Giovonni Phillips Secretary-General 

Muhammad Khattak Chief of External Relations 

Brian Carmichael Under-Secretary-General 

Kevin Whiston Faculty Adviser 

John Heegle Faculty Adviser 

Chris Talamo EIM Program Manager 

 

WHISMUN 2018 HIGH SCHOOL FOR ENTERPRISE, 

BUSINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY 

FEBRUARY 2-3, 2018 

secretariat@whismun.org ∙ www.whismun.org 

Dear Distinguished Delegates,  Welcome to the 2018 WHISMUN Conference.           As your Secretary-General, I speak for myself and               our committee chairs in saying that we are looking                 forward to meeting you and hearing your ideas for                 solving the problems of the world.  Our staff is prepared to give you an amazing and                   memorable experience, but we will also need you               to bring your “A game.” Each delegate should               come to the conference with an understanding of               the committee topic as well their country’s             position. The preparation you put into           representing your country will be one of the first                 things that will make the conference a great one,                 and it will also be a great chance to reap the                     educational benefits of participating in Model           UN. We want to provide a good experience for all                   of the delegates and we’re hoping to our               conference, get as close to the conferences of the                 actual UN as possible and we’ll need you to put                   forth your best diplomat if we are to achieve this.   We have some educational resources on our             website at www.whismun.org, under the delegate           resources section, and encourage you to take a               look. We offer position paper guidelines, a link to                 a guide for beginners, useful research websites,             and the rules and procedures of each committee.  If you have any questions or concerns feel free to                   reach out to us! 

 

INTRODUCTION In an era, full of tribulations, the Syrian Crisis, a horror that only brings destruction is not                                 

taken very seriously. The crisis that started as a peaceful protest transformed into a revolution and                               

developed into a Civil War is now affecting almost the entire world. The innocent were forced to act                                   

barbarously in purpose of protection from the war as a whole. The children who know nothing but                                 

purity are forced to experience such terror; thousands of families are forced to flee due to vicious                                 

factors and are not accepted by other countries. For such reason, a solution must be met for the                                   

sake of the innocent and good.   

 

   

TOPIC HISTORY Lack of Human Rights 

The human rights situation in Syria has long been the subject of harsh critiques from global                               

organizations. The rights of free expression, association and assembly were strictly controlled by                         

Syrian government even before the uprising. Initially, the lack of freedom from furious citizens                           

mostly due to economic woes from the Syrian government led to the hunger of protest. The Arab                                 

Spring that led to successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt energized and gave hope to Syrian                               

pro-democracy activists. The protests that progressed into aggressive revolutions had one common                       

goal: ending corruption.  

Division of Sects 

Although the initial protests in 2011 were mostly non-sectarian, armed conflict led to the                           

emergence of starker sectarian divisions. Minority religious groups tend to support the Assad                         

government, while the overwhelming majority of opposition fighters are Sunni Muslims. Most                       

Syrians are Sunni Muslims, but Syria's security establishment has long been dominated by members                           

of the Alawite sect; of which Assad is a member. The division of sects is one of the causes that                                       

ignited the crisis. Nevertheless, other minorities such as christians are also greatly affected. Syria has                             

numerous religious groups with lots of tension which played a significant role of initiating the                             

protests.   

Economic Issues 

Between 2006 and 2010, Syrians experienced one of the worst droughts in the country’s                           

modern history, which left frustrated families to struggle. In the late phases of 2010, Syria faced                               

economic troubles that crippled the economy and left many Syrians struggling. As a result, Syrians                             

began to protests with hopes of improvement to the economy after droughts and unemployment hit                             

the country. The country was in a state of recession. The situation quickly transformed from an                               

economic horror into a social and political catastrophe. The protests which started in March 2011                             

later grew and transformed into a revolution after the government used force to tackle them. 

Political Issues  

The people protested to highlight their struggles to the government and instead of answering                           

them by hope, the Syrian government gave them more series of horrors. The last thing that the                                 

people expected to happen was having a government that kills its own people for protesting                             

peacefully, for opposing corruption, and for standing up for themselves. In response, the protests                           

shifted to a revolution and transformed into a Civil War.  

