The UNO Has Failed to Measure up to the Demands of its Charter
Outlines:
Quotation
Introduction
Charter Preamble
Aim and purpose of charter:
Major issues remain unresolved
Poor states ignored
Root Cause Prevention Efforts
Conclusion
The UNO Has Failed to Measure up to the Demands of its Charter
The picture of the United Nations in meeting the demands of its charter is bleak as the UNO has miserably failed to meet its charter demands. The world body is deeply under the influence of the United States, the chief financial donor to the United Nations. The UN’s financial dependence on major powers has contributed largely in the world body’s failure to act in a neutral and unbiased manner. A decade or so back, it was Japan, UK, France and Germany which helped substantially along with the US to bolster the fiscal kitty of the UN but slowly all these states drifted away leaving the US to remain almost the sole power to meet the finances of the world body. Such a situation is unfortunate as the United States is dominating the world body today.
It has been seen over the years that the UN has been successful in the economic cooperation only in the developed countries, while the weaker states continue to be exploited by the stronger ones. Major issues like Kashmir and Palestine remain unresolved even today. Two resolutions on Kashmir demanding plebiscite in the Indian held Kashmir are lying pending in the United Nations since 1948-49. Israel has been ruthless against the Palestinians and the helpless Palestinians have no one to support their cause except the toothless Muslim states. The Palestinians remain deprived of their homeland even today.
The US invasion of Iraq on the pretence to rid Iraq of all weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and to renounce their further use proved totally incorrect. A series of inspections by the IAEA failed to find conclusive evidence that proved allegations that Iraq was continuing to develop or harbour such weapons.
The UN has also failed to differentiate between a terrorist and a freedom-fighter. This is a million dollar question today. The freedom fighters in Kashmir and Palestine have been dumped as terrorists, though they are struggling for freedom from the Indian and the Israeli yokes. The UN has also failed in the field of disarmament and to implement its nuclear non-proliferation policy.
The killings in the ethnic war in former Yugoslavia, saw hundreds of innocent Muslims men and women being massacred by the Serbs. The UN remained helpless as the major powers were least pushed at the horrific situation. The killings continued for weeks before the UN came into action.
However, despite its failure in many fields, the UNO has made credible achievements in preserving the world from the scourge of the third world war— thus saved the humanity at large — from total destruction. Yet, saving the world from catastrophe, though a major UN aim, is not the sole purpose of what it was carved out— in 1945, after the world had witnessed two world wars.
Charter Preamble
Before discussing the role of the United Nations that how far it has measured up to the demands of its charter, it is essential to take a look at the charter.
Following in the wake of the failed League of Nations (1919–1946) (which the United States never joined) the United Nations was established in 1945 to maintain international peace and promote cooperation in solving international economic, social and humanitarian problems.The Charter of the United Nations was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945. The Statute of the International Court of Justice is an integral part of the Charter. Amendments to Articles 23, 27 and 61 of the Charter were adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 1963 and came into force on 31 August 1965. A further amendment to Article 61 was adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 1971, and came into force on 24 September 1973. An amendment to Article 109, adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 1965, came into force on 12 June 1968.
[SIZE="3"]Aim and purpose of charter:[/SIZE]
To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind; and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small; to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained; and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom; to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours; and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,
UNO has failed to meet charter’s goals
So, taking a cursory look at the charter, one is forced to arrive at the conclusion that the UNO has failed to measure up to the demands of its charter. The world, since the inception of the United Nations, has witnessed wars, unresolved issues, coercive tactics and double standards employed by the powerful states, no concrete steps to maintain fundamental human rights in the states ruled by dictators, has miserably failed to promote social progress and better standards of life in poor states, failed to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, and to employ international machinery for promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.
The UN has also failed to achieve the goals included in its charter— to promote peace among regional states and ensure amicable settlement of disputes. Though terrorism has not been explicitly stated in the charter, it is implicitly a major factor in creating regional wars, killings of innocent people and creating hurdles in the economic development of the states affected by terrorists. The UN has also failed in the field of disarmament and to implement its nuclear non-proliferation policy. The arms race, today, continues to threaten the world peace.
