Position paper for Historical Commission of Inquiry of 1948
| Country: | Argentina |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| The Commission of Inquiry will investigate the claims by both the representative of India
and the Foreign Affairs Minister of Pakistan. Both nations have brought their claims to the
Security Council under the guides of Article 35 of the Charter of the United Nations. The
January 1stletter from the Representative of India alleged that Pakistan's government is
giving aid to invaders who have attacked a dominion of India, Jammu and Kashmir. If
found true, there must be talks of Pakistan's withdrawal of its support to establish peace.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan claimed that there is an ongoing genocide of
the Muslim population by India. The minister explains the genocide is the motivation for
the invaders, not aid from Pakistan. If true, India needs to address its wrongdoings to
stop the unrest that is fueling the conflict. Both letters touch on the idea of Jammu and
Kashmir having independence. He claims that India would be open to the idea once there
was an end to all attacks in the first. In the documents from Pakistan, he claims peace can
happen by letting Jammu and Kashmir vote on their fate. If so, this will wholly depend on
whether India is truly willing to let them have a voice on this issue. A careful evaluation of
these grievances will determine how the commission should approach facilitating peace
between the two nations.
A path to peace could involve preventing potential aid coming from Pakistan to the alleged attackers and a stop to the possible ongoing genocide by India. For this to work, the groups need to have a clear channel to communicate. The two have had difficulty doing this in the past as suggested by Indias letter. To prevent this from happening, peace negotiations must be fair and agreeable to both parties. The Security Council's choice of moderators will be crucial in establishing that trust. A concern brought up by Pakistan is the underlying religious divide, but adequate understanding of both sides' experiences with this will help to prevent a repeat of history. Few people should be called to address the commission for further elaboration aside from: the representative of India, Pakistans Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the former Maharajah of Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping all this in consideration will lead to peace. | |
| Country: | Argentina |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
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| The Commission of Inquiry must investigate the Indonesian question. Find a peaceful way to
accomplish Indonesian independence while securing Dutch commitments. The main issues
plaguing this conflict are a lack of proper communication and unfulfilled requests from the
Security Council. Many discussions, resolutions, and agreements have been proposed, but
none have been sufficient. The Linggadjati Agreement outlined the creation of a United
States of Indonesia ruled by the Dutch Queen. Unfortunately, agreements failed. In
response, the Security Council wrote the August 1st resolution, which insisted this. An end to
hostile attacks and to keep the Council updated on talks of peace. Each party has been
reminded about the cease-fire recommendations on two separate occasions, one on the
26th of August resolution and the other on November 1st.
Finding the root cause as to why peace is not being maintained is critical in eliminating this conflict. Progress has been slow due to poor communication. As seen in the resolution from the1st of November, the Consular Commission reported a lack of ceasefire and no direct communication between the parties involved. The Council then recommended they facilitate talks directly or through the Committee of Good Officers. They also demanded consulars be provided with necessary resources to foster a channel of communication and resources to investigate will help toward peace. The most recent agreement, the Renville agreement, can not fail, and peace must be maintained while areas occupied by the Dutch decide their future. The Commission of Inquiry should interview the members of the Consular Commission, the Committee of Good Officers, and representatives from the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia. The Commission would gain better insight to advise on a de- escalation strategy. | |
| Country: | Australia |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| One of the most pressing issues facing the Commission of Inquiry in the year 1948 is the conflict between the newly sovereign nations of India and Pakistan. When the British East India company left the region, they drew new border lines of what belonged to India and what belonged to Pakistan when the two nations gained independence. This caused many border disputes between the two nations especially in the case of Jammu and Kashmir. As of the time of our simulation, India and Pakistan are still at war with each other over the border dispute. It is known from history that this first Indo-Pakistani War was ended by the Security Councils Resolution 47. Resolution 39 was issued a year prior to the ceasefire to create a commission to investigate how to solve the dispute. The questions that arise around this topic is how do we as the Commission create suggestions that will reduce the chance of future disputes in this region? If we are able to answer this question then we possibly could prevent future conflicts over Kashmir. It would possibly benefit the Commission to request that UN diplomat Josef Korbel could be called to address the Commission. Korbel is known for being critical of the Commissions decisions so it may be beneficial to hear this diplomats perspective. | |
| Country: | Australia |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| Another important issue faced by the Commission of Inquiry in 1948 was the situation around the Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question. Historically, this issue comes from a history of colonization and mistreatment of people native to Indonesia. During World War II, Indonesia was invaded by Japan and their colonizer, the Netherlands, were unable to depend on the Japanese to push them out of Indonesia. In August of 1945, Indonesia gained their independence from the Japanese, but they were once again under the control of the Netherlands. From then, Indonesians began to seek freedom from the Netherlands to be able to self-govern. This led to conflicts between the Dutch authorities in Indonesia and Indonesians. The Committee of Good Offices was established on 8 October 1947 to settle the dispute between the Republic of Indonesia and the Netherlands. We know from history that after negotiations, an agreement was agreed upon in the form of the Charter of Transfer of Sovereignty. Many criticize this committee for not having solved the dispute as there was much left to be desired. A that arises is what specifically did the Indonesians want included that was not? An answer to this question would be beneficial in coming to a better solution and a smoother transfer of Sovereignty from the Netherlands to Indonesia. | |
