Recalling the peace goal
The main purpose of the United Nations was prescribed in the Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations. The first two purposes therein are as follows:
1. To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;
Sixth Chapter of the Charter of the United Nations is titled as Pacific Settlement of Disputes Article 33 and following articles under this heading prescribe provisions in relation to the pasific settlement of disputes.
The possibility to develop methods have been given to the States for pasific solutions of disputes in these provisions. Article 43 talks about the armed forces to be devoted to the mandate of the Security Council.
Does the UN remain silent if the peace is dissolved?
The Resolution on Uniting For Peace issued on 3 November 1950 in New York (No:377(V)) provides a guideline on the ways of settlement of the dispute in the case that a unanimity cannot be guaranteed among the permanent members of the Security Council. This Resolution reads that,
"(A)1. "Resolves that if the Security Coucil, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the amtter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures, including in the case of a breach of the peace or act of aggression the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain and restore international peace and security. If not in session at the time, the General Assembly may meet in emergency special session within twenty-four hours of the request therefor. Such emergency special session shall be called if requested by the Security Council on the vote of any seven memebrs, or by a majority of the Members of the United Nations".
Article 99 of the Charter of the United Nations provides an opportunity to the Secretary General of the United Nations. The Secretary General "may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. "
The attack and invasion of Iraq by the USA and the United Kingdom are crimes committed against to the peace. This war initiated in the absence of both the decision of the Security Council of the United Nations and conditions for legitimate defence is an assault. The situation is more serious as this assault was put into force while the issue was still under discussion in the United Nations and the mechanisms of the UN was stil functioning. This sort of war is defined in the intrenational law as the crime committed against the peace. Moreover, assaulting powers are two members of the UN Security Council. In this circumstances, the responsibility to stop the war and the invasion is belong to the UN. Resolution of the Uniting for Peace is a guideline on the issue. The UN General Assembly can stop the invasion. This is why the Human Rights Association invites Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary general of the Un, and member states of the Un to fulfill thier duty and responsibility in ending the war.
Protection of civilians in wartimes amd humanity principles…
Our second call to the UN is related to the measures to be taken effectively in protection of civilians. Defendless Iraqian children, women, journalists who are trying to perfom their job and in general all civilian people are being killed by bombs and bullets of the American and British soldiers. Civilians are subject to torture and inhuman teratments. What we follow from the written and visual media are evidences of the deep brutality experienced by Iraqi people. Houses are raided, civilians are arrested and subejt to torture in Iraq. The American and British military powers are terrorising civilians by their thanks, missiles, bombs. Basic principles of the Humanitarian Law are being violated. The Hra calls on the United Nations to take urgently the necessary measures to protect civilians in accordance with the provisions of the Humanitarian Law and to initiate the necessary efforts to bring the perpetrators before the judiciary.
It can be though that there is no power to protect peoples of Iraq whose territories are under invasion. However, we should not forget that the peacelovers of the world reacts against this unfair and unjustice assault. Principles of humanity is stronger than the bombs and civilians are under the protection of principles of the humanity.
No to war!. Long-live peace!
Long-live the Brotherhoodness and sisterhoodness of the peoples of the world.!
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION