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PRESS CORPS – HARVARD MODEL UNITED NATIONS INDIA 2014
by	
  Chanakya	
  Varma	
  
Correspondents	
  of	
  the	
  various	
  agencies	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  
Nations	
  India	
  2014	
  had	
  to	
  shadow	
  committees	
  and	
  write	
  articles	
  covering	
  the	
  latest	
  
happenings,	
  and	
  consequently	
  the	
  global	
  repercussions	
  of	
  these	
  updates.	
  Apart	
  from	
  literary	
  
journalism,	
  they	
  also	
  had	
  to	
  conduct	
  interviews	
  of	
  an	
  assigned	
  member	
  of	
  the	
  Secretariat	
  and	
  
host	
  press	
  conferences	
  in	
  various	
  committees.	
  The	
  following	
  are	
  the	
  articles,	
  opinion	
  pieces	
  
and	
  interviews	
  conducted	
  by	
  Chanakya	
  Varma,	
  the	
  representative	
  of	
  the	
  Al	
  Jazeera	
  News	
  
Network.	
  	
  After	
  holistic	
  evaluation,	
  the	
  representative	
  of	
  Al	
  Jazeera	
  was	
  awarded	
  the	
  Best	
  
Delegate	
  Award.	
  
T h e 	
   i n c i d e n t s 	
   r e p o r t e d 	
   i n 	
   t h e 	
   f o l l o w i n g 	
   a r t i c l e s 	
   a r e 	
   e n t i r e l y 	
  
f i c t i o n a l , 	
   a n d 	
   a n y 	
   r e s e m b l a n c e 	
   i s 	
   p u r e l y 	
   c o i n c i d e n t a l . 	
   	
   	
   	
   	
   	
  
	
  
	
  Articles	
  and	
  Interviews	
  
AL JAZEERA
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   2	
  
WORLD	
  REUNITES	
  TO	
  SETTLE	
  QUESTION	
  OF	
  INTERVENTION	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
One	
  hundred	
  years	
  ago,	
  a	
  single	
  fired	
  shot	
  in	
  Sarajevo	
  threw	
  the	
  entire	
  world	
  into	
  conflict	
  and	
  
war.	
   Today,	
   as	
   the	
   correspondent	
   of	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   walked	
   into	
   the	
   simulation	
   of	
   the Social
Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, he was greeted by shooting of another kind – the hands of
the delegates shooting up to propose solutions to what has been described as the bone of contention
of the 21st
century – humanitarian intervention.
This symposium of the SOCHUM kicked off with a clear division of ideologies, as delegates
furiously tried to convince their counterparts what the more pertinent issue was – the rehabilitation
of refugees or the creation of a framework for humanitarian intervention. The delegate of Sudan – a
country nestled deep within humanitarian crisis itself - was the trailblazer in the committee,
passionately reasoning that sovereignty was a right only rightly bestowed when the state exercised a
certain responsibility towards its citizens. Iran echoed its African ally, and further added that the
violation of the Geneva Convention in the Arabic region – especially in Iraq and Syria – was
beyond any logical justification and underlined the essentiality of Responsibility to Protect and the
definition of a framework for implementation.
The Delegate of Israel, however, offered another point of view to the issue by logically stating that
diaspora was a byproduct of any intervention, and hence, the creation of a “safety net” was
extremely vital to minimize any collateral damage. Fortunately, realizing the small amount of time
they had at its disposal, the committee came to consensus and decided that the issue of refugees was
indeed a subset of the bigger question of humanitarian intervention.
The committee adjourned for the first day with vigor and enthusiasm, and as the doors closed, the
words of the current Secretary General remained hanging in the air, who passionately stated,
‘Delegates – the question isn’t whether or whether not to have humanitarian intervention, but rather
how to.’
	
  
USA	
  THREATENS	
  IRAN	
  -­‐	
  BLATANTLY	
  VIOLATES	
  UN	
  CHARTER	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
In	
  an	
  act	
  of	
  unprecedented	
  betrayal	
  and	
  complete	
  disregard	
  for	
  the	
  clauses	
  entailed	
  in	
  the	
  
United	
  Nations	
  Charter,	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  of	
  America	
  have	
  publicly	
  announced	
  that	
  they	
  will	
  
carry	
  out	
  a	
  full-­‐fledged	
  drone	
  strike	
  over	
  Tehran,	
  and	
  subsequently	
  the	
  rest	
  of	
  Iran	
  as	
  well.	
  
	
  
In	
   the	
   wee	
   hours	
   of	
   14	
   August,	
   coded	
   missives	
   between	
   the	
   White	
   House	
   and	
   the	
  
headquarters	
  of	
  the	
  Mossad	
  were	
  leaked	
  on	
  the	
  online	
  whistleblowing	
  website,	
  WikiLeaks.	
  
These	
  missives	
  contained	
  extremely	
  sensitive	
  information	
  confirming	
  the	
  potent	
  threat	
  of	
  the	
  
drone-­‐war	
  posed	
  by	
  the	
  United	
  States.	
  These	
  drones	
  are	
  currently	
  stationed	
  at	
  an	
  undisclosed	
  
location	
  in	
  the	
  Negev	
  desert	
  in	
  Israel.	
  Experts	
  have	
  estimated	
  that	
  there	
  are	
  enough	
  mobile	
  
arsenals	
  to	
  release	
  over	
  400	
  megawatts	
  of	
  energy.	
  
	
  
It	
  has	
  also	
  been	
  established	
  that	
  the	
  United	
  Kingdom	
  and	
  France	
  are	
  completely	
  supportive	
  of	
  
the	
  action	
  of	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  and	
  Israel.	
  	
  The	
  correspondent	
  would	
  like	
  it	
  to	
  be	
  noted	
  that	
  if	
  
the	
  strike	
  is	
  carried	
  out,	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  and	
  its	
  allies	
  violate	
  not	
  only	
  the	
  Charter	
  of	
  the	
  
United	
  Nations	
  and	
  the	
  Geneva	
  Convention,	
  but	
  also	
  exhibit	
  inexcusable	
  hypocrisy	
  as	
  they	
  go	
  
against	
   the	
   ‘no-­‐first-­‐strike’	
   policy,	
   a	
   movement	
   which	
   has	
   been	
   championed	
   by	
   the	
   United	
  
States	
  itself.	
  This	
  of	
  course	
  is	
  only	
  the	
  edge	
  of	
  the	
  bottomless	
  pit	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  is	
  pushing	
  
itself	
  into.	
  The	
  issue	
  of	
  inevitable	
  civilian	
  harm	
  has	
  always	
  been	
  interconnected	
  with	
  drones,	
  
and	
   although	
   the	
   delegates	
   of	
   the	
   US	
   assured	
   that	
   the	
   drones	
   would	
   have	
   “a	
   very	
   high	
  
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   3	
  
accuracy”,	
   their	
   ominous	
   track	
   record	
   has	
   given	
   the	
   world	
   has	
   enough	
   reason	
   to	
   not	
   be	
  
convinced.	
  Serious	
  questions	
  have	
  been	
  raised	
  about	
  the	
  accuracy	
  and	
  efficacy	
  of	
  strikes,	
  and	
  
the	
  publicly	
  available	
  evidence	
  that	
  they	
  have	
  made	
  the	
  US	
  safer	
  overall	
  is	
  ambiguous	
  at	
  best.	
  
In	
  fact,	
  a	
  2012	
  poll	
  by	
  the	
  Pew	
  Research	
  Center’s	
  Global	
  Attitude	
  project	
  found	
  that	
  only	
  17%	
  
of	
  Pakistanis	
  supported	
  drone	
  strikes.	
  And	
  remarkably,	
  among	
  those	
  who	
  professed	
  to	
  know	
  a	
  
lot	
  or	
  a	
  little	
  about	
  drones,	
  97%	
  considered	
  drone	
  strikes	
  bad	
  policy.	
  If	
  this	
  does	
  not	
  exemplify	
  
the	
  self-­‐centeredness	
  of	
  the	
  United	
  States,	
  I	
  don’t	
  know	
  what	
  will.	
  
