Role of the UN in Peace-Support Operations

Role of the UN in Peace-Support Operations THE ROLE OF THE UN IN PEACE-SUPPORT OPERATIONS: A CASE STUDY OF MALI INTRODUCTION: Since the transformation of evolution of modern state system following the treaty of west phalli in 1648, the international system has witnessed so many challenges ranging from conflicts, under-development, authoritarian, bad governance etc. This is due it the anarchy nature of the global system. Since the creation of the united nation after world war II in t 1945 the organization has been saddled with the responsibility of maintain global peace and security and to prevent the outbreak of another world war. Peace support operations has been one area the united nations has actually carried out in various states that have witnessed long protracted conflicts which includes Africa, Latin America, middle-east and Europe. It is in this light that this research paper will try to look at the role of the United Nations in peace support operations using the conflict in Mali as its thrust at analysis. METHODOLOGY: This study will look at secondary method of data analysis In order to understand the nature and dynamics of peace support operations. Sources include books and internet. UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTS: In order to look at the subject of discourse, it is important to understand certain concepts which I belief will help me in presenting my analysis. What is Conflict? According to the oxford learner’s dictionary, conflict is defined as a situation in which people, groups, countries are involved in a serious disagreement or argument or violent situation or period of fighting between two countries. Conflict can also be seen as a situation in which there are opposing ideas, opinions, feeling or wishes. Wallensteen, (2002), said â€Å"A conflict requires a disputed comp actability; two parties strive to acquire at the same time an available set of scarce resources, which can be either material or in material†. What is Peace Support Operation? The purpose and principle of the united nation charter is to restore and maintain peace. Peace support operation is the operation that makes use of diplomatic, civil, and military to bring about peace and stability in the states. Since the end of the cold war, peace support operation has been utilized by international countries to respond to crisis and promote peace in countries undergoing challenges of war, violence etc. Overview of the Conflict in Mali There have been ongoing uprisings of conflicts in Mali since the early 1960’s till date .the first tuareg conflict started in 1963 but the not last a year because it was crushed by the military forces under the command of captain Diby sillas diarra.in June 1990 another tuareg rebellion broke out when the leader Ag Ghali of the popular movement of the liberation of azawad (MPLA) attacked a police post with a small group of solders who has just returned from an army camp in Libya. This conflict later was dissolved in a peace treaty of the Algerian brokered and a national pact of 1992. The resent conflict in Mali began on the 16th of January 2012 between the government forces and Tuareg rebels which resulted to the death of more than 200,000 people according to the report by the united nation. These group of rebels where fighting for the independence or greater autonomy for northern Mali in an area known as azawad. The rebels formed a group known as movement for the liberation of azawad (MNLA).The group is aimed at fighting to make azward an independent homeland for the tuareg people and this organization was formed in 2011. However the African union, U.S.A, E.U failed to recognize their independence, also the Security Council stated the need to uphold and respect the sovergnity unity and regional integrity of Mali and rejected any deceleration of independence in Mali. By late May 2012 the Malian government rejected the north independence also. The rebels lost control over the new state which northern Mali, which led to the takeover of the north by the Islamism militant. This caused ethnic tension in Mali since the north was taken over by the Islamic groups. The people of Mali feared the intent of sharia law in the region and a possibility of establishing terrorist activities. The Role of UN in Conflict Mediation in the Malian conflict The United Nations was formed on the 24th of October 1945, soon after the end of the Second World War. It was a successor of the League of Nations. This organization was formed to prevent the outbreak of another war since the League of Nations failed to prevent the Second World War. In 1945, 51 members met at San Francisco and signed the United Nations charter and the UN came into existence. There are currently 192 member of the United Nations, the headquarters which is at New York City USA. The United Nations has 6 recognized languages which are: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russia and Spanish. There are 6 organs in the UN these are; the general assembly, Security Council, economic and social council, secretariat, the international court of justice and the trusteeship council. Under the Security Council we have 15 members which 5 is the permanent (France, USA, UK, china and Soviet Union). The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security and a lso determines the existence of a treat of peace or acts of aggression from a state to another. The Security Council doesn’t just act on crisis, it takes time to debate and negotiated on the best possible way to handle a problem. Following the written report of the former secretary general Boutros –Boutros Ghali in 1992 â€Å"an agenda for peace†, it is the responsibility of the un security council to recognize the limitation of peace keeping and also the abstainace of war doesn’t ensure peace and security. The UN Security Council should put heads together to give the best solution for the problems at hand in matters to conflict and war. In the case of the Mali crisis the Malian government sent letters to the UN requesting the use of international force. Since the security general doesn’t just carry out orders like that they have to debate and negotiate about it, while they were doing so the French felt compelled to act immediately in other to stop the crisis from escalating and causing increasing damage. Although the French was invited by the government of Mali people still question their use of force, France defended itself saying that they have the right to collective self-defense authorized by the un secretary general in the resolution 2085 (ordered in 20th December 2012). Since the United Nations Security Council couldn’t launch military interventions under its own command, it gave the use of force and planning to the ECOWAS, AU and other states. CHALLENCES FACING UNITED NATION PEACE KEEPING MISSIONS:- Even though the United Nations has been able to achieve remarkable success iits is faced with some challenges. The Following are some of the challenges facing the United Nations Missions: 1 FINANCIAL CHALLENGE: Unlike sovereign- states whose financial capabilities are usually gotten from diverse channel, the United Nations rely solely on contributions from members – state to be able to carry out its duties effectively. Mediating in conflict and peace resolution is an expensive project which requires mobilization of resources in order to facilitate and also ensuring the degree of success in the operation. 2 Absence of a UN –Permanent Army: Another challenge facing peace-keeping operation and mission is the absence of a UN permanent Armed –forces for carrying such missions. Most times the organization rely on member states to send her own troops to the organization so as to carry out this mission in which the countries do not really want to there army. 3 Geographical and Social –Cultural challenge:- One of the success of any combatant involved in any peaceful resolution of conflicts is their degree of adaptability to the social –cultural and geographical location of the country it used in. most times the UN troops are taken to regions and areas they have little or no background knowledge on. 4 The Challenge of Clarity of the Mandate: Another challenge facing the success of peace keeping operations is the lack of a clear-cut mandate and objective the mission. The absence of a clear-cut objective of the mission is also another challenge facing the United Nations peace keeping missions. CONCLUSION:- In conclusion, the paper tries to look at the role of the united nation in the Mali conflict and the challenges they face. If the organization can be able to see other streams of getting revenue or funds it will also go a long way in reducing some of the financial mishaps it is facing particularly as it relates to Peace-Keeping operations and other humanitarian aid it offers. The United Nations should try and have Its own permanent stand –by army without relying solely on member states to help them when it want to mediate in any conflict resolution The study was able to look at concepts such as the United Nations, and the Malian conflict. REFERENCES: Conflict prevention: available at; www.bmlv.gv.at/pdf-pool/pubikationen/konfliktpraev_02_concept-challenges_e_melander-c-pigache-10.pdf accessed 20/12/2013. A/RES/47/120. An agenda for peace at; www.un.org/document/ga/res/47/a478/20.htm accessed 20/12/2013. Mali current conflict: www.geneva-academy.ch/RULAC/current=conflict.php?id_state=137 accessed 21/12/2013. United Nations Official Website: www.un.org accessed 27/12/2013. International relations and security network; www.isn.ethz.ch/digital-libary/publications/detail/?id=348 1

