Maintenance of international peace and security with special reference to the Middle East

Maintenance of international peace and security with special reference to the Middle East.

“…..regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations -- to live in peace and security.” -- Barack Hussein Obama.

OVERVIEW:

International peace and security is an issue of growing concern in a today’s terrorised and ailing world. The Middle East, with its immense wealth, cultural diversity and key economic assets is quickly becoming extremely vulnerable to corruption and terror thus becoming a threat to the maintenance of peace and security within the region and globally.

Firstly, there is the question of extremism. In 2007, more than 72,000 people were targeted by terrorists worldwide, with over 70% of these being in and around the Middle East. Iraq and its civil chaos is example of the same. The democratically elected governments and its regular struggle with Islamist extremists, the eternal tension created by foreign troops on Iraqi soil further aggravates the situation. Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen have all been linked to extremism in some form. Very often it is the territorial abuse of a sovereign nation, generally with a weak government. Often even illegal arms manufacture and trade, bilateral and multinational ties along with a religious outline are used as causes to propagate violence.

Secondly, the situation in Israel and its decades long conflict with Palestine and the Arab world. This conflict began years ago over the battle for religious land and has grown and incorporated several issues. Over the years countless efforts and developments have occurred. The formation of PLO, the signing of the historic Oslo treaty, the eventual creation of Fatah and Hamas, the division of territories- the Gaza strip and the west bank, up to recent warfare and ceasefire and so on. The involvement of the developed nations particularly USA has a key significance in this issue. Thus a rapid and through agreement is needed for the economic, social and political growth of the entire middle east.

Human rights play a close part in maintaining harmony. The Middle East has been under the radar for their violations for some time. Women rights in particular along with the interpretation of Sharia law, the extreme punitive measures in place such as whipping and wall standing, together with compulsory military training and other practices has often enraged the remaining world. Though effective, several nations and world bodies have challenged the implications of such practices on the victims and have often linked it to be a cause for brewing hatred and terrorism.
The law of the land particularly the functioning of the government is key to maintenance of stability.
Iran’s recent disputed election

Nuclear armament along with the strengthening of military weapons across the world is another matter of growing alarm. Iran’s nuclear policy, Israel’s ambiguity of its own, Syrian view on the issue, the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Nuclear Test Ban treaty among others are matters which require immediate attention. The threat of a nuclear war is nearer than ever before and brings with it destruction of a magnitude that we cannot sustain.

Every aspect of a nation- economic (industry, agriculture), Social (rights, religion), Political (democracy, equality, sovereignty) affect the global scene very closely. 72,000 is more than a statistic -- it is parents, teachers, children, friends and loved ones. Terrorism and conflict affects people of all regions, religions and backgrounds, and confronting it requires a global effort.


BACKGROUND:

Since the advance of the Ottomans in the 16th century, the fate of the Arab world was frequently determined by foreign powers. The vacuum of power, caused by the decline of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and early 20th century, was filled out by the upcoming European colonial powers, above all France and the United Kingdom. Along with the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire after WWI and the process of decolonization, a number of independent states emerged across the Middle East by the end of the 1950s. Due to their immense oil resources, the USSR and, to an even greater extent, the oil-importing USA attached high importance to controlling the oil production and to securing the routes of transport. This, again, led to an extensive interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of Middle East countries, since they became dependent on the protection and the financial, economic and military support of the superpowers. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the US lost its counterpart and became the undisputable hegemon of the region. Afraid of harmful consequences, in the following years only a few countries dared to openly refuse US policy, among them Iraq, Iran and Syria. In 2003, the invasion in Iraq by a US-led coalition ended the rule of Saddam Hussein and paved the way for free elections, the first in half a century. Iran currently alienates the international community, above all the West and Israel, through the construction of a nuclear program that could be designed for the development of nuclear weapons.
However, the most pressing threat to the regional and international security, apart from potential Iranian ambitions to go nuclear, is a non-state one, namely international terrorist movements. The attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, drew the attention of the world to the Middle East, as all 19 perpetrators came from Arab countries. After the US occupation of Iraq, the country became the hub of international Jihadis fighting for the expulsion of all foreign troops and the establishment of a theocratic order.

