Topic: Containing and De-Escalating Sectarian Conflict
Country: Norway
Delegate Name: Genevieve Sypien
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Norway position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
A sectarian conflict is a conflict between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation. There are many types of sectarian conflict including Economic, Political, Religious, and interreligious divides. Out of these many origins the most common and talked about are the conflicts concerning religion such as the Sunni vs. Shia issue over the correct way that Islam should be executed or the issue in the Central African Republic where the Christian he anti-balaka had carried out the ethnic cleansing after the retreat of the retreat of the Muslim rebel coalition, the Séléka. As a country with a majority population, 82.1%, who are Evangelical Lutherans, and a majority ethnic group that makes up 94. 4% of the total population Norway has historically never had any domestic sectarian conflict. This being said Norway has recently agreed to take in 1,000 Syrian refugees in addition to Norway’s annual resettlement quota of approximately 1,200 refugees. “Norway has a tradition of doing what it can in response to major international refugee crises and of providing a safe haven for refugees. As a country we can be proud of this and we will do everything we can to support the municipalities in this process,” said Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion Inga Marte Thorkildsen. This being the case Norway’s position on the issue is that it believes in negotiation and prevention of these issues instead of the current policy employed by the United Nations of simply cleaning up after the fact.
As a member of the UN, obliged by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to help find a peaceful solution to the current violence and measures to prevent future conflicts legally and economically, as Economic instability is a leading factor in promoting these issues. Norway’s position is in favor of promoting negotiation between groups with issues before violence can occur and promoting economic support to the less developed parts of the world in order to lessen the possibility of Sectarian conflict. An example of this policy in action would be Norway's support of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee which was established in accordance with the Oslo Accords to mobilize funding to promote the development of a Palestinian institutional structure upon which an independent and viable Palestinian state can be built. It was on this issue (the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) that UN Ambassador, Mr. Geir O. Pedersen showed Norway's unfailing belief in negotiations by stating: "This deadlock must be broken and negotiations on a two-state solution resumed." In keeping with Norway’s history as mediator, Norway would again be able to help with negotiations concerning Sectarian Conflict.
As can be seen by the Security Council Resolutions 2118 and 2139, the UN has previously played the role of trying to limit the damage of violence after it began and then cleaning up after the conflict has reached an end or a stalemate. Norway would suggest to the world community and the UN that we first offer economic support to countries who are experiencing economic instability through support of various UN agencies and NGO's, because it is during periods of instability that militant factions grow in power. The Norway's second suggestion would be to offer opposing groups a chance to negotiate with a neutral party at the first signs of Sectarian divides. Norway looks forward to playing its part in negotiations that will make the world a safer place by de-escalating and preventing Sectarian Conflict.
