Topic: Reducing the use of Indiscriminate Weapons in Conflict
Country: Afghanistan
Delegate Name: Conor Streng
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Afghanistan position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
An indiscriminate weapon is a weapon that cannot be directed at a military objective or whose effects cannot be limited as required by international humanitarian law (IHL). Under IHL these weapons are prohibited. Unfortunately they are still used with devastating effects. Indiscriminate Weapons have high rates of collateral damage and with that comes high civilian casualties as well as the accidental destruction of infrastructure among other things. Indiscriminate weapons range from poison to nuclear weapons which makes the topic that much more complex.
Afghanistan has had a long, bloody, and miserable history with indiscriminate weapons. In the armed conflict following the September eleven attacks the United States-led coalition against Afghanistan used two indiscriminate weapons whose effect are still being felt today. The first of which is cluster bombs. Their high dud rate led to very volatile explosives being left around civilian populations. They were also often dispersed over a wide area. These facts combined with their nature make them indiscriminate if used near areas populated by civilians (which they unfortunately were). The second of which is landmines. Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. In 2000 there was an average of 88 casualties due to landmines (and those were only the reported ones). Landmines are also indiscriminate because of their nature and frequently cause civilian casualties.
Indiscriminate weapons are a colossal problem that is only growing. They negatively affect the civilians in almost every country around the globe. This is why an international effort will need to be made to make an impact. The first step will be to cease the production of an destroy stockpiles of indiscriminate weapons. This will keep them from being used when conflict breaks out as well as from them getting to non-state actors such as terrorist groups. Afghanistan looks forward to having constructive dialogue on this issue as it realizes international cooperation will be needed to accomplish this one, crucial step.
