United Nations Should NOT Intervene in Civil Wars

The United Nations Should Not Intervene in Civil Wars. 

A debate from 2018 that you should read and how relevant it is today.

The United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) have the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights and are guided by basic principles of consent, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defence or when mandated (United Nations, n.d.).

Failure to align their mission with these 3 basic principles, may undermine the peacekeeping operation’s credibility and legitimacy (United Nations, n.d.).

And, that is exactly what the UN Peacekeepers and UN humanitarians have done which has led to their disgrace due to the sexual exploitation and abuse of thousands of women and children!

For at least 20 years, the leadership of the UN has known about the sexual violence and for years it has failed to act (MacLeod, 2016). THIS is what a lack of political will looks like.

A “highly critical study, published by Jordan’s ambassador to the UN assembly [which] was endorsed by …secretary general and Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan condemned the ‘abhorrent acts’ as a ‘violation of the fundamental duty of care’” (Bowcott, 2005).

The indignity caused by the misconduct of UN forces in ravaged communities such as Haiti, Sierra Leone, Bosnia, Cambodia, and East Timor has become a political problem (Bowcott).

In Liberia, troops were regularly having sex with girls aged as young as 12, sometimes in the mission's operations buildings (Bowcott).

In Sri Lanka, one victim told the UN investigators, “I didn’t even have breasts.” She was forced to have sex with over 50 peacekeepers (Allen-Ebrahimian, 2017).

And, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, peacekeepers were said to have offered deserted orphans as little as 2 eggs for sexual encounters (Bowcott).

What’s truly sad and disturbing about this is that the UN has been authorized to enter a broken society to help it, but, instead, they breached the trust of the civilians they were to protect.

A UN peacekeeping force deployed in 1989 (to 1990) in Namibia was considered a success in the UN eyes. They stated that they “build credibility by being honest and not glossing over obvious problems…” (Ruggeri, Dorussen, & Gizelis, 2017, p. 165).                                                             

Isn’t that ironic how these words of reverence could be documented in a published scholarly article in 2017 when they knew full well what was going on—the violation of human rights: specifically, the violation against women and children.

Peacekeepers repeatedly take advantage of young children during times of emotional and physical distress; children that have no other option than to engage in “survival sex, which is sexual acts to obtain food, money and protection” (Murphy, 2006). These exploited children get thrown a dollar for a bit of food (Bowcott, 2005). The UN can only send peacekeepers back to the country they live in (Murphy, 2006). The punishment for peacekeepers falls on the home country, and these pathetic crimes go unpunished (Murphy, 2017). As was in Haiti, from 2004-2007, a group of children were forced into a sex ring by 134 Sri Lankan peacekeepers (Murphy, 2017).  Of these, 114 peacekeepers returned to Sri Lanka, without prosecution for their injustices (Murphy, 2017). Instead of the UN intervening, they played the political correctness game, to keep relations with other nations, and failed to conduct investigations to protect the children and condemn the atrocities (Whalan, 2013).

The UN should ensure rightful punishment is delivered, by taking “swift, decisive, and necessary action to protect civilians from predatory peacekeepers” (Whalan, 2017). Although, after twenty years of trying to “address sexual … abuse by peacekeepers, the UN Security Council [introduced] Resolution 2272” (Whalan, 2017, p.2). This resolution recognizes that sexual abuse causes harm and decreases the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions (Whalan, 2017). But the resolution has made no amendments to existing UN policies, which shows that the UN is not making the changes that are necessary to protect victims (Whalan, 2017).

The UN claims that its primary purpose is to “[suppress] acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace” (United Nations, n.d., Purposes and Principles, para.1). But even in countries where peacekeeping missions were deemed successful, such as during the brutal ten-year civil war in Sierra Leone, women were “kidnapped from their homes … and forced to act as sex slaves for the troops” (Butcher, 2003, para. 8). History is repeating itself, as no prosecutions occurred for the sexual abuse and human rights violations (Butcher, 2003). The lack of prosecution caused an escalation of human rights violations by peacekeepers (Uddin, 2014), with reports of continued misconduct “in the Congo, Ivory Coast, Libya, Mali, Sudan, and Bosnia” (Murphy, 2017).

