Delegation From: Belarus Represented By: Cleveland Heights High School Position Paper for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The issues before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are: the Rights of Refugees in International Waters; and Improving the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons. The nation of Belarus is dedicated to the protection of displaced people everywhere and hopes to further advance the rights of refugees and IDPs alike through advocacy and cooperation between state and non-state actors alike. I. The Rights of Refugees in International Waters The Republic of Belarus recognizes the critical nature of the rights of refugees in international waters, in light of the increasing pressure created by the refugee crisis facing Europe and the world. The often dangerous attempt to gain refugee status crossing international waters has dramatically risen due to turmoil in regions such as the Middle East in recent years. According to Amnesty International, approximately 1,700 refugees and migrants died trying to cross the Mediterranean between January and April 2015. The nation of Belarus reaffirms our commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Refugee Protocol, establishing the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, non-penalization, and non-refoulement. Since 1997, over three thousand people from 33 countries have applied for refugee status in Belarus with one refugee approved for every three denied. Based on Article XXXIII of the Refugee Convention, refugees and asylum seekers are prohibited from being expelled or returned to any region where their life or freedom would be threatened. Therefore, the nation of Belarus is alarmed by the frequent disregard for this law, as demonstrated by the interception at sea and routine detention practiced by the numerous members of the European Union as over a 150 percent increase occurred between 2014 and 2015 in first-time asylum applicants. Such violations of international law has led Belarus to recommend and support more stringent enforcement of pre-existing regulations regarding the rights of refugees on international waters. As a landlocked country, Belarus does not have substantial interaction with maritime refugees. However, our nation is concerned by the deviations in the policies between the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (1979), which continue to obligate the extension of aid without regard to the nationality, status, or circumstance of the persons in distress; with current European Union policies which have encouraged interception and deterrent strategies of neighboring states, thus denying applicants the protection they would obtain in the asylum process had they reached the EU. It is the position of Belarus that asylum seekers found on international waters need to be granted equal protections as those refugees traveling as migrants by land, and that the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees work to develop cooperative relationships between nations, and encourage transit to third-party countries, such as Belarus, to relieve the pressure on those nations receiving a disproportionate number of asylum seekers via international waters. A more equitable distribution would then allow countries to further assimilate refugees into society, following a model such as that practiced by our government.
II. Improving the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Conflict and persecution have forced more people to flee their homes to seek refuge currently than at any other recorded time. The UNHCR is responsible for the well-being of refugees as they flee their lands of origin. However, the growing number of refugees was been overshadowed by the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have not crossed an international border to seek sanctuary but remain in their home countries. As of 2014, 38.2 million people were classified as IDPs, with 11 million newly displaced that year. IDPs continue to be among the world s most vulnerable people, suffering from heightened mortality rates and higher risk of physical assault, sexual attack and abduction, and the deprivation of adequate food, shelter, and health services. The difficulty is that their situation falls outside of the United Nation s legal ability to protect them as they do not fall within the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and in respect of national sovereignty. It is therefore the moral responsibility of individual nations to take initiative as the duty-bearers and defend the human rights of these people, which include both the fulfillment of basic needs, and of those rights which are never to be suspended such as the right to life, the prohibition of genocide, freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, freedom from slavery, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and the right to due process of law. The UNHCR s Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, though not legally binding, further identify the rights of IDPs such as the right to education, freedom of movement and residence, all political rights, and the right to voluntary resettlement or integration. As of June 2015, there were no IDPs in Belarus that were identified by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. Similarly, at present Belarus has no legislation specifically addressing the plights of IDPs. However, Belarus acknowledges the importance securing the rights of these vulnerable people. Noting that woman and children make up 70-80% of IDPs, Belarus echoes the Guiding Principle s emphasis on the protection of these particularly vulnerable demographics. The Republic of Belarus is dedicated to taking an integrated approach to all categories of human rights and liberties. This has been seen in our highly effective refugee system of temporary accommodation centers and integration, through which the country guarantees the freedom and wellbeing of asylum seekers through access to medical care, the public education system and other services, and the unhampered access to the territory of Belarus as part of the adoption of the National Programme of Demographic Security for 2011-2015. Furthermore, Belarus is party to most human rights instruments, including the six major human rights treaties: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, International Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Convention on the Rights of the Child. These treatises stabilize the framework for the legal protection possessed by IDPs. The Republic of Belarus is dedicated to the protection of Internally Displaced Persons and their rights. Recognizing the importance of national sovereignty, Belarus emphasizes that all international efforts to promote and protect the rights of IDPs must be based on the principles of cooperation and equity. Belarus remains committed to the use of dialogue among states with the purpose of both strengthening and encouraging the national efforts of member states to fulfill their duties in the domain of human rights.