EXTREMISM: THE IRAQ CONFLICT

Insurgents regularly target civilians as well as security forces. Tensions between Shia and Sunni Muslims have spilled over into brutal sectarian violence.
In 2007 US troop levels were increased by 30,000, as commanders tried a military "surge" to stamp out resistance. The number of attacks had declined by year's end.
In June 2009 US troops withdrew form Iraq's towns and cities, handing over security to Iraqi forces. US President Barack Obama described the move as a milestone, but warned of "difficult days ahead".
US-led combat operations are due to end by September 2010, with all troops gone from Iraq by the end of 2011.
American missiles hit targets in Baghdad in the early hours of 20 March 2003, marking the start of the campaign to remove the Iraqi leader.
US and British ground forces entered from the south, with the leadership in Baghdad remaining defiant. By 9 April US forces had advanced into central Baghdad and Saddam Hussein's grip on power had withered.
Sovereignty was transferred to an interim government in June 2004 and six months later Iraqis voted in the first multi-party elections in 50 years


THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT:

There are two primary issues at the core of this continuing conflict. First, there is the inevitably destabilizing effect of trying to maintain an ethnically preferential state, particularly when it is largely of foreign origin. The original population of what is now Israel was 96 percent Muslim and Christian, yet, these refugees are prohibited from returning to their homes in the self-described Jewish state (and those within Israel are subjected to systematic discrimination).

Second, Israel's continued military occupation and confiscation of privately owned land in the West Bank, and control over Gaza, are extremely oppressive, with Palestinians having minimal control over their lives. Over 10,000 Palestinian men, women, and children are held in Israeli prisons. Few of them have had a legitimate trial; Physical abuse and torture are frequent. Palestinian borders (even internal ones) are controlled by Israeli forces. Periodically men, women, and children are strip searched; people are beaten; women in labour are prevented from reaching hospitals (at times resulting in death); food and medicine are blocked from entering Gaza, producing an escalating humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces invade almost daily, injuring, kidnapping, and sometimes killing inhabitants.
According to the Oslo peace accords of 1993, these territories were supposed to finally become a Palestinian state. However, after years of Israel continuing to confiscate land and conditions steadily worsening, the Palestinian population rebelled. (The Barak offer, widely reputed to be generous, was anything but.) This uprising, called the "Intifada" (Arabic for "shaking off") began at the end of September 2000.
The situation has deteriorated ever since. In the last two years killings have increased. Palestinian rocket fire was met with a full arms aggression launched by Israel. Eventually a cease fire was reached but then breached within 3 months. Thus this conflict is a long standing one and has global implications. It closes deals with cruelty in its most brutal form and a solution is the need of the hour.

IRAN: “THE AXIS OF EVIL”

In 2002, US President George W Bush declared Iran as part of an "axis of evil". Washington accuses it of undermining its efforts in Iraq and of trying to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran, which is building its first atomic power station with Russian help, says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.
In 2006 the government announced that it had succeeded in enriching uranium. President Ahmadinejad said Iran has an "inalienable right" to produce nuclear fuel.
The country has an abundance of energy resources - substantial oil reserves and natural gas reserves second only to those of Russia.
Iran has been led by a conservative elite since 1979, but appeared to be entering another era of political and social transformation with the victory of the liberals in parliamentary elections in 2000.
But the reformists, kept on the political defensive by powerful conservatives in the government and judiciary, failed to make good on their promises.
Former President Mohammad Khatami's support for greater social and political freedoms made him popular with the young - an important factor as around half of the population is under 25.
But his liberal ideas put him at odds with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and hardliners reluctant to lose sight of established Islamic traditions.
The elections of June 2005 dealt a blow to the reformists when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tehran's ultra-conservative mayor, became president.
Mr Ahmadinejad's controversial re-election in June 2009 has further widened the rift between conservatives and reformists within Iran's political establishment.

The UN has issued only one statement with reference to the conflicted election:
“The Secretary-General has been following with growing concern the situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and is dismayed by the post-election violence, particularly the use of force against civilians, which has led to the loss of life and injuries. He calls on the authorities to respect fundamental civil and political rights, especially the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of information. The situation in Iran is of concern to the international community, and the Secretary-General calls on the Government and the opposition to resolve peacefully their differences through dialogue and legal means. He urges an immediate stop to the arrests, threats and use of force. The Secretary-General reiterates his hope that the democratic will of the people of Iran will be fully respected.”

HUMAN RIGHTS AND VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT:

The human rights situation in the Middle East remains poor. Restrictions of freedom of expression and freedom of religion are worsening. Journalists, academics, human rights defenders, and ethnic and religious minorities (such as members of the Baha’i faith) face harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention and threats of prosecution. The use of the death penalty is rising, and Iran is one of the few countries in the world that still executes juvenile offenders. Although rare, cruel and inhumane punishments such as flogging, stoning and amputations remain on the statute books.

