a handbook for delegates
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A guide to help you have a great performance at AtidMUN 2011TRANSCRIPT
COLEGIO ATID ATIDMUN 2011
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How can we overcome our differences as we preserve our planet in order to stay alive and coexist?
Simple...let's get ready for ATID MUN 2011!
Together we can make it!
WELCOME DELEGATES!
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RESEARCH
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Collecting Country Information | Research Overview First, you will need to learn about your country so you can address the issues raised at the conference as a real UN delegate from that country. To represent your country accurately, start by answering the following questions:
What sort of government does your country have? What types of ideologies (political, religious or other) influence your country’s government? Which domestic issues might influence your country’s foreign policy? What are some major events in your country’s history? Why are they important? Which ethnicities, religions and languages can be found in your country? Where is your country located and how does its geography affect its political relationships? Which countries share a border with your country? Which countries are considered allies of your country? Which countries are considered enemies of your country? What are the characteristics of your country’s economy? What is your country’s gross domestic product (GDP)? How does this compare to other countries in
the world? When did your country become a member of the UN? Does your country belong to any intergovernmental organizations outside the UN system such as the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
Does your country belong to any regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) or the Organization of American States (OAS)?
Does your country belong to any trade organizations or agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)?
Tips for Researching Your Country
Look up your country’s permanent mission to the UN. You can also call the mission directly to ask questions or request a position statement on an issue.
Find your country’s voting records and read speeches on the United Nations Bibliographic Information System website.
Look at the CIA World Factbook for a general overview on your country, and for figures and statistics as well. The World Factbook is produced by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Would your country’s government agree with the way your country is characterized in the World Factbook?
Check out news and media sources for recent developments in your country.
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Read the US State Department report on your country. Call the US State Department desk officer for your country to find out more about conditions there.
How to Find UN Documents in Five Steps or Less The UN has made it easier than ever to find resolutions, treaties, speeches, decisions, voting records and more on its website. Below is a list of where to locate commonly used documents, followed by specific instructions.
1. The UN Bibliographic Information System (UNBISnet), available at unbisnet.un.org, can be used to find:
Resolutions passed by the Security Council, ECOSOC, and General Assembly (1946 onward);
Voting records for all resolutions which were adopted by the General Assembly (1983 onward) and the Security Council; and
Speeches made in the General Assembly (1983 onward), the Security Council (1983 onward), the Economic and Social Council (1983 onward), and the Trusteeship Council (1982 onward).
2. The UN News Centre, available at www.un.org/news, can be used to find press releases from UN bodies and the Secretary-General.
3. The International Court of Justice's website, available at www.icj-cij.org, can be used to locate ICJ decisions.
4. For research, news and resources on specific topics, the UN's website has a section on "Issues on the UN Agenda," available at www.un.org/issues.
How to Find Resolutions Passed on Any Topic
1. Go to UNBISnet at unbisnet.un.org 2. Under the heading "Bibliographic Records," click on "New Keyword Search." 3. You are presented with four optional search fields.
Enter a topic or keyword next to "Subject (All)." If you want to refine your search to one specific body, such as the Security Council,
select "UN Doc. Symbol / Sales No." in the second drop-down menu, and enter the appropriate resolution code. For instance, all Security Council resolutions begin with S/RES; all General Assembly resolutions begin with A/RES; all ECOSOC resolutions begin with E/Year where year is the year in which the resolution passed. Enter any of these codes in the second search field, or leave it blank to search all committees on the topic.
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To limit the search results by date, scroll down to the "User Defined Limits" and select "Year of Publication," the appropriate delimiter, and enter the year of the resolution.
4. Click on the "Go" button. 5. All the resolutions passed by the UN on that subject will appear in a list. If available, a link to
the actual resolution will be provided in each of the official UN languages.
How to Find Voting Records for a General Assembly or Security Council Resolution
NOTE: GA resolutions passed before 1983 are not available.
1. Go to UNBISnet at unbisnet.un.org 2. Under the heading "Voting Records," click on "New Keyword Search." 3. You are presented with four optional search fields. Enter the appropriate resolution number
next to the drop-down reading "UN Resolution Symbol." 4. Click on the "Go" button. 5. The resolution you want will come up. Under the resolution number is a link to the full text of
the resolution. Below that is the full voting history, with Y and N standing for yes and no votes.
How to Find Speeches on an Issue Delivered by Your Country's Representatives
NOTE: Speeches are only available if they were made in the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, or Security Council since 1983; not all speeches made in this time are yet online. Most speeches made in subsidiary bodies of these organs will not be available.
1. Go to UNBISnet at unbisnet.un.org. 2. Under the heading "Index to Speeches," click on "New Keyword Search." 3. You are presented with four optional search fields.
Enter the country's name next to the drop-down reading "Country/Organization." If you would like to limit the topic, enter a keyword next to the drop-down reading
"Topic." To limit the UN body in which the speech was given, enter the appropriate code next to
the drop-down reading "Meeting Record Symbol." Enter A for the General Assembly, S for the Security Council, E for ECOSOC or T for the Trusteeship Council.
4. Click on the "Go" button. 5. All speeches given by your country on this topic will be listed. Click on the link to display the full
text of the speech if it is available.
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How to Find All Press Releases on a Topic
NOTE: Only press releases issued in 1995 or later are available.
1. Go to the Press Release Series Symbols Index at www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/press1.htm. Scroll down until you see your committee. Record the symbol listed to the right of it.
2. Go to the UN News Centre at www.un.org/news. 3. Under "Press Releases" on the sidebar on the left, click on "Search." 4. The Full Text search page will appear. In the box next to the word "Keywords," type your topic
or a one-word description of it, a space and the symbol you found in Step 2. 5. Click on the "Search" button.
How to Find an ICJ Decision on a Specific Topic
1. Go to the ICJ website at www.icj-cij.org. 2. Click on "Decisions" in the header.
If you know the year of your case, scroll down until you find it. If you know just the topic of the case, or one of the parties, use the "find" function (Ctrl-
F on a PC) and enter the country name or keyword.
3. When you find the case, click on the appropriate link. 4. To see the full text of the decision, click on the "Judgment" link on the left of the page, if it is
available. If it is not available, the case has not yet been decided.
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POSITION PAPER
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How to Write a Position Paper
Writing a position paper might appear to be a daunting task, especially for new delegates. But with enough research, you will find that writing a position paper will be easy and useful.
Position papers are usually one to one-and-a-half pages in length. Your position paper should include a brief introduction followed by a comprehensive breakdown of your country's position on the topics that are being discussed by the committee. A good position paper will not only provide facts but also make proposals for resolutions.
Many conferences will ask for specific details in a position paper, so be sure to include all the required information. Most conferences will provide delegates a background guide to the issue. Usually, the background guide will contain questions to consider. Make sure that your position paper answers these questions.
Steps to Write a Good MUN Position Paper:
These steps will provide a clear and concise guide to writing a MUN position paper. Once you get in the habit of writing in this style, position papers will never stress you out again.
1. Step 1: Style Guidelines
First, when you first state the name of your nation use the long form name (i.e. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) followed by a parenthetical short form which you may use for the rest of the paper (i.e. The United Kingdom or the UK). Next, the words "I," "me," "my," should never appear in your paper. The reader does not care about your personal feelings, only your country's ideas. Refer to you country by its short form name (Rather than saying "I believe we should...." state that "The UK believes we should...") rather than writing in the first person. Third, write this as if it were a formal paper; do not address the reader directly, use a formal tone, and avoid using contractions - they have no place in formal writing. Finally, remember, you are writing from your country's perspective and their biases should show throughout.
2. Step 2: Organizing Your Paper
In general you will be trying to put a lot of information into a very confined space. There is no need to waste entire paragraphs on introductions and conclusions. You should have three distinct sections which, depending on the given length requirements, will range from being one paragraph to one page in length. These sections are: background of the topic or issue presented, background of your country's previous efforts to confront the topic or issue, and the ideas you, on behalf of your country, plan to bring to the table during committee. Generally, one topic per single-spaced page is a good rule of thumb to follow.
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3. Step 3: Background of the Topic or Issue Presented
This section should contain all the relevant information you could dig up on the issue, but should be focused through lens of your countries perspective. Developing nations have very different views on development aid than does the developed world. Major treaties should be referenced here, as well as whether your country has signed and/or ratified such treaties. Some topics have a lot of history, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a large number of treaties and agreements going back to 1948, but not all of them are relevant any longer. Choose carefully which to include. As a side not, your country's long form name should appear at the very latest in the second sentence of the paper.
4. Step 4: Your Country's Previous Efforts to Confront the Issue or Topic
In this section you can talk up your own efforts to solve the problem. If the topic is a lack of fresh drinking water in developing nations, research what programs have gone on in your particular nation. Find out which Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are working in your nation and how your government uses their aid. If your nation is developed, research what type of aid they provide and how it is used. Think of this section as a more narrow background section.
5. Step 5: Your Ideas
This is where the meat of the paper is. Having written and graded numerous position papers this is the element that is the difference between first place and honorable mention. The first two sections essentially prove you did your homework, which anyone can do with a little dedication. This final section tests your ability to think. You should always go into a simulation with goals and the beginnings of working papers and resolutions in mind. Put those ideas on paper in this section, not only will this show the judges your creativity, which may get lost in the crowd of 200 during the simulation, but may aid you in winning an award. If there are seven sponsors of a paper, but your position paper, turned in prior to the conference, clearly had all the ideas in it, credit can be given where it is due. There is no need to give great detail in this section, such as funding and all other fine details, but general plans are a necessity. A good strategy is to build off of previous efforts your country has undertaken and expand them globally, this way you are providing a logical transition from the second to the third section.
6. Step 6: Proof Reading
This should go without saying but, remember, proof your papers. Read them over two or three times for grammar and punctuation mistakes. Look for awkward syntax and ambiguity. When you are finished, make sure a friend proof reads it; we may be our own worst critics, yet because you know what you meant to write, your own eye will often gloss over minor mistakes. These look terrible to the judges. Check that you followed all the guidelines. Check all of your citations and the resolution numbers to make sure they are correct. Make sure that all NGOs are completely
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written out the first time you reference them (i.e. Human Rights Watch not HRW). Additionally, make sure your sentences are not repetitive. Parallel structure should be used sparingly, for emphasis, and, as always, the thesaurus is an excellent aid in writing a paper. Finally, bear in mind "brevity is the soul of wit."
Position Paper Tips
Keep it simple. To communicate strongly and effectively, avoid flowery wording and stick to uncomplicated language and sentence structure.
Make it official. Try to use the seal of your country or create an “official” letterhead for your position paper. The more realistic it looks, the more others will want to read it.
Get organized. Give each separate idea or proposal its own paragraph. Make sure each paragraph starts with a topic sentence.
Cite your sources. Use footnotes or endnotes to show where you found your facts and statistics. If you are unfamiliar with bibliographic form, look up the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines at your school’s library.
Read and reread. Leave time to edit your position paper. Ask yourself if the organization of the paper makes sense and double-check your spelling and grammar.
Speech! Speech! Do you plan to make an opening statement at your conference? A good position paper makes a great introductory speech. During debate, a good position paper will also help you to stick to your country’s policies.
Let the bullets fly. Try not to let your proposals become lost in a sea of information. For speechmaking, create a bulleted list of your proposals along with your most important facts and statistics so that you will not lose time looking for them during debate.
Sample Position Paper
Topic: Violence against Women Country: The Kingdom of Denmark Delegate: Juan Perez.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Although this doctrine was adopted in 1948, the
world has fallen quite short of this goal. Violence against women pervades all states and it is the duty
of the international community to ensure that all persons are afforded equality and respect.
