NEW! SSC CGL Notes | CGL Papers PDF
(Sample Material) SSC CGL (Tier -3) Study Kit "Essay - "The Role Of United Nations In Peacekeeping"
Sample Materials of SSC CGL (Tier -3) Study Kit
Subject: Essay
Topic: The Role Of United Nations In Peacekeeping
Today the UN is on the verge of becoming the institution that its founders foresaw for it in 1945. It has been able to put more than 50,000 peace-keepers in 13 peacekeeping and observer missions ranging from Somalia and Cambodia to the former Yugoslavia. Eight of these 13 missions have been launched since 1989. And a many bitch missions are being organized. Of these missions, four have been in the Middle East-Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Kuwait. In Africa there are forces in Western Sahara, Angola, Somalia and Mozambique. In Asia, there are peacekeepers between India and Pakistan and in Cambodia. The UN is in El Salvador in Latin America and in Europe in Cyprus and the former Yugoslavia. Peace-keeping as a concept is not specifically described in the UN Charter, but it has evolved over the years as an internationally acceptable way of controlling conflicts. Since the advent of UN peace-keeping, for the first time military forces have been used not to wage war, establish domination, serve the interests of any power or group of powers but rather to control and resolve conflicts between states or communities within states.
To date, there have been 20 peace-keeping operations. Of these 10 were peacekeeping forces and the other 10 were military observer missions. This ‘distinction is’not, however, absolute. Unarmed military observers are often attached to peace-keeping forces, and specialist military units, sometimes armed forces can be attached to observer missions. Several past operations have included major civilian elements, the UNTAG operation in Namibia is an example. Future operations may require other combinations of personnel performing an increasing variety of functions. The latest peace-keeping operations to be established were the 300 member “UN, Iraq. Kuwait observation mission (UNIKOM) to monitor a demilitarised zone between Iraq and Kuwait after the Gulf war of 1991. The peace-keeping force in Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR) to keep the peace in the civil war-torn country since February 1992 and the UN peace force in Cambodia (UNTAC) which became operational from April 1992. Some of these operations relate to disputes between states but the most recent relate to civil wars. The list of course does not include several areas of disastrous conflicts where the UN is not vet involved in peacekeeping. Along the southern flank of what used to be the Soviet Unionin Georgia, Azerbaijan and in Tajikistan, fighting of a savage intensity rages. The UN has sent fact-finding mission: and there are calls for the international community to be involved.
The main responsibility for peace-keeping lies with the Security Council. The UN charter states that when the Council determines the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, it shall decide what the UN should do to maintain or restore international peace and security. The Security Council links first for peaceful settlement of the dispute. If its recommendations are not followed by the parties involved, it can call for action by the international community, which might include asking member-state-to make armed forces available to enforce its wishes.
Since the UN was founded, there have been only two military enforcement actions-in 1950 and 1990 when the Security Council, in a series of resolutions recommended member-states to collectively deter aggression by use of force against an identified aggressor. These two operations differed from peace-keeping operations, which are based on the consent of the parties, are not pennitted to use force except in self-defence, and are under the command of the SecretaryGeneral.
Buy Printed Study Kit for SSC CGL (Tier -3) Examination
In order for the 15-member Security Council to adopt a proposal for peacekeeping operation, there should not be any negative vote from any of its five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States). The Secretary-General reports to the Council on how the operation can be launched and executed. Subject to the Council’s approval, he must then make the required arrangements-choosing to supply military or other civilian personnel, supplies and equipment, transportation and logistic support to the UN.
In approving the Secretary-General’s report on the establishment of a peacekeeping operation, the Council also decides how it will be funded on a voluntary basis or, as is usually the case, on an obligatory basis as expenses of the world organisation in accordance with the provisions of the Charter. In the latter case, the General Assembly decides how the expenses will be apportioned among the member-states.
United Nations’ soldiers work under the UN commander, who takes his orders from the Secretary-General (who is himself responsible to the Security Council). but they remain tinder national command in matters of pay.. discipline and promotion. Only in exceptional circumstances may UN troops use force. They carry light arms and may employ them only if they are attacked, or if they are stopped by force from carrying out their mandate.
