THE DAILY
No. 5
SAIMUNER Friday, June 23rd 2017
Crisis: Should we Negotiate with Terrorists?
www.saimun.net
other nations to respect their sovereignty. “We are very confident with our army,” said the Syrian delegation. This comes at a time that ISIS sets up demand that Assad steps down, European to step out of Syrian affairs.
By Kefa Odindo
Canada went ahead to move a motion for a cease fire involving ISIS, Syria and Hezbollah, terms of the cease fire being no attacks between the responsible parties with a neutral party appointed to see this through.
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Crisis Committee
Terrorist or not, we are all humans after all, true or false? War is a choice of chaos and bloodshed, that can be stopped, even Osama bin Laden must have had a soft spot. On the 22nd of June, crisis committee moved to attempt to make this an actual possibility. The topic of discussion was based on majorly humanitarian resolutions opting to quell the war inside Syria involving President Asaad and the ISIS MILITANTs and the same time protecting the loss of innocent lives. The idea of negotiating with the terrorists, in this case ISIS was a twist that was added on the table to be considered and used by the terrorist. The reason for this is to help push for humanitarian solutions to the war. Suggestions to have troops penetrate into Syria’s boarders. This was strongly supported by Israel and its allies. Israel then went forward to advocate for international observers to make their way into Syria just to assess the situation inside Syria in an attempt to find an amicable solution. This was strongly objected by Syria as they stuck on handling their matters internally, and asked the
This motion passed. A second motion was tabled by Israel to ensure aid and food reaches the civilians affected by the ongoing war. A third motion was tabled by EU to use intelligence drones to monitor the ISIS hotspot in Syria, but it did not pass because delegates felt that such a move would affect the lives of civilians as ISIS will be motivated to strike back in retaliation. A counter motion to invite ISIS to the Geneva talks to discuss state of Syria and release of Israel’s captives passed. The final deliberated solutions: That all countries will accept refugees upon their respective jurisdictions. The number/quota of refugees will be subject to the laws of all nations. It was concluded that the establishment of the ‘Syrian Aid’ where Qatar, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia, European Union, Canada and Kurdistan have pledge to donate money for medical and food supplies to be provided to Syria to avert the Humanitarian Crisis. The Hezbollah were to return the captives they captured from Israel. The Arab League would take charge of the Syrian Aid and ensure that the aid is proliferated across Syria. China, Egypt and Syria have with the help of Syrian government will to set up a buffer Zone for Syrian civilian for protection. ISIS would stop attacking anyone across the world and it will be given a place in the Peace talks to be held in Geneva.
2 THE GREEN CITY UNDER THE SUN
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
Nairobi Series: The City that Never Sleeps
By Cynthia Makena
The beauty of Nairobi is best seen when the sun sets and the street lights turn on.
It is at this time when more people fill the streets and the city seems to glow in every corner. At around 6pm, when the day workers try to rush home, the hawkers come out to play with ridiculously cheap items. On large streets like those around The Archives in Moi Avenue, you can get anything, from food to clothes. Of course, all this to the advantage of the buyers. This by law is illegal yet it does not stop those men and women from placing their items on display as their young ones play about. This forces them to keep an eye on their children, on the customer and on a look out for the city council, which leaves us wondering, how do they do it? It is also at this time that the beggars seem to double on the street and the matatu lines are longer than usual with no hope of getting shorter. So, instead of standing in line, why not take a walk around town and experience the changes of the town as the night creeps in.
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KICC at night
Nairobi seems to shine its brightest at this time and it also seems to get busier. Some of the Nairobi characteristics are large television-like billboards like those on Kimathi Street, with tall buildings lit from top to bottom and also by the music that can be heard in hotels, restaurants and clubs trying to get the attention of the passers-by. Yet the one thing that takes the most interest is the groups formed besides archives. Where stand to watch acrobats, dancers and musicians, to hear about politics yet if you are extremely lucky you might catch the young 12-yearold preacher; a small young man with such a big voice. Perhaps, this is the reason why some shops in Nairobi have opted to turn to the ‘open 24 hours’ system or at the very least close a little later, with the Safaricom shops being an exception. This might also be the reason why many Kenyans working in Nairobi decide to stay a little longer every Friday after work. Despite the beauty, the one thing that can only be alluring to an extreme thrill junkie is its danger.