	
  
This	
   unashamed	
   violation	
   introduces	
   a	
   new	
   turn	
   to	
   the	
   agenda	
   being	
   hotly	
   debated	
   at	
   the	
  
Security	
  Council.	
  A	
  historic	
  perpetrator	
  of	
  jus	
  gentium,	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  is	
  willfully	
  adding	
  
insult	
  to	
  injury	
  by	
  maintaining	
  such	
  an	
  extreme	
  stance.	
  The	
  machinist	
  indifference	
  expressed	
  
by	
  the	
  American	
  delegates	
  when	
  asked	
  about	
  collateral	
  damage	
  has	
  raised	
  serious	
  questions	
  
about	
  certain	
  ulterior	
  motives	
  that	
  the	
  world’s	
  largest	
  military	
  might	
  be	
  bringing	
  to	
  global	
  
symposiums.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
This	
  unsettling	
  development	
  boils	
  down	
  to	
  the	
  billion-­‐dollar	
  question	
  of	
  the	
  century	
  –	
  does	
  
the	
  United	
  States	
  of	
  America	
  still	
  deserve	
  permanent	
  member	
  status	
  in	
  the	
  Security	
  Council?	
  
	
  
(This	
   an	
   opinion	
   article	
   which	
   reflects	
   the	
   views	
   of	
   correspondent,	
   and	
   not	
   necessarily	
   the	
  
ideologies	
  of	
  the	
  Al	
  Jazeera	
  News	
  Agency.	
  The	
  correspondent	
  holds	
  the	
  Russian	
  Federation	
  in	
  
high	
  regard,	
  and	
  praises	
  her	
  for	
  expressing	
  solidarity	
  with	
  her	
  Iranian	
  brothers,	
  and	
  calls	
  upon	
  
the	
  international	
  community	
  to	
  seriously	
  consider	
  the	
  ramifications	
  of	
  their	
  whims	
  and	
  fancies.	
  )	
  
	
  
STALEMATE	
  ON	
  THE	
  AFRICAN	
  CHESSBOARD	
  IS	
  STARTING	
  TO	
  DISSOLVE	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
It	
  is	
  said	
  that,	
  “Africa	
  is	
  more	
  than	
  a	
  union	
  of	
  states	
  –	
  it	
  is	
  a	
  fully	
  functioning	
  organism,	
  whose	
  
every	
   organ	
   works	
   in	
   orchestrated	
   harmony.”	
   The	
   continent	
   is	
   renowned	
   for	
   its	
   spirit	
   of	
  
fraternity,	
  but	
  today,	
  as	
  the	
  African	
  Union	
  convened	
  to	
  decide	
  the	
  role	
  of	
  China	
  in	
  the	
  region,	
  
one	
  could	
  only	
  wonder	
  where	
  that	
  brotherhood	
  has	
  faded	
  away	
  to.	
  
	
  
China	
  –	
  the	
  world’s	
  next	
  superpower,	
  and	
  Africa	
  –	
  the	
  world’s	
  biggest	
  potential	
  market	
  make	
  
for	
  an	
  exciting	
  combination,	
  but	
  this	
  cohesion	
  is	
  not	
  without	
  friction,	
  as	
  the	
  delegates	
  have	
  
engaged	
  in	
  a	
  furious	
  war	
  of	
  words	
  to	
  convince	
  their	
  allies	
  as	
  to	
  what	
  is	
  indeed	
  the	
  best	
  course	
  
for	
  China’s	
  future	
  in	
  the	
  continent.	
  
	
  
Following	
   up	
   from	
   the	
   proceedings	
   of	
   day	
   one,	
   the	
   committee	
   was	
   clearly	
   divided	
   and	
   the	
  
inability	
  of	
  delegates	
  to	
  compromise	
  seemed	
  to	
  be	
  sign	
  of	
  impending	
  financial	
  stagnation	
  for	
  
the	
  region.	
  The	
  committee,	
  however,	
  whizzed	
  back	
  to	
  life	
  when	
  they	
  were	
  shown	
  a	
  live	
  press	
  
release	
  of	
  the	
  plight	
  of	
  a	
  poor	
  Beninese	
  peasant.	
  Faced	
  with	
  a	
  lack	
  of	
  profitable	
  markets,	
  the	
  
farmers	
   of	
   the	
   region	
   were	
   clearly	
   distressed	
   at	
   the	
   apathetic	
   demeanor	
   in	
   which	
   the	
  
committee	
  was	
  progressed.	
  At	
  once,	
  it	
  was	
  clear	
  to	
  the	
  delegates	
  that	
  seeds	
  of	
  agitation	
  had	
  
been	
  sown	
  in	
  the	
  African	
  populace,	
  and	
  further	
  difference	
  of	
  opinion	
  would	
  only	
  nurture	
  the	
  
dissent.	
  	
  
	
  
Almost	
  magically	
  and	
  much	
  to	
  the	
  pleasure	
  of	
  millions,	
  the	
  committee	
  joined	
  hands	
  and	
  took	
  
up	
  the	
  topic	
  of	
  an	
  intercontinental	
  trade	
  agreement	
  with	
  renewed	
  enthusiasm.	
  	
  The	
  delegate	
  
of	
  the	
  São	
  Tomé	
  and	
  Principe	
  proposed	
  what	
  could	
  be	
  described	
  as	
  an	
  African	
  Forum	
  that	
  
worked	
  on	
  barter	
  dynamics.	
  She	
  believed	
  that	
  this	
  would	
  proliferate	
  local	
  economies	
  and	
  in	
  
turn,	
   create	
   a	
   regional	
   produce	
   and	
   demand	
   line,	
   reducing	
   dependence	
   of	
   extra-­‐regional	
  
economic	
  entities	
  like	
  China	
  and	
  the	
  United	
  States	
  of	
  America.	
  The	
  Democratic	
  Republic	
  of	
  
Congo	
  suggested	
  the	
  inception	
  of	
  cooperative	
  societies	
  –	
  a	
  socio-­‐economic	
  venture	
  that	
  has	
  
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   4	
  
proven	
  to	
  be	
  successful	
  time	
  and	
  again.	
  The	
  committee	
  also	
  fervently	
  embraced	
  the	
  provision	
  
of	
  a	
  minimum	
  support	
  price	
  for	
  food	
  crops,	
  which	
  would	
  invariably	
  prove	
  to	
  be	
  an	
  impetus	
  to	
  
the	
   agricultural	
   section	
   of	
   the	
   developing	
   economies.	
   As	
   Ghana	
   proposed	
   rebuilding	
   the	
  
international	
  roads	
  and	
  other	
  infrastructure,	
  and	
  Botswana	
  introduced	
  a	
  civic	
  ombudsman	
  to	
  
address	
   public	
   grievances,	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   could	
   not	
   help	
   but	
   note	
   the	
   nods	
   of	
   approval	
   in	
   the	
  
committee.	
  	
  
	
  
In	
   a	
   state	
   of	
   rare	
   consensus,	
   the	
   delegate	
   of	
   Botswana	
   proposed	
   a	
   moderated	
   caucus	
   to	
  
discuss	
   an	
   extremely	
   pertinent	
   issue	
   –	
   the	
   misuse	
   of	
   funds.	
   All	
   the	
   delegates	
   unanimously	
  
accepted	
  that	
  mismanagement	
  of	
  funds	
  was	
  severely	
  hampering	
  the	
  political	
  stability	
  of	
  the	
  
continent,	
  and	
  consequently	
  hindering	
  its	
  potential	
  for	
  development.	
  Aiming	
  to	
  establish	
  the	
  
framework	
  for	
  a	
  transparent	
  audit,	
  delegates	
  pushed	
  for	
  an	
  upper	
  limit	
  of	
  external	
  funding	
  
claiming	
  that	
  installments	
  were	
  the	
  best	
  way	
  to	
  efficiently	
  document	
  the	
  exchange	
  and	
  the	
  
allocation	
   of	
   funds.	
   	
   The	
   utopian	
   harmony	
   was	
   certainly	
   unprecedented	
   and	
   extremely	
  
heartening	
   to	
   watch,	
   and	
   as	
   the	
   icing	
   of	
   the	
   cake,	
   Sudan’s	
   suggestion	
   to	
   include	
   an	
  
anticorruption	
  bill	
  was	
  greeted	
  by	
  resounding	
  applause.	
  