The following are certain instances that have been regarded as critical:

United Arab Emirates (UAE):

Amnesty International concern that ‘Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat who was arrested by Amn al-Dawla officers on February 8 2007 and sentenced to three-year prison sentence, did not receive a fair trial. ‘Abdullah Sultan al-Subaihat is serving a three-year prison sentence at al-Wathba prison, some 60 km from the city of Abu Dhabi. He is alleged to have been tortured while detained incommunicado by members of Amn al-Dawla (State Security). After an unfair trial, he was found guilty of “obtaining secret information on state security”.
Jordan

Amnesty International continues to be concerned about torture and ill-treatment in detention in Jordan, as well as the link between torture, unfair trials, and the death penalty. Amnesty International has particular concerns about the application of the death penalty in Jordan because there is a pattern of death sentences, and sometimes executions, occurring as a result of unfair trials where confessions extracted under torture are used as evidence against the defendants. There has also been a pattern of suppression of freedom of expression and association, especially in the wake of laws restricting freedom of the press and expression that were promulgated in the fall of 2001. Several clerics and journalists and members of professional associations have been arrested, detained, and charged for peaceful expression of their opinions. The practice of killing women and girls by husbands or family members because they have allegedly engaged in behaviour that goes against social norms (so-called "honour killings") continues to be a problem in Jordan; measures calling for stricter punishment for those committing honour killings have failed to be enacted.

Lebanon

Lebanese women won the right to vote and to participate in national elections in 1952, 19 years before women in Switzerland. Yet, today, political participation by Lebanese women remains dismal at the national level.
In the June parliamentary elections, only 12 women ran for office and only 4 were elected out of 128 seats. Since suffrage, in fact, only 17 women have served in Lebanon's Parliament.
The reasons are complicated but male domination of the country's politics is one major reason. Another is that political parties are focused on sectarian interests, marginalizing women's voices.

Syria

Freedom of expression and association continues to be severely restricted. Scores of people have been arrested and hundreds remained imprisoned for political reasons, including prisoners of conscience and others sentenced after unfair trials. Discriminatory legislation and practices remain in force against women and the Kurdish minority. Torture and ill-treatment in detention continues to be reported and carried out with impunity. Human rights defenders continue to face arrest, harassment and restrictions on their freedom of movement. Syria retains the death penalty.

Saudi Arabia

The push for political reform, occurring simultaneously with an increasingly unsettled security situation, has created a very unpredictable human rights environment. Killings by both government security forces and armed groups occur periodically, either in attacks or shootouts. The pardon and release of prominent reform advocates by King Abdullah may signal a more consistent support for reform, but torture and ill-treatment persist, as do incommunicado detention, prolonged detention without charge, and unfair trials.
There are still scores of political prisoners and possible prisoners of conscience. Saudi Arabia continues to use flogging and amputations as punishments. Executions, beheadings with a sword, occur regularly and are disproportionately carried out against foreign nationals. Foreign workers are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, particularly female domestic workers, who have virtually no protection at all.

CONCLUSION:

It is evident from the above data that definite and immediate measures need to be taken in order to resolve the crises that plagues the entire region. Needless to say the Middle East is a key area in the global scene, especially due to its immense reserve of crude oil and gas. Religious implications coupled with the difference in laws and way of life has played a close rule in shaping the current scenario. Even though several steps have been implemented none have met with much success. Thus it is fundamentally important to re-think procedures and start afresh with innovative and most importantly effective measures to bring harmony to this conflicted region.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:

• How has the turmoil in Middle East affected your country?

• What steps has your country taken to mitigate the violence? Pay heed to all the region specific treaties and conventions that have been ratified by your nation.

• How far are the situations in the Middle East affecting socio-economic matters?

• Human rights and their violation pose an international threat. Discuss with reference to your nation.

• Nuclear armament along with gathering of military strength and its impact on international security. Please take mote of terrorist activity and extremism.

• What are the possible steps to restore peace? Is democratization and accountability of absolute importance?


USEFUL LINKS:

http://www.cfr.org/issue/65/international_peace_and_security.html
http://www.un.org/ga/62/agenda/ps.shtml
http://www.cartercenter.org/news/documents/doc1383.html
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/oct2003/unhc-o17.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Middle_East_peace_proposals
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/30/iraq.main
http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2003/rp03-050.pdf