Research Reports
Security Council
IMUN 2016
Table of Contents / PageForeword / 1
The Question of Yemen / 2
The Question of Syria / 3
The Question of the Central African Republic / 4
Bibliography / 6
Foreword
While researching for each of the topics to be discussed in the Security Council, it is highly advised that you use several different resources and search beyond your countries position. The key understanding of these conflicts is having a detailed overview of the conflict, therefore delegates should not only use the Research Report, but also research on precedents, causes and developments of the conflict independently. The more you know about the circumstances surrounding the event the clearer it will be to understand the character of the country and conflict and how it may relate to your delegation.
Delegates are highly advised to use unbiased reliable source. By all means, avoid information with no credible grounds, be critical in the manner to which you select your resources, so not to be misinformed. The New York Times, the Guardian, BBC, the Economist, Reuters, the CIA World Factbook, the UN and affiliates, NGOs and Government Webpages among others are highly esteemed for their veracity and are ideal sources for studying these issues. Although some of the above may show some bias, they provide great detail in regards to the conflict and delegates should at all times analyze how it would be related to the delegation’s stance.
Please remember, the better prepared you are, better the quality of the debate. Even if you are MUN veterans, it is highly advised that you study the formal procedure in the Security Council, do keep in mind that the style of debate is autonomous than that of General Assembly or Special Conference.
The Question of Yemen
For the most part of the XX century, Yemen was split into two different countries. The North of country was originally part of Ottoman Empire, gaining its independence in 1918, becoming the Yemen Arab Republic in 1962. The South was under British rule, and when the British left east Suez in 1967, the People’s Republic of Yemen was established. In 1969 the South joins the Soviet Block, becoming the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Relations between the two were never stable. However, with the collapsing U.S.S.R. and the discovery of oil and gas, on 22 March 1990 the YAR and the PDRY became the Republic of Yemen. Northern leaderAli Abdullah Saleh became President and Southerner Ali Salim Al-Baid Vice-President.
Saleh’s administration was widely contested, marginalizing and discriminating the southerners in government. In May 1994 there was an attempt of Southern cessation led by Al-Baid, which Saleh had crushed by July. Meanwhile in North Yemen a Zaydis peaceful movement appeared for more rights and better representation in government, the Houthis. This movement soon became a brutal force. Saleh handled several crackdowns of Houthis, and six wars Between 2004 and 2010. By 2014 the Houthi forces already held considerable territory in the North. Violence escalates in Yemen and in April 2011 the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as the UN (Security Council Resolution 2014) intervened, and after extensive negations, Saleh agrees to transfer his power to Vice-PresidentAbdRabbuh Mansur Hadi, fleeing to Saudi Arabia in February. (The World Factbook) Hadi goes into office and Yemen becomes a Federation comprised of six regions, which greatly opposed the Houthis. In September 2014 the Houthis took over Sana’a, and in January 2015 declared that a five-member presidential council will replace the Hadi administration, forcing Hadi to flee to Aden. Soon, the Houthis advance towards the South and Hadi exiles himself in Saudi Arabia.
Although many opposed Hadi, there was still a large platform of supporters, namely in the South that now turned against the North creating an anti-Houthi force. Hadi resorted to Saudi Arabia and pled for intervention. The Houthis, as Riyadh claims, are allied with Iran, majority Shia, who is using Yemen as proxy war against Sunni principles. On 25 March 2015 a coalition led by Saudi Aribia, launched an airstrike campaign against Houthi strongholds. The conflict has so far cause 100,000 dead or wounded and 2.4 million displaced. The UN has proposed peace through a unity government, holding talks in Kuwait, August 2016, which were quick to collapse. The conflict becomes ever more withered with controversy as the US and the UK sponsor the Saudi coalition heavily, with intelligence and logistics, namely weaponry.
Another party in this conflict that has gained incredible influence on the ground is the Al-Qaeda in the Arabic Peninsula and the self-proclaimed “Islamic State”. Before war broke out in Yemen both Saleh’s and Hadi’s government countered the AQAP, however when two parties engaged against each other the AQAP had a freehand in expanding its influence and control.
This issue must be dealt with extreme delicacy for it is not only a question of internal political conflict, but also a secular strife, a proxy for hegemony between Saudis and Iranians as well as being part of the threat of rising terrorist organizations.
-Miguel Duarte (Vice-President of Security Council)
The Question of Syria
In the past 5 years, Syria has acquired a lot of attention for being now taken by terrorism in the form of the Islamic state. The group’s expansion and rapid territorial gain has caught the attention of the international community. The Islamic State has been linked to the deaths of more than 500 civilians in countries includingBelgium and the United States only this year. The UN fears its growth and the implications of more events like the Paris attacks. The organization gained territory in Syria by taking advantage of the ongoing civil war, which left the country socially and politically unstable.