	
  
While	
  the	
  bigger	
  issue	
  of	
  Chinese	
  involvement	
  is	
  yet	
  to	
  be	
  decided	
  on	
  in	
  concrete	
  terms,	
  the	
  
chessboard	
  is	
  slowly	
  dissolving	
  away	
  stalemate.	
  As	
  the	
  world	
  watches	
  what	
  can	
  potentially	
  be	
  
described	
  as	
  the	
  socio-­‐economic	
  alliance	
  of	
  the	
  century,	
  	
  
	
  
Al	
  Jazeera	
  has	
  only	
  four	
  words,	
  ‘Your	
  move,	
  African	
  Union.’	
  
	
  
HUNDRED	
  WITH	
  HILLARY	
  	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
(On	
   the	
   15	
   August,	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   interviewed	
   the	
   Director-­‐General	
   of	
   the	
   Harvard	
   Model	
   United	
  
Nations	
   India	
   2014,	
   Hillary	
   Higgins.	
   	
   Shamelessly	
   attempting	
   alliteration,	
   the	
   correspondent	
  
apologizes	
   for	
   reporting	
   only	
   five	
   questions.	
   Do	
   note	
   that	
   the	
   next	
   ninety-­‐five	
   will	
   be	
   added	
  
before	
  Leonardo	
  Di	
  Caprio	
  wins	
  an	
  Oscar.	
  Patience,	
  delegates.)	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   If	
  Hillary	
  Higgins	
  was	
  a	
  product	
  being	
  advertised	
  on	
  Sunday	
  night	
  television,	
  how	
  
would	
  you	
  go	
  about	
  to	
  sell	
  yourself?	
  
	
  
HH:	
   (chuckles)	
   That’s	
   an	
   interesting	
   question!	
   So	
   actually,	
   a	
   few	
   years	
   ago,	
   I	
   ran	
   for	
   this	
  
election	
  where	
  I	
  thought	
  of	
  these	
  3	
  ‘H’s	
  to	
  add	
  to	
  my	
  two,	
  because	
  I	
  love	
  alliteration!	
  It	
  went	
  
something	
  along	
  the	
  lines	
  of	
  ‘a	
  hardworking	
  and	
  honest	
  student	
  hoping	
  for	
  a	
  better	
  future,	
  
here’s	
  Hillary	
  Higgins.’	
  I	
  think	
  that	
  exemplifies	
  the	
  person	
  I	
  am.	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   Apart	
  from	
  the	
  lucrative	
  opportunity	
  to	
  suit	
  up	
  and	
  get	
  a	
  new	
  display	
  picture	
  for	
  
your	
  Facebook,	
  why	
  do	
  you	
  think	
  students	
  should	
  MUN?	
  
	
  
HH:	
   (laughs	
   –	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   suspects	
   that	
   over	
   30%	
   of	
   Hillary’s	
   previous	
   pictures	
   are	
   candid	
  
moments	
  of	
  her	
  in	
  committee)	
  Well,	
  I	
  think	
  it’s	
  really	
  important	
  for	
  students	
  to	
  engage	
  with	
  
such	
  global	
  topics	
  at	
  an	
  early	
  age.	
  Discussing	
  and	
  debating	
  issues	
  of	
  such	
  relevance	
  is	
  really	
  
important,	
  especially	
  considering	
  that	
  the	
  youth	
  of	
  today	
  are	
  the	
  leaders	
  of	
  tomorrow.	
  	
  
	
  
I	
   also	
   think	
   that	
   the	
   best	
   part	
   about	
   simulation	
   is	
   that	
   it’s	
   also	
   stimulation.	
   Stimuli	
   for	
  
innovative	
  thought	
  processes,	
  MUNs	
  beget	
  the	
  spirit	
  of	
  the	
  questioning.	
  That’s	
  really	
  pertinent	
  
in	
  today’s	
  world,	
  and	
  even	
  more	
  so	
  among	
  adolescents.	
  Apart	
  from	
  that,	
  delegates	
  also	
  hone	
  
their	
  leadership	
  skills	
  and	
  collaboration,	
  and	
  stuff	
  like	
  that	
  goes	
  a	
  big	
  way	
  in	
  their	
  professional	
  
lives	
  as	
  well.	
  	
  
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   5	
  
	
  
Moreover,	
  it	
  really	
  opens	
  up	
  a	
  host	
  of	
  careers	
  that	
  delegates	
  can	
  pursue!	
  I	
  mean,	
  you	
  could	
  be	
  
a	
  journalist,	
  a	
  diplomat,	
  a	
  politician	
  –	
  it	
  just	
  goes	
  on!	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   A	
  more	
  serious	
  question:	
  let’s	
  face	
  it;	
  the	
  United	
  Nations	
  isn’t	
  proving	
  to	
  be	
  as	
  
successful	
  as	
  it	
  theoretically	
  could	
  be.	
  What,	
  in	
  your	
  opinion	
  is	
  the	
  most	
  pressing	
  flaw	
  
in	
  the	
  dynamics	
  of	
  the	
  United	
  Nations?	
  
	
  
HH:	
   Okay	
  so	
  I’m	
  thinking	
  along	
  lots	
  of	
  lines,	
  but	
  they	
  all	
  revolve	
  the	
  same	
  theme:	
  response	
  
time.	
  I	
  think	
  that	
  optimum	
  effectiveness	
  of	
  any	
  organization	
  is	
  underlined	
  by	
  the	
  urgency	
  it	
  
exhibits	
  while	
  dealing	
  with	
  issues.	
  With	
  the	
  UN,	
  I	
  think	
  that	
  there’s	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  incessant	
  debate,	
  
and	
  that	
  really	
  hampers	
  how	
  impactful	
  a	
  resolution	
  is.	
  Don’t	
  get	
  me	
  wrong;	
  there	
  are	
  some	
  
great	
  people	
  with	
  some	
  great	
  ideas	
  here,	
  but	
  the	
  only	
  thing	
  that’s	
  missing	
  is	
  timeliness.	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   What	
  is	
  the	
  one	
  thing	
  you’ll	
  miss	
  the	
  most	
  back	
  home?	
  
	
  
HH:	
  	
   Honestly,	
  it’ll	
  be	
  that	
  energy.	
  It’s	
  the	
  enthusiastic	
  spirit,	
  the	
  passion	
  –	
  whether	
  it’s	
  the	
  
HMUN	
   India’s	
   Got	
   Talent,	
   or	
   the	
   Speaker	
   Series,	
   or	
   the	
   global	
   village	
   –	
   I	
   just	
   love	
   that	
  
contagious	
  vibe	
  I	
  get!	
  That’s	
  why	
  I	
  love	
  to	
  speak	
  to	
  every	
  delegate	
  I	
  meet,	
  who	
  they	
  are;	
  where	
  
they’re	
  from	
  (sometimes,	
  they’re	
  surprised	
  at	
  how	
  much	
  I	
  know!)	
  just	
  to…	
  you	
  know,	
  refuel	
  
my	
  enthusiasm!	
  I’ll	
  be	
  honest,	
  as	
  a	
  Director	
  General,	
  I’ve	
  seen	
  this	
  conference	
  right	
  from	
  its	
  
birth,	
  but	
  I	
  can	
  proudly	
  say	
  that	
  it	
  has	
  been	
  successful	
  only	
  because	
  the	
  delegates	
  jumping	
  up	
  
and	
  down	
  to	
  speak	
  are	
  a	
  testimony	
  to	
  my	
  claim.	
  It’s	
  really	
  heartening.	
  	
  
	
  
I	
  also	
  love	
  the	
  festive	
  Indian	
  heritage,	
  and	
  well,	
  I’m	
  Colombian,	
  so	
  it’s	
  really	
  fun	
  to	
  try	
  and	
  
amalgamate	
  both	
  of	
  these	
  easygoing	
  cultures.	
  Especially	
  the	
  Bollywood	
  music	
  –	
  it’s	
  designed	
  
to	
  get	
  you	
  to	
  jump	
  up	
  and	
  get	
  dancing,	
  and	
  I	
  try	
  to	
  dance…	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   I’ll	
  be	
  honest,	
  that	
  was	
  a	
  really	
  great	
  dance!	
  