Debate Against School Uniforms Essay

Have you ever played Wheres Waldo? By issuing students school uniforms, finding a problem child would be a lot like playing that game in a real life situation. Just like any other argument you will have your pros and cons of the idea, but in my opinion and many others, the cons highly outweigh the pros of wearing school uniforms. Many intelligent individuals will lose their motivation to excel and be prevalent because they are used to being ordinary like everyone else. School uniforms shout conformity in many ways and to me that isnt the way to get your students to prevail in the classrooms. Individuality is a huge factor for school age children and their chance to grow among their peers. School uniforms will do nothing but cut down on a students individuality. A uniform is not the way to cut down on school violence. The only thing that will cut down on school violence is if parents would pay attention to their children and keep their children out of trouble and give them consequences when they disobey and not to let them run wild. Uniforms cause regularity. We need free thinking children to become the thinkers of tomorrow, not drones who will continue making the mistakes of previous generations. When we argue against school uniforms we argue against an education system that seeks to produce workers and for an education system that seeks to produce open-minded all-around human beings. One major argument of school uniforms is that they will save money for less fortunate families. This statement can also be battled very easily. There are just as many experts who believe that the cost of school uniforms is a negative factor as those who see it as a positive factor. Some experts believe that it increases the amount of clothing parents will have to buy for their children because the children will still want and need clothing for the hours they are not in school. Uniforms can be more expensive for a family who buys from second-hand stores or who relies on hand-me-down clothing from friends and family. Some experts believe cost is a negative aspect of school uniforms because there is no use for them outside of school. Ultimately school uniforms will likely cost equal to higher amounts of money than buying regular clothing for a child. Everyone wants to be comfortable in what they are wearing and school uniforms limit that option significantly. Many people say that different types of clothing feel comfortable to different people. Some children are more comfortable in a specific material or style of clothing. Uniforms reduce ones ability to choose clothing that fits individual comfort needs. Experts believe that children need to feel comfortable in order to maximize learning, and that uniforms can therefore prevent academic success. Another problem would be if the school was required to wear ties. Wearing a tie would put an enormous damper on childrens ability to pay attention. Most students would spend a majority of their time situating and loosening their tie to the desired fitting. The sad part is that by the time it feels comfortable it is against the dress code and they find themselves in trouble. Identification is one of the biggest factors ruled in against school uniforms. Many people state that you could easily site outsiders of the school, and it would also eliminate gang colors. If you have a school full of children with the same clothing on you would find it nearly impossible to identify a child who was causing trouble. One example is if someone caught a glimpse of a child stealing and then tried to give a description. The description would most likely fit a majority of the students in the school. As for eliminating gang colors, there are better ways to take care of that. If you can tell a gang by its colors and the ones affiliated with it, why not send the gang member to a school away from the other children. Any group that will endanger the life of the other students doesnt deserve to learn with them. Instead of taking away their ability to recognize each other by colors they should be sent off to boot camp or somewhere alike. In conclusion school uniforms can easily be avoided by making the right judgments and by working harder to keep our children away from conformity. Each factor for uniforms can also be backed by an even better reason not to put them in action. Our countrys children need to be able to form an individual personality and ability to learn and progress through adolescents. Each area of discussion shows that children would fair more successful without the statement of a school uniform in hand. Works Cited :1)http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/education/entries/2006/07/29/the_case_agains_1.html2)http://www.communityonline.com/local/educational/schools/uniforms/uniforms.htm3)http://www.geocities.com/school_uniforms/abstract98.html