Despite cooperative efforts at combating gross human rights abuses, such as the adoption of the
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the United Nations has not been able to
alleviate the injustice women worldwide experience daily.
The Kingdom of Denmark believes that in order to end violence against women, nations must look to
empower women in all aspects of society. This includes promoting equal gender roles in government,
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civil society, education and business. However, Denmark also recognizes the need to combat human
rights abuses against women as they occur, and no nation is immune to gender violence.
In 2002, the Danish Government launched an extensive action plan to combat domestic violence
against women. The plan includes measures to help treat abused women, identify and prosecute the
perpetrators, and incorporate professional medical and psychological staff into the rehabilitation
process. The action plan currently reaches out to both governmental and nongovernmental groups on
the local level throughout the nation.
The Danish Centre for Human Rights in Copenhagen, Denmark’s foremost national human rights
institution also promotes and protects human rights. Based on the Centre’s research, Denmark’s
parliament can promote human rights-based legislation and education/awareness programs
throughout the nation. The Centre also addresses the UN Commission on Human Rights annually
regarding human rights developments in Denmark and internationally. Denmark has no record of
committing major human rights violations, most importantly any targeted at women. In its 2003
Annual Report, Amnesty International also found no human rights violations against Danish women.
Women are invaluable to Denmark’s society and have achieved significant economic and social gains in
the 20th century. Currently, 75 percent of medical students in Denmark are women.
Denmark is confident that this Commission can bring about an end to violence against women without
compromising the sovereignty of member states. Education remains perhaps the most useful tool in
protecting victims of gender-based violence. Governments, UN agencies, and nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) can plan a coordinated campaign that educates national populations on the
various ways women are violently targeted. Similarly, harmful traditions, such as honor killings and
female genital mutilation, must be stopped by reforming traditional views of women in society.
Children of both sexes need to be taught at an early age to value the rights of women in order to
prevent such violence in their generation.
Another way to stop gender violence would be to reproach member states that consistently violate
treaties such as the Convention on Political Rights of Women (1952), the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979), and the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women (1993). Although this Committee cannot impose sanctions, it
can pass resolutions verbally condemning states that commit human rights violations. The UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights can also meet with representatives of governments that violate the
above treaties to discuss possible solutions.
In order to prevent gender violence, nations must work together to build a culture of support, equality
and community. As such, the Kingdom of Denmark looks forward to offering its support, in whatever
form possible, to nations firmly committed to ending violence against women in all its forms.
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HOW TO WRITE A
RESOLUTION
PROPOSAL
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Resolutions are basically written proposals on how to solve the problem. These solutions are of course never perfect, and thus have to be debated in the committees. This is the very essence of an MUN.
We advise you to prepare draft resolutions from home, so you have an idea what specific measures it is important for your country to implement into the resolution. At the conference you will team up with delegates of your committee/council/commission with a similar standpoint to yours, and work out the strongest resolution possible together through negotiation and compromise – as prescribed by your role as a diplomat. A resolution consists of three parts: The header, the perambulatory clauses and the operative clauses.
Header:
The header contains basic information on the topic at hand, the committee, council, or commission in which it was formed, the main submitter and the co-submitters.
Perambulatory clauses:
The perambulatory clauses further resolve facts about the topic at hand and clarify the background of the problem. These can also be used to derive which opinion or perspective the main submitter chose for the resolution. As with operative clauses, there are certain words one is allowed to use when starting a perambulatory clause:
Contemplating
Convinced
Declaring
Deeply concerned
Deeply conscious
Deeply convinced
Deeply disturbed
Deeply regretting
Desiring
Emphasizing
Expecting
Expressing its appreciation
Expressing its satisfaction
Fulfilling
Fully alarmed
Fully aware
Fully believing
Further deploring
Further recalling
Guided by
Having adopted
Having considered
Having considered further
Having devoted attention
Having examined
Having heard
Having received
Having studied
Noting further
Noting with approval
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Noting with deep concern
Noting with regret
Noting with satisfaction
Observing
Reaffirming
Realizing
Recalling
Recognizing
Referring
Seeking
Taking into account
Taking into consideration
Taking note
Welcoming
Operative clauses.
These clauses determine which actions there must to be taken, in order to solve the problem. This cannot, however, be done in a direct manner. Therefore, operative clauses must not directly request or demand, but rather encourage and urge. As with perambulatory clauses, operative clauses must start with one of the following words/combinations:
Accepts
Affirms
Approves
Asks
Authorizes
Calls
Calls upon
Condemns (only allowed in the Security Council)
Confirms
Congratulates
Considers
Declares accordingly
Demands (only allowed in the SC)
Deplores
Designates
Draws the attention
Emphasizes
Encourages
Endorses
Expresses its appreciation
Expresses its hope
Further invites
Further proclaims
Further recommends
Further reminds
Further resolves
Have resolved
Notes
Proclaims
Reaffirms
Recalls
Recommends
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Regrets
Reminds
Requests
Solemnly affirms
Strongly condemns (only allowed in the SC)
Supports
Takes note of
Transmits
Trusts
Urges
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Resolution Proposal Example
General Assembly Third Committee
Sponsors: United States, Austria and Italy.
Signatories: Greece, Tajikistan, Japan, Canada, Mali, the Netherlands and Gabon.
Topic: “Strengthening UN coordination of humanitarian assistance in complex
emergencies”
The General Assembly,
Reminding all nations of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity, equality and
inalienable rights of all global citizens, [use commas to separate preambulatory clauses]
Reaffirming its Resolution 33/1996 of 25 July 1996, which encourages Governments to
work with UN bodies aimed at improving the coordination and effectiveness of
humanitarian assistance,
Noting with satisfaction the past efforts of various relevant UN bodies and
nongovernmental organizations,
Stressing the fact that the United Nations faces significant financial obstacles and is in
need of reform, particularly in the humanitarian realm,
1. Encourages all relevant agencies of the United Nations to collaborate more closely with
countries at the grassroots level to enhance the carrying out of relief efforts; [use
semicolons to separate operative clauses]
2. Urges member states to comply with the goals of the UN Department of Humanitarian
Affairs to streamline efforts of humanitarian aid;
3. Requests that all nations develop rapid deployment forces to better enhance the
coordination of relief efforts of humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies;
4. Calls for the development of a United Nations Trust Fund that encourages voluntary
donations from the private transnational sector to aid in funding the implementation of
rapid deployment forces;
5. Stresses the continuing need for impartial and objective information on the political,
economic and social situations and events of all countries;
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6. Calls upon states to respond quickly and generously to consolidated appeals for
humanitarian assistance; and
7. Requests the expansion of preventive actions and assurance of post-conflict assistance
through reconstruction and development. [End resolutions with a period]
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TOPIC
INFORMATION
BY COMMITTEE
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Security Council:
1- Middle East situation (Syria specifically)
The wave of Arab unrest that started with the Tunisian revolution of January 2011
reached Syria in mid-March, when residents of a small southern city took to the streets to
protest the torture of students who had put up anti-government graffiti.
President Bashar al-Assad, who inherited Syria's harsh dictatorship from his father, Hafez
al-Assad, at first wavered between force and hints of reform. But in April, just days after
lifting the country's decades-old state of emergency, he launched the first of what became
a series of withering crackdowns, sending tanks into restive cities as security forces
opened fire on demonstrators.
Neither the violence nor Mr. Assad's offers of political reform — rejected as shams by
protest leaders — brought an end to the unrest. Similarly, the protesters have not been
able to withstand direct assault by the military's armored forces.
The conflict is complicated by Syria's ethnic divisions. The Assads and much of the nation's
elite, especially the military, belong to the Alawite sect, a small minority in a mostly Sunni
country.
Syria's crackdown has been condemned internationally, as has President Assad, a British-
trained doctor who many had hoped would soften his father's iron-handed regime. But no
direct intervention has been proposed, and support for protesters has been balanced
against fears of instability in a country at the heart of so many conflicts in the world's most
volatile region.
In July, the Obama administration, in a shift that was weeks in the making, turned against
Mr. Assad but stopped short of demanding that he step down. By early August, the
American ambassador was talking of a "post-Assad" Syria.
By that time, a massive crackdown on the restive city of Hama — involving bombs, tanks,
artillery and snipers — and elsewhere drove the tally of estimated deaths kept by human
rights groups over 1,700, mostly protesters, and well over 10,000 people were reported to
be in custody or missing. The country's economy was headed toward the point of collapse,
as tourism in particular withered.
As the assaults on restive cities continued, cracks emerged in a tight-knit leadership that
has until now rallied its base of support and maintained a unified front.
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Though there are no signs of an imminent collapse, divisions among senior officials and
even moves by former government stalwarts to distance themselves from the leadership
come at a time when Syria also faces what may be its greatest isolation in more than four
decades of rule by the Assad family.
Yet until the protests reach the capital, Syria’s leadership will perhaps avoid the fate of its
ossified equivalents in places like Egypt and Tunisia. And so far, Damascus — along with
Aleppo, the nation’s second-largest city — has stayed firmly on the margins, as anger
builds toward both cities from Syrians bearing the brunt of the uprising.
BACKGROUND…
The Arab world is going through important transformations, the result of a growing wave
of popular revolts. Several governments in the region are experiencing a level of response
increased as a result of having suffered years of authoritarian rule, high levels of
corruption and poor social progress. Citizens of different social backgrounds are
demonstrating to demand freedom, democracy, better opportunities and new faces in
front of their governments.
The Tunisian revolution succeeded, on January 14, overthrows Ben Ali and that he fled the
country. Subsequent demonstrations got the break with the old regime and the people
who have taken power in recent decades were higher than that materialized in the first
place. Tunisia showed the strength of a transverse movement, which has used social
networks to expand and has evolved from a socio-economic claim to a cry for political
change.
On July 24 they are called elections for a Constituent Assembly and the country prepares
to turn page on decades of authoritarianism.
Egypt, meanwhile, had for years been experiencing with socially and politically problems.
Since 2004 had been increasing workers demonstrations, protests of groups such as
judges, allegations of electoral fraud, repression against opposition leaders and an
obvious tension when they increased the prices of commodities such as bread.
Tunisian Revolution gave impetus to a vibrant mass of young people, through Facebook
and Twitter succeeded in uniting a wide range of Egyptian and conducting the most
massive and prolonged protest the country's recent history. Mubarak managed to power
and try to resign now that he and his environment are judged. At the political level, and
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under supervision of the Armed Forces, the country has undertaken a process of
constitutional reform that will allow the holding of elections.
After the fall of Mubarak was Gaddafi's Libya, who experienced the most important and
popular uprising that has also flourished one of the highest levels of repression by the
regime.
An event of violence that perplexed international community through the Security Council
resolution on the United Nations last March 17, 2011 has approved the establishment of a
no-fly zone over Libya and authorizing all actions necessary to protect civilians. The
resilience of Gaddafi and like-minded circles, threatens to prolong the conflict.
Syria has been immersed since late April, a wave of unprecedented social mobilization has
been harshly repressed by the regime. Bashar al Asaad has responded to a protest
movement that began in the southern city of Deraa and has been spreading across the
region with a heavy hand stirring the fear of a sectarian clash, and to the Syrian President
has announced a promise reform for many actors are not credible at the level of
repression to silence the protests.
The international community and the EU have responded timidly to a critical situation,
fearing the possible consequences for regional instability.
For decades, European and U.S. policies toward the region have given priority to stability
and control of Islam against democracy and human rights. The change of context in the
Arab World is putting on the table the need to review these policies.
The U.S. administration and European governments are facing the challenge of
formulating a policy adapted to a completely different political cycle, changing and
heterogeneous.
