United Nations at 50 Years

United Nations at 50: A Critical Review

The United Nations (UN) was formed after World War II with the aim of preventing future global conflicts. However, by its 50th anniversary in 1995, it faced significant challenges and criticisms.

Origins and Ideals

  • Post-WWII Unity: The UN emerged from the allied nations' unity during World War II.
  • San Francisco Charter (1945): 51 countries signed the original charter committing to peace, justice, and social equality.
  • Core Principles: The UN Charter aimed to:
    • Save future generations from war.
    • Reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.
    • Settle international disputes peacefully.
  • Early Hopes: As President Truman stated, the charter, if implemented earlier, could have prevented millions of deaths.

Challenges and Conflicts

  • Bosnia and Other Conflicts: By 1995, the UN faced over 150 conflicts, including the war in Bosnia, highlighting the difficulty in upholding the charter's ideals.
  • Shift in Role: The UN often found itself resolving existing conflicts and trying to maintain peace where none existed, rather than preventing conflict.

UN Structure and Organization

  • Secretariat: The administrative branch, headed by the Secretary-General (at the time, Butras Butras Galli), employs approximately 14,000 people.
  • General Assembly: Composed of representatives from all member states (initially 51, now 185), it debates UN business.
  • Security Council: A powerful group of 15 countries, including 5 permanent members (United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China), whose decisions on peace and security are binding.
  • World Court: Located in The Netherlands.
  • Specialized Agencies:
    • World Bank
    • World Health Organization (WHO)
    • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
    • UNICEF: Focused on children's well-being, providing education, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. Example: Oral rehydration solution for diarrhea prevention.

Cold War and Criticism

  • East-West Tensions: The Cold War significantly hampered the UN's effectiveness.
  • Veto Power: The Soviet Union frequently used its veto power in the Security Council, leading to gridlock.
  • Shift to General Assembly: Due to Security Council paralysis, more decisions were shifted to the General Assembly.
  • Criticism from the United States: Some American conservatives viewed the UN as:
    • An expensive debating society.
    • A source of wasteful spending on ineffective third-world programs.
    • A center for Soviet espionage.
    • Giving legitimacy to terrorist organizations.

Financial Problems

  • Membership Dues: Many countries failed to pay their membership dues, leading to underfunding. The United States, at the time, owed approximately 1,200,000,0001,200,000,000.

Canada's Role

  • Strong Supporter: Canada consistently paid its dues and actively participated in peacekeeping missions.
  • Peacekeeping Pioneer: Canada was part of the first UN observer team in 1948 and has participated in every UN peacekeeping mission since.
  • Invention of Modern Peacekeeping: Lester Pearson (then External Affairs Minister, later Prime Minister) proposed the first UN peacekeeping force during the Suez Canal crisis in 1956 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Operation Snow Goose: A notable Canadian peacekeeping mission in Cyprus starting in 1964, lasting almost three decades. In 1974, during Turkey's invasion, three Canadian peacekeepers were killed.
  • Middle East, 1974: Nine Canadians were killed when their plane was shot down by a Syrian surface to air missile.
  • Continued Commitment: Despite risks, Canada remains committed to UN peacekeeping, with approximately 3,000 peacekeepers serving in various missions.

UN Mission in Former Yugoslavia (Bosnia)

  • Humiliation and Challenges: The UN mission in Bosnia faced significant challenges and was often seen as a failure.
  • Use of Human Shields: Serbian soldiers used unarmed UN military observers as human shields, such as Captain Rechner, during NATO bombings.
  • Shelling of Tuzla: Serbian forces shelled Tuzla, a UN safe area, killing over 70 people.
  • Limitations of Peacekeepers: Peacekeepers were equipped only for self-defense and unable to confront heavily armed Serb soldiers.
  • Humanitarian Aid Obstacles: Delivering humanitarian aid was difficult due to sniper fire and shelling.
  • NATO Air Strikes: Following the mortar attack on a Sarajevo market in February 1994, NATO launched military strikes.
  • Safe Havens Failure: The UN-established safe havens, like Srebrenica, were attacked, and Dutch peacekeepers abandoned their posts.
  • Croatian Army Intervention: The Croatian army invaded Serb-held territory despite the presence of UN peacekeepers.
  • Sarajevo Shelling (August): A shell killed 37 civilians, leading to more intensive NATO airstrikes.
  • New Peace Deal: A new deal was reached in Geneva, recognizing a Serb Republic within Bosnia, but fighting continued.

Reevaluation and Future

  • Dark Days for Peacekeeping: The situation in the former Yugoslavia highlighted the challenges and limitations of UN peacekeeping.
  • Reexamination: The UN's 50th anniversary prompted a reevaluation of its role and effectiveness.
  • Continued Relevance: Despite its failures, the UN remains a necessary institution for saving lives and promoting peace.