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The World Body Needs a Major Reform

by A M M Shahabuddin
ff IT TE the peoples of VV the United Na-
▼ ▼ tions" — thus opens the Charter of the UN. which is practically serves as its constitution, framed by its founding fathers some 49 years ago. To commemorate the founding of the United Nations in 1945. UN Day is celebrated by its- member states on October 24 each year, by which date the Charter, containing 19 Chapters and 1 11 Articles, was ratified by five permanent members (USA.UK. Soviet Union (now Russia). France and China) and majority of the 51 original members and signatories.
The UN was literally built on the smouldering ashes of the World War II "to save the succeeding generations from the scourge of the war." On the eve of- its 50th birth anniversary, the UN has become a more popular household word • During its last 49 years of journey, it has seen many ups and downs, receiving both bouquets and brickbats.
The founding fathers, when they established this organization. set before them lofty ideals and objectives, as enshrined in the Charter, the great objectives being: maintaining international peace and security, securing Justice and human rights, and prompting social progress and better standard of life in larger free.-dpm. But the first and foremost objective of the UN Charter is "to maintain international peace and security." as declared in Chapter I. Article I,'and to that end "to take effective collective measures for the prevention or. removal of threats to peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression, or other breaches of peace...."
Global Scenario
Now. if we look around the globe and analyse the role played by the UN. or the role it has been made to play by some of its powerful members, .we find contrasting scenario of-success and failures during Its history of about five decades. It is true and undeniable that the UN has saved the world from the recurrence of a Third
World War. But the balance of power was maintained till the collapse of the other Superpower. Soviet Union and its East European alies. For good or bad. the disintegration of the Soviet Union and end of the cold war have opened the
• Pandora s Box. throwing the whole world into a sort of chaos and confusion, often leading to disastrous regional Conflicts, aggressions and 'ethnic cleansing.' It has become a Herculean task for the only Superpower — USA — left in the field to work as a world policeman to tackle the rtlany headed monster now .on the rampage. The situation was rather worsened when Reagan and Bush literally 'fished' in the 'troubled waters' to serve their interests, leaving a terribly aweful legacy for the new President Bill Clinton.
Birth-defect
So the UN Iras often gone off the track and has also been abused and taken-advantage of by its permanent members, taking it as a protective um-brella to cover up their alleged 'misdeeds.* But how could this happen? Because they took advantage of certain basic defects. better said 'birth defects'. of the world body, which are rather eating into its vitals. This basic 'birth' defect, lies in the 'veto' power given to the five permanent members of the Security Council. A permanent member can make or mar a situation -and mould the course of any action in its favour, disregarding the world opinion reflected in the UN General Assembly consisting of all the member States, both big and small, now numbering some 184. Veto-power initially might have been a well-intentioned part of the UN .organism to serve as a 'safety valve' for smooth-running of the organization. The founding fathers might have included this systeni in the charter foreseeing the possible onslaught of distrust between the West and (he East, headed by Washington and. Moscow respectively.
But each part of the body has its wear and tear, and when it sends out danger signals, it needs immediate removal for greater good That stage perhaps has arrived for the UN as well, particularly (n the postcold War period.
‘Veto’ — a “Lunatic
Device'
The 'veto' system has its own history. The UN inherited the system from its predecessor or 'first cousin.’ the League of Nations, which, in Its turn, borrowed it from the 14th century Polish Parliament. One of the main reasons of the premature dhath of the League of Nations, within around two decides Of its existence. was the use of 'veto' power. given to the nine members — USA. UK. France. Italy. Japan and four elected members. H G Wells called the 'veto' system a "lunatic device." In fact, this device, destroyed its innovators — the 14th century Polish Parliament. So it seems, inorder to save the UN going the League of Nations way, the pernicious 'veto' system should be done away with.
. Secretary General
This brings us to the issue of'over-hauling the UN thoroughly. through major or drastic reforms, to save it from gradual ruinatioij. We can't just sit and see it. wither away. The world can't survive without the UN. It has become an indispensable part of it. But the question is what sort of UN the world wants arid another relevant question is what type of Secretary General the UN needs because the two are interlinked and the activities and pronouncements of the Secretary General can either glorify or tarnish the image of the world body. The Secretary General serves as the ears and eyes of the organization. The present incumbent Boutros Boutros-Ghali has to an extent become a. 'controversial figure'
because some of his 'objectionable' remarks. He picked up quarrel with the Security Council when it decided to send additional peace-keeping force to Bosnia, saying that too much attention was being given to a "richman’s war." Then again, when George Bush bombarded Baghdad in January 1993 'to punish' Saddam for 'violation' of ’no-fly’ zone is .northern Iraq. Ghali. who was then visiting Paris, was asked by pressmen on January 23. ’93: "Do you approve of yesterday’s raid against Iraq?" He promptly r.eplied: ’’The raid was carried out In accordance with a mandate from the Security Council under Resolution 687 and the motive for the raid was Iraq's violation of the Resolution." The Secretary-General. however forgot or pretended not to know that the ’no-fly’ zopes in northern and southern Iraq were created not by UN but by Bush and his allies pethaps to serve their purposes. Ghali reajised his mistake on .return to New York where his spokesman Joe Sills briefed the newsmen saying: ’'It is not .the function of the Secretary General to tell the -member states how they should define a resolution." But the damage had already, been done. In this connecUon. former Canadian Ambassador •to UN Stephen .Lewis, however, was quoted as saying :
"He (Ghali) should have disso-- ciated the UN with the Ame-
rican. British and French' enforcement measures. But he is very anxious about not offending the Americans because he needs them desperately." So that brings the cat out of the bag to show how the UN is often abused and misused by some western powers to serve their 'strategy and how Ghali. maybe unfortunately, is also echoing their voice. So in order to enhance the prestige and image of the UN; the next Secretary General should be a man of dynamic personality,
say. like Dag Hammarsltzoled of Sweden or Dr. Kurt Waldheim of Austria.
