Opening Opening Ceremony Provides a Glimpse of What’s in Store Nabadip Deb reports from the opening ceremony
Gagandeep Singh Chopra, the Secretary General of IPU MUN 2015 delivers his opening address. The third edition of the Indraprastha University Model United Nations, organized by MUNistry of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University commenced today at the NDMC Convention Centre. Competing with past benchmarks is never easy; however, in the words of the organizers, all the editions of IPUMUN have arguably provided the ‘best blend MUN’. The Opening Ceremony began with a motivational talk by the Director (MBA), HMR Institute of Technology, Mr. V.K. Verma. While lauding the novelty of the agendas set for the committees this year, Mr. Verma also commended the efforts of the organizers in ensuring appropriate logistical arrangements for the efficient functioning
of this conference over the next two days. Thereafter, the Secretary General, Mr. Gagan Chopra welcomed all the delegates, members of the Executive Board and Press Corps, and declared the conference open. With four conventional councils of the United Nations - General Assembly (DISEC), Commission of the Status of Women, Human Rights Council and Security Council, IPUMUN 2015 aims to stand by its motto of ‘changing dynamics’ through constructive debate and productive engagement.
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UNGA China Suggests Currency Replacement To Fight Economic Warfare General Assembly debates on currency replacement and its aftermath. Alimah Rehan reports.
The People’s Republic of China has suggested a complete replacement of currencies as a solution to the economic warfare situation that faces the world at the moment. It has been declared by the Communist country that there is no other possible long term check to the forfeiting of currencies in the world. The delegate of China further elaborated that paper notes be replaced by plastic or polymer notes. The statement drew considerable support from Myanmar and Pakistan as inclusion of Digitization and Itaglio printing as prospective technological tools. Intaglio printing is a complex printing process commonly used for high-security documents. It includes combination of ink thickness and paper embossing form a tactile relief on the note, which is a unique feature of this printing process. The EURion constellation is a pattern of symbols incorporated into bank notes to block the user from reproducing banknotes to prevent counterfeiting using photocopiers.
The South American nation of Ecuador announced earlier in 2014 that they would be creating a government backed virtual currency. This was the first time in history of national economies that a state authority backed a “digital representation of value”. However, the delegate of Uruguay feels that there is no point in replacing currencies as duplication can still be done. Canada pointed out a three point program – checking, prevention and reporting- emphasising on increasing public awareness. The role of state actors in not spending enough attention on spreading general public awareness was also emphasised by the delegate of Myanmar. Replacement of currencies may prove to be a good check on duplication and further smuggling of currencies in the long run. However, considering the current issue of warfare facing the world at the moment, more immediate and short term methods to hold further smuggling of fake currencies need to discussed and implemented.
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UNGA Communism in the Globalisation Era: A Distorted Interpretation of Marx Manpreet Kaur Badyal opines on consequeces of misinterpretation of Marxist philosophies
Equal opportunity and a class-less society are two phrases that inevitable define the philosophy of Communism. Groups and factions which stand for these values today are considered to be yearning for an elusive future in this age. Thoughts which brought about revolution in Russia and China some eons ago hold little substance today to drastically metamorphose a largely capitalist world. In contrast, even the nations which have a substructure erected on this philosophy have failed to hold on to it.
adoption of Communist principles the answer then? The author of this op-ed disagrees. There will always be some who have it a little more than others and some who not have it at all. And that is what has happened in China, the Marxist view on which the foundation of PRC was laid has dissolved in to itself. Owing to external factors such as economic competition and military dominance, it has transformed itself into a society which is a little of all the philosophies.
The Communist Party of China, ruling and founding party of People’s Republic of China is a glaring example of this revelation in this day. Organised on the basis of Leninist and Marxist principles, today China’s image in the eyes of the world is that of a contradiction. There isn’t a single product in circulation that is not ‘Made in China’. So what is China today? Is it what it set out to be- a complete communist society? Or did it even set out to be one.
China has shown elements of a fascist, socialist and capitalist society in equal measure. The United Front decides how many children its citizens can have, what goes in their textbooks, and what they see on the internet. While on the other hand, it has been successful in reducing population living below the poverty line by 1.7% in urban areas and 26% in rural areas from 94% in rural areas 30 years back.