Many women do not report cases of rape or abuse “due to shame or fear” (Guruge, 2012, p.41). For example, in statistical reports conducted in the United Kingdom, it was found that only one out of seven rapes will be reported (MacLeod, 2016), and if that same number is applied to the 311 cases documented by the UN from 2016, this will equate to 2200 victims (MacLeod, 2016). The UN also masks the number of victims exploited, as multiple victims and perpetrators are counted as a singular case (Grady, 2016).

UNiTE to End Violence Against Women is a campaign initiated by the UN (United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign to Unite to End Violence Against Women, n.d.). It is unfortunate, that the UN holds a double standard and turns a blind eye to the pain and suffering that their troops inflict.

Is there anything more horrifying than being raped by the very people who are put in place to keep safety and peace? By those who hide behind a mask of humanitarianism? The presence of the UN is to serve as protection for those who are in a vulnerable state, not to cause more harm (Murphy, 2006). As stated by Rex Murphy “Sometimes the UN is dirtier than the stables it is asked to clean” (2017).

The UN’s position in civil wars has failed to project a difference in the outcome of conflicting parties (Fortna, 2004), and has consisted of tremendous failure.

An example of a failed peacekeeping mission was in Rwanda…

An informant was recruited who outlined the plans for the genocide (Howard, 2008). This information was faxed to UN headquarters, but the document was dismissed (Howard, 2008). In three months’ time, all of the events that the fax predicted came true (Howard, 2008). The UN headquarters questioned the downfall of the organization if another peacekeeping mission failed, therefore the UN remained invested in the Rwandan genocide, but provided minimal participation in efforts to preserve their reputation (Howard, 2008). The UN eventually withdrew their limited forces, leaving Rwanda to suffer a mass ethnic cleansing on behalf of the callous interests of the UN officials (Howard, 2008).

The UN has demonstrated throughout their failed missions that they lacked effective problem-solving skills, forces, and interest-often mobilizing to a new conflict instead of contributing to the present conundrum (Howard, 2008). These systemic problems fall on the decisions of the UN Secretariat (Howard 2008), proving that incompetent individuals can fall into leadership positions. The organization of the UN peacekeeping force has “deteriorated to a point where it cannot be trusted due to poor leadership, a lack of discipline, and operational deficiencies” (Aljazeera, 2017, para. 11). UN peacekeeping prevents political solutions by favouring opposing belligerents (Peter, 2015), thereby seeking out interventions to benefit their own positions. “Furthermore, the belligerents are commonly not states that are susceptible to internal pressures, but instead non-state actors who may have ethnic, political, religious, or economic objectives” (Goskel, 2007, p.2).

The UN has failed to learn from their mistakes and many countries that received UN peacekeepers suffered from their inadequate support, leaving these countries in despair (Howard, 2008). The UN’s idea of successful missions can be translated into learning opportunities, as the UN has demonstrated that it “is a slow and, sadly, an inept learner, and an even slower doer” (Goskel, 2007). Moreover, the UN has explored two types of peacekeeping in civil wars- robust and enforcement, and both forms have issues.

Robust Peacekeeping entails that peacekeepers may only engage in combat when directly threatened and with consent from all parties (Goskel, 2007). This leads to civilian fatalities and places the UN peacekeepers in a position of enforcement, which is not their purpose (Tardy, 2011).

Currently, the UN is moving towards enforcement peacekeeping, which aims to use force; therefore, defying the three basic principles of peacekeeping- consent, fairness, and non-use of force except when mandated (Peter, 2015). Enforcement peacekeeping mimics military efforts as used in Afghanistan or Iraq, which have negative long-term implications (Peter, 2015). The problems with UN peacekeeping has deteriorated the UN’s reputation and has jeopardized future peacekeeping efforts (Peter, 2015).

