Topic: UN's Role of Addressing Sectarian and Ethnic Conflict within a Nation
Country: Belarus
Delegate Name: Hannah Cottrell
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Belarus position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
Belarus recognizes the significance of sectarian and ethnic conflicts within a nation and realizes their impact around the world. However, though the intervention of the United Nations can resolve problems within a country, such as in the case of East Timor, it can also create global strife. In the case of the civil wars between the Sunnis and the Shiites in Iraq, the intervention of the United States and the United Nations proved to be less than helpful. Opposition groups are widespread over the world and entire countries despise the war altogether. Thus, it is the opinion of Belarus that the United Nations respectfully obey the wishes of a country, and only attempt to resolve issues within a country if they have the full cooperation of said country.
Belarus fully supports the usage of preventative programs used to instill peace before a conflict can become violent. If a peaceful conciliation can be reached and a military conflict can be avoided, then Belarus is completely in agreement. However, we must stress the importance of a country’s right to choose their own path of development and to make its own decisions. It is entirely up to the discretion of a country what takes place in its own country.
Belarus is particularly against the issue of slavery and human trafficking. President Lukashenko has voiced global initiatives to enhance the battle against human trafficking and acknowledge the diversity of nations' progressive development. Ethnic conflicts within a nation can lead to a nation’s acceptance of slavery as a societal norm. Belarus is fully against this issue and supports any initiatives to end this despicable practice. But once again, Belarus must emphasize that only with full permission of a country, may the United Nations enter the country to prevent or stop conflicts.
In Belarus, sectarian conflicts regarding the issue of the Soviet Union. Dissent between those who wanted to disband from the USSR and those who wished to remain a part of it were rampant. These issues were resolved without the aid of the United Nations and now Belarus and the Soviet Union can cooperate on many issues. From the perspective of Belarus, there is no need to interfere in a country unless the country itself calls for it.
If the United Nations can respect the wishes of other countries, then Belarus fully supports involvement by the United Nations in sectarian and ethnic conflicts. Belarus is confident that the United Nations can accomplish this without a problem and calls upon all nations to resolve the issues without intrusion on other nation’s rights.
