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SECURITY COUNCIL

UNI – 2

1. Protection of civilians in armed conflicts

2. The situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the

Congo

3. Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

Change the World Model United Nations

NYC 2019

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Welcome Letter

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Security Council II Committee of CWMUN 2019.

As your Chairman and Director, we are looking forward to meeting you and hearing your ideas

for solving international problems.

The United Nations (UN) depends on the cooperation and goodwill of its 193 member States.

Because each state has unique interest and concerns, it is challenging to write, negotiate, and pass

resolutions. Every stage of the process demands creativity and diplomacy.

We will do our best to help you to understand parliamentary procedure and to ensure that views of

all delegates are heard and respected.

All the best,

Your Director and Chairperson.

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Topic I: Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts

1: Introduction:

The protection of civilians is primarily the obligation and responsibility of the state to whose

jurisdiction they are subject.

The subject of this topic is urgent. The conflicts in countries such as Congo, Syria, Iraq, Yemen

and Libya have led to unacceptably high numbers of civilian causalities; in besieged cities the

warring parties are denying the humanitarian aid for the local population and recently there have

been attacks on civilian areas such as hospitals and schools.

In this topic we will talk about the situation in above mentioned countries and how civilians are

acting in order to protect themselves in these circumstances, in this topic we will deal with the

changed nature of armed conflicts: urbanization, increasing complexity, and the use of social

media.

2- Background/History:

Civilian protection started to emerge after the devastating events of World War II, in this account,

what occurred before 1945 is of little consequence, In what follows, though, information can be

found by looking back at the decades preceding the start of the Second World War, and outside jus

in bello discussions, we might see that the historical origins of the norm are older, and surely

broader, than often thought.

Conventionally, the idea of protecting civilians from the effects of war, or from even being a target

of the war, would originate in the aftermath of World War II. At best, for those who know about

it, the attempt by the International Committee of the Red Cross to set up in 1929 a Commission on

the treatment of civilians, might be seen as a precursor – though the correlative Conference held

in Tokyo in 1934 is described as a failure, given the international environment of the time. After

all, as much of the existing scholarship in Political Theory, Legal Theory, and politics tells us,

while the moral and conceptual roots of protecting non-combatant populations are old and date

back to the origins of Just War Theory, in the 19th century, when the Laws of War were codified,

not much was mentioned on the matter.

In the following years the United Nations passed several resolutions dealing with crimes against

humanity and genocide, but it was in 1948 that two main documents touching upon the rights and

the protection of (though not exclusively) civilian populations were ratified: the Genocide

Convention and the Declaration of Human Rights. Crucially, in 1949 the norm of civilian

protection took full form, as it was codified in what came to be the Fourth Geneva Convention,

The conventions put a constraint on state behavior whilst generating a set of expectations to

regulate how states should treat civilians. Civilian protection was further fostered in 1977, as two

Protocols were added to the 1949 texts, dealing specifically with non-combatant populations in

international, colonial and domestic armed conflicts.

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3- Relevant International Actions:

The UN was the first international entity to make official reports regarding the protection of

civilians in armed conflicts here you can find Security Council's First Report about Protection of

civilians in armed conflict.

1. A partially similar source from the UNSC related to the all aspects of protection of

civilians in the armed conflicts. 1

2. The UN Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council on the protection of

civilians in armed conflict. 2

3. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) statement to UN Security Council open

debate on protection of civilians in armed conflict. 3

4. A policy recommendation by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of

Humanitarian Affairs “5 ways to better protect civilians in conflict zones”. 4

4- Possible Solutions:

Member States should take advantage of the technical services of United Nations bodies and other

appropriate organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to support the

incorporation of these international instruments into national law, to develop strong national

institutions charged with the dissemination, monitoring and enforcement of these instruments and

to establish systematic training programs for armed forces and police in international humanitarian,

human rights and refugee law, including child rights and gender related provisions

5- Conclusion:

To conclude, the protection of civilians in armed conflict should be taken in consideration more

by international humanitarian organizations to help promote peace and stability within less

developed countries and help prevent any intention of armed or ethnic conflicts to protect civilians

from abuse and decrease civilian casualties.

1 This is a report by the UNSC for the importance of the protection of civilians.

2 A debate conducted by the government of Poland about the protection of civilians

3 International debate by the international committee of red crisis about protection of civilians

4 OCHA report on ways to protect civilians In armed conflict

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Topic II: The protection of civilians in armed conflict

The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo

1. Introduction:

The civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has affected thousands of families and

created a deteriorating humanitarian situation. A brutal clash between groups has had very serious

consequences for people: many have been killed, wounded, or traumatized, villages have been

burned and fields are destroyed and there has been massive population displacement. Despite the

desperate needs of the communities and the growing risk of starvation, humanitarian organizations

are struggling to get through, mainly because of the lack of security, passable roads and funding.