	
  
HH:	
   (laughs)	
  …but	
  that’s	
  what	
  I	
  mean!	
  It’s	
  contagious!	
  
	
  
AJ:	
  	
   All	
   right,	
   last	
   question.	
   Since	
   you’re	
   studying	
   international	
   relations,	
   you	
  
probably	
  have	
  a	
  very	
  comprehensive	
  knowledge	
  of	
  the	
  international	
  community	
  and	
  
how	
   it’s	
   evolved	
   over	
   the	
   years.	
   So	
   here’s	
   my	
   question:	
   if	
   you	
   could	
   represent	
   any	
  
nation,	
  in	
  any	
  committee	
  so	
  that	
  you	
  could	
  alter	
  the	
  course	
  of	
  history,	
  which	
  country	
  
would	
  you	
  choose	
  and	
  why?	
  
	
  
HH:	
   That’s	
  actually	
  a	
  fantastic	
  question.	
  Okay	
  so	
  I	
  guess	
  I	
  would	
  want	
  to	
  change	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  
things,	
   so	
   let	
   me	
   try	
   and	
   zero	
   down	
   on	
   one.	
   Now	
   I’m	
   really	
   into	
   the	
   econo-­‐political	
  
development	
   of	
   the	
   Latin	
   American	
   region.	
   I	
   mean,	
   just	
   reading	
   about	
   Castro’s	
   Cuba,	
  
Pinochet’s	
  regime…that	
  stuff’s	
  really	
  something	
  that	
  should	
  have	
  been	
  stopped	
  at	
  the	
  bud.	
  The	
  
ethnic	
  genocides	
  and	
  oppression	
  of	
  liberal	
  thought	
  really	
  hampered	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  the	
  
region.	
  The	
  consequent	
  rise	
  of	
  Leftism	
  after	
  these	
  governments	
  collapsed	
  –	
  that’s	
  something	
  I	
  
wish	
  happened	
  much	
  earlier.	
  
	
  
So	
  to	
  answer	
  your	
  question,	
  I	
  would	
  love	
  to	
  be	
  any	
  country	
  in	
  the	
  United	
  Nations	
  in	
  around	
  
the	
  70s,	
  so	
  that	
  I	
  wish	
  I	
  could	
  direct	
  the	
  attention	
  of	
  the	
  community	
  to	
  the	
  region.	
  I	
  honestly	
  
don’t	
  think	
  that	
  the	
  situation	
  in	
  countries	
  like	
  Argentina	
  for	
  example,	
  deserved	
  to	
  be	
  ignored	
  
by	
  the	
  arms	
  race	
  and	
  the	
  Cold	
  War.	
  Yes,	
  I’d	
  definitely	
  want	
  to	
  end	
  the	
  South	
  American	
  tyranny.	
  	
  	
  
	
  
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   6	
  
AJ:	
   Thanks	
   a	
   lot	
   Hillary!	
   It’s	
   been	
   an	
   honor.	
   I	
   hope	
   I	
   haven’t	
   caused	
   any	
  
inconvenience,	
  and	
  you’ll	
  definitely	
  receive	
  a	
  letter	
  of	
  thanks	
  from	
  me!	
  	
  
BONUS!	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   Another	
   question,	
   if	
   you	
   don’t	
   mind.	
   Why	
   are	
   there	
   no	
   roses	
   at	
   HMUN	
   India	
  
2014?	
  
	
  
HH:	
  	
   Umm,	
  well,	
  we	
  didn’t	
  want	
  the	
  delegates	
  to	
  get…	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   Distracted?	
  	
  
	
  
HH:	
   (rather	
   relieved	
   a	
   politically	
   correct	
   term	
   is	
   used)	
   Yeah,	
   yeah,	
   distracted!	
   That’s	
   the	
  
word.	
  But	
  don’t	
  worry;	
  I’ll	
  get	
  you	
  a	
  rose!	
  
	
  
	
  
CHANGING	
  HISTORY	
  –	
  ONE	
  QUESTION	
  AT	
  A	
  TIME	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
(As	
  the	
  delegates	
  of	
  the	
  Historic	
  General	
  Assembly	
  (1958)	
  take	
  their	
  last	
  –	
  and	
  most	
  significant	
  –	
  
coffee	
   break,	
   the	
   correspondent	
   of	
   the	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   caught	
   up	
   with	
   the	
   Delegate	
   of	
   the	
   Egypt.	
  	
  
Fueled	
  with	
  caffeine	
  and	
  impatience,	
  Egypt	
  gaped	
  at	
  us	
  with	
  bewildered	
  eyes	
  when	
  we	
  asked	
  for	
  
just	
  five	
  minutes	
  of	
  his	
  time.	
  However,	
  despite	
  the	
  severe	
  paucity	
  of	
  time,	
  Al	
  Jazeera	
  managed	
  to	
  
ask	
  a	
  few	
  pertinent	
  questions.)	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   Good	
  morning.	
  Travelling	
  over	
  5000	
  miles	
  to	
  attend	
  the	
  conference,	
  what	
  does	
  
the	
  State	
  of	
  Egypt	
  expect	
  of	
  the	
  committee?	
  
	
  
DoE:	
   As	
  the	
  most	
  powerful	
  non-­‐aligned	
  country,	
  I	
  believed	
  it	
  was	
  my	
  duty	
  to	
  promote	
  all	
  
solutions	
  that	
  denied	
  the	
  Western	
  and	
  the	
  Eastern	
  bloc	
  the	
  opportunity	
  to	
  push	
  their	
  own	
  
special	
   interests	
   in	
   Eastern	
   Asia	
   above	
   the	
   interest	
   of	
   international	
   peace.	
   I	
   expected	
   the	
  
military	
  blocs	
  to	
  pose	
  a	
  stiff	
  opposition	
  to	
  me,	
  and	
  I	
  wanted	
  to	
  turn	
  the	
  bi-­‐polar	
  situation	
  into	
  
a	
  tri-­‐polar	
  situation,	
  with	
  the	
  help	
  of	
  a	
  “neutral”	
  bloc.	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   Are	
  you	
  satisfied	
  with	
  how	
  the	
  committee	
  is	
  progressing?	
  
	
  
DoE:	
   (checks	
  watch)	
  Extremely	
  so.	
  The	
  committee	
  has	
  turned	
  out	
  to	
  be	
  less	
  polarized	
  than	
  I	
  
expected	
   it	
   to	
   be,	
   and	
   countries	
   seem	
   to	
   be	
   willing	
   to	
   cooperate	
   and	
   compromise,	
   so	
   the	
  
solutions	
  proposed	
  were	
  less	
  extreme	
  than	
  I	
  feared.	
  	
  
	
  
AJ:	
   How	
  do	
  you	
  think	
  the	
  outcomes	
  of	
  the	
  committee	
  could	
  affect	
  the	
  international	
  
community?	
  	
  
	
  
DoE:	
   The	
  decisions	
  of	
  the	
  General	
  Assembly	
  are	
  a	
  powerful	
  legal	
  precedent	
  for	
  countries’	
  
policies;	
  if	
  this	
  Emergency	
  Special	
  Session	
  passes	
  an	
  enabling	
  resolution	
  under	
  the	
  enhanced	
  
powers	
  granted	
  by	
  Resolution	
  377(V),	
  its	
  position	
  will	
  be	
  crucial	
  for	
  the	
  future	
  of	
  the	
  UN.	
  The	
  
UN	
  has,	
  until	
  now,	
  been	
  the	
  main	
  pillar	
  of	
  neutrality	
  in	
  the	
  international	
  community,	
  and	
  if	
  it	
  
passes	
  a	
  resolution	
  with	
  strong	
  pro-­‐West	
  or	
  pro-­‐East	
  leanings,	
  on	
  such	
  a	
  sensitive	
  issue,	
  it	
  will	
  
lose	
   its	
   credibility.	
   That’s	
   why	
   I	
   think	
   it’s	
   so	
   important	
   to	
   ensure	
   that	
   the	
   proposals	
  
implemented	
  by	
  this	
  committee	
  are	
  both	
  neutral	
  and	
  comprehensive.	
  	