Some countries have entered a process of political transition, other regimes have opted
for the promises of change and in extreme cases we have chosen violence as a method to
try to contain a possible regime change. In turn, the countries of southern Europe see with
concern the impact of this situation in the irregular flows of people.
UNITED NATIONS
The Security Council expressed its grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Syria,
and its profound regret at the death of many hundreds of people.
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Also condemn the widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against
civilians by the Syrian authorities and called the Syrian authorities to fully respect human
rights and to comply with their obligations under applicable international law.
The Security Council called on the Syrian authorities to alleviate the humanitarian
situation in crisis areas by ceasing the use of force against affected towns, to allow
expeditious and unhindered access for international humanitarian agencies and workers,
and cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
COUNTRIES INVOLVED.
- The US and its allies still rule out any military intervention in Syria
- The pressure on Syria's Bashar al-Assad to step down is now intense: from the United States, from Europe, but also - perhaps more importantly - from his neighbors, including Turkey, and from his fellow Arabs, led by Saudi Arabia.
- The resolution, introduced by the United States, the European Union and the Council four Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait), was approved by 33 votes to 4, with 4 abstentions.
- The statement, which calls for the urgent dispatch of an independent commission to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed in Syria, was the refusal of Russia, Cuba, China and Ecuador, who felt that this initiative is "a destructive" and seeks to "destabilize the situation ".
- http://www.franceonu.org/spip.php?article5509
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13855203
- http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/syria/index.html
- http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/specialsession/17/Draft_resolution_tabled17August2011.pdf
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14396703
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14579756
- http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/396/53/PDF/N1139653.pdf?OpenElement
- http://www.franceonu.org/spip.php?article5703
- http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/16/docs/A%20-HRC-RES-S-16-1.pdf
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- http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/ultimas_noticias/2011/08/110822_ultnot_siria_presidente_onu_promesas_lav.shtml
- http://america.infobae.com/notas/31977-Siria-ONU-cre-una-comisin-de-investigacin-independiente-
- http://www.asianews.it/news-en/UN-resolution-calls-for-immediate-withdrawal-of-all-foreign-forces-from-Lebanon-1411.html
- http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20057082-503543.html
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13168276
2- International peace and security threats by drug trafficking.
Drugs are types of off substances used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a
disease or as a component of a medication.
A chemical substance, such as a narcotic, that affects the central nervous system, causing
changes in behavior and often addiction.
They are 3 types of drugs:
1. The depressants slow down or drapes the functions of the central nervous system like:
Alcohol
Opiates: heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone and burenophine.
Cannabis: marijuana, hashish.
Solvents and inhalants: vapors from petrol, glue, chrome paint and lighter fluid.
Depressants are drugs that slow down the functions of the central nervous
system. Depressant drugs do not necessarily make a person feel depressed.
2. Stimulants speed up the functions of the central nervous system, like:
Caffeine: coffee, tea, cola drink.
Nicotine: is tobacco.
Ephedrine: used in medicine
Amphetamines and methamphetamines: also know as speed ice and crystal meth.
Cocaine: know as coke or snow.
Dexamphetamine
Stimulants act on the central nervous system to speed up the messages to and
from the brain. They can make the user feel more awake, alert or confident
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3. Hallucinogenic drugs distort the user's perceptions of reality. These drugs include:
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): also known as 'trips', 'acid' and 'microdots';
Magic mushrooms: also known as 'mushies';
Mescaline
Ecstasy
Ketamine: also known as 'K' and 'Special K'.
Hallucinogens affect perception. People who have taken them may believe they see or
hear things that aren't really there, or what they see may be distorted in some way.
Drug Trafficking
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture,
distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most
jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug
prohibition laws.
Drug trafficking involves selling drugs and drug paraphernalia, whether it is a local
exchange between a user and a dealer or a major international operation. Drug trafficking
is a problem that affects every nation in the world and exists on many levels.
Drugs have played an important medicinal role in human society, and “harmless” drugs
such as caffeine are widely and legally used in all parts of the globe. The international
trade in drugs has a long history; imperial Britain, for example, shaped the 19th-century
opium trade by selling Indian-produced opium to China in exchange for tea and silk and
fought “Opium Wars” to defend its right to do so. In the early 20th century, the United
States, Britain and other countries began to change their position on drug use, although,
as the history of prohibition shows, their concept and acceptance of “dangerous” drugs
was not identical to our own.
The notion of Drug Trafficking is considered to be an illegal commercial activity. The
amount of illegal drugs or controlled substances to quantify the classification of ‘large’
varies depending on the location of the offense.
In recent years, drug trafficking has emerged as the biggest problem or threat to world
and human security. Drug trafficking has many problems of insecurity and violence in the
world.
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The Security Council unanimously adopted a presidential statement that called for greater
action to combat drug trafficking as a threat to international security. It stressed, in
particular, the need for regional cooperation to counter this transnational threat. In the
statement, "the Security Council invites the Secretary General to consider mainstreaming
the issue of drug trafficking as a factor in conflict prevention strategies, conflict analysis,
integrated missions' assessment and planning a peace building support".
It may seem like the illegal drug industry creates lots of jobs in the communities where the
drugs are produced. All of the sudden, the small communities that produce the drugs have
an influx of cash into their economy.
In the long run, though, the drug money destroys legitimate business and long-term
development. Drug traffickers invest drug money into legal businesses to disguise their
illegal profits as real business gains. This is called money laundering (good-bye Tide, hello
Corruption).
True legitimate business owners find it is almost impossible to compete with the drug
traffickers, who are making 90 percent of their profit off of drug sales. On top of that, all
of the money that selling drugs generates can't be taxed because it's all illegal and
supposedly unknown to the government. So, millions of dollars worth of taxes, which
could be used by the government to fight hunger and poverty, instead goes to the drug
lords, their workers, and pay-offs to government officials.
The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military
intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of
participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade.
Drug trafficking is fuelling brutal insurgencies in Afghanistan, Colombia, and Myanmar, spreading violence in West Africa, Central Asia, Central America and the Caribbean and threatening to reverse UN peace building efforts in Afghanistan, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and elsewhere, he warned.
The trans-national nature of the threat means that no country can face it alone. This fight requires a comprehensive international approach based on a strong sense of shared responsibility. States must share intelligence, carry out joint operations, build capacity, and provide mutual legal assistance.
Drug trafficking does not respect borders, it does not respect people. It is a menace to the health of societies and individuals alike. It is associated with horrific abuse of women in particular. Those who run trafficking operations are ruthless and often murderous. We
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must pursue them and thwart them with the full force of the law and international resolve.
- https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2086.html
- http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_ill_dru-crime-illicit-drugs
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/business/
- http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/cron/
- http://www.nato-pa.int/default.asp?SHORTCUT=374
- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/sunday-review/mexicos-drug-war-draws-in-women.html?_r=1
- http://www.coha.org/drug-trafficking-central-america%E2%80%99s-dark-shadow/
- https://nwoobserver.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/business-is-booming-wall-streets-role-in-narco-trafficking/
- http://www.un.org/documents/ecosoc/res/1996/eres1996-29.htm
- http://www.incb.org/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/drug-trafficking-trends-a_n_830557.html#s248233&title=THE_AMERICAS_
- http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/conv/convention_1971_en.pdf
- http://www.unodc.org/pdf/convention_1988_en.pdf
- http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/researchpublications/bp435-e.htm
- http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/index.php?func=detail&par=213
- http://www.incb.org/incb/convention_1961.html
- http://www.incb.org/pdf/e/conv/convention_1961_en.pdf
- http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/single-convention.html
- http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=VI-18&chapter=6&lang=en
- http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/index.html
-
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ECOSOC.
1- Development Objectives for the new Millennium. Creation of strategies for their completion.
In September of 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in human history convened
for the Millennium Summit at United Nations headquarters in New York. In that pivotal
year, representatives from 189 Member States of the United Nations met to reflect on
their common destiny.
The nations were interconnected as never before, with increased globalization promising
faster growth, higher living standards and new opportunities. Yet their citizens’ lives were
starkly disparate. As some States looked ahead to prosperity and global cooperation,
many barely had a future, being mired in miserable, unending conditions of poverty,
conflict and a degraded environment.
To begin addressing these crises back in 2000, the convened leaders set down the
Millennium Declaration, a series of collective priorities for peace and security, poverty
reduction, the environment and human rights – essential steps for the advancement of
humankind, as well as for the immediate survival for a significant portion of it. Human
development, they agreed, is the key to sustaining social and economic progress in all
countries, as well as contributing to global security.
But how would the world community achieve these priorities? Following further meetings
with many world agencies, the delegation also drew up a blueprint for a better future: the
Millennium Development Goals.
By 2015, the leaders pledged, the world would achieve measurable improvements in the
most critical areas of human development. The goals establish yardsticks for measuring
these results, not just for developing countries but for countries that help to fund
development programs and for the multilateral institutions, like the World Bank or the
United Nations Development Programme, that help countries implement them.
A year later the UN Secretary General’s Road Map for implementing the Millennium
Declaration formally unveiled eight goals, supported by 18 quantified and time-bound
targets and 48 indicators, which became known as the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs). The MDGs focus the efforts of the world community on achieving significant,
measurable improvements in people's lives by the year 2015. They establish targets and
yardsticks for measuring results—not just for developing countries but for the rich
countries that help fund development programs and for the multilateral institutions that
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help countries implement them.
The eight MDGs listed below guide the efforts of virtually all organizations working in
development and have been commonly accepted as a framework for measuring
development progress:
1- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2- Achieve universal primary education. 3- Promote gender equality and empower women. 4- Reduce child mortality. 5- Improve maternal health. 6- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. 7- Ensure environmental sustainability. 8- Develop a Global Partnership for Development.
Despite significant setbacks after the 2008-2009 economic crisis, the world is on track to
reach the MDG poverty-reduction target by 2015.
Some of the world’s poorest countries, including Burundi, Rwanda, Samoa, Togo and the
United Republic of Tanzania, have made the greatest strides in education.
Every region has made progress in improving access to clean drinking water.
Investments in preventing and treating HIV have caused new HIV infections to drop by 21
percent since 1997, when they peaked.
The number of deaths of children under the age of five declined from 12.4 million in 1990
to 8.1 million in 2009.
- http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
- http://www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml
- http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/index.htm
- http://www.unicef.org/mdg/
- http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Home.aspx
- http://www.emro.who.int/cah/pdf/MDGs-List.pdf
- http://data.worldbank.org/about/millennium-development-goals
- http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=1234
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEjB7axpmcY
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/millennium-development-goals
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- http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/librarypage/mdg/MDG_Report_2011.html
2- International cooperation for the prevention, investigation, persecution and punishment of financial fraud.
A fraud is an action that has as a result the opposite of truth. Fraud is often committed
against a person or an enterprise. For the right, a fraud is a crime committed by the man
in charge of the execution of contracts, either public or private to represent opposite
interests. Fraud is punished by the law.
The concept is associated to cheating, is a crime against patrimony or property. It consists
in a cheating to obtain a capital asset, making believe to the person that the enterprise or
business that he pays he will obtain something that in reality does not exist.
Criminals of the 21st century are very different from the criminals of the past. They have learned to hide behind the computer screen. Taking into account new crimes and new ways of committing them through the Internet and other sources, the United Nations Organization is also reacting to the new threats posed by economic fraud and identity-related crimes. As a part of it, the ECOSOC adopts new resolutions and organizes a constructive dialogue between representatives of the different countries. Economic fraud poses a serious threat to law, order, and international security. Identity crime facilitates other forms of crimes. Costs to the economy resulting from them are very disturbing.
