munityTUESDAY28 JANUARY 2014

THIMUN XLVI Africa Transformations and the Challenges Ahead 1 euro

TODAY’S PAPER

An Introduction to THIMUN.

The Opening Ceremony of the 46th THIMUN Conference, which took place yesterday, featured sev-eral prominent speakers, includ-ing a Nobel Peace Prize winner, as well as a performance by the Hague International Youth Choir.Grace Asirwatham, Deputy Direc-tor General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weap-ons (OPCW), first noted the success and importance of the 1997 Chemi-cal Weapons Convention, which forbids the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons, re-marking that only six countries have not agreed to its terms. She contin-ued by emphasizing the importance of persuading the remaining six countries (Angola, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar and South Sudan) to join the OPCW as well, stating that this move would protect the above men-

tioned countries’ citizens as well as bringing economic benefits. She then expressed the view that control of chemical weapons and prevention of proliferation in regard to these is especially important because of the conflict in Syria, in which the gov-ernment Bashar Al-Assad is widely believed to have used chemical weapons. In the face of this threat, she placed special importance on finding multilateral solutions to enable international peace and un-derstanding. She added that com-munication skills and an open world view, skills that students develop at THIMUN, are important in the pro-cess of ridding the world of chemical weapons. Finally, she reminded the delegates of the importance of bal-ancing realism and idealism, in pro-portions which allow for progress to be made in the right direction. Next up was Alain Meidinger, co-chair of the THIMUN Foundation.

Leo Von KleistJohn F. Kennedy School, BerlinMaja MelchingerJohn F. Kennedy School, Berlin

The Challenge is Yours

CHLOE HINDES

Japan fails to contain waste contaminationIsabel BaerZurich International School

An earthquake and the sub-sequent tsunami devastated the Fukushima nuclear pow-er plant in Japan on March 11, 2011. A meltdown of the inner core started with-out anyone able to intervene.

Despite assurances by the operator Tokyo Electric Pow-er Company, seawater was used to cool the core, spill-ing tons of radioactive water into the sea. Contaminated water is still being pumped into the ocean because the toxic waste tanks are full, leaking, and overflowing.

Although using seawa-ter to cool the radiator is not

a good solution, it is better than letting the core melt, causing worse harm than the radioactive sea water will, comments the maga-zine Scientific American.

Damage to the ocean life is already devastating, despite the promise from the Japanese government that everything is under control and that the nu-clear waste is being contained.

While the devastation occurred back in 2011, many people have forgot-ten that the plant is still damaging the environment.

Journalist Jeremy Hsu re-ports, “Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radi-oactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016.”Continues page 4

Rwanda: A ‘sweet’ recovery

This year’s Tuesday movie night will be featuring “Sweet Dreams,” a documentary about Rwandan wom-en emotionally and economically recovering from the 1994 genocide. Between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people were killed in only a hun-dred days, and this conflict split the country, making many peo-ple afraid of their own neighbors.During the time that Rwanda was colonized by Belgium there were two main ethnic groups in the country; Tutsis and the Hutus. The governmental system heavily fa-vored the Tutsis, through the edu-cational system and the drafting system for unpaid labor. However, this changed when Rwanda gained its independence; the Hutus came to power by exiling the Tutsis.In 1990, however, the Tutsis came back in full force, having created an army of their own, they started taking over the country and fighting

the Hutus. This was the start of the civil war that would end with a hun-dred day genocide starting on the 4th of July, killing approximately 10% of the Rwandan population; 800,000 from the Tutsis ethnic group. The survivors were left with physical, emotional and mental trauma that still impacts them today. Reparation for Genocide Survi-vors states that “to this day, survi-vors continue to endure the social, psychological and material conse-

quences of the genocide”. Some survivors still live in fear of the genocide, where everything around them is a trigger making them relive the intense fear of the hundred days they were under brutal attack. Many lost friends and family due to the genocide, and “entire families and extended families were completely wiped out” as stated by Athanase Hagengimana and although the genocide was committed by the Hu-

tus both ethnic groups “feel victim-ized by the events of the genocide”.The genocide impacted the already weak economy of Rwanda badly as there was a lack of labor. The destroyed spirit of the people did not motivate them to work or re-build their country. The civil war had been going on for four years so the fields were trampled and it was difficult to grow crops. The larger population was impoverished and there was lack of external and

internal investment into Rwan-da to reboot the local economy. Following this devastation, many people, especially women, are strug-gling to put their lives back together and improve their living conditions. This documentary follows one group of female drummers who team up with the Brooklyn-based Blue Marble Ice Cream company to bring the first ice cream shop to

