UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL EMERGENCY SESSION CONFLICT IN SYRIA - ON
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UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SPECIAL
EMERGENCY SESSION
ON THE
CONFLICT IN SYRIA
Chair – Amy O'Halloran
Vice Chairs – Sanad Hisham Mouzughi, Lauren
Shiplett, and Keith Bermudez
wamunc.com | march 20 – 23, 2014
A Word from your Chair – Amy O’Halloran
Dear Delegates,
Welcome to WAMUNC XVI! My name is Amy O’Halloran, and I will be serving as
your Chair for the United Nations General Assembly Special Emergency Session on the Civil
War in Syria. I am very excited to be chairing a committee that is covering such an important
global issue that continues to change every day. But, before we get started, let me introduce
myself!
I am a junior at the George Washington University, double majoring in International
Affairs and French Language and Literature, with a minor in Arabic. I am Irish, but grew up in
Atlanta, GA, and I call both my home! I have been a very active member of the International
Affairs Society since my freshman year, where I compete on the GWU MUN team all over the
world, and previously served as Director of Communications. Additionally, I am a member of
the GW Women’s Club Soccer team, am an avid sports fan, and am quite the hash-tagger!
Throughout the fall semester, I have just returned from studying abroad at Sciences Po in Paris,
France after a summer studying abroad in Morocco.
This year will mark my second WAMUNC. As a freshman, I served as Co-Chair of the
Northern Ireland Peace Settlement Negotiations Committee. I was due to chair the Special,
Political, and Decolonization Committee at WAMUNC XV (2013), but I was very fortunately
selected to the GWUMUN team that competed at the World Model United Nations Conference
(WorldMUN) in Melbourne, Australia, which coincided with WAMUNC 2013! Additionally, I
have participated in GWU’s Middle School MUN conference (GWCIA) as a Vice-Chair and
then as Business Director.
Please do not hesitate to email me if you have any questions regarding the committee,
GWU, or college in general! I am here to help make this the best MUN experience possible for
all of you, so I am at your disposal.
Best of luck with your preparations and I am looking forward to meeting all of you in March!
Now, I am proud to introduce the Vice-Chairs of the UNGA Special Emergency Session on the
Civil War in Syria.
1
A Word from your Vice Chair, Lauren Shiplett
Hi delegates!
My name is Lauren Shiplett and I will be serving as a vice chair for the General
Assembly Special Session. Originally hailing from Chapel Hill, NC, I’m a freshman in the Elliot
School who plans to major in International Affairs with a concentration in Security Policy. I'm
active within GW MUN and participated as a Vice Chair for the Security Council in this past
year’s middle school MUN conference, GWCIA. In my free time, I enjoy photography, tennis,
and exploring the city. I’m very excited to live in DC and for an amazing four years at GW!
A Word from your Vice Chair, Keith Bermudez
Welcome to WAMUNC XVI! My name is Keith Bermudez and I will be one of your
Vice Chairs for the General Assembly Emergency Special Session. I am a freshman at the
George Washington University majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in
International Politics, and minoring in Chinese. I was born and raised in New York City, and
love following UEFA football. I am a Marine option member of the school’s NROTC unit, and I
could not be any prouder than I already am able to serve my country.
This is my first time ever serving on a dais for Model UN. I was a very active member of
my high school’s Model UN team though, and will greatly look forward to being board for more
conferences in the future. I am thrilled that I will be one of your Vice Chairs and can’t wait to
see you all in person at WAMUNC XVI!
A Word from your Vice-Chair, Sanad Mouzughi
Dear Delegates,
My name is Sanad Mouzughi and I will be serving as one of your Vice Chairs for your
council. I am currently a sophomore at the George Washington University double majoring in
Political Science and International Affairs. I am a British-Libyan and have been brought up
between the United Kingdom and the Middle East. I am quite a football enthusiast (soccer as I
2
believe its called on this side of the pond) and a huge fan of the greatest club in England,
Arsenal.
I was very involved in MUN at high school. However, during freshman year in college I
decided to take a break from it. I quickly realized it was missing and now I’m back in the MUN
circuit and very excited to be involved in WAMUNC. I look forward to meeting you all and
making it a brilliant conference!
3
Topic 1
Intervention: Military, Humanitarian, or both?
Should the UN pick a side, or intervene as a third party?
History of UN Intervention
The first example of United Nations intervention was in 1948 during the Arab-Israeli
War where UN peacekeeping forces were sent in to maintain an agreed upon ceasefire. Since
then, the UN has intervened in 63 different conflicts in the form of either military intervention or
humanitarian intervention.