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Nairobi at Night
Unfortunately, Nairobi is not the safest place to be around in town. Cases of theft is at its highest. So, while you walk by the streets, take care of yourself. Keep your items safe, avoid walking in dark alleys and avoid talking to strangers.
CONFERENCE NEWS
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
Press Interview: Behind the Scenes of the #SAIMUN17 Media
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By Savita Toor With the busy conference days, here is an exclusive interview with an extraordinary member of the SAIMUN organizing committee.
highly grateful for the hard work the team has put in. TDS: What skills have you acquired?
Soila Kenya is a Daystar University senior year student, pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, with a concentration in Print Media.
SK: I now have the ability to produce a newspaper daily. I have also enhanced my leadership skills and also teamwork. TDS: What are the challenges you have faced? SK: With all the hustle and bustle to produce the daily SAIMUNER every day. Playing two roles in the team and managing the press team was a hard task. TDS: Piece of advice you can give the youth? SK: Just Do It! Gather all your courage and go for what you want. Everyone has their own special qualities, but be extraordinary!
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Soila Kenya, USG for Communications and Head of Press
TDS: What is your role in SAIMUN? SK: My role in SAIMUN is Under Secretary General (USG) for communications and Head of the Press Department.
TDS: According to you how was the conference overall? SK: The conference has been busy and fruitful. Delegates have learnt a lot, a few others mentioned that they will try their best to attend other MUN’s so that they can gain a lot more experience.
TDS: How was the Press Team selected? SK: The selection of the press team was done through submission of applications that required candidates to send in their sample work, a motivational letter and their CVs. I specifically scrutinized sample work, so that I could hire applicants who has had previous experience in such a field. TDS: How many applicants were there? SK: Out of 78 applications, 15 passed. The team consists of writers, photographers, videographers and social media handlers. TDS: Has the press team met your expectation? SK: Yes, they have even more than I expected. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of work that they handed in everyday without fail. I am
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Soila Kenya busy at work producing the conference newspaper
4 COMMITTEES
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
UNHCR: The Environmental Refugees
By Cynthia Makena the delegation of Kenya stated, “UNEP cannot work alone, we need to work together. It is a collaborative approach of all the UN bodies.” The committe looked to first change the definition of refugees in order to accommodate environmental refugees who, unlike the definition, have no fear of persecution but rather have their homes destroyed. Jude Mulisya l PHOTO
Delegates in the UNHCR Committee yesterday
The Environmental refugees are people who are displaced from their home country because of natural disasters. “Considering the rate at which the climate we are living in is changing, we are all at a risk of becoming environmental refugees.” stated the South Sudan delegate. Some countries in the committee, like Kenya, felt that to prevent the problem persisting was the solution so as to reduce the number of people becoming environmental refugees. She urged others to work on ideas like the green belt movement begun by the late Wangari Mathaai. When challenged that that was the work of UNEP,
They also hoped to begin a treaty that countries would sign, each pledging to take care of environmental refugees. The delegate of Pakistan pointed out to the committee that the problems faced by the refugees and the environmental refugees were the same and asked them to focus on the difference which is, the number of casualties. The discussion then went on to a state of confusion and the chair was focused on having a working paper on this motion and therefore extended the meeting for an hour. With this, the committee was able to combine “ realistic ideas” as requested by Panama, to find workable solutions to the recognition of environmental refugees as what they are refugees.