For fraud, offences are well-established and the main issue appears to be how to modernize them to deal effectively with the recent increases in transnational fraud. For identity crime, the question is more fundamental.
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Economic fraud goes hand-in-hand with identity-related crime. The spread of information and communication technologies has compounded the problem. States are increasingly concerned about the potential for offenders to obtain vast amounts of information by hacking computers and by committing other forms of cybercrime, which has become a billion dollar business and is increasing exponentially with more than 1 billion Internet users in the world today. Identity-related crime is also linked to other activities involving organized crime, terrorism, corruption and money-laundering. Identity-related abuses can be used to evade detection and prosecution and to prevent the tracing and forfeiture of proceeds of crime.
Identity-related crime is a new and emerging concept, which emphasizes abuses of identity rather than other crimes supported by those abuses. Thus, for example, some states are now considering criminalizing the taking, fabrication, or possession of false identities or identity information, in addition to the established offences which are committed using that information, such as economic fraud.
There is still a debate about whether offences based on the new concept of identity crime are useful development or whether they are redundant with existing criminal offences. Views appear to vary from a legal system to another. If a decision is made to criminalize, then further issues with respect to how to formulate offences and how to define key terms in ways which meet the needs of each country’s domestic identity infrastructure, while at the same time serving the broader need for effective international cooperation arise.
As crimes related to identity abuses are still a novel concept for criminal justice systems in many countries, basic conceptual framework remain uncertain and there are few legislative definitions. As a result, different terms, such as identity theft and identity fraud, are used in various jurisdictions to describe the same conduct and, in addition, there is lack of concerted action to combat such conduct.
What is clear is the need for national governments and the non-governmental organizations to work together to deal with the problem. Cooperation between the public and private sectors is also vital for understanding the various dimensions of the problem and for taking effective measures against it.
The term “identity fraud” generally refers to the use of identification or identity information to commit other crimes or avoid detection and prosecution in some way. In using that term, the element of deception referred to is not the use of deception to obtain the information but subsequent use of the information to deceive others. As with economic fraud, the element of deception includes the deception of technical systems as well as human beings.
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“Identity crime” (or “ID crime”) is used to cover all forms of illicit conduct involving identity, including identity theft and identity fraud.
That is, of necessity, a forward-looking usage, because most States have not yet adopted legislation on such offences. Generally, identity crime includes preparatory of other offences such as forgery and impersonation.
For the purposes of the present report, the broader term “identity-related crime” has been used to include such situations.
In 2004, the Crime Commission and the Economic and Social Council adopted a resolution (E/RES/2004/26) calling for a broader study of the criminal aspects of the problem, expanding the scope of the work to include all types of economic fraud as well as the related problem of the identity-related crime. After receiving responses from 46 Member States and a number of private-sector entities and groups, the results of the study were reported back to the Crime Commission in April 2007 (E/CN.15/2007/8, and /8/Add.1-Add.3).
Resolution 2007/20 takes a notice of the problem of cooperation between public and private sectors. Private sector entities gather information and often have more extensive and detailed information than governments, but such information is gathered for commercial purposes and often considered as sensitive in commercial and privacy terms.
Resolution also contains mandates on technical assistance initiatives, such as inks between specific technical assistance in the area of identity-related crime and other technical assistance activities covering various forms of crime.
ECOSOC encourages Member States to consider updating their laws in order to tackle the recent evolution of economic fraud and the use of modern technologies to commit transnational fraud and mass fraud.
Resolution 2009/22 pays special attention to the victims of ID-crimes and suggests further technical assistance in combating the problem. It contains the references to victims including the invitation to Member States to adopt useful practices and efficient mechanisms for supporting and protecting victims of economic fraud and identity-related crime, and the request to UNODC to develop useful practices and guidelines to assist Member States in establishing the impact of such crimes on victims. It calls for the development and delivery of technical assistance on matters relating to economic fraud and identity-related crime.
The problem of economic fraud first came to the attention of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice through the Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), which was asked by the Member States to look into the problems of “commercial fraud” in 2002. In taking up the first report of its expert panel, the 2003 UNCITRAL session noted that criminal aspects of the problem were beyond its mandates,
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expertise and resources, and appealed to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for assistance in conducting a study on commercial fraud.
http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/docs/2007/resolution%202007-20.pdf
http://www.modelun.ru/reports/report_ecosoc.pdf
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/economic-fraud-and-identity-related-
crime-tackling-a-sinister-new-alliance--.html
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Human Rights Committee
1- Protection of Rights of immigrant workers and their families.
Definition.
A person who moves from place to place to work is called migrant worker. Migration is
a demographic phenomenon that responds to highly complex different causes and very
difficult to determine, especially because due to irregular migration or disguised tourist
activities or otherwise, the data are difficult to obtain quantitative, especially If developing
countries.
Immigration is a phenomenon closely related to work. Today it is almost universally
recognized that the search for a decent work that will promote a better start in
life conditions is a major cause (if not principal) of people to migrate.
As a result, it becomes very important matter the scope of rights and duties of foreign
workers in their labor relations.
Special mention should be made to the phenomenon of workers who have no work
permit. It is impossible to estimate exactly how many people may find themselves in this
situation, but is a reality that workers in foreign programs for we are often so it
is important to know the possible consequences.
A better understanding of the rights and duties of the foreign worker will help
fight against exploitation and abuse situations and defend themselves when these
situations arise.
Antecedents.
3- Political: causes from the political crises that often occur in certain countries. Many people who fear political persecution and revenge leave a country to reside in another, or at least try to quit. In some cases they often die trying to escape, or they get caught trough the years.
4- Cultural: people migrate to other countries because they search for more education and opportunities to learn. In some countries the opportunity they have for education is really poor so they migrate, looking for better opportunities of education.
5- Socioeconomic: Most of the people who migrate do it for economic reasons. They look for a better life. The situation of hunger and poverty in many developing countries forces many migrants to risk their lives (and to lose many times), so out
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of their situation. These people are paid a misery for their work and they need to migrate to satisfy their needs.
6- War: They are a real source of forced migration, which have led to massive population displacement, fleeing persecution or extermination of the country or conquering army.
7- Some people move because they have families in other places and they want to go and live with them.
The "Immigration Law" recognizes a series of rights in relation to the foreign worker:
- Right to Work and Social Security. This right is conditioned to meet the requirements of the law give (obtaining a work permit or work permit).
- Freedom of association and strike. - A minimum salary. However, there are many collective agreements, which
provide for different sectors of activity above the legal minimum wage. It is important to know in each case the collective agreement that applies to each activity to see if it is taking the legal minimum.
- According to current legislation, the maximum working week is 40 hours. It also establishes a maximum of 9 hours per day. All that work above these limits should be considered (and pay) and overtime. Overtime is voluntary; the employee can be compelled to perform them.
- All children under 18 are prohibited to perform overtime. - The holidays can never be less than 30 days per year worked. - If you work less than a year, is entitled to a proportionate share of vacation
or be paid at the rate of two and a half days' wages for each month worked. - You are entitled to a day and continued through weekly rest and a minimum break
of 12 hours between two working days. - Only entitled to access the Social Security system foreigners have permission to
live and work.
What the conflict is about.
The conflict is about people who leave their countries because of several seasons and
want to work in another country. Many of them are not allowed to work in another place
or are treated really bad because they are migrants. The UN is trying to protect these
workers and their families because they deserve to be treated right.
The ILO is the only international body with a mandate for international labor migration. Its
function is to set international standards and arrive at other forms of agreement. The
most recent of these is the Multilateral Framework on Labor Migration – which comprises
a set of principles and best practices that have been formally vetted by our constituents.
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The ILO is also unique in that it is a tripartite organization, representing governments, workers and employers organizations. It can thus help build consensus among the social partners in countries of origin and destination, to develop the policies and programs that will allow them best to govern labor migration. In this way countries can try to ensure that migrant workers do not displace national workers and are not subjected to unfair treatment or abuse.
The ILO can also offer a wealth of information on international migration, as well as technical assistance to countries on many different issues, from training to social security. As an international organization, ILO is also able to foster networking opportunities between governments, employer’s organizations, trade unions and organizations of migrant workers.
-Resolutions
Since its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1990, the
Migrant Workers Convention has been ratified by 44 states and signed by a further 15
states. The Convention recognizes the human rights of migrant workers and promotes
their access to justice as well as to humane and lawful working and living conditions. It
provides guidance on the elaboration of national migration policies and for international
cooperation based on respect for human rights and the rule of law. It sets out provisions
to combat abuse and exploitation of migrant workers and members of their families
throughout the migration process.
A worldwide series of events, forums, rallies and other public activities promoting wider ratification, took place during 2010 in countries in all regions as well as at international conferences such as the Global Forum for Migration and Development.
All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how the
rights are being implemented. States must report initially one year after acceding to the
Convention and then every five years. The Committee will examine each report and
address its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of “concluding
observations”.
The Committee also organizes days of general discussion and can publish statements on
themes related to its work and interpretations of the content of the provisions in the
Convention (general comments).
Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right to have recourse to
the protection and assistance of the consular or diplomatic authorities of their State of
origin or of a State representing the interests of that State whenever the rights recognized
in the present Convention are impaired. In particular, in case of expulsion, the person
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concerned shall be informed of this right without delay and the authorities of the
expelling State shall facilitate the exercise of such right.
Migrant workers and members of their families shall be free to leave any State, including
their State of origin. This right shall not be subject to any restrictions except those that are
provided by law, are necessary to protect national security, public order, public health or
morals or the rights and freedoms of others and are consistent with the other rights
recognized in the present part of the Convention.
Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right at any time to enter
and remain in their State of origin.
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cmw/
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cmw.htm
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/FactSheet24rev.1en.pdf
http://www.december18.net/article/statement-un-committee-migrant-workers-
and-special-rapporteur-bustamante
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001525/152537e.pdf
http://www.migrantsrights.org/
http://www.december18.net/un_migrant_workers_convention
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/migrant/equality/download/discrimi
nation/factsheet.pdf
http://www.ilobkk-migration.org/
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/04/16/index.php?section=politica&article=00
3n1pol
2- Food Crisis in Somalia.
The United Nations officially declared Somalia’s food crisis a famine in several parts of the
country, with millions of people on the brink of starvation and aid deliveries complicated
by the fact that Islamist militants aligned with Al Qaeda control the famine zones.
The combination of one of East Africa’s worst droughts in 60 years and Somalia’s
relentless conflict has depleted the country’s food supplies, and tens of thousands of
Somalis have died of malnutrition-related causes in the past few months, the United
Nations said.
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Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that nearly half of Somalia’s population — 3.7 million
people— were now in crisis. A total of $1.6 billion was needed to help, he added, with
about $300 million of it required in the next two months to mount an “adequate
response.”
The Islamist militants who forced Western aid organizations out of Somalia last year, right
as the drought was looming, are now urging the groups to return. But aid officials are
wary, citing the dozens of workers who have been killed in Somalia in recent years. Also
hampering the emergency efforts, aid officials contend, are American government rules
that prohibit material support to the militants, who often demand “taxes” for allowing aid
deliveries to pass through.
Somalia has lurched from crisis to crisis since 1991, when the central government
imploded. In 1992, the same elements of drought and war set off a famine that killed
hundreds of thousands of people and started a cycle of international intervention that,
despite billions of dollars and more than a dozen transitional governments, has yet to
stabilize the country.
Rains have failed for successive seasons, and families across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya
are struggling to find anything to eat or drink. Hundreds of thousands of livestock have
already died.