Delegation from: Brazil Represented by: Monroeville High School Position Paper for United Nations Higher Commission for Refugees The issues facing the High Commissioner for Refugees are as follows: the Rights of Refugees in International Waters and Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Brazil is committed to the protection of basic human rights and expresses its utmost confidence in the actions of the assembly. I. The Rights of Refugees in International Waters To open, the delegation of Brazil would like to acknowledge the urgency associated with the progression of rights of refugees in international waters. The issue is time sensitive and requires immediate action and cooperation. With this being said, the delegation would like to commend the actions of its fellow countries regarding the matter. Hosting over 2,000 refugees and 17,000 asylum seekers, the government of Brazil is invested in the issue at hand. 1 Unrest in third world countries has lead to an influx in refugees. Brazil has taken in Syrian refugees since 2013, following action by the Brazilian government. Since then, an approximated 1,740 registered refugees have migrated to the country. 2 Over 8,000 people have received the government s specialty refugee visas. Brazil encourages other countries to follow their example, regarding relocation efforts. 3 Brazil would like to remind the committee of the nature of international waters. Being as they lie between countries, no one state is responsible for the safety of refugees during their journey. Instead, all nations are obligated to ensure the security of those seeking asylum. Around the time of the Vietnam War, the issue of refugee protection became apparent. Facing persecution, Vietnamese immigrants were herded into make-shift vessels. These boats were often looted by marauders, deliberately sunken, and utilized by human traffickers. Following their perilous journey, survivors faced further hardships. Upon arriving at a port, an asylum seeker may be denied entry into a country. To conclude, the rights of refugees in international waters are surely protected and preserved by international law, and will be continued to be observed so that these refugees may seek entry. 1 "UNHCR - Brazil." UNHCR Welcome, 2016 2 Watts, Jonathan. "A Long Way from Home: Syrians Find Unlikely Refuge in Brazil World News The Guardian." The Guardian, 2016 3 "Brazil and UNHCR Strengthen Partnership to Help Refugees Fleeing the Syria Conflict." UNHCR, 2016
Questions to Consider: What actions will be taken to follow through with preserving and protecting the rights of refugees? What can surrounding communities do to control the influx of refugees? What ideas exist under international law to affect the care of said refugees? II. Improving the Rights of Internationally Displaced Persons Similar to refugees, internationally displaced persons, or IDPs, are individuals who were forced to leave their home and relocate. Surprisingly, little is known about the displacement of these persons. There is much consultation regarding both the safety and the practice of this. The exception of this is involving annual reports recording the number of refugees and asylum claimants residing in Brazil. Considering this, little is truly known about the IDPs and their natural rights. 4 The magnitude of this crisis is merely invisible. The vulnerability and resilience of these persons is relative to their forced relocation. As of 2014, an estimated 38 million IDPs have been compared to the 26 million just three years prior. This number had likely grown and will continue to grow if immediate action is not taken. Current events is a clear indicator that the internationally displaced persons are at a higher risk of abduction and multiple forms of abuse. They are continuously violated of their basic human rights including food, water, and shelter. The mortality rate has severely increased due to these people being forced out their homes by armed conflict, disease, famine, and other disasters. Being people that have not crossed the international border, they still may be used as human shields, and pawns. The rights of IDPs are the same as those all around the globe, including the rights of food, water, shelter, and proper education, as well as the right to protect themselves against violence or abuse, political rights, and their freedom. Though they may have these rights in principle, the circumstances are much more dire. It is the responsibility of the state in which IDPs reside to ensure those rights, according to state sovereignty. This is not the case, considering these persons have been stripped of their freedom and have been violated of their basic human rights. 5 The escalation of violence towards IDPs have brought them to search for safety from kidnapping, rape, and other forms of abuse. The crisis in Brazil, along with others around the world, have allowed the basic rights of IDPs to be forgotten. During 2014, all states of Latin and South America have updated their commitment to higher protection standards, increased harmonization of practices, and have proposed new solutions. Issues involving violence among IDPs have been prominently discussed in governments and civil societies. These IDPs are often exposed to various forms of abuse during displacement. In order to solve the issues among the needs of IDPs, the following procedures require immediate attention. Additional programs need to be implemented to improve the management and maintenance of asylum systems. The cooperation of other nations needs to be enhanced to make restitution and solutions to global IDP issues. The protection of victims and the prevention of human trafficking will be ensured to improve the lives and safety of internationally displaced persons. The preservation of the rights of IDPs will thenceforth improve the 4 Muggah, Robert. Oxford Journals Social Sciences Journal of Refugee Studies, 2016 5 "Internally Displaced Persons: the Forgotten refugees." Equal Times, 2016