To analyse the identity of China, one needs to dissect the idea of Communism and test its relevance in these times. More than 80% of the world’s population lives under $10 a day and 95% of the world’s wealth is owned by only 1% of the world’s population. Looking at statistics like these, it can be established that there is a need of an egalitarian society. Is a complete
Communism in today’s time has evolved into a multifaceted philosophy which has elements of all doctrines that came before and after it. This author feels that the communist parties over the world currently engaged in bringing about a revolution, ought to take a reality check of what the humanity essentially requires today to be a successful society in its true sense.
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UNSC Frances Strives for Clarity in Defining Civilians Dharvi Verma reports from the United Nations Security Council
The delegate of France stressed upon well defined criteria to define civilians. The statement came in the Security Council discussing ‘protection on civilian in an armed conflict’. France further elaborated that people not directly involved but stand to be affected by the armed conflict shall be the only entities for the word ‘civilian’. “People who are prisoners of war or have a history of direct involvement in it should not be considered civilians” , said the delegate. According to the International Humanitarian Law, a civilian is a person who is not a member of his or her country’s armed forces or militias or who is not taking a direct part of hostilities in an armed conflict. There is a multitude of interpretations that can be attached to the statement and thus it has always caused a case of contention among global communities. China stated that the definition of the term
should remain the same for all grades, irrespective of their socio-economic status. Jordan added that anyone in possession of arms shouldn’t be deemed a civilian. Republic of Korea contradicted all other nations by stating that prisoners of war should be considered as civilians as they are also citizens with similar needs. A prisoner of war is essentially someone who is “held in custody by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict”. Afghanistan captured the crux of the discussion when it stated that there is a fine distinction between a citizen and a civilian which should be taken into account while defining a civilian. The representative said that refugees and asylum seekers should be included as well. Consensus building is of pivotal importance before resolutions to mitigate the situation can be moved in council. We rest our hopes to this deliberation as the impact will affect millions.
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UNSC No Basic Rights! Troubled Civilians! To say we live in a troubled world is of course a truism. Guncha Dhir opines.
We live in a world whose population is increasingly mobile, where horizons are ever broader and where the impetus to migrate somewhere else has its roots in a myriad of social, economic, political and human rights push and pull factors. Conflict, human rights violations and environmental disasters, together with lack of social progress, economic under-privilege and sharp divisions between the "haves" and the "have nots" will variously continue to displace Iraqis, Afghans, Sri-Lankans, Sudanese, Somalis or Congolese, pushing them towards and even across the borders of other countries. This will majorly affect neighbouring states or the big migrant takers. Other countries which will be affected would be those facing huge development or security challenges, countries with economies in transition, or countries on transit routes to those of chosen destination. Mobility cannot be obstructed. The odds are against this, including the prevalence of smuggling and trafficking. Humanitarian agencies are no longer seen to be independent from parties to the conflict, from the big powers and their agendas, or even from those of the donors. Seen from the perspective of non-State actors, agencies may be viewed with great suspicion as agents of the Government. The irony is that this can be the case even where, as the national authorities tend to accuse, the humanitarian agenda is at odds with that of the Government.
Then there is the problem of the humanitarian aid itself. The de facto, just as the regular authorities, may derive substantial financial gain, capacity, and even legitimacy with their constituencies, depending on where and how the aid is disbursed. This feeds concerns about agencies being partisan, not independent. It also encourages manipulation, fraud and criminality, but attempts to hold accountable these responsible are few. Such a climate of impunity is an incentive in itself to greater abuse. As more relief operations are mounted in conflict situations involving a plethora of different types of actors, from regular forces to paramilitaries and guerrilla groups, serious human rights violations are still witnessed. The challenge is not just to prevent movement but to better manage the many sensitive issues at stake, including national security and identity, social harmony, and economic progress, in a manner which protects state interests and individual rights, which maximises protection space and promotes a proper sharing of responsibilities. Physical insecurity of the displaced and of humanitarian workers assisting them is amongst the main indicators. Also, political will is weak on the part of governments to insulate refugee protection principles against erosion due to global circumstances like the growth in terrorism, transnational crime, irregular migration and the economic downturn. There is a resulting need to re-visit the protection architecture in some key areas to ensure that it responds in meaningful ways to 21st century displacement challenges.
