Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK|
SECURITY COUNCIL STUDY – GUIDE
Topic Area A: Regional Conflict in the Middle East Topic Area B: Referral of DPRK to the ICC for widespread, systematic crimes against Humanity
Prepared by:
Danai Beka Aisling Ivers On the date of: July, 2014
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK|
CONTENTS WORD OF WELCOME, SECRETARY GENERAL OF ROTARACT GLOBAL MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2014...........................................................................................................................................3 SECURITY COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS..................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL…………………………………......................................7 I.
TOPIC AREA A: REGIONAL CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST......................................8 INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC……………...........................................................................8
A. STATEMENT OF THE ROBLEM..............................................................................................8 B. ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM.................................................................................................9 i. Sectarian Conflict in the Middle East..................................................................9 ii. The Arab Spring......................................................................................................12 iii. Summary of the Current Political Situation and the Ongoing Conflicts in the Middle East...................................................................................................14 C. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS........................................................................................................25 D. BLOC POSITIONS.....................................................................................................................26 E. QARMAs (QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER)............................................30 F. SOURCES AND RECOMMENDED READING......................................................................30 II. TOPIC AREA B: REFERRAL OF DPRK TO THE ICC FOR WIDESPREAD, SYSTEMATIC CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ..................................................................33 INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC.........................................................................................33 A. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.........................................................................................33 Brief history of the DPRK and South Korea relations................................................34 B. ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM..............................................................................................37 i. The Justice System..................................................................................................38 ii. Labor Camps.............................................................................................................39 C. PAST ACTION...........................................................................................................................40 Commission of Inquiry Press Release Timeline..........................................................43 D. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS........................................................................................................45 E. BLOC POSITIONS.....................................................................................................................46 Voting Results for Resolution passed by HRC...............................................................48 G. QARMA’s(QUESTIONS A RESOLUTION MUST ANSWER)............................................48 H. SOURCES AND RECOMMENDED READING......................................................................49
Word of Welcome
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Secretary General of Rotaract Global Model United Nations 2014 Dear Delegates, It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to the 2014 edition of Rotaract Global Model United Nations. We are privileged to hold this conference in Westminster, a city that has been a bastion of diplomacy and debate for centuries – and which saw the birth of the UN nearly 60 years ago. Having engaged with Model UN since my school days, I can confidently say that the activity is in my blood. I sincerely believe that there is no better activity for young people trying to engage with the issues currently troubling our world today. It goes without saying that these issues are dangerous, as they are numerous, and I could not even begin to summarise them in such a limited space. However, simply from reading your applications, I have been inspired by the massive contribution young people are willing to make to solving these problems. This is why I have decided that the conference shall be based around the theme: Leaders of Tomorrow. I do not mean to suggest by this that our conference will nurture you and prepare you to make future contributions. Rather, I propose that you are already leaders – young people poised to make a meaningful difference to international affairs. With our conference as your unique gathering place and speaking platform, I can guarantee that your debate contributions will not simply be academic exercises. Instead, they will form part of a meaningful policy proposal that Rotaract will ensure reaches the desks of the UN. With this collective spirit in mind, I hope you are extremely excited to read the Study Guide of your committee. Having handpicked your chairs personally, I can assure you that they are world-‐leaders in their field. Put simply, there are few people who are more qualified to write this guide than them. So, use their sterling work as a starting point for your research, and be inspired to read and research far beyond the confines of this guide. I feel extremely honoured to welcome this unprecedented gathering of great young minds to London. I am fascinated to hear the solutions you propose, and pledge to do all in my power to translate them into meaningful political change. Yours Sincerely, Adam McLaren Secretary General, Rotaract Global Model United Nations 2014
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Security Council -‐ Chairpersons – Danai Beka
Dear delegates of the Security Council, As your Chair during this incredible journey you are about to embark on, it is my true honor and pleasure to welcome you to the Rotaract Global MUN 2014 Conference! My name is Danai Beka and I am 23 years old. I finished my Law studies at the Democritus University of Thrace and I am currently a postgraduate student at the International Hellenic University (LLM in Transnational and European Commercial Law & Alternative Dispute Resolution). Besides my passion for International Affairs, I like swimming and dancing, watching movies, reading books, listening to music and (of course!) travelling. I adore acting (and have participated in several plays) and I work every summer at the YMCA camp. Since high school I have attended many Model United Nation Conferences, both chairing and as a delegate in Greece and other countries, (CUIMUN in Cambridge University, HMUN at Harvard University in Boston, ACMUN in Anatolia College, RhodesMRC, M.U.N. conferences in the American Farm School and ThessIS MUN, to name a few, honoring my participation as an award-‐winning Delegate) and I can assure you that Rotaract Global MUN is a unique experience that you do not wish to miss. It is an amazing initiative that combines my two greatest passions, Rotaract and the UN (and it is worth mentioning that Rotary’s relationship with the United Nations dates back to 1945 and today holds the highest consultative status possible with the United Nations as a non-‐governmental organization). Consisted of people passionate for the mission of the aforementioned institutions and dedicated to promote intercultural exchange and dialogue, this is a conference with ideals based on what Robert F. Kennedy said: “There are those who look at the way things are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”. Being addicted to the ‘M.U.N. fever’ and after many years of participation as a delegate, I am given the opportunity to chair the Security Council and to be a member of the Rotaract Global MUN Board. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. It is actually the only
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organ of the UN entitled to intervene and take military and nonmilitary action to restore international peace and security. Therefore, it is the most demanding and challenging Council and its members bear the greatest responsibility of all. I cannot even begin to explain my excitement when I was granted this position and I am looking forward to working with every single one of you! Along with my Co-‐Chair, Aisling Ivers, we will give you the first materials for a fruitful and memorable debate full of controversy and arguments and you on your behalf shall work hard to resolve every crisis that might occur. Prepare to forget who you are as individuals and learn your nation’s history and policy better than your own names. If you do, great power is in your hands for five days. Can you handle it? With great power, comes great responsibility. Security Council -‐ Chairpersons –
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Aisling Ivers Dear delegates of the Security Council, My name is Aisling and I am a student of History and Chinese at University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. I first discovered Model UN through UCC’s International Relations society and became instantly hooked, ultimately taking the role of Chairperson of the society for the academic year 2012-‐2013. In my time involved in the society, I have fulfilled many internal roles as well as participating as both a chair and a delegate at a number of international conferences. This engagement has led to my desire to continue my studies to postgraduate level in the field of International Relations. Not to be mistaken for a one-‐track lady, I have also delved into the creative arts from a costume design point of view, culminating in a role as Costume Manager in a number of productions from our award winning dramatic society on campus. I am delighted and feel very privileged to have been given the opportunity to chair at the Security Council at the London Westminster Rotaract MUN alongside Danae. It goes without saying that I look forward to meeting all Security Council delegates and venturing through the different ideas and debate. See you in September!