Committee: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Delegation: People s Republic of China School: Solon High School Position Paper for the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees The concerns of the High Commissioner for Refugees include the rights of refugees in international waters and the improving the human rights of internally displaced persons. The People s Republic of China strives to promote international cooperation and looks forward to addressing human rights in a manner that respects both national sovereignty and the varying capacities of each nation to implement solutions. I. The Rights of Refugees in International Waters Beginning with the Vietnam War, the international dispute regarding rights of refugees in international waters has evolved into a game of cat-and-mouse, with no nation willing to lead the charge in upholding the provisions set forth by the 1951 Convention on Refugees, the 1982 Convention on the Law of Sea, or the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue. Emergency measures taken by the UNHCR from 1984-1985 to diffuse the refugee crisis brought about by the Vietnam War were exceptionally effective. And yet, the international community is still reluctant in enacting uniform, effective solutions proposed by the UNHCR, resulting in the current state of disjointed and consequently inadequate efforts to address the ongoing refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. As such, the People s Republic of China maintains that a proactive approach--one that focuses on creating peace and stability within volatile nations without infringing on national sovereignty--spearheaded by the UNHCR would be most appropriate means to address the problems associated with the rights of refugees in international waters. Traditionally, China has accepted and provided for ethnic-chinese refugees with open arms--from those fleeing Vietnam in the 1970 s to the present day refugees fleeing Indonesia and Malaysia--and has been less concerned with refugees who are not ethnically Chinese. In a UN Security Council meeting in May 2015, the Chinese delegation made it clear that active involvement in the affairs of other nations would be seen as an infringement on national sovereignty. Even though China ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention, China s dominant policy in regards to refugees has included limits on the registration of refugees, restrictions on UN access to populations in China, and the refusal to accept refugees for resettlement through the UN s refugee agency. And yet, China s economic growth has been accompanied by an increasingly significant role as a destination country for refugees. Additionally, China s latest claims to the South China Sea have the potential to increase the area where refugees could be found that China would be responsible for granting asylum. In response, the Exit-Entry Administration Law was adopted in 2013 to gradually enable Chinese government to meet international standards for rights of refugees. In the meantime, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees will continue to provide financial, legal, social, and material aid to refugees found in international waters who are seeking asylum in China. The People s Republic of China would look favorably upon a course of action created by and maintained by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees that seeks to mitigate the root causes of increased migration of refugees, which include violence and oppression. Additionally, the UNHCR needs to eliminate discrepancies in international policy regarding the rights of refugees in international waters by deciding who has responsibility for accepting asylum seekers rescued at sea. Any nation unable to meet the new standards should be provided the necessary aid by the UNHCR until they are able to do so independently. In order to decrease the reliance on the UNHCR for aid, positive encouragement strategies should be included in any and all attempts to coax nations into operating under the procedures developed by the UNHCR. Overall, the People s Republic of China strongly backs solutions that allow for gradual improvement on a nation-by-nation basis that does not interfere with national sovereignty. II. Improving the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons
Though the United Nations diligently promotes the implementation of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, no international treaty pertaining to the human rights of internally displaced persons currently exists. Historically, it has been the obligation of each individual nation to maintain the rights of IDPs, but the lack of an international treaty allows governments to remain unaccountable for their failure to protect the rights of IDPs. Therefore, the People s Republic of China endorses a plan that includes an international treaty to protect the rights of IDPs, goals to establish peace and stability within nations where internal displacement is most pressing, and immediate aid to IDPs from non-governmental organizations. The primary concerns of the People s Republic of China in regards to internal displacement are natural disasters. Currently, China has no internally displaced peoples within its borders, according to the CIA World Factbook. However, China is often struck by natural disasters, specifically earthquakes, that often invoke devastating consequences to the general public. The Chinese government has proven the success of short-term relief plans in providing internally displaced peoples with assistance: these plans involved rescue efforts and aid given to local relief forces. Now, the People s Republic of China hopes to bring its experience in short-term relief of internally displaced persons to committee in order to improve human rights for these people overall. China believes that only after IDPs have been temporarily relieved should the UNHCR address the issue of human rights. Historically, China has treated IDPs with equal rights as normal citizens, and has every intention of establishing this treatment as a precedent for UNHCR policy in determining the human