Eastern DRC has been plagued by armed conflict involving national and foreign-armed groups

and forces for over 20 years. The majority of fighting forces have recruited and used children, and

most armed groups still exploit boys and girls today. After signing an Action Plan with the UN in

2012, the Congolese government has virtually stopped enlisting children into its armed forces,

although many of its soldiers continue to use girls for sexual and domestic purpose. Children

continue to be recruited and used by numerous armed groups in DRC. Girls are often used as

‘wives’ and sexually abused by their commanders and other soldiers. Although a third of all

children associated with armed groups in DRC are thought to be girls, they make up only about 7

% of children released to date.

2. Statement of issue:

Since April 2012, with the emergence of the M23 armed group, mostly composed of ex-CNDP members

of the FARDC who defected from the army, the security situation throughout eastern Congo has

considerably deteriorated particularly in North Kivu owing to fighting between this group and the FARDC.

The new wave of fighting forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their home between April and

July 2012. On 15 November 2012, following three months of de facto ceasefire between the M23 and

FARDC, fighting broke out some 25 km in the North of Goma, around Kibumba. Both the UN and FARDC

were overrun and the M23 took Goma on 20 November. The M23 further seized control of other towns in

the west of Goma. There are still more than 50 different armed groups operating in the eastern borderlands.

Many of these are not well organized, leaving two rebel groups as the major threat for the country’s stability.

3. History:

Following the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 against the Tutsis and moderate Hutus, in which an estimated

800,000 Tutsis were killed, over 2 million Rwandan Hutus fled the Tutsi rebellion into the DRC, then called

the Republic of Zaire, and sought refuge in camps, mostly in the two Congolese Kivu provinces in the east.

In November 1996, Rwanda and Uganda as well as a Congolese rebellion led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila

brutally dismantled the refugee camps to chase down the remaining suspected perpetrators of the genocide

thought to be hiding there. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that only seven

per cent of these refugees were involved in the genocide. These elements later contributed to creating the

Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) armed group, which remained on Congolese

territory. The political crisis that led to the collapse of the Democratic Republic of Congo began in the early

1990s in then-Zaire. The disastrous economic policies and personal largesse pursued by the Mobutist

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regime had bankrupted the state, while external and internal pressure for political reforms yielded the first

strong civilian opposition movement.

4. Relevant International Actions:

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the ICRC promotes respect for international

humanitarian law in the treatment of civilians and detainees and helps those adversely affected by

conflict and internal violence to survive and become self-sufficient. (ICRC stands for international

committee of Red Cross). Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo

(FARDC) – Action plans on recruitment and use of children and sexual violence – 4 Oct

2012 *Delisted in 2017 following compliance with Action Plan to end and prevent the recruitment

and use of children. Action Plan on ending and preventing sexual violence against children under

implementation. The majority of activities being labelled “protection” by the humanitarian

community are focused on providing services and support to victims, or more generally to the

population affected by the violence. This includes food aid, medical aid (including to the many

survivors of SGBV), psycho-social support, education support, IDP camp support, small income-

generation projects, and many other service and capacity-building activities. These services aim

to reduce the suffering and assist the survival of those affected by violence. They are not aimed at

changing the dynamics of violence or the behavior of the perpetrators

Relevant Actions taken by the UN:

1. Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in

armed conflict. 5

2. Strengthening the Rule of Law and Protection of Civilians in the Democratic Republic of

the Congo. 6

3. Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2409 (2018), Security Council Extends Mission in

Democratic Republic of Congo until 31 March 2019

4. Assessing threats armed conflicts post to civilians in DRC

5. International Legal Protection of Human Rights in Armed Conflicts. 7

5 There is growing recognition that respect for international humanitarian law and human rights

law contributes to reducing conflict and countering terrorism.