  
	
  
I	
  feel	
  that	
  is	
  enough.	
  Thank	
  you	
  –	
  I	
  must	
  bid	
  farewell	
  now.	
  
	
  
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   7	
  
LIVE	
  STREAMING:	
  CSW	
  RESOLUTION	
  DRAFTING	
  
BY	
  AL	
  JAZEERA	
  
	
  
As	
   the	
   correspondent	
   of	
   Al	
   Jazeera	
   pushed	
   the	
   doors	
   of	
   the	
   Commission	
   for	
   the	
   Status	
   of	
  
Women,	
  he	
  was	
  greeted	
  by	
  an	
  unearthly	
  silence,	
  as	
  the	
  committee	
  was	
  deep	
  into	
  the	
  business	
  
end	
  of	
  resolution	
  drafting.	
  
	
  
Al	
  Jazeera	
  has	
  always	
  believed	
  that	
  people	
  have	
  not	
  only	
  the	
  right	
  to	
  information,	
  but	
  also	
  the	
  
right	
  to	
  timely	
  information.	
  To	
  cater	
  to	
  the	
  interconnected	
  social	
  network	
  of	
  the	
  21st	
  century,	
  
Al	
  Jazeera	
  has	
  decided	
  to	
  cover	
  the	
  proceedings	
  in	
  a	
  manner	
  never	
  attempted	
  before	
  –	
  in	
  140	
  
characters.	
  
	
  
ü 2:57pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
The committee has broken into unmoderated caucus #CSW #UN
ü 3:03pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
The time for this unmoderated caucus has #elapsed – this is the next big thing in
women’s rights
ü 3:09 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
There is a shortage of paper – the resolution is being distributed digitally - #CSW is
#green
ü 3:10 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Draft Resolution 1.1 has been introduced! We’ll be posting clause summaries
ü 3:11 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
#DR1.1 has 31 signatories including Iran and USA #CSW
ü 3:17 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
#DR 1.1 guarantees “voluntary choice in marriage and family formation”
ü 3:18 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Awareness and education is of utmost importance in #DR1.1
ü 3:21 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
There is special allocation of funds for the R&D of gynecology – especially in rural
areas #DR1.1
ü 3:23 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Abortion authorized only if there are direct complications to mom’s health or if
child is conceived as a result of sexual assault
ü 3:25 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
#DR1.1 calls for ‘introduction of separate segments in the curriculum particularly
dedicated to detailing the implications, nature and characteristics associated with
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   8	
  
sexual and reproductive health’
ü 3:26 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Combating #childmarriage is of highest priority #DR1.1
ü 3:28 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Free #AIDS testing to be implemented for people below the age of #eighteen
#DR1.1
ü 3:30 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
#HIV testing is to be made mandatory before any legal marriage #DR1.1
ü 3:31 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
#CSW asks for international tolerance of social and religious customs and traditions
ü 3:33 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Police taskforce and border police to work to prevent human trafficking
ü 3:37 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Q&A session opens!
ü 3:39 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Japan – how does #DR1.1 effectively prevent teenage sexual intercourse?
ü 3:43 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Pakistan – how accountable is #DR1.1?
ü 3:49 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Belgium – what happens when state’s policy is not in line with cultural norms?
ü 3:51 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Russia – clauses 8 and 7(d) are contradictory!
ü 3:53 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
France – what will happen in radical and repressive states?
ü 4:01 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
and we’re done with the Q&A! We’re now having a MC discussing #DR1.1
ü 4:04 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Kenya – abortion after 12 weeks might be fatal for mom and fetus
Submitted	
  at	
  the	
  Press	
  Corps	
  at	
  the	
  Harvard	
  Model	
  United	
  Nations	
  India	
  2014	
   9	
  
ü 4:05 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Kenya – must create fear to stop adolescence pregnancies
ü 4:07 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Namibia – committee must not work towards instilling fear – UN works on harmony
ü 4:08 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
China – population explosion not addressed!
ü 4:09 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Turkey – making abortion illegal creates a black-market for unsafe and very
expensive illegal abortionists to thrive in
ü 4:12 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
UK – clause 12 redundant! – It’s already been implemented
ü 4:15 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
Ghana – maternal health is not adequately addressed
ü 4:18 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia
and we’re done with #DraftResolution 1.1! We’ll be writing a full-length summary
soon!	
  
	
  
	
  
While	
  the	
  draft	
  resolution	
  proposed	
  by	
  the	
  delegates	
  from	
  Iran,	
  Kenya,	
  Spain	
  and	
  Thailand	
  
might	
   appear	
   to	
   be	
   extremely	
   comprehensive	
   and	
   explicit,	
   it	
   possesses	
   gaping	
   holes	
   in	
   its	
  
current	
   form	
   that	
   must	
   be	
   addressed	
   if	
   the	
   authors	
   of	
   the	
   resolution	
   plan	
   to	
   bring	
   about	
  
meaningful	
   and	
   impactful	
   change.	
   The	
   primary	
   objection	
   with	
   this	
   draft	
   is	
   that	
   its	
  
repercussions	
   might	
   be	
   more	
   detrimental	
   than	
   beneficial.	
   As	
   Turkey,	
   for	
   example,	
   clearly	
  
entailed,	
   illegalization	
   of	
   abortion	
   would	
   pave	
   way	
   for	
   a	
   plethora	
   of	
   unlicensed	
   and	
   illicit	
  
abortionists	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  “black	
  medical	
  market”	
  of	
  sorts.	
  It	
  is	
  evident	
  that	
  in	
  their	
  search	
  for	
  
short-­‐term	
   solutions,	
   the	
   authors	
   have	
   conveniently	
   ignored	
   its	
   ramifications.	
   	
   Another	
  
concern	
  raised	
  was	
  the	
  scope	
  of	
  its	
  implementation.	
  The	
  impact	
  of	
  the	
  resolution	
  is	
  extremely	
  
dependent	
  on	
  the	
  degree	
  to	
  which	
  governments	
  are	
  willing	
  to	
  “show	
  tolerance	
  for	
  customs	
  
and	
  traditions.”	
  Certain	
  Middle	
  Eastern	
  and	
  North-­‐East	
  Asian	
  states	
  like	
  Saudi	
  Arabia	
  and	
  the	
  
Democratic	
   People’s	
   Republic	
   of	
   Korea	
   have	
   historically	
   shown	
   absolutely	
   no	
   regard	
   for	
  
international	
   jurisprudence.	
   The	
   delegates	
   of	
   the	
   CSW	
   have	
   definitely	
   maintained	
   a	
   very	
  
myopic	
  view	
  of	
  the	
  situation,	
  and	
  Al	
  Jazeera	
  hopes	
  that	
  the	
  following	
  draft	
  directives	
  are	
  more	
  
comprehensive	
  and	
  thoughtful.	
  	
  
	
  
To	
  conclude,	
  the	
  following	
  statement	
  probably	
  best	
  represents	
  Al	
  Jazeera’s	
  stance	
  on	
  women’s	
  
rights	
  –	
  the	
  world	
  does	
  not	
  need	
  another	
  resolution	
  –	
  it	
  needs	
  a	
  revolution.	
  
