3rd SOCHUM

Letter from the Secretariat

Introduction to the Dais

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Topic B: Refugees in Greece 10

3Committee Description

Letter from the Secretariat1

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Incoming Delegates:

Welcome to LAIMUN XXII! We are thrilled to put on our twenty-second conference – now with both Advanced and Novice committees.

Our chairs intend to hold all delegates, novice and advanced, to high standards of research, solutions, speech, and diplomacy.

With regard to resolutions and amendments, we have a strict no pre-written policy. All of your work must be original, created following the start of the first committee session.

We hope that you will get as much out of this experience as possible. While we do wish to run a professional conference, that should not hold you back from enjoying spirited debate in each committee.

If you have any questions, procedural or otherwise, you may direct them to ga@mchsmun.org. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any inquiries or concerns. We wish you all the best of luck and look forward to seeing you in December!

All the best,

Eliza Davis and Matthew Dumont Tooba Wasi Secretaries-General Under-Secretary General

Introduction to the Dias2

Welcome, delegates!My name is Jenna Billingsley and this year I will be chairing SOCHUM Novice. I am

a senior here at Mira Costa and this is my fourth year participating in our Model UN program. Throughout these years, I have had a lot of fun competing in local conferences as well as conferences in Berkeley, San Francisco, and Chicago. I have made many great memories in the program as well as many great friends. Aside from Model UN, I participate in various sports and I am also very involved in the Mira Costa Drama and Tech Department. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my friends, working at a flower arrangement store, and going to shows and concerts. Music has been a huge influence on my life, as well as singing, musical theater, and dance. I am really looking forward to meeting all of you in debate; I hope all of you come as prepared and as excited as I am!

Best wishes,Jenna Billingsley

Hello!My name is Harrison Murphy, and I am currently a Junior at Mira Costa High School.

This is my 3rd year of MUN and I have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to travel and compete throughout the country. From San Francisco to Boston, my MUN experience has truly been one to remember. Every committee I have been in is a valuable part of the delegate I have become and I hope that this coming committee will be just as memorable for you. Outside of MUN, you can often find me playing volleyball, whether it be on the beach or in the gym, and it really has developed into another passion of mine. I'm also a huge football fan, especially when it comes to watching my favorite team, the USC Trojans. I'm also a fan of the Rams, Lakers, Dodgers, and Kings, and will watch all of these teams play on occasion. I look forward to a productive committee session talking about two topics that interest me greatly and also meeting all of you.

Best wishes,Harrison Murphy

Please email your papers and any questions/concerns to sochum.novice.laimunxxii@gmail.com. Happy preparing and good luck!

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SOCHUM, the Third Committee of the United Nations, focuses on the Social,

Cultural, and Humanitarian Issues facing the world today. This includes topics such as

maintaining human rights to preserving cultural minorities. SOCHUM has been on the

front lines of many global issues, including but not limited to the Wars in Bosnia and

Kosovo and the conflicts in Afghanistan. SOCHUM receives its power and jurisdiction

from the original UN Charter, as it was one of the six original committees that would later

come to form the modern United Nations General Assembly. Joining DISEC, ECOFIN,

and Legal, among others, SOCHUM has worked for decades to protect the people of

Earth, as the people are the lifeblood of our world, and all must be protected in order to

ensure the wellbeing of humanity. Most recently, SOCHUM has passed resolutions

covering topics such as Children’s Rights, Human Rights Defenders, and Self-

Determination, among many other pressing issues.

Topic A: The Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen

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I. Background

The Republic of Yemen has been in complete turmoil since 2011 when protests

broke out concerning various social issues such as corruption and unemployment. A

serious concern of the people was the president of that time, who had just suspended the

limit on presidential terms. This, along with a plethora of past disagreements and

hostilities, sent Yemen over the edge resulting in a humanitarian situation that they could

no longer handle by themselves. Because of the long strain of instability, Yemen is now

home to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Before March of 2014, two-thirds

of Yemen’s youth population was unemployed and half of the entire population lived

under the poverty line. Citizens grew restless and violent while protesting their beliefs,

and the government’s crackdown worsened the situation. After the Saudis organized

bombings in March, four out of five Yemenis now require some sort of aid in order to

survive.

