Verbal Perambulation

There was an atmosphere of anticipation and controversy as major political figures, MNC and NGO representatives and state residents convened for the first stage of a conference to debate and resolve humanitarian intervention in Africa. Secretary General Joanna Griggs welcomed the twenty one participants by reading excerpts from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The phrase that echoed in the minds of the participants came from article three: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.”

After citing some of the greater genocides in history such as the Holocaust and Rwanda, Griggs stated her goal for the conference. “We hope to walk out of here with a document of when intervention should occur, how should intervention occur…and who should do it?” she stated. Some issues to consider were methods of carrying out intervention, such as using military force or peacekeeping missions, as well as whether or not the execution of such intervention should be a regional, international, or domestic responsibility.

Once the actors agreed on protocol for having the floor and presenting support or argument for an issue, they also agreed to draft the resolution as the conference progressed. The conference’s scribe will compile all of the participants’ ideas and draft a final resolution. The final vote on the resolution will take place on April 19th, the closing day of the conference. The resolution will require a 2/3 majority vote of all present members in order to pass.

After an overwhelming majority vote dubbed the conference as the World Conference on Humanitarian Intervention, each present member briefly introduced himself, discussing their background, their stance on humanitarian intervention as a general concept, and finally their intentions for the final resolution. The presentations found a large portion of the conference to favor humanitarian intervention whether on a case by case basis or in all situations. One such supporter, STAND member Meghan Kosar, declared “I believe in humanitarian intervention; however as a STAND member I believe that ‘genocide must be prevented instead of just stopped’”.

Not everyone held the same view as Kosar. China views humanitarian intervention, claiming that, “…non-intervention is key,” and that one state’s affairs are no one else’s business. Some members neither fully supported nor opposed the idea but rather offered suggestions or criticisms. One such member was Noam Chomsky who stated that, “Humanitarian intervention should not be lead by the U.S.” Instead, he proposed that an organization such as the UN handle these matters.

Tomorrow’s installment of the conference will begin with a discussion as to when intervention should take place and eventually will debate how it should be handled. This discussion could not come at a more appropriate time now that Google has announced its newest update to Google Earth: high resolution images of Darfur, including pictures of devastated villages and refugee camps in a project with the Holocaust Memorial Museum. According to the Associated Press, “…museum staff members had approached Google about the project as they sought ways to highlight what they believe is genocide to many people who remain unaware.” This project may be one more way to look at humanitarian intervention. Perhaps intervention can take on a form other than military aid or peacekeeping missions; it can be as simple as browsing the web and becoming a little more aware of injustice in the world.

What conditions define need for humanitarian intervention? When can military actions truly be considered action for the sake of a victim’s rights? How do one or many states’ interventions in another state’s struggle for justice and relief affect and perhaps harm progress?

On Tuesday, April 10 state representatives and residents, along with delegates from major international organizations and governmental agencies, as well as actors such as former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will convene and attempt to answer these and other questions as they debate the possibility of an increase in humanitarian efforts in Africa from the international community. Each participant will prepare and present their position on the general principle of humanitarian intervention and will also state their goals for the conference’s ultimate resolution.

This conference takes place at a very appropriate time as we watch President Bush and his administration continually label the ongoing pursuit in Iraq as humanitarian intervention. While Iraq is not at the heart of the conference, there are mixed feelings stemming from the war among liberals and conservatives alike on the obligations of states’ to intervene when citizens’ rights are in question. There is substantial support for humanitarian intervention in the aspect of a state’s obligation. A NATO representative stated that while the organization is providing logistical support to the African Union, “it seems like there is a lot more that I could be doing to help stop the violence.”

While there is support for humanitarian intervention, liberals as well as a considerable number of conservatives wonder if human rights are always the driving force in a state’s intervention in others’ dilemmas. As a result, it is not surprising that many now oppose the potential of humanitarian intervention rather than support it. One such skeptic conference member is China, who hopes to see a decrease in humanitarian intervention. “China’s political system and worldview does not agree with intervention, instead I will be pushing for sovereignty,” she said.

What makes this conference interesting is the variety of voices that will have a chance to take the floor and present their stand on the issue. This is not your typical UN conference where only states are represented. Non-state actors such as Sudanese and Rwandan residents will have the same opportunities as Noam Chomsky to speak. This will allow for more diverse opinions to be shared, as people who range from the common man to NGO members to more famous political actors will be arguing for what they believe should be done on humanitarian intervention. Hopefully, the final resolution that is passed will not only satisfy politicians in office but will also aid those who need relief from outside sources.

We will continue to report on this story, bringing updated information of conference’s progress and ultimately its resolution as it unfolds in the Cathedral of Learning’s African Heritage room.