Kate MonsonZurich International School

Continues page 5

Continues, page 2

Violence continues in Rwanda following genocide google images

CONFERENCE, PAGE 2

Meet the president(s).WORLD NEWS, PAGE 6

Nelson Mandela: A profile. See a selection of delegates arriving and debating at the World Forum on Monday.CONFERENCE, PAGE 3

PAGE 7

Delegates at the opening ceremony

THE TEAM

PAGE 2

munityEDITORS-IN-CHIEFThomas Flynn Royal Russell SchoolMaximilian Larson John F. Kennedy School, BerlinTEXT EDITORSTate Bierut John Burroughs School, St. LouisNatasha Lodhi American School of ParisKatelin Quanbeck Brussels American SchoolMartha Shepard Park Tudor School, IndianapolisLeo von Kleist John F. Kennedy School, Berlin

REPORTERSIsabel Baer Zurich International SchoolLaya Bataineh Amman Baccalaureate SchoolHannah Hölscher International School of DüsseldorfAlyssa Hsu Pacific American SchoolMehraan Keval American Community School, AmmanTara Lechner International School of the HagueJordan Leonard John Burroughs School, St. LouisKatherine Monson Zurich International SchoolMaja Melchinger John F. Kennedy School, BerlinTara Parambi Dhirubhai Ambani International School

REPORTERS (continued)Marelle Ruijgrok American School of ParisNele Wenck International School of the HagueEmily Zhao John Burroughs School, St. LouisPHOTOGRAPHERSAustin Griffin Zurich International SchoolChloe Hindes Zurich International SchoolFfion Lavery Royal Russell SchoolMeredith Mannix Park Tudor School, IndianapolisLAYOUT AND GRAPHICS EDITORSofia Cababa Wood International School of the Hague

9:00 -- 17:00Security Council, ECOSOC; ICJ and NSS in Session

9:00 -- 13:00Plenary sessions and opening speeches of General Assembly, Commissions and Special Confer-ence

9:00 -- 17:00Approval Panel Open - Oceania

11:30 -- 14:00Lunch available - Pacific

12:30Workshop Chairing - Asia

17:00MUN-Directors meeting with Advi-sory Board - Mississippi

19:30Movie - World Forum Theatre

Tuesday Schedule

Opening Ceremony continued

The Delegation of Mexico, de-parting from Amman, arrived in Amsterdam at 2:30 on Saturday af-ternoon. THIMUN is the only place in the world where that sentence makes any sense. THIMUN can be

Mehraan KevalIAmerican Community School, Amman

There’s Magic in the Airoverwhelming at first; all of those fervent main submitters can be dif-ficult to handle on your first day of lobbying. A few pieces of advice to all delegates, new and old, on your first day of debate: First, relax! Sec-ond, speak when you are given the opportunity and engage in the de-

bates. Third, buy MUNITY to keep yourself entertained after following my first two pieces of advice. The Hague International Model United Nations is the biggest student-run Model UN conference in the world, but what is it that makes this place so special?

Amongst the main attractions here in Den Haag are the Van Gogh Museum, the MC Escher museum, and the rich architectural history throughout the city. The first two are art museums that exhibit the life’s work of two of the greatest artists in the world, and the third is omnipresent in The Hague, with most buildings being reminiscent of the Dutch Renaissance. While there is plenty to do and explore here, I wanted to gain further perspective from a resident of The Hague.Lara Mufleh, an administrator of GA3 and a student at the American School of The Hague, would tell you that the extreme diversity and eclectic nature of the city makes her proud to call Den Haag her home. Coming from a developing country, Delegate of Mexico Tarek Armoush would tell you that he loves “the re-freshingly clean air and easy access

to public transportation.” While this country is so much more than just breathable air and impeccable infrastructure, even the simplest things to some people can make this a second home. While everyone will give a different answer, I think I’ve fig-ured out the magic in the air; there is something for everyone who is lucky enough to be here. As a THI-MUN veteran, and in my last year of participation, I’ve found that The Hague boasts a universality that no other city can. With the beginning of debates tomorrow, I wanted to remind all delegates that while we all are here in pursuit of “fruitful debate,” a term you will hear ad naseum at this conference, do not forget to enjoy your time here, in what is undoubtedly the greatest city on Earth.

