Failures of the United Nations
The UN charter was said to have been designed to save succeeding generations from war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the equal rights of men and women of nations, large and small, to establish justice and respect for the obligation arising from treaties and other sources of international law and to promote […]
The UN charter was said to have been designed to save succeeding generations from war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the equal rights of men and women of nations, large and small, to establish justice and respect for the obligation arising from treaties and other sources of international law and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.
The UN charter’s purpose and principles include the maintenance of international peace, development of friendly relations among nations on the basis of principles of equal rights and achievement of international cooperation, economically, socially, culturally, etc based on members’ sovereign equality.
On whether or not the United Nations succeeded its principles, this is a matter of scholastic debate. In his Europe Since Napoleon, David Thompson sees the body as an effort that had changed the wartime alliance to an era of peace through which international cooperation is generally achieved. Nonetheless, this article will focus on the failures of the United Nations.
One of these failures is its inability to stop conflicts in the world as enshrined in Article 7 which provides for maintenance of peace and security. This is because our planet witnessed so many inter and intra state conflicts in all the continents of the world, Europe and America exclusive – while this useless organisation was existing. These wars include the Korean War of 1950-1953, Vietnamese War of 1950s and 1960s, Nigeria Civil War of 1967-1970, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, Congo, Bosnia-Herzegovinian, Rwandan, Burundian and Angolan as well as continuous Dafurian and Middle Eastern crises, especially in Syria, where crisis is currently looming. These crises are fueled, supported and funded by the irresponsible European nations who gratify their socio-economic and political avarice while the thoughtless, dominated and instigated weapon-carriers are left in hardship, economically-undeveloped, hungry, haggard, dejected and dying.
Another failure of the UN is vesting in each of the self-selected permanent members of the Security Council – the power of veto. “In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations”, Article 24 states, the entire members of the body should refer all matters of international peace and security to the Security Council, which “acts on their behalf”. In effect, this makes the UN k-legged as it gives a few members the power to recommend on major issues, including admission, suspension and punishing of any member state. This violates the principles of equality and sovereignty of the bunch of mushroom member states. It is ridiculous to note that the no any member state or the UN itself can condemn whatever veto power a permanent member exercises. No action would be taken by the UN except the Security Council favours it.
Another failures of the UN was disunity amongst the nations of the world. This came about as a result of cold War, an ideological warfare between United States and Russia which threatened the world. Now that the cold war is over, weapons of mass distinction are being produced and processed by some ‘civilised’ nations such as US, Russia, UK, France, Germany and the state of Israel while states like Libya, North Korea and Iran are considered too ‘rough’ to have such weapons.
The United Nations has also failed in its selective and sentimental judgment against vulnerable individuals and/or states. In 1997, for example, this mushroom court had indicted the former Yugoslavian President, Slobodan Milosevic (who died in custody). It currently indicts a serving President, Umar Al-Bashir of Sudan (who ignored the court), just as indicted the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, until his death. They were all indicted on crimes against humanity. But in on of history’s greatest mysteries, the same court does nothing to bellicose Bush, both senior and junior, Ariel Sharon or Benjamin Netanyahu.
Another big reason why the UN did not succeeded its charter is the preponderance of the US. America maneuvered the establishment of, and refused to join the League of Nations. While she led in the establishment of the UN, she made sure that she high-jacked the world body. It was even the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who screened the UN staff thus, making sure that the body was made an arm of the State Department.
US’ influence on the UN can be seen through her huge spending on, if not totally financing the UN. That is the reason why she feels as having the temerity to always veto major issues, breach the resolutions of the body, freely attack her enemies such as Afghanistan and Iraq, support and finance the state terrorism of Israel which always turn blind eye to the resolutions of the UN.
Even though the United Nations works through its several agencies and saw the decolonisation of many nations, I believe that these agencies are only being used in extra exploiting and dominating the weaker, decolonised nations through neo-colonialism. The failure of the UN to end world conflicts, the power of veto, effect and consequences of Cold War, using the International Court of Justice to which-hunt and terrorise the vulnerable and preponderance of the USA are enough to convince us that this international organisation did not succeed its principles. Like the saying of a Hausa proverb, duk inda mai aro zai je, da sanin mai riga, (literally: owner of the gown must know where the borrower of his gown goes), the writer looks at the UN as an agent of extending modern imperialism and slavery.
Akilu M. Shehu Yabo is a graduate of History and Sokoto-based analyst. He is reachable at 08035293788/07088213989 or [email protected].