From the beginning stages of the Civil War, Syrians were already aligning themselves with                           

either the rebels or the Syrian government. Each side has a different point of view of the war and a                                       

different understanding as to whether their actions are appropriate. On one hand, the Syrian                           

government believes that the protests that caused the war were not as peaceful as the media                               

portrayed; they also argued that the people never quite had the patience for them to take appropriate                                 

actions. On the other hand, Syrian rebels believe their government does not quite care about their                               

struggles and are not concerned about fixing them. Syrian rebels also believe that Bashar Al-Assad,                             

the longtime leader of Syria, is a bloodthirsty tyrant whose rule has lost its legitimacy and must step                                   

down to make way for a peaceful, democratic transition. The rebels also believe it is their right to                                   

revolt because they are suffering greatly this chaos.  

Different Sides of the War 

The Syrian Civil War does not only involve the Syrian government and the rebels, rather it                               

involves powerful countries taking sides in the war. Like most Syrians who aligned themselves with                             

either the rebels or the Syrian government, powerful foreign countries have also done the same. By                               

the summer of 2011, Syria’s regional neighbors and the global powers had both begun to split into                                 

pro- and anti-Assad camps. 

Led by the United States of America, countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom,                           

Germany, France, Turkey, Israel, Australia, Italy, Poland, The United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada                         

and more are against the Assad regime and are willing to fight. According to the BBC news, such                                   

countries are very supportive of the rebels and are funding them, especially the United States. On                               

the Assad side Iran, Bolivia, Egypt, and China and Russia support Assad. Although Russia is                             

Syrian’s strongest ally, many countries supply military support and economic aid.   

CURRENT STATUS 

The Syrian conflict is very viscous because it involves many powerful nations that may get                             

aggressive at any point. As a matter of fact, the United States along with its allies have lots of                                     

tension with Russia and its allies as the two support two opposite sides of the conflict. As Assad and                                     

his forces are killing Syrians and using chemical weapons, the United States is backing up the rebels                                 

to fight him and indirectly fight his greatest allies, Russia and Iran.  

The fight between the Syrian government and Syrian rebels was mainly through the use of                             

small arms and light weapons, artillery, and armored warfare on the ground. The Syrian government                             

was known to have possessed some degree of chemical weapons munitions in the past, but early                               

international appraisals of the Syrian conflict specifically condemned the use of such weapons. In                           

late August, however, reports surfaced that such weapons had indeed been used, although on what                             

scale and by what side was contested. According to an investigative committee of the UN, victims of                                 

the August 21 attack in the Ghouta area of Damascus reported experiencing artillery shelling                           

followed by uncommon symptoms, which resulted in death or grave illness. These signs were                           

consistent with a chemical weapons attack, and it was indeed the report of the investigative mission                               

in their September 2013 statement to the Secretary General that chemical weapons were deployed                           

against civilians, including children, in the Ghouta area. 

On April 7, 2017 4:40 a.m, Syria time, 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from U.S. Navy                               

destroyers slammed into Shayrat Airfield. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the missile                         

targeted an important Syrian military base and the source of the nerve gas attack which killed dozens                                 

of civilians days before at Khan Sheikhoun. The response from China, led by Russia, who                             

strengthened the anti-ballistic missiles in Syria to better equip the Syrian government and indirectly                           

fight the United States.  

Combating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) 

Another major reason why the foreign countries are engaging                 

their forces in Syria is the expansion of terrorism. The Islamic                     

State expanded by seizing the assets and materials available in                   

any area they controlled. The most important liquid assets                 

stolen by ISIS, in this case cash, were taken from a series of                         

Iraqi banks. ISIS’s seizures totalled over $70 million in 2005. However, their revenue increased                           

dramatically to 1.89 billion in 2014 by controlling oil wells and even taxing people who are forced to                                   

live in their territories; allowing them to sell and buy materials. Their possession of millions upon                               

millions of dollars allows the Islamic State to offer a life full of good food and water for Iraqis and                                       

Syrians who are struggling and a chance to take revenge on the government that forced them to live                                   

without the essentials of living, water, and food.   

The Islamic State is known for their torturing and inhuman actions; many of its members are                               

driven to violence by extreme         

beliefs who often force       

innocent individuals to join       

and at times convince them.         

