The United Nations: A Curse or a Blessing Lalit K Kaul

 

The United Nations: A Curse or a Blessing

Lalit K Kaul 

The name would suggest that the Nations are United. Founded in 1945 it has membership of 193 countries. It’s Goals: committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. Two countries have been excluded from its membership - the Vatican City (Holy See) and Palestine. The founding of the UN in 1945 and exclusion of Palestine (as a nation) as its member is not a coincidence, but assertion of the fact that Palestine, by then, had ceased to be on the map of the world as the then US President, Frank D Roosevelt, had declared the birth of ‘State of Israel’ after the British, since 1911, had successfully facilitated the influx of Jews into Palestine from different parts of the world while simultaneously overseeing the forced exodus of Palestinians as engineered by Jews from their Homeland to places like Jordan Egypt Lebanon & Syria. It may be inferred that the ‘world’ (read as powerful nations who had colonised ¾ th of the Globe) had decided to write obituary for Palestine and stamp of approval was obtained from the UN with all its goals as mentioned in preceding lines. So, the Palestinians were not to have Human Rights and that statement by the UN has been implemented in the letter and spirit since its birth in 1945.

Forum of and for the Powerful:

It has five permanent members namely China Russia UK USA and France; of these the UK and France were the grand colonizers of the Globe; Russia and USA had succeeded in dividing the world into two blocks Communist & Capitalist, post WW2 and what came to be known as Cold War; the fifth seat was offered to India because of her sheer size and democratic dispensation, but India declined the offer & recommended China. The provision of veto powers for permanent members made the UN like a still born baby that could stretch its limbs only if all the permanent members agreed upon it. So the designated goals of the UN and their fulfillment (in a given circumstance) were subject to whims and fancies of the Big Five. Thus the UN became the conduit for pursuing the colonial agenda without directly colonizing any part of the Globe.

The Futility of the UN in the Real World:

Starting from the intervention in Iran in early 50s when Iran tried to nationalize the Shell Company which led to overthrow of the then ruler, Zahir Shah, and installation of Shah of Iran as her ruler to the USSR invasion of Afghanistan (1979) to the one in Algiers in 1982 and thereafter followed by the decimating war on Iraq (by the US UK combine sidelining the UN), Libya, the 8 years long Iran Iraq war supported by the US and her allies in the Arab land & the list may be longer for want of information with the author; in all these avoidable tragedies the UN remained a spectator while it may have created some noise in its sessions of UNHC UNGA etc. The UN could never influence much less dictate the big 5 to refrain from their gross HR violations that threatened the very existence of these nations, their cultures & concomitant civilizations.

Any organization that survives on funds from private or government agencies has its role that much curtailed when it comes to dealing on specific issues (for which the organization was founded) with them. Similar was / is the fate of the UN.

The Game is ON:

Those who programmed to efface Palestine from the world map of nations and invented a new name for that geographical area have since been masquerading as the Messiah of Peace – in the event of a major conflict in the region- and the UN is the organ to trumpet their concerns for human values, human rights and humanity; by dint of their very emotional speeches they grieve for loss of the lives of women & children, as if men don’t matter; promise aid to Palestinians to rebuild their homes etc. They pretend to seek permanent solution - for a problem that they created- as they also realize how intractable it has become. How does one find a permanent solution for a nationality, distinct ethnic & cultural group, which has been rendered homeless for more than 75 years? The paradox is that while the UN claims to strive for a ‘peaceful’ solution that never saw light of the day till date & with no light visible at the end of the tunnel; the ones fighting for their liberation employing whatever means at their command are being labeled as terrorists! The reason is simple: the Palestinians have no human rights because they have no Sovereign State of their own wherein their society could be regulated and hence any activity that offends the State of Israel is labeled as a terrorist activity.

The Delay Tactics:

The ceasefire is an act to buy time and to shift the problem solution (if there can be one) to some undeterminable futuristic date and in the meanwhile afford time to both Israel & Hamas to strengthen their ammunition power for a more deadlier confrontation for the UN to intervene yet again. This is a nice mechanism as it keeps arms industry going and is a boon for major arms producing countries; but for these kinds of confrontations the economies of ‘wealthy’ nations may collapse. If the problems in Yemen and Syria are not resolvable; what are the chances for Palestine issue’s resolution?

The Only Real Politik Solution:

 As I see it the state of Israel occupying the Gaza & West Bank pushing Palestinians completely out of their Homeland. The big 5 may coordinate in such a way that makes it feasible while the UN cries hoarse.