He thanked the various Student Of-ficers, Directors and Advisors who have made the conference possible. Afterwards, he mentioned the Inter-national Nuclear Summit which is to take place in The Hague in March. It is the third one of its kind, following one in 2010 in Washington DC and one in 2012 in Seoul. He is also co-chairman of a THIMUN simulation which will be held parallel to the summit, consisting of 24 students who will debate issues concerning nuclear arms. He described the doc-umentary “Sweet Dreams”, which is to be shown to the delegates this afternoon. The movie focuses on a group of enterprising Rwandan women who open an ice cream shop in their village. It presents a hope-ful view of life in Africa, as opposed to the tragic one often displayed in documentaries about the continent.Following the key-note speaker Alain Meidinger, the co-chair of the THIMUN Foundation, the General Assembly witnessed an enthusias-tic and well-received performance

by the Hague International Youth Choir, led by Alexander Jarrett. The children sang an African freedom song called “Asikhatali”. The per-formance captured the spirit of those oppressed by Apartheid and their in-defatigable perseverance to achieve freedom for themselves and their fellows. The performance combined African culture and history, making way for a resonant segment of the Opening Ceremony.The last guest speaker was Ton Di-etz, Director of the African Studies Center and Professor of the Study of African Development at Leiden University, who presented an “afro-optimist” view of Africa, stating that significant improvements have been made on the continent in re-cent years. He put special empha-sis on economic growth which has taken place. Specifically, he pointed out the end of economic stagnation and the increase in demand for Af-rican resources that took place in the early 21st century. He remarked how some analysts’ view of the situation in the region has changed

from hopeless to optimistic. How-ever, he reminded the delegates that “It’s not all nice. There are many, many challenges.” To conclude his speech about African development, he issued an appeal to the delegates, stating that “I am an afro-optimist, I hope you are too. But don’t look away from what is your challenge. We need you. We need world leader-ship. The challenge is yours.” Following this, Secretary General Sarah Gharib pointed out

the importance of involving the youth in political discourse for the future. She continued that despite the political and social conflicts within Africa, such as those in Egypt and South Sudan, there is positive change taking place in the region. The speeches were positively re-ceived by the General Assembly and guests. As stated by Jan Wenning, delegate of Pakistan, “[The Open-ing Ceremony] was an inspiring and thought-provoking start to the con-ference”.

Mrs. Grace Asirwatham

Ton Dietz, Director of the African Studies Center and Professor of the Study of African Development at Leiden University

Meredith Mannix

Meredith Mannix

PAGE 3

Chloe Hindes

President of the General Assembly, Michael Carden Austin Griffin

Tara LechnerInternational School of the Hague

This year at THIMUN, the Se-curity Council is discussing the civil war in the Syrian Arab Republic, the conflicts in Mali and the West-ern Sahel Region, the Guinea Bissau conflict, and the Sudan/South Su-

dan issue. It is expected to be a lively debate, resulting in the passing of many resolutions. The President of the SC is Lara Sarlui, and the Dep-uty Presidents are Sophie Auton and Matthew Albon. MUNITY spoke with Matthew, a seventeen-year-old student at the British International School of the Netherlands.

What is your personal favourite as-pect of THIMUN?

My favourite is the debating, whether I’m a chair or a delegate. I also love the way delegates come up with ideas and solutions to world is-sues.

How does it feel to be the Deputy President of the SC at THIMUN?

I am very proud and glad I got the position. I’m just happy to be here.

Interview with the Deputy Presi-dent of the Security Council (SC) Matthew Albon

He started Model United Nations in Middle School, and now, as he reaches the end of high school, he finishes his Model United Nations career as THIMUN 2014’s President of the General Assembly. Meet Michael Carden, a stu-dent at the American School of Paris, and a person you won’t forget.

What advice would you give to the delegates? Based on your past experiences, what have you taken out of the conference?

