SYRIA: A SYMPTOM OF THE STATE OF PARALYSIS THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS AND AN URGENCY FOR REFORM

  SYRIA: A SYMPTOM OF THE STATE OF PARALYSIS THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS AND AN URGENCY FOR REFORM

The security council and the charter under which it was created necessitates that the organ itself needs look beyond, see and take heed to necessary reforms to meet the ever changing world: a reflection into the global world order within which it conduct its function. Against the backdrop of what currently exist which is high politics of expediency. Viewing its paralysis from the standpoint of  what is manifesting itself in Syria,it only greets to the needs and case that points to such call for reform to nip the further incubation of future symptom.

The cold war era was characterized with disparaging outcome disheartening to such a great prestige organ, creating in it many problems of which ineffectiveness became so obvious in the security council operational outcome. The demise of that era was filled with great hopes and anticipation which at first seems possible and plausible but viewing from current scenario in Syria like in many others before it-Rwanda and Bosnia- has again reared its ugly head, an era we wish never to see again, its intent in manifestation seems everything between obvious and certainty.

Bases of the above prompted a questions from a classmate of mine -are we back to the cold war era where power plays politic upon human life? This is a question that I think should be posed to the security council and its permanent members as it necessities assurances to observers that the world body isn’t deviating again towards ideologically divided world that cripples anything positive and renders the global aim of peace and security invalid.

The point that remains critical at this moment is, millions are being killed, displaced and chemical weapons are ultimately involved in a power game,for which the organ sanctioned to see that any threat to human life is not taken for granted, and such organ isn't positioned to take necessary steps years after the event started to end such threat let alone reach a consensus on how to go about it. This stalemate requires the need for the General Assembly to act using the ‘Uniting for Peace Resolution', of which I think would be necessary regardless of whom the perpetrator might be in light of the current lock-down in the security council.

Finally, it must be noted that there is a great expression of goodwill all around the world towards the need for a more functioning global organization that will live to the expectation set out in its original founding document-responsive to world issues. This might be an illusion if the organ is resistant to changes required to reach these goals. Nationalist tendencies which challengers this obvious goodwill by dividing rather than building collective will to act, needs to be done away with. If the permanent members of the security council needs quantum of assurances, the world can so as to achieve a more efficient system that works for the collective than mirroring individualistic view based on belief.

Posted by Chidi Celestine

Student of: international relation and diplomacy