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL
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The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held its first session on 17 January 1946 at Church House, Westminster, London and since its first meeting has traveled extensively. It is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and, under the Charter, is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. It takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression. It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security. The Security Council also recommends to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-‐General and the admission of new Members to the United Nations. And, together with the General Assembly, it elects the judges of the International Court of Justice.1 The UNSC has 15 Members, and each Member has one vote. This includes five veto-‐wielding permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States— based on the great powers that were the victors of World War II.2 There are also 10 non-‐permanent members, with five elected each year to serve two-‐ year terms. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions. Despite its power, the Council has often presented an inability to respond quickly to threats towards international peace and security, mainly because the members failed to agree upon a resolution.
I. TOPIC AREA A REGIONAL CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST 1 2
http://www.un.org/en/sc/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council
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Introduction to the topic The topic chosen for the Security Council debate relates to a pressing contemporary issue – that of the on-‐going regional conflicts in the Middle East. The situation in the Middle East has rarely been as challenging to cool down and as aggressive as it is today. The Middle East is a region that roughly encompasses a majority of Western Asia (excluding the Caucasus) and Egypt. It is not only a geographical region but a cultural and political entity as well. Prior to the discovery of oil, the region had been a hotbed for religious conflict and wars over other rich resources and land. In more recent times, interest in the region has been due to the energy resources there. The Middle East is the most militarized region in the world and most arms sales head there. A suppressed people that sees US influence as a major root cause of the current problems in the Middle East has led to a rise in Islamic militancy, acts of terrorism and anti-‐west sentiment.3 The difficulty in addressing the situation is due to the fact that there seems to be a greater conflict that overcomes the boundaries of the individual states, creating instability in the entire region. Therefore, in order for the UNSC to be able to control the more particular conflicts, issues that contribute to the creation of a greater regional conflict should be addressed.
A. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM This year’s Security Council stands before a very extended and hard to resolve conflict. The situation in the Middle East only deteriorates. The political situation in the majority of the States of the region is unstable, the casualties are increasing and the wave of protestors and refugees is rapidly spreading all over the Middle East. It is of utmost importance to address the linkages between the multiple conflicts that are evidently interrelated, in order to come up with an all-‐ inclusive resolution that should promote peace and security. Most of the conflict in the Middle East throughout the years has been caused by oil and fighting over control of land.4 However, before oil was discovered, religious conflict and wars over the resources in the area were the main cause of conflict in the region. Today, as we will demonstrate, there are ongoing sectarian conflicts that create the roots of all instability and chaos in the Middle Eastern countries and result to a regional conflict that overcomes the borders of the individual states and contributes to the deterioration of the situation. The religious fanaticism, along with the spirit of the Arab Spring’s revolutionary 3 4
http://www.spimun.com/?p=articles&id=50 http://worldregionsproject.wikispaces.com/Regional+Conflicts+of+Middle+East
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wave and the will of the suppressed people to escape their authoritarian regimes, gives the opportunity to terrorist groups to take advantage of the situation and create a state of anarchy and chaos that is spread all over the Middle East. Special attention shall be given to the states of Syria and Israel-‐ Pakistan, where the ongoing conflicts seem to get out of control, resulting to the deaths of thousands of people.
B. ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM AND PAST ACTIONS TAKEN I. SECTARIAN CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST Sectarian violence refers to attacks against people and places motivated by antagonism toward the target's sect, usually a religious group.5 The phrase "sectarian conflict" usually refers to violent conflict along religious or political lines or to general philosophical, political disparity between different schools of thought such as that between Shia and Sunni Muslims.6 Now, if as many believe and scholarship confirms, religion is particularly important in ethnic conflicts involving Muslims, how does this affect the nature of conflict in the Middle East?7 The Minorities at Risk (MAR) dataset provides insight into the nature of the Middle East’s ethno-‐religious conflicts.8 According to the data, 54 percent of the politically significant ethnic minorities in the Middle East are also religious minorities. According to Aaron Reese (ISW), the first half of 2013 has demonstrated clearly that a sectarian conflict is spreading in the Middle East. This conflict is a product of developments over the course of 2012, including Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-‐Maliki’s consolidation of power and the development of an armed opposition movement in Syria. A turning point, however, came with the Syrian opposition’s loss of the strategic town of al-‐Qusayr in early June to regime forces backed by Lebanese Hezbollah. The intervention of this prominent Shia militant group has heightened the “sectarianization” of the conflict. The rise in sectarian violence sponsored by external actors poses an existential threat to these already-‐fragile 5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism#cite_note-‐State-‐23 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia_Islam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Islam http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2014/04/20140429298476.html#axzz38h5DnLA w 7 Jonathan Fox, "Is Islam More Conflict Prone than Other Religions? A Cross-‐Sectional Study of Ethnoreligious Conflict," Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, Summer 2000, pp. 1-‐23. 8 www.bsos.umd.edu/cidcm/mar 6
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states. Worsening violence and increasing polarization has led fighting to spill over from Syria into Lebanon, for example, as supporters of the Salafist Sheikh Ahmed al-‐Assir lashed out against Lebanese Army and Hezbollah. Further, the wider consequences of continued fighting, particularly the masses of refugees flooding into Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon, will have destabilizing effects as these populations drain state coffers and test the ability of these states to maintain order. In Syria, the Assad regime has played upon the fears of minority groups to rally support. Shia militias from outside Syria, such as Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iraqi groups Asa’ib Ahl al-‐Haq and Kata’ib Hezbollah, have defined their role as protecting holy sites like the mosque of Sayyeda Zeinab. On the other hand, Sunni and Salafist militant groups have used anti-‐Shi‘a rhetoric and anti-‐Iranian sentiment to justify their own actions. In Iraq, Maliki’s pursuit of power, overtly sectarian rhetoric, and utilization of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) for political ends has reinforced sectarian polarization. The Sunni insurgency against Coalition forces in Iraq was mostly quelled by the promise of political participation. Maliki’s political and military targeting of Iraqi Sunnis, however, has fed Sunni perceptions that they are threatened and disenfranchised by the central government. The conflict has expanded beyond the boundaries of Iraq and Syria and has become increasingly regional in scope. 9 Sectarian conflicts in the Middle East IRAQ Certain elements of the Iraqi insurgency and foreign terrorist organizations who came to Iraq after the fall of Saddam have targeted Shias in sectarian attacks. Following the civil war, the Sunnis have complained of discrimination by Iraq's Shia majority government, which is bolstered by the fact that Sunni detainees were allegedly discovered to have been tortured in a compound used by government forces on November 15, 2005This sectarianism has fueled a giant level of emigration and internal displacement.10 SYRIA11 Sectarianism has been described as a characteristic feature of the Syrian civil war. The sharpest split is between the ruling minority Alawite sect, a Shiite Muslim offshoot, and the country's Sunni Muslim majority, mostly aligned with 9
https://www.understandingwar.org/report/sectarian-‐and-‐regional-‐conflict-‐middle-‐east http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4441568.stm 11 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_and_minorities_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War 10
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the opposition.12 The conflict had drawn in other ethno-‐religious minorities, including Armenians, Assyrians, Druze, Palestinians, Kurds, Yazidi, Mhallami and Turkmens. The Syrian government maintains a gang network known as the shabiha, a shadow militia that anti-‐government activists allege are prepared to use force, violence, weapons and racketeering, whose members primarily consist of Alawites. The Houthi and Hezbollah interventions in Syria, both Shiite armies, and Iran's backing of Assad further point to sectarian motivations. LEBANON The Syrian Conflict which began in 2011 when clashes began between the Assad regime and opposition forces has had a profound effect on sectarian dynamics within Lebanon. The Syrian turmoil is intensifying Sunni-‐Shia tensions on two levels: symbolic and identity-‐based on the one hand, and geopolitical or interest based, on the other hand.13 There are obvious and notable divisions within the Lebanese community along sectarian lines regarding the Syrian Civil War. The Shi'ite militant and political organization Hezbollah and its supporters back the Assad regime, while many of the country's Sunni communities back the opposition forces. These tensions have played out in clashes between Sunnis and Shi'ites within Lebanon, resulting in clashes and deaths.14 PAKISTAN Pakistan, one of the largest Muslim countries the world, has seen serious Shia-‐ Sunni sectarian violence. Almost 80 -‐ 90% of Pakistan's Muslim population is Sunni, and another 10 -‐ 20% are Shia.However, this Shia minority forms the second largest Shia population of any country, larger than the Shia majority in Iraq.15 In the last two decades, as many as 4,000 people are estimated to have died in sectarian fighting in Pakistan and the numbers keep on increasing due to the latest events in the region.16 The situation deteriorates by possible outside funding of the religious groups (allegedly by Arab States and Iran).17 Recent
12