An example of military intervention was the deployment of peacekeeping forces in the
Democratic Republic of Congo in 1999. Their main goal was to act as a neutral party and prevent
further conflicts from occurring.1
The UN peacekeeping forces are often deployed to prevent any spillover conflict in the
region or bordering countries, to stabilize a conflict following ceasefire agreements, to assist in
carrying out peace negotiations, to aid in the transition from war to stable government as well as
disarming and to reintegrate former fighters.2
An example of the latter can be seen in the UN sanctioned, US led mission to Somalia in
1992 where the forces were tasked to create a protected environment to allow for the conduct of
humanitarian operations in southern Somalia.3
Alternatively, the UN may decide to intervene on a military humanitarian intervention
such as the one seen in the more recent Libyan Revolution, where the UN authorized NATO
forces to form a coalition to protect the Libyan public and help topple the autocratic regime.4
Thus, in this situation, the UN intervention was to help the rebels and not as a neutral third party
such as in the Congo conflict. Although massacres have continued in places where the UN has
intervened, it is widely accepted that the UN interventions reduced the amounts of massacres that
1
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/monusco/mandate.shtml
2
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/info/mission.shtml
3
2
http://www.un.org/Depts/DPKO/Missions/unosomi.htm
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/info/mission.shtml
4
3
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm
http://www.un.org/Depts/DPKO/Missions/unosomi.htm
4
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm
4
have occurred. As in Libya, their decisive action on March 20, 2013 prevented the complete
destruction of Benghazi by annihilating the government military convoy headed for the city.5
Military Intervention vs. Humanitarian Intervention
Perhaps the most important question to be considered is to what extent is UN intervention
would be most effective? Should the UN be intervening using military force, or should they
intervene using humanitarian methods? If they are intervening militarily will they be picking a
side, or will they remain a neutral third party force? These important questions must be studied
and answered specifically in regards to Syria in order to ensure the correct measure is taken.
What is known at the current moment is that an uprising took place in Syria on March 15,
2011 as part of the widespread Arab Spring. Following the violent response of the Assad
Regime, the uprising turned bloody as the protestors took up arms to fight the regime’s forces.
They have formed an army named the Free Syrian Army and have, for the most part, succeeded
in their efforts to garner worldwide attention for their struggles. Yet, the violent war rages on.
According to a UN July 2013 estimate, there have been over 100,000 casualties since the
start of the uprising.6 Meanwhile, throughout the violence, the Assad Regime continues to be
supported by the Iranian government7 and Hezbollah in Lebanon8 through the supply of arms and
weapons. Furthermore, both the Russian and Chinese governments have repeatedly blocked any
legislation or discussion on the conflict in Syria, thus bringing the UN Security Council to a total
standstill and impasse. This includes the veto of the proposed Arab League Peace Plan for Syria.
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister David Cameron proposed a military intervention in Syria
that was hastily struck down by British Members of Parliament9. Following that, President Barak
Obama also began discussing a possible US-led military intervention in Syria10, although the US
5
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20044969-503543.html
6
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/25/death-toll-syria-100000_n_3652448.html
7
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/28/syria-army-iran-forces
8
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/world/middleeast/syrian-army-and-hezbollah-step-up-raids-on-
rebels.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2&
9
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23892783
10
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-30/world/41596342_1_chemical-weapons-syrian-
government-regime
5decided against intervention after the Syrian regime agreed to the Russian plan of destroying
their chemical weapons.11
Most recently though, Moscow began talks with Damascus over the destruction of their
chemical weapons, and further negotiations between the rebels and the Syrian Government have
been attempted in Geneva as late as January 2014.
Crimes Committed by Both Sides
Both sides involved in the Syrian Conflict have accused the other of committing crimes
against humanity, and there is credible evidence to support both claims. Given the lack of access
to these areas though and natural bias that exists from certain NGOs, it is very difficult to trust
any sort of report entirely. According to a report submitted by Amnesty International, the
government is to blame for the majority of crimes.12 According to UN investigations, the Syrian
military is responsible for the unlawful killing of children, medical staff, arbitrary arrests,
deployment of tanks, serious and indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, collective punishment,
systematic destruction of property,13 as well as many other serious and grave crimes including
sexual violence to both men and women. On August 21, 2013, the Syrian regime launched
rockets filled with nerve gas on civilian neighborhoods that led to the death of over 1,400
innocent civilians14.
However, the UN report also found the opposition forces to be guilty of unlawful killing,
torture and ill treatment, kidnapping and hostage taking as well as the use of minors in dangerous
non-combat roles15. Although rebel forces have not used chemical weapons, the rebels have
similarly committed war crimes committed by the regime. This includes attacks on unarmed
civilians in more than a dozen villages on the August 4, 201316, whereby they reportedly went
house-by-house indiscriminately killing entire families.
11
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/10/24/syria-chemicals-russia-united-states/3179693/
12
Deadly Reprisals: deliberate killings and other abuses by Syria's armed forces. Amnesty International.
June 2012.
13
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in
the Syrian Arab Republic. UN Human Rights Council. 15 September 2011.
14
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23927399
15
Periodic Update of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic.
UN Human Rights Council. 24 May 2012
16
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/10/11/syria-rebels-war-crimes/2965449/
6Questions to Consider
1. How can the UN obtain reliable information from within Syria that provides a clear,
unbiased account of what is going on?
