerequisite. In some situations of violence, Governments lack the capacity to end it and must be assisted to do so; however, history demonstrates the central role that States have played in coordinating mass atrocities against minorities. The State, with its frequent domination by a single ethnic or religious group, control over security resources, national media, infrastructure and institutions, can be an efficient perpetrator of violence. Recent evidence also demonstrates that the State as perpetrator is not a matter of history but a modern-day reality. 79. The Secretary-General has laid out a three-pillar strategy for the implementation of the responsibility to protect (see A/63/677), drawn from paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome. The first pillar emphasizes the primary responsibility of States to protect their populations by preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity (atrocity crimes). The second highlights the commitment of the international community to assist States to meet their 20/24 14-58850

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