My first time at THIMUN was intimidating, I mean the build-ing and my committee was huge. I focused primarily on one issue and devoted the majority of my time preparing on that topic. I ended up as main submitter of that resolution and I was proud that a paper I had

worked hard on was recognized. It was incredible in itself that I was presenting this document that people from all over the world had merged their ideas on. It ended up passing which was great, but it is that starting point, the means, that make the rest so amazing, not the terminal success. I guess the advice I’d give is don’t be afraid to always put yourself out there, because, ulti-mately, when I look back at the way I put myself out there, it becomes more than just a fond memory. Even if the resolution hadn’t passed or I didn’t get to present at the plenary session, it’s always better to look back and know that I did whatever I could to get the most out of it. That is what is so unparalleled to anything else. So by working hard and pushing yourself to get to a position like yours, you really experience more?

That’s a personal philosophy of mine that extends beyond MUN. Challenging myself by putting my ideas forward, defending them

when need be, and compromising when necessary; this makes up the experience.

Do you think everyone will feel that similar kind of experience?

Despite everyone going with potentially different objectives, ulti-mately we leave with some common essence. It is a truly remarkable experience when everybody parts their way on Saturday, but we feel something rather intangible, but very real, being shared amongst all of us. We feel... accomplished.

And how do we bring about that cohesiveness to THIMUN?

It’s one thing to connect on a social level, you do really get a lot of out it; but, at the same time, it’s an opportunity for young people to focus on important issues in our world today. People have passions for different things but this is some-thing that shapes us to become the kind of aspiring leaders we have the potential to be.

Natasha LodhiAmerican School of Paris

How do you think this conference will develop?

In the Security Council we have very many experienced delegates, so I think debate will pick up quickly and develop into good resolutions.

Which topic do you believe will have the most heated debate?

Definitely the Syrian Arab Re-public; it always is interesting as it is so controversial as the P5 nations

feel strongly about the issue.

Taking into account the issue in Syria, do you believe that the Syr-ian agreement to allow children and women trapped in the city of Homs to leave immediately will im-prove the situation in the longrun?

I believe it is a good first step, but a lot still needs to be discussed. However, it is a good establishment for middle ground, but Syria still has a long way to go.”

We then interviewed the Presi-dent Lara Sarlui from the Interna-tional School of Panama regarding the following issues:

Regarding the Guinea Bissau issue, what is the most troubling about the continued lack of civilian con-trol in your opinion?

I believe it is more the govern-ment; their incompetence with vola-tile actions causes the citizens to feel vulnerable. If a central government is not created, the issue will continue to escalate and won’t be manageable.

On the Mali and Western Sahel Region issue, do you think the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali has helped a lot?

All the United Nations’ attempts to solve the issues have been well in-tended but they didn’t target the key parts. With the government’s insta-bility it is hard to create laws to con-trol the crisis.

Getting to Know Your Student Officers

Meet Michael, President of the General Assembly

PAGE 4

The sale of “blood diamonds”is one of the more obscure issues of today. Also known as “con-flict diamonds,” they fuel conflicts, in the sense that they are used to buy weapons, es-pecially in war-zones. One of the major leaders in-volved in the blood diamond busi-ness was the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor, who started the first Liberian Civil War (1989-96) in order to attain power and gain better access to natural resources, such as diamonds. Taylor was also responsible for the first Sierra

Leone Civil War (1991-2002) and the second Liberian Civil War (1999-2003). His thirst for blood diamonds throbbed in Sierra Leone. In exchange for blood diamonds, Taylor supplied rebels from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)

with weapons, killed, abducted, raped and mutilated thousands dur-ing the wars, and murdered families in order to train children to kill.

The delegates at THIMUN express multiple viewpoints on the controversial sale of blood diamonds and use of child soldiers in warzones. Karina Nechaeva,

repre- sent-ing Bot- swana in THICAD, explained that “natural resources are a good opportunity for economies” and the diamond in-dustry can help foreign investments and job openings. The United Republic of Tanzania, represented by Lena Shelling in THICAD, ex-plained that natural resources, dia-monds in particular, open new trade opportunities. While the delegation supports fair diamond trade, it feels that it is important that countries

don’t give all their resources away. The UN pursued sanctions on

the diamond trade in Liberia, but after Taylor’s arrest they were lifted. An organization called Kimberley Process was established in 2003 to guarantee costumer’s diamonds that were bought from genuine, conflict-free sources. However, Global Witness Organi-

zation left Kimberly Process in 2011, claiming its “narrow

definition of conflict and failure to address

major issues such as violence.” It

also lacks “cred-ibility

and ef-fective-

ness.” Si-erra Leone

is trying to combat its

bloody past with attempts to legal-

ize the process of drilling diamonds.