2. How can the UN improve upon previous humanitarian or military interventions it has
authorized in the past?
3. Should the UN pick a side to defend in this Syrian conflict given reports with accusations
that both sides are committing what can be classified as “war crimes”?
4. Should the UN authorize an intervention to attempt to end the conflict in Syria? If so,
what type of intervention should it authorize?
5. If the UN should not authorize an intervention, what can it do instead in order to end the
conflict and violence in Syria?
7Topic Two
Role of the UN in resolving the growing issues stemming from the huge
increase in refugees from neighboring countries
The United Nations and Refugees – A History
Established by the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees in
December of 1950, the UN General Assembly created the Office of the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) to create a specialized body to lead and coordinate international action in
order to “protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide”.17 The creation of this office
originated from the refugee crisis during World War II in which 1.2 million European refugees
were left homeless.18 The primary purpose of the UNHCR is to protect refugees’ humanitarian
rights and well being, but it also works to establish safe asylum, to resettle refugees, and to aid
individuals in attaining political statehood.19 The UNHCR focuses its response planning toward
five key areas of aid: protection, assistance, safety, durability, and effectiveness.20
In affirming its mission of social progress, international justice, and greater human rights
worldwide, the United Nations has worked closely with national governments and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) to craft effective responses for refugee crises and conflicts
with internally displaced persons. The UNHCR aims to collaborate with smaller and more local
organizations in order for these smaller bodies to enact physical, specific response programs
while the UNHCR deals with international framework and policy issues.21 While notable
international organizations such as Refugees United and The Red Cross assist the office with
general global crises, region-specific systems such as the Italian-based aid organization Intersos
and Tadamon, an intercultural organization focused on Egyptian refugees, provide direct aid in
17
“About Us”, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refuges, accessed August 15, 2013,
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c2.html.
18
“Refugees”, United Nations Cyber Schoolbus, accessed August 16, 2013,
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/briefing/refugees/.
19
“What We Do”, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, accessed August 15,
2013, http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646cbf.html
20
“What We Do.”
21
“NGO Partners”, Refugees United, accessed August 17, 2013, http://info.refunite.org/content/ngo-
partners.
8local geographic regions22 Additionally, the national governments in countries that house
refugees hold tremendous influence in international cooperation and program implementation.
Historically, surrounding countries of those in turmoil welcome refugees and worked
collaboratively with UN-based programs and NGOs in order to streamline relief efforts.
Examples are the government of Egypt that both houses refugees and acts as a safe place of
transit for those seeking asylum.23
Case Studies – The Persian Gulf War and Libya
With the recent developments in the Syrian conflict, it is essential that the General
Assembly understand previous UN interventions in similar refugee situations in order to craft an
efficient solution.
“Similar” refugee situations to that in Syria include but are not limited to conflicts
involving chemical weapons as well as military strikes from other government bodies. The
Persian Gulf War during the early 1990s is one such situation that shares many similar traits to
the refugee conflict in Syria.
Like the recent accusations of Syria’s use of chemical weaponry, there is overwhelming
evidence that chemical warfare was used by the Iraqi government during its invasion of Kuwait24
which prompted an exodus of almost 1.3 million refugees into countries such as Iran, Turkey,
and Jordan.25 The UNHCR publicly responded by establishing a regional warehouse in Iran as
well as smaller satellite warehouses that provided basic humanitarian aid in the forms of
blankets, nonfood items, and personal care kits.26
22
“NGO Partners.”
23
“Middle East Refugees and IDPS by Country”, IRIN Middle East, last modified October 04, 2010,
accessed August 17, 2013, http://www.irinnews.org/report/90663/middle-east-refugees-and-idps-by-
country.
24
“Evidence Iraq Used Chemical Weapons during the 1991 Persian Gulf War”, Jonathan B. Tucker,
Accessed October 2, 2013, http://cns.miis.edu/npr/pdfs/tucker43.pdf
25
“Iraq: UNHCR in Iran Prepares for Possible Refugee Influx”, IRIN Middle East, last modified March
13, 2003, accessed October 2, 2013, http://www.irinnews.org/report/21603/iraq-unhcr-in-iran-prepares-
for-possible-refugee-influx.