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UNHRC The Purpose of Reprisal and Intimidation Nabadip Deb reports from the UN Human Rights Council
The first session of the Human Rights Council summoned to discuss the prevention of reprisal and intimidation against individuals and groups cooperating with the United Nations, focused its discussion on the factors that possibly urge a nation to commit acts of reprisal. It also began to expand the scope of discussion to the rights of human rights activists, members of the world media and whistle-blowers and how countries collectively need to work for solutions to ensure their protection. The delegates while stating their stands questioned the reasons and purpose of reprisal. There was some debate about identifying the fundamental characteristics of acts of reprisal and intimidation. The representative of Human Rights Watch, remarked that almost all countries have a certain set of laws or acts which empower them to act out against perceived threats of whistle-blowers, and hence there is a need to counter these legislatures. Cementing her stand, the representative pointed out that just like the Patriot Act of the United States of America, there are many more examples that
display how countries stifle the voices that come out against them. Thereafter, there were some unusual deviations of policies, one of the many being the People’s Republic of China’s coming out in support of the human rights of journalists working in countries, much contrary to the widely accepted perception of the country. The delegate of India pointed out that the reprisals in the Darfur region by the Sudanese military were inhumane and stands need to be taken by the international community in tackling these occurrences. The Human Rights Watch representative repeatedly urged on the delegates to work together and not get carried away on individual inconsistencies and pointed out some gruesome acts of reprisals and intimidation across the board. By the time of sending this edition to the press, the discussion has moved on to strengthening existing framework for protection of journalists and it remains to be seen how the delegates work together to come to a solution for this agenda.
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UNHRC Walk the Talk with the Delegate of Cuba Nabadip Deb caught up with the delegate of Cuba in the Human Rights Council, for a talk on the agenda which has been set for the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
IP : Good morning! Keeping in mind that you are the delegate of Cuba, what are your views on the agenda, considering the fact that you have a not-so-rosy history in the same? DG : While we are aware that fingers might be pointed towards us for past acts, Since 2011, the Cuban government has relied less on longterm prison sentences to punish dissent and has relaxed draconian travel restrictions that divided families and prevented its critics from leaving and returning to the island. So, keeping the agenda in mind, we are here to work towards a solution and have a discussion with bodies like the Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International.
your own country, the Human Rights Watch is still equivocal against your government’s measures against dissidents and itself, while the Amnesty International says that there is a “climate of fear” prevalent in Cuba? DG : We believe that we are here to work towards solutions and not fight with one another, or care only about what we do. It shall be a general discussion and if during the same, our actions come up at question, the delegate of Cuba is well prepared to defend the same. We do not believe or see us as oppressors. A government needs to take certain measures for its citizens, but our government knows exactly where to draw the line, a trait, not seen in many ‘holierthan-thou’ countries.
IP : You say that you shall be working towards solutions. What shall be your key points in the same approach?
IP: Thank you so much for your candid answers. We hope you help the Council in working towards a solution on this agenda.
DG : We think the oppression faced by members of the Press and of bodies like the Human Rights Watch (HRW) is something that we need to look after immediately.)
DG : Thank you too and I want to assure you that your rights are safe in Cuba. We invite you over for investigative journalism of our government if you so feel like!
IP : Is that not self-contradictory when back in
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UNCSW Surrogacy Across Nations Sanjana Tewari takes a look into how nations across the world deal with the issue of commercial surrogacy. Q. Your country is a strong advocate for altruistic surgery. However, there is a large percentage of your citizens that go abroad to Russia, India or Ukraine, to avail the benefits of legalized commercial surrogacy systems. What are your views on the same? A. We realize there is a supply-demand gap between IPs (Intended Parents) and voluntary surrogate mothers. However, we have strong immigration rules in place which require a baby born to a foreign surrogate mother to get a proper visa order to return to the UK. We’ve been promoting not-for-profits and NGOs to provide advice and counselling to IPs but having said that, we ban all kinds of agents/agencies dealing in bridging the said demand-supply gap as UK firmly stands against the commercialization of human reproduction. Q. Do you think there is an actual difference in whether the surrogate mother is paid commercially or simply reimbursed for expenses in an altruistic case? A. Absolutely. In a recent case study conducted by the Oxford Journal, only 3% participants reported that they had consented to undergo surgery for commercial reasons. The rest of the participants reported doing it for “self-fulfilment” and for wishing to be able to help out a couple in need. It is the most humane thing to consent to surrogacy on grounds of empathy and kindness without expecting to be paid in return. The delegate of Democratic Republic of Congo expresses his hope for a viable solution. Q. You expressed a strong stand against the concept of commercial surrogacy, describing it to be “psychologically dangerous and exploitative” for women? Why? A. We believe commercial surrogacy to be very harmful for women because sometimes they do not understand the issues they are agreeing to engage in and often end up getting exploited by middlemen. So, even if they end up doing it for money, they often don’t get paid. And they are also psychologically harmed because of pre and post birth issues.
