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2023 Handbook

The Historical Security Council of 2003

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Membership of the Historical Security Council of 2003 Membership of the Historical Security Council of 2003

  • Angola
  • Bulgaria
  • Cameroon
  • Chile
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • Guinea
  • Mexico
  • Pakistan
  • Russian Federation
  • Spain
  • Syrian Arab Republic
  • United Kingdom
  • United States.

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Introduction Introduction

The Historical Security Council (HSC) of 2003 will simulate events beginning on 20 January 2003. Foremost on the minds of the Council Members is determining whether Iraq is complying fully with Security Council mandates. The breakdown in peace and security in many African countries and the continuing Israeli-Palestinian peace process also hold the Council’s attention. In addition, the Council continues to monitor Afghanistan’s recovery and political reorganization. 

The brief synopsis presented here offers introductory coverage of prominent international issues that can direct representatives’ continued research and preparation.

For each topic area, representatives should consider the following questions, which should assist them in gaining a better understanding of the issues at hand, particularly from their country’s perspective:

  • How did this conflict begin?
  • Who are involved in the situation and what are their concerns?
  • How have similar situations or conflicts been peacefully resolved?
  • What roles can the United Nations take in the situation? What roles should the United Nations take in the situation?

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The Situation in Iraq and Kuwait The Situation in Iraq and Kuwait

The Security Council passed numerous resolutions in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait that began on 6 August 1990. Among those, Resolution 661 imposed strict sanctions by restricting foreign financial assistance to Iraq to those solely for humanitarian and medical purposes. Once a ceasefire was declared on 28 February 1991, Resolution 687 decided that Iraq would unconditionally agree to the destruction or disarmament of its chemical, biological and ballistic weapons. Resolution 687 also allowed for a commission of inspectors to ensure compliance. The Security Council also established the United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission in April 1991, which periodically submits reports to the Security Council.

Despite the military defeat suffered in the Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein remained in power. President Hussein initially complied with Security Council demands. Subsequent United Nations weapons inspections, though, uncovered weapons and technology in Iraq that had been banned by Security Council resolutions in the early 1990s. The Security Council imposed sanctions designed to prevent Iraq from redeveloping or strengthening its military and weapons capabilities while maintaining aid for Iraqi citizens, helping them with their basic needs through Resolution 986, known as the Oil-for-Food program. The purpose of the Oil-for-Food program was to prevent a severe humanitarian crisis and serve as a temporary measure of humanitarian needs until Iraq complied with all previous resolutions’ requirements. Iraq initially rejected Resolution 986, stating that it violated its sovereignty, but the first shipments of food arrived in 1997. In response to Iraq’s repeated refusal to allow weapons inspections, in 1998, the United States bombed several Iraqi military installations. Sanctions have not been effective in degrading Iraq’s military capacity and rather have had a much more direct effect on the Iraqi population. In the autumn of 2002, international pressure on Iraq to allow the return of inspectors intensified. In a statement to the General Assembly on 12 September 2002, U.S. President George W. Bush demanded the disarmament of Iraq, accusing Iraq of harboring and supporting Al-Qaeda terrorists and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). In light of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, President Bush stated that the issue of disarming Iraq had become extremely urgent. On 16 September, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq, Naji Sabri, wrote to the Security Council accepting the return of inspectors without conditions, satisfying a long-standing demand by the Council that Iraq accept the unconditional return of weapons inspectors. However, even after this statement, Iraq continued to forbid inspectors to enter the country. The Security Council passed Resolution 1441 in late 2002 demanding that Iraq allow weapons inspectors and comply with all previous resolutions. As of 27 November 2002, inspections have resumed in Iraq with a full assessment expected to be presented on 27 January 2003. 

Bibliography Bibliography

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United Nations Documents United Nations Documents

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The Situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo The Situation in Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has suffered from decades of political instability and violence. Conflict over control of resource-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been exacerbated by wars in neighboring nations; large numbers of Hutus fled the 1994 Rwandan genocide into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was then known as Zaire. Fighting broke out in 1996, primarily between forces led by prominent Tutsi General Laurent Kabila and Congolese President Mobutu Sese Seko. With assistance from Rwanda and Uganda, Kabila’s forces regained control over the government in Kinshasa in 1997 and renamed the county the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 1998, Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) launched a rebellion against the Kabila government. The Kabila government found support from Angola, Chad, Namibia and Zimbabwe, but the RCD was able to hold Kivu and other eastern areas with Rwandan and Ugandan support. Internal conflict however soon led the RCDto split into different factions. The Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement, signed in 1999 by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe, attempted to bring stability to the region. However, continued fighting between different factions of rebel groups resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians from both the direct violence and the collateral disease and starvation. 