26
“Iraq: UNHCR in Iran”
9However, many critics noted that this aid was insufficient as refugees were said to have
faced “squalor” conditions as well as a “lack of food and water” in the camps established by the
UNHCR.27 In this instance, the use of chemical warfare caused a drastic increase in the number
of refugees and the scope of their needs, which greatly altered the effectiveness of the
commission’s original plan. Current figures show that the UN was far below meeting its $50
million funding goal for sufficient aid to the region, and was only capable of assisting 15,000 of
the 100,000 total refugees at the implementation of its relief strategy.28 With the increasing
numbers of refugees pouring into relief camps and surrounding areas, effective UN aid seemed
“too little, too late” to many when unplanned but immediate needs were not met.29
Situations in which there was international military intervention have had a generally
positive outcome on refugee crises. Most recently, air strikes launched by the United States,
Britain, and France on Libya “averted a refugee crisis” on a larger scale than had already
occurred following the unrest in Libya during the Arab Spring.30 Through targeted air strikes on
Muammar Qaddafi’s ground troops threatening rebel-held cities, the number of refugees crossing
the Egyptian-Libyan border was contained to the thousands, a figure much lower than the
hundreds of thousands of refugees projected to cross the border if domestic conflict continued in
those urban areas.31 The UNHCR reported that, in the time after these attacks, it was able to cut
spending in that region from $31.4 million to $16.6 million while simultaneously maintaining
adequate humanitarian response groups, and with the defeat of the Qaddafi regime, shifted its
focus towards re-assimilation of displaced Libyans.32
27
“Persian Gulf War Refugees - UN Must Increase Aid to Desert Camps”, The Seattle Times, last
modified September 7, 1990, accessed October 2, 2013,
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900907&slug=1091861
28
“Persian Gulf War Refugees.”
29
“Persian Gulf War Refugees.”
30
“Air Strikes on Libya Avert Refugee Crisis: Hungary”, AFP, accessed October 2, 2013,
http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/libya-conflict.98g.
31
“Air Strikes on Libya.”
32
“2013 Country Operations Profile - Libya”, UNHCR, accessed October 2, 2013,
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e485f36.html
10The Syrian Refugee Crisis
Since March of 2011,
fierce civil unrest in the Syrian
Arab Republic has forced
thousands of refugees to flee to
neighboring countries and beyond
to escape violence and to seek
political asylum. A UN press
release from October 1, 2013
states that as of then, there are over
2 million refugees from the Syrian
Conflict.33 Additionally, an
estimated 1.2 to 1.5 million
Syrians is internally displaced
within their own country due to the
national turmoil.34 Women and children currently compose three quarters of the total Syrian
refugee population, and the total amount of Syrian refugees was projected to surpass 3 million by
the end of 2013, according to the UNHCR’s “Stories from Syrian Refugees.”35
Since the start of the Syrian conflict, surrounding countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey,
and Iraq have attempted to adequately accommodate the influx of refugees. Currently, Syrian
citizens are not required to present visas to enter into any of the aforementioned nations, and are
accepted by the surrounding governments by means of unofficial border crossings.36 These
nations have prided themselves on their “open border” policies to Syrian refugees and continue
33
“Participants at UN Forum Agree to Boost Support for Countries Holding Syrian Refugees”, United
Nations News Center, last modified October 1, 2013,
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46160&Cr=syria&Cr1=#.UkyvimTXi5I.
34
“2013 UNHCR Country Operations Profile: Middle East and North Africa (MENA)”, Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, accessed August 15, 2013,
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/4a02db416.html.
35
“Stories from Syrian Refugees”, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, last
modified July 22, 2013, accessed August 16, 2013, http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/syria.php.
36
“Syria Regional Response Plan”, United Nations, last modified June 2013, Accessed August 14, 2013, .
http://www.unhcr.org/50d192fd9.html.
11to cooperate with international efforts to address the crisis.37 Detailed descriptions of the laws
and existing programs within these prominent host countries can be found in the UNHCR’s
Syrian Regional Response Plan (SRP) (see link in “Helpful Resources”).
Neighboring states housing refugees have also acted to provide funding for relief efforts.
The governments of Lebanon and Jordan have appealed for $449 million and $380 million in
funds, respectively, as of October 2013, and the combined efforts of the UNHCR and vested
NGOs recently were rewarded with over $5 billion in funds after an effective appeal, the largest
of its kind in the history of the UN.38
However, unceasing violence,
economic downturn, and
unstable environments present
roadblocks for UN efforts in
Syria. Because of erratic and
ever-expanding areas of
violence, security constraints
have forced the UNHCR to
adjust and abbreviate some
activities. For instance, relief
facilities in Douma, north of
Damascus, were forced to close due to increasing violence in the area.39 Additionally, the
UNHCR has also reduced the number of its international staff in the country for safety
concerns.40 The refugees themselves face an economic crisis with intense national inflation and
material shortages due to the unrest. Moreover, a critical lack of essential medicines and
domestic items due to international sanctions and the impact of conflict on industrial output, has
severely affected the well being and security of civilians.41
Currently, most refugees are completely dependent upon UNHCR resource assistance.
Additionally, Syrian citizens face psychological and communal traumatization that increases the
37
“Syria Regional Response Plan.”
38
“Stories from Syrian Refugees.”
39
“Syrian Arab Republic”, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Accessed
August 14, 2013. http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e486a76.html.
40
“Syrian Arab Republic.”
41
“2013 UNHCR Country Operations Profile.”