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_and_minorities_in_the_Syrian_civil_war Bahout, Joseph (18 November 2013). "Sectarianism in Lebanon and Syria: The Dynamics of Mutual Spill-‐Over". United States Institute of Peace. 14 http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/21/uk-‐syria-‐crisis-‐lebanon-‐clashes-‐idUKBREA2K0J320140321 15 http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2008/108505.htm http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e1809?_hi=1&_pos=1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism#cite_note-‐State-‐23 16 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐16047709 17 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_in_Pakistan 13
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years have witnessed a series of bloody attacks by Sunni militants on Pakistan's Shia community.18 The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the mid-‐20th century. The conflict is wide-‐ranging, and the term is sometimes also used in reference to the earlier sectarian conflict in Mandatory Palestine, between the Zionist yishuv and the Arab population under British rule. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has formed the core part of the wider Arab–Israeli conflict.19The causes of the conflict are, among others, religious. One of the most hotly-‐debated issues is who or what should have control over Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a religiously significant city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.20 Both Israel and Palestine consider Jerusalem to be their capital. The Hama’s-‐Israeli conflict has already resulted to thousands of deaths and the situation only deteriorates. The international community has yet failed to react accordingly. ii. THE ARAB SPRING The Arab Spring is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests (both non-‐violent and violent), riots, and civil wars in the Arab world that began on 18 December 2010 and lasted into 2011. By December 2013, rulers had been forced from power in Tunisia, Egypt ,Libya, and Yemen; civil uprisings had erupted in Bahrain and Syria; major protests had bro ken out in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Israel and Sudan; and minor protests had occurred in Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Western Sahara, and the Palestinian Authority.21 The Arab Spring is widely believed to have been instigated by dissatisfaction with the rule of local governments.22 Numerous factors have led to the protests, including issues such as absolute monarchy, human rights violations, political corruption, economic decline, unemployment, extreme poverty, and a number of demographic structural factors, such as a large 18
http://www.bbc.com/news/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict 20 http://www.wisegeek.org/what-‐are-‐some-‐causes-‐of-‐the-‐israeli-‐palestinian-‐conflict.htm 21 http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2002214060_krauthammer21.html 22 http://www.scribd.com/doc/90470593/The-‐CenSEI-‐Report-‐Vol-‐2-‐No-‐6-‐February-‐13-‐19-‐ 2012#outer_page_23 19
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percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the population.23 The Arab Spring started locally but the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions ultimately influenced demonstrations in other Arab countries, including Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Libya. What started like a local demonstration rapidly evolved into a big revolutionary wave that overcame the boundaries of the Middle Eastern countries and created instability in the entire region. International reaction has varied, with most Western nations condoning peaceful protests but concerned about the stability in the entire region. 24 Positions have been disparate, including calls for expanded liberties and civil rights in many authoritarian countries. The difficulty lies in the fact that the United Nations Security Council may not intervene in the policy making and formulation of these States. However, the international community may not remain inactive in cases of human rights violations, threats towards security and extended violence. For this reason, the need for the adoption of a resolution that will condemn such incidents and promote the peaceful dialogue between the rebels and their governments is more urgent than ever. Measures in case the parties and Member States fail to comply may include (in accordance with the prerequisites laid down in the UN Charter) an intervention to put an end to the casualties and violence. 25 Recent Developments26 The events over the year and a half since the death of Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia, have left the politics of the Middle East in tumult.27 The Arab Spring has certainly resulted in a change of regime in Tunisia and then Egypt and the revolutionary wave is spread all over the Middle East. Across the broader region, 23
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=arab+league+demographics, http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/02/18/the-‐tweet-‐and-‐revolution/ 24 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_Arab_Spring 25 http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter7.shtml 26 http://www.theguardian.com/world/arab-‐and-‐middle-‐east-‐protests http://www.cbsnews.com/feature/after-‐the-‐arab-‐spring/ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/arab-‐spring http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐12813859 http://middleeast.about.com/od/humanrightsdemocracy/tp/Arab-‐Spring-‐Uprisings.htm 27 http://www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/publications/reports/pdf/sr011/final_lse_ideas__conclusionsthemiddle eastafterthearabspring_dodge.pdf
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beyond Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya, the wave of protests emboldened by North African success were driven by similar demographic realities, failures of state policies and demands for greater representation. However, they failed to effect regime change. The Arab Spring was a historic moment in the politics of the Middle East but its long-‐term impact remains unpredictable. iii. SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION AND THE ONGOING CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST SYRIA Political System: officially a Semi-‐presidential Republic Current Situation: Civil war The Syrian Civil War also known as the Syrian Uprising and in the Arab media as the Syrian Crisisbegan in March 2011 with nationwide protests against president Bashar al-‐ Assad's government, whose forces responded with violent crackdowns. As protests continued, the Syrian government began deploying tanks and snipers as a means to suppress the revolt. In 2013, Hezbollah entered the war in support of the Syrian armyIn the east, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), a jihadist militant group which was initially linked to Al-‐Qaeda in Iraq, made rapid military gains in both Syria and Iraq, eventually turning against the rebels as well. Since the summer of 2011 the rebels and deserters from the army, who later declared themselves the Free Syrian Army, began to form militias, which launched an armed campaign against the Syrian regular army. The escalation of violence was not stopped by concessions and the disorder continued. The fighting on both sides led to the death of civilians. In many countries there were demonstrations of opponents of the Assad regime, during which activists raided Syrian embassy.