6 From late 2008 onwards, the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic

of the Congo (MONUC) had increasingly been mandated to support FARDC operations against

armed groups as a means of contributing to the protection of civilians. 7 https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/HR_in_armed_conflict.pdf

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5. Analysis:

The police and armed groups in DRC commits rape, torture, arbitrary and abusive use, which ranks the

DRC as one of the most dangerous countries in the world with multiple executions. Yet, Congo has

potential to be one of the richest countries in the Africa. Unfortunately, Congo has the lowest human

development index with weak state structure, poverty, corruption, and weak governance. Foreign and

local groups are often fighting for power, natural resources and the division of ethnicity and ethnic

groups. This often leaves poor or less powerful people in need for shelter. Children are often abused

and violated by their own rights within these armed conflicts. According the UN convention on children

protection from assault or abuse states that children should be granted their own consent and rights and

be protected from any armed conflict. What remains to be the problem in Congo until now is the weak

governance that leads to division between people and ethnicities that leaves the country living in

extreme poverty.

6. Possible Solutions:

1. Develop facilities and somehow institutions in less developed countries such as Congo

that would spread awareness and collect as much conflicted people as they can and

serve them with what they need as basic human beings to live.

2. These facilities should be funded by international organizations that aim to promote

peace and stability within conflicted areas and also help develop the rights for an

individual.

3. Conducting also such institutions however not for children but for adults and people

participating in the armed conflicts and spread awareness on the negatives and casualty

that results from such chaos

4. Education, sensitization, income generation or other projects may serve to distract some

young men from joining armed groups, for instance, but not very many. As long as

armed group leaders are benefitting politically and economically from violence, they

are going to be able to find men who will work for them. And as long as key Rwandan

actors see their support for Congolese armed groups as bringing greater benefits than

costs, their intervention will continue.

5. Decentralization of government in order to fight corrupted system

7. Bloc positions:

● Middle East: A key element in MENA’s security profile is the aftermath of the 2011 ‘Arab

Spring’. Five years on, it is only in Tunisia that the flowers bloom, although the country’s

path to a stable democracy remains fraught with risk

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1. Syria: The war in Syria has resulted in the displacement of half the population—over 4.8

million as international refugees and over 6.3 million as internally displaced persons—and

the death of over 400 000, although there are no reliable casualty statistics. Amid the

complex array of contending forces in Syria, in 2016 the balance of power tilted quite

sharply in favour of President Bashar al-Assad as a result of three important developments:

the Russian air campaign in support of the Syrian Government, combined with ground force

support from Iran and Hezbollah.

2. Libya: Libya ended 2016 still mired in the chaotic aftermath of the 2011 civil war and

international intervention, and still seeking a pathway to stability and security for its

citizens.

Conclusion:

To conclude, the issue of armed conflict has been going on for several years now varying from

one country to another. It is highly important to focus on the solutions and possible defense that

countries can take or prepare to prevent armed conflict and the abuse of civilians within these

conflicts. International actions by the UN and other related human rights organizations must be

taken in order to promote peace and stability between countries even the poorest of them such as

Congo.

Topic III- Non-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

1-Introduction:

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), a collective term for chemical, biological, and nuclear

weapons. The term, or its acronym, entered common usage after the September 11th 2001 terrorist

attack on the United States, representing dangers of proliferation that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq

regime possessed and was willing to use weapons of mass destruction was one of the main

justifications for the US and UK decisions to attack Iraq in 2003.

2-History/Background of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons:

In 1965, the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee, the predecessor of the Conference on

Disarmament, began in Geneva consideration of a draft nuclear nonproliferation treaty. The

Committee completed its negotiations in 1968, and on July 1, 1968, the Nuclear Non-

Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was opened for signature. The NPT entered into force on March 5,

1970, with 43 Parties, including three of the five nuclear-weapon states: the former Soviet

Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1995, the Review and Extension

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Conference of the NPT, held under the presidency of Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri

Lanka, decided without a vote to extend the Treaty indefinitely.

3- Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT):

The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear

weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy

and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of

disarmament by the nuclear weapon States. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into

force in 1970. On 11 May 1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 191 States have

joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States. More countries have ratified the NPT

than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty’s

significance.

The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and an

essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the spread

of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear disarmament and general and complete

disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

To further the goal of non-proliferation and as a confidence-building measure between States

parties, the Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the International

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Safeguards are used to verify compliance with the Treaty through

inspections conducted by the IAEA. The Treaty promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful

nuclear technology and equal access to this technology for all States parties, while safeguards

prevent the diversion of fissile material for weapons use.

The provisions of the Treaty, particularly article VIII, paragraph 3, envisage a review of the

operation of the Treaty every five years, a provision which was reaffirmed by the States parties at

the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference. The 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons, ended without the adoption of a consensus substantive outcome. After a successful 2010

Review Conference at which States parties agreed to a final document which included conclusions

and recommendations for follow-on actions, including the implementation of the 1995 Resolution

on the Middle East, the 2015 outcome constitutes a setback for the strengthened review process

instituted to ensure accountability with respect to activities under the three pillars of the Treaty as

part of the package in support of the indefinite extension of the Treaty in 1995.