| Country: | Belarus |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
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| On the question of the fate of Kashmir, the most important question in regard to the inhabitants of Kashmir itself is whether they would prefer to be annexed by one of the involved parties or instead, remain an independent state. If the latter was true, then in the name of popular sovereignty, what right do Pakistan or India have to rule the territory in question? Another issue that must be explored is whether the claims of Pakistani supported raiders or Indian genocide of Muslims can be independently confirmed. Of course, the greatest difficulty facing this commission is coming to a consensus on a plan of action which the involved parties find agreeable. To achieve this end, the commission must exhaust all possible resources to uncover relevant information which can be used to formulate a solution. The commission should consult witnesses and experts who have intimate knowledge about the local inhabitants and the history of Kashmir. | |
| Country: | Belarus |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| One of the most pressing matters in this debacle appears to be the establishment of the United States of Indonesia (USI) since the creation of that state signals the end of the conflict between the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia. The most important question is whether or not this commission can get both parties to agree to establish the USI at the earliest possible date thereby ending the hostilities between the two parties. The willingness of the two parties to work toward such a solution poses the greatest challenge to this commission. One possible course of action to remedy this is to explore the possibility of demilitarization. If this can be achieved, tensions can be eased and prospects improved so that both parties can come to a consensus. On another note, it might be worth salvaging certain aspects of the Linggadjati Agreement in formulating a brand-new agreement that both sides find satisfactory. In terms of witnesses and experts the commission should call upon, they should have knowledge pertaining to matters of the military and the creation of the USI. These witnesses should be able to provide information that would answer questions about the USI and demilitarization. | |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
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| Honored delegates, distinguished guests, and everyone present here. Representing as the
commissioner of Belgium, it is very important for Belgium to address this conflict between
India and Pakistan, which has been extended for decades. The conflict over the Kashmir
region between India and Pakistan has not agreed to resolution despite diplomatic efforts.
This conflict requires confronting the unresolved issues that have destroyed peaceful
settlement and helping them have long-lasting peace. The commission gathers here not to
just find a simple resolution but to make very strong progress towards an applicable
resolution.
There are many unanswered questions that need to come forward to move towards resolution. When India and Pakistan both got their independence in 1947 they had a major conflict over the region of Kashmir. The partition involved major religious disputes and violence which caused mass migration. The Maharaja of Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh was a Hindu Maharaja however there were a majority of Muslims residing in Jammu and Kashmir which pressured him a lot. He initially chose to remain independent. Pakistan's NorthWest Frontier Province supported by Pakistan invaded Kashmir aiming to force its accession to Pakistan. However, facing this Maharaja requested military assistance from India in return for the accession. Later when the dispute for the region was going on India said that the Maharaja had already signed the accession to India and Kashmir is part of the country. Pakistan claims that Kashmir has a majority of Muslim population and it is going against the people's will. The conflict extends beyond state-level disputes between India and Pakistan involving political leaders, separatist movements, and militant groups within Kashmir. The commission needs to discuss these contradictory claims of India and Pakistan towards each other. Finding responses to these questions will give us the framework to focus on the problems and get necessary resolutions. However, the main obstacle faced by the commission would be the distrust between India and Pakistan and their militarized borders. When the British left in 1947 AD India and Pakistan decided on drawing new borders without considering the different groups living there, which led to a lot of confusion and violence. Many people were forced to leave their homes, and families were separated. This history of unfair borders and the suffering that followed still causes tension between India and Pakistan. For the commission to fulfill its mandate, the representatives that can be called upon would be human rights organizations, representatives of Kashmir, and military and security. This means including not just the governments, but also political leaders, community groups, and local people. Being open in these discussions can help build trust, recognize different views on history, and create a fair process that considers what all sides want and the problems they face. | |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| Honored delegates, distinguished guests, and everyone present here. Representing as the
commissioner of Belgium, it is important to address the ongoing struggle for Indonesia's
independence from Dutch colonial rule. that has become a significant issue. This affects
regional stability. As the commissioner, the main goal would be to find peaceful solutions for
this conflict.