Today, pastures have dried up, and the animals that Somali nomads survive off of are
dying in droves. Food prices are escalating, and after 20 years of anarchy, coping
mechanisms are collapsing, with many families driven from their land and many
breadwinners cut down in Somalia’s endless iterations of civil war.
Many of those who can are fleeing the country, using what little money they have to pay
for buses or simply walking, often hundreds of miles through the desert with children
slung across their backs. Thousands of Somalis have been streaming across the borders of
Kenya and Ethiopia every day, and many children arrive too far gone to be saved. In the
Dadaab refugee camp along the Kenya-Somalia border, the hospitals are full of emaciated
babies taking their last breaths.
United Nations officials are cautious about using the word famine, and in the past 20
years, only a handful of humanitarian emergencies have qualified, including in Sudan in
1998, Ethiopia in 2001 and Niger in 2005.
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According to the United Nations, a famine is declared when “acute malnutrition rates
among children exceed 30 percent, more than 2 people per 10,000 die per day and people
are not able to access food and other basic necessities.”
That is now the case in two regions of southern Somalia, southern Bakool and Lower
Shabelle, both controlled by the militant group the Shabab. But throughout the country
people are on the verge of running out of food. In the wider Horn of Africa, which includes
Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea, more than 10 million need emergency rations to
survive, American officials said. Many of these people are also at risk for cholera and
measles.
The famine was neither sudden nor a surprise. Last year, weather forecasts financed by
the American government predicted dangerously low rainfall in many areas of the Horn of
Africa. Aid organizations are now using the United Nations’ declaration of a famine as a
rallying call for lifesaving help, yet at the same time, aid officials said they were furious
that the situation had been allowed to deteriorate to this stage.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/SOIndex.aspx
http://www.raxanreeb.com/?p=106863
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-01/un-refugee-agency-not-doing-
enough-to-assist-somalis-fleeing-famine.html
http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=280024
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/09/01/165008.html
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/201108190813.html
http://www.hrw.org/africa/somalia
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UNSCEAR.
1- Nuclear Accident in Japan.
An event that has led to significant consequences to people, the environment, and the
facility. Examples include lethal effects to individuals, large radioactivity release to the
environment, or reactor core melt like in the case of Japan. Japan is facing an
unprecedented nuclear emergency after a major uranium leak.
The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is the worst nuclear accident
since the Chernobyl reactor disaster a quarter century ago.
The Fukushima nuclear plant or the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant is a plant that consists of six
boiling water reactors. Fukushima Daiichi one of the 15 largest nuclear power stations in
the world. The reactors for Units 1, 2, and 6 were supplied by General Electric, those for
Units 3 and 5 by Toshiba, and Unit 4 by Hitachi.
In 1990 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ranked the failure of the emergency
electricity generators and subsequent failure of the cooling systems of plants in seismically
very active regions one of the most likely risks.
Some of the failures that the Fukushima nuclear plant has faced through time are listed in
the following list:
- In 1978, fuel rods fell in reactor No. 3, causing a nuclear reaction. - On February 25, 2009 a manual shutdown was initiated during the middle
of a startup operation. The cause was a high pressure alarm that was caused by the shutting of a turbine bypass valve.
- On March 26, 2009 unit 3 had problems with over-insertion of control blades during outage. Repair work was being done on equipment that regulates the driving pressure for the control blades, and when a valve was opened at 2:23pm a control blade drift alarm went off.
- On November 2, 2010 unit 5 had an automatic SCRAM while an operator was conducting an adjustment to the control blade insertion pattern.
About the nuclear accident:
The fourth reactor had been turned off and was under refurbishment for months before
the earthquake and tsunami hit the plant.
An explosion damaged the vessel containing the nuclear core at one reactor and a fire at
another spewed large amounts of radioactive material into the air. Radiation spread from
the crippled reactors and there was “a very high risk”.
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Engineers at the plant worked at a tremendous risk, into succeeding in cooling down the
most damaged of the reactors, No. 2, by pumping in sea water. Most of the 800 workers
at the plant had been withdrawn, leaving 50 or so workers in a desperate effort to keep
the cores of three stricken reactors cooled with seawater pumped by firefighting
equipment, while the same crews battled to put out the fire at the No. 4 reactor.
The Fukushima disaster is the largest of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents and is the
largest nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, but it is more complex as
multiple reactors and spent fuel pools are involved.
At the time of the quake, Reactor 4 had been de-fuelled while 5 and 6 were in cold
shutdown for planned maintenance. The remaining reactors shut down automatically
after the earthquake, with emergency generators starting up to run the control electronics
and water pumps needed to cool reactors.
The entire plant was flooded by the 15 m (49 ft) tsunami wave, including low-lying
generators and electrical switchgear in reactor basements and external pumps for
supplying cooling seawater. The connection to the electrical grid was broken as the
Tsunami destroyed the power lines. All power for cooling was lost and reactors started to
overheat, owing to natural decay of the fission products created before shutdown. The
flooding and earthquake damage hindered external assistance.
Fuel rods stored in pools in each reactor building began to overheat as water levels in the
pools dropped. Fears of radioactivity releases led to a 20 km (12 mi) radius evacuation
around the plant while workers suffered radiation exposure and were temporarily
evacuated at various times.
Flooding with radioactive water continues to prevent access to basement areas where
repairs are needed. However, on 5 May, workers were able to enter reactor buildings for
the first time since the accident.
Measurements taken by the Japanese science ministry and education ministry in areas of
northern Japan 30–50 km from the plant showed radioactive cesium levels high enough to
cause concern.
Plutonium contamination has been detected in the soil at two sites in the plant, although
further analysis revealed that the detected density are within limits from fallout generated
from previous atmospheric nuclear weapons tests.
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The UN has said this situation to be very serious and heads have been paying visits to the
nuclear plants to see on what things they could keep doing to help control the situation.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has spoken various times with Japans Prime Minister and
expressed his sympathy at the catastrophic impact of the quake and tsunami, which may
have claimed well in excess of 10,000 lives, according to media reports, and cut a vast
swathe of total devastation along the north-eastern coast of Honshu, the largest island.
The two also discussed the situation at Fukushima. “The Secretary-General remains very
concerned while appreciating the Government of Japan’s efforts to contain the risk to the
population,” spokesperson Martin Nesirky told a news briefing in New York, adding that
Mr. Ban assured Mr. Kan that the UN stands ready to provide any additional support if
requested.
The Security Council began a meeting with a minute’s silence for the victims of the quake
and tsunami. Meanwhile the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has been asked to assist
in relief efforts, providing specialized logistics support in delivering water, tents, and
blankets to families who have spent many nights already in freezing temperatures without
heating and other necessities.
An examination by Reuters of Japan’s effort to contain its escalating nuclear disaster
reveals a series of missteps, bad luck, and desperate improvisation. What also emerges is
a country that has begun to question some of its oldest values.
The Fukushima plant was designed to withstand a violent earthquake, but the massive
tsunami that followed knocked out both the plant’s electric-powered cooling system and
its diesel-powered backup generators.
It is necessary for Japan to conduct national discussions on the proper course for nuclear
power generation while disclosing the actual costs of nuclear power generation, including
the costs involved in ensuring safety.
Japan will update information on the accident and lessons learned from it in line with the
future process of restoration of stable control and also further clarification of its
investigations. Moreover, it will continue to provide such information and lessons learned
to the International Atomic Energy Agency as well as to countries around the world.
Moreover, we feel encouraged by the support towards restoration from the accident
received from many countries around the world to which we express our deepest
gratitude, and we would sincerely appreciate continued support from the IAEA and
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countries around the world.
We are prepared to confront much difficulty towards restoration from the accident, and
also confident that we will be able to overcome this accident by uniting the wisdom and
efforts of not only Japan, but also the world.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/japan-nuclear-reactors-
and-seismic-activity/
http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/japan.html
http://daccess-dds-
ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/V11/838/75/PDF/V1183875.pdf?OpenElement
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1371793/Japan-nuclear-crisis-
Fukushima-plant-entombed-concrete-radiation-leak.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12720219
http://www.un.org/spanish/aboutun/organs/ga/53/ares5344.pdf
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/atomic-
energy/index.html
2- Advantages and disadvantages of the development and use of atomic energy with peaceful purposes
Nuclear technology for peaceful purposes is traditionally divided into five principal areas:
1- mining and processing of nuclear raw materials;
2- the production of enriched uranium;
3- the fabrication of nuclear fuel elements;
4- the design, construction and operation of nuclear reactors;
5- and fuel reprocessing.
Apart from the use of nuclear energy to produce electricity from power reactors, it has
also been used extensively in agriculture, medicine, industry, biology and hydrology.
The origins of a commitment to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes can be
traced to President Eisenhower’s ‘Atoms for Peace’ speech in 1953 and the subsequent
establishment of the IAEA in 1956. In Treaty terms, this commitment found its most
explicit formulation in preamble paragraphs 6 and 7, and Article IV of the NPT. Article IV
has two elements. The first reaffirms the inalienable right of all parties to the NPT ‘to
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develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without
discrimination and in conformity with Articles I and II of this Treaty’.
The second is a reaffirmation that ‘All the Parties to the Treaty undertake to facilitate and
have the right to participate in the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and
scientific and technological information for the peaceful uses of nuclear energy...’ and
places an obligation on the parties to cooperate in the development of nuclear energy for
peaceful purposes‘...especially in the territories of non-nuclear-weapon States Party to the
Treaty, with due consideration for the needs of the developing areas of the world’.
Since 1956, the world has accumulated more than 13,000 reactor-years of experience.
Considerable improvements in safety since Chernobyl have been matched by
improvements in efficiency. Nuclear plants are more economical to run, productivity has
increased and there is less down-time for maintenance. The long-term stability of the cost
of electricity generated by nuclear power is an important attraction. Public attitudes
towards nuclear energy have become more positive in the past decade. But the nuclear
industry needs to remain open and transparent in order to generate and maintain public
trust.
Most of the 30 countries already using nuclear energy plan to expand their output. Scores
of countries - mostly in the developing world - have informed that they might be
interested in launching nuclear power programmes. Of these, 12 countries are actively
considering nuclear power.
Every country has the right to add nuclear power to its energy mix, as well as a duty to do
it responsibly. That means adhering to the highest safety and security standards and
ensuring that nuclear material is not diverted from peaceful to military purposes.
But in addition to the use of nuclear energy for power generation, nuclear techniques
have been making a difference in detecting and treating cancer, producing more robust
and higher-yielding food crops and maintaining supplies of fresh water.
There are also very good reasons in their own right for supporting the cooperative sharing of the benefits of nuclear energy. In a world ever-anxious about energy security, an increase in the share of nuclear energy to reduce dependence on imported oil and gas has many attractions for many states. And, more importantly still, while situations vary from country to country, it is almost impossible now to argue, from a global perspective, that civil nuclear energy is anything other than an indispensable element of the energy policy mix.
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The global recognition of the need for suppression of greenhouse-gas emissions significantly increases the attractiveness of nuclear power as the only low-carbon electricity generation technology with proven capability for large-scale supply – expensive up front, but economical in the long run. Whether nuclear energy will increase its total share of electricity generation in a period of major and continuing demand increases may be questioned, but simply maintaining it would by itself be a major contribution to climate policy.
Beyond energy generation, nuclear technologies and techniques are demonstrably valuable for improving human well-being, especially in fighting disease, helping to grow food, addressing food security and safety, and managing safe water and other natural resources.
In health care, nuclear medicine and radiation therapy will continue to be important in providing earlier, more accurate diagnoses and safer, more effective treatments. In food security and safety, nuclear techniques have also contributed significantly in integrating pre- and post-harvest pest-control measures such as food irradiation and area-wide application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) to protect crops and livestock from pests. Techniques for diagnosing trans-boundary animal diseases will be increasingly important for early and rapid detection in both the laboratory and the field.