Yemen relies on imports for 90% of it nations food. However, because of conflicts

around the ports and various embargos on the nation, food is unable to be transported into

the country and as a result, the people of Yemen are being constantly deprived of

nutrition. This is causing rising numbers in malnutrition. A recent survey conducted

within Yemen uncovered that more than 30% of children suffered from malnutrition.

Along with serious food issues, the people of Yemen also suffer from a lack of clean

drinking water which leaves them at risk for various diseases. Yemenis are also not able

to receive the help that they need because of a lack of healthcare and medical

infrastructure. The protests and

5hostility within the nation have also destroyed much of the country’s already poor

infrastructure. This, along with the fighting and bombings themselves, are the causes of

over 2.4 million Yemenis fleeing their homes, becoming refugees.

II. UN Involvement

The United Nations has been vital in aiding the development of Yemen. When civil

war broke out in Yemen in 1962, the UN took action and even created a specialized

committee called the United Nations Yemen Observation Mission (UNYOM) to deal with

the rising chaos. Today, various branches of the United Nations are working within and

regarding Yemen to try to mend the seemingly never ending unrest. UN efforts, headed by

the Special Envoy to the Secretary-General, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, are focusing on

bringing peace to the hostile nation by means of peace talks. The first talks were initiated

in June 2015 in Geneva; then, a second attempt was made in December 2015 in

Switzerland. Most recently, they resumed on April 21, 2016 in Kuwait with “the aim to

reach an agreement on ending the violence and devastation in the country” (Ismail Ould

Cheikh Ahmed, Special Envoy to the Secretary-General on Yemen). Focused committees,

such as the UNDP, have also concentrated special efforts in Yemen. The UNDP has

allocated specific time to concentrate on Yemen, focusing on rebuilding the nation and

bettering the lives of its people. They are not only emphasizing the need for basic items

but are also working to reach better communities as a whole by constructing new policies

and organizations while also establishing new public services and institutions.

III. Topics to Consider

Lack of Clean Drinking Water

One very important aspect in this issue is the lack of clean drinking water. One of

the main points that plays into this is the fact that there have been various restraints set on

6imports- one of them being fuel. Fuel, however, is a necessary component to storing water.

The lack of fuel results in the inability to store clean water. This causes many people to

resort to unfiltered wells or traveling long distances to find water to drink or use. The

people who usually have to find the water are girls who then are not able to attend school,

resulting in a lack of educated youth. The clean water shortage also leads to the rapid

spread of diseases such as cholera. Yemen does not have the ability to take care of medical

epidemics, so this poses an extremely dangerous threat to the population.

Rising Number of Refugees

Another important aspect in this issue is the rising number of refugees. Although

there are over 2.4 million Yemenis displaced, only around 170,000 of these people have

actually fled the country. This leaves the remaining 2.2 displaced Yemenis still in Yemen

-- internally displaced. Yemen has been known for its hospitality towards various groups

of refugees, so this is a deterrent for the people who are forced to leave their homes to

leave the nation itself. This, along with the fact that the nation is surrounded completely by

desert and ocean, has caused many people to stay within the nation’s borders. However,

currently, Yemen does not have a strong enough foundation to support these internally

displaced peoples.

Lack of Food and its Effect on the Economy

A third important aspect to this issue is the effect that the lack of food is having on

the economy of the nation. Because of the scarcity of food, the prices of items have

skyrocketed. This has led to serious issues in the Central Bank of Yemen, creating more

problems for the already poor nation. Because citizens do not have the money to pay for

food, they have begun to buy off credit, but are unable to pay their loans back. This has

angered lenders, causing them to be hesitant and withholding with their money. The

economic issue is rapidly spiralling out of control, and it is unclear how much longer

Yemen can last before their economy is irreversibly decimated.