There are important issues we need to address, like military actions and hostilities that create significant instability. The main point of contention is the extent to which self-determination should be applied to the Indonesian people. The main challenge we would face would be the mistrust between the Dutch authorities and the Indonesian nationalist leaders. When Indonesia declared independence in 1945, the Dutch initially refused to recognize it and attempted to reassert control leading to a lack of confidence in their willingness to allow self-determination. The conflict involved several military offensives, such as "police actions" by the Dutch to reclaim control of Indonesian territories. There were external factors of other countries which forced the Dutch to negotiate without genuine commitment. Indonesia gained support from other countries who wanted to gain independence. These things created mistrust and we should focus on building trust and recommend certain agreements like a ceasefire and suspension of military actions. For the commission to fulfill its mandate, the representative that needs to be called upon would be the Indonesian nationalists to understand their demands. Legal experts on decolonization and international law; economic advisors. | |
| Country: | Costa Rica |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| Both countries are likely escalating the conflict themselves. The partisan and militia
attacks on
the territory of Kashmir were likely directed in some way by the Pakistani government, with
the
intent of gaining popular support and deposing the pro-India rulers of the province. India,
although not initiating the conflict, has taken advantage of the chaos in order to justify the
annexation of the province. Both India and Pakistan have made conflicting claims about the
extent of the other's involvement in the unrest of the province. More information is needed
about the truthfulness of each nation's claims to verify their intentions and actions.
In order to maintain our mediatory influence, the commission should analyze the claims of both nations with skepticism and also seek analysis from non-biased sources both from the region and from abroad. The Security Council should insert observers to assess the situation before further action can be taken. The UN Security Council should assemble a force to oversee a ceasefire and negotiate with the governments of India and Pakistan in order to best enforce whatever resolution the UN comes to. The UN Security Council also needs to know more details about the violations being made by both sides on the ground and how much authority both sides have over local assets in the province. | |
| Country: | Costa Rica |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| While having merit, the Linggadjati Agreement does not provide an ample solution to the conflict. Despite its attempts, the conflict and constant breaking of the ceasefire after the Agreement went into effect proves that the union is not likely to work out. The security council should oversee that civilian control over the region is handed back to the Republic of Indonesia and should both enforce a ceasefire and resume negotiations between both the Netherlands and the Republic of Indonesia. The UN should also ensure that Dutch forces return to the position they were in at the time of the ceasefire on August 29th, 1947. The UN needs more information on what actions the Indonesian militias have taken against the Dutch and to what extent the Republic of Indonesia is supporting and funding them. The Committee of Good Offices should lead the reopening negotiations between the Dutch and Indonesians in order to secure a peaceful settlement and find a solution for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of troops while negotiations take place. | |
| Country: | Guyana |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| The question of which state is sovereign over the territory of Kashmir threatens the peace of Southern Asia, and the effects of the conflict could have wide-reaching economic impacts felt throughout the world. After the end of British rule in the area, two major states solidified power in the region: the largely Hindu state of India and the largely Muslim state of Pakistan. Most regions aligned themselves with either of these states based on their religious and political ties, however, this is where Kashmir is unique. It has strong political ties to India, while having a large Muslim population and culture. While Kashmir was in negotiations with both emerging powers, trying to maintain independence for itself, attacks from Pakistani tribal groups destabilized the region, and encroached on the capital. With little other choice, Maharaja Hari Singh petitioned for help from India, which made acceding a prerequisite to military assistance. An agreement was made and India quickly repelled the Pakistani tribal attack. Both Pakistan and India have since petitioned the UN to handle the disagreement. Pakistan claims India committed acts of genocide against the Muslim population in Kashmir and the resistance they encountered were native peoples of Kashmir voicing the true intent of the Kashmiri people to be part of Pakistan, and the Maharaja was wrong to use his political influence to join his ancestral country of India. India and the Maharaja claim that Pakistan has been backing the tribal incursions, even sending in plain clothes military men to assist in the invasion of Kashmir. There are several key questions surrounding this situation. Were the raids backed by the Pakistani government? Was Kashmiri Maharaja Mari Singh acting with personal political gain in mind when requesting help from India, as opposed to representing the will of his people? Was Kashmir a fully sovereign state regardless of the fact that it has been historically considered a part of Pakistan culturally? Does India actually need to conduct military operations within Pakistan to defend its newly acquired territory, if the territorial acquisition was just? | |