rights of IDPs. As long as the protection of internally displaced persons human rights is the responsibility of the state where the IDPs reside, disregard for human rights will always be an issue for IDPs. As such, the only courses of action that the international community can attempt are reforming the government under whose jurisdiction IDPs lie or aiding the IDPs directly through non-governmental organizations. The People s Republic of China favors a combination of the two approaches that would simultaneously promote peace and stability within a nation and provide aid directly to the internally displaced persons within the volatile nation. Conflicts like the Syrian Civil War are often beyond the capabilities of the international community to reach a consensus on regime change or punishment for war criminals. Attempts to battle out the particulars of the desired outcomes in a volatile nation distract from more important imperatives of the UNHCR, which is why China first and foremost advocates a long term solution that works to establish stability and peace in a nation and allowing the people of that nation to decide the ultimate fate of their government. To facilitate the development of such a solution, China advocates for the creation of an internationally accepted treaty written by the UNHCR. In the time being, the UNHCR must focus its resources towards immediate aid for internally displaced persons, especially in states that do not have the capacity to do so themselves.
Delegation from: the Country of Colombia Represented by: Valley Forge High School Position paper for the High Commissioner for Refugees The issues before the High Commissioner for Refugees are: The Rights of Refugees in International Waters, and Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The country of Colombia would like to advocate a look at these issues, as Colombia wants the best for its people and the people of other countries who have to move. I. The Rights of Refugees in International waters The country of Colombia recognizes the issues that refugees are facing right now. Refugees currently have a lack of fundamentals that are needed for survival. Thousands of refugees from all over the world but mostly Syria has conflicts with ensuring the security of their families. Many die trying to leave their countries but the ones that do survive don t find livelihoods that are as improved as they expected. Food cannot be afforded and families have to live in tents where they do not have simple necessities, like clean water, clothing, and proper shelter. Children can t go to school and get the education they need to transcend. Recognizing the issues of the rights of refugees, the country of Colombia understands the refugee problem, with a total population of concern of 6,872,447 people originating from Colombia. Based on the 2015 UNHCR country operations profile of Colombia, the country of Colombia has the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Army of National Liberation (ELN), that want to give a voice to the victims of conflict. The rights of refugees are also touched upon in the, United Nations Convention on the Law of the sea (UNCLOS), which states that it is the obligation of all countries to rescue distressed people at sea, according to the Watch The Med, Rights at Sea, Watch the Med, 2015. The Country of Colombia is offering a solution to how the committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees should address the topic. Colombia believes that the governments of each country should allow the entrance of refugees everywhere, along with the help they need whether that is, financially or physically until the refugees are capable of doing it themselves. The countries that are financial stable and have room to accustom all of the refugees should be more aimed to take them in, such as Western Europe, the United States, and Canada. Along with the allowance of the refugees, Columbia advocates the use of countries Coast guard, Navy, and Air force, to help navigate and find refugee ships, to ensure that they are safe when seeking help. If the issue of money occurs the United Nations can pay for the supplies needed. II. Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) The Country of Colombia believes that the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons or IDPs is mandatory to ensure the wellbeing and survival of these people. IDPs are people who are forced to flee their homes due to war, natural disasters, violence, or human rights violations. IDPs
usually stay in their countries and are seen as refugees but don t fit under the legal definition. Even though Internally displaced persons are suppose to have the same rights as everyone in the country, they are more commonly sexually assaulted, abused, abducted, and are denied their human rights, like shelter, food, and water. Recognizing that the UNHCR cannot help most of the internally displaced peoples because they are not considered refugees. According to the United Nations, the largest IDP populations are in South Sudan, Colombia, and Iraq while significant growth is arising in Syria, Yemen, and Libya. Colombia has 6,520,579 internally displaced peoples. Colombia s government is taking action in helping their displaced peoples by providing protection by presence, which they believe will allow the implementation of prevention, protection and solutions-oriented activities and the promotion of civilian state presence to maintain humanitarian space. IDPs are supposed to have the same rights as all others across the globe, but with the states power there are many more violators than law-abiding states. The Country of Colombia here by advocates that IDPs are given rights that are fair and are enforced by the country and the committee of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. We also suggest that the United Nations steps up to enforce these laws that are failing, and use the Peace Corp. to set up safe zones where the IDPs can go when they need a place to stay and be safe, with the necessities they need, like food and water.
UNHCR Delegation of France School: Orange High School Topic A: The Rights of Refugees in International Waters Much of the recent increase in refugee migration, having been led due to increased instability in the middle east and north africa, has caused many issues regarding safety and assistance that is given to these refugees. This great increase in refugees has led to countries growing wary of overflowing refugees as it is very hard to relocate them, expensive to help, and has lead to many safety issues in the countries. There has been an increased amount of violence and brutality towards these refugees by policemen in order to prevent them from running away. On top of that, many countries have, in order to stop more refugees from entering, broken international waters treaties in order to stop these refugees from entering their country. The delegation of France believes that the best way of dealing with these refugees and stopping their rights in International Waters from being broken is through making better assistance programs for resettlement by creating more resettlement areas and giving increasing the aid given to these refugees and creating better protection systems to reduce criminal activities caused by this huge influx in refugees.
Topic B: Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Unlike refugees, who have fled their country, internally displaced persons are still stuck in their country making them most vulnerable to human rights violations. Much of this is caused in the middle east in places such as Syria due to the civil wars and fight against the islamic state. This fighting has caused, unlike refugees that only account for a small portion of the country, for millions of people to become displaced. In some countries it is as much as 1/3 of the population. However this is very hard to deal with as national sovereignty states that it is the country's duty to provide assistance to these people. Due to national sovereignty, constant fighting, and the sheer quantity of displaced people, it is very hard to give effective aid to these people. The Delegation of France recommends that the best thing nations can do to assist these people is to support efforts and give aids to countries in order to help stop these wars that are causing all of this displacement in the first place.
Orange High School Germany UNHCR Topic I: The Rights of Refugees in International Waters The issue of the rights of refugees in international waters is one that requires immediate attention. In recent years, the strain of refugees fleeing from North Africa and the Middle East to Europe has grown significantly, and in just the first six months of 2015, 137,000 refugees made it to Europe by sea. This has caused substantial issues for these European countries, as it is illegal for them to turn away refugees fleeing from safety. In accordance to the rights of the refugees in the sea, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea states that it is the obligation of all countries to rescue distressed people at sea. Germany, being a large European country with ample amounts of coastline, has become a popular spot for people fleeing to take refuge. The locals have done their best to be accommodating and helpful to these people, but many are explaining that they are beginning to be outnumbered by the refugees, thus changing their lifestyle greatly. As of the end of 2015, 577,307 refugees have been registered in Germany, but many estimate that there are thousands of more that are unregistered. Neighboring countries are refusing to take any of these refugees off of their hands, causing Germany to be put in a tough spot. The European Union has promised to strengthen their borders, but attempts have been unsuccessful. Along with residency issues, the refugee crisis is surely putting the country in deep debt, as there has been countless amounts of money spent on the effort to control refugee migration to Germany. This situation has put Germany in a tense state, and their president, Joachim Gauck, has been struggling to find a solution. Germany s willingness to accommodate yet lack of resources to do so has created a tough situation for them. In order to save them from complete economic and social disaster, it is necessary for them to work with the European Union in an effort to create a program that more evenly distributes incoming refugees between the countries which can support them. This would create a way for all refugees to be taken care of without completely disrupting the European countries careful balance.
