DC Commissioner for UN Affairs Jamal A. Qaiser
DC Business Ambassador und Commissioner for UN Affairs Jamal Ahmad Qaiser hat im Umfeld der UNO Generalversammlung am 19. September in New York ein viel beachtetes DC Peace Paper vorgelegt.
Es benennt die wesentlichen Konflikte rund um den Erdball und zeigt konkrete Schritte auf, um sich Lösungen anzunähern, die hoffentlich den Frieden herbeiführen.
Im folgenden ist das DC Peace Paper im englischen Originalwortlaut veröffentlicht.
DC Peace Paper introduction
When formal (state) and informal (social) intermediaries are not legitimate, inclusive and effective enough, conflicts and disputes escalate and unfold extensively without any hindrance; thus, international engagement remains pivotal for stability and conflict prevention in transitional countries. As global progression inherently requires institutional changes, there are arenas of instability, periods of economic fragmentation and issues among social actors over how to reorient laws and power structures of institutions for peace building.
Many theorists such as neo-liberals, neo-realists, conservatives, idealists etc have multiple opinions regarding the convergent analysis of global co operation being the basis for human morality. Today’s global humanitarian architecture is unable to effectively respond to current challenges.
Being one of the world’s truly universal organization, the Diplomatic Council is the foremost forum possessing tendency to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any country acting alone individually. By dint of its unique international character and powers vested in its charter, it has the force to take actions against issues confronting humanity, thus establishing framework for international peace and security promoting sustainable social and economic progress worldwide.
From the refugee crisis to economic slowdowns in emerging markets, from ever rising number of terrorists to interstate crimes, all are partly a result of spillover effects of insecurity and conflicts.
Basis underpinning current Issues
Following are the root causes of the dilemma being faced by our present global community:
1. Evolution of European disintegration and internal dynamics.
2. Inherent differences and persistent tensions.
3. Race of power.
4. Increased acrimony and decreased solidarity.
5. Changing in the norms of Schengen borders.
6. Lack of global co operation and derogatory attitudes.
7. Considerations of drifting away from European Union.
8. Lack of strong leadership and strategic vision.
A cosmopolitan view of contemporary issues
Following are a few of the obstinate imbroglios that have led the world to stand on the brink of catastrophic global war.
The Islamic State (IS) and the Syrian civil war
The Syrian ongoing conflict has presented challenges to the international community. The Ghouta chemical attacks, the call of the opposition for the regime change and the sectarian rivalry make the crisis in Syria one of the most troublesome conflicts in the last years.
The Syrian war is the key factor that facilitated the emergence of ISIS, a radical group responsible for man killing, genocide, displacement of thousands of Iraqis from their homes. United States is leading a multilateral coalition seeking to destroy the Islamic State. NATO members have participated in coalition through air strikes against IS in Iraq.
Even the January 2015 Paris terrorist attacks were carried out by individuals claiming allegiance to Al Qaeda and the IS describe Europe’s vulnerability to terrorism. Islam is a peaceful religion and ISIS is tarnishing its picture. Prominent causes that helped ISIS in rising are the financial donations from the Gulf States, Iraq war and the Syrian civil war.
The need is that the Diplomatic Council urges the global community in accordance with the international laws and regulations to strengthen and expand support to government of Iraq including Iraqi security forces and law and order agencies. They need to find out ways to stem the flow of European fighters to Syria, arrest individuals suspected of planning to travel to Syria or who are recruiting others to do so, stop the flow of masses to these conflict zones by confiscating passports on security grounds, detaining the returning fighters under laws that criminalize training in terrorist camps etc. ISIS must be defeated and the intolerance, violence, lawlessness and hatred it espouses must be stamped out.
Migration pressues
The influx of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers originated right after the start of violent Syrian civil war. According to a survey report more than 1 million migrants entered the European Union in 2015 and over 90% were from the world’s top 10 refugee producing countries. In early 2016 roughly 150,000 individuals crossed the Mediterranean. This unprecedented refugee crisis throughout Europe has been recognized as the largest movement/ diaspore since World War II (1945). This migration has provided gateway for criminal activities, terrorist attacks, societal tensions and xenophobia.
Europe alone cannot resolve this ongoing exodus of immigrants infiltrating their borders. There is a requirement of tightening the rules for mandatory checks at the external borders, establishing a new joint European border and coast guard to reinforce national border control, improvements in border control management and asylum registration procedures can be imperative in this regard.
The Diplomatic Council’s good-office needs to build a solid framework that brings about social and political reform policies which are in alignment with international interventions.
North Korea - South Korea Dispute
North Korea has threatened to defend its sovereignty by launching pre-emptive nuclear strikes against both the United States and its ally South Korea claiming that Washington itself is preparing to attack the North. Being capable of enriching uranium and producing weapon grade polonium, North Korea has deployed ballistic missiles and launched long range rockets.
Pyongyang withdrew from the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons Treaty (NPT) in 2003 and is not a member of CTBT, MTCR AND CWC.
The need is to tighten existing sanctions intended to restrict the developments of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program, while freezing their financial transactions, limiting bulk cash transfers and restricting trade connections.