4-Relevant Actions taken by the UN:

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1. Security Council Resolution 1540, which was adopted in 2004 on Non-proliferation of

WMDs. 8

2. Need to Preserve Global Non-Proliferation Regime Stressed in Security Council as Heads

of State, Government Level Accusations over Violations. 9

1. SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON NON-PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS

OF MASS DESTRUCTION, JUNE 2017. 10

2. Another useful source from the UNSC reports regarding the non-proliferation of weapons

of mass destruction. It includes all the relevant discussions in the UNSC regarding the

non-proliferation of WMDs. 11

3. Meeting on Non-proliferation, Security Council Members Voice Grave Concern over

Rapid Increase in Chemical Weapon Attacks. 12

4. An Organization of Security and Cooperation of Europe’s reports on its activities related

to Non-proliferation of WMDs. 13

5-Analysis:

The 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the emergence of Islamic States (ISIS) were alarming the world

about the importance and need for further attempts related to non-proliferation of weapons of Mass

Destruction. Additionally, the 2003 war on Iraq by the US and UK was a consequence of potential

nuclear threat from the Sadam Hussein, the former president of Iraq. The same issue had been

arisen with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear program; the US and its allies, particularly Israel,

have accused Iran for possessing nuclear weapons, which seems a threat to the efforts of

international community for a sustainable peace in the Middle East. Moreover, the issue of peace

in Korean peninsula, and a Korea without nuclear weapons is another challenge for the world to

overcome, because the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (North Korea) regime has

threatened its neighboring countries, who are ally of the US, by possessing nuclear weapons.

Another, issue that makes the non-proliferation of WMD’s critical is the accusation of use of

8 UN office for disarmament affairs, A resolution by the security council in 2004.

9 Preserve of global non-proliferation regime.

10 A debate by the Security Council on the on the non-proliferation of WMD in 2007.

11 UN report on the non-proliferation of WMD.

12 Security Council concern on the use of chemical weapon attacks

13 Organization for security and cooperation in Europe.

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chemical weapons by Bashar-al Asad’s regime in 2013, which had affected on at least 1400

civilians’ life.

6-Conclusion:

As the Weapons of Mass Destruction is a challenge to the world, it is essential that all the

perspective member states of the UN have a collective effort to apply the 1540 resolution related

to non-proliferation of WMDs. The UNSC as the main UN agency concerned to the peace and

security, should review the implication of 1540 resolution, and request the member states to help

the enforcement of it.

Bibliography:

Topic One: Protection of civilian in armed conflicts:

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/protection-of-civilians/

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2018-05-22/secretary-generals-remarks-security-council-

protection-civilians

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/icrc-statement-un-security-council-open-debate-protection-civilians-

armed-conflict

https://www.unocha.org/story/5-ways-better-protect-civilians-conflict-zones

Topic two: protection of civilians in armed conflict; case of Democratic republic

Of Congo

https://www.crin.org/en/library/publications/armed-conflict-highlight-democratic-republic-congo

https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker#!/conflict/violence-in-the-democratic-republic-of-

congo

https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/africa/democratic-republic-congo

https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/tools-for-action/action-plans

https://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/africa/democratic-republic-congo/congo-civil-war

https://www.child-soldiers.org/democratic-republic-of-congo

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Relevant actions :

https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2018-05-22/secretary-generals-remarks-security-

council-protection-civilians

https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/strengthening-rule-of-law-and-protection-of-civilians-democratic-

republic-of-congo

https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13265.doc.htm

https://www.unv.org/our-stories/assessing-threats-armed-conflicts-pose-civilians-drc

https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/HR_in_armed_conflict.pdf

https://www.uneca.org/sites/default/files/PublicationFiles/conflits_in_drc_eng_25sept_rev1.pdf

Topic three: Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

https://www.sipri.org/yearbook/2017/03

https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/

http://unrcpd.org/wmd/the-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty/

Relevant Actions reports:

http://unrcpd.org/wmd/1540-2/

https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13524.doc.htm

https://www.peacewomen.org/security-council/security-council-open-debate-non-proliferation-weapons-

mass-destruction-june-2017

https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/non-proliferation/

https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13292.doc.htm

https://www.osce.org/forum-for-security-cooperation/107436