The Role of International Bodies in the Arab Springs - Essay Example

The Role of International bodies in the Arab Springs Insert Insert Insert Contents Introduction 3 Argument and Evaluation 4 Arab states 4 Arab Spring 5 Consequences of the Arab Spring 5 International bodies 5 Arab League 6 The role of the Arab League in the Arab Spring 6 Strategy it has been applying 9 Challenges faced by this organization 10 Achievements 11 Results 11 Other International organizations that play role in Arab spring 12 Conclusion 12 References 13 Introduction The main aim of this research is to explore the role of international bodies such as the United Nation, Arab League, and African Union in the so-called Arab Springs. We will also seek to understand whether interventions are necessary and whether they can work. The Arab Spring is the most recent event, which has actually shaped the way people view the Arab world and has had a very big impact on the world economy. Several other scholars have studied the Arab spring. Alcaro & Seco (2012) described it as an emergence that arose in the early 2011 to promote democracy in the Arab states. Strindberg et al. (2011), said that it brought challenges as well as opportunities to the region’s Islamist movements through a wave of uprisings and revolutions. Amin et al. (2012), was somehow tempted to ascribe it to unemployment especially among the youths and suppression of political options. However, Beinin & Vairel (2011) believed that it acted as a transition from dictatorship to democracy. In addition, Pollack et al. (2011) believed that it might have been brought up by the continuous reign of some individual for a long period due to lack of democracy. Lastly but not least Peter (2012) shows that this Arab Spring enabled the European Union and the United States to collaborate with various stakeholders in the region to promote human rights as well as bring democracy in those region. So far, none of the scholars has studied the role that the international bodies play in the Arab spring. In addition, none of the scholars has studied on whether the intervention of this international organization on the Arab spring is necessary or not and whether the results that were achieved showed success or failure in the process. This makes this research to be a very important one and that is why I decided to undertake it. This research was conducted using observation and review of various relevant literatures as the methods of information collection. We also collected some data from the internet about the countries that have experienced the Arab Spring to determine which percentage of them was successful. Using these methods the researcher identified a group of Arab states and used observation technique to discover what has been going on in those states as a result of the Arab Spring. To supplement his information the researcher will visit the internet and find the most current literature related to the Arab Spring written by other scholars. The information that will be collected using these three means will be combined and will help us in answering our research question. Argument and Evaluation Arab states Arab States according to Barakat (1993) are the countries found in the Arab world that consists of the Arab society and where Arab culture is practiced. These states are found in the North and Northeastern part of Africa as well as Southwest Asia (Usa 2007). Their politics have been greatly influenced by Islam religion and Islamism movements. There has been evidence of lack of democracy in this state’s hence leading to Arab Spring. Arab Spring Arab Spring is a series of revolutions and protests accompanied by demonstration that arose in the Arab states by the beginning of the year 2011 (Alcaro & Seco 2012). These demonstrations shaped the politics of these nations due to their main objective of demanding democracy and end of the reign of dictatorship. These demonstrations politicized the wider Arab world bringing a wide range of mass action and strikes to the affected states. They have been prevalent in several Arab countries and have brought an end to the reign of the world’s most known dictators. In some of these countries like Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and several others the demonstrations have been very successful in bringing democratic politics but in other countries such as Djibouti, they were suppressed and thus no objective was achieved. This makes us to conclude that not all countries agree with the demands of these demonstrations. Consequences of the Arab Spring The demonstration that resulted from the Arab Spring brought civil unrest in those involved Arab states. The demonstrations also result to insecurity in the countries where the Arab Spring was experienced. Moreover, because of the Arab Spring some of the Arab countries started to misunderstand one another resulting to conflicts. This Arab Spring also affect trade in the countries where it was experience thus resulting to a decline in economic growth. Furthermore, it resulted to collaboration between different states and thus leading to formation of new international relationships. International bodies These organizations are made up of several countries and are formed to ensure a good relationship between these countries as well as ensuring a peaceful coexistence between them. These international bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union and the Arab League play a very important role in the international politics and ensure that there is democracy in different states of the world (Singh 2004). Since the Arab Spring was a form of international political, issue whose objective was to bring democracy to the nation involved these organizations had to intervene. The international bodies each one intervened in its own different way but their objective were almost the same. Arab League Arab League is one of the international bodies that are mandated to establish peace and security in the Arab countries. This league operates on the basis that security for one of its members is related to security for all the members (Model Arab League 2012). Therefore, to this league, a conflict in one nation is an international concern since it can spill over to the neighboring nation. The Arab Spring was a political issue that brought unrest in the Arab world and since this is the body that is mandated to