With doors still open for dialogue and diplomatic negotiation, there is still an opportunity to solve this threatening troublesome scenario befittingly.
Cremia conflict
Taking into account the territorial disputes, Russia is a flagrant breach of international politics and the cremia issue and its regional implications have further lessened the credibility of Russia. Russia conducted unconstitutional referendum on whether to apart the Crimean region off from Ukrainian state.
Firm and strict sanctions are needed to be applied in this case against Russia related to visa liberations and trade policies.
The Diplomatic Council must take the matter into account so that the strategic importance of Cremia should not become the curse of its bright future.
Israel and Palestine conflict
The Israeli- Palestinian issue is lingering without any negotiated settlement. The failure of peace process is mainly due violence of obligations that both sides took upon themselves in the agreements that they signed. A phase of bilateral negotiations that may lead to mutual contacts and co operation across political border
Kashmir dispute
Kashmir dispute is a simmering unresolved matter that is keeping the two neighboring South Asian countries Pakistan and India on a dangerous course of confrontation over since inception. A plebiscite is the only authentic and legitimized passage that can create an atmosphere conductive to regional harmony and rule of majority and free will to prevail.
The Diplomatic Council should facilitate peaceful negotiations and dialogue on bilateral level imperative for durable peace and economic stability in the region of South Asia where millions are haunted by poverty and hunger.
Root cause of sectarianism in Pakistan
Second amendment of Pakistan’s constitution, declared Ahamdis non-muslims and snatched their basic right of self-identity with just the stroke of a pen. These Ahmadis fought the Kashmir issue at United Nations, applied diplomatic efforts for independence of many Arab and North African States and pioneered the legal battle for a free Palestine. Emboldened by their success religious extremists sowed a seed of hatred against them by declaring them non-muslims. Since then Pakistan is burning in the fire of sectarian violence.
To reverse this growing trend of sectarianism the need is to go back and undo the root cause-the second amendment.
Global dominance mania
Our international politics perceives that global dominance is the key to ensure national security and economic goals are the integral part of global geo-politics. The geo-economic goals are formulated by energy reserves and Middle Eastern States are laden in the said resources. The great powers are in clashes due to scarcity of resources on one hand and pursuit of maximum power on the other. Today’s super power USA and the second prominent player in the international order, China is in the struggle for attaining their national gains.
Keeping an eye on the rising economic power of Beijing the regional states like Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and even Australia are reshaping their security policies and expanding militaries to combat any impenetrable might of China if targeted. But Washington think tanks are seeking ways to contain Beijing and preventing it from attaining regional hegemony.
Key elements for conflict migitation/diminution
The key elements for conflict migitation/diminution are:
1. Emphasize legitimacy
2. Take diplomatic measures
3. Assist conciliations, arbitrations and mediations
4. Maintain flexibility
5. Keep issue and power proportional
6. Seek common grounds
7. Resist aggression
8. Negotiate through dialogue and mutual co operation
9. Display commitment
10. Avoid sensationalism
Peaceful negotiations, way to conflict eradication
Diplomatic measures that keep intra-state or inter-state tensions and issues from escalating into violent conflicts can be imperative for pacific settlement of disputes.
The need of the hour is to advocate the international community on one point agenda which states
“Peace is the only pathway leading to social harmony, territorial balance and economic stability”
Measures to dictate global peace
Peace and security should be universal value goal which must surely be produced, prevailed and promoted.
The diplomatic council must facilitate the necessary environment for such creative transformations which act as a pathway and opportunity to prevail and preserve basic ethical and moral human rights by non-violent and non-coercive means.
Chapter 6 of the Charter of the United Nations contains the procedures for the pacific settlement of disputes. Article 33 obliges the disputed parties to seek solution through conciliation and negotiation. In contemplation of the charter the foremost resource of nations in case of conflict should be some peaceful method. If the two sides fail to observe the UN article 33, UN itself would intervene according to the Charter.
The Diplomatic Council can utilize envoys, governments, religious scholars, regional agencies for framing acts and laws under its authority and in accordance with UN charter.
The Diplomatic Council should exercise its good office to start a peacekeeping mission with a multi-dimensional aim of
Facilitating political process
Assisting in military disarmament
Demobilization and reintegration of former combatants
Peace and security move side by side and must be treated as a dynamic and continuous world process for
1. Protection of human rights and restoration of rule of law.
2. Realization of freedom, equality, justice and prosperity.
Countering terrorism
Since 2014 Europe has gone through a no. of terrorist incidents, the 2015 Paris attacks and the March 2016 bombings in Brussels being prominent. This so-called foreign fighter phenomenon and violent Islamic Extremism needs to be curtailed expedite by taking the following initiatives:
1. A muted military response involving the judicious use of a special counter-terrorism force in countries under threat of Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other extremists.
