CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Conflict and conflict management have been recognized globally as a social problem yearning for immediate attention. It has been described as a condition in which one identifiable group of human beings (whether tribal, ethnic, linguistic, religious, socio- economic, political or otherwise) are in conscious opposition to one or more identifiable human groups because these groups are pursuing what are or appear to be incompatible goals.
Conflict, which is as old as man, instead of diminishing with the rate of global development, is growing with speed. One wonders what has perpetuated this social cankerworm around the globe. That the emergence of conflicts has been traced to the following factors, the passion for power, wealth, fame, quest for minority rights, injustice, heterogeneous composition of the states, quest for ethnic identity, national interest and a purposeful partitioning of states into fragments by colonial masters. (Mac-Ogonor 2000:143-154) One of the basic interests of states is the pursuit of security objectives. This involves security against internal revolt and external aggression. However, the international system is very much concerned with the problem of external aggression or conflict between states. However, it does not neglect internal conflicts due to its possible impact on the international system.
The pursuit of security makes it imperative that nation-states acquire power to deal with threats to its territorial integrity. As a result, there exists in the international system an inherent competition for power. This competition in a system that lacks the necessary instruments for the maintenance of law and order creates room for anarchy. It becomes important therefore to devise means to manage these conflicts arising from the competition for power by the actors in the international system. Such instruments for conflict management safeguard the nation-states from both external aggression and internal conflicts that could threaten the security of the international system.
It was this reason that the international organizations are formed. Such international organizations include the defunct League of Nations, United Nations, the Arab League of Nations, Africa Union and others. A common objective of these organizations is the maintenance of peace and security. However, the United Nations is a global organization that has universal membership is committed to the maintenance of global peace and security, while the others pursue regional security matters. The United Nations, coined by United State President Franklin D. Roosevelt was first used in the declaration by United Nations of 1st January 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their governments to continue fighting together against the Axis power. (Plesch, 2011:89-90)
The United Nations officially came into existence on 24th October, 1945 when the charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and the majority of other signatories, hence United Nations day is celebrated on 24th October each year, and also the Charter vii of the United Nations contains provisions for conflict management, the provisions stipulated the means and method of management of conflict and its resolution. The interest of the permanent members of the UN Security Council has made the peace process controversial in Syria since “the occupy Syria”. US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, in Qatar on January 12th, 2011, during her last stop in a Middle East diplomatic shuttle commenting on the challenges facing the region as she saw them. Her statement was sandwiched between four nationwide protest which began in Tunisia on December 18th 2010, spread to Algeria on January 3rd 2011 and snowballed into Egypt on January 25th, 2011 and to Yemen two days later. Although less covered there were also protest in Libya, Jordan (The Guardian, Sunday, February 6, 2011: 61) and on March15th, 2011 the Syrian protest began. Clinton’s statement turned out to be a diplomatic summation of years of accumulated citizen’s frustration in Arab countries from the Morocco desert to the Persian Gulf. These are countries in which Arab leader’s grafted democracy onto traditional Islamic religious establishments in response to the global spread of state secularization.
The shallowness of their democracies, however, is revealed in various democratic deficits, including inadequate democratic institutions and violations of rule of law and human rights, the sit tight posture of their leaders, the suppression of opposition and the persistence of Arab monarchical and Islamic traditions, some of which compromise the freedoms and choices necessary for democracy to thrive. The consequences for their citizens include exclusion from the management of their own affairs and the failure of political leaders to deliver political goods to their citizens as the nation’s wealth is concentrated in their own hands. The series of protest witnessed recently in these countries mark the culmination of resistance by citizens who refuse to take it anymore.
The top ten reasons for the uprising in Syria include political repression, discredited ideology, uneven economy, drought, population growth, new media, corruption, state violence, minority rule, and the Tunisia uprising and a wave of anti-government uprising across the Middle East, watching the fall of Tunisia and Egyptian regimes in early 2011 broadcast live on the satellite channel Al Jazeera, made millions in Syria aware that change was possible for the first time in decades. The crisis started with absolutely peaceful demonstrations. (Primoz, 2013)
Arab and Western diplomats and the UN Security Council draft resolution that calls for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad to step down, while representatives from Russia and China slammed it as meddlesome. According to Vitaly Churkin, Russia Ambassador to the United Nations, the Council cannot impose the parameters for an internal political settlement “We are convinced that at a time of intense internal political crisis, the role of the international community should not be one of exacerbating conflict nor meddling by use of economic sanctions or military force. Russia, China say dialogue should occur inside Syria. The focus of this study is to access the UN Security Council resolutions in achieving a peaceful regime in Syria in spite of the confusions within the UN Security Council.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The state of Syria got her independence 17th April; 1946, the early year of independence were marked by political instability. In 1948; the Syrian army were sent to Palestine to fight along with other Arab armies against the new created state of Israel; the Arabs lost the war and Israel occupied 78 percent of the historical Palestine. In July 1949 Syria was the last Arab country to sign an armistice agreement with Israel.