In 2003, the Special Court for

Sierra Leone issued an indictment of Taylor.

He was found guilty in all 11 counts for acts of

terrorism, use of child sol-diers, enslavement and unlawful

killings, sentencing him 50 years in prison. One would assume that the crimes for blood diamonds would decrease after a major figure was arrested; sadly this does not seem to be the case.

from New Zealand School, believes that the merging resolution group she has joined will “work coopera-tively through strong discussions and respect for one another” while

developing their resolutions on combating intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization, discrimination, incitement to vio-lence and violence against persons based on religion or belief. Like-wise, another group of delegates in ECOSOC focusing on measures to ensure universal access to second-ary education hopes to supplement their resolution with the theoretical support of a non-governmental

Although the water leaking into the ocean from the power plant is highly radioactive when it leaves the plant, it is quickly diluted to non-harmful levels once it enters the Pacific Ocean. While it is not harmful for humans, it is still dangerous for the fish and coral reefs that are being exposed to the radiation. With radioactive waste still flowing into the Japanese waters, scientists have noticed the danger this poses for the marine life. As reported by The Associated Press, “In a survey of 170 types of fish caught off the Japan coast, 42 fish species tested were labeled as too radioactive for consumption, while another 15 species showed little or no signs of contamination.” Manami Kamiyama, a Japanese student living in Düsseldorf, Ger-many explains, “People who live in the TOHOKU area feel it a lot even after three years have passed. In the areas which are near the Nuclear power plant, people can’t go outside and the government is regulating entry. Fishing is also regulated because the see water has high percentages of radioactivity [sic].” Journalist James A. Foley high-lights, “While there is no commer-cial fishing along most of Fuku-

shima’s coast, once radionuclides are in the water there is no way to corral them and the Japanese public is highly concerned about food safety.” The United Nations published a report discussing Japan’s situation, commenting on the lack of danger there is from the radiation. A report by the Sixty-eighth General Assem-bly claimed that the damage is “low or generally low, with no immedi-ate health effects.” Human rights experts disapprove of the statement released by the U.N. “The criticism stems from the report’s seeming lack of concern over the effects of radiation on the general public in Japan,” according to the Japan Daily Press. Manami Kamiyama expresses her concern, “There are still so many issues that Japanese people have to solve.” The U.N. and the Japanese government will ultimately have to make a decision about how they will proceed with the repairs and clean-up of the nuclear plant. See-ing the harm that nuclear power plants can cause will hopefully urge other countries to turn away from nuclear power and introduce wind, water and solar-based energy sources.

After the opening instructions from President Hanna Ollivier de Leth, lobbying began in full force in the Human Rights Commission. With the first sub-commission focusing on issues in Syria, women in poli-tics, peaceful protests and rights of children, delegates wasted no time

The Disarmament Commission, the primary United Nations organ, discusses issues of disarmament and global security. After the Chair’s speech outlining rules and assignments, the delegates went straight to work on lobbying and merging. The issues in Sub-Com-mission 1 consist of finding meas-ures to deal with terrorist groups in Sub-Saharan Africa and ‘Arab Spring’ countries, strengthening the role of regional economic com-munities in Africa in issues related to small arms and light weapons control, and setting up parameters for the implementation of “lethal

autonomous robots” in battlefields and civilian areas. The issues discussed in Sub-Commission 2 varied from the implementation of human rights in Mali and the rights of children to attain the highest attainable standard of health, to protecting the human rights of migrants at border crossing. The delegates continued to debate issues related to global security, and will all week.

Alliances through organized chaos: lobbying, day one

Hannah HölscherInternational School of DusseldorfJordan LeonardJohn Burroughs School

Kate MonsonZurich International School

Laya BatainehAmman Baccalaureate School

Jordan LeonardJohn Burroughs School

With topics ranging from copy-right laws to financial services, the members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) hope to develop their merging resolutions in a tenacious yet accommodating manner. Ashley Stuart, a delegate

cont. from page 1 Blood Diamonds: No End in Sight

Disarmament strives to protect human rights

ECOSOC discusses discrimination dip-lomatically

“‘[Delegates] will work cooperatively through strong discussions and respect for one another...’”