7IV. Case Study

Djibouti

Out of the small fraction of refugees who have actually left Yemen, a large

percentage have sought refuge in the neighboring country of Djibouti. These refugees are

mostly women and children, in dire need of a place to live after being brutally forced from

the homes in which they once peacefully lived. Since April 2015, over 15,000 Yemeni

refugees have fled Yemen and crossed Djibouti’s borders. These people are seeking asylum

in a place where they can reunite with family, feel safe, and receive the aid that they

desperately need. However, the large number crossing the border into Djibouti has shown

the international community how much aid these people really need- something that

Djibouti does not have a lot of. The incoming people are in need of various support- both

physical and psychological. They believe that they will be able to rehabilitate after

escaping the current state of Yemen reaching Djibouti. However, Djibouti does not have

the capacity nor the physical ability to aid these people in their current state.

V. Questions to Consider

1. From the standpoint of your particular nation, which aspect of this crisis should be

dealt with first and with the highest intensity?

2. Regarding the internally displaced Yemeni refugees, where should they be placed

to ensure their safety, rehabilitation, and well-being?

3. Will the embargos and blockades affect your nation’s solutions? If so, how will

your nation work around them? Will you propose to resolve them?

4. How will the people’s needs for medication, food, water, supplies, and protection

be met throughout Yemen’s state of complete turmoil?

8Works Cited

"Home." UNDP in Yemen. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://www.ye.undp.org/>.

The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. 22 May 2016. <http:

//www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-conflict-eighty-per-cent-

population-need-humanitarian-assistance-aid-oxfam-a6954116.html>.

"Malnutrition Data Should." IRIN. N.p., 26 Dec. 2011. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://www.

irinnews.org/report/94533/yemen-malnutrition-data-should-%E2%80%9Cshock%

E2%80%9D>.

Salhani, Justin. "The World Doesn’t Care About Yemen’s Refugees. Here’s Why."

ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 09 Mar. 2016. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://thinkprogress.

org/world/2016/03/09/3758206/yemen-refugees/>.

"UNITED NATIONS YEMEN OBSERVATION MISSION (UNYOM) - Background."

UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://www.un.

org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unyombackgr.html>.

Whitehead, Frederika. "Water Scarcity in Yemen: The Country's Forgotten Conflict." The

Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 Apr. 2015. Web. 22 May 2016. <http:

//www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-

network/2015/apr/02/water-scarcity-yemen-conflict>.

"Yemen Crisis: How Bad Is the Humanitarian Situation?" BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 22

May 2016. <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34011187>.

"Yemen Is Now the World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis." Public Radio International. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-12-22/yemen-now-world-

s-worst-humanitarian-crisis>.

"Yemen." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 22 May 2016. <http://www.un.

org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=154&Body=Yemen&Bod

9y1>.

"Yemeni Refugees Seek Shelter in Djibouti." - Al Jazeera English. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May

2016. <http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/11/yemeni-refugees-seek-

shelter-djibouti-151113094929289.html>.

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I. Background

Ever since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, people have been fleeing

Syria and its surrounding areas. While initially neighboring nations such as Turkey and

Lebanon were able to take in these refugees, the sheer number of refugees soon skyrocketed

out of control. Many refugees were forced to traverse the treacherous waters of the

Mediterranean in order to reach safety in Europe. The Greek Island of Lesbos was soon

flooded with refugees, and these refugees traveled onto the mainland of Greece and then

traveled into Europe. By mid-2015 thousands of refugees were crowding into Europe, and

nations were unable to deal with this immense influx of people.