The Security Council authorized the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), a peacekeeping force of 5,500 troops and 500 observers, to monitor the Lusaka Ceasefire as well as humanitarian conditions, human rights, child protection and medical support issues. In February 2000, MONUC’s size and mandate were further expanded to over 5,000 military personnel, and in June 2002 MONUC’s mandate was extended to run through June 2003. MONUC’s work has been largely unfulfilled in much of the country, as the United Nations forces have met significant resistance from rebel groups and have been unable to deploy to many areas. Additionally, United Nations Member States have not contributed enough support to reach the full authorized strength of MONUC (5,537 troops, including observers). 

The continued rebel activity in many rural areas, along with the presence of some foreign troops from neighboring Uganda and Rwanda, has kept the situation contentious. Reports of human rights violations in the eastern part of the country, including the systematic rape of women and girls, mass killings and the destruction of property are also still a grave concern to the international community. Humanitarian groups estimate that, since 1999, the war has caused an estimated two million deaths through combat, malnutrition and disease. Despite numerous Security Council resolutions, violence based on nationality, ethnicity and access to valuable regional resources, and the resulting unchecked number of civilian deaths, continue. 

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Bibliography Bibliography

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United Nations Documents United Nations Documents

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The Situation in West Africa The Situation in West Africa

Several West African nations are currently embroiled in interconnected conflicts. Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia are both undergoing active conflicts, while Sierra Leone has only recently seen the end of conflict and continues to recover.

Sierra Leone was in a state of civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) from 1991 until 2002. Since 1999, United Nations peacekeepers have been involved in the conflict. More than 10,000 peacekeepers remain present as part of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), helping maintain security and overseeing the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former rebels. Foday Sankoh, the RUF leader, is currently awaiting trial for war crimes before the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

The conflict in Liberia began in 1989, when Charles Taylor and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) invaded from neighboring Côte d’Ivoire to overthrow President Samuel Doe. Liberia split along ethnic lines, and civil war erupted. A series of negotiated settlements resulted in elections being held in 1997, which Taylor won amid widespread reports of voter intimidation. In 1999, Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) began a campaign against Taylor’s government, with support from neighboring Guinea. As the fighting amplifies in the present day, the international community faces a full-blown humanitarian crisis.

In July 2000, the Security Council passed Resolution 1306, creating a panel of experts to study the export of illegal diamonds and the funding of the illegal arms trade between Liberia and Sierra Leone. The panel’s report found overwhelming evidence that Liberia was actively supporting the RUF in order to destabilize the government of Sierra Leone and acquire diamonds for export. The Security Council passed Resolution 1343 enacting a new arms embargo. On 19 September 2002, simultaneous attacks were conducted by rebel forces in most major cities of Côte d’Ivoire. Fighting continues to intensify.

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Bibliography Bibliography

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United Nations Documents United Nations Documents

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The Situation in Middle East, including the Palestinian question The Situation in Middle East, including the Palestinian question

The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, began in 1987 and ended in 1993, brought the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians back to the attention of the international community. On 28 September 2000, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited the Haram al-Sharif, also known as the Temple Mount, and made remarks which offended many Palestinians, resulting in protests. The protests and subsequent Israeli response quickly turned into a Second Intifada. Since September 2000, more than 1,800 Palestinians have been killed; on the Israeli side, more than 600 people have been killed. Responding to the violence, the Security Council passed Resolution 1322 in October 2000, which not only condemned acts of violence, particularly those against Palestinians, but also called for a resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine on a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

In March 2002, a suicide bombing struck a large Passover Seder in the city of Netanya, killing 30 and injuring 140 people. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched Operation Defensive Shield. The IDF launched incursions into the six largest cities in the West Bank, temporarily reoccupying areas that had been ceded to Palestinian control. The operation lasted just over a month and resulted in the deaths of  497 Palestinians, with another 1,447 wounded; 30 Israeli soldiers were also killed.  Most notably, the Israeli incursion into the Jenin refugee camp led to allegations of human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. Throughout the past year, the number of Palestinian terrorist attacks has increased, particularly suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians. In June, Israel began construction of a security barrier along the boundary between the West Bank and Israel proper.

