UNITED NATIONS: A BYGONE TALE

UN: IS THIS TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE TO YOU OR YOU STAY

QAYOOM MADNI

The world organisation, United Nations was formed after the disintegration of League of Nations. League of Nations was formed after the bitter experiences of World War I. War consumed resources, inhaled human beings and lead destruction in the world. Men become enemy of men. The hunt for blood was high. Blood was spilled. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were blown.

          The mankind felt remorse for their worst activities. Need was felt to have a world body that will work to improve ties between the actors of the world and promote peace and security. Main objective was to prevent the occurrence of World War II. However the League of Nations failed miserably in its mandate. The World War II occurred and again brought death and destruction.

          Finally fed with the war, the United Nations was formed. This time emphasis was to make it more workable. It was given a big mandate. More responsibility was thrown unto its shoulders. Expectations were high. Lot of ground work needed to be done to restore the normalcy in the world. However the motives for its creation were not known, then as well as in the present times. One grows suspicious by its each act for what purpose it was established and introduced.

Few functions which were linked with the UN are as: maintain peace and security; stop armed conflict; protect human rights; to promote social and economic development etc. 

Now the question arises has UN to some extent been successful in its mandate? The question is debatable, sometimes it has, but most of the times failed miserably.

It played an important role during the cold war era. It prevented the two blocks to go for arms war. Efforts were made to bring peace and tranquility in the world. Organizations like UNICEF, UNESCO, and IMF etc. were introduced to help the downtrodden people of world, to provide aid and assistance during times of calamities, natural disasters, earth quakes etc. Various committees at international and national level were formed to bring social and economic development. However the UN approach towards Third World countries was lackadaisical.

However one grows suspicious of its creation. If the UN is the one forum for all the states of the world, then why veto power for five giants only. These five giants are like five captains of the ship. They can turn it anywhere. There is no power to regulate them. No member to question them. Even the ship can’t do anything. UN is major tool in their hands to make their word to be obeyed in letter and spirit. Of five giants there stood one big giant who regulates the world as well as other four giants.

As the time passed the real face of UN got opened –up. The motive behind its creation became known. It is used as a tool by the big giants, especially the United States of America to use it to serve their purpose. To some extent it has been rendered as mere statue. It is not legally bounded on the nation states to obey each and every decision of it. At times the nations have sidelined it openly. The American invasion on Iraq on the context of possession of weapons of mass destruction is clear example of eroding its image. US invaded Iraq ignoring completely the UN concern. The invasion of Afghanistan is other example of how it failed miserably to promote peace and security in the world. Its role in the Middle East crisis develops many apprehensions of its working. Going further to see its role, one sees how Israel is playing football with it. Israel is totally ignoring it, its decisions. Never has it pressurized Israel. Palestinians are killed, brutalized and what not in their own land by the invaded forces and UN is mute spectator to it. Coming to our problem it has not built an inch of pressure on India to hold plebiscite in Kashmir, thus ignoring its own recommendations made for to this part of land.

Then shall the UN be dismantled and have a new organisation with new mandate. I think not at all. This world body was made after a lot of efforts.  For what reasons it was created, but we have the world body that stood there. 193 countries are its members. Why five giants or one giant should be allowed to decide the fate of other 193 member states. There should be equal representation of each country in the UN. Everybody should have an equal share, equal space, and equal say in it. The permanent seats and veto power should be abolished. Human rights should be respected. The efforts should be made to end war going in the various states of the world. The UN is only a world body and until and unless the member states learn to respect it, its decisions the peace in the world would be an unrealized dream. Member states should know how to rein it: rein it to lead it to the path of progress, rein it to lead it to the path of peace.