bring peace and security in this region, it had to intervene. The role of this organization is not that easy. It requires willingness and commitment to face the challenges that in most cases results from peace processes. The affected state has so much hopes and very big expectations that this body can solve its problems. This becomes a challenge to this organization and thus requires it to develop strategies that leave no room for mistakes. In most of the member states, the strategies employed by this organization have been working very well and thus making various stakeholders to have confidence with this organization. The role of the Arab League in the Arab Spring This Arab league assisted with military personnel and equipment during the Arab Spring. One of the key objectives is to ensure the safety of the civilians of the Arab countries. Since the unrest that resulted from the Arab Spring increased the level of insecurity in those areas, the Arab League in its objective of safeguarding the public it had to use military to ensure that the conflicting parties do not affect the innocent citizens. Another role that this league played was drawing closer the relations between member states and co-ordinate collaborative activities between the member states towards the organization’s activities in the affected states. This helped in regulating the activities in those affected area and thus ensuring that none of its members acted on malice or greedy interests. It also enables sharing of the economic burden involved between the member states and thus ensuring success with minimum cost on the participating nations. Another role that this organization played is that it popped in to mend the national relationships that had broken because of the Arab Spring. It did this through encouraging dialogue and negotiation between different member states that were in a conflict. It also preached the importance of the whole process to make sure that the members understand and thus contribute in different ways to achieve the democracy and peace in the affected nations. Moreover, the organization through its leaders acted as a mediator to most of the nations that started conflict because of the Arab Spring. Furthermore, this organization also drew boundaries to the collaborative activities to ensure that none of its members felt inferior to other members. Another role that this organization played is ensuring that the independence and the sovereignty of the affected member states is to some extend respected. To do this it defined the boundaries and the guideline to be used throughout the activities of its member states. It also defined the furthest the democracy pursuing activity should go and the much other member should intervene. It actually drew some sort of a boundary between what is acceptable and what is not acceptable during the process. This has actually made Arab Spring a democracy pursuing process rather that some sort of a coup and also made sure that the process is based on the desire for a better nation and hunger for democracy rather than selfish interests. Since this process took place in Arab countries this organization played a very significant role in representing the interests of the countries involved. According to Usa (2007) this is the body that is given the mandate to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries. This assists in putting boundaries on the roles that other western countries play in the Arab Spring movements. Moreover, it also ensured that the western countries, which popped in to assist with the liberalization process, did not infringe on the interests of the involved Arab states. Furthermore, it enacted a decision making procedure as far as foreign governments were concerned (Model Arab League 2012). This meant that any action taken by the government of any of the participating country was in line with certain set guidelines and streamlined procedures. This league also popped in to enhance adherence to treaties that prevents the proliferation of weapons as a way of establishing peace in the affected country. With the increased demonstrations and insecurity that come because of the Arab Spring, smuggling of weapons into the affected states that result to proliferation of weapons became a major security threat. The league has been acting as an agent of peace in mediating the conflicting parties. Conflicts and were brings extra burden to civilians due to their expenses thus affecting the economy of the country involved. The Arab league is aware of this and that is why it tries all the means to achieve peace without war. The various peace agreements achieved by this organ involving states or parties which were once in a conflict, is an indication of this organizations commitment to ensure peace to all its member states. Moreover, the league educates the rival nation on alternatives for war such as dialogue and negotiations. Moreover, this league has a role of establishing guidelines on the best practice based on the experiences of the state under the security threat (Model Arab League 2012). From the experiences shared by the member states, the league has the mandate to identify the practice that is most probable to be successful in fostering security and peace to all civilians of the involved country (Biggar 2011). In this case, collaboration and cooperation becomes a paramount tool of the whole security process as they enhance the effectiveness and quickness in which peace and security is recovered. Strategy it has been applying A major strategy that this organization has been applying to solve issues relating to its members is development of treaties, laws, and convections. This organ has been developing treaties, ensuring that they are implemented and evaluating their effects with an objective of ensuring that its members have good relationship with one another. It has also been developing laws that govern the ways the country should treat her citizens and to govern the way states should relate to one another to ensure a peaceful coexistence. Furthermore, it has been conducting convections to improve the relationships between its member states. Moreover, it evaluates resolutions made on internal struggle for peace, war against injustice and fights for democracy (Covarrubias 2007). This organization has also been using the strategy of pooling resources together and ensuring collaborative