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April 12th, 2012 a truce was declared. By July 2013, the Syrian government was in control of approximately 30–40% of the country's territory and 60% of the Syrian population.28 International organizations have accused both government and opposition forces of severe human rights violations.29 Chemical weapons have been used many times during the conflict as well. The fighting continued and Syria held a presidential election in government-‐held areas on 3 June 2014. President Bashar al-‐Assad won the election with 88.7% of the votes.30 Starting on 5 June, ISIS forces seized swathes of territory in Iraq in addition to heavy weapons and equipment from the Iraqi army, some of which they brought into Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, on 17 July 2014 Islamic State took control of the Sha'ar oil field, killing 90 pro-‐Assad forces while losing 21 Islamic State fighters. In addition, 270 guards and government-‐aligned fighters were missing, captured, or killed. About 30 government persons managed to escape to the nearby Hajjar field.31 ISRAEL Political System: Parliamentary democracy Current Situation: Tensions in Gaza Israel occupied Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and only pulled its troops and settlers out in 2005. Israel considered this the end of the occupation, but it still exercises control over most of Gaza's borders, waters and airspace. Egypt controls Gaza's southern border. However, Palestinians in Gaza feel confined and are suffering socio-‐economic hardship. The dominant Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas and other militant groups say the restrictions are intolerable. Hamas's charter is committed to Israel's destruction but in recent years it has said it will consider a long-‐term truce with Israel. It cites Israel's continued occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem as reasons for its attacks on the Jewish state before and after 2005. Rocket fire and air strikes increased after the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in June, which Israel blamed on Hamas and which led to a crackdown on the group in the West Bank. Hamas denied being behind the killings. Tensions rose further after the suspected revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager in Jerusalem on 2 July, after which six 28
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/world/middleeast/momentum-‐shifts-‐in-‐syria-‐bolstering-‐ assads-‐position.html?_r=0 29 http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=42079#.U9VeYkBlfDU 30 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐27706471 31 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/syria-‐crisis-‐gas-‐idUSL6N0PS45W20140717
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suspects were arrested. On 7 July, Hamas claimed responsibility for firing rockets for the first time in 20 months, after a series of Israeli air strikes in which several members of its armed wing were killed. The next day, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, which it said was aimed at stopping rocket attacks and destroying Hamas' capabilities.Since then, there have been hundreds of air strikes and hundreds of rockets have been fired. Hamas did not give any clear objectives early on, but its armed wing has said it will only accept a ceasefire if: • • • •
Israel stops "all aggression" in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza Commits to the 2012 ceasefire Stops trying to undermine the recently formed Palestinian unity government Frees prisoners released in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011 but who have recently been re-‐arrested
Hamas chief in Gaza Ismail Haniya has also said a truce should bring and an end to the blockade of Gaza. EGYPT32 Political System: Republicanism, with a semi-‐presidential system of government. Following the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, executive power was assumed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution. In 2014, Abdel Fattah el-‐Sisi was elected as Egypt's seventh President33 Current Situation: Transition from autocratic rule On 25 January 2011, widespread protests began against Mubarak's government. On 11 February 2011, 32
http://www.theguardian.com/world/egypt, http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html 33 http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/103147.aspx
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| Mubarak resigns and Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, became the de facto interim head of state, dissolving the parliament and suspending the constitution34. A constitutional referendum was held on 19 March 2011 and Mohamed Morsi was elected president on 24 June 2012. On 22 November the President issues a declaration immunising his decrees from challenge, resulting to massive protests and violent action throughout Egypt.35 On June 2013 a massive bloodshed resulted to the immediate removal of the President of Egypt by the Egyptian Armed Forces amid demonstrations against Morsi's rule.36 Many protesters amassed near the Rabia Al-‐Adawiya Mosque to call for Morsi's return to power and condemn the military, while others demonstrated in support of the military and interim government. Deadly clashes continued for several days, with three particularly bloody incidents being described by Muslim Brotherhood officials as "massacres" perpetrated by security forces. The events are referred to by some media outlets as the Egyptian Crisis. A presidential election in Egypt took place between 26 and 28 May 2014with el-‐Sisi winning with 23.78 million votes, 96.91%.37 BAHRAIN Political System: Monarchical rule, limited role for a semi-‐elected parliament Current Situation: Civil unrest The Bahraini uprising is a series of demonstrations, amounting to a sustained campaign of civil resistance, in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain. This series of protests constitute only a part of the revolutionary wave that has occurred in the Middle East and North Africa. The Bahraini protests were initially aimed at achieving greater political freedom and equality for the majority Shia population, and expanded to a call to end the monarchy of Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa following a deadly night raid on 17 February 2011 against protesters at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama, known locally as Bloody Thursday.38 34
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐12443678 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐20451208 36 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/world/middleeast/egypt.html?hp&_r=0 37 http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/102841/Egypt/Politics-‐/BREAKING-‐PEC-‐officially-‐ announces-‐AbdelFattah-‐ElSi.aspx 38 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-‐files/bahrain-‐wikileaks-‐cables/8334600/BAHRAINS-‐ SHIA-‐POLITICAL-‐LEADERS-‐VISIT-‐IRAQ.html 35