| Country: | Guyana |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| The situation in the Indonesian archipelago poses interesting challenges to how sovereignty is defined. Through recent history, the archipelago has been the rightful territory of the Netherlands. This control was taken away during wartime by Japanese forces, who removed all Dutch influence. The Japanese government then made a deal with political leaders from the archipelago to establish an independent Republic of Indonesia. This deal was only in its early stages when Japan surrendered. Two days after the surrender, Indonesian political leaders declared their independence, and due to a delay in the arrival of British forces, were able to establish political and structural sway throughout the islands. Skirmishes ensued between the two groups until the Netherlands took over for the British. The Netherlands quickly gained control of most of the previous territory and a ceasefire was reached. Talks ensued to grant some independence to the Indonesian territories, however, both sides accused each other of violating it. The Netherlands used this opportunity to seize more land beyond the previously agreed-upon border. The aggression by both sides only stopped at the behest of the United Nations Security Council when they passed United Nations Security Council Resolution 27 of 1947. Negotiations ensued, mediated by the UN where the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its newly acquired territory. The main issue here is one of sovereignty. Did The Republic of Indonesia declaring independence after the surrender of Japan solidify its sovereignty? Do the Dutch still have standing when that happened? Did the delayed arrival of British troops/Dutch enforcement strengthen the Indonesian claim to independence? Did Japan have standing to give independence to a territory that was rightly the Netherlands? Does the Commission honor the independence of the whole archipelago, or does it default back to either full or partial control belonging to the Dutch? | |
| Country: | Poland |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| Having received an Article 35 complaint from both India and Pakistan regarding the unfolding situation in Kashmir. A Commision of Inquiry has been established pursuant to Article 34 with the goal of mediating the dispute and recommending a course of action to the Security Council. The facts of the case have been established as such: On August 14, 1947 the state of Pakistan was created following the dissolution of the territory formerly known as British Raj. This territory comprises princely states and territories that primarily identify as Muslum in culture and governance. On August 15, 1947 the state of India was established, grouping the princely states and territories that primarily identify as Hindu in culture and governance. At the time of the establishment of India and Pakistan, the territory of Kashmir was independently governed separate from the territorial claims and governance of both states. Although independent Kashmir shares cultural, religious, and economic ties with Pakistan, the government of Kashmir shares close ties with the government of the state of India. On October 26, 1947 Kashmir was incorporated into India after Maharaja Hari Singh seeded all control over the region. Questions to be answered: What evidence is there that the tribal raiders are receiving direct support from or acting on the behalf of the government of Pakistan? What evidence can be provided that supports the claims of genocide against the Muslims of Kashmir? What role did the British government and its representative Lord Mountbatten play in arranging the transfer of control of the territory from the Maharaja to the Indian government? What steps have been taken to ensure that the people of Kashmir are supportive of giving up autonomy in favor of control by the Indian government? In answering these questions, the Commission can gather evidence pertaining to the individual claims of India and Pakistan while also ensuring that the transfer of power occurred in a manner that is in line with international law and the desires of the people of Kashmir. Individuals to be questioned: Lord Mountbatten, Maharaja Hari Singh, the representative of the Indian Government, the minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. | |