The increasing importance of the UN as a peacekeeper can be seen font the tact that. as against the thirteen UN peacekeeping operations launched during the first forty-three years of the organization’s existence five were mounted in 198889 and four were initiated during 1990-91. But their recent missions in Yugoslavia, Cambodia and Somalia have posed some problems. The United Nations became actively involved in the situation in Yugoslavia in September 25, 1991, when the Security Council, meeting at the ministerial level, unanimously adopted its Resolution 713(1991) expressing deep concern at the fighting in that country and called on all states to implement immediately a general and complete embargo on all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Yugoslavia.
By its resolution. the Council invited the secretary-General to offer his assistance.. in cooperation with the Government of Yugoslavia and all those promoting peace efforts. On October 8, 1991, the Secretary-General appointed Cyrus Vance. former United States Secretary of State, as his Personal Envoy to Yugoslavia. Since then- the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy have maintained constant contact with all the parties in the Yugoslav conflict.
On February 21. the Security Council, by its Resolution 743 (1992). established UNPROFOR for an initial period of 12 months. The Council confirmed that the Force should be an interim arrangement to create the conditions of peace and security required for the negotiation of an overall settlement of the Yugoslav crisis. UNPROFOR was deployed in the three United Nations Protected Areas (UNPA) in Croatia-eastern Slovenia. Western Slovenia and Krajina-which. for United Nations purposes has been divided into tour sectors: east, north. South and west.
UNPROFOR includes military, police and civilian components comprising a total of some 14.000 personnels. The military components consists of 12 enlarged infantry battalions (same 10,000 all ranks), headquarters, logistics and other support elements totalling about 2,840 all ranks, and 100 military observers. Its tasks include verifying demilitarization of the UNPAs. controlling access to them by establishing checkpoints. patrolling them. investigating wry complaints, and_ if serious tensions, should develop between nationalities in a UNPA, interposing itself between the two sides in order to prevent hostilities.
In most of its past peace-keeping operations,’ the United Nations had refused to send troops into an area until a cease-fire was assured and all sides agreed to the UN presence. In the Yugoslav case, the cease-fire has proved fragile: the ethnic conflict has been far more complex than in many other civil wars elsewhere in the world.
In the past. the UN had accepted the principle that it would withdraw, from a peacekeeping operation if any of the parties to the dispute asked it to leave. But in this case the United Nations intends to operate under a different principle: it will remain until the Security Council decides it is time to go.
Since then the UN moved its operations to Bosnia Herzegovina, where civil war had raged. While UN troops battle to feed the starving populace, the Bosnian Muslims continue to reel under atrocities committed by the Serbs. The UN is handicapped by the nature of its mandate. The UNPROFOR is a peacekeeping force but unfortunately in Bosnia. today, there is no peace to keep. The resources of the UN are also severely strained as donor countries reeling under global recession are steadily cutting down their aid to the UN and are defaulting on their commitments.
In Cambodia. the United Nations Transition Authority, on Feb 28. 1992 has successful[,, overseen the elections inspire of threats by the dreaded Khmer Rouge. UNTAC was a delicate and difficult mission for it aimed to put ,in end to two decades of war, destruction and suffering, to create the conditions for a lasting peace and to lead the Cambodian people to free and democratic elections.
The operation covered seven major areas: promotion of human rights, free and fair elections, military arrangements, civil administration, maintenance of law and order, repatriation of Cambodian refugees and displaced persons, and rehabilitation of the infrastructure during the transitional period.
The UN had invested more than two-billion dollars and 22.000 personnel in Cambodia. It is felt that some form of UN involvement will be essential till the country gets backs on its feet but a sustained involvement will be impossible as not one country in the developed world will be willing to bankroll the costly exercise.
The UN involvement in Somalia began primarily to undertake relief operations and bring food to the starving populace who were caught in the midst of a civil war. But attacks on the UN convoy led to the UN recommendation of military force. The UN sent the largest peacekeeping force in UN history to provide humanitarian assistance and establish peace. Comprising 28,000 troops and 2800 civilians it helped to rehabilitate Somalia’s economy, re-establish Somali police. clear landmines and help in repatriating refugees. The mandate teas valid till 31st Oct. 1993.