Topic II: Improving the Human Rights of Internationally Displaced Persons When compared to refugees, the struggle of internationally displaced persons is even more dilapidating. Unlike refugees, IDPs attempt to seek safety and refuge in their own country. This means that they remain under legal protection of their own governments, usually the epicenter of their plights. Because of this, the international community has no legal burden to protect IDPs. By the end of 2014, 38 million people were displaced within their own country and now live in destitution, without proper access to food, education, healthcare, and jobs. IDPs camps are divergent from refugee camps. They have little to no management and usually spur up spontaneously. The UNHCR has attempted to help this issue through the cluster approach. Under this, UNHCR has taken on the central role in overseeing the protection and shelter needs of IDPs, along with coordination and management of camps. The human rights of IDPs is a matter that desperately seeks attention. Germany has made immense efforts to provide IDPs with the proper security and rights that they deserve. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has established many settlements for IDPs which even include playgrounds and toys for children. At the end of 2014, Germany gave one million Euro in aid to the United Nation s World Food Programme and their project Enhancing Food and Nutrition Security and Rebuilding Social Cohesion for Internally Displaced Persons. Then once again in 2015, Germany gave another 2.5 million Euro to the United Nation s World Food Programme to support its efforts in Darfur. These are only a few examples of Germany s determination to supply IDPs with various necessities, and overall protect their human rights. Forced displacement is often caused by violations of human rights or, in cases of conflict, of international humanitarian law. Therefore, preventing these violations is often necessary to address displacement. Maintaining a high visibility presence in areas at risk of displacement (if security conditions allow) is one way that we can attempt to deter violations of human rights. We can also raise public awareness by supporting public information campaigns. In areas where displacement is forthcoming, we can make sure that individuals are aware of their right to move elsewhere in the country or seek asylum abroad. Most importantly, we can create stronger programs that provide essentials such as shelter, food, water, and medical care.
Model UN, UNHCR Topic-1 February 2016 UNHCR - TOPIC 1 In the past decade the number of refugees traveling through international waters has dramatically increased due to the displacement of Syrians. The total population of concern to the UNHCR currently stands at 58 million individuals. As of now, there s a total of four million Syrian refugees attempting to seek out a better life in other countries. Since the Syrian civil war started in 2011 220,000 Syrians have been killed. The need for surrounding countries to accept these Syrian Refugees has never been higher. Select countries whom are not members of the United Nations are wrongfully turning desperate refugees away, placing heavy fines on them, and imprisoning them. These refugees are only searching for a better life due to the fact that they cannot return safely to their home country. Often than not these refugees are traveling with little to no money, and starving on makeshift vessels which are used to cross gigantic water masses. According to the 1951 Convention on Refugees, states are prohibited from returning refugees to their country of origin if there is reasonable fear of persecution or death. In coordination to this, the rights of refugees are also touched upon in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which states that it is the obligation of all countries to rescue distressed people at sea. India recognizes these international laws and stands behind all refugees attempting to enter the country. Currently, India is home to 200,000 refugees and is welcoming more each and every day. India has one of the largest refugee populations in the world. The refugees are also greeted with extreme generosity and kindness. In response to an increasingly high number of refugees in the world, India s borders will remain open indefinitely to anyone searching for a better life. India is committed to pushing for a higher quality of life for its current and future refugee s.