Some European nations were receptive of these refugees, such as Germany, where

Prime Minister Angela Merkel opened the nation’s borders and ended up taking in thousands

of refugees. However, most nations responded in a hostile manner. Nations such as Hungary

began closing their borders to Syrian refugees. More and more European citizens became

opposed to taking in refugees, especially after events such as the terrorist attacks on

November 13, 2015 in Paris, France, because refugees were viewed to be a threat to national

security. Then, a group of Balkan nations led by Austria decided to close their borders to

refugees, leaving the route from Greece to the rest of Europe closed. This began a heavy

buildup of Syrians who are stuck in Greece, and another problem that the Greek government

has to deal with. Wasteful spending and mismanagement of funds by the Greek government

in 2009 led them to request financial aid. The new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has

extended austerity measures and has help put payment plans into place, but nevertheless, the

11Greek government is pressed for funds and therefore cannot divert enough funds to the refugees

who need it. When Syrians initially began coming to Greece, the government planned to

implement five “hotspots,” or reception centers, designed to register these refugees into a

database in order to keep track of them. But, only one of the five is actually operational as of

now; the other four lack sufficient funds and have become essentially useless. This is just one

of many examples of why the Greek government is unequipped to deal with a catastrophe of

such a large magnitude.

On March 20, 2016, the EU-Turkey Migration Deal came into effect. Focused on

solving the problem in Greece, it stated that refugees who do not apply for asylum or have had

their claims rejected will be sent back to Turkey. But this deal has been widely criticized ever

since it came into effect. When a Greek Judge ruled on May 19, 2016 that a refugee should not

be sent back to Turkey because it is “unsafe,” this confirmed what many, such as Amnesty

International, had been saying about sending refugees back to Turkey: It’s not in their best

interest. On top of this, President Erdogan has threatened to cancel this deal unless Turks are

allowed access to Europe without having to acquire a visa. With no foreseeable end in sight,

many refugees in Greece face poor living conditions and threats of being deported.

II. UN Involvement

Many UN Committees have stated that the global refugee crisis is the largest and most

pressing humanitarian problem facing our world today. The UN has devoted much of it's

resources to providing support for those affected by this issue. Multiple refugee camps have

been set up by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in the regions

surrounding Syria in order to shelter these refugees and prevent the overflow of refugees into

Europe. Additionally, the UN has launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about

the conditions of refugees. Known as the #TakeNotice campaign, it aims to creating a more

accepting global environment for refugees. Campaigns such as these have come about because

12the UN and other organizations believe that the world has been largely unreceptive when it

comes to the refugee crisis and must therefore spread awareness to this issue.

However, when it comes to refugees in Greece, the UN has given almost no aid to

either the Greek government or the refugees themselves, and this has had a negative impact

on the situation as a whole. As stated previously, the Greek government hasn’t been able to

efficiently deal with the crisis because of the lack of funds. But recently, they have taken

more action, relocating refugees out of the chaotic and unorganized camp in Idomeni to

organized camps throughout Greece, proving that the Greek government is starting to deal

with the crisis on their own, although assistance from outside sources with still be needed.

III. Topics to Consider

Social Stigmas

Social stigmas against refugees throughout Europe are a major problem. The crisis

led to a surge of far-right, anti-refugee political parties throughout Eastern Europe, mainly in

the Balkan regions. Parties such as the Golden Dawn Party in Greece and the Freedom Party

in Austria have begun playing a large role in the politics of each of these respective nations.

In fact, the Freedom Party nominee narrowly lost the election in the recent presidential

election in Austria. These parties appeal to the strong nationalist sentiments that still exist in

Europe and have played a big role in the stance of many nations on this issue. Even

Germany's long-sitting Chancellor Angela Merkel has been criticized by many in her

country for her open door policy to refugees. While this view of refuges has yet to bring

about change in Germany, it did bring about the closing of borders of many Balkan nations

and has brought about the problem in Greece. A major obstacle that must be crossed in order

to solve this problem is finding a way to convince these Balkan nations of the necessity of

opening their borders to stop the congestion of refugees in Northern Greece by finding ways

to deal with the mindset that the European far-right has brought into the continent.