	
  
Delegates	
  of	
  the	
  CSW,	
  it’s	
  time	
  to	
  be	
  that	
  revolution.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  
	
  

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HarvardMUN India '14 - Al Jazeera: Interviews and Articles

  • 1. PRESS CORPS – HARVARD MODEL UNITED NATIONS INDIA 2014 by  Chanakya  Varma   Correspondents  of  the  various  agencies  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United   Nations  India  2014  had  to  shadow  committees  and  write  articles  covering  the  latest   happenings,  and  consequently  the  global  repercussions  of  these  updates.  Apart  from  literary   journalism,  they  also  had  to  conduct  interviews  of  an  assigned  member  of  the  Secretariat  and   host  press  conferences  in  various  committees.  The  following  are  the  articles,  opinion  pieces   and  interviews  conducted  by  Chanakya  Varma,  the  representative  of  the  Al  Jazeera  News   Network.    After  holistic  evaluation,  the  representative  of  Al  Jazeera  was  awarded  the  Best   Delegate  Award.   T h e   i n c i d e n t s   r e p o r t e d   i n   t h e   f o l l o w i n g   a r t i c l e s   a r e   e n t i r e l y   f i c t i o n a l ,   a n d   a n y   r e s e m b l a n c e   i s   p u r e l y   c o i n c i d e n t a l .                Articles  and  Interviews   AL JAZEERA
  • 2. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   2   WORLD  REUNITES  TO  SETTLE  QUESTION  OF  INTERVENTION   BY  AL  JAZEERA     One  hundred  years  ago,  a  single  fired  shot  in  Sarajevo  threw  the  entire  world  into  conflict  and   war.   Today,   as   the   correspondent   of   Al   Jazeera   walked   into   the   simulation   of   the Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, he was greeted by shooting of another kind – the hands of the delegates shooting up to propose solutions to what has been described as the bone of contention of the 21st century – humanitarian intervention. This symposium of the SOCHUM kicked off with a clear division of ideologies, as delegates furiously tried to convince their counterparts what the more pertinent issue was – the rehabilitation of refugees or the creation of a framework for humanitarian intervention. The delegate of Sudan – a country nestled deep within humanitarian crisis itself - was the trailblazer in the committee, passionately reasoning that sovereignty was a right only rightly bestowed when the state exercised a certain responsibility towards its citizens. Iran echoed its African ally, and further added that the violation of the Geneva Convention in the Arabic region – especially in Iraq and Syria – was beyond any logical justification and underlined the essentiality of Responsibility to Protect and the definition of a framework for implementation. The Delegate of Israel, however, offered another point of view to the issue by logically stating that diaspora was a byproduct of any intervention, and hence, the creation of a “safety net” was extremely vital to minimize any collateral damage. Fortunately, realizing the small amount of time they had at its disposal, the committee came to consensus and decided that the issue of refugees was indeed a subset of the bigger question of humanitarian intervention. The committee adjourned for the first day with vigor and enthusiasm, and as the doors closed, the words of the current Secretary General remained hanging in the air, who passionately stated, ‘Delegates – the question isn’t whether or whether not to have humanitarian intervention, but rather how to.’   USA  THREATENS  IRAN  -­‐  BLATANTLY  VIOLATES  UN  CHARTER   BY  AL  JAZEERA     In  an  act  of  unprecedented  betrayal  and  complete  disregard  for  the  clauses  entailed  in  the   United  Nations  Charter,  the  United  States  of  America  have  publicly  announced  that  they  will   carry  out  a  full-­‐fledged  drone  strike  over  Tehran,  and  subsequently  the  rest  of  Iran  as  well.     In   the   wee   hours   of   14   August,   coded   missives   between   the   White   House   and   the   headquarters  of  the  Mossad  were  leaked  on  the  online  whistleblowing  website,  WikiLeaks.   These  missives  contained  extremely  sensitive  information  confirming  the  potent  threat  of  the   drone-­‐war  posed  by  the  United  States.  These  drones  are  currently  stationed  at  an  undisclosed   location  in  the  Negev  desert  in  Israel.  Experts  have  estimated  that  there  are  enough  mobile   arsenals  to  release  over  400  megawatts  of  energy.     It  has  also  been  established  that  the  United  Kingdom  and  France  are  completely  supportive  of   the  action  of  the  United  States  and  Israel.    The  correspondent  would  like  it  to  be  noted  that  if   the  strike  is  carried  out,  the  United  States  and  its  allies  violate  not  only  the  Charter  of  the   United  Nations  and  the  Geneva  Convention,  but  also  exhibit  inexcusable  hypocrisy  as  they  go   against   the   ‘no-­‐first-­‐strike’   policy,   a   movement   which   has   been   championed   by   the   United   States  itself.  This  of  course  is  only  the  edge  of  the  bottomless  pit  the  United  States  is  pushing   itself  into.  The  issue  of  inevitable  civilian  harm  has  always  been  interconnected  with  drones,   and   although   the   delegates   of   the   US   assured   that   the   drones   would   have   “a   very   high  
  • 3. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   3   accuracy”,   their   ominous   track   record   has   given   the   world   has   enough   reason   to   not   be   convinced.  Serious  questions  have  been  raised  about  the  accuracy  and  efficacy  of  strikes,  and   the  publicly  available  evidence  that  they  have  made  the  US  safer  overall  is  ambiguous  at  best.   In  fact,  a  2012  poll  by  the  Pew  Research  Center’s  Global  Attitude  project  found  that  only  17%   of  Pakistanis  supported  drone  strikes.  And  remarkably,  among  those  who  professed  to  know  a   lot  or  a  little  about  drones,  97%  considered  drone  strikes  bad  policy.  If  this  does  not  exemplify   the  self-­‐centeredness  of  the  United  States,  I  don’t  know  what  will.     This   unashamed   violation   introduces   a   new   turn   to   the   agenda   being   hotly   debated   at   the   Security  Council.  A  historic  perpetrator  of  jus  gentium,  the  United  States  is  willfully  adding   insult  to  injury  by  maintaining  such  an  extreme  stance.  The  machinist  indifference  expressed   by  the  American  delegates  when  asked  about  collateral  damage  has  raised  serious  questions   about  certain  ulterior  motives  that  the  world’s  largest  military  might  be  bringing  to  global   symposiums.         This  unsettling  development  boils  down  to  the  billion-­‐dollar  question  of  the  century  –  does   the  United  States  of  America  still  deserve  permanent  member  status  in  the  Security  Council?     (This   an   opinion   article   which   reflects   the   views   of   correspondent,   and   not   necessarily   the   ideologies  of  the  Al  Jazeera  News  Agency.  The  correspondent  holds  the  Russian  Federation  in   high  regard,  and  praises  her  for  expressing  solidarity  with  her  Iranian  brothers,  and  calls  upon   the  international  community  to  seriously  consider  the  ramifications  of  their  whims  and  fancies.  )     STALEMATE  ON  THE  AFRICAN  CHESSBOARD  IS  STARTING  TO  DISSOLVE   BY  AL  JAZEERA     It  is  said  that,  “Africa  is  more  than  a  union  of  states  –  it  is  a  fully  functioning  organism,  whose   every   organ   works   in   orchestrated   harmony.”   The   continent   is   renowned   for   its   spirit   of   fraternity,  but  today,  as  the  African  Union  convened  to  decide  the  role  of  China  in  the  region,   one  could  only  wonder  where  that  brotherhood  has  faded  away  to.     China  –  the  world’s  next  superpower,  and  Africa  –  the  world’s  biggest  potential  market  make   for  an  exciting  combination,  but  this  cohesion  is  not  without  friction,  as  the  delegates  have   engaged  in  a  furious  war  of  words  to  convince  their  allies  as  to  what  is  indeed  the  best  course   for  China’s  future  in  the  continent.     Following   up   from   the   proceedings   of   day   one,   the   committee   was   clearly   divided   and   the   inability  of  delegates  to  compromise  seemed  to  be  sign  of  impending  financial  stagnation  for   the  region.  The  committee,  however,  whizzed  back  to  life  when  they  were  shown  a  live  press   release  of  the  plight  of  a  poor  Beninese  peasant.  Faced  with  a  lack  of  profitable  markets,  the   farmers   of   the   region   were   clearly   distressed   at   the   apathetic   demeanor   in   which   the   committee  was  progressed.  At  once,  it  was  clear  to  the  delegates  that  seeds  of  agitation  had   been  sown  in  the  African  populace,  and  further  difference  of  opinion  would  only  nurture  the   dissent.       Almost  magically  and  much  to  the  pleasure  of  millions,  the  committee  joined  hands  and  took   up  the  topic  of  an  intercontinental  trade  agreement  with  renewed  enthusiasm.    The  delegate   of  the  São  Tomé  and  Principe  proposed  what  could  be  described  as  an  African  Forum  that   worked  on  barter  dynamics.  She  believed  that  this  would  proliferate  local  economies  and  in   turn,   create   a   regional   produce   and   demand   line,   reducing   dependence   of   extra-­‐regional   economic  entities  like  China  and  the  United  States  of  America.  The  Democratic  Republic  of   Congo  suggested  the  inception  of  cooperative  societies  –  a  socio-­‐economic  venture  that  has  
