International Organizations - Essay Example

1. What realistic reforms could be introduced to make the United Nations a more effective organisation The United Nations (UN) was founded with theforemost objective of mitigating the hardship of war and promoting human rights regardless of class or race. However, looking at the world as it is today - a world still wracked by conflict and poverty and gross human rights violations - many would say that the UN has not fulfilled its mandate. Though it cannot be gainsaid that a world with a United Nations is still infinitely better than a world without, some reforms are still in order. For example, with regard to the Security Council, there is a dire need to ensure reforms that would make it more democratic. Says Carlsson in 1995 (7): Just as the role of the Security Council has increased, so should the level of scrutiny over its structure and practices. The lack of transparency in its procedures and the tendency for some or all of the permanent five to caucus in private are cause for concern. A more serious concern is the composition of the Council. It is not reasonable to suggest that the five winners of the Second World War, with the assistance of ten additional rotating member states, comprise a representative, legitimate or authoritative voice for a UN membership of 185. While certainly it would be good to have more representation where decision-making and policy-crafting in the UN is concerned, so as to accommodate the interests of developing countries, such moves might smack of tokenism if the single biggest roadblock is removed: the veto power. Historically, the veto power has been wielded to promote the partisan interests of superpower nations. It is obsolete and should be phased out. Second, more political will is needed on this issue of human rights. When the United Nations was created in 1948 by a world still reeling from the ravages of the Second World War and intent on healing the wounds wrought by it, it was tasked to become the primary agency in defining and advancing human rights. From then on, various other agencies were created, addressing specific human rights concerns. Notable examples of this are the International Labor Organization and the UNICEF. However, despite the complex structure and workings of the UN, there have been many life-and-death emergency situations wherein it has failed to respond. Two good examples are the genocide in Rwanda in the early 90's, and the current conflict and suffering of people in Darfur, Sudan. There must be a mechanism to ensure that the UN will quickly respond and intervene. 2. How relevant is the experience of the concept of Europe to contemporary problems of management in international affairs Indeed, the European model has been helpful in addressing some problems in management of international affairs. However, a predominant problem in the management of international affairs is the accommodation of diversity and pluralism that certainly cannot be addressed solely by reliance on an intrinsically homogeneous model. Even on the issue of human rights, there are conflicting paradigms. The universality of human rights has oftentimes been challenged by critics on the allegation that the Western bias is very much evident, and that the popularity of it in recent times is nothing more than the remnants of a neocolonial attitude purveyed by the crafty and bought by the undiscerning. A refutation of this was attempted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1968 through a study that demonstrated that "the profound aspirations underlying human rights correspond to concepts - the concepts of justice, an individual's integrity and dignity, freedom from oppression and persecution, and individual participation in collective endeavors - that are encountered in all civilizations and periods." Some Islamic scholars like Safi (2000, page 1) remain unconvinced: The pragmatic arguments for the universality of human rights are problematic, because they either completely overlook the significant impact cultural differentiation has on values and perceptions, or ignore the fact that agreements through UN reflect, more often than not, political compromises by political elites, rather than normative consensus. Further, many of the ruling elites who pretend to speak on the behalf of the peoples of the developing world lack political legitimacy and public support, and have embraced ideological outlooks at odds with the surrounding cultures. In the absence of genuine democracy in the countries of the South, no one can ascertain whether, or to what extent, official policies reflect popular views and preferences. Rather than look at one concept or model - i.e., Europe - the broad principle that should animate discourse on how to better manage an international organization like the United Nations is that of accommodation and dialogue, not hegemony and supremacy. Through vigilance and continuous lobbying and sowing the seeds through human rights education, we make it possible to envision a future where human rights are protected, diversity is celebrated and ever individual is allowed to blossom to his or her fullest potential. 