activities. This pooling of resources ensures that enough resources are available for its missions. In the case it ensured that all the necessary resources required to bring peace to the affected areas were available and at its disposal. Moreover, the collaboration activities of activities enabled it to tap in the strength of different member states into its activities and thus ensuring success. It also ensured that none of its member states felt sidelined during the process as each of them had a role to play. Another strategy that the organization used is the use of military action in places where it was necessary. This helped in protecting the civilians from attack against attacks from the dictatorship government that they were rejecting. Although in some extend this interfered with the sovereignty of those countries the organization felt that it was necessary since the government of those organization had failed to comply with the international humanitarian standards in terms of how they treated their citizens. Challenges faced by this organization The majority of the countries affected by the vice of lack of democracy were its member states. The Arab spring occurred in the Arab countries where it is the responsibility of this organization to ensure that there is peace for the public. As a result, this organization was overwhelmed with activities thus even to some extend being forced to seek assistance from the United Nation and other regional organizations like the European Union and the African Union. However, with the assistance that this organization obtained from these organs it was able to overcome this challenge (Cooper & Yue 2008). Another challenge is foreign influence faced by countries in the Arab world. Several foreign military interventions brought unwanted influence. This led to demonstrations that called for freedom and democracy. These demonstrations come out calling for the international community to intervene so that justice and democracy can prevail (Biggar 2011). The cause of the numerous demonstrations that comes with the Arab spring is believed to be these injustices and lacks of freedom as well as democracy as the Arabs strive to achieve self-governance. In such a case the Arab League comes in to establish a negotiation ground that enables each of the conflicting party to bring its issues on the table for dialogue before the problem reaches a point of inviting foreign military troops. However, because of co-operation and collaboration, that is the main strategy of the Arab League, several state secrets have found their way out to other states. This is due to sharing secrets, approaches, and strategies among states when they are on peace mission. This makes a country vulnerable to other member states. However, this league requires member states to keep secret of other member states in order to avoid an interstate conflict. Achievements The organizations have gotten various achievements in its war against dictatorship and as we are talking, it has ended reign of several world known dictators. The countries in which this organization achieved great in its intervention in the Arab Spring are Syria, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia. In these countries, it brought a new era of democracy in which the humanitarian issues are valued and democracy is embraced. Moreover, through these international bodies the member states have been able to share cost required for the intervention process and thus making the process to be cost effective and thus manageable. These already conspicuous achievements of the Arab League in settling conflicts and bringing peace to warred areas as well as bringing democracy in the countries involved reveals the necessity of intervention of international bodies in conflicts emerging from the Arab Springs. Results From a small survey we undertook, we found out that almost 80% of the international interventions of this international organization have been successful. This indicates the importance of them to continue being employed in settling of conflict between nations or within a nation. However, there were also a good number of interventions which were unsuccessful and thus the international bodies involved should find a strategy which they can adapt to avoid such cases in the near future. Other International organizations that play role in Arab spring The Arab League is not the only international organization that is involved with the Arab Spring. Other organizations like the European Union and the African Union have played a very big role in the Arab Spring. Moreover, the United Nation, which is the body that is mandated with maintaining peace and fostering human rights in all countries of the world, has also played a very significant part. These organizations have been working hand in hand with the Arab League to ensure the success of peace processes during the Arab. Moreover, these organizations have also been providing military assistance when needed as well as other humanitarian aids assistance. Furthermore, organizations like the European Union have been very helpful in rebuilding of the states after the aftermath of the Arab spring. Conclusion The international bodies play a very significant role in the Arab Spring. Without them playing the role they play it will be very difficult to achieve success is such process and thus this interventions are very crucial. In terms of their effectiveness, it sometimes works and sometimes fails to work. In our research, we found that they worked very well in countries like Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and Egypt but failed to work in a country like Djibouti. However, in our research we were not able to determine some of the reason that made them only to be effective in some countries and failed to be effective in other countries. As a result, I propose that another research should be undertaken to fill this gap. References Alcaro, R. & Seco, M.H 2012, Re-thinking Western Policies in Light of Arab Uprisings, Edizioni Nuava Cultura, Rome. Amin, M et al. 2012, After the Spring: Economic Transitions in the Arab World, Oxford University Press, New York. Archer, C 2007, International Organizations, 3rd edn. Routledge, New York. Barakat, H 2009, The Arab World: Society Culture and State, University of California Press, Los Angeles. 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