Term Paper on "United Nations Peacekeeping Missions"

Term Paper 10 pages (3988 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

United Nations Peacekeeping Missions

The initiators of the United Nations in 1945 laid down the maintenance of peace and security as one among its three primary objectives. The UN Security Council has the necessary power to undertake military peacemaking action against the concerned government regime. But any such proposal is capable of being barred by any one of the permanent members. As a result of this the UN-led international military peacemaking interference has only occurred two times during 1950-53, against North Korea and in 1991, in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. But the UN has been livelier in a smaller magnitude, peacekeeping activity. Ever since 1948 there occurred about 52 peacekeeping missions, associated with more than three quarters of a million soldiers and civilian police and entailing about 1600 UN casualties. At the inception of new millennium, there existed dynamic UN peacekeeping missions in 17 states. Interference by UN peacekeepers peculiarly results after a ceasefire has been agreed to by the competing forces in an international or internal rivalry and there is a peace to keep. (Peacekeeping through UN) mission requires the sanction of the government in the country to which in which it is to be deployed and its basic job is to ensure maintenance of the ceasefire and its terms. Other jobs involve maintenance of public order and assisting with administrative, political, social and economic reconstruction. As an unbiased force, moving the legitimacy of the international community as a whole, the UN mission can generate a crucial breathing space, enabling an enduring peace to be built. The costs incurred in the process of peace keeping are to be funded by the UN member states by means of an agreed formula that extensively relates to the wealth of a nation. The rise in UN mission during the 1990s was partly the result of removal of the Soviet veto over activities in Cold War divergence areas remarkably Africa. It was also occurred remarkably in Balkan and Caucasus regions in course of the collapse of communism in Europe in 1989 and the formation of new nation states, as a result of uprising in ethnic and religious rivalries. Another element was the enhanced dynamism of UN Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, Boutros-Ghalli, and Kofi Anan those laid great importance to preventive diplomacy, along with pre-emptive troop deployments to discourage hostilities. (Peacekeeping through UN)

UN peacekeeping mission has several stories of success. The peacekeeping missions by the United Nations at the time of Cold War were normally very effective. The UN peacekeepers normally took steps implement a treaty and schedule to isolate the conflicting parties and execute an earlier agreed upon peace accord. The illustrations of effective UN peacekeeping missions during the Cold War incorporate the United Nations Angola Verification Mission - UNAVEM I, the United Nations Transition Assistance Group - UNTAG, and the United Nations Observer Group in Central America - ONUCA, UNAVEM I, UNTAG and ONUCA were so effective as a result of the earlier agreed upon peace agreements, the clear mission objectives, concise enter and exist schedules and stringent adherence to the neutrality by the peacekeepers themselves. The UNAVEM I propounded the groundwork for the success of UNTAG. UNAVEM I permitted for the detachment and withdrawal of all Cuban forces from Angola. The regulated withdrawal of all Cuban forces from Angola by UN military observers was backed by the political pressure of the U.S. And USSR. (Peacekeeping in Interstate vs. International Conflicts)

Along with the removal of the Cuban forces the governments of Angola, Cuba and South Africa reach a deal for a peace agreement. The new peace agreement to be enforced by United Nations Peacekeepers, and vetted by the Security Council would implement the arguments and schedules for the termination of the South West African People Organization, free elections and unified armed forces. The UN peacekeeping attempts are forced to a slow initiation as a result of the delays in services reaching in the country. As a result of this the renewed struggle is initiated between the fighting factions. But the negotiations were quite capable of banning the fighting and the peace agreement was capable of deterring the struggle and the peace negotiations were able to bring back the treaties on its approach. The UNTAG was capable of effectively enforcing the ceasefire between the forces of South Africa and SWAPO and evaluate the impartial and independent elections. UNTAG promised the diplomatically consensus settings for building Namibia were implemented. As a result of the fair and impartial implementation of the peace agreement by UN forces the UNAVEM I and UNAG missions were totally effective. (Peacekeeping in Interstate vs. International Conflicts)