12need for further community service support and resettlement training.42 Perhaps the most
prominent issue facing refugee relief efforts in Syria are the dangers of working conditions due
to acts of indiscriminate violence on civilians that affect relief workers and the distribution of aid
materials.43 To combat these obstacles, the UNHCR has collaborated with the UN Country Team
and other security officials since 2013 on expanding operational space and confirming working
conditions.44 However, with the developments of violence in Syria and the potential for
international military intervention, the problem of securing existing relief efforts has yet to be
solved.
Previous UN Responses to the Syrian Refugee Crisis
While $133,002,498 was allotted in the 2012 UNHCR budget specifically for refugee
relief programs in the
Syrian Arab Republic
itself, the UN has
placed strong emphasis
on the countries
surrounding Syria that
host the flocks of
refugees.45 With these
funds, The UNHCR
plans to prioritize
security and basic
humanitarian
assistance as well as
opportunities to foster
self-reliance and
42
Ibid.
43
Ibid.
44
Ibid.
45
“Syrian Arab Republic.”
13solution durability.46 To accomplish this goal, the UNHCR in collaboration with the Syrian Arab
Red Crescent (SARC) has developed a multi-sector emergency program within the UN
Humanitarian Response program for Syria framework.47 The strategy of this program is to
maintain contact with refugee groups through communication channels while securing the safety
of UN personnel and staff. It also aims to further develop existing partnerships between
countries, NGOs, and other UN bodies that enhance national government cooperation.48
Programs implemented in this strategy include identifying severely affected areas,
registering displaced persons, and distributing relief items such as blankets, hygiene kits, and
mattresses. In order to provide effective healthcare to refugees, the UNHCR has established
medical clinics through SARC and has supported individual and communal shelter projects
through financial assistance and rehabilitation work for employees. Agencies involved in the
emergency program stress the importance of coordination within sector groups in order to
“ensure coherence and avoid duplication of effort.”49
The UN has actively promoted close collaboration with national governments of Syria
and surrounding countries as well as internal agencies to enhance policy-support capabilities and
international cooperation. Through UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinators in Syria, the
UN aims to ensure that its plan for response fits within the broader and evolving national
framework of vested countries.
For instance, in 2012, the UNHCR established a web portal specifically focused on
Syrian refugee data and registration to create a tool to share real-time information within UN
agencies, NGO partners, donors, media sources, government bodies, and citizens.50 This
framework will work alongside the existing open-door policies of surrounding governments to
ensure administrative success.
Additionally, sovereign UN member states and NGOs have individually produced Syrian
refugee response programs to address specific problems of concern to their stakeholders. For
instance, the European Migration Policy Center in conjunction with the European Union (EU)
and the Union’s member states recently produced a lengthy action plan encouraging continued
46
Ibid.
47
“Syrian Arab Republic,” United Nations, last modified June 2013, accessed August 14, 2013,
http://www.unhcr.org/50d192fd9.html.
48
Ibid.
49
Ibid.
50
Ibid.
14asylum for refugees as well as other programs aimed toward positive rehabilitation and relief.51
Several other countries, including the United States, have also responded favorably to providing
humanitarian aid for refugees. NGO activity and creation in response to the refugee crisis has
also played a large external role in direct humanitarian aid.
Perhaps the largest NGO effort comes from Human Care Syria, an organization
stemming from the UK-based NGO Human Care Foundation Worldwide. Established in 2011,
Human Care Syria delivers medical and non-food convoys to war-torn areas in Syria as well as
coordinates childhood development programs.52 Similar NGOs, such as the Red Cross and
members of the Disasters Emergency Committee, have contributed greatly to relief efforts in the
forms of monetary and material donations, as well as aiding with and intergovernmental
communication.53
The Search for Solutions
Throughout the Syrian civil war, several plans to alleviate the growing refugee issues
have challenged policymakers and organizations alike with developing efficient, short-term relief
response while also establishing a durable long-term framework for the country and its refugees.
The new possibility of international military intervention complicates existing plans for relief
and ensures a continuously changing framework for the conflict that must be kept in mind while
crafting an effective response. The UNHCR’s “Main Objectives and Targets for 2013” cites
numerous broad guidelines for UN actions and associated efforts, such as providing security
from violence and exploitation, fair and timely processing and documentation, and community
empowerment and self-reliance.54 The UN’s Syria Regional Response Plan55 produced in June
2013 calls for the creation of quick-impact projects (QIPs) for immediate relief, such as food
provision, healthcare clinics, and delivery of non-food items, while also citing the need for
essential long-term activities such as monitoring surrounding countries’ commitment to open
51
“The European Response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis: What’s Next?”, Fargues, Phillipe, and Christine
Fandrich, Migration Policy Center/Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies, last modified 2012,
accessed August 18, 2013, http://www.migrationpolicycentre.eu/docs/MPC 2012 14.pdf.
52
“Who We Are”, Human Care Syria, accessed August 17, 2013, http://humancaresyria.org/about.
53
“Who We Are.”
