Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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What Was New What's New
Week of February 4 - 8, 2008
Iraq Security Council Social and Economic Policy Globalization Nations and States UN Finance International Justice
Iraq
Study: False Statements Preceded War (January 22, 2008)
According to a study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity and the Fund for Independence in Journalism, the Bush administration made more than 900 false statements in the period leading up to the war in Iraq. Over half of the statements explicitly formed links between Iraq, weapons of mass destruction and Al-Qaeda in order to gain support for the war from the US public. (Associated Press)
Will Blackwater Be Rehired? (January 23, 2008)
Despite the controversy surrounding Blackwater and its killing of Iraqi civilians, the US State Department plans to renew a contract with the security firm. In addition to the immunity granted by the State Department, other factors impede the progress of prosecuting Blackwater guards in criminal offenses. Human rights organizations contend that the Bush administration lacks “the political will” to prosecute criminal cases against Blackwater, thereby creating a “culture of impunity”. (Time)
US Army Rejects Court Martial of Abu Ghraib Commander (January 11, 2008)
The US army has thrown out one of the only convictions made in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. Lieutenant Colonel Steven Jordan now faces a mere criminal reprimand, the lightest punishment possible, for violating a gag order on the investigation. Human rights advocates claim the decision fails to address accountability and does not hold higher-level military officials responsible for their role in the Abu Ghraib scandal. (Guardian)
Iraq's Healthcare Left in Disarray After Invasion (January 16, 2008)
In an independent report carried out by the organization Medact, researchers found the occupying forces failed to protect Iraq’s medical institutions, including the staff, in violation of the Geneva Convention. Problems facing Iraqi medical facilities include “staff shortages, lack of an institutional framework, intermittent electricity, unsafe water, and frequent violations of medical neutrality.” Expert healthcare bodies in Iraq often fail to receive funding from reconstruction contracts. (Guardian)
Unit Member Says "Fighting 69th" Victimized by Depleted Uranium (January 28, 2008)
This American Free Press article highlights the plight of forgotten US troops suffering from the cancerous effects of depleted uranium, a substance used extensively in US ordnance. US soldiers have been deterred from seeking medical care from private hospitals and refused the “line-of-duty” status, which would expedite treatment from military facilities. The US army ignores the soldiers’ pleas for medical aid and legislators claim helplessness before the military.Security Council
Humanitarian Advocacy in Darfur: The Challenge of Neutrality (October 2007)
This Humanitarian Policy Group brief analyzes the nexus between humanitarian, political and military action within Darfur. Questioning the impartiality of aid agencies in formulating policy positions, the report claims that traditional notions of neutrality are being eroded. This “non-permissive advocacy”, has led to “high levels of insecurity for aid workers, and continuous efforts by the Sudanese government to curtail what it believes to be ‘political’ activities.”EU’s Favoured Candidate Wins Serbia Poll (February 4, 2008)
The incumbent President Boris Tadic has defeated nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic in the Serbian election by a projected 2.6 percentage points. The election puts the President on a collision course with Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, who threatens to sever relations with the European Union over the “looming secession of Kosovo.” The pro-Western Tadic has advocated for stronger ties with Europe, despite the EU’s support for Kosovan independence. (Guardian)Thousands Flee Fighting in Chad (February 4, 2008)
Thousands of people are fleeing Chad’s capital N’Djamena into neighboring Cameroon following fierce fighting between government and rebel troops. The UN Security Council has asked member states to assist the government of Chad, thus allowing French intervention to back President Idriss Deby’s forces. Chad accuses Sudan of backing the offensive in order to prevent an EU force being sent to the region, which could “open a window” into Darfur. (BBC)Social and Economic Policy
Biofuels a Lose-Lose Strategy, Critics Say (January 26, 2008)
Biofuel production by the US -amongst other countries- is driving up food prices worldwide. The Earth Policy Institute expects that the US will turn 114 million tonnes of grain into fuel in 2008. Critics are calling biofuels a ‘lose-lose strategy’. On top of driving up food prices and thus exacerbating world hunger, the production of ethanol degrades the soil and requires the use of large amounts of fuel, fertilizer, pesticides and water. (Inter Press Service)Watchdog Faults IMF Loan Conditions (January 6, 2008)
In 2000, the IMF launched a “streamlining initiative” to reduce the amount and scope of conditions attached to loans. The Fund aimed to cut back on any conditions that overstepped the organization’s primary concern for macroeconomic stability. Disappointingly, in 2008, the IMF’s Independent Evaluation Office found that the Fund continued to burden its borrowers with unnecessary and intrusive conditionality. (Inter Press Service)Globalization
Widespread Unease about Economy and Globalisation: Global Poll (February 7, 2008)
The international polling firm GlobeScan conducted this poll for the BBC World Service, in order to document attitudes towards globalization and the global economy. According to GlobeScan President Doug Miller, the results illustrate that “there is real public unease about the direction of the economy, but it’s not only about a downturn. It also has to do with how fairly benefits and burdens are shared, and the pace of globalization.”Nations and States
Tough Love Key to Nauru's Future (January 22, 2008)
After running out of phosphate reserves, Nauru, once one of the richest islands in the South Pacific, depends on Australian aid since 2001. In return, Nauru lets the Australian government use the island as an asylum seekers facility. Opposing this arrangement, the author proposes an associative status between the two countries which would allow Nauruans to work in Australia. The author argues that remittances from Nauruans living in Australia could boost economic growth in the country and grant Nauru real independence. (Australian)UN Finance
Why Was the UN Budget Approved by Vote and Not by Consensus? (January 29, 2008)
For the past two decades, UN member states have adopted the organization’s budget by consensus. But during the Fifth Committee’s meeting on the 2008-2009 budget, the US insisted on voting, after several disagreements. A major issue of discussion was the funding for a follow-up World Conference against Racism. Opposing this conference, the US voted against the budget. But the country was left isolated, as the G77 – supported by the EU – supported the funding. (Center for UN Reform Education)International Justice
Who Guards the Guards? The International Criminal Court and Serious Crimes Committed by Peacekeepers in Africa (February 2006)
This paper addresses civilian abuse at the hands of UN peacekeepers, and it asks whether the ICC can play a role in their prosecution. The authors conclude that the role of the ICC itself will be marginal as it has limited jurisdiction, and the court is meant as a complement to national jurisdictions. However, the authors hope that the very existence of the ICC will encourage domestic institutions to “prosecute all those guilty of international crimes, including peacekeepers." (Institute for Security Studies)Victims Seek Answers (February 4, 2008)
The proceedings by the Special Tribunal for Cambodia against five former Khmer Rouge leaders started in February 2008. After the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown, the country did not address the atrocities committed, but chose an “uneasy peace” over “eye-for-an-eye retribution.” This article reports that nearly 30 years later, many Cambodians look to the Special Tribunal for Cambodia for answers, not revenge. (Baltimore Sun)