  • 4. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   4   proven  to  be  successful  time  and  again.  The  committee  also  fervently  embraced  the  provision   of  a  minimum  support  price  for  food  crops,  which  would  invariably  prove  to  be  an  impetus  to   the   agricultural   section   of   the   developing   economies.   As   Ghana   proposed   rebuilding   the   international  roads  and  other  infrastructure,  and  Botswana  introduced  a  civic  ombudsman  to   address   public   grievances,   Al   Jazeera   could   not   help   but   note   the   nods   of   approval   in   the   committee.       In   a   state   of   rare   consensus,   the   delegate   of   Botswana   proposed   a   moderated   caucus   to   discuss   an   extremely   pertinent   issue   –   the   misuse   of   funds.   All   the   delegates   unanimously   accepted  that  mismanagement  of  funds  was  severely  hampering  the  political  stability  of  the   continent,  and  consequently  hindering  its  potential  for  development.  Aiming  to  establish  the   framework  for  a  transparent  audit,  delegates  pushed  for  an  upper  limit  of  external  funding   claiming  that  installments  were  the  best  way  to  efficiently  document  the  exchange  and  the   allocation   of   funds.     The   utopian   harmony   was   certainly   unprecedented   and   extremely   heartening   to   watch,   and   as   the   icing   of   the   cake,   Sudan’s   suggestion   to   include   an   anticorruption  bill  was  greeted  by  resounding  applause.     While  the  bigger  issue  of  Chinese  involvement  is  yet  to  be  decided  on  in  concrete  terms,  the   chessboard  is  slowly  dissolving  away  stalemate.  As  the  world  watches  what  can  potentially  be   described  as  the  socio-­‐economic  alliance  of  the  century,       Al  Jazeera  has  only  four  words,  ‘Your  move,  African  Union.’     HUNDRED  WITH  HILLARY     BY  AL  JAZEERA     (On   the   15   August,   Al   Jazeera   interviewed   the   Director-­‐General   of   the   Harvard   Model   United   Nations   India   2014,   Hillary   Higgins.     Shamelessly   attempting   alliteration,   the   correspondent   apologizes   for   reporting   only   five   questions.   Do   note   that   the   next   ninety-­‐five   will   be   added   before  Leonardo  Di  Caprio  wins  an  Oscar.  Patience,  delegates.)       AJ:   If  Hillary  Higgins  was  a  product  being  advertised  on  Sunday  night  television,  how   would  you  go  about  to  sell  yourself?     HH:   (chuckles)   That’s   an   interesting   question!   So   actually,   a   few   years   ago,   I   ran   for   this   election  where  I  thought  of  these  3  ‘H’s  to  add  to  my  two,  because  I  love  alliteration!  It  went   something  along  the  lines  of  ‘a  hardworking  and  honest  student  hoping  for  a  better  future,   here’s  Hillary  Higgins.’  I  think  that  exemplifies  the  person  I  am.     AJ:   Apart  from  the  lucrative  opportunity  to  suit  up  and  get  a  new  display  picture  for   your  Facebook,  why  do  you  think  students  should  MUN?     HH:   (laughs   –   Al   Jazeera   suspects   that   over   30%   of   Hillary’s   previous   pictures   are   candid   moments  of  her  in  committee)  Well,  I  think  it’s  really  important  for  students  to  engage  with   such  global  topics  at  an  early  age.  Discussing  and  debating  issues  of  such  relevance  is  really   important,  especially  considering  that  the  youth  of  today  are  the  leaders  of  tomorrow.       I   also   think   that   the   best   part   about   simulation   is   that   it’s   also   stimulation.   Stimuli   for   innovative  thought  processes,  MUNs  beget  the  spirit  of  the  questioning.  That’s  really  pertinent   in  today’s  world,  and  even  more  so  among  adolescents.  Apart  from  that,  delegates  also  hone   their  leadership  skills  and  collaboration,  and  stuff  like  that  goes  a  big  way  in  their  professional   lives  as  well.    
  • 5. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   5     Moreover,  it  really  opens  up  a  host  of  careers  that  delegates  can  pursue!  I  mean,  you  could  be   a  journalist,  a  diplomat,  a  politician  –  it  just  goes  on!     AJ:   A  more  serious  question:  let’s  face  it;  the  United  Nations  isn’t  proving  to  be  as   successful  as  it  theoretically  could  be.  What,  in  your  opinion  is  the  most  pressing  flaw   in  the  dynamics  of  the  United  Nations?     HH:   Okay  so  I’m  thinking  along  lots  of  lines,  but  they  all  revolve  the  same  theme:  response   time.  I  think  that  optimum  effectiveness  of  any  organization  is  underlined  by  the  urgency  it   exhibits  while  dealing  with  issues.  With  the  UN,  I  think  that  there’s  a  lot  of  incessant  debate,   and  that  really  hampers  how  impactful  a  resolution  is.  Don’t  get  me  wrong;  there  are  some   great  people  with  some  great  ideas  here,  but  the  only  thing  that’s  missing  is  timeliness.       AJ:   What  is  the  one  thing  you’ll  miss  the  most  back  home?     HH:     Honestly,  it’ll  be  that  energy.  It’s  the  enthusiastic  spirit,  the  passion  –  whether  it’s  the   HMUN   India’s   Got   Talent,   or   the   Speaker   Series,   or   the   global   village   –   I   just   love   that   contagious  vibe  I  get!  That’s  why  I  love  to  speak  to  every  delegate  I  meet,  who  they  are;  where   they’re  from  (sometimes,  they’re  surprised  at  how  much  I  know!)  just  to…  you  know,  refuel   my  enthusiasm!  I’ll  be  honest,  as  a  Director  General,  I’ve  seen  this  conference  right  from  its   birth,  but  I  can  proudly  say  that  it  has  been  successful  only  because  the  delegates  jumping  up   and  down  to  speak  are  a  testimony  to  my  claim.  It’s  really  heartening.       I  also  love  the  festive  Indian  heritage,  and  well,  I’m  Colombian,  so  it’s  really  fun  to  try  and   amalgamate  both  of  these  easygoing  cultures.  Especially  the  Bollywood  music  –  it’s  designed   to  get  you  to  jump  up  and  get  dancing,  and  I  try  to  dance…       AJ:   I’ll  be  honest,  that  was  a  really  great  dance!     HH:   (laughs)  …but  that’s  what  I  mean!  It’s  contagious!     AJ:     All   right,   last   question.   Since   you’re   studying   international   relations,   you   probably  have  a  very  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the  international  community  and   how   it’s   evolved   over   the   years.   So   here’s   my   question:   if   you   could   represent   any   nation,  in  any  committee  so  that  you  could  alter  the  course  of  history,  which  country   would  you  choose  and  why?     HH:   That’s  actually  a  fantastic  question.  Okay  so  I  guess  I  would  want  to  change  a  lot  of   things,   so   let   me   try   and   zero   down   on   one.   Now   I’m   really   into   the   econo-­‐political   development   of   the   Latin   American   region.   I   mean,   just   reading   about   Castro’s   Cuba,   Pinochet’s  regime…that  stuff’s  really  something  that  should  have  been  stopped  at  the  bud.  The   ethnic  genocides  and  oppression  of  liberal  thought  really  hampered  the  development  of  the   region.  The  consequent  rise  of  Leftism  after  these  governments  collapsed  –  that’s  something  I   wish  happened  much  earlier.     So  to  answer  your  question,  I  would  love  to  be  any  country  in  the  United  Nations  in  around   the  70s,  so  that  I  wish  I  could  direct  the  attention  of  the  community  to  the  region.  I  honestly   don’t  think  that  the  situation  in  countries  like  Argentina  for  example,  deserved  to  be  ignored   by  the  arms  race  and  the  Cold  War.  Yes,  I’d  definitely  want  to  end  the  South  American  tyranny.        
