70 years of the United Nations

IBRAHIM KHAN MANDOKHAIL

Hafiz_khan2010@hotmail.com
03327809022

OUTLINE:
1. Historical Background
2. Introduction
3. Purpose
4. Foundation 1945
5. Organs
6. Activeness after foundation
7. Present programs or projects
8. Success and Contribution
9. UN Failure
10. Future
11. Suggestion and Conclusion

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The World had suffered a lot in the year 1918 & 1945 of two world wars.
Nothing had so much more severe impact on humanity as World War I and II. Peace,
food, shelter and economic crises were the main impacts or results of these wars. After
World War I League of Nations came into existence, but it had the seeds of destruction
in its early growth. It was predominantly a European organization. After that, all the
countries felt the importance of making a single union of states, where the disputes of
states could be discussed as well as tried to be resolved thereafter. A union representing
mankinds only partially successful attempt to ascertain some mechanism for world
peace.
In 1941, in concert against Hitlers Germany the Western allies started calling
themselves the United Nations. The Moscow declaration stressed the necessity of
establishing an international organization for peace. For that reason, 51 founding states
in San Francisco Conference in 1945, joined hands to form a group or an organization
for intergovernmental cooperation. The organization was established on 24 October
1945 after World War II in order to prevent another such conflict. At present the total
members are 193.

The united nation can exactly defined as an association of states which have
pledged themselves by signing the charter to maintain world peace and to cooperate in
creating such conditions under which peace and security can be achieved. The charter,
however, does not authorize the organization to intervene in domestic affairs of a state.

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The United Nations has the following main organs:

1. The Security Council

2. The General Assembly
3. The Economic and Social Council
4. The Trusteeship Council
5. The International Court of Justice
6. The Secretariat
Besides these, there are major organizations within the United Nations which are
known as the Specialized Agencies. It is the agencies which have gone a long way
into the question of tackling problems of world importance and have many concrete
achievements. These are:

ILO

IMF

UNESCO

WHO

FAO

IBRD

Besides these, there are other agencies, councils and committees, whose
membership has increased to such proportions that a few years ago a special committee
had to be established to study these various committees and suggest some rationalized
structure in the midst of this multiplicity.
The UN was formed mainly for the purpose of security among the super powers as
well as unity and harmony among the big powers of the world. But the purpose of
harmony and unity vanished as the war finished. The Britain and France were no more
super powers. USSR and U.S.A were emerging in the scenario as super powers. Later
they were shook by the emerging nuclear power China as the third power.

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During the first ten years of its existence UN was not much successful. Few of the
matters or disputes were dealt successfully. The Iranian complain against Soviet Union
was amicably settled. One of the early years success of UN was the independence of
Indonesia, but it hopelessly failed in cases like Kashmir, indo-Pak war 1971, Palestine,
Arab-Israel conflict etc. As far as peacekeeping is concerned the important UN
operations till date include:

1. UNPKFIC (UN Peacekeeping Force, in Cyprus)

2. UNDOF

(UN Disengagement Observer Force) cease-fire b/w Israel

and SAR (Syrian Arab Republic)

3. UNIFIL

(UN interim Force in Lebanon, March 1978)

4. UNIKOM (UN Iraq-Kuwait Observations Mission, April 1991)

5. UNMFRIS (UN Mission for Referendum in Sahara, April 1991)
6. UNOSAL (UN Observer Mission in El Salvador)
7. UNAVEM (UN Angola verification mission, May 1991)
8. UNPROFOR (UN Protection Force, Feb. 1992)
9. UNTAC (UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia, March 1991)
10. UNOSOM (UN Operation in Somalia, April 1992)

Besides these major operations the UN in past years or so has acted on behalf of
peace loving on a number of occasions. In all operations three limitations on the use of
peacekeeping troops have been consistently honored (1) peacekeeping has been
interpreted as a provisional measure under the UN Charter i.e. as a measure undertaken
without prejudice to the rights, claims or positions of the parties concerned. (2)
Peacekeeping operations have been undertaken only with the consent of all parties
concerned (3) peacekeeping forces may use arms only in self-defense.
Though UN has worked impressively but, the question arises that how the UN fails
or failed in certain situations? On the face of it, the UN charter creates an ideal structural
framework for the setting up of a broad-based international Organization, fully capable
of sorting out and resolving international disputes (both major and minor) in an
amicable and peaceful manner. As already mentioned, it provides for the establishment
of six organs the security council, the general Assembly, the economic and social
Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the