The conflict has led the international community and the Security Council to renew their calls for Israelis and Palestinians to ensure the safety of civilians and work towards a political settlement. Since January 2002, four new resolutions have been adopted by the Security Council on this situation. The United Nations, the United States, the Russian Federation and the European Union came together to form a new coordinating mechanism for international peace efforts known as “the Quartet.” The Quartet’s proposed “Roadmap for Peace” is still in the draft stage. There is growing concern for the escalating violence and the declining humanitarian situation. 

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Bibliography Bibliography

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United Nations Documents United Nations Documents

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The Situation in Afghanistan The Situation in Afghanistan

The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979 resulted in nearly a decade of conflict, fueled by the geopolitical maneuvering of the Cold War. The withdrawal of the Soviet forces in 1989 led to civil war in Afghanistan, leaving millions of Afghan refugees in neighboring countries. Due to the instability, refugee crisis and development issues, the Secretary-General established the United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan in December 1993. However, fighting continued in Afghanistan during the mid-1990s, driven by ethnic divisions. Following the 1998 terrorist bombings of United States embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, the Security Council passed Resolution 1193, which reiterated concerns about the continued and growing presence of terrorists in Afghanistan’s territory and condemned terrorist attacks on United Nations personnel in Taliban-held areas of Afghanistan. In Resolution 1214, the Security Council demanded that the Taliban stop providing sanctuary and training for international terrorists and their organizations and that all Afghan factions cooperate in bringing indicted terrorists to justice. By the late 1990s and into 2000, the Security Council expressed grave concern at the seriously deteriorating humanitarian situation and deplored the worsening human rights situation, including forced displacements of civilian populations, summary executions, abuse and arbitrary detention of civilians, violence against women and girls, and indiscriminate bombing.

Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty and independence of the Afghan people and recognizing their humanitarian needs, the Security Council passed Resolution 1333, which called for multilateral peace negotiations and a broad-based, multi-ethnic representative Afghan government while imposing unilateral sanctions on the Taliban. The Resolution also requested the formation of a special committee by the Secretary-General to monitor the sanction.

In a report released 6 December 2001, the Secretary-General concluded the combination of drought, conflict, human rights abuses, as well as the deteriorating operating environment of aid agencies, had deepened Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis during the reporting period. In 2002, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that there were approximately 3.5 million Afghan refugees. It is the hope of the UNHCR that refugees can return to Afghanistan as soon as the security issue stabilizes.

The United States invaded Afghanistan on 7 October 2001 to overthrow the Taliban regime for providing safe harbor to Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda, led by bin Laden, was responsible for the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States. After the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001, the United Nations facilitated the Bonn Agreement, which established a six-month Afghan Interim Authority (AIA), led by Hamid Karzai, and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to aid the AIA. The ISAF’s primary objective was to enable the Afghan government to provide effective security across the country and develop new Afghan security forces to ensure Afghanistan would never again become a safe haven for terrorists. On 27 November 2002, the Council adopted Resolution 1444, extending the mandate of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) until 20 December 2003. 

After the AIA mandate expired, an emergency Loya Jirga (Grand Council) met and formed the Transitional Administration (TA), also led by Hamid Karzai as Interim President.

Despite these developments, internal security and conflict between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda continued. In 2002, the Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Abdul Rahman, and Vice President Haji Abdul Qadir were assassinated in separate incidents. As a result of the Vice President’s assassination, United States personnel took over security responsibilities for President Karzai. 

Nonetheless, maintaining security inside of Afghanistan remains a significant challenge. Although initial financial support for the security and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan was strong, international financial support has declined. Without adequate long-term funding, the success of the political and humanitarian efforts are compromised.

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Bibliography Bibliography

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United Nations Documents United Nations Documents

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Additional Web Resources Additional Web Resources

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. http://unama.unmissions.org/.

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