  • 6. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   6   AJ:   Thanks   a   lot   Hillary!   It’s   been   an   honor.   I   hope   I   haven’t   caused   any   inconvenience,  and  you’ll  definitely  receive  a  letter  of  thanks  from  me!     BONUS!     AJ:   Another   question,   if   you   don’t   mind.   Why   are   there   no   roses   at   HMUN   India   2014?     HH:     Umm,  well,  we  didn’t  want  the  delegates  to  get…       AJ:   Distracted?       HH:   (rather   relieved   a   politically   correct   term   is   used)   Yeah,   yeah,   distracted!   That’s   the   word.  But  don’t  worry;  I’ll  get  you  a  rose!       CHANGING  HISTORY  –  ONE  QUESTION  AT  A  TIME   BY  AL  JAZEERA     (As  the  delegates  of  the  Historic  General  Assembly  (1958)  take  their  last  –  and  most  significant  –   coffee   break,   the   correspondent   of   the   Al   Jazeera   caught   up   with   the   Delegate   of   the   Egypt.     Fueled  with  caffeine  and  impatience,  Egypt  gaped  at  us  with  bewildered  eyes  when  we  asked  for   just  five  minutes  of  his  time.  However,  despite  the  severe  paucity  of  time,  Al  Jazeera  managed  to   ask  a  few  pertinent  questions.)     AJ:   Good  morning.  Travelling  over  5000  miles  to  attend  the  conference,  what  does   the  State  of  Egypt  expect  of  the  committee?     DoE:   As  the  most  powerful  non-­‐aligned  country,  I  believed  it  was  my  duty  to  promote  all   solutions  that  denied  the  Western  and  the  Eastern  bloc  the  opportunity  to  push  their  own   special   interests   in   Eastern   Asia   above   the   interest   of   international   peace.   I   expected   the   military  blocs  to  pose  a  stiff  opposition  to  me,  and  I  wanted  to  turn  the  bi-­‐polar  situation  into   a  tri-­‐polar  situation,  with  the  help  of  a  “neutral”  bloc.       AJ:   Are  you  satisfied  with  how  the  committee  is  progressing?     DoE:   (checks  watch)  Extremely  so.  The  committee  has  turned  out  to  be  less  polarized  than  I   expected   it   to   be,   and   countries   seem   to   be   willing   to   cooperate   and   compromise,   so   the   solutions  proposed  were  less  extreme  than  I  feared.       AJ:   How  do  you  think  the  outcomes  of  the  committee  could  affect  the  international   community?       DoE:   The  decisions  of  the  General  Assembly  are  a  powerful  legal  precedent  for  countries’   policies;  if  this  Emergency  Special  Session  passes  an  enabling  resolution  under  the  enhanced   powers  granted  by  Resolution  377(V),  its  position  will  be  crucial  for  the  future  of  the  UN.  The   UN  has,  until  now,  been  the  main  pillar  of  neutrality  in  the  international  community,  and  if  it   passes  a  resolution  with  strong  pro-­‐West  or  pro-­‐East  leanings,  on  such  a  sensitive  issue,  it  will   lose   its   credibility.   That’s   why   I   think   it’s   so   important   to   ensure   that   the   proposals   implemented  by  this  committee  are  both  neutral  and  comprehensive.       I  feel  that  is  enough.  Thank  you  –  I  must  bid  farewell  now.    
  • 7. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   7   LIVE  STREAMING:  CSW  RESOLUTION  DRAFTING   BY  AL  JAZEERA     As   the   correspondent   of   Al   Jazeera   pushed   the   doors   of   the   Commission   for   the   Status   of   Women,  he  was  greeted  by  an  unearthly  silence,  as  the  committee  was  deep  into  the  business   end  of  resolution  drafting.     Al  Jazeera  has  always  believed  that  people  have  not  only  the  right  to  information,  but  also  the   right  to  timely  information.  To  cater  to  the  interconnected  social  network  of  the  21st  century,   Al  Jazeera  has  decided  to  cover  the  proceedings  in  a  manner  never  attempted  before  –  in  140   characters.     ü 2:57pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia The committee has broken into unmoderated caucus #CSW #UN ü 3:03pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia The time for this unmoderated caucus has #elapsed – this is the next big thing in women’s rights ü 3:09 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia There is a shortage of paper – the resolution is being distributed digitally - #CSW is #green ü 3:10 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Draft Resolution 1.1 has been introduced! We’ll be posting clause summaries ü 3:11 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia #DR1.1 has 31 signatories including Iran and USA #CSW ü 3:17 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia #DR 1.1 guarantees “voluntary choice in marriage and family formation” ü 3:18 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Awareness and education is of utmost importance in #DR1.1 ü 3:21 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia There is special allocation of funds for the R&D of gynecology – especially in rural areas #DR1.1 ü 3:23 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Abortion authorized only if there are direct complications to mom’s health or if child is conceived as a result of sexual assault ü 3:25 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia #DR1.1 calls for ‘introduction of separate segments in the curriculum particularly dedicated to detailing the implications, nature and characteristics associated with
  • 8. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   8   sexual and reproductive health’ ü 3:26 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Combating #childmarriage is of highest priority #DR1.1 ü 3:28 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Free #AIDS testing to be implemented for people below the age of #eighteen #DR1.1 ü 3:30 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia #HIV testing is to be made mandatory before any legal marriage #DR1.1 ü 3:31 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia #CSW asks for international tolerance of social and religious customs and traditions ü 3:33 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Police taskforce and border police to work to prevent human trafficking ü 3:37 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Q&A session opens! ü 3:39 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Japan – how does #DR1.1 effectively prevent teenage sexual intercourse? ü 3:43 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Pakistan – how accountable is #DR1.1? ü 3:49 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Belgium – what happens when state’s policy is not in line with cultural norms? ü 3:51 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Russia – clauses 8 and 7(d) are contradictory! ü 3:53 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia France – what will happen in radical and repressive states? ü 4:01 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia and we’re done with the Q&A! We’re now having a MC discussing #DR1.1 ü 4:04 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Kenya – abortion after 12 weeks might be fatal for mom and fetus
  • 9. Submitted  at  the  Press  Corps  at  the  Harvard  Model  United  Nations  India  2014   9   ü 4:05 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Kenya – must create fear to stop adolescence pregnancies ü 4:07 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Namibia – committee must not work towards instilling fear – UN works on harmony ü 4:08 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia China – population explosion not addressed! ü 4:09 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Turkey – making abortion illegal creates a black-market for unsafe and very expensive illegal abortionists to thrive in ü 4:12 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia UK – clause 12 redundant! – It’s already been implemented ü 4:15 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia Ghana – maternal health is not adequately addressed ü 4:18 pm @AlJazeerafromHMUNIndia and we’re done with #DraftResolution 1.1! We’ll be writing a full-length summary soon!       While  the  draft  resolution  proposed  by  the  delegates  from  Iran,  Kenya,  Spain  and  Thailand   might   appear   to   be   extremely   comprehensive   and   explicit,   it   possesses   gaping   holes   in   its   current   form   that   must   be   addressed   if   the   authors   of   the   resolution   plan   to   bring   about   meaningful   and   impactful   change.   The   primary   objection   with   this   draft   is   that   its   repercussions   might   be   more   detrimental   than   beneficial.   As   Turkey,   for   example,   clearly   entailed,   illegalization   of   abortion   would   pave   way   for   a   plethora   of   unlicensed   and   illicit   abortionists  to  create  a  “black  medical  market”  of  sorts.  It  is  evident  that  in  their  search  for   short-­‐term   solutions,   the   authors   have   conveniently   ignored   its   ramifications.     Another   concern  raised  was  the  scope  of  its  implementation.  The  impact  of  the  resolution  is  extremely   dependent  on  the  degree  to  which  governments  are  willing  to  “show  tolerance  for  customs   and  traditions.”  Certain  Middle  Eastern  and  North-­‐East  Asian  states  like  Saudi  Arabia  and  the   Democratic   People’s   Republic   of   Korea   have   historically   shown   absolutely   no   regard   for   international   jurisprudence.   The   delegates   of   the   CSW   have   definitely   maintained   a   very   myopic  view  of  the  situation,  and  Al  Jazeera  hopes  that  the  following  draft  directives  are  more   comprehensive  and  thoughtful.       To  conclude,  the  following  statement  probably  best  represents  Al  Jazeera’s  stance  on  women’s   rights  –  the  world  does  not  need  another  resolution  –  it  needs  a  revolution.     Delegates  of  the  CSW,  it’s  time  to  be  that  revolution.