The unrest in Syria began in 2011 after police officers opened fire at protesters. Due to that, nationwide protests began calling for President Assad’s resignation. In order to fight the brutal government forces, the population formed rebel brigades. In 2013, the UN said 90,000 people had been killed in the fighting. In 2015 the numbers reached over 250,000. Adding to the original conflict between those for and against President Assad, now different religious groups are competing for regional powers. Among those is the Islamic State (IS). ISIS has taken advantage of the chaos in Syria to capitalize and take control of its territories as well as Iraq’s.
The United Nations Security Council has condemned the reckless use of weapons in civilian areas, but people continue to be killed. The UN also said the government aircraft dropping barrel bombs on rebels may constitute massacres. They’ve accused IS of holding a campaign of terror. Talks in 2014 called for the implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique. It called for a cessation of the violence and envisioned a transitional governing body in Syria. The United States and attempted to get representatives of the government and the opposition to attend "proximity talks" in Geneva in January 2016 with the purpose of discussing a Security Council-endorsed road map for peace, a ceasefire and a transitional period ending with elections.
Countries such as Iran and Russia have begun to increase support for President Assad’s government. With Iran spending billions of dollars a year to help Assad’s military, while Russia launched an air campaign against the President’s opponents. The US also attempted to implement a programme to train and arm 5,000 rebels to take fight IS. The plan suffered major setbacks until it was finally abandoned.
One of the problems that come with the raging civil war in Syria is the number of refugees originating from the conflict and attempting to seek safety in Europe. The ones that are unable to leave the country become internally displaced people. Around 70% of the population in Syria has no access to adequate drinking water and are unable to meet their basic food needs. Close to 80% are living in poverty.
-Laura Ribeiro (President of Security Council)
The Question of the Central African Republic
The conflict in the Central African Republic has been one of the most delicate and overlooked conflicts in the last few years, only more recently reaching the limelight of the international community.
In 1960, as part of the European decolonization movement, the colony of Ubangi-Shari attained its independence from France, becoming the Central African Republic. Civilian democratic rule was only established in the country in 1993, lasting until 2003 when president Ange-Félix Patassé was deposed in a coup lead by General François Bozizé, who became an acting president. In 2005 General Bozize is elected as president and again re-elected in 2011. Bozize was accused of corruption, incompetence and discriminationof ethnic groups. During his 10 year rule the Muslim Central African community claimed to be marginalized, leading to great discontent and the creation of Muslim rebel groups that took hold of several regions in the North, forming a militia called Séléka in December 2012. In March 2013 the group captured Banguiand overthrew Bozize, making their leader, Michele Djotodia, the first Muslim Central African president. (Andrews, The World in Conflict)
Djotodia availed to oppress Christians,the Séléka administration became far more violent than Bozize. This conflict is the first relating to religious disputes, Christians and Muslimshad so far co-existed peacefully. The Bozize government, catalyzedhatred and discrimination towards Christians from radical Muslims groups. The Christian community created several militias, operating under the greater Anti-Balaka group.
As many fled the Republic or sought protection in Refugee Camps, others were massacred. 60% of the population was in the need of urgent aid (according to the BBC). In December 2013 France initiated operation Sangaris sending soldiers to the CAR, and along with the African Union (AU) formed a military coalition (Force Multinationale de l'Afrique Centrale) to counter the Séléka.
As FOMAC tried to counter Séléka, the Anti-Balaka became stronger. At this stage foreign forces were incapable of stopping the Anti-Balaka’s persecution. On 10 April 2014 the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2149, clearing the deployment of a 10,000 strong Peacekeeping force, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
UN intervention brought relief, nevertheless violence and bloodshed were still commonplace. In January 2014, Catherine Samba-Panza was elected interim president. Panza was a key figure in the conflict, capable of introducing the possibility of reconciliation between religious parties. On May 10 2015 ten different rebel groups signed a peace agreement in Bangui in the process of disarmament and reconciliation.
In March 2016 free elections were held, making independent candidate Faustin-ArchangeTouadérapresident, now challenges pivotal for peace. Firstly, he must maintain the legacy of Samba-Panza and pursue her reconciliatory endeavors and dialogue. Seconded, large regions of the country, are still controlled by rebel groups. Thirdly, Toadére will have to create a government strong enough to compensate the withdraw of the majority of French troopsas Operation Sangaris is scheduled to end late this year.
-Miguel Duarte (Vice-President of Special Conference)
Bibliography
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