Q. But the Republic of Congo does not have any law regulating surrogacy at all, be it legal or altruistic. A. We have laws concerning ‘artificial reproductive technique’ issues but none against international and commercial surrogacy because we are not a rich country. We hope to come up with viable, alternative solutions by the end of the session. The delegate of India elaborates the nation’s efforts to safeguard the surrogate mother. Q. As a country famous for having a legalized commercial surrogacy system, the area is not properly regulated and defined, which goes against the “legalize it so we can regulate it” ideology currently doing rounds in China and UK. What is your stand on this? A. Well, we do admit to having a lot of grey areas in our governance of reproductive tourism and we are working on trying to set down a proper legislation system for surrogacy. International cooperation is needed in working out the problem as national interests often clash over this issue. Recently, we banned surrogacy for those individuals for whom surrogacy is illegal in their home country. However, this has led to a huge blockade for foreign couples who have surrogates currently bearing their child in India. Thus, there are a lot of problems that need to be ironed out. Q. Women in India are often forced to make a “choice” regarding taking up surrogacy based on their economic position and end up being exploited by surrogacy agencies. Is the government working to solve this issue and ensure better regulation of surrogate protection laws? A. Right now, we’re looking at regionalizing all grey areas and setting up certain laws that dictate the rules and conditions of commercialized surrogacy and a fixed and stipulated payment contract. We’re also looking into starting investigative checks into the background of the surrogacy clinics, the registered surrogates and the intended parents to ensure protection against exploitation of surrogate mothers, especially those belonging to a poor financial background.
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UNCSW International Unification without Domestic Clarity? Ayushee Chaudhary highlights the ignorance of member states concerning their domestic laws as they attempt to plunge into an international solution.
While the United Nations Convention for Women (CSW) appeared all determined to formulate an international law over surrogacy, little did they realize that their domestic laws contradict themselves proving to be a hindrance in the path to a solution. A number of major issues including the health hazards faced by the mother, psychological effects of surrogacy, statelessness of the newborn child etc surround the enigma of surrogacy. Surrogacy and its legalization is ringed in multiple hues that make it difficult to set defined parameters for its legislation. Surrogacy not only affects the surrogate mother but also engulfs the child, the intended parents and the involved countries in a complex web of emotions and legal complication. The constraining doubts over the statelessness of the child catches every eye, as the world remains undecided as to who should provide an identity to the child, the host country or the home country.
A classic case of contradictions is presented by the nation of France. While the nation proudly legalizes homosexuality, surrogacy is deemed illegal and has been stringently banned. Thus, a homosexual couple, ordained to live as a married couple are denied the opportunity of getting a child that shares their DNA. There’s not just one but many states in the world community where the legalization of surrogacy and homosexuality doesn’t go hand in hand. Similarly, a large number of nations that legalise surrogacy have no regulations that deem foreign contracts as legal and binding raising questions about the acceptance and identity of the child thus born. With domestic laws shrouded in a cloud of ambiguity and contradiction, international legislations governing this issue are a far off possibility. It is indeed vital for the nations to introspect and stitch the loopholes that are letting justice slip by.
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International Press Team
HEAD OF PRESS Pallav Kumar Singh HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHy Srijan Jain EDITORS Amlan Das Antara Raychaudhury Arushi Walecha REPORTERS Ayushee Chaudhary Guncha Dhir Sanjana Tiwari Manpreet Kaur Nabadip Deb Dharvi Verma Alimah Rehan PHOTOGRAPHERS Debjeet Sarkar Pankit Arora Umang Arora Harshit Goel Raunaq Gupta Anshumaan Singh Ayushi Pandey Vangmay Shubham Sharma Akshmohan singh Narula Divya Beri
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