| Country: | Poland |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 31 passed August 25, 1947 a committee of good offices has been established to assist the parties in the settlement of their dispute stemming from the breakdown of the Linggadjati Agreement. The facts of the case have been established as such: Indonesia having transferred possession multiple times as a result of WWII, has multiple governments with conflicting claims to sovereignty and territorial control. The Dutch government whose exclusive control of the islands was ended by the Japanese invasion claims the islands as Dutch territory. Leaders empowered by Japanese authorities asserted the independence of the territory of Indonesia on August 17, 1945. Dutch control over the territory was reestablished in October, 1945 by British troops who would turn over responsibility for the islands to Dutch soldiers and administrators by June 1946. The Dutch government has been unable to establish exclusive control over the entirety of the territory but has managed to regain control over sections of the territory with varying degrees of resistance. The Linggadjati Agreement established the terms of recognition and power sharing but it has since fallen apart over accusations of non compliance. Questions to be answered: What is the furthest extent of advancement by Dutch forces? What economic and physical resources were granted to the Republic of Indonesia under previous agreements? What is the current state of those resources? What evidence can be provided to establish proof of violations of the cease fire and the Linggadjati Agreement? Is the blockade of the Republic of Indonesia a violation of the terms that were agreed to by both parties? What evidence can be offered supporting the allegation of continued support for guerillas operating in Dutch territory? What transpired in the village of Rawagede on December 9, 1947? These questions will help to establish a record of alleged violations and allow for evidence to be gathered to support or refute the claims of the parties. Individuals to be questioned: Sukaro, Mohammad Hatta, Dirk Reinhard Adelbert van Langen. Additionally, access to the village of Rawagede and its surviving inhabitants should be made available so that the details of the incident may be ascertained by a representative of the commission. | |
| Country: | Türkiye |
| Topic: | United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan |
| Paper text: | |
| Tensions in the Jammu-Kashmir region have escalated within recent years following the
withdrawal of British troops. Both the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan have filed
reports with the President of the United Nations Security Council, citing incidents of violent
incursions across the borders of the Jammu-Kashmir region. As these complaints have been
issued to the Security Council, and it is the duty of this Council to ensure peace and security,
the Commission of Inquiry will employ the following tactics to ensure the proper
dissemination of fact.
The Commission of Inquiry will begin its investigation by interviewing Syed Itaat Husein and B. N. Rau, the United Nations (UN) representatives from Pakistan and India, respectively (or their designees). These interviews will attempt to glean testimony regarding the government actions of both nations while also receiving information about non-government actions in the region. The Commission will then call upon Jawaharlal Nehru of the Indian National Congress Party and Khwaja Nazimuddin, the Governor-General of Pakistan (or their designees) to report upon the militant actions of both nations in response to growing tensions. These interviews will be supplemented by historical document reviews and subsequent interviews as deemed relevant by the Commission. These advisements will allow the members of the Security Council to exercise de-escalation tactics to ensure peace and security in the region, protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both parties. | |
| Country: | Türkiye |
| Topic: | The United Nations Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question |
| Paper text: | |
| The United States of Indonesia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have reported violent
disputes in the Indonesian archipelago, citing non conformity with current treaties and
recent ceasefire agreements ((such as the Linggadjati Agreement and United Nations [UN]
Resolution 27). These reports have also implicated several other actors, including non-
governmental groups and other Member States of the UN.
Determining the relevant actors within this issue, noting that the evidentiary parties are the United States of Indonesia and the Netherlands, is of the utmost importance in assessing the complications of the dissention, as many other sovereign nations find themselves involved in these proceedings. The Commission will investigate into the military operations of both nations, interviewing the Chief of Staff of the Royal Dutch Army General Simon Hendrik Spoor and Sudirman, the commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (or their designees). This interview, coupled with reviews of documents regarding the history of the region, will provide the Commission with the proper means to provide suggestions to the UN Security Council. By assessing the current application of post-war policies on an international stage, this Commission will properly assess the progression of tranquility and stability within the archipelago of Indonesia. In doing so, the Commission will be able to provide the Security Council with insight into the proper channels of security for the civilians in the region and a solidified stance on the recognition of state sovereignty. | |
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