Topic: Ukraine
Country: Australia
Delegate Name: Jack Norman
School: Grand Rapids City High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Australia position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
The ongoing stalemate surrounding the annexation of Crimea is not only horrifying on the grounds of the invalidity of its cause but the subsequent and intrinsic human rights violations therein. The annexation of Crimea was performed under a procedure that was completely unrecognized by the international community and has lead to the heinous persecution of the Tatars which is a minority group that makes up 12% of the Crimean population. Australia is appalled at the circumstances in place during the time in which the vote determining whether Crimea was to be annexed or not. Under the watchful military eye of an occupying power is no place to perform a vote on whether or not a territory is to schism and conjoin with the aforementioned occupying body or not. Australia understands the potential need for reconsideration of borders and culture but cannot stand unperturbed by the nature of the Crimean situation in Ukraine. What Australia is unfortunately forced to bear witness to is the systematic erasure of Ukrainian culture in education and the replacement of Ukrainian laws with those of those of Russia. According to UN investigations there has been at least one extra-judicial execution, violations of private civilian property and enforced disappearances. This is not a complete list of what the UN has found Russia guilty of in Crimea and with Civilian safety at the paramount of importance in Australian foreign relations Australia cannot abide the events taking place in Crimea. It is the hope of Australia that during this conference the DiSec committee may come to an agreement of which procedures must be followed to ensure that the Ukrainian people are not held hostage in their own country and a plan is developed to ensure a lasting peace in the region that is amiable to all of the involved parties.