UNEP: Resident Industrial Development By Savita Toor
The committee’s goal is to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive, sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. Why do we have such goals set, economic growth, social development and climate action are heavily dependent on investments in infrastructure, technological process and sustainable industrial development. The issue most delegates of respective countries mentioned was basic infrastructure such as roads, communication and information technology. Failing to improve infrastructure and promote technological innovation could translate into poor health care, inadequate sanitation and limited access to education. Delegates request for financial assistance from other countries for under-developed countries so their economy can be strong. The government needs to establish standards and promote regulations that will ensure that company projects and initiatives are sustainably managed. The delegate of Israel said, “Collaboration with
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Delegates in the UNEP Committee yesterday
NGOs and the public sector to help promote sustainable growth within developing countries. Think about how industry impacts on your life and well-being and use social media to push for policymakers in order to prioritize the SDGs.” Further mentions, “We require assistance in good training programs on how to make use of our dry lands.” Tunisia states, “We have good quality roads, major highways that are well maintained. Rapid population growth that leads to an issue in the economy, this is because of how they allocate the funds between the different departments.”
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
COMMITTEES
DISEC: Who is a Juvenile Illegal Combatant?
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By Cynthia Makena
countries like the U.S.A, expressed concern as in their country they allowed the admission of children under the age of 18 in the army but did not allow them in direct combat.
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DISEC Committee
After a heated debate, the committee later cleared the confusion and begun to discuss whether or not such a juvenile should be persecuted, taking into consideration their age and how they were recruited. One group felt that they should be persecuted as this was the only way the children would learn that there are consequences to every action.
The DISEC committee were tasked with answering the question ‘who is a juvenile illegal combatant?’ The committee was particularly tasked with the age of a juvenile combatant and the definition of a juvenile unlawful combatant.
They however believed that these children were to be judged under a separate law to the adults as they are young and perhaps were not fully aware of what they were doing.
The international law recognizes a juvenile as anyone who under the age of 18. It also recognizes that an unlawful combatant is a person who is directly engaged in armed conflict that are against the laws of war. Ideally this would mean a juvenile illegal combatant was an unlawful combatant under the age of 18. Confusion later came in when
After hours of debating, the council later agreed on merging the two groups. Even after merging the ideas from both groups the committee unanimously felt that the paper they had come up with was not conclusive and that they needed more time to work on it, if they were to present it to the general assembly today.
By Naomi Wanjiku
The threats the UN Faces During its Peace-Keeping Operations
At around 1989, the United Nations (UN) was seen as a body which came in to solve conflicts and not get attacked. But over the years, the UN too has become vulnerable as each year, a number of people in the UN get killed in peace keeping missions or in attacks in the UN. In August 19, 2003, the UN headquarters in Baghdad was bombed by terrorists and the top UN envoy in Iraq and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello and 14 others were killed. In 2004, the UN headquarters in Nairobi inaugurated a new library which they named in honour of Sergio Vieira. “Most of the conflicts we see today are one way or another linked to the colonial past,” said Jeorg Weich, who is the Acting Chief Human Resources Manager at the UN Office in Nairobi. Since 1947 when India and Pakistan both gained independence, the two have been fighting over the control of Kashmir. “But the UN is there to try to
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Jeorg Weich speaking to delegates yesterday
observe and bring issues to the attention of the international community,” said Mr Weich. It also engages in peace keeping missions by sending a peace keeping force in areas facing skirmishes. Although the UN intervenes in difficult situations, Mr Weich sees it as a privilege to work with the UN as one gets to serve the international community.
6 COMMITTEES
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
Security Council: Solutions At Last...? innovative solutions, which are practical, creative, and realistic.
By Naomi Wanjiku
“When you have defined the problem, it becomes a lot easier to find solutions to it, which they have done very well enough,” said Chewan.
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Delegates in the Security Council Committee
It has been a week of thorough deliberation and discussion among the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegates about very pressing issues - the causes and solutions to youth radicalization and extremism. “We invested almost two days of the time which is very unusual for other committees in only defining two of the most pressing terms – radicalization n extremism,” said Chewan Rai, the chair of the UNSC committee. The chair of the committee has since said that the delegates of the committee have come up with very
By Savita Toor
But on the other hand, for the delegates of the UNSC, it has been a really long journey since their chairs have been insisting that they need to do more each time they tried to draft a good resolution. “He knows the importance and the power we hold as the Security Council. So as much as we kept doing it over and over again, we are learning and we believe that we are refining what we have,” said the delegate of Ukraine. “I am confident that they will produce one of the most well covered resolution in the operative part but in technicalities they might be issues which we’ll be dealing with tonight. The draft resolution will definitely be adopted and can be a benchmark for other committees to follow,” Chewan said in an interview with The Daily Saimuner on June 22, 2017.
