Satish Singh Manhas
This UN, a brain child of US president Franklin D Roosevelt, enunciates as; we the peoples of United Nations determined to save the succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, maintain peace and security without use of armed forces. Shall reaffirm faith in fundamental rights, equal rights of men and woman and of nations small and large. According to Truman, UN represents an idea of universal morality. Its foundation rests upon faith and not on power and privilege. But today those words are like a dream statement. The UN became almost what its founder never even thought of. In its journey, it badly lost its relevance. Because, a few powerful countries, the permanent members exercise more than equal power of veto in its present form.
The unaddressed global challenges are because of the decay of the very institution created some 75 years ago. The present situation demands a new world order with a new and relevant agenda and equal power holding to all unrepresented nations in all world bodies be that UN etc. 21st century doesn’t belong to globalists, it belong to patriots, declared President Trump in 2019 at UN. This shows the ambition of powerful to take on these institutions. Same is the case of XI Jinping who aspires for “MIDDLE KINGDOM “but covid-19 has certainly effected all their standing and march towards. The new world order that may emerge post COVID-19 should offer greater say to countries like INDIA. The 20th century global agenda items like security alliances, multilateral trade, commerce arrangement etc although necessary should take a back seat and new agenda items like climate change, environment, universal health care, rules based evolved world order should come in place.
In the 21st century with the shift in global power axis, when India has emerged as a strong contender under Modi, the centrality of ASEAN powers to Indo-Pacific needs an acknowledgement. India’s ambition to rise as influential and responsible power centre need a consideration. The current needs be like that of environment, healthy living, and rule based social order has been a dharma for India since times immemorial. India’s traditional wisdom coupled with collective national consciousness will help in playing a significant role in making the post COVDI-19 new world order human centric and need based. Traditionally being generous and prompt in exigencies since times immemorial, India a home to one sixth of humanity needs a major say in the UN/UNSC. This can be gauged from the recent pro active fight against COVID19 when we offered medical and other assistance to more than 150 countries. Creation of SAARC COVID emergency funding for our neighborhood is a unique regional initiative.
From 50 countries in 1945 to 193 countries as members today, expectations have arisen. Now it must represent reality of contemporary world. Multilat-erism with a reformed UN at its centre can meet expectations of the humanity. In 1945, UN in its present form was born as a need out of second WWII. Now let’s have its rebirth and reform as a need after Covid-19.
UN must be reframed so as it represents the reality of contemporary world. It must be made human centric not country or region cenrtic.
Global powers are required to think of afresh. The ideas and institutions must be evolved to the need of 21st century. The global power axis has shifted away from pacific-Atlantic region to the Indo-Pacific region in 21st century. But the UN is still dominated by the western powers. Four out of five members are from the west whereas the east is the global power house today. The only country from the eastern world in the UN/UNSC body is China. Freedom from war and striving for peace were the driving force behind the creation of UN, it seemed a lofty ideals as we moved from cold war bipolarity to ambitions of unipolarity to multipolarity and finally a heteropolar world today.
I wrote a post about the functioning of UNSC on 15th March 2019 when china using its veto did not allow the world body framed as Security Council some 75 years ago to declare Masood Azhar as an international terrorist. Is the name “UNSC” relevant today. Many times in the past China obstructed the move by world body for international peace and security. China always plays to its “WHIMS AND FANICIES” and not discretion of its veto. Is world peace and security less important to the will of China? This UNSC is urgently required to be redefined. The obsolete rules needed to be scrapped. Any law or rule not evolving with the emerging public requirement be that national or universal need not be in the statue book. It is needed to be trashed. Framed some 75 years back, entire body has become irrelevant. Need its reorganization in the interest of world security and safety be that terrorism or spread of any disease or viruses, corona, Ebola et al…………???
Many friends seen celebrating UN peace keepers’ day. Good! But what about these peace keepers, when ISIS targets the entire yezdi community in Syria, butchered. Thousands of women and young girls abducted, captured, held hostage as sex slaves. Sold out in open market with price tag. The entire world saw those videos. I have raised many times in the past as well as I reiterate again. Are these UN bodies relevant today? A big no. Does UN/UNSC succeed in bringing peace in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iran Iraq, North Korea etc. What role UN played in all these strife torn nations or during conflict. What UN did in case of India-Pak conflict? Could it prevail upon Pakistan to withdraw from illegal occupation of POJK? NO. What WHO did in COVID-19? Only shielded China.
These international organizations although partial and western tilt have gone defunct. They are simply mouth peace or we can say puppet of who so ever fed them. These UN organizations had never been impartial or relevant. They are totally stage managed. Sometimes they dance to the tunes of USA, sometime to Russia and at other times to China. Even the relevance of GATT/WTO/IMF had been questioned many times in the past. Much more to quote.
Ultimately might is right is prevailing world over. US shunting WHO in case of COVID-19. It did same to UNSC and UN peace keeping during Iraq war, Iran-Iraq war, never bothered bombing in Iran, Syria etc. Russia remained totally unbothered to listen while in conflict with Ukraine.
So these international organizations do not deserve much attention especially from the public, although Governments have an obligation in some international treaties. Might is right has become of basic of these International Organisations. So Modi Ji has rightly said today “hum apna vartman aur bhavishya khud teh kren ge”. Help the nation emerge stronger.
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