In 1949; Syria national government was overthrown by a military coup d’etat led by Hussnial al-Zaim. Later that year Zaim was overthrown by his colleague Sami al-Hinnawi, a few months later; Hinnawi was overthrown by Adib al-Sheeshkli. The latter continued to rule the country until 1954, when growing public opposition forced him to resign and leave the country. The national government was restored; but again to face instability this time coming from abroad. In the mid 1950; Syria’s relation with the west witnessed some tension with the improving Syria-Soviet relations. The Syrian crisis has been stage managed by the division of the Security Council and thousands of lives have been lost and the inability of the United Nations Security Council to address the Syrian revolution that started 2011. (Jonathan, Syrian Embassy Washington January 2005)
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study is to ascertain the role of the UN Security Council in the management of the Syrian crisis. However, the specific objectives of the study are to;
1. To trace the origin of the Syrian crisis
2. Ascertain whether the doctrine of collective security of the UN is implicated in the Syrian crisis.
3. Determine if the UN sanctions depend on the interests of the Permanent members of the Security Council.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions therefore arise.
1. What led to the Syrian crisis?
2. Is the doctrine of collective security of the UN implicated in the Syrian crisis?
3. Does the UN sanction depend on the interests of the Permanent Security Council?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study has both theoretical and practical significance.
Theoretically this study will advance the knowledge of scholars and students in the doctrine of collective security, especially as it affect the Syrian crisis, and also the use of the UN sanctions by the Security Council in conflict resolution and the protection of the interest of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. This study will also serve as a data base to researchers in the area of international conflict resolutions and the place of the UN Security Council in it.
Practically, this study will provide stakeholders in with the UN Security Council the framework for deeper appreciation of the nature of the Syrian conflicts and the possible ways of resolving it without escalating it, through a proper application of the doctrine of collective security and the use of sanctions.
This study will equally provide stakeholders involving the warring parties in Syria, through its recommendations that the sanctions being threatened by the UN Security Council is not really for the interest of the Syrian people, rather, it is to promote the interest of the permanent members of the Security Council. Therefore it is left to them, the Syrian people, to resolve the crisis amicably and give peace a chance to reign.
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The United Nations since its establishment in 1945, the Security Council through her department of peacekeeping operation has touched the length and breadth of the globe trying to maintain one peace or the other for the benefit of mankind. For the purpose of the study we are going to limit our study strictly to the country’s profile.
In other to have proper focus and understanding we shall critically examine the causes of the conflict in Syria, the study will also expose the interests of the permanent members of the Security Council that has heightened the debacle in Syria. The limitation of this study, due to the distance and inadequate finance I was unable to travel to Syria to carry out this study and the time frame in the course of this study were my major setback.
1.7 HYPOTHESES
This study is guided by the following hypotheses:
The doctrine of collective security of the UN is implicated in the Syrian crisis.
The UN sanctions depend on the interests of the permanent members of the Security Council.
1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The type of research methodology used in this research to gather data and relevant information is the historical research and the study will adopt descriptive method of data collection. This will involve the collection of materials from secondary sources. According to ( Obasi, 1999)” secondary sources rely on information pieced from document. These documents may be published and unpublished materials on the activities of public and private organization which constitute important source of data for qualitative political analysis.” This type of data could be obtained easily even without the concept of the original owner of the generator of such documents. The advantages of secondary sources “are that is economical, the cooperation of the individual about whom information is being sought is not required, thus, creating an analytical basis for establishing trend of events” (Obasi,1999:172)
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Politics: Politics is the process of making decisions that apply to members of a group. It refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance organized control over a human community, particularly a state.
Debacle: An event that ends suddenly and disastrous, often with humiliating consequences.
Sanction: An approval by an authority generally one that makes something valid.
Crisis: An unstable situation in political, social, economic or military affairs.
TABLE OF CONTENT
PAGE
TITLE PAGE i
CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
ABSTRACT v
RESUME vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii - viii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background to the study 1 - 4
1.2 Statement of the problem 5
1.3 Objectives of the study 5
1.4 Research questions 6
1.5 Significance of the study 6
1.6 Scope and Limitation of the study 6 - 7
1.7 Hypotheses 7
1.8 Research methodology 7 - 9
1.9 Definition of Terms 9
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 10
2.1 History of the Syrian State 10 -20
2.2 The Origin of the Syrian Crisis 20 - 22
2.3 Origin of the United Nations 23 - 30
2.4 Theoretical Framework 30 - 32
CHAPTER THREE: 33
3.1 UN Doctrine of Collective Security and the Syrian Crisis 33 - 36
3.2 Russia and China Veto is Implicated 36 - 39
3.3 The Interest of Russia in Syria 40 - 47
CHAPTER FOUR: THE UN SANCTIONS AND THE INTEREST OF PERMANENT SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS 48
4.1 The Politics of Sanctions and the Assad’s Regime 48 - 66
4.2 Bans on the Import of Syrian Oil and the Export of Equipment for the Petro Industry 66 - 79
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION 80
5.1 Summary 80 - 83
5.2 Recommendation 83
Bibliography 84 - 88