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| For over two years, the Al-‐Khalifa monarchy in Bahrain has attempted to quell serious political and social upheaval. All signs point to continued, if not intensified, violence between the Sunni regime and the protesting Shia majority. Prior to the two-‐year anniversary of protests on February 14, 2013, the Al-‐Khalifa government reconvened a national dialogue, bringing together both pro-‐government Sunni groups and anti-‐regime Shia groups. The latest round of talks was derailed when regime forces shot and killed a protester on the anniversary of the uprising. Violent protests resulted in the death of a police officer less than a day later. In March of 2011, Saudi troops intervened in Bahrain to secure critical infrastructure and to support government troops, while police from the UAE aided in the crackdown. In early July 2013, Bahraini activists called for major rallies on 14 August under the title Bahrain Tamarod.39 However, the atrocities continued and a bomb blast during protests by Shiites in the village of Daih near Manama on 3 March 2014 killed 3 police officers and injured another. One of the police officers killed was from the UAE force of 500 police deployed along with 1,500 Saudi troops in 2011 to help quell the uprising.40 The latest development in the region took place on May 2014, when the leading rights activist Nabeel Rajab was released after two years in prison, urging the government and the opposition to engage in dialogue.41 IRAQ42 Political System: Federal parliamentary representative democratic republic. Current Situation: Risk of political and religious violence n March 20, 2003, a United States-‐organized coalition invaded Iraq, under the pretext that Iraq had failed to abandon its weapons of mass destruction program in violation of U.N. Resolution 687. After intense insurgency and inter-‐ethnic violence between Sunnis and Shias (aiming to fight the Coalition Provisional Authority that the US had establish to govern Iraq43), in May, 2007 and after Iraq's Parliament called on the United States to set a timetable for withdrawal, coalition partners such as the U.K. and Denmark began withdrawing their forces.44 Despite the fact, that in 2011 the US troops left Iraq, marking the last stage of transferring full state sovereignty back into the hands 39
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/14/bahrain-‐warns-‐against-‐egypt-‐inspired-‐protests/ http://www.bahrainnews.net/index.php/sid/220330839/scat/48fcf33f9aeb6130/ht/Bahrain-‐ arrests-‐25-‐after-‐death-‐of-‐3-‐policemen-‐in-‐bomb-‐attack 41 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐14541322 42 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/ 43 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3604393.stm 44 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6380933.stm 40
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| of Iraqi authorities, and that the discovery of oil in Middle East is giving the country a chance now, political divisions, in combination with a weak state and high unemployment, make Iraq one of the most unstable countries in the Middle East. The intense civil war of 2006-‐08 has affected tremendously the relations between Iraq’s religious communities. Extremist groups such as the Al Qaeda-‐linked Sunni continue their mission with regular attacks against the government. In 2012 and 2013 levels of violence increased and armed groups inside Iraq were increasingly galvanized by the Syrian Civil War. Both Sunnis and Shias crossed the border to fight in Syria.45 During 2013 Sunni militant groups continued the attacks towards Iraq's Shia population and during 2014, they seized control of several Iraqi cities, resulting to hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons46. The situation is only aggravated by the civil war in neighboring Syria. The government fears that Syrian rebels could link with Sunni militants in Iraq, dragging the country back into civil conflict. IRAN Political System: Islamic republic (Presidential Democracy) Current Situation: Regime infighting / Tensions with the West 75-‐million strong and buttressed by ample oil reserves, Iran is one of the most powerful states in the region. Its resurgence in the first decade of the 21st century was one of the many unintended outcomes of US military adventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. Suddenly rid of two hostile regimes on its borders – the Taliban and Saddam Hussein – Iran extended its power into the Arab Middle East, cementing alliances in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.47 But the ascendancy of the Shiite Islamist regime in Iran has also invited fear and strong opposition from US-‐allied countries. Sunni Arab states such as Saudi Arabia fear Iran is looking to dominate the Persian Gulf, while exploiting the Palestinian issue to mobilize regional support. Israeli leaders are convinced Iran is racing to develop a nuclear bomb to threaten the existence of the Jewish state.48 Hassan Rouhani, who was elected as President of Iran on 15 June 2013, improving Iran's relations with other 45
http://middleeastvoices.voanews.com/2012/11/insight-‐iraqs-‐tensions-‐heightened-‐by-‐syria-‐conflict-‐ 96791/ 46 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐27897648 47 http://middleeast.about.com/od/iran/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐Iran.htm 48 http://middleeast.about.com/od/iran/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐Iran.htm
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| countries, may adopt a more constructive approach on the issue of Iran's nuclear program LEBANON Political System: Parliamentary Democratic Republic Current Situation: Risk of political and religious violence The political scene of the State has been sensitive and, as a result of developments in the region, the security situation inside the country changes rapidly. The internal political situation in Lebanon significantly changed in early 2000s. After the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the death of Hafez Al-‐Assad in 2000, the Syrian military presence faced criticism and resistance from the Lebanese population. Today, the Syrian crisis is among the elements challenging the security situation in Lebanon while, more than ever before, making the intensification of tribal conflicts in this country probable. In 2012, the Syrian civil war threatened to spill over in Lebanon, causing more incidents of sectarian violence and armed clashes between Sunnis and Alawites in Tripoli.49 As the number of Syrian refugees increases, due to the recent events, the Lebanese Forces Party, the Kataeb Party, and the Free Patriotic Movement fear the country’s sectarian based political system is being undermined.50 On 27 December 2013, former Minister of Finance Mohamad Chatah, a senior aide to former Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri, was killed along with seven others in a car bomb explosion in downtown Beirut. Moreover, taking into consideration Syria’s developments and the escalation of tribal conflicts in this country and to some degree in its surrounding areas, we shall safely conclude that the conflicts of the two regions are interrelated and that the adoption of measures is a need more urgent than ever. While Lebanon’s political atmosphere was moving towards tranquility following Wissam Hassan’s assassination, the recent events, if not controlled, can once again unsettle the political and security situation in Lebanon. 49
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/world/middleeast/syrian-‐war-‐plays-‐out-‐along-‐a-‐street-‐in-‐ lebanon.html?ref=middleeast 50 http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/02/14/refugee-‐factor/fgl0
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| LIBYA Political System: Interim governing body [Parliamentary Republic governed by the General National Congress (GNC)] Current Situation: Transition from autocratic rule After the Arab Spring movements overturned the rulers of Tunisia and Egypt, Libya experienced a full-‐ scale revolt beginning on 17 February 2011.51 On 20 October 2011 the last heavy fighting of the uprising came to an end in the city of Sirte, where Colonel Gadhafi was captured and killed.52 Unfortunately, the situation in Libya has seen significant deterioration, due to the existence of armed militias on the streets and their control over regions and cities. Since the defeat of loyalist forces, Libya has been torn among numerous, rival, armed militias affiliated to regions, cities and tribes, while the central government has been weak and unable to bring its authority over the country. Elections alone did not seem adequate to make change happen on the ground and Libya has over time sunk into chaos, exploited by extremist groups close to Al Qaeda, which has thus been able to defend itself and continue its war against the western powers. QATAR Political System: Absolute Monarchy Current Situation: Succession of power to a new generation of royals The head of state is the Emir, and the right to rule Qatar is passed on within the Al Thani family. Politically, Qatar is evolving from a traditional society into a modern welfare state. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani abdicated from the throne in June 2013 after 18 years in power. The accession of Hamad’ s son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, was aimed at invigorating the state with 51
http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/middle-‐east/live-‐blog-‐libya, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8344034/Libya-‐civil-‐war-‐ breaks-‐out-‐as-‐Gaddafi-‐mounts-‐rearguard-‐fight.html, http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2002214060_krauthammer21.html 52 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8844744/Gaddafis-‐ death-‐Libyas-‐new-‐rulers-‐stained-‐by-‐manner-‐of-‐his-‐death-‐says-‐Philip-‐Hammond.html
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| a new generation of royals and technocrats, but without affecting major policy shifts.53 SAUDI ARABIA Political System: Absolute monarchy Current Situation: Royal family rejects reforms Saudi Arabia remains stable, with anti-‐government protests limited to areas populated with the Shiite minority. However, growing uncertainty over the succession of power from the current monarch raises the possibility of tension within the royal family.54 TUNISIA Political System: Parliamentary democracy Current Situation: Transition from autocratic rule The birthplace of the Arab Spring is now ruled by a coalition of Islamist and secular parties. The Tunisian Revolution was an intensive campaign of civil resistance that was precipitated by high unemployment, food inflation, corruption, a lack of freedom of speech and other 53
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/03/were_not_gonna_protest.ht ml 54 http://middleeast.about.com/od/humanrightsdemocracy/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐The-‐Middle-‐ East.htm
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| political freedoms and poor living conditions.55 These protests began in Tunisia after Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire outside local government offices and then inspired the Arab Spring. His death prompted a nationwide uprising that led to the overthrow of President Zine al-‐Abidine Ben Ali, and hopes of a fairer Tunisia. On 12 December 2011, former dissident and veteran human rights activist Moncef Marzouki was elected president.56 Today, unfortunately, the situation deteriorates once again due to high unemployment and recent demonstrations.57 TURKEY Political System: Parliamentary democracy Current Situation: Stable democracy Ruled by moderate Islamists since 2002, Turkey has seen its economy and regional influence grow in recent years. The government is battling a Kurdish separatist insurgency at home, while supporting the rebels in neighboring Syria.58 55
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/01/20111614145839362.html
56
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/12/tunisia-‐president-‐moncef-‐marzouki.html http://www.alarab.co.uk/en/?id=903 58 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8352934.stm, http://english.nuqudy.com/Levant/Turkish_Enclaves_in-‐3478 57
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| YEMEN Political System: Presidential Representative Democratic Republic Current Situation: Transition / Armed insurgency Long-‐serving leader Ali Abdullah Saleh resigned in November 2011 under a Saudi-‐brokered transition deal, after nine months of protests. The 2011 Yemeni revolution followed other Arab Spring mass protests in early 2011. Saleh's son, General Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh continues to exercise a strong hold on sections of the military and security forces. Interim authorities are battling Al-‐Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has been widely recognized as a more dangerous regional and international terrorist organization than the original al-‐ Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden. In January 2009, the Saudi and Yemeni al-‐Qaeda branches merged to form Al-‐Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is based in Yemen, and many of its members were Saudi nationals who had been released from Guantanamo Bay.59 In 2010-‐11, AQAP was able to present a strong challenge to Yemen's government by capturing and retaining large areas in the southern part of the country. Yemen's new reform President defeated AQAP and recaptured areas under their control in 2012, but the terrorists remain an extremely dangerous force seeking to reassert themselves at this time of transition in Yemen.60
C. PROPOSED SOLUTIONS As it becomes apparent from the aforementioned, it is of utmost importance that the United Nations Security Council adopts measures for the amelioration of the situation in the Middle East. This shall include both short-‐term and effective steps that will result to the seizure of fire in certain areas and long-‐term suggestions that will target the linkages between the multiple conflicts in the region. Resolving sectarian conflicts and controlling terrorist groups that use religion as an excuse to justify their violent actions should become the Security Council’s priority. Considering the Arab Spring and incidents when the protest turns into a civil war, the UNSC must act accordingly to prevent casualties, especially of civilians, while at the same time respecting the will of the people 59
http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-‐bin/groups/view/19#note6 http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1157
60
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and their right to reform the political situation of their State, as they deem appropriate.
D. QARMAs 1. What is the connection between the numerous conflicts in the Middle Easter Countries? 2. Is there a regional conflict? 3. What issues should the UNSC address in order to ameliorate the situation? 4. What are the ongoing sectarian conflicts in the Middle East? What groups are considered dangerous, exercising influence beyond the borders of their State? 5. What measures should the UNSC adopt regarding the violence that occurs as a result of the revolutionary wave of the Arab Spring? What steps should be taken instead of non-‐compliance on behalf of the governments of the States? 6. What are the most effective measures that may be taken in order to address the regional conflict and restore peace in the Middle East? Please research and mention relevant UNSC Resolutions.