Battling terrorism is very       

complex because ISIS     

members blend in with innocent civilians; ISIS members are among the most trained and equipped                             

soldiers, but they do not have advanced air strikes. For such reason, the United States along with                                 

Russia and other foreign countries         

are mainly attacking the Islamic         

State by air strikes. Most attacks           

have been carried out by US           

aircraft, but those from Australia,         

Belgium, Denmark, France,     

Jordan, the Netherlands and the         

UK have also taken part. In Syria, the air campaign began in September 2014. Since then, almost                                 

14,00 strikes have been carried out by coalition forces, which included foreign countries from both                             

sides. However, foreign countries have had difficulty in the past working together. Russia warned                           

the US coalition that it would treat its aircraft as targets after the US shot down a Syrian military                                     

plane during the assault on the Syrian city of Raqqa. The incident led to a suspension of                                 

communications between the two sides aimed at avoiding clashes in the air.  

Comparing 2014 and today, it is clear that ISIS had lost lots of possessions, but they have                                 

millions upon millions of dollars in cash which means they are not over yet and their power,                                 

although weakened, will be back at any time. They will continue to hide in places and brainwash                                 

people little by little until they expand once again. To prevent further empowerment of ISIS,                             

powerful countries need to act now.   

Although the threat of terrorism is affecting the world as a whole, it is much more severe in                                   

countries surrounding Syria.     

Whether through expansion or       

fleeing from a battle, members         

of the Islamic State will         

potentially escape to neighboring       

countries. If any country allows         

it to prosper without detecting it, the Islamic State will eventually conquer it. 

Refugees 

Surviving Syrians are now either refugees or fighters; either way they are struggling.                         

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) figures, there are in                           

total over nine million Syrians at-risk. As the situation stands, the civilian population has been                             

decimated by the Syrian Civil War, and while a large percentage of those remaining are being assisted                                 

by UNHCR, the organization is not all encompassing. Meanwhile, Syria faces a massive food, water,                             

and medicine shortage, and basic healthcare has become virtually inaccessible throughout the                       

country. Further, the February 2014 UNHRC report cites slaughter of non-combatants, executions                       

without due process of law, detainment without cause, torture, and gender discrimination as only                           

some of the practices on all sides of the conflict that need to be immediately addressed. 

BLOC POSITIONS 

Lebanon 

In the beginning stages of the war, civilians fled to nearby countries, especially Lebanon and                             

Jordan. Nearly 1.6 million refugees are concentrated in nearby Lebanon, which shares a large border                             

with southwestern Syria and whose refugee numbers now make up nearly a quarter of the Lebanese                               

population. The UNHCR estimates that it requires an additional USD 1 billion for the continuation                             

of refugee operations; funding that currently is not in the budget. Many of the first refugees to leave                                   

in 2011 legally crossed into Lebanon and Jordan to establish themselves in new communities. By                             

August 2012, the number of refugees had risen to 200,000, exceeding the UNHCR’s estimate of                             

185,000 for the entire year. Furthermore, Lebanon has a population of only four million, but had                               

received an estimated 400,000 refugees by early 2013, of which only 75% are officially registered. As                               

of September 2013, the number of Syrian refugees is said to have reached 700,000; now                             

approximately one in five people in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee. Syrian refugees now make up an                                 

estimated 10% of Lebanon’s population. Unfortunately, Amid Lebanon’s already struggling                   

economy, the refugees search for job opportunities and housing has angered some local host                           

communities. This has resulted in increased tension, some violence, and patrols by the Lebanese                           

Army. As the government of Lebanon does not officially recognize the Syrian refugees who have                             

moved into its country, the refugees have had to fend for themselves. Many families are currently                               

living in small tents, and these tents are their only form of shelter.  

Despite internal pressure and even funding offers from UNHCR, Lebanon has refused to                         

establish any official refugee camps in its territory for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees.                               

Almost half of the refugees in Lebanon are unregistered, and without any kind of government                             

support, they are forced to live in slums, parks, and garages. The UNHCR had made an effort to                                   

provide two mobile clinics in northern Lebanon have brought care to several refugee communities,                           

helping over 10,000 refugees. Additionally, over 115,000 refugees in Lebanon are children, creating                         

the need for social and psychological counseling, education, healthcare, and more. 