Major issues remain unresolved
Major world issues have remained unresolved since decades. Kashmir and Palestinian issues are deadlocked despite untiring efforts by the grieved parties. Two resolutions on Kashmir demanding plebiscite in the Indian held Kashmir are lying pending in the United Nations since 1948-49. Three wars have been fought on the Kashmir issue between Pakistan and India, yet no outcome by the United Nations. Both states have nuclear weapons and another war on Kashmir can be destructive. The UN has failed to resolve the lingering issue since 1948. The US role is dominating in the world body and if wants sincerely, it can help resolve the Kashmir issue by implementing the UN resolutions on Kashmir.
The Palestrina issue has yet to be resolved despite endeavors by Palestinians and the support of the Muslim states since the creation of Israel. Israel has been ruthless against the Palestinians and the helpless Palestinians have no one to support their cause except the toothless Muslim states. The Palestinians remain deprived of their homeland even today. The United Nations have failed to resolve the Palestinian issue since decades. The powerful Jewish lobby in the United States is the stumbling block is helping resolve the issue.
Iran and North Korean nuclear issues continue to remain unresolved due to UN’s double standards and pro-US policies. These issues would have resolved long before if the UN had dealt with the issues impartially.
Poor states ignored
In socio-economic affairs, the lot of the poor women and children in underdeveloped countries has not improved. What is being witnessed is a deplorable story of the poor states being ignored with social and economic conditions pitiable. Third world poor states miseries are being multiplied in sectors like economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related matters. The Article 62 of the UN charter has been literaaly dumped. Hunger and starvation in the poor states is rampant. Huge amount is being spent on the defence by the United States and other major states but peanut share for the United Nations is being being on this count. This practice is in violation of the the UN charter which clearly states its purpose in the Article 62. Thus the United Nations have also failed in the purpose for which it wa created by its lip service in meeting the social and economic sectors. The UN functions include: to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion; and To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
Root Cause Prevention Efforts
Though there is no universal agreement over the precise causes of deadly conflict, it is common to differentiate between underlying or “root” and precipitating or "direct" causes of armed conflict. There is a growing and widespread recognition that armed conflicts are taking place by ignoring the root causes as rights of self-determination, poverty, political repression, and uneven distribution of resources. Urgent steps are needed towards reducing poverty and achieving broad-based economic growth and implenting plebiscite in the regions like Kashmir and Palestinian rights, accordind to the UN resolutions. Preventive strategies must therefore work to promote human rights, to protect minority rights and to institute political arrangements in which all groups are represented. Ignoring these underlying factors amounts to addressing the symptoms rather the causes of deadly conflict.
Conclusion
The United Nations is a criminal enterprise in which no moral nation should ever participate, let alone perpetuate said Tom DeWeese, one of the US leading advocates of individual liberty who fought over 30 years against oppression world-wide.
Today, we find the United Nations buried under scandals. It has oil for food scandals, power-abuse scandals, smuggling scandals, theft scandals. The UN sets its own standards of conduct and it controls its own judge and jury. These, of course, are the very reasons why many have opposed US membership in the UN. And it's why many have feared the UN gaining any sort of power to gain its own ability to tax, field an army, or create a court system. Possessing these three powers drastically changes the UN from a volunteer membership organization to a global governing body.
While most agree that the UN could be improved, Noam Chomsky, a leading critic of US foreign policy, proposed that measures such as the US relinquishing its veto power in the Security Council and submitting to the rulings of the International Court of Justice could significantly improve the UN's ability to foster the growth of democracy and promote global peace and the protection of human rights.
There can be no doubt about the agenda of further steps. There is a need to continue to seek agreements on measures which prevent war by accident or miscalculation and to continue to seek agreements on safeguards against surprise attack, including observation posts at key points. The UN must exert its influence to continue to seek agreement on further measures to curb the nuclear arms race, by controlling the transfer of nuclear weapons, converting fissionable materials to peaceful purposes, and banning underground testing, with adequate inspection and enforcement. There is a need to continue to seek agreement on a freer flow of information and people from East to West and West to East. The world has not escaped from the darkness. The long shadows of conflict and crisis envelop us still. But in an atmosphere of rising hope, and at a moment of comparative calm, there is still ray of hope prevails among the member states of the United Nations.
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