The world needs blue helmets who act as blue helmets
- The passage reflects on the United Nations' (UN) role in global peacekeeping, emphasizing its successes and failures over the years. Yehuda Bauer's quote brings the concept of a bystander to the forefront, holding them accountable alongside perpetrators in cases of crimes against humanity.
- The UN’s founding Charter outlines mechanisms for peaceful settlement (Chapter VI) and enforcement of peace (Chapter VII), including the use of military force in certain situations, but it has not always lived up to these ideals.
Key Highlights:
- Successes: UN peacekeeping has had notable achievements in regions like Cambodia, Mozambique, and Kosovo, where it played a significant role in restoring peace.
- Failures: In other cases, such as Rwanda (1994) and Bosnia (1995), the UN was accused of being a bystander, unable to prevent mass atrocities. This criticism re-emerged with its inaction in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
- Missed Opportunities: Despite having 100,000 peacekeepers, the UN's failure to deploy them in recent conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza raises questions about its willingness and ability to enforce peace effectively.
- Security Council and Veto Power: The UN Security Council's veto power, held by the five permanent members (P5), often hampers decisive action, as seen in Rwanda and currently in Ukraine and Gaza. The piece advocates for reforms, suggesting an expansion to include countries like India and South Africa and proposing changes to the veto system to allow more flexible and effective interventions.
- Urgency for Action: The essay argues that the UN must become more decisive, using its resources and troops to protect civilians. Otherwise, it risks becoming irrelevant, confined to merely deliberative roles instead of fulfilling its mandate to maintain international peace and security.
Conclusion
- The UN has the tools for peace but lacks the decisiveness needed in critical situations due to internal constraints, particularly within the Security Council. The argument for reform is based on ensuring more effective and timely interventions in the future.