Jordan 

Jordan has a long history of receiving refugees from Arab countries. Over 300,000                         

Palestinian refugees currently live in camps throughout Jordan. Though it is evident that the                           

government is accustomed to dealing with refugees, the scope and acute onset of the Syrian crisis                               

threatens to overwhelm the Jordanian government resources. The government has a strained budget,                         

and it would need an estimated USD 180 million to support a refugee population of 120,000, an                                 

amount significantly less than the over 500,000 that had arrived by July 2012. The Jordanian                             

government has received USD 150 million directly from the World Bank, in addition to many                             

individual contributions from Western countries. Much of this financial assistance is directed                       

towards administration and providing facilities in the refugee camps, but a significant amount is also                             

devoted to public resources for affected local communities.   

While the government of Jordan and many of the citizens were open to accepting Syrians in                               

early 2011, public sentiment began to shift by mid-2012. One opinion poll in July 2012 found that                                 

65% of Jordanians were against accepting more Syrian refugees, while 86% felt it would be better                               

for the refugees to remain in camps rather than to integrate themselves into Jordanian communities.                             

As more refugees are becoming permanent resident, the need of supplies increase dramatically. 

The overwhelming majority of refugees do not carry passports and are therefore technically                         

crossing the border illegally; many of them also have no documented refugee status and therefore do                               

not qualify for aid. Many refugees in Jordan are deciding to return to Syria, sometimes as many as                                   

400 refugees returning per day. A major factor that convinced them of leaving is poverty and                               

undesirable living conditions in the camps. Additionally, FSA victories in certain towns and villages                           

lead refugees to believe it may be safe to return to their homes. Some Syrians, particularly young                                 

men, feel a responsibility to join the FSA and help liberate Syria. 

COMMITTEE MISSION 

This Security Council’s overarching goal is to re-establish normalcy in Syria via a                         

broad-reaching peace plan satisfying all Syrian parties involved but most of all the average Syrian                             

citizen. All fighting between the Syrian government and Syrian rebels and the accompanying                         

epidemic of spiralling violence and illegal activities must be brought to an immediate end. All of the                                 

powerful nations and blocs directly involved in this crisis must settle their affairs and work together                               

to restore a sincere peace in Syria. Concomitantly, the committee must address the Syrian refugee                             

issue, as millions of Syrians are internally displaced and millions more have been struggling to                             

survive in neighboring countries. Involved nations must aim to stabilize this situation which for                           

obvious reasons can easily unravel the best of peace agreements. Finally, this committee must aim                             

to eliminate as a threat to regional peace the remaining ISIS forces and infrastructure. 

RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

1. Will the Russian-brokered peace treaty be enough in Syria? 

 

2. How will peace be enforced if Assad stays in power? 

 

3. What will the groups or countries supporting the Assad regime, and those opposing it,                           

secede from the peace plan? 

 

4. How will the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) decisively come to an end? 

 

5. What will the future of Syria look like? 

 

6. Who are the allies of your specific country? 

 

7. What solution(s) has your country or the allies of your country try to implement? Did those                               

solutions have a positive impact?   

WORKS CITED Aisch, Gregor, et al. “Which Countries Support and Which Oppose the U.S. Missile Strikes in 

Syria.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 Apr. 2017.  

Axe, David. “Russia Is Launching Twice as Many Airstrikes has the U.S. in Syria.” The Daily Beast, 

The Daily Beast Company, 23 Feb. 2016.  

Calamur, Krishnadev. “Who Are Syria's Friends And Why Are They Supporting Assad?” NPR, 

NPR, 28 Aug. 2013, Fantz, Ashley. “War on ISIS: Who's Doing What?” CNN, Cable News 

Network, 27 Nov. 2015.  

Gould, Michael Kranz and Skye. “These Maps Show How Drastically ISIS Territory Has Shrunk 

since Its Peak.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 24 Oct. 2017. 

“Islamic State and the Crisis in Iraq and Syria in Maps.” BBC News, BBC, 28 Nov. 2017. 

Vasilyeva, Nataliya, and Bassem Mroue. “Putin, Assad Meet in Russia to Talk Possible Peace 

Initiatives in Syrian Civil War.” Thestar.com, 21 Nov. 2017.