(Continuation from yesterday)
Some failures of UNO:
Israeli occupation (1948-Now): The Jewish state was created in 1948, and since then the Palestinians have been fighting against Israelis for their forcible and illegal occupation of Palestinians territory. Several hundred times Israeli forces attacked and killed more than 15,000 innocent Palestinians. Israeli conducted cleansing drive in Palestine and forcibly drove out 750,000 people out of a total population of 1.9 million to take shelter afar from their homelands between 1947 and 1949. In addition, more than 7,000 Palestinians and 1,100 Israelis have died in the conflict from 2000 to 2014. At present, Israelis illegally and forcibly control about 85 per cent of Palestine and construct illegal settlements on occupied lands in defiance of several UN resolutions calling for an end to those construction and settlements. Several times, the United States of America used veto power to oppose the resolutions of the UN Security Council. The UN several times condemned Israelis’ use of force against and killing the innocent and unarmed civilians of Palestine, but failed to bring on any permanent peaceful settlement.
Kashmir dispute (1948-Now): The continuing conflict and dispute over Kashmir region has become one of the greatest human right crises in history. In Kashmir brutal and indiscriminate killings, rape and gang rape, incarceration of leaders and activists, torture and disappearances of Kashmiris, are going on despite several unimplemented UN resolutions over the issue. More than 68,000 people have been killed by Indian security forces since then.
Rwandan civil war (1990-1994): One of the worst ethnic genocides since World War II, the civil war between the Rwandan Armed Forces and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) began in 1990 and lasted until 1994. However, UN failed to take any effective measures to stop the civil war and save the life.
Iraq invasion (2003-2011): More than one million Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict in their country since the US-led invasion in 2003. UN Resolution 1483 attempted to legitimize the invasion that was carried out under the false assertion by the US and the UK that the Saddam regime was in possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Here UN was helpless to establish justice.
Syrian civil war (2011-Now): The Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al Assad launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters who took to the streets in March 2011. Several foreign countries are involved in several conflict areas across Syria. Syria's conflict alone had, by the end of last year, pushed more than 6.3 million people out of the country, accounting for nearly one-third of the global refugee population. Another 6.2 million Syrians are internally displaced. However, UNO failed to enforce any permanent ceasefire.
South Sudan (2013-Now): South Sudan became an independent country in July 2011, separating from Sudan. The country has been experiencing a civil war between President Salva Kiir, from the Dinka ethnic group, and former vice president Riek Machar, from the Nuer ethnic group. In the civil war, at least 382,000 people have been killed, according to a State Department-funded study. But UN failed to bring on peace.
Yemen civil war (2014-Now): The civil war in Yemen began in 2014 between loyal forces of the internationally accepted government of President Abrabbu Mansur Hadi backed by Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Houthis rebels backed by Iran. Houthis has turned more violent after a Saudi-led international coalition started operations against Houthis in March 2015.The Saudi-led coalition began its intervention in Yemen in 2015, escalating the war, which left the poorest country in the Arab world in a state of disaster. The UN has failed to send humanitarian aid, food and drugs to civilians amid a blockade imposed on the war-torn country.
Rohingya Crisis, Myanmar (2017-Now): Myanmar launched a massive military crackdown on the Muslim ethnic minority, killed almost 24,000 unarmed and innocent civilians and forced 750,000 others, including men, women and children, to flee to Bangladesh, on August 25, 2017, according to the Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA). The whole world became shocked at the inhuman and brutal military acts of Myanmar. Myanmar armed forces extremely violated and transgressed humanity. The forces not only persecuted women and young girls but also raped, and gang raped and then killed them. The forces set fire to their houses too. Unfortunately, China stood behind Myanmar on the Rohingya crisis by blocking efforts for the Rohingya in the UN Security Council. As a result, UN fails to solve the crisis.
In conclusion, we may consider and state that despite some setbacks the UNO plays a very big and substantial role especially to maintain peace and security among the states in the world. In addition, the UNO has been trying its best to play the parts and functions since its creation. Whenever any dispute or any other disagreement arises, any crisis occurs, or any war breaks out, UNO comes up to solve and address the problems and thereby tries to establish peace and tranquility. In addition, if there occurs any natural disasters, UN comes up with humanitarian assistances such as food, water, medicine, clothes and other necessary commodities and it stands as a friend by the distressed people of the states. Despite success stories of UNO, it has some limitations and failures too. It could not resolve so many burning issues of the world, sill in the limbo. However, for the failures UNO alone should not be held responsible. The UNO passes resolutions but cannot implement those because the permanent members use their veto powers in case the UN’s resolutions go against their interest. If the veto power system can be changed, the UNO will be able to work freely and their-by will be able to solve the unresolved burning issues of the world. Hence, I urge the world leaders and the authorities concerned to give UNO more power and freedom to work and solve the big problems of the world.
The writer is a former Joint Secretary to the People’s Republic
of Bangladesh and regular
contributor to Bangladesh Post