Experience of the United Nations’ peace-keeping operations discussed here suggests certain problems and limitations. Peace-keeping operations make up part of what Flanmlarskjold called “preventive diplomacy” keeping involved intervention by the United Nations in conflicts that were marginal to the cold war. The explicit aim was to keep them outside of the East-West power conflict.
Clearly if the United Nations is to employ military actions, the force acting on its behalf must be strong enough to accomplish its stated purpose. Anything less will mean a fatal loss of prestige and the end of any effective UN role. Furthermore, a force employed for its military capacity must be authorised to do more than shoot in self-defence. Such a force requires a leader—presumably the Secretary General-who can persuade either the Security Council or the General Assembly to adopt the required resolution to guide policy. Alternatively, the Secretary-General must be prepared to interpret existing resolution in a feasible manner and face the consequences.\
The financial feasibility of such forces remains another critical problem. A special committee on peace-keeping operations established during the financial crisis of 1964-65 has laboured for more than 20 years without resolving the thorny issue of finance and control. The main donor nations are behind by over $I billion in their payments to peacekeeping activities and the US itself is reported to owe something in the region of $300 million.
The United Nation Charter empowers the Security Council “to maintain or restore international peace and security,” and to enforce the will of the Council on a State that has broken peace. Should the need arise, the countries would be protected from aggression by forces provided to the Security Council by member states, serving as a United Nation army at the Council’s will.
Military force has quite frequently been used by the United Nations for peace-keeping. This improvisation was first devised in haste to facilitate at the end of 1956 hostilities in the Middle East. Since then, the United Nation use of military power has become a well- established practice. The use of military force by the United Nation for both enforcement and peacekeeping is essential to a world order in which international security which is looked after by the Security Council is heavily dependent on the defaulting member Stares.
The United Nations peacekeeping forces originated in 1948 when the United Nation Security signed a truce between Israel and the Arab states. Since then, the UN peacekeeping forces have been involved in scores of operations around the world, helping to maintain or re-establish peace in areas char have been the scene of armed conflict.
The peacekeeping forces consisted of two groups:
(i) Unarmed observers, who are employed to gather information
and monitor activities, and
(ii) Lightly armed military forces, who are employed co separate hostile parries
and maintain security.
Most of the conflicts in which the United Nation peacekeeping forces have intervened are the direct result of the fall of the British Empire. From the mid-nineteenth century until the early 20th century, Great Britain had been the world’s greatest military and political power. So in 1922, Palestine was placed under British control by the League of United Nation. But Britain found it hard to settle the conflicts between Arabs and Jews.
In 1947, the United Nation successor to the League of United Nation proposed a partition plan by which Palestine would be divided into an Arab State and a Jewish State. Despite protests from the Palestinian Arabs, this plan was implemented on May 14, 1948, when Great Britain withdrew from Palestine. Israel, the Jewish state declared its independence and was attacked by five Arab states: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), and Egypt.
After several weeks of fighting, the United Nation was able to persuade the disputing countries to declare a truce. In order to make sure that the truce will hold, the United Nation Security Council sent a group of observers to the area. The observers consisted of a few soldiers and the members of the United Nation secretariat. By 1949, this adhoc group of observers had evolved into an official body locally called the United Nation.
But in the changing world order the UN has to take an active role in places where the conflicts are still raging as in Bosnia or as in Somalia. Very often the UN personnels have come under direct attacks by warring factions. The massacre of twenty-two Pakistani UN soldiers by the Somali warlord was the bloodiest attack on UN peacekeepers since 1961 when 44 persons were killed in Congo. In retaliation the Pakistani UN soldiers later fired at a group of protestors killing 20. This has put the UN operations under a cloud. The UN Security Council resolution 813 passed after the massacre of the Pakistanis demands punishment for those responsible and also approved a Pakistani resolution calling for contribution of armoured personnel carriers and helicopters to prevent similar attacks passing a resolution is one thing, implementation is another. None of the developed countries like America. Britain and France are ready to shoulder extra responsibility while countries like India and Canada which used to provide troops may no longer do so because of defence cuts and lack of trained units. IIIequipped and inadequate forces action upon a feeble mandate will only bring the UN disrepute.
True Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) remained active, with observers stationed in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. While Israel and its Arab neighbors were quarrelling over the future of Palestine, Pakistan attacked India to recover Jammu ‘and Kashmir which had ceded to India in 1948. After the ceasefire arranged by UN, in 1949, the “United Nation Security Council sent a United Nation Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to monitor the cease fire.
The new force called the First United Nations Emergency Force (UNEFI) supervised the withdrawal of foreign troops from Egyptian territory. The force also served as a buffer along the Egyptian-Israeli border and in the Gaza strip: In 1967, after the Six Day war, which pitted Egypt, Syria and Jordan against Israel, a United Nation peacekeeping force (UNEF II) was assigned to monitor the truce agreement between the countries.
In 1974, after an attack on Israel by Egypt, Jordan and Syria, another peacekeeping force (UNDOF) was installed in the Golan Heights, on the Western border of Syria, to maintain a buffer between Israeli and Syrian forces. In the 1970s, the Palestine liberation Organization (PLO) a coalition of Palestinian groups whose goal is to liberate their homeland from what they view as an illegitimate Israeli occupation- began a series of terrorist acts against Israel.
In 1978, Israel retaliated against a PLO raid by invading Lebanon, which was then a strong PLO stronghold. Following this invasion, the United Nation established the United Nation Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIl), an unusually large peacekeeping force whose duties included monitoring Israeli troop withdrawal, maintaining peace among Lebanon’s warring ethnic factions, and helping the Lebanese government to re-establish its authority.
In 1988, at the conclusion of an eight year war between Iran and Iraq, the United Nation installed a peacekeeping force (UNIMOG) along border, between the two countries to observe the withdrawal of troops and to monitor any violation of the cease-fire agreement, In the same year a peacekeeping mission was sent to monitor the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan and the return of refugees who had fled to Pakistan.
Shortly thereafter, the United Nation peacekeeping forces received the 1988 Nobel Prize for Peace. Today’s UN peacekeeping forces made up of military personnel from 58 countries are made available by the Security Council on request. They are most often dispatched to where a cease-fire has been established, but a formal peace treaty has not yet been drawn. They are also placed in a buffer zone between the disputing parries so that if hostilities resume, the combatants will confront the United Nation troops first. United Nation soldiers wear the military uniforms of their own nations but they also wear helmets or distinctive blue ‘caps that identify them as members of the peacekeeping force. They carry light defensive weapons which they use only when necessary for self protection.
Members of the observing group carry no weapons at all. Since winning the Nobel Prize in 1988, the United Nation Peacekeeping soldiers have been involved in several new operations. In December, 1988, a force was sent to Angola (UNAVEM) to monitor the departure of occupying Cuban troops. In April 1989, another force was sent to Namibia to help the former South African colony make the transition to independence. In September 1989, a force (ONUCA) was sent to Central America to patrol the border around Nicaragua, whose government, under the control of Sandinista government, the United Nation force hoped to prevent further fighting in both countries. In April 1991, after a coalition of international forces led by the United States compelled Iraq to withdraw from its violent annexation of Kuwait, a United Nation peacekeeping force (UNICOM) was sent to the area co supervise troop withdrawal, monitor Iraq’s adherence to (he ceasefire agreement and serve as a buffer along the Iraq-Kuwait border. United Nation peacekeeping forces had also been sent to Cambodia, Yugoslavia, EI Salvador and Somalia.
In conclusion, it can be said that though the efforts of UN forces have not yielded effective results in all cases, it cannot be denied that most of them did a creditable job. The success of UN peacekeeping efforts depends on the consent of the host states, cooperation of the great powers and the suppliers of forces, whether military, police or civilian. Withdrawal of consent for the host state can lead either to the termination of the operations or to a period of severe disturbances, Similarly, without the cooperation of the big powers UN peace-keepings measures are bound to fail, Finally. Unless the states contributing forces and finance; come forward with necessary forces and finances, UN peace-keeping cannot succeed.