Double Standard
Another matter that has exposed UN's helplessness is somewhat adoption of a dubious. policy of double standard by the Western powers in implementing CounclT Resolu- • tions. As a result, for the same crime, one is being heavily punished, while another romps around like a hero. Take for example Security Council Resolution 242. adopted in November 1967, urging Israel to withdraw'its forces from the Arab territories occupied in 1967. 'Unfortunately, this resolution has been put in cold storage since then and Israel is ruling the roost in the occupied territories for the , last 27 years. At las) a face-savlng measure has been taken, thanks to the initiatives by Clinton, to restore some of these occupied territories through negotiations.
As against this, the world witnessed how George Bush ran amuck ' to implement the Security Council Resolutions to drive out the Iraqi occupation forces from Kuwait. Again, whpn Israel deported 415 Hamas activists to southern Lebanon in December 1992. the’ Security Council Resolution 799 called upon Israel ' to ■readmit all the deportees immediately. That resolution was never Implemented as Israel was adament not to take them back within one year. The tragedy Is that everything is being done in the name of . UN. under its protective umbrella. A western columnist had very rightly asked: "Would the UN. after having done nothing about what Israel has done, still possess the moral authority to Intervene militarily to end the killings, rapes and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, let alone to 'pupish' Saddam Hussain again for technical violations of ceasefire resolutions?" Canadian Army Officer Gen. Lewis Mackenzie, who led the first UN peacekeeping foYce in Bosnia. • regretting inconsistency In UN operations, said: "I don't see missiles raining down on Israel (for defying UN resolutions)." and warned all concerned, saying: "If you are going to use UN as an umbrella you would better use it carefully." This warning should sound like a strong signal for the UN diplomats: otherwise the world would consider the UN as "nothing more than a cover for the Interests of the United Slates and its Western allies." as pointed out by a Canadiah Columnist.
Basic Reforms
In order to give a new life and strength to restore the world body to its original and envisaged prestigious position, following basic reforms may be considered by the member states on an urgent basis:
- The charter should be amended by the General Assembly to strip the permanent members of the Security Council of veto' power.
— The number of the Security Council members should be raised, through amendment of the Charter, to 30 from present 15, Including two from Asia. All important and vital issues related to international peace and security
should be decided by a two-third majority, other routine matters by a simple majority.
— In case the Security Council falls to reach a decision on a vital Issue like world peace arid security. ' the General Assembly should revoke Its Uniting for Peace resolution, adopted by the Assembly in November 1950. (Under this epoch-making resolution the Assembly may take action if the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity, fails to act In a, case where there appears to be a threat to peace, breach of peace or act of aggression. The Assembly is empowered, under this resolution, to yonSider the matter Immediately with a view to making recommendations to members for collective measures, including the use of armed forces, when neces-sarv).
— The Military Staff. Committee, consisting of the chiefs of staff or their representatives from the Permanent Members, set up under Article 46. chapter VII. of the Charter. should be fully activated and given full responsibility and leadership .in peacekeeping operations, or wherever UN Is called upon to take , collective measures, including the use of armed forces against any aggression or to pin down any intransigent State. (Article 47, para 3 of Chapter VII unequivocally states that the ^Military Staff Committee "shall be responsible under the Security Council for the Strategic direction of any armed forces placed at the disposal of the Security Council. Questions relating to the command of such forces shall be worked out subsequently.")
The tragedy with the UN was that the Military Staff Committee has seldom been used for the purpose for which it was set up. It existed in the UN nomenclature like'a paper tiger'. It was bypassed, overlooked and ignored during all past and present UN operations.
Symbol of Hope or Failure?
To sum-up. the UN today stands at the cross roads pf history, apparently bewildered arid confused, searching for its once bold Identity with which it came into existence some 49 years ago. The ’new world . order' which it was supposed to usher in. particularly Iri the post cold war era. has rather crumbled Into a ’new world disorder'. prevailing today around the world.
Today the world cannot survive without a UN. Had there been no UN today, we would have Invented one for the. sake of humanity. UN must, therefore, be rescued from the seemingly morasb in which It has now bogged down. The former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once warned that the UN could come to be seen "as a symbol of failure, rather than a symbol Of hope." Before that fateful 'day' comes, let us. the "peoples of the United Nations," in whose name the Charter begins, rise and save It from going the League of Nations way. Let, president Clinton also take the lead as the head of the only superpower left in the world and contribute his mite to put the UN on the right track. He has already made a tremendous Impact In giving US foreign policy a new direction.
The writer Is a retired UN official