"True success is not just preventing another war, but the ability to create a self-sustaining peace” (Fortna, 2004, p. 284). If the UN does not create a sustainable peace upon leaving the country, a vicious cycle of poverty impacts combatants to turn to alternative measures (Ballentine & Sherman, 2003). Combatants may refinance through smuggling, extortion of businesses, poorly regulated global trade, and investment markets (Ballentine & Sherman, 2003). This threatens the long-term prosperity of the war-torn country (Ballentine & Sherman, 2003). Ultimately, the UN has failed miserably in accomplishing a viable peace for many of the countries it has declared to have helped, such as Rwanda, Somalia, Angola, Bosnia, Cambodia, and the Republic of Congo.

Summary: UN interventions during civil wars causes a cascade of turmoil to the individuals of these societies. 

When the UN withdraws support from war-torn countries that cannot support themselves economically, rebels obtain financial aid through acquiring goods illicitly. Global buyers may be unaware that these items have been smuggled or extorted. As a result, the increase in globalization may, in fact, be supporting illicit trade, but, also, supporting the rebels in the civil war.

When women are raped, there are health and social ramifications. Women can be shunned and isolated from their communities leading to a life of poverty, and prostitution, which places woman at risk for infection, STI’s, and abuse. When UN peacekeepers impregnate young girls, they abandon their unborn child, providing no financial support, which increases social stigma. Raped women are deemed disgraced for marriage, and in many of these war-torn states, cultural practices indicate that women must be accompanied by a male while in public or to get medical attention. Begging the question: how will these women survive while being condemned for injustices committed against them? Additionally, if a young girl becomes pregnant by a UN peacekeeper, she is unable to go to school. Therefore, she cannot become self-sufficient or provide for her family and community. The child’s health and well-being are directly influenced by the mother’s education. When the mother is uneducated, this threatens the health and education of the child, which is a continuing cycle of suffering and poverty.

Moreover, a child’s development is diminished when faced with the traumatization of rape by UN peacekeepers. These children may have a lack of coping skills, resilience, and support to effectively handle the trauma. As a result, the children may experience developmental delays that not only increase the financial burden of the family but may impede their ability to work and financially support themselves. This poses the risk that these children will have inadequate access to health services. Additionally, they may not be able to economically support and enhance their community because they cannot contribute. 

As individuals endure numerous human rights violations while being exploited by the UN, many will face mental health challenges such as PTSD. An increase in qualified medical personnel that are trained to help the victims will be necessary. Low- and middle-income countries have less access to mental health supports, with woman specifically receiving less care. War-torn states may not have certified professionals to deal with the magnitude of traumatized women and their families. By sending foreign medical professionals, further harm may be caused to the victims as they may be reluctant to trust those offering help.

Ultimately, the UN peacekeepers have proven to be untrustworthy during their missions. The UN peacekeepers have abused their position of power and have failed to protect the civilians of these states, often using them as a weapon of war.

End of debate. 

If you made it this far, thank you for reading the full debate. With President Donald John Trump addressing the United Nations this past week, I felt this was important to post.

What was truly appalling, is when the fourth year nursing students listening to both sides of the debate, about whether the UN should or should not intervene in civil wars, they voted in favour to support the UN. Their reasoning was not the debate itself. The majority of the nurses stated that this debate (the one against the UN) was powerful and to the point, and that the speaker presented it in a very clear manner with strength and passion. (Thank you. I appreciate that.) However, they excused the UN, first, because they "couldn't" believe that the UN was "that" bad, and, second, because, as they stated, "the UN does so much for these countries by providing "food and vaccines . . . for the needy." 

Are students indoctrinated by the educational system? The students "couldn't believe" that the "UN was that bad." Rather than acknowledge the research collected, they went by their belief systems and everything they learned in college. 

Would you trust the UN right now with what is happening in the world? Their track record sucks, and this is only "one" area of discussion. As President Donald John Trump stated during his speech, the UN is destroying humanity, destroying the states, and destroying our countries (paraphrasing). Of course, main street media and the Liberals are ranting about his claims because they can't handle the truth, but Trump’s remarks to the UN are solid and need to be taken seriously.  