13Number of Refugees

One of the most challenging parts about this issue is the uncertainty regarding how

many refugees are actually stranded in Greece. Because they are so spread out throughout the

nation and often unregistered with government officials, there will likely never be an exact

number of the refugees in Greece. One news source estimated that there were as many as

70,000 stranded in Greece in March of 2016, and it has only increased since then. Because of

the uncertainty surrounding where and how many of these refugees there are, it is hard to

properly aid these people. Furthermore, most of the UN's operation regarding refugees has

taken place in the Middle East and because of the lack of a strong economy, Greece has been

largely unable to find an effective way to deal with the problem. An effective and reliable

means of providing support for these ailing refugees in Greece must be at the top of the

agenda for any discussion regarding this issue, and in order to efficiently deal with the

problem the total number of refugees not just in the country,

Financial Situation in Greece

To make matters worse, Greece is already in an extremely precarious financial

situation, as they have had to rely on austerity measures and loans from the IMF and other

European Nations to keep their economy afloat. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has taken on a

more conciliatory tone than his predecessors and is working towards paying off the mounting

debt that has accumulated in his country over the years. But this has become more and more

difficult, as government spending on supporting Syrian refugees is severely hampering their

progress. In order for the Greek government to effectively deal with these refugees, the state

of the economy has to improve, or else the refugees will end up suffering the consequences.

IV. Case Study

Idomeni Camp

The Greek camp of Idomeni, although disbanded by the government on May 24,

142016, is a perfect example of the state that the refugees live in on a day to day basis. Food at

this camp was scarce, as was water, and people we’re living and sleeping wherever they

possible could. Not only that, but Macedonian border police have been attacking refugees

that approach the border with tear gas. It’s more of a makeshift camp than an actual camp,

but with an estimated population of 11,000. In one instance, Panagiota Vasileiadou, and 82

year-old Greek grandmother, took refugees into her home in order to properly care for them.

She says she found them malnourished and in desperate need of attention and hope. She has

cared for them ever since. Although this is a good story, it is one among hundreds, maybe

thousands of bad stories, and conditions like these are something that absolutely must be

dealt with.

V. Guiding Questions

1. What can be done to improve the conditions that the refugees in Greece live in? How

can you adapt this to multiple regions and a scattered group of refugees? How will

this be funded?

2. How can the system in Greece be improved in order to efficiently track and aid

refugees?

3. What can be done to improve the financial situation of the Greek government? How

will this solution enable the government to help the refugees?

4. How can this problem be solved both in the short-term and in the long-term? Should

refugees stay in Greece or should they be sent back?

15Works Cited

"European Migrant Crisis Timeline." European Migrant Crisis Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 23

May 2016. <http://mapreport.com/countries/european_migrant_crisis.html#2015>.

The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/refugee-crisis-timeline-how-the-cris

is-has-grown-10502690.html>.

"Migrant Crisis: EU-Turkey Deal Comes into Effect." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May

2016. <http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35854413>.

"Our Mission - USA for UNHCR." USA for UNHCR. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.unrefugees.org/about-us/mission/>.

Person, and Stelios Bouras. "Balkan Countries Completely Seal Off Migrant Trail as Part of EU

Plan." WSJ. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.wsj.com/articles/macedonia-completely-closes-border-with-greece-to-migr

ants-1457521754>.

"Refugee and Migrant Children at Risk of Exploitation in Greece." Save the Children UK. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/2015-08/refugee-and-migrant-children-risk-exploit

ation-greece>.

"Refugee Crisis: 70,000 May Be Stuck in Greece in March." - Al Jazeera English. N.p., n.d.

Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/02/macedonia-greek-border-faces-humanitarian-

challenge-160228135807844.html>.

"Syria Profile - Timeline - BBC News." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14703995>.

"Syria Refugee Crisis -USA for UNHCR." USA for UNHCR. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.unrefugees.org/where-we-work/syria/>.

16"UN Secretary General Says More Help Needed for Syrian Refugees." UNHCR News. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 23 May 2016.

<http://www.unhcr.org/en-us/news/latest/2016/3/56fb98dc3/un-secretary-general-says-h

elp-needed-syrian-refugees.html>.