54
“Syrian Arab Republic.”
55
"Syria Regional Response Plan."
15borders, and training on refugee protection principles. 56 While these guidelines are vague, it will
be the job of the General Assembly to provide recommendations for specific implementation of
these ideas as well as to ensure any solutions will remain durable given international military
intervention or escalation of violence.
The UNHCR and the UN stress that relief efforts cannot solely stem from the existing
programs. In the process of finding innovative responses to the complicated situation of Syrian
refugees, independent nations as well as NGOs are called upon for solutions. The
aforementioned EU Migration Policy Center report on the issue is one of the academically based
answers to this call, suggesting the creation of Regional Protection Programs (RPPs) focused on
Syrian refugee resettlement. Some international foreign policy experts, such as James S. Robbins
of the American Foreign Policy Council and Morton Abramowitz of The Century Foundation,
call for western military intervention in Syria to ensure safe humanitarian response, citing the
2011 intervention in Libya, 2001 intervention in Afghanistan, and 1995 bombing in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.57 As evident in the highly publicized recent developments, President Barack
Obama of the United States has taken a similar position on military intervention and has called
for congressional approval to launch a strike. Additionally, such academic experts also call for
the expedited asylum of refugees as well as humanitarian parolees and protection of citizens still
residing in safe areas within Syria.58
While the existing and theoretical plans of response to the Syrian refugee crisis address
many pressing issues, a complete solution developed by the General Assembly would encompass
the positions of the majority of member states while maintaining a sensitivity for nations directly
affected by the Syrian refugees. The individual interests and techniques of member states
amenable for international intervention must also be noted in order to provide effective
communication between all stakeholders. Moreover, the obstacles of increasing violence, failing
administrative communication, and severe economic downturn must also be taken into account,
56
In this case, persecutor refers to the state and government of Syria.
57
"Solutions for Syria's Refugees: Western Military Intervention is the Answer", James Robbins, The
New York Times, Last modified April 29, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/04/29/finding-solutions-for-syrias-growing-refugee-
crisis/syria-needs-western-military-intervention.
58
“Solutions for Syria's Refugees: Safe Areas Need Military Protection”, Morton Abramowitz, The New
York Times, Last modified May 01, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/04/29/finding-
solutions-for-syrias-growing-refugee-crisis/safe-areas-for-syrian-refugees-need-foreign-military-
protection.
16as they are current and highly influential hindrances to previously implemented programs and
will undoubtedly pose critical problems to any future response.
Questions to Consider
1. What are possible response plans or public positions for the Syrian refugee crisis of
member states?
2. How can the UN ensure adequate aid while projections of the number of Syrian refugees
remain uncertain? What will this aid cost, and how will it be funded?
3. In what ways can the UN provide support to neighbor countries that house Syrian
refugees, and how will it do so? What political actions can be taken to ensure solidarity
and transparency between governments and UN bodies?
4. How would existing programs have to change in the event of international military
intervention? What provisions would have to be made to new programs to ensure
durability through such a situation?
5. What can the UN do to combat challenges of administering relief posed by increasing
violence and economic downturn?
6. How should these refugees be reintegrated at the end of the civil war? What can be
implemented now to establish this framework for the future?
Helpful Resources
• United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, “About Us.”
http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c2.html
• United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, “2013 Country Operations
Profile - Syrian Arab Republic.” http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-
bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e486a76&submit=GO
• Press Release from United Nations News Centre, “Participants at UN forum agree to boost
support for countries hosting Syrian refugees.”
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46160&Cr=syria&Cr1=#.UkyvimTXi5I
• United Nations, “Syrian Regional Response Plan.” http://www.unhcr.org/50d192fd9.html.
• UNHCR, “Syrian Arab Republic.” http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e486a76.html.
17Topic Three
Use of chemical weapons and the rise of terrorism
Chemical Weapons
Syria has been accused by the United States and Israel of developing chemical weapons
throughout various points in history. Israel, specifically, has accused Syria of developing
chemical weapons since 1971, and they believe they obtained more from Egypt during 1973, on
the eve of the Yom Kippur War. The United States believes that Syria first started developing
chemical weapons during the 1980s. In 1983, the US successfully identified a chemical weapon
production facility. Since then, hundreds of more reports claimed to identify Syria continuing to
develop chemical weapons.59
The Syrian government has stated that they would never use chemical weapons on their
own people and their stock is secure. However,
Syria is not a member of, nor has it acceded to,
the Chemical Weapons Convention.
