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Security Council (SC)Issues: Members:
The fundamental role of the Security Council within the United Nations structure is to sustain international peace and security. The Security Council identifies any dangers to international peace, issues recommendations, uses appropriate enforcement procedures to resolve problems, and finally, organizes UN peacekeeping forces. The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members appointed by the United Nations Charter and ten nonpermanent members designated by informal regional caucuses and elected for two-year terms. Five countries are elected each year. Voting procedure in the Security Council entails substantial matters. Decision on these matters requires nine votes. A veto, or an opposing vote by any permanent member, is suitable to defeat an action. The resolutions pertaining to the Security Council are binding to all United Nations member states. The Security Council Program of the Hope College United Nations includes ten Security Councils (which will this year share five topics) and is designed for advanced Model UN students. In this program, country delegations will consist of two students. The Security Council crisis situations are: Iran, East Timor, Kosovo, a historical crisis in the form of the Falkland Islands, and an Emergency Crisis. Basic descriptions of all these crises are included in this handbook. Delegates will receive annotated bibliographies for the first four crises in future mailings, and as such will be expected to have prepared objectives to solve the crises prior to arriving at the conference. The emergency crisis will be revealed once delegates arrive to the Model UN conference in March. On Thursday, March 10th, 2011, delegates will go to their respective Security Councils for the explanation of the rules and briefing on the present statuses of the crises. After these procedures, delegates will be dismissed for the banquet. After the banquet, the delegates will return back to their assigned sessions to debate and caucus. Furthermore, simulated developments in each crisis will be declared by our administrators at unannounced times during the session, so students must be prepared to adjust and improvise in order to comply with new circumstances. Security Council delegates will be housed on campus Thursday night (if needed) and will have three sessions on Friday, March 11th, 2011. The controversy that surrounds the Spratly Islands has been a theme for many years in this region. The Spratly Islands is composed of more than 100 small islands and reefs in Southeast Asia. These small islands make up less than 4 square kilometers (less than 2 square miles) and yet are claimed in parts by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The islands are uninhabited by any indigenous peoples, but are occupied at times by various military personnel. They are a hotspot for numerous natural hazards such as typhoons and other maritime hazards with their numbers shallow reefs and shoals.Tensions between the nations that claim the islands have been steadily on the rise. In November 2002, claimants signed the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” which eased tensions, but is not a legally binding code. In March 2005, the national oil companies of the Philippines, Vietnam and China signed another accord to “conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands”. The main disagreements over the territorial claims to the Islands has historically occurred between China and the Philippines.
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in the mid-southern region of Africa. It is slightly less than one-fourth the size of the United States and experiences periodic droughts, flooding from the Congo River and the presence of active volcanoes in the Great Rift Valley. Environmental issues in the Congo include illegal wildlife poaching, water pollution, mineral mining and deforestation. Previously a Belgian colony established in 1908, the Democratic Republic of the Congo achieved independence in 1960. The official language is French, but the nation is home to some 200 African ethnic groups. The name was changed to Zaire in 1965 under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko, but is now officially the Democratic Republic of the Congo (as of the mid-1990s). Major problems arose in the 1990s involving refugees from Rwanda and Burundi; issues involving refugees and immigrants are still a present-day concern. The Second Congo war, occurring 1998 to 2003, desolated the country. When the previous ruler, Laurent Kabila, was assassinated his son, Joseph Kabila gained rule of the country. He became president with a ruling body of four vice presidents also in power. In 2005 there was a successful constitutional referendum and elections for presidency. Kabila was official inaugurated as president in December 2006. The next national elections are scheduled for November 2011, but voter registration in July was beclouded by opposing parties addressing alleged issues of bias in the voting process. Refugees often seek refuge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan and the Republic of the Congo. Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have disputes over regions with hydrocarbon potential. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also a site of much human trafficking; the government is doing little to enforce regulations or seek asylum for the victims of human trafficking. Although in 2003 the transitional government was structured, fighting and varied control of the country's vast territory still continue, most prevalently in the east of the country. Today, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the UN peacekeeping forces top concerns, yet it remains one of the top countries with issues involving rebel groups, high rates of sex trafficking and violence torn regions.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one that has been occurring for many years involving dispute over Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Current hot topics and issues involved in the conflict include freedom of movement and settlement for Palestinians, borders, security, rights, mutual recognition for Israelis and Palestinians, water rights and territorial control of Jerusalem. The conflict has inhibited both the security of both communities as well as outside resources, such as the tourism industry. Violence and increasing tensions have led to concern from the global community and United Nations; both parties have sought to help release tensions and diminish the violence that occurs between the Israeli-Palestinian communities. The efforts have often led to discussion about the implementation and possible success of a two-state solution. Many Israelis and Palestinians may agree that this is the “best” solution to many of the issues that are currently arising, however the feasibility of this solution is often addressed with concern. In September 2011, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas submitted a bid to the United Nations for full membership in the United Nations (elevated above their current observer status), hopefully to lead to consideration for statehood. This move was largely controversial for many powerhouse nations in the global community and is still up for consideration.
The Emergency Crisis is intended for returning Model United Nations participants who would like an extra challenge. The students involved will be told of the crisis upon their arrival at the conference. Like the other Security Council crises, the students in the Emergency Crisis will be asked to resolve a major conflict. Guidelines
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Hope College | Department of Political Science | 126 East 10th Street Holland, MI 49423 | mun@hope.edu | phone: 616.395.7545 |
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Security
Council Members
Emergency
Crisis