And nuclear techniques have a significant role to play in hydrology, important as the growing scarcity of water resources and the dramatic lack of sustainable access to water and sanitation in developing countries become major impediments to sustainable development, wealth creation and the eradication of poverty.
Safeguards, Security, and Safety. If peaceful nuclear energy is to play the role it should, it
is critical that it be managed in a way that reduces, and does not add to, the world’s
problems
http://www.unscear.org/
http://daccess-dds-
ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N10/518/30/PDF/N1051830.pdf?OpenElement
http://pacificatomicenergy.com/
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Koide-Hiroaki/3582
http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_energy.html
http://www.nei.org/
http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-power.htm
http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/nuclear.htm
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Disarmament Commission
1- Establishment of measures to stop the arms race in China and Southeast Asia.
South East Asia region has historically been an area of great geostrategic significance for
centuries. South East Asia region derives its geostrategic significance by virtue of its
location of sitting astride the waters that connect the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean
and the strategic chokepoints of the Malacca Straits, the Lombok Straits and the Sunda
Straits.
The sea-lanes traversing the South East region carry 50% of the global trade and 33% of
the world’s oil. More than 550 million people inhabit South East Asia and the regional
economies total upwards of US $ 1 trillion.
The economies of the United States and those of US allies like Japan, South Korea,
Philippines, Taiwan and Australia heavily depend on stability in South East Asia and more
specifically the security of sea-lanes on which depends their trade and commerce and
energy security.
China’s rapid military modernization, its double-digit increases in defense spending
annually caused military concerns in South East Asia nations. These military fears and
threat perceptions centered on China were greatly enhanced when China in the last
couple of years began to flex its military muscles in the South China Sea area where it is
involved in territorial disputes with virtually the whole of ASEAN nations and more
specifically, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Freed from the economic recession effects which engulfed the South East Asia region
starting from 1997 and in response to their threat perceptions centered on China, the
South East Asian countries embarked on a spree of arms purchases after mid-2000s with a
focus on building up their naval, submarine and fighter jets assets.
The global strategic community has labeled this arms acquisition spree as an ‘arms race in
South East Asia’. This is patently wrong as what is really happening is an “Arms Buildup” to
upgrade their defensive capabilities by South East Asia nations to withstand any
aggressive instincts of China and strategic coercion by it.
Building upon a long history of Chinese military aggression and territoriality in Southeast
Asian waters, last year, Beijing unexpectedly declared “indisputable sovereignty” over the
South China Sea as “a core interest,” a contentious term usually reserved for strategic
priorities such as Tibet, Xinjiang Province and Taiwan.
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Most foreign policy experts agree that the most dangerous regional flashpoint is the South
China Sea, because at least six Asian states currently law claim to its petroleum-rich
waters and critical shipping lanes. ASEAN naturally interpreted Beijing’s statement as
fighting words, and demonstrating its solidarity with Washington – it invited the US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and American diplomats to participate in the annual
ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi.
China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, clearly frustrated with ASEAN’s strengthened alliance
with Washington, warned that “China is a big country and other countries are small
countries and that is just a fact.”
Since then, Beijing has largely backed down in an effort not to anger ASEAN. This,
however, has failed to significantly reduce distrust toward the Middle Kingdom. “Charm
offensive” efforts by China’s Minister of Defense at this month’s Shangri-La Dialogue to
allay ASEAN fears about China’s military ambitions fell on deaf ears, according to summit
attendees. The same went for Wen Jiabao’s recent tour of key Southeast Asian cities.
Still more aggravating for the People’s Liberation Army, the Pentagon recently declared
plans to increase its military involvement in Southeast Asia anyway – a direct response to
China’s recent assertiveness in the region.
According to recent data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
(SIPRI), there is strong evidence that there is already an arms race in the Southeast Asian
region. Notably, Singapore’s arms imports have jumped by 146 percent, Indonesia’s by 84
percent and Malaysia’s by 722 percent between 2005 and 2009, partly in response to the
Chinese military’s increased defense spending and creeping encroachments into
Southeast Asian waters over the past several years. One other reason, of course, is that
many ASEAN militaries have overlapping territorial ambitions (cases in point: multiple
claims on the nearby Spratly Islands, the Paracel Islands, as well as Thailand’s and
Cambodia’s recent military skirmishes).
In short, the SIPRI data suggests that many Southeast Asian militaries are still suspicious of
each other, especially since each has neighbors that will fiercely push back against any
attempts at expansionism or supremacy. Simply standing down in the face of a rival’s
threat would most likely be out of the question, given the potentially humiliating loss of
face to be incurred on the international stage.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/08/chinas-new-weapons-of-doom/
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/07/china-plan-to-beat-u-s/
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http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/21/beijing-develops-
radiationweapons/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/09/china-us-gates-new-weapons
http://spanish.peopledaily.com.cn/31621/7583877.html
http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/opiniones/columnistas/20110829/atenazados-
por-un-conflicto-de-poderes-en-asia-_139531_286014.html
http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/opiniones/columnistas/20110829/atenazados-
por-un-conflicto-de-poderes-en-asia-_139531_286014.html
http://www.caei.com.ar/es/programas/asia/27.pdf
http://www.emol.com/noticias/internacional/2011/06/14/487159/china-pide-a-
eeuu-que-no-se-inmiscuya-en-conflicto-en-mar-de-china-meridional.html
http://cancillerbismarck.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/la-tension-crece-en-el-mar-
de-china-meridional/
2- Establishment of measures to prevent terrorist groups from getting weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
What is considered as a terrorist organization by the United Nations?
There exist many different definitions of terrorism, but terrorism most commonly includes
these elements: Use of premeditated, politically motivated violence or the threat of
violence; Targeting noncombatants; Being a non-state actor; Absence of a state of war
(specifically conventional warfare), thus excluding war crimes; Taking actions designed to
coerce, frighten, or "send a message" to the public or a government (thus excluding
organized crime
Types of Terrorism
State Terrorism
Many definitions of terrorism restrict it to acts by non-state actors. But it can also be
argued that states can, and have, been terrorists. States can use force or the threat of
force, without declaring war, to terrorize citizens and achieve a political goal. Germany
under Nazi rule has been described in this way.
It has also been argued that states participate in international terrorism, often by proxy.
The United States considers Iran the most prolific sponsor of terrorism because Iran arms
groups, such as Hizballah, that help carry out its foreign policy objectives. The United
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States has also been called terrorist, for example through its covert sponsorship of
Nicaraguan Contras in the 1980s
Bioterrorism
Bioterrorism refers to the intentional release of toxic biological agents to harm and
terrorize civilians, in the name of a political or other cause. The U.S. Center for Disease
Control has classified the viruses, bacteria and toxins that could be used in an attack.
Cyber terrorism
Cyber terrorists use information technology to attack civilians and draw attention to their
cause. This may mean that they use information technology, such as computer systems or
telecommunications, as a tool to orchestrate a traditional attack. More often, cyber
terrorism refers to an attack on information technology itself in a way that would radically
disrupt networked services.
For example, cyber terrorists could disable networked emergency systems or hack into
networks housing critical financial information. There is wide disagreement over the
extent of the existing threat by cyber terrorist.
Eco Terrorism
Eco Terrorism is a recently coined term describing violence in the interests of
environmentalism. In general, environmental extremists sabotage property to inflict
economic damage on industries or actors they see as harming animals or the natural
environment. These have included fur companies, logging companies and animal research
laboratories, for example.
Nuclear Terrorism
Denotes the use, or threat of the use, of nuclear weapons or radiological weapons in acts
of terrorism, including attacks against facilities where radioactive materials are present. In
legal terms, nuclear terrorism is an offense committed if a person unlawfully and
intentionally “uses in any way radioactive material.
Objectives of the terrorist groups
- Produce widespread fear. - Obtain worldwide, national, or local recognition for their cause by attracting the
attention of the media. - Harass, weaken, or embarrass government security forces so that the government
overreacts and appears repressive.
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- Steal or extort money and equipment, especially weapons and ammunition vital to the operation of their group.
- Destroy facilities or disrupt lines of communication in order to create doubt that the government can provide for and protect its citizens.
- Discourage foreign investments, tourism, or assistance programs that can affect the target country’s economy and support of the government in power.
- Influence government decisions, legislation, or other critical decisions. - Free prisoners. - Satisfy vengeance. - Turn the tide in a guerrilla war by forcing government security forces to
concentrate their efforts in urban areas. This allows the terrorist group to establish itself among the local populace in rural areas
How the world changed since 9/11
September 11, 2001 was the transformative incident of the first term of President George
W. Bush and led to what he has called the Global War on Terrorism, or war against
terrorism. The accuracy of describing it as a "war" and the political motivations and
consequences are the topic of strenuous debate.
The US government increased military operations, economic measures and political
pressure on groups it accused of being terrorists, as well as on governments and countries
accused of sheltering them. October 2001 saw the first military action initiated by the US.
Under this policy, the US invaded Afghanistan in order to remove the oppressive Taliban
regime (which harbored al-Qaeda) and to capture al-Qaeda forces. The war, however, is
ongoing and has not been won.
Critics point out that the Afghan conflict has contributed to the destabilization of
neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan itself is far from at peace—Lord Ashdown, British
diplomat and former international High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, has
gone as far as to describe the country as "a failed state". The US government has also
asserted that the US invasion of Iraq is connected to 9/11.
How do terrorist groups obtain weapons?
The continuing possibility of terrorist attacks using nuclear, biological, or chemical
weapons is an ongoing concern in the national security policy arena in the face of a clear
trend among terrorists to inflict greater numbers of casualties.
Until the anthrax attacks targeted at selected individuals in the Congress and the media, it
was thought that the terrorists most likely to attempt attacks with weapons of mass
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destruction (WMD) were extremist religious groups and small splinter terrorist cells.
Though incomplete, the investigation into the anthrax attacks has begun to suggest that a
domestic “lone wolf” with professional biotechnical expertise may be responsible.
Worldwide, the likelihood of terrorists being capable of producing or obtaining WMD may
be growing due to looser controls of stockpiles and technology in the former Soviet states
specifically, and the broader dissemination of related technology and information in
general. However, WMD remain significantly harder to produce or obtain than what is
commonly depicted in the press. The Central Intelligence Agency has reported that it is
likely that most terrorists will continue to choose conventional explosives over WMD, but
warns that the al-Queda network has made obtaining WMD capability a very high priority.
This report will be updated in the event of significant further developments.
UN legislations.
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/sc7158.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/disarmament/WMD/SGReport_Terrorism/SG_Report.shtml
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/es/03/st15/st15708.es03.pdf
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Infcircs/Others/infcirc140.pdf
The Resolution 1540 – About the disarmament of terrorist groups of The Security Council,
says that proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means
of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security, and all Member States
have the responsibility to fulfill their obligations in relation to arms control and
disarmament and to prevent proliferation in all its aspects of all weapons of mass
destruction, and recognizes the urgent need for all States to take additional effective
measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their
means of delivery.
Also decides that all States shall refrain from providing any form of support to non-State
actors that attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use
nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery.
http://www.un.org/depts/ddar/discomm/undc.html
http://www.nti.org/db/1540/index.html
http://www.un.org/disarmament/HomePage/DisarmamentCommission/UNDisco
m.shtml
http://www.cinu.org.mx/temas/desarme/organismos.htm
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http://npsglobal.org/esp/material-educativo/reportes/318-terrorismo-con-armas-
de-destruccion-masiva-hector-manuel-cabrera.html
http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c18943.htm
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DIPLOMATIC
BEHAVIOR
GUIDELINES
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Respect for Delegates All delegates MUST show proper respect to all other delegates at all times. This means that you must always be polite, you must listen to what other delegates have to say about issues, and you must respect their right to believe as they do.