-Ashley StuartNew Zealand

organization (NGO). However, they will not entertain the idea of creating a new NGO; instead, they wish to find an organization that can exert quality control over secondary education. Overall, the Delegates of ECOSOC are still getting acquainted and the lobbying and merging will advance as the week progresses.

Human Rights Co-mmission seeks bal-ance in resolutions

organizing and the merging of reso-lutions began. Astrid Ytre-Eide, a delegate representing the UAE, says that a peaceful regime change in Syria is the focus of her resolu-tion. An important factor for her is “to find a compromise that will work for both parties.” Meanwhile in the second sub-commission, the focus is on Mali, health for children, protection of migrants and the ending of the use of child soldiers. Ionna Schuppert, an Assistant President, is trying to find “a balance between border management and treating refugees and migrants correctly” with her committee’s resolution. These ideas will come together this week and strong resolutions are sure to

“‘[An important factor is] to find a compromise that will work for both parties.’”

-Astrid Ytre-EideUnited Arab Emirates

“In exchange for blood diamonds, Taylor...killed, ab-ducted, raped and mutilated thousands during the wars, and murdered families in or-der to train children to kill.”

“The UN pursued sanctions on the diamond trade in Li-beria, but after Taylor’s arrest they were lifted.”

PAGE 5

The healing power of ice cream

The organization ‘Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF),’ or ‘Doctors Without Borders,’ is a French non-governmental organization that sends doc-tors, nurses, and sanitation engineers to over 70 under-developed regions, providing aid to citizens. It was founded in 1971 by a few doctors and journalists who believed that everyone had the right to medical care. In 2007, over 26,000 doctors offered their help in 60 regions including the Democratic Republic of

Congo, Ethiopia, and Zambia. On account of their aid, the or-ganization received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008. The key aspect of this organization is that the doctors volunteer and take time off to work in the region. As this organization is non-governmental, 80% of their funding comes from pri-vate donors, while the rest is provided by governments.

One of the regions that the organization has recently helped is Bangui, in the Cen-tral African Republic. As the capital has experienced a lot of violence in the past weeks and most of the local hospi-tals are no longer function-ing properly, the MSF team opened a new unit, which has treated more than 800 wound-

ed people. Most of the patients suffered from knife or bullet wounds and had to be treated medically. As the project co-ordinator Jessie Gaffric stated, there are some cases where seriously injured people tried to treat themselves because there were no doctors avail-able. Whenever the violence gets out of hand, some helpers cannot even come to work, or have to sleep at the hospital since it is too dangerous to go back home.

MSF helpers also have been in life-threatening situa-tions when they offered aid in Malakal, South Sudan. Armed men stormed the compound and threatened the team. There, MSF had to suspend their operations, so more

wounded people are at risk due to the missing doctors and helpers. Since intense vio-lence arose in Malakal, more than 20,000 tried to seek shel-ter on UN bases; the hospitals have been overcrowded, and the MSF helpers have been hindered in providing aid as the situation is too dangerous for them.

Claudia Nonniger, a den-tist assistant who is working in the Netherlands, will be travelling to the region sur-rounding Mombasa in Kenya to offer help and assist the lo-cal dentists. It will be her first time as a helper from MSF and she will be doing this trip with 15 other volunteers as well as working with local dentists. She explained that during this

trip, she will be explaining to children how to brush teeth as most of them have never seen a toothbrush before as well as treating individual pa-tients and focusing on mouth hygiene. When asked about why she chose to volunteer as a helper, she responded that the idea that she can help peo-ple by using her work experi-ence and expert knowledge motivated her to sign up as a helper.

‘Médecins Sans Frontières’ relies on private donors to support them, and so word needs to be spread so more people find out about the pro-jects and help keep this organ-ization going.

