UN Security
Council: New Challenges
By Dr. Hafeez Parry
CA
For the past decade there
has been intense discussion and lobbying going
on for the expansion of the United Nations Security
Council. At the present time, there are five permanent
members: USA, Russia, China, France and Britain.
In the expanded UNSC India, Japan and Germany
are most likley to be included. How much power
they will have in the expanded UN is being discussed.
You must have noticed that not a single Muslim
country has presented itself for the inclusion
in the powerful group. If India could aspire to
be a member of the UNSC, why can’t Pakistan?
Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia or Malaysia too
could aspire for the permanent membership or support
one of the countries.
To be a permanent member, you do not need to be
a democratic country or be large in size or rich
economically. As one can see from the present
make-up of the Security Council, Russia is not
a demoractic counrty, neither is China. France
is not demographically a big country.
I know the permanent membership of the UNSC is
not given on the basis of religion, but religion
should not be used to exclude any country.
Why is a Muslim or Arab country needed at the
UNSC table? Look at the world around you, most
of the major conflicts of the world, such as Palestine,
Kashmir, Chechynia, Iraq, Sudan and Moro’s
problem in the Phillipines affects Muslim nations
and Muslims. Some of the issues, Palestine and
Kashmir, have been on the UN agenda since the
creation of the UN. Several resolutions on both
issues have been passed but never implemented
fully because there was no strong advocate for
the Kashmir or Palestine side. In short there
is a severe imbalance of political power at this
apex body of power sharing and decision making.
A Muslim country will remedy that and will act
as a stablizing force. It will also send a strong
signal throughout the Muslim world that they are
not marginalized or exploited by the rich and
the powerful. It will cut the oxygen off radical
groups whose main propaganda tool in the Muslim
world is “only force will solve our problems.”
There are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world and
56 countries with Muslim majority. How can you
ignore them at the most powerful decision making
body in the world?
Can we as ordinary citizens make a difference?
I presume we can. I suggest we set up a website,
write, call, e-mail the President of Pakistan,
Mr. Musharraf (who probably is our best bet),
and also the President of Turkey, so that both
can be persuaded to apply for permanent membership
and lobby for international public opinion at
the same time.
If you have any ideas, please e-mail at Dr.Parray@yahoo.com
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