Respect for Other Counter Viewpoints All delegates, as representatives from their own assigned nation, must show proper respect to all other nations at all times. As with delegates, you must always be polite, you must listen to a country’s viewpoint on the issues, and you must respect the country’s right to believe and vote as they do.
Reference to Other Delegates All delegates, during debate procedures, must refer to one another in a respectful manner. The terms normally used during debate to refer to other delegates are: "My fellow colleague from...” Even if you do not support the views of a particular country or if your country is an enemy of a particular country, you must always refer to all other delegates in a respectful manner.
General Diplomatic Behavior There are a number of general rules for diplomatic behavior that apply to many situations in society. During lobbying or discussions on issues...
you should not yell and shout at other nations ; you should not speak in a rude manner ; you should not interrupt someone while they are speaking ; you should listen attentively while someone is speaking with you ; you should not try to coerce or force someone to do what you want ; you should not try to bribe someone to do what you want.
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BASIC PROTOCOL
FOR DEBATE
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1) You can only speak when “recognized” by the chairperson. This means that the chairperson must call your country name when you raise your placard. When the chairperson calls your country name you have been “recognized”. You can only be called upon to speak if you raise your placard to be recognized. (The one exception to this is when it comes to “Explaining Your Vote”. In this instance, the chairperson can call upon any country that voted “For”, “Against” or “Abstain” to explain why it voted as it did.)
2) You should never raise your placard while someone is speaking, or if someone has the floor to speak. It is considered bad manner to do this. At the appropriate times, the chairperson will ask if any country would like to request the floor to speak. At this time, you can raise your placard.
3) During any and all procedures, you are not allowed to speak to anyone from other country for any reason. You are allowed to whisper quietly to your own country partner provided you do not disturb anyone else. Any individual or country that presents a persistent problem with speaking to others or disturbing others may be removed from debate, denied their right to vote, or asked to leave the assembly hall.
4) There is to be no direct communication between any speaker and a person on the floor. For example, you have the floor and you open the floor to points of information... if someone asks you a question that you don’t understand or can’t hear, you are not allowed to ask the person to repeat the question. You must inform the chairperson that you couldn’t understand/hear the question and the chairperson will ask the delegate to repeat the question more clearly/loudly.
5) The chairperson is the main authority in the assembly hall. All debate decisions will be made by the chair. The chairperson will approve or disapprove of you yielding the floor (to the chair, to another country or to points of information). If the chairperson approves of a yielding he will say "This yielding is in order." The yielding will then be allowed to continue. If the chairperson does not approve of a yielding, he will say, "This yielding is NOT in order." He will then tell you what else you can or should do.
6) At any time when you cannot hear what is being said, you can shout out "Point of personal privilege." You do NOT have to be recognized by the chairperson to say this. It means that you cannot hear what is being said. It does NOT apply if you can’t ‘understand’ what someone means! The chairperson will then ask the speaker to speak more loudly and more clearly into the microphone.
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GUIDELINES FOR DEBATE... If you have the floor and are speaking on the issue... when you have finished speaking you can do one of three things:
1. You can say “I yield the floor to the chair.” This means that you sit down and the chairperson will decide what to do next.
2. You can say “I yield the floor to (specific country name).” This means that you sit down and someone from the country named must take the floor to speak. The country you yield the floor to MUST support the same side of the issue as you do.
3. You can say “I yield the floor to Points of Information.” This means that you are opening the floor to any questions that anyone may have. The chair will ask if anyone has a point of information (question). Everyone wanting to ask a question will raise their placards. The chair will decide which country to call on. Only the person standing at the podium can answer the question asked. Any country can only take a maximum of THREE points of information. After that, the floor must be yielded to the chair or another country.
VOTING PROCEDURES... When the debate time “For” and the debate time “Against” have finished, it is time to move into “voting procedures”. Each country will be asked to vote “FOR” (Yes) the issue, to vote ‘AGAINST’ (No) the issue or to “ABSTAIN” from voting. ONLY ONE VOTE per country is allowed.
A “For” vote means that your country accepts the resolution as it is written and will support its implementation.
An “Against” vote means that your country is not in favor of the resolution as it is written (you may be against a part of the resolution or the entire idea of the resolution) and would not support its implementation.
An “Abstain” vote should be used EXTREMELY carefully. It is rare for a country to abstain on a vote. A country might abstain from voting if it doesn’t fully know whether to support or not support an issue or if it is worried about offending an ally. (Note – ALL countries that vote to abstain on any resolution will be expected to explain their reasons for abstaining during the “Right to Explain Votes”.)
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RIGHT TO EXPLAIN VOTES...
Once the votes have been counted, the secretary general will call for a “Right to Explain the Votes”.
This means that a number of different countries will be asked to explain WHY they voted “For” (Yes) the issue. The countries will be chosen at random based on the votes registered by the secretary general.
Once the countries that voted “For” explain their votes, then a number of different countries will be asked to explain WHY they voted “Against” (No) the issue. The countries will be chosen at random based on the votes registered by the secretary general.
Finally, countries that voted to “Abstain” will be asked to explain WHY they abstained.
EVERY COUNTRY must be ready to explain their vote for every resolution that is debated. It is important that all delegation members know the reasons why their country votes as it does for each issue because individual delegation members will not always be together.
Flow of Debate
Roll Call
The Chairperson will announce each country’s name. After delegates hear their country, they should answer "present."
Setting the Agenda
When Model UN committees have more than one topic available, the body must set the agenda to begin working on one of these issues. At this time a delegate typically makes a motion, stating "The country of [name] moves to place [topic A] first on the agenda, followed by [topic B] and then [topic C]." Once the motion has been made, three delegations must speak in favor of the motion, and three other delegations will speak against it. These speeches should alternate between those in favor and those opposed. Once these six speeches have been given, a vote is taken. Setting the agenda requires a simple majority vote.
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Debate
Formal Debate: Formal debate revolves around a speakers list. The Chair begins by asking all delegates interested in addressing the other members to raise their placards. The Chair then chooses delegates to be placed on the speakers list. A country may only be on the speakers list once, but delegates may add their country to the end of the list after their speech.
1a. When the session begins, speeches focus on stating country positions and offering recommendations for action.
2a. After blocs have met, speeches focus on describing bloc positions to the entire body.
3a. Delegates now make statements describing their draft resolutions to the committee.
4a. Delegates try to garner more support through formal speeches and invite others to offer their ideas.
5a. Delegates make statements supporting or disagreeing with specific draft resolutions.
6a. Delegates present any amendments they have created.
Informal Debate: Informal debate involves discussion outside of the speakers list. During moderated caucuses, the Chair calls on delegates one-by-one so that each can address the committee in short speeches. During unmoderated caucuses, the committee breaks for a temporary recess so that delegates may meet with each other and discuss ideas.
1b. After several countries state their positions, the committee breaks for caucuses (often in blocs) to develop regional positions.
2b. Writing begins as countries work together to compose draft resolutions.
3b. Countries and groups meet to gather support for specific draft resolutions.
4b. Delegates finalize draft resolutions.
5b. Draft-resolution sponsors build greater support for their resolution and look to incorporate others’ ideas through friendly amendments.
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Close of Debate
Once the speakers list is exhausted, the committee automatically moves to voting. Also, once a delegate feels that his or her country’s position is clear to others and that there are enough draft resolutions on the floor, he or she may make a motion to proceed into voting procedure by moving for the closure of debate.
Voting Procedures
Once a motion to close debate has been approved, the committee moves into voting procedure. Amendments are voted on first, then resolutions. Once all of the resolutions are voted on, the committee moves to the next topic on the agenda.
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POINTS AND MOTIONS
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Term Definition Formal Debate: The opportunity for delegates to share their views with the entire committee. Moderated Caucus: It is a mixture of both formal and informal debate.
Points Point of Order: Points of order are used when delegates believe the chair has made an error in the running of the committee. Delegates rising to points of order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion. They should only specify the errors they believe were made in the formal committee procedure. Point of Inquiry (or Point of Parliamentary Procedure): When the floor is open (i.e., no other delegate is speaking), a delegate may rise to a point of inquiry in order to ask the chairperson a question regarding the rules of procedure. Point of Personal Privilege: Points of personal privilege are used to inform the chairperson of a physical discomfort a delegate is experiencing, such as the inability to hear another delegate’s speech. Point of Information: After a delegate has given a speech in formal debate, he or she may yield time to points of information, or questions from other delegates concerning the speech.
Motions
Adoption of the Agenda: Simple majority sets the order in which topics will be discussed. Set Speakers Time: Motion to change the length of time during formal debate. Suspend the Meeting: Suspending the meeting means calling for a moderated or unmoderated caucus. When moving to suspend the meeting, delegates should specify the purpose for and length of the suspension. This motion requires an immediate vote.
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Adjourn Meeting: Adjourning the meeting ends the committee session until the next session, which may be held the following year. The motion is most commonly made to end a committee session for the purpose of lunch or dinner. It requires an immediate vote. Table Debate: This motion must not be confused with the motion to adjourn the meeting. Tabling debate ends debate on the topic. Delegates can table debate, move on to another topic and return to the first topic at a later time. Before going to a vote, two delegates must speak in favor of tabling debate and two speak against it. Close Debate: Closing debate allows the committee to move into voting procedure. Once a delegate feels that his or her country’s position has been made clear, that there are enough draft resolutions on the floor and that all other delegates are ready, he or she can move for the closure of debate. Two delegates usually speak against the closure of debate. None speak for it. Suspend Debate (Caucus): Enters into informal debate. A specific length of time must be included.
Other Right of Reply: Must be submitted in writing to the Chair. Addresses the need to rebut derogatory remarks. Appeal the Chair’s Decision: This motion is made when a delegate feels that the chairperson has made an incorrect decision. The appeal must first be made in writing. Yields: Can be done after a delegate speaks. Delegates can only yield to questions, another delegate or to the Chair.
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USEFUL PHRASES
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Useful phrases to be used by members of the house
When starting to speak Mr/Madam Chairman
Honourable Chair, distinguished/fellow delegates …
When asking for permission to speak This delegate requests the floor
This delegate wishes to have the floor
When beginning a speech This delegate wishes to speak in favour of/against
this motion/resolution/amendment because…
When wishing to ask a question This delegate rises to a point of information/point of
order.
When asking a question Is the Chair/the speaker/the delegate (not) aware
that…
Does the speaker/the delegate (not) agree that …
The speaker/the delegate stated in his speech …
Does the speaker/the delegate (not) realise that …
When pausing to answer questions This delegate yields the floor to points of
information.
When concluding a speech This delegate urges the house to give this delegate
its support by voting for/against this
motion/resolution/amendment.
When moving an amendment This delegate moves to amend the resolution by
striking/inserting/adding the words …
When giving up the right to speak This delegate yields the floor (to the Chair).
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Debating terms
The Chair (Chairman, Chairperson) The Chair’s role is very important. It is his job to
conduct the debate and to maintain order while
remaining totally impartial.
The House All participants, e.g. the members of the class except
the Chair.
The Proposer/Submitter The person who is proposing the motion for debate.
The motion The proposal for debate, which will eventually be
voted upon.
A resolution In its draft form, a resolution is a long, complex
motion, or series of motions, for debate. Once it has
been voted on and adopted, it becomes the decision
and policy of the forum which has debated it.