Doctors WithoutBordersNele WenckInternational School of the Hague

google images

Rwanda. They are looking to ad-vance not only their own lives, but the lives of all women and people in their neighborhood through inspi-ration. After being taught valuable

business skills and despite suffering minor setbacks, they persevered to get their business up and running. A major success story that brings hope in the face of adversity and fear, this movie is just one exam-

ple of how women specifically are working to regain hope and dignity after the suffering they have en-dured. Organizations such as Bpeace are working to help Rwandan busi-nesses thrive by sending mentors

with financial advice and assis-tance to encourage entrepreneurs to start meeting people’s needs.By supplying a sweet treat and an inspiring story, these women are an example for their community and

each other as they work to improve their lives. Although the horrors of the genocide cannot be forgot-ten, they are working to move on and rebuild, with their heads held high and full of “Sweet Dreams.”

From page 1

PAGE 6

The Arab Spring was a wave of demonstrations, protests, revolutions, and civil wars against various standing governments that rippled across the Arab world, most prominently in 2011. The movement itself is a reflection of a general dissatisfac-tion against dictatorships, unemploy-ment, cor-ruption and other deep-rooted social issues. Egypt is amongst one of the coun-tries most affected by the Arab Spring. Inspired by the outcome of a revolution in Tunisia, Egyptian civilians took their discontent with their president of thirty years, Hosni Mubarak, onto the streets. On February 11, 2011, Mubarak was removed from power and the military took over the country´s government. A few months later, Egypt elected its first civilian presi-dent, Mohammed Morsi, who was later deposed after a mere one year

term due to the economic and po-litical instability during his regime. Since then, physical confrontations became increasingly prevalent be-tween pro-Morsi civilian protesters and anti-Morsi proponents. Despite the fact that Morsi´s presidency left Egypt more po-larized than ever, most Egyptians agree that the Constitution

should

be revised to better suit the country´s needs. The recent refer-endum, accounting for 38.6% of eligible voters, appears to show an overwhelming support of 98.1% for the newly drafted constitution which promised equality for men and women, freedom of belief, secular parties, and other basic rights. While there is vast support for

the drafting of a new constitu-tion, the Egyptian government has responded with force against op-ponents of the new constitution and regime. The government has ar-rested and detained journalists from organizations such as the Associ-ated Press and New York Times,

and issued traveling bans to at least 20 of the

government´s opponents.

Scholars are also kept

under close scru-tiny. Re-nowned political scientist Emad

Shahin re-ported that

prosecutors have filed espionage charges against him, mak-ing him the sec-ond such scholar to be arrested under

a crack-down on

regime oppo-nents this month.

Critics argue such censorship undermines

the promised democracy itself. Egypt is at a vulnerable point of political transition. It is thus difficult to predict the out-come of democracy in Egypt in the future. As for now, the world waits with bated breath to see a country reemerge.

On the 5th of December, South Africa, Africa and the interna-tional community lost a great hero to ‘blacks and whites.’ Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter, prisoner, moral compass and the figurehead of South Africa’s

struggle against racial oppression. Mandela changed South Africa and not only became a fatherly figure for every citizen, but also an international icon. His message of reconciliation, not vengeance,

inspired the world after he negoti-ated a peaceful end to segregation and urged forgiveness for the white government that imprisoned him. “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison,” Mandela said after he was freed in 1990.With thousands of people from around the world gathering to mourn and pay their respects, the memorial service honoured his promise and idealism, with South Africa’s current president, Jacob Zuma, saying “Our nation has lost its greatest son, our people have lost a father. What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.” Many vital global figures continued to echo the same sentiment; “We’ve lost one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this Earth,” Barack Obama, the president of

the United States, said. “He no longer belongs to us - he belongs to the ages.” Despite his fame and courageous acts in changing the world we live in, Mandela didn’t want to be remembered that way; “I would like to be remembered not as anyone unique or special, but as part of a great team in this country that has struggled for many years, for decades and even centuries,” he said. His philosophy of learning to love instead of hate made him one of the moral leaders of his era. “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion” he once wrote in his autobiography, “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for loves comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Mandela will be missed greatly by the world, but his legacy will be carried on by the people who follow in his footsteps and attempt to do even a fraction of the good he did.

Laya BatainehAmman Baccalaureate School Tara LechnerInternational School of the Hague

Mandela: a leader for more than South Africa

Austin Griffin

“Our nation has lost its greatest son, our people

have lost a father.”