An effective UN peacekeeping mission is considered to be one with having a clear and practicable mandate and with the continuous support of associating states and cooperation from the conflicting parties. An illustration of the effective mission was the UN Observer Mission in El Salvador -- ONUSAL of 1991-95, which administered the restoration of the democracy after prolonged civil war. (Peacekeeping through UN) While the United Nations assess the peacekeeping operations, it can indicate to the all round success of its missions in Cambodia. The enormous UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia - UNTAC assisted to reconstruct a nation devastated by a brutal dictatorship and a dozen years of civil war. The UN peacekeeping force was removed after organizing free elections that put a coalition government in position. Irrespective of the circumstances are quite different in each of the cases something transparently went right with the UN's Cambodia mission. Never prior to this in history has the United Nations been so vigorously engaged and so widely anticipated to react to the needs of both immediate and pervasive. (UN Peacekeeping Missions: The Lessons from Cambodia)

In several instances the advent of UN peacekeeping mission is considered as a symbol of resolving the prevailing conflicts, as the case with East Timor. In respect of some other instances it is regarded as a symbol of international acknowledgement to an effective regional peacekeeping effort, as was the case with Burundi where the African Union had a pioneer effort in administering peace and increased security. In other respects like Ethiopia and Eritrea, the existence of a UN peacekeeping operation is assisting to maintain - over a long period of time - a peace that is hazardously fragile. In absence of the experience and determination of UN peacekeeping personnel there could well be a back to hostility. In all instances the presence of UN peacekeepers in general is a symbol of the credibility and effectiveness of United Nation in maintaining normalcy in respect of peace, security and stability in the areas affected by unrest, violence and fear. (UK committed to UN-Mandated Peacekeeping) in the circumstances where the civic structures have collapsed apart, peacekeeping missions assist in the reconstruction of necessary institutions. To illustrate, in Haiti and Bosnia and Herzegovina, peacekeepers educated police officers to be fair and to regard the human rights of the people.

In Namibia, they administered democratic election giving rise to the independence of the nation. (Who Needs Peacekeepers?) the UN Security Council approved Resolution No. 435 during 1978 that entailed a UN supervised conversion to independence for Namibia. In consequence to the international politics the UN was not ready to execute that plan until 1989. In addition to the brief skirmish between Angolan guerillas and South African troops at the very beginning, the transition was rapid, smooth and successful. Madden analyses the factors giving rise to the Namibian success and refines four common principles for the additional peacekeeping mission of United Nation. Firstly, Madden indicates that by 1989 the timing was appropriate for settlement of the Namibian case. The Superpowers were removed from the region, other regional rivalries were emerging to be nearer and the public and political agencies were prepared for peace and normalcy. (Namibia: A Lesson for Success, chapter in Building International Community)

Secondly, the UNTAG, the UN peacekeeping force in Namibia, incorporated a considerable civilian element that was most suitable considering the political nature of the settlement process. Thirdly, the UN had been involved in Namibia for some time and so senior UNTAG personnel had considerable knowledge of the situation. UNTAG leaders were also smart in deploying well qualified staff. Finally, UNTAG had extensive mandate, and so was associated at every phase of development. Activities incorporated and so were associated at every sphere of the transition. Activities involved deportment of the refugees and their settlement, military and police watching, election supervision, public relations, release of prisoners, human rights, voter education and information dissemination. Instituting a network of regional officers, daily radio programs and weekly television spots all further contributed to UNTAG's high profile within Namibia. UNTAG was capable of asserting authority over the colonial government that increased UN credibility in view of the Namibian public. (Namibia: A Lesson for Success, chapter in Building International Community)

The UN interferences have been specifically required in the Middle East, both in respect of the observer groups and military forces. The UN… READ MORE

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