A point of information A question directed either to the Chair by a member
of the house who feels that a mistake has been
made in the order of debate or who requires
clarification of the rules of procedure.
To have the floor To have been given the right to speak in debate.
To yield the floor To give up one’s right to the floor, either finally, or
temporarily for a point of information to be asked.
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PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
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In attempt to find solutions in the most dignified of matters, all delegates must be familiar with parliamentary procedure. Although it may seem awkward in the beginning, it definitely helps keeping things under control.
Here are some important notes regarding the parliamentary procedures used during the meetings and the conferences...
Addressing People...
The members must refer to the chair by using: the Chair, Mr. Chair, Mr. Chairperson, and the Chairman. The member must address the other delegates by using words like honorable, learned, and respected. For example, one may say, as my respected delegate of Germany said..."
Useful Terms
House: all members of the meetings except for the chairman points of order: questions that are directed to the chairman points of information: question directed to the speaker floor: the right to speak abstentions: ones who wish no neither vote for or against motion: an action that has been asked for
Phrases you may not know, but must know...
Phrases to be uses by the members of the house:
"motion to move into voting procedures"(I want to go directly into voting procedures)
"point of order"(I have a question for the chair regarding the order of the meeting.)
"may the speaker please repeat/rephrase their question" "yield the floor to..." ( give my right to speak to...) "Is the speaker not aware of the fact that..." Phrases to be used by the chair: May the house come to order/ May the floor come to order "Open to points of information"(Questions to the speaker may be asked) "All points of order are out of order at this time"(The chair does not want
questions at this time) "...has the floor" (... may speak)
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"May the delegate of ... rise and state their point"(May X rise and speak) "You have been recognized"(You may rise and speak) "Debate time for the question shall be X minutes and Y minutes against the
question" Y(You may speak for X minutes to support the question and speak for Y minutes against the question)
"Point (not) well taken" (Your point is (not) right/well stated) "Time for/against the question has elapsed" "That is/isn't an order" (Your actions are legal/illegal.) "May the speaker please move to their concluding remarks" Is there anyone who wishes to explain why they voted for/against the question"
The Procedures
The Procedures may vary slightly from one conference to another, but basically they are very similar and should be as follows...
1. The chair shall call the house to order. 2. Then the chair shall state the subject of the meeting and then shall set the debate
time for and against the resolution. 3. The chair then will ask the house if anyone would like to speak for the topic of
debate. 4. All the members raise their placards and the chair call one of the delegates. 5. The delegate that is called upon then rises and starts to speak for the topic of
debate. 6. When he/she finishes speaking, he tells the chair whether he is open to points of
information of not and if he is he tells the chair the amount. This may vary depending on the time.
7. The chair then shall ask the floor for the people who want to ask the speaker questions.
8. Again, everyone raises their placards and the chair calls on someone. 9. The person rises and asks the question and then sits down. 10. When all the questions have been asked the speaker then has to yield the floor to
the chair of to another delegate. 11. This process shall go on until time for has elapsed. 12. Then the same shall happen for time against. 13. When time for and time against have elapsed the house moves into voting
procedures. 14. After everyone has voted, the chair declares the results and then asks for people
who want to explain their vote.
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More Rules...
The passing of notes is allowed, but all notes shall be screened by the admin staff. Notes may be sent to the chair. A reply from the chair is not necessary. All notes should be written on official paper.
Conversation with the chair during a point of order is not an order. All points of information/order must be stated in the form of a question. Sleeping during a meeting is not an order. People who sleep shall be escorted out
of the room by the admin staff. A speaker can only yield the floor once. The speaker should start their speech by using words like: Mr. Chairman and
respected delegates, I am (not) in favor of this because..." Speaking out of turn is not an order. The passing of notes can be suspended for a certain amount of time. Points of order may only be called when no one is speaking. All delegates must have placards in order to vote.
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CAUCUSING
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Caucusing
Caucusing, or informal debate, is an important part of the Model UN simulation because it provides an opportunity for delegates to collaborate, negotiate and formulate draft resolutions. During a Model UN conference, caucuses can be either moderated or unmoderated.
When a committee holds a moderated caucus, the Chair calls on delegates one at a time and each speaker briefly addresses the committee. During an unmoderated caucus, the committee breaks for a temporary recess from formal proceedings so that delegates can work together in small groups. To hold a caucus, a delegate must make a motion and the committee must pass the motion.
Many delegates prefer to speak during a moderated caucus rather than being placed on the speaker’s list. In a moderated caucus, speakers are usually able to convey one or two key points to the entire committee or share new ideas that have developed through the course of debate. A delegate sometimes chooses to make a motion for a moderated caucus if his or her name is close to the end of the speakers list. By speaking in a moderated caucus, delegates are able to address the committee much earlier.
In most cases, more than half of committee time is used for unmoderated caucusing. Many delegates feel this is the easiest way for them to collaborate and start to formulate draft resolutions.
Tips for Effective Caucusing
Enter the caucus with a plan in mind: Formulate ideas on what your country would like to see included in a resolution. Decide which clauses you are willing to negotiate on and which you are not.
Find delegates in your regional bloc: This is the easiest way to seek out allies. However, if you find that the group you are working with is not meeting your needs, do not be afraid to switch groups.
Provide ideas: Tell others what your country is hoping to achieve. If you do not agree with an idea, do not hesitate to say that it is against your country’s policy.
Negotiate: While it is often necessary to give up something that you want, make sure that you are not giving up anything too important.
Listen: By listening to what others are saying you will able to build on other people’s ideas and add more to the discussion. Listening also shows respect for each delegate in your group.
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Do not interrupt: Allow other delegates to finish their thoughts rather than interrupting others in the middle of a sentence. It sometimes helps to write down your idea so that you can bring it up when the delegate is finished speaking.
Record ideas: Start to formulate a resolution in writing. Rather than waiting until the last minute, begin recording fellow delegates’ ideas right away.
Be resourceful: By providing fellow delegates with resolution text, maps or information as they need it, you will show that you are valuable to the group.
Have one-on-one conversations: Speaking with an individual or in a small group is the best way to find out a delegate’s position on an issue. Larger groups are better suited to brainstorming.
Stay calm: In caucuses, delegates can sometimes “lose their cool.” Staying calm will not only help your group be more effective, but will be noticed by the conference staff. Always keep your voice at a normal level. If you see that you are becoming upset or raising your voice, excuse yourself from the group for a few minutes.
Use time effectively: Make sure you have enough time to hear everyone’s ideas so that you can discuss them during formal debate. Try not to waste time arguing over small details that do not seriously affect the draft resolution.
Show respect: Never give orders or tell other delegates what they should or should not do. Be polite and treat all your fellow delegates with respect.
Provide constructive critique: Rather than negatively criticizing another delegate, focus on providing constructive critique. If you dislike an idea, try to offer an alternative. Critique ideas, not people.
Establish connections with other delegates: Although it can be tempting to call a fellow delegate “Pakistan,” “Brazil” or “Sweden”, you can form a better connection with a delegate by learning his or her name and where he or she comes from. Ask the delegate about his or her ideas and impressions of the debate. Showing interest in your fellow delegates at the beginning of the conference will help you gain more support later on and can help you to form lasting friendships.
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Public Speaking
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Public speaking is one of the most important skills you will use as a Model UN delegate. You will need to convey your member state’s positions, help build consensus and formulate resolutions. Usually, the length of time a delegate is allowed to speak is set by the conference organizers. Delegates can make a motion to increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker. If another delegate seconds the motion, then the committee will vote on changing the speaker’s time.
You will have numerous opportunities to speak in your committee during a Model UN simulation. The Chair will maintain a speakers list of delegates who would like to make formal speeches. During caucusing you will have an opportunity to speak informally to delegates in your committee, but it is still important to keep the principles of effective public speaking in mind.
Although speaking is an important part of any Model UN simulation, many delegates fear speaking in front of a large group. The best way to cope with these fears is to be well-prepared. You should research as much as possible about your country and the issue the committee will be debating. You should be comfortable explaining your country's position and have ideas on what you would like to include in the committee’s resolution. If you come to the conference prepared, you will be eager to speak in committee and project confidence.
How to make an opening speech
First, you should thank the presiding official by saying "Thank you Mr./ Madame/ Honorable Chair/ President…"
Then begin by providing a brief history on the issue as it relates to your country. Speak about how the issue is currently affecting your country. Provide your country's position on the issue. Include an explanation for your country’s
stance, such as economic or security concerns or political or religious ideology. You may choose to give an explanation of how your country's position relates to the
positions of other member states such as the major powers or countries in your regional bloc.
You should discuss some of the past actions taken by the UN, member states and NGOs to address the issue.
Present ideas for a resolution, stressing your country’s objectives for the resolution. Talk about the role that NGOs or regional organizations have to play in addressing the
issue. Indicate to the committee members whether your country is willing to negotiate.
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How to make speech during debate
Again, you should thank the presiding official by saying "Thank you Mr./ Madame/ Honorable Chair/ President…"
Encourage collaboration among member states by proposing ways that your country would be willing to work with other member states.
By referencing what other delegates have said, you can show support for your allies or indicate which proposals your country does not favor.
Present ideas for draft resolutions. Explain why your country does or does not support other draft resolutions.
Public Speaking Tips
Prepare: Decide how you feel most comfortable delivering your speech. You may choose to use your position paper text as your opening speech or you may write out some key points. In time, you may feel comfortable speaking without any written notes at all. If you plan to use a word or phrase that is unfamiliar to you, make sure you learn its meaning and how to pronounce it properly.
Practice: Rehearsing your speech is the best way to perfect your public speaking skills. Try practicing in front of a teacher, a parent, or fellow Model UNers from your class or club. When you listen to a speech, provide constructive feedback rather than criticism. When someone critiques your speech, accept the feedback graciously and use it as a tool to strengthen your public speaking.
Consider your audience: Make your speech appropriate to the age and experience-level of the other delegates at the conference. Remember that the beginning of the speech should captivate your audience and make them to want to hear more.
Eliminate unnecessary “filler” words: Fillers are words and phrases such as "umm," "well," "sort of,” and “like". These words take away from the message you are trying to convey. Some additional fillers to avoid are “so,” "you know," "I think," "just," and "uh."
Use meaningful pauses: Leaving a moment of silence between sentences can be a powerful public speaking tool. Pausing after an important point or before answering a question will help to hold the audience’s attention. A pause can also give you time to formulate your next statement.
Breathe: Try to breathe from your diaphragm – the organ below your lungs that controls your respiration. You are breathing properly if you can see your abdomen rising and falling with each breath. Try to inhale and exhale completely.
Pace yourself: Don’t talk too fast or too slow. Remember that most speakers have a tendency to talk too quickly.
Choose a powerful posture: Be aware of your posture when you speak. Slouching, tilting your head and crossing your arms or legs will take away from your message.
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Stand up straight, relax your shoulders, plant your feet firmly and keep your knees unlocked to help you communicate confidence.
Project your presence: Speaking in a low to medium volume can help to project authority, but make sure that you are speaking loud enough to be easily heard. Focus on speaking with enthusiasm and energy.
Gesture: It is worthwhile to use your face, hands, arms and body to help you communicate as long as your motions do not distract the audience from your speech.
Connect with your audience: Glance at your notes rather than reading them so that you can make eye contact with the other delegates. It is often helpful to speak directly to individual members of the audience.
Get to the point: Speak concisely so that your audience does not lose your main arguments among less-important details. Try not to speak in circles. Instead, go straight to your most important point.
Be positive: Rather than criticizing another point of view, critique it in a constructive way. Always provide alternatives and be sure to back up your arguments.
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We wish you the
best of luck!