-- Jacob Zuma president of South Africa

“When we were with the M23,” a recruit recalled, “they said (we had a choice) and could stay with them or die. Lots of people tried to escape. Some were found and then led immediately to their deaths.” M23 is a Tutsi rebel force named after March 23, 2009; on this day the Congolese government signed a peace agreement with a group that M23 once had been part of - the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). M23 has attributed its uprising to a general dissatisfaction over wages and living conditions under the Congolese government, but oth-ers claim that their motivations are not as innocent as proclaimed. The Congolese government pointed out that the rebellion may have been an act of defiance against the interna-tional community for pressuring the government to turn in Bosco Nta-ganda, the former leader of CNDP, to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Still others believe that the ultimate motivation of this rebel force is to seize control of the abundant minerals in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Navi Pillay, UN commissioner for Human Rights, accused 5 M23 leaders, of being “the worst perpe-trators of human rights violations in the DRC, or in the world.” M23 has been responsible for extensive war crimes ever since its initiation. Since June of 2013, the group has killed at least 15 civilians and raped at least 46 women and girls. Those

who resisted were killed on the spot. Others who denounced such acts of violence were threatened and targeted. Perhaps the most notorious action that the M23 has taken is their forced recruitment of regular citizens, abducting young and old. Those who defied such recruitment were subjected to sum-mary killing upon capture. Various M23 leaders, however, dismissed such accusations as Congolese government propaganda. In March 2013, the United Na-tions endorsed the creation of its first “offensive” combat team to “neutralise and disarm” M23 along with its domestic and foreign allies from neighbouring countries such

as Rwanda. UN Peace keepers in Congo were further authorized to take any “necessary action” to ensure citizen security and prevent any further advancements into the region of North Kivu. The international community hopes to see stronger and authori-tative action so that the M23’s atrocious human rights abuse in the Democratic Republic of Congo can finally be ended.

Egypt’s Arab Spring: social enthusiasm versus political vulnerability Alyssa HsuPacific American School

The growing chaos and the rise of M23

Alyssa HsuPacific American School

As the havoc wreaked by the M23 rebels continues, the Democratic Republic of the Congo hopes for foreign intervention

“They said [we had a choice] and could stay with them or die. Lots of people tried to escape. Some were found and then led immedi-

ately to their deaths.”

--A rectuit of the M23 Rebels

Jordan Leonard and Katelin Quanbeck

Turn to page 8 for Mandela Crossword

PAGE 7

OPENING CEREMONY

Austin Griffin, Chloe Hindes, Ffion Lavery, and Meredith Mannix

PAGE 8

MUNITY brings the answers to all the burning questions that plague our society. The informed delegate can now manoeuvre his or her way through the conference smoothly with this vital information from our very own delegates at the confer-ence.

What’s the most unfortunate thing that has happened since coming to the Netherlands?•“A bird pooped on my head, and subsequently, my heel broke.” (So much for the superstition that bird excrements are good luck)•70% of delegates stated that they have fallen or tripped with the most common sound to describe it being “*splat*.”

What new committee do we need to create for THIMUN 2015?•“Committee to Save Penguins [CTSP]. (Sub-committee: Penguin Rights).”•“Committee to Combat First World Problems. [CTCFWP]”

What’s the secret to looking smarter in committee?•“2 chainz *pulls out swag*.”

What’s the most embarrassing thing that could happen to a del-egate that you’ve seen?•“My pants fell off while I was at the podium.”•“I reprimanded someone for infor-mal attire… they turned out to be the lunch lady.”•“I couldn’t hear the delegates question so I said ‘yes.’”

What MUN pickup line should you use on a prospective target?•“Do you wanna go out on MUN-day?”•“I Ecuador you.”•“I’ll Czech your Republic.”•“Do you wanna merge?” •“Baby, Belize don’t go!”

Clues:

Across:2. African togetherness5. his promise and _____6. taught to _____7. Awarded in 19938. remembered as a _____9. his clan name10. learn to _____11. current South Afri-can president12. ____ in his foot-steps13. last significant other14. his fatherland

Down:1. his focus3. he was ____ in 19904. his message5. he is globally recog-nized as an _____8. “_____ of the na-tion”

puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com

Tara ParambiDhirubhai Ambani International School

How well do you know Mandela?For help See Mandela: A leader for more than South Africa on page 6

Fashion in the Forum“Fashion Fades, only style remains the same” - Coco Chanel

CTSP (Committee to Save Penguins) Sub-committee-Pen-guin Rights

Munity Photography