Mohammad Pervez Bilgrami

On October 24, 2014 United Nations (UN), world’s largest intergovernmental organization  completed its 69th anniversary amidst growing call from around the world about the usefulness of United Nations in the 21st century.

The United Nations Day had originally been devoted to raise awareness amongst people about the so- called goals and achievements of the organization and is part of the United Nations Week which is observed from October 20 to 26 every year.

UN consists of six principal organs; the most powerful body in the UN system, United Nations Security Council (UNSC), is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, establishment of peacekeeping operations, establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions. UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states. UNSCs’ powers transcend all plural and state mandates of UNGA and other organs of UN.

Further, UNSC consists of the United States (US), UK and former Soviet Union (now Russia) as the founding permanent members; France was included in 1958 and China replaced Chinese Taipei in 1971. In 1966, its non-permanent members increased to 10 from the previous 6 members.

US has so far vetoed the highest number of Resolutions in the Security Council, at least forty-two times. Thus, the US has been the single country that has vetoed the Resolutions critical to Israel.
The other five organs, including the many specialized agencies of UN, are also not fully independent and are being controlled by the club of few money hungry war brokers.

UN has become the Club for leisure and vacation where most of the representatives of member countries go to enjoy their tour of New York rather than doing any constructive work for the world in general and for their respective countries in particular.

Since its formation, UN has been the most undemocratic organization when it comes to the functioning of this 193- member world body. Its pivotal organ, the UNSC, is a hegemonic Political club of the five veto wielding members; they are actually ruling this body with leash of their veto power. Permanent five members of the UNSC have excessive power as one member can unilaterally veto the resolutions passed by the General Assembly which consists of 193 states.

Before spreading democratization in the world, UN is required to adopt and implement democratic values in its own organs and in its functioning, most importantly to democratize all- powerful UNSC.

UNGA has passed numerous resolutions against Israeli aggression and apartheid which were vetoed by US. Even many UNSC resolutions could not be implemented due to ineffectuality of this world body.
Annual UN General Assembly meetings are sheer waste of money of poorer nations where they have to pay for the entire programme of their participating representatives during their stay in New York.
Like any other world body, the UN is also being run by the contributions from member nations, its Donations are used for the purposes other than they are intended for.

Iraq and Syria are two striking examples of UN’s failure where in 2003 US with its allies invaded Iraq, bypassing UNSC resolution. On the other hand, hundreds of thousands are being killed and millions displaced in Syria due to the veto by the Russians and Chinese.

Besides, notorious UN sanctions for political reasons have been most devastating and inhumane for the countries punished by the embargos. UN economic sanctions and arms embargos are actually to punish the opposing governments.

Cultural, regional, religious representation is lacking in UNSC. Africa has no member in the veto- wielding UNSC, and Asia has just China where countries like India and Japan and others have been knocking the door for entry for decades. Over- representation from Europe in the UNSC is also impractical. South American giant Brazil is also not included in the elite club. There is no representative from the Muslim countries where at least two countries, the third largest democracy Indonesia and the third biggest humanitarian aid donor Turkey are being neglected.

Thus, without comprehensive structural reforms in the world’s biggest inter-governmental organization, it will further lose its usefulness.

This world body has grossly failed to bring peace in the world; rather it has acted to bring massive death and destruction in many parts of the world.

Only comprehensive structural reforms to be adopted according to the realities of twenty- first century can save this world body from oblivion where it is already losing its legitimacy in the eyes of emerging countries.

Either veto power of five permanent members should be disbanded or UNSC should be made more representatives with the inclusion of new members. Without adopting all-inclusive changes in order to find contemporary global solutions to the current issues, including the protection of global peace and security, migration issues, climate change, human rights issues, science and technology, and poverty eradication, UN will not able to endure for long. With its long-coming adverse trends if not reversed on emergent basis, it is bound to meet the destiny of the League of Nations, and the eventuality will be the most unfortunate for the humanity at large.  The posterity, in whatever forms it may be, will never forgive the handful of the wicked powers who are hell-bent to reduce the world body into non-entity by hijacking it treacherously for their imperialistic ends.

Writer on twitter* @mpervezbilgrami