3. How is order maintained (if at all) in international society in the absence of enforcement mechanism and institutions, such as police, legislatures and prisons Though there may be no enforcement mechanisms in their traditional domestic conception, it may not be said that international law is absolutely devoid of regulatory structures that ensure respect for and adherence to it. There is the International Court of Justice that has jurisdiction to litigate actions by one member-state to another - resolving disputes and claims that may either be based on a treaty obligation, or some other form of obligation, for example, ergo omnes obligation or "obligation owed to the world". The cases range from border disputes to the use of force. It may also issue advisory opinions to serve as guiding posts for the states. Examples of advisory opinions are the advisory opinion on the legality of the use of nuclear weapons, the advisory opinion on the legality of the Israeli West Bank barrier, and the famous Western Sahara opinion. There are also sanctions that may be leveled against a particular state for violations of international law. The most common example of this is the economic embargo imposed on Iraq for its invasion of Kuwait. 4. What is the US position in International Criminal Court Do you agree or disagree The International Criminal Court (ICC) was created in 2002 with the aim of having a permanent tribunal to hear and prosecute crimes against humanity such as genocide, war crimes, torture and the like. The problem of seeking redress for war crimes and righting historical wrongs is a great one, and it is a problem that must be borne by the world. Said Kirsch and Holmes (1999, p2), a court with a semblance of permanence is necessary because "until (it) is set in place, the ultimate bulwark against human rights violations may still be unilateral or plurilateral humanitarian intervention, or threats thereof whose potential for abuse is well-known." However, the USA has expressed its opposition to the ICC because of the interference with their national sovereignty and a fear of politically motivated prosecutions. I do not agree with the USA on this score. I believe that given the magnitude of the problem, a solution of a similar magnitude must be proferred. True, the ICC is a revolutionary conception, but it is one that is most necessary in these times when we see leaders acting with impunity. Certainly, there will be impediments and roadblocks along the way, but to quote Bridge (1964, p. 1281) "this imperfect beginning is unavaoidable. It would be wrong to wait until a more perfect form could be established, since this would exclude the possibility of gradual development." 5. Should the United Nations have its own military force to respond to crises around the globe Why/Why not The logic behind the peacekeeping forces of the United Nations (otherwise known as the Blue Helmets) was to help set the conditions for sustainable peace in countries torn by conflict. While this is a laudable objective, this paper argues that the peacekeeping forces at present does more harm than good. First, given the fact that the United Nations is hardly a democratic body, despite its averments, and that it still is reflective of the hegemony of the superpower countries, participation in peace-keeping missions may be tied to a particular state's personal interests or agenda. (Neack, 1995, p181). The War on Terror of the present Bush administration, the cavalier attitude with which due process is treated particularly where "terrorists" are concerned and the U.S. v. Them complex so pervasive in right wing discourse lend credence to the idea that the Western world is as guilty of intolerance and savagery as its perceived opponents. It is certainly dangerous to use these peace-keeping missions and allow them to provide cover to what clearly is bullying tactics by those in power. Secondly, there are clear implications for the sovereignty of a given country if the UN is allowed to just intrude and impose its will over the nation and its inhabitants. Who determines when the peace-keeping forces are needed, and in what areas How then does one explain the failure to respond to the problem in Rwanda, and the lackadaisical attitude in East Timor It is much too subject to the vagaries of politics to be truly effective. 6. Compare and contrast regional integration in a regional organisation of your own choice and in the European Union. The ASEAN and the European Union are both regional organizations founded to facilitate relations between the respective countries. They are designed to promote mutual aid and develop sustainable peace in the region. But perhaps a significant difference is that the ASEAN still considers as one of its core principles the doctrine of non-intervention, or the mutual respect for the independence and sovereignty of another State, while the European Union is so committed to human rights that it will not hesitate to censure a member-state for violating human rights. In fact, the EU has a European Declaration of Human Rights to which all member-states must adhere and adjust its domestic laws accordingly. In the ASEAN, no similar mechanism exists. Violations in Myanmar go on unabated with nary an outcry from the regional organization. WORKS CITED Bridge, John W. "The Case for an International Court of Criminal Justice and the Formulation of International Criminal Law." The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Vol. 13, No. 4. (Oct., 1964), pp. 1255-1281. Carlsson, Ingvar. "The U.N. at 50: A Time to Reform" Foreign Policy, No. 100, 25th Anniversary Issue. (Autumn, 1995), pp. 3-18. Holmes, John T. & Kirsch, Philippe. "The Rome Conference on an International Criminal Court: The Negotiating Process" American Journal of International Law, Vol. 93, No. 1 (Jan., 1999), pp. 2-12 Neack, Laura. "UN Peace-Keeping: In the Interest of Community or Self" Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 32, No. 2 (May, 1995), pp. 181-196. Safi, Louay. Tensions and Transitions in the Modern World. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 2000. Read More