2. A specially formulated counter-intelligence co-ordination plan to rule out any terrorist activity.
3. Restructuring the National Security Agencies to counter violence.
4. Effective cyber utilization for keeping a track of terrorist groups.
5. Encouraging dialogs among religious leaders/scholars.
Thus crafting strategies and tactics with result oriented variables is the need of the hour. History exhibits that rather than military and arms usage, a package combining certain policy action, intelligence gatherings, religious leader’s involvements proves effective. A multi –prong approach using all the elements of power, with less of a focus on military means can be the most suitable-workable tool to encounter terrorism, thus defeating extremism.
Curtailing nuclear proliferation
Trends from the recent years have brought the nuclear non-proliferation regime to a moment of grave crisis. Bolstering international restraints on the world’s deadliest weapons require such diplomatic, realistic and concrete steps which strengthen and close gaps in existing treaty regimes, partnerships and institutions.
Following measures may prove imperative for strengthening the non-proliferation regime:
1. Reforming, restructuring and strengthening the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by formulating an automatic or binding UNSC mechanism.
2. Institutionalizing and formalizing Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and strengthening its legal foundation.
3. Creating a global partnership/alliance against the spread of uranium enriched weapons and materials of mass destruction, a world wide initiative to combat nuclear terrorism.
4. Developing a system of layered nuclear fuel assurance.
5. Negotiating new, emboldened nuclear arms control treaties.
6. Increasing efforts internationally to bring the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) by boosting its funds and recognizing its worth.
7. Valuing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by increasing its budget and ensuring that countries maintain safeguards on their peaceful nuclear programs.
8. Advancing, reforming and reframing safeguards, security and personnel systems.
Policy-relevant implications underlying peaceful negotiations and diplomatic settlements
The global peace index (GPI) is the world’s preeminent measure of peacefulness at the national level. In attempting to guage peacefulness the GPI determines the ongoing domestic and international conflicts, level of societal safety and security and the extent to which the society is militarized.
Five indicators equate the conflict-peace proportion:
1. Crime rates,
2. Terrorist activities and violent demonstrations,
3. Whether relations with neighboring countries are harmonious or hostile,
4. Political scenario prevailing in the state is stable or unstable,
5. What is the ratio of refugee production.
An international dispute or argument over the rights of two or more states roots in a no. of issues including natural resources, ethnic or religious demography and even ambiguous pacts and treaties.
Article 2, paragraph 3 of UN Charta requires that
“All members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered”.
Here a question arises: how states can recognize the methods for peaceful settlements of international disputes and how those methods can be exercised?
The Diplomatic Council proclaims to resolve conflicts by following negotiation, mediation and good offices, inquiry and conciliations, arbitration, judicial settlement, settlement through global peace building agencies in a sequential order.
Other policies that may also prove relevant in this regard include:
1. Voluntary relinquishment,
2. Case evaluation,
3. Collaborative law practice,
4. Mutual cooporation and understanding.
Steps towards international peace building
Considering peace builders mediators, not meddlers
History claims that external aid translates into peace and development. International fora and world body possess ability to overcome vulnerability to conflict following identity- based dimensions.
Engaging religious leaders, institutions and organizations
In disputed countries religious actors shape not just the social attitudes but also legal norms and institutions. Inter – religious group relationships are not inherently conflictual but also provide ready fuel for religio- political entrepreneurs.
Evaluating dialogue programs and projects
Employing dialogical models for mending strained inter/ group relationships and changing antagonistic perceptions and attitudes have been well experienced positively.
Involvement of local peace architectures, institutional parallelism and political capture
In case of conflict and fragility when formal state institutions tend to lack both legitimacy and authority, the non-state informal actors and institutions prove vital in pursuit of integrated peace building and prosperity.
Good governance
If You Do Judge,Judge between them justly.
Peace, Justice and Good Governance are the pillars of development.According to the UNDP governance can be seen as the exercise of economic,political and administrative authority to manage country’s affairs at all levels.It comprises the mechanism, process and institution through which citizens and groups articulate their interests,exercise their legal rights,meet their obligations and mediate their differences.
So we have to ensure that political,social and economic priorities are based on broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest and the most vulnerable are heard in decision making.
Conclusion
The challenges of peace building and conflict transformation need to be addressed at international forum and requires a well equipped professional corps, indigenous and international fully trained and well equipped with pertinent and relevant peace building competitors in conflict prevention, management and resolution ultimately.
Being members of the Diplomatic Council we need to assist affable dialogue for amicable negotiated settlement creating a global atmosphere conductive to international peace and world wide harmony. Following a peaceful settlement, enhanced trade linkages and increased social contact would help the world in flourishing economically and financially. Hence peaceful resolutions with mutual corporation are indispensible for international progress and prosperity.
The UN Sectary General should take such diplomatic measures that keep intra-state and inter-state tensions and issues from escalating into violent conflicts. In order to over ride international disputes diplomatic council must facilitate the environment necessary for such creative transformations regarding peace and security which help in attaining this universal value goal. Security should not only be freedom from war and threats of war rather it should be an opportunity to prevail and preserve basic ethical and moral human rights and values by peaceful non-coercive means.
In a nutshell, freedom of expression and freedom of speech should prevail and any brutal or oppression oriented act needs to be condemned for the peaceful progression of our planet.
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