Eastwind Trading Company Essay

The potential opportunity and long term sustainability of Eastwind Trading Company lies in the uniqueness of their product. The Swanson pearls are the only remaining collection of handmade freshwater pearl buttons in the world. The amount is limited and cannot be easily duplicated due to current environmental condition. Therefore, the fact that no one else carries these types of buttons is the main competitive advantage the Eastwinds Trading Company posses. This exclusiveness, however, can also result in the company’s weakness: very perishable, expensive, and difficult to handle small items that require careful organization and specialization to control costs. The company is still in the existence stage. Gail and Martha are now focusing in getting enough cash to cover all the expenses the acquisition of the business will bring. However, they may also need to center their attention in how to generate enough tools to make their business expand and become a viable company. By having a product that is unique and hard to duplicate, this advantage is long-term. There is a great opportunity in expanding the business by creating new bias of selling the pearls. Hiring sales representatives that will cover all the nation, approaching clothing manufacturers and designers that will buy the buttons at wholesale price and covering the areas that were previously uncovered by the Swansons are some of the main goals of Martha and Gail. These goals will situate the business at a competitive advantage against competitors by satisfying the needs of customers that would be attracted by the exclusivity of the buttons. The key risk for investors is that button business is such an unconventional deal that it may result unattractive. The demand for exclusive buttons in the manufacturer industry as there are other types of cheaper fastenings that can be used for clothing i. e. Zipper and plastic buttons may be decreasing. Consequently, the Eastwind Trading Company needs to implement some sort of diversity in its line to supplement the sales of the raw material when the demand for buttons is low. Martha and Gail have experience in management and marketing which makes a good addition to the development and success of their future business. Their experience can be applied in the development of a new strategy that will re- introduce the pearls in the market while expanding the product in areas that were never covered by the previous wners. The fact that the raw material could be cut off leaving a semiprecious stone that could be mounted as earrings, necklaces or rings is a plus for the business and needs to be exploit at its maximum. Despite the fact that the pair was advised by the financial counselor that they will be working in an â€Å"anemic lending environment, they sell the bankers only the concept of the buttons business, ignoring the more profitable concept of selling them as jewelry. As a result their offer was rejected by about 10 financial institutions. Finally, Stadium Bank would lend the money but only if guarantee by the Small Business Administration (SBA). By having the SBA guaranteeing their debt Martha and Gail may be removing the bank’s incentive to work directly with them. If they encounter a financial problem they may be ignored by the bank instead of getting assistance as borrowers since SBA is guaranteeing the loan by 90%. The fact that the company’s loan has to be personally assured by their owners may be a downside for the negotiation. Gail and Martha’s personal assets may be affected if this venture goes wrong. We hardly recommend Eastwind Trading Company to analyze extremely careful the terms of their loan, see if the loan is right for them and confirm that what the bank is offering is what their business really needs to flourished and succeed before they sign any agreement with the lender. As for right now we will turndown Eastwind’s project. The venture has no strategy in place to explain how the company plans to diversify itself through the use of new products or new services related to the existing product except for the vague ideas associated with the jewelry’s’ creation which is in fact the most profitable option. When a business is such an unconventional deal as the sale of buttons is, it may result unattractive. The key to success will be then to create a really strong business plan, marketing strategy, a good team of sales rep, well-organized channels distribution and an aggressive advertizing campain in order to sale your ideas and pursue your business aspirations.

Racial Profiling And The American Civil Liberties Union Essay

The concept of racial profiling has its wide range of definitions. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, racial profiling means â€Å"the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual s race, ethnicity, religion or national origin.† In other words, racial profiling has its assumptions that particular individuals are more likely to be involved in transgression or unlawful activities based on individual’s race or background. Racial profiling does not just exist today; it thrives and mostly propels a brutalizing message and inhuman misconception to citizens of the United States whom they are pre-judged by the color of their skin. The primary cause of profiling is racism or race-related discrimination. Unfortunately, this unwarranted approach is now commonly used by law enforcement officers, even though it could be both unjust and unconstitutional. 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