References

Allen-Ebrahimian, B. (2017, April). UN peacekeepers ran a child sex ring in Haiti. It’s the latest country where blue helmets have sexually abused those they’re supposed to protect. Retrieved from http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/14/u-n-peacekeepers-ran-a-child-sex-ring-in-haiti/Media

Ballentine, K., & Sherman., J. (Eds.). (2003) The political economy of armed conflict: Beyond greed and grievance. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishing, Inc. 

Bowcott, O. (2005, March 24). Report revealed shame of UN peacekeepers: Sexual abuse soldiers ‘must be punished.’ Retrieve from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/ mar/25/unitednations

Butcher, T. (2003, January 17). UN troops accused of 'systematic' rape in Sierra Leone. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/sierraleone/1419168/UN-troops-accused-of-systematic-rape-in-Sierra-Leone.html  

Congo peacekeepers accused of sex abuse to leave CAR. (2017, June 21). Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/congo-peacekeepers-accused-sex-abuse-leave-car-170622011227682.html

Fortna, V. P. (2004). Does Peacekeeping Keep Peace? International intervention and the duration of Peace After Civil War. International Studies Quarterly, 48(2), 269-292. doi:10.1111/j.0020-8833.2004.00301.x

Goksel, T. (2007, August 7). UNIFIL – Peacekeepers in the Line of Fire. Retrieved from https://lb.boell.org/sites/default/files/downloads/Goeksel-UNIFIL_-_Peacekeepers_ in_the_Line_of_Fire.pdf

Grady, K. (2016). Sex, statistics, peacekeepers and power: UN data on sexual exploitation and abuse and the quest for legal reform. The Modern Law Review, 79(6), 931-960. doi:10.1111/1468-2230.12225

Guruge, S. (2012). Intimate partner violence: A global health perspective. The Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 44(4), 36-54. Retrieved from http://www.ingetaconnect. comezproxy.library.ubc.ca/contentone/mcgil/cjnr/2012/00000044/00000004/art00005

Howard, L. M. (2008). UN peacekeeping in civil wars. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

MacLeod, A. (2016, July 6). The UN has a problem: it’s not just a gender violence, it’s child rape. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/the-un-has-a-problem-its-not-just-gender-violence-its-child-rape-78429

Murphy, R. (2006). An assessment of UN efforts to address sexual misconduct by peacekeeping personnel. International Peacekeeping, 13(4), 531-546. doi:10.1080/13533310600988820 

Murphy, R. (2017, April 21). Shame on the UN. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/ thenational/rex-murphy-shame-on-the-un-1.4080976

Peter, M. (2015). Between doctrine and practice: The UN peacekeeping dilemma. Global Governance, 21(3), 351-370. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.epoxy. library.ubc.ca/docview/1703589828?pq-origsite=summon&accountid=14656

Ruggeri, A., Dorussen, H. & Gizelis, T. I. (2017). Winning the peace locally: UN peacekeeping and local conflict. International Organization, 71(1), 163-185. doi:10.1017/S0020818316000333

Tardy, T. (2011). A critique of robust peacekeeping in contemporary peace operations. International Peacekeeping, 18(2) 2011, 152–167. doi:10.1080/13533312.2011.546089

Uddin, M. K. (2014). Human rights violations by UN peacekeepers. Security and Human Rights, 25(1), 130-144. doi:10.1163/18750230-02501006 

United Nations. (n.d.) What is peacekeeping. Retrieved from https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/what-is-peacekeeping

United Nations, General Assembly, United Nations Charter: Preamble, Purposes and Principles. (26 June 1945). Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net/ch-ppp.htm

United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign to Unite to End Violence Against Women. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://endviolence.un.org/index.s

Whalan, J. (2017, August). Dealing with disgrace: Addressing sexual exploitation and abuse in UN peacekeeping. New York: International Peace Institute. Retrieved from https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IPI-Rpt-Dealing-with-Disgrace2.pdf