E. SOURCES AND RECOMMENDED READING http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/ http://www.un.org/en/sc/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council http://www.spimun.com/?p=articles&id=50 http://worldregionsproject.wikispaces.com/Regional+Conflicts+of+Middle+East http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism#cite_note-‐State-‐23 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia_Islam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_Islam http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/texttrans/2014/04/20140429298476.html#axzz38 h5DnLAw Jonathan Fox, "Is Islam More Conflict Prone than Other Religions? A Cross-‐Sectional Study of Ethnoreligious Conflict," Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, Summer 2000, pp. 1-‐23.
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| www.bsos.umd.edu/cidcm/mar https://www.understandingwar.org/report/sectarian-‐and-‐regional-‐conflict-‐middle-‐east http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4441568.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_and_minorities_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_and_minorities_in_the_Syrian_civil_war Bahout, Joseph (18 November 2013). "Sectarianism in Lebanon and Syria: The Dynamics of Mutual Spill-‐Over". United States Institute of Peace. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/21/uk-‐syria-‐crisis-‐lebanon-‐clashes-‐ idUKBREA2K0J320140321 http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2008/108505.htm http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e1809?_hi=1&_pos=1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism#cite_note-‐State-‐23 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐16047709 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectarianism_in_Pakistan http://www.bbc.com/news/ http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2002214060_krauthammer21.html http://www.scribd.com/doc/90470593/The-‐CenSEI-‐Report-‐Vol-‐2-‐No-‐6-‐February-‐13-‐19-‐ 2012#outer_page_23 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=arab+league+demographics, http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/02/18/the-‐tweet-‐and-‐revolution/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reactions_to_the_Arab_Spring http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/chapter7.shtml http://www.theguardian.com/world/arab-‐and-‐middle-‐east-‐protests http://www.cbsnews.com/feature/after-‐the-‐arab-‐spring/ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/arab-‐spring http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐12813859 http://middleeast.about.com/od/humanrightsdemocracy/tp/Arab-‐Spring-‐Uprisings.htm http://www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/publications/reports/pdf/sr011/final_lse_ideas__conclusionsthemi ddleeastafterthearabspring_dodge.pdf http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/18/world/middleeast/momentum-‐shifts-‐in-‐syria-‐ bolstering-‐assads-‐position.html?_r=0 http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=42079#.U9VeYkBlfDU http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐27706471 http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/17/syria-‐crisis-‐gas-‐idUSL6N0PS45W20140717 http://www.theguardian.com/world/egypt, http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/egypt/index.html http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/103147.aspx http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐12443678 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐20451208 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/04/world/middleeast/egypt.html?hp&_r=0 http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/102841/Egypt/Politics-‐/BREAKING-‐PEC-‐ officially-‐announces-‐AbdelFattah-‐ElSi.aspx http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wikileaks-‐files/bahrain-‐wikileaks-‐ cables/8334600/BAHRAINS-‐SHIA-‐POLITICAL-‐LEADERS-‐VISIT-‐IRAQ.html http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/14/bahrain-‐warns-‐against-‐egypt-‐inspired-‐protests/ http://www.bahrainnews.net/index.php/sid/220330839/scat/48fcf33f9aeb6130/ht/Bahrain-‐ arrests-‐25-‐after-‐death-‐of-‐3-‐policemen-‐in-‐bomb-‐attack http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐14541322 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3604393.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6380933.stm http://middleeastvoices.voanews.com/2012/11/insight-‐iraqs-‐tensions-‐heightened-‐by-‐syria-‐ conflict-‐96791/ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-‐middle-‐east-‐27897648 http://middleeast.about.com/od/iran/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐Iran.htm http://middleeast.about.com/od/iran/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐Iran.htm http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/24/world/middleeast/syrian-‐war-‐plays-‐out-‐along-‐a-‐street-‐ in-‐lebanon.html?ref=middleeast http://carnegieendowment.org/2013/02/14/refugee-‐factor/fgl0
Rotaract Global Model United Nations | September 4-7, 2014 | London, Westminster, UK| http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/middle-‐east/live-‐blog-‐libya, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8344034/Libya-‐ civil-‐war-‐breaks-‐out-‐as-‐Gaddafi-‐mounts-‐rearguard-‐fight.html, http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2002214060_krauthammer21.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8844744/Gaddafis-‐ death-‐Libyas-‐new-‐rulers-‐stained-‐by-‐manner-‐of-‐his-‐death-‐says-‐Philip-‐Hammond.html http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/03/were_not_gonna_protest. html http://middleeast.about.com/od/humanrightsdemocracy/tp/Current-‐Situation-‐In-‐The-‐Middle-‐ East.htm http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/01/20111614145839362.html http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2011/12/tunisia-‐president-‐moncef-‐marzouki.html http://www.alarab.co.uk/en/?id=903 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8352934.stm, http://english.nuqudy.com/Levant/Turkish_Enclaves_in-‐3478 http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-‐bin/groups/view/19#note6 http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=1157
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II. TOPIC AREA B REFERRAL OF DPRK TO THE ICC FOR WIDESPREAD, SYSTEMATIC CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC A.
B.
C. D.E. G. H.SOURCES AND RECOMMENDED READING
i.
ii.