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Secretariatfor looking after matters related to peace and security of the world and a
web of Specialized Agencies which are intended to help the UN achieve its desired
and set-out aims and objectives.
There is no denying the fact that the United Nations had in its seventy years of
existence, been successful in averting a large scale war. This in itself is a big
achievement. Even in the cold war years when tension between the two super-powers
was at its peak, no direct armed conflict ever took place, instead it goes to the credit of
the UN that it has always encouraged peace.
Now, as the UN is celebrating its 70 years of its foundation. The question here
arises that how much had UN achieved? How much it had been successful in past years?
Was it successful or more expensive? So, why the UN has not been able to deliver the
goods and why it has failed to settle definitely and put to an end most of the disputes
is a question which is very often asked. Keeping in view the past experiences one can
point out certain very serious snags in the system of the UN and the factors which give
rise to an impression that the UN and the factors which give rise to an impression that
the UN is a total flop. In the first instance critics have looked at the Veto power of the
permanent members of the Security Council with contempt. In the cold-war era the
Veto power was so liberally used by the two big powers that it became virtually
impossible to pass resolution concerning matters of urgent importance and value. The
champions of the so-called free-world hampered the smooth and effective working
of the UN. Even in the post-Cold War era a number of resolutions have been vetoed at
crunch time. It would be advisable that the use of the Veto power should be made
limited and specifically defined. Moreover the Security Council should surrender a few
rights to the general assembly where the members do not have the right to Veto.
Ever since its inception the UN has been dominated by the big powers who have
without any restraint or restriction sheltered and protected their favorites. This has
greatly undermined the importance of UN in world affairs and has hampered its growth
and development. The enormous influence wielded by the big powers makes it difficult
to treat each and every case on merit. The UN wasnt able to take any step against the
Jews in the Arab lands because they were patronized by the United States. Where the
big powers desire that an action should be taken and think that world peace is at stake,
the UN peacekeeping forces are at once mobilized.

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The absence of effective power to punish the offending states also renders the
United Nations impotent. As a result the UNO is not able to help the weak and innocent
states. Further it cannot take any action against big powers who have armed
themselves to the full and insist that the UN has no authority over them. They make
certain promises of good behavior but remain free to do as they like.
According to a famous scholar, The United Nations, has chiefly played the role
of forum for the international exchange of opinion. The function to maintain
international peace has not been performed effectively and the expected results have
not been obtained. The importance of the function of exchanging opinions should not
be underestimated. The practice of free discussion in the same forum by nations whose
opinions differ is an active method to promote mutual understanding and to reach
agreement. In case the two camps oppose each other, meeting in the same hall will help
each to understand the others point of view and circumstances. It is significant that the
United Nations provides this conference hall. It undoubtedly contributes indirectly to
the maintenance of international peace. The people of the world can judge the
contention of various nations by reading reports and news of the discussions of the
conference. They rebuke those who violate the peace and withhold support for them. In
this sense the United Nations has made a remarkable contribution to world peace.
Unity among the nations of the world and strengthening of international
relationship is an ideal which has been recognized by all. Peace cannot be established
unless various conflicting nations and ideologies come to some sort of agreement on
co-existence, and unless some basis is laid for honorable relationship without resort to
war for the settlement of disputes. But there are many difficulties in the way of
achievement of this international co-operation.
So, it can be said that the future of the United Nations is linked with the
developments of its constituent nation states. Its successes will depend upon an
agreement among the big powers on disarmament, an agreement for the creation of a
peacekeeping force, and on strengthening the existing economic and cultural
organizations established under the United Nations.
The disintegration of the Soviet Union and the democratization of Eastern Europe,
Latin America and central Asia, are historic developments of the post-cold war era,
making the world more independent. Simultaneously, the regional crisis and conflicts
have also registered a marked increase, as ethnic and cultural minorities in many parts

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of the world are striving to assert their identity, while nuclear weapons have proliferated
on a large scale. However, it needs both functional and structural changes to make it a
dynamic and effective organization in order to promote global peace, play a vibrant role
in the specific areas envisaged in its charter i.e. preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping
and peace-making.
Thus we can say that there is a way forward for the UN to further extend and
enhance his capabilities. After that the UN could be possible to achieve much higher
goals to succeed in tackling the disputes among the countries of the world much
smoothly in future. For this, unity and honesty among the super powers as well
members of the UN will play a vital role disrespect of religion, cast, state and ego. After
that we would manage to fight against evil and bring about peace in world. Where no
country would ever think of disputes among them.

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