Showing posts with label UN peacekeeping missions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UN peacekeeping missions. Show all posts

Monday, October 15, 2012

An Islamist conspiracy!

The main aim of the recent BDR mutiny in Bangladesh was to grab power and nothing else

Was the recent bloody mutiny by the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) simply to demand better service conditions? Well the perceived wisdom is that events much greater than the economic grievances that sparked the two-day running battle between the BDR and the Bangladesh army in Dhaka’s urban centres and some other areas. The BDR is said to have been vying for participation in the lucrative UN peacekeeping missions and restructuring of the forces. But many Bangladesh watchers are now arguing that the scale of the rebellion belies the staid notion that only economic demands were behind it. What's more? Such concerns could easily have been addressed by employing conventional trade union pressure tactics. But the BDR unleashed a virtual reign of terror, holding several army officers and their families hostage and mowing down a good number of them. It is just not possible – indeed even probable – that the upheaval was driven with the simple aim of grabbing political power? A great deal goes to support such a notion. The timing of the revolt itself gives one pause – coming as it did at a time when Sheikh Hasina was still to settle down in the PM's office. It came on January 6, immediately after her swearing-in. Her party, the Awami League, had swept the long deferred general elections, thanks to the military’s meddling.

The strong suspicion of a deeper conspiracy comes from reports that the BDR mutiny had the secret backing of a section of Bangladesh’s army officers, including Army Chief, Moeen Ahmed. Ahmed is widely perceived to be a secular officer, who had been put out of reckoning.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
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Monday, September 10, 2012

Powerfully Transient

India has won the seat at a crucial time. It must use it to push, not just for permanent membership, but also for reforming the Council

It was quite a milestone for India to win the two year non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council (UNSC). All the hard work put together by External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna and Ambassador Hardip Puri, India’s permanent representative to the UN and their teams has paid off. Although this undisputed victory with an overwhelming majority will boost the confidence of India diplomatically, the election holds even more promise than is apparent.

Apart from India, which won the election with 187 out of 192 votes, Germany, South Africa, Portugal and Colombia also secured the five replaceable seats for non-permanent membership, which will begin from January 2011. Although the UNSC’s non-permanent election process is quite democratic, five permanent members (US, UK, China, France and Russia) enjoy significant influence in the selection process.

But then, this win for India is certainly not a surprise as there was widespread consensus. Japan is already a non-permanent member and thus can’t participate in the voting; and thankfully, for reasons temporary, US openly supported India. This proved to be the most timely gesture of goodwill that Obama could have extended in the run up to his visit.

This is the seventh time that India became a member since the Council came into existence in 1946. Japan and Brazil have secured membership ten times, Argentina eight times, Canada, Italy and Pakistan have got it six times each. In line to this thinking, we must realise that a non-permanent membership helps little to strengthen a nation’s diplomatic influence over global affairs.

Still, to India’s defence, this time things may turn out to be a little different. Three out of the G4 nations – India, Brazil, Germany and Japan (who are striving to be permanent members) – will be present in the council in 2011 (Japan being the exception); this is the year when the issue of reforms or expansion of the Security Council will be discussed and debated. The non-permanent members can push forward the issue of permanent membership more boldly than ever before. And their candidature is also competent enough. To be a member of the UNSC, a country should have either donated significantly to the UN or should have participated in UN missions. Japan and Germany are the second and third largest donors to UN missions while Brazil and India are the largest contributors of troops in UN peacekeeping missions.


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
 
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

 
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