ECOSOC: Final Stage
Delegates of the ECOSOC committee discuss on the agenda that states, “Improvement of Refugees” to draft their resolution. The refugee crisis and the current inadequate monetary and humanitarian aid and resources that are being donated also affects member states. More than 65.6 million refugees lack the protection needed and struggle for living within the host countries. Delegates agree to call upon close cooperation with local governments and NGOs in the campaign of the refugee crisis, especially the asylum seekers who have to endure same conditions but without refugee status.
refugees; over half of them are under the age of 18. The committee passed and discussed another motion on role of the youth in women’s economic empowerment in a changing world of work. The delegates debate on how economic empowerment increases women’s access to economic resources and opportunities. The delegate from Ethiopia suggests that in order to encourage women to take part in government posts or in private companies, campaigns should run throughout so that women understand their rights.
Some of the solutions to solve refugee issues are; upon the arrival of refugees they should be given education, developed countries should provide financial assistance or should invest in underdeveloped countries. The current statistics state that 65.6 million people around the world have been forcefully removed from their homes, among them nearly 22.5 million
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Delegates in the ECOSOC Committee
COMMITTEES
THE DAILY SAIMUNER
SOCHUM: Economic Issues of Indigenous People
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By Kefa Odindo
Indigenous people, also known as first people, aboriginal people, native people, are ethnic groups who are descended from and identify with the original inhabitants of a given region, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied or colonised the area more recently. Groups are usually described as indigenous when they maintain traditions or other aspects of an early culture that is associated with a given region.
Since indigenous people are often faced with threats to their sovereignty, economic well-being, and their access to resources on which their cultures depend, political rights have been set forth in international law by international organisations such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and the World Bank. On the 22nd of June, SOCHUM delegates had a moderated caucus to discuss further on the matter of economic development in indigenous communities. Every country had been brought together by the act of protecting these indigenous communities under the basic human rights. Many countries that took the floor brought out the idea that the colonial era has contributed to lack of economic development amongst the indigenous
The week of Roses...
Rehema Wangari l PHOTOS
Ali Mohsin l PHOTO
Delegates in SOCHUM Committee yesterday
communities. The idea however was shot down by some states that in turn stated that it is laziness and complacency that may be factors leading to the economic deprivation of indigenous communities. Blaming the colonial powers is only but an excuse, considering that colonial powers had left their respective countries over 50 years ago, enough time to restructure government to favour the people. This however has been a constant flaw as corruption and other selfish backward activities have taken stage, all in favour of the leaders. It was therefore emphasised that the assembly should look into the future and pass more resolutions to aid in the promotion of economic livelihood of its indigenous people.
Fun Page Stuff
Today’s social: Farewell Party at Clarence Hotel Today’s program: Friday 23rd June 2017 9.00am - 12.00pm General Assembly
1.00 - 4.00pm
Closing Ceremony
5.30 - 7.30pm
Crack it!
Today’s weather:
Nairobi
Farewell Party
18˚C
*yesterday’s answer: six toes
Which country had a Prime Minister and President who were twin brothers?
EDITORIAL Chief Editor Soila Kenya Assistant Editor Julie Ambani
Hint: This is their flag
SAIMUN Social Media
Sub-Saharan International Model United Nations - Saimun
@SAIMUN_17
@subsaharanmun
Writers Kefa Odindo Savita Toor Naomi Wanjiku Cynthia Makena Photographers Isabella Mongina Bill Akide Ali Mohsin Khimji Rehema Wangari Graphic Designers Soila Kenya