60
Furthermore, during March 2013, there was an
alleged chemical weapons attack in Aleppo, the
home to some of the most violent fighting
during the civil war. The United Nations
initially launched an investigation led by Åke
Sellström, but was at first denied.61 In April,
both the United Kingdom and France announced Figure 1: Alleged location of Syrian chemical sites
that they had hard evidence of chemical weapon produced by the Monterey Institute of International
Studies
usage in Syria. By June 13th, Benjamin J. Rhodes,
59
Syria-Chemical Weapons last modified August 2013 http://www.nti.org/country-
profiles/syria/chemical/
60
“UN team heads to Syria to inspect sites of alleged chemical weapon attacks” – Last modified August
1, 2013 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/01/un-inspectors-syria-chemical-weapons
61
“U.S believes that Syria used chemical weapons” Last modified April 25 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/25/syria-chemical-weapons-reversal-hagel/2112377/
18the National Security Advisor to Obama, announced that the US believed that there was a high
certainty that Assad had authorized the use of chemical weapons in the conflict.62
UN weapon inspectors finally confirmed that chemical weapons had been used on August
21st. The attack in August is reported to have killed 300 to over 1300 people. A British based
group called the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has claimed that they can confirm 502
deaths from the chemical attack. A preliminary US government assessment put the death toll
from the attack at 1,429. The US and France both firmly believe that the Syrian army is
responsible for the attack, and evidence from Human Rights Watch also points towards the
Syrian army.63
The US had previously drawn a red line that included the usage of chemical weapons by
the Assad regime from which President Obama was prepared to launch strikes that would have
attempted to destroy chemical weapon attacks. President Obama respectfully went to Congress to
get permission to launch the strike before launching it on his own. Iran and Russia both firmly
opposed the attack, and Iran threatened the US with repercussions if they went through with the
plan.64
US plans for the attack were put to a complete halt though after the United Nations
Security Council unanimously passed resolution 2118 on September 27th. The resolution stated
that Syria must give up all of their chemical weapons by mid-2014.65 Russia led the ideas for the
creation of the resolution, and Al-Assad himself has promised to comply with the resolution.66
This is far from the first conflict involving chemical weapons that the United Nations is
being drawn into. The Iraqis were accused of using chemical weapons in great quantities during
the First Persian Gulf War, as investigated in the previous section. There are many different
estimates for the number of casualties inflicted specifically from chemical weapons, but they all
62
“Syria chemical attack: What we know” Last modified September 24 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23927399
63
“Iranian leader: U.S will definitely suffer if it leads strike on Syria” Last modified September 6, 2013
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/05/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html
64
”Syria Chemical-Arms Resolution Passes UN Security Council” Last modified September 28th 2013
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-28/un-security-council-approves-syria-chemical-arms-
measure.html
65
“Assad says Syria will respect UN chemical weapons accords” Last modified September 29th 2013
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Assad-says-Syria-will-respect-UN-chemical-weapons-accords-327393
66
“Chemical Warfare In the Iran Iraq War 1980-1988” Last modified August 2013
http://www.iranchamber.com/history/articles/chemical_warfare_iran_iraq_war.php
19range in the tens or even hundreds of thousands. The First Persian Gulf war lasted for over seven
years before a Resolution was finally adopted that finally brought it to an end.67
During the First Persian Gulf War, the Red Cross investigated the incidents of Chemical
Weapon usage finding extensive evidence. Iran allowed UN investigators into the country to
examine victims to prove that they were being attacked with chemical weapons. The United
Nations issued a statement condemning the usage of these weapons in the war. Iraq denied using
the chemical weapons despite the evidence provided, and the state of condemnation issued by the
United Nations. The United States issued special licensing requirements for exports to Iraq and
Iran of particular chemicals. Later on other governments followed suite.68
Resolution 2118 on the elimination of chemical weapons in Syria has currently halted
Western countries from launching strikes on Syria. Even though Syria has promised to comply
with the resolution, there are no consequences listed in the resolution in case they do not
comply.69 While Syria has promised to give up the chemical weapons in accordance with the
resolution, there is no way to tell if they will change their minds within the time frame. In the
meantime, Russia and Iran will likely remain staunch allies of Syria. If Syria does not comply
completely, the US may urge the United Nations to create stronger consequences in the
resolution to punish Syria. Nations such as Argentina, Venezuela, South Africa, and many more
are against any external military action in Syria.70 7172Western European nations on the other
hand have backed previous statements by the US that urged strikes before the creation of
Resolution 2118.
