At the end of the first World War, world leaders realised the futility of war. Thus, to avoid this, League of Nations came up. However, contending ambitions of the great powers of the time, in the decades of 20's and 30's, defeated the very purpose of this toothless organisation.
Thus, the second World War saw its demise. It’s dissolution is attributed to the fact which expounded while Military strategies had changed from 'Direct' to 'Indirect' Conflicts, yet League of Nations continued to be fixated on impotent ways to promote peace.
However at the end of second world war, once again the urge for peace and harmony was felt and United Nations Organisation (UNO) was born. It now seems that UNO and its connected sub- organisations, were unfit to handle political, economic, military, health, social and legal disputes of the world. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is hostage to whims and fancies of big five, more particularly 'Super Big', I.e.
USA and China. Indirect and proxy conflicts of the superpowers had driven nails in its efficacy and effectiveness. To recall, it might be remembered that UNO was founded to usher peace and harmony with a view to protect the future generations from the scourge of war. It has 19 Chapters, spread out in 111 Articles, laying out various directive principles to achieve its objectives. The preamble of the UNO states: -
We the people of the United Nations determined:—
- To save the succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind,
- To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
- To establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained.
- To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.
High sounding objectives of its preamble do not match with its performance over the last 75 years. It has danced to the tunes of those who control the UNSC. The problem lies with the Veto power of the big five, who arm twist the decisions. In other words, UNO was not an independent body to take independent decisions.
It is unsuitable for a 21st Century Globe. It needs a total overhaul or replacement to ensure that it becomes the collective voice of its 190 odd members equivocally, whether big or small. In its present form it is a manipulative arm of big five.
Militarily speaking, from Korea to Kampuchea and Vietnam through, Czechoslovakia, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, all sowed the seeds of its impotency. Do not forget the Kashmir issue. It’s Geneva conventions are flouted at will.
International court of Justice does not have any power to get its verdict implemented. United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has hardly any takers. It’s loud speaking preamble seems hollow. And now Corona Pandemic (Some say the third World war) has driven the final nails in its coffin.
It is not rocket science to know that Corona virus is the result Sino-US trade war. Despite disclaimers by China and even USA, it is undoubtedly evident that Corona is a Bio- weapon and it is a product of a Bio- Laboratory. In its present form, it has no control of various world institutions, such as World Health Organisation (WHO) or Financial giants like International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the World Bank.
Already, in the wake of Corona spread world wide, USA has alleged partisan conduct of WHO, as ‘China - Centric’. Similar allegations are made against IMF and World Bank where the USA has an upper hand. But China is now contesting it with its “Surplus Yuan Power”. Between the two, there is an economic war on the issue of “World Reserve Currency”, whereby China wants its “Yuan” to be at par with “Dollar”. This would reduce the importance of dollar. UNO in its present shape can not check such conflicts.
Same is true of technological advances which are unethical and morally incorrect. New research in Genetic engineering is driving mankind towards new social problems. UNO cannot get a consensus on Climate change because advanced nations do not want restrictions on their carbon emission. In fact, USA pulled out of this at Paris meet in 2019.
Therefore, what is the use of such an organisation, which is not only toothless but also a stooge of 'Super Big' nations. UNO cries for a total change in its structure and effectiveness, where every nation must have equal voice and weightage. What more such a body must have all world bodies under its control so as to coordinate the combined efforts on human upliftment.
In so doing, following structural and functional changes need to be made:—
- Its HQ to be shifted out of New York to an independent island, which should be the sole territory of this world body.
- The Security Council was enlarged to have 50-60 members with no veto powers for any one. Members to be elected by the General Assembly of the world body. Each elected member state has a tenure of four years. One third of these members are changed every two years.
- Security Council decisions are passed by a simple majority.
- Decision of the Security Council must be ratified by two third members of the General Assembly, before implementations
- This world body ought to take control of all world bodies, such as financial, health, law and judiciary.
- It should have its own security and protection force drawn out from member states. They can be directly recruited.
- There should be a Governing body of 20 permanent Members (G-20) who will elect General Secretary Cum CEO every four years. This body will only lay guidelines but not interfere in the functioning of the CEO
- The name of the organisation will be changed to Harmonised Order of World (HOW).
It is but natural that time has come for India to play its legitimate role in this new world order. It is evident that at the end of Corona war, old world order will be badly mauled. It is being alleged that recession caused by Corona virus would be much worse than the recession witnessed in the 1929 to 1930. The projections are that US will go into negative growth of 2 % and EU could be even worse at negative growth of 2.2%.
Rest of the world will also be harder hit. Only two survivors will be India and China —- the two most populous countries of the world. China and India are projected to grow at 2.4 % and 2 % respectively. They would have the handle to reshape the world geo-politics in the 21st century.
It is time India must accept its role after Corona dishevelled world, where UNO would have died with it. India must push for a reshaped, restructured and a meaningful world organisation. HOW is the answer.
(Col. Rajinder Kushwaha is an ex-NDA, commissioned into 3 Bihar. He is a battle-hardened veteran of the ’71 War & has served extensively in various counter insurgency environments across the country.
He is a renowned author, and a highly respected defence & national security expert and a regular contributor at the 'Fauji India' magazine, ‘Defence and Security Alert’ (DSA), the ‘Indian Defence Review’ (IDR) among others. You can reach him on Twitter: @RajeeKushwaha, Email ID: [email protected])
(Views expressed are the authors own, and do not reflect the editorial policy of 'Mission Victory India')
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