67
“Argentina condemns military strike on Syria” Last modified August 29th 2013
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/139492/argentina-condemns-military-attack-on-syria
68
“Venezuela’s Maduro Writes Letter to Obama, “No War in Syria”” Last modified September 4th 2013
http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/10001
69
“South Africa causes blushes in handling of policy on Syria” Last modified September 16th 2013
http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/2013/09/16/south-africa-causes-blushes-in-handling-of-policy-on-syria
70
“The legacy of chemical warfare in Iran” Last modified April 22 2013
http://peaceandhealthblog.com/2013/04/22/chemical-warfare-iran/
71
“Hezbollah and Rebels of Syria in Border Fight” Last modified June 3 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/world/middleeast/hezbollah-and-syria-rebels-clash-on-border.html
72
“Syrian jihadists wreak havoc as violence spreads into Iraq” Last modified September 30th 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/30/syrian-jihadists-wreak-havoc-violence-iraq
20Terrorism in Syria
Assad and his government are claiming to be in a war against terrorist organizations
supported by the Western world. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s military wing, an organization that has
been declared a terrorist organization by the US, Israel, and now recently the European Union
has sent in armed troops to support Assad’s regime in the civil war.73 It is also well known that
Al-Qaeda has been involved in the fight against Al-Assad.74
Thousands of Hezbollah fighters have poured into Syria to support Assad, and they have
turned the tide of the battle. Hezbollah has been sent large numbers of troops to fight Syrian
rebels along the border of Lebanon, around Damascus, and in other regions as they continue to
deepen their involvement in the increasingly far stretched civil war.75 In addition, Al-Qaeda has
been gaining ground in regions near the Turkish border, where they have been locked in conflict
with the Kurds who have recently taken up arms in the fight. Foreign fighters joining the battle
for their side have heavily bolstered Al Qaeda’s numbers.76
Terrorists groups in Syria have been causing instability in the neighboring country of Iraq
and increasing political tensions in the rest of the region. Al-Qaeda operatives have been
establishing strongholds in the south and west of Iraq along the border of Syria striking fear into
the hearts of those who live in the regions.77 Syria has described the rebels as cannibals eating
the hearts of their victims. They claim to be fighting terrorists from 83 different countries.78
73
“Syrian FM to UN: 'Terrorists from 83 countries fighting in Syria'” Last modified September 30th 2013
http://rt.com/news/syria-un-foreign-chemical-542/
74
“Al-Qaeda expands in Syria via Islamic State” Last modified August 12 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/al-qaeda-expands-in-syria-via-islamic-state/2013/08/12/3ef71a26-
036a-11e3-9259-e2aafe5a5f84_story.html
75
“Hezbollah and Rebels of Syria in Border Fight” Last modified June 3 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/03/world/middleeast/hezbollah-and-syria-rebels-clash-on-border.html
76
“Syrian FM to UN: 'Terrorists from 83 countries fighting in Syria'” Last modified September 30th 2013
http://rt.com/news/syria-un-foreign-chemical-542/
77
“Syrian jihadists wreak havoc as violence spreads into Iraq” Last modified September 30th 2013
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/30/syrian-jihadists-wreak-havoc-violence-iraq
78
“Syrian FM to UN: 'Terrorists from 83 countries fighting in Syria'” Last modified September 30th 2013
http://rt.com/news/syria-un-foreign-chemical-542/
21Delegates must work towards a resolution that takes action to prevent these organizations
from getting their hands on not just chemical weapons, but also on any other weapons that can be
used around the world for their causes. Iran, and Russia have been supplying Assad with
weapons and money for the war.79 Recently the United States has declared that they will be
providing military support to Syrian rebels to help them combat Assad. Allowing these
organizations to gain access to these weapons will have dangerous consequences on the already
fragile region. Israel has already involved themselves in the war by bombing Syrian conveys and
facilities (see figure above).80 If Israel suspects that Hezbollah has gotten a hold of any weapons,
they may become more involved. 81
79
“Al-Qaeda expands in Syria via Islamic State” Last modified August 12 2013
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/al-qaeda-expands-in-syria-via-islamic-state/2013/08/12/3ef71a26-
036a-11e3-9259-e2aafe5a5f84_story.html
80
“Iran adds Military aid to Syria as Russia Gives Money” Last modified July 18 2013
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-18/iran-adds-military-aid-to-syria-as-russia-gives-money.html
81
“Report: Israel Bombs Another Syrian Weapons Convoy” Last modified July 28 2013
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170350#.UhUZjmRxsVk
22The conflict has already spilled over into Lebanon, Iraq, and into Turkey at times, with
chemical weapons and terrorism becoming increasingly. With different nations supporting
different sides, delegates must be careful in crafting their resolutions. Terrorism is a threat to all
nations in the world.
Delegates should look for ways in which weapons sent to the region do not go into the
hands of terrorist organizations. Assad has stated that he will only allow the Red Cross into the
nation once the fighting is over. Delegates should work towards finding new ways for the United
Nations to continue the progress it has already made with dealing with chemical weapons, and
should seek out ways to contain the spread of terrorism in the region.
Questions to Consider
1. How should the UN respond to the spreading of the conflict into neighboring
countries? Is a military intervention needed?
2. How can the UN and other related NGOs better monitors and prevent weapons
getting into the hands of terrorists?
3. How can the UN continue to ensure that chemical weapons are not being used
against innocent civilians, and ensure that Syria continues to comply with the
resolution passed by the UNSC on September 27th, 2013?
4. What should the UN and its member nations response be should it be proven
definitively that chemical weapons are used against civilians?
5. How can the UN and its member nations attempt to curb the spread of Al-Qaeda’s
influence and prevent its expansion in Syria and in the surrounding countries?
Should the UN’s approach be based on development or military intervention?
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