Submitted by: Committee: Topic B: India (UNHCR) Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) The topics to be discussed in this paper are a history of IDPs, how they relate to India, what measures we have taken to address the issue of IDPs, resolutions, treaties, and conventions or other international policies relating to the issue of IDPs that India has either supported or opposed, and finally the desired policy outcomes from the committee and how we would like the committee to address the topic of Internally Displaced Persons. Internally Displaced Persons are people who have fled for their own country but still reside inside of its borders. They flee because of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters (International Committee of the Red Cross). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was started on December 14, 1950 by the Secretary General Trygve Halvdan Lie. Another major milestone that was passed in 1992 was when the Secretary General appointed the first representative on internally displaced people. This was based off a request of the Commission on Human Rights. Internal displacement was happening long before this milestone in 1992. Then in 2004 the Commission on Human Rights called on the Secretary General to make a new structure to focus on the human rights of IDPs. India s history of having IDPs has been linked to violence, man-made disasters, and also human rights violations. All of these disasters lead to more and more IDPs being forced to leave their homes in hope of a better life. Jammu and Kashmir have been very dangerous zones in India since 1947. In 1947 conflict began as a territorial dispute, small groups whose ideas clashed with others of power in the area around the Jammu and Kashmir (Cloughley 1999: 226; IDMC 2008: 3). Since then the Jammu and Kashmir region the targeting of citizens has led to a lot of citizens leaving their homes to seek refuge somewhere else. Since 1989 about 34,000 people have died because of violence between the Indian military and the police. After the attacks on September 11, 2001 the violence in the Kashmir and Jammu areas got even worse. Muslim separatists began their clashes with the Pakistani and Indian militaries again. In 2001, this led to another massive wave of IDPs leaving the Jammu and Kashmir region. There were some 60,000 Kashmiris who fled their home from heavy shelling and fighting. In 2014 the number of IDPs worldwide hit an alltime high at around 59.5 million IDPs. The most recent stats show that there are 526,000 IDPs in India as of 2015. This number will continue to get bigger as well in the coming years. India would like to have this number doing the opposite in future years. This topic relates to India because IDPs are a serious problem for India. When there is a large amount of IDPs there are social, environmental, political, and economical problems posed for the country they are in. They can cause a huge economic problem for the country they are in. They immediately compete with citizens who were there before they got there for water, food, and medical supplies. Also they need healthcare, education, natural resources, transportation, and employment if they stay for longer periods of time. Inflation usually occurs during these times, Prices go up and wages depress. In India most IDPs are poverty ridden and are discriminated against. Host countries expect the international community to help them support these IDPs also. In rare cases there can be an economic stimulus with the influx of IDPs in a country. An example of this is building agencies flooding the area to build places for these IDPs to live. While there can be some positive things brought to the host country, an influx of IDPs also places a heavy burden on the host country that makes it tough for them to keep up with. Ecosystems also take a hit when there are a lot of IDPs in a country. When there is a large demand for resources because
of these IDPs, natural resources soon go scarce. When food and resources go scarce, this puts a strain on the environment which is never good. There is also a social impact when different ethnicities come into the area, there can be problems also. Although there are assets these IDPs bring to the community, they don t outweigh the negatives. India has seen devastating economic, social, environmental, and political issues. Even though India has one of the world s best refugee policies, there is still a growing IDP population in India. India would like a policy that is all encompassing to end internal displacement once and for all. We would like direct refugee representation, and particular IDPs at risk to be placed under social welfare. We would like civil outreach to society actors in order to assimilate the refugees to urban mechanisms. In 2014 there was $0 towards programs for IDPs. This needs to change if we have any chance of stopping internal displacement in India anytime soon. We would like the UNHCR to act more prominently in society to help these IDPs. India s desired policy outcome would be for internal displacement to be over or numbers of IDPs going down in the next few years. With the UNHCR s help this is a battle we can win.
Delegation from: the Islamic Republic of Iran Represented by: Strongsville High School Position Paper for the High Commissioner for Refugees The issues before the High Commissioner for Refugees are: The Rights of Refugees in International Waters; and Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Islamic Republic of Iran hopes to find solutions to the issues before the council to improve the rights of refugees. I. The Rights of Refugees in International Waters Refugees have always been prevalent in society, but in the past few years the migration of refugees within international waters, especially the Mediterranean Sea, has increased immensely. The majority of refugees traveling in the Mediterranean Sea come from Syria. Syria has been in civil war since 2011, which is a driving force of the migration. Anti-government rebel groups are fighting against the Syrian government and oppose President Bashar al-assad. The Islamic Republic of Iran supports the current Syrian government with President Bashar al-assad in power. Since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria have been allies. Iran has provided humanitarian aid to Syria and supports the government of President Bashar al- Assad. To achieve the goal of maintaining the current government, Iran is providing financial aid to the Syrian military. However, Iran is not home to any Syrian refugees. In contrast, Iran is home to several Afghan refugees. This becomes a conflict because of the alliance between Iran and Syria. Many countries believe that because Iran is responsible for much of the trouble in Syria and supporting President Bashar al-assad, the nation should in return be responsible for the victims of the conflict. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is an obligation of all countries to rescue distressed people at sea. However, it also states that the governments within the region of the migrants and refugees are to be responsible for those at sea. Therefore it is not Iran s responsibility to tend to Syrian refugees. Iran is not on the coast of the Mediterranean, so the state is not obligated to support refugees from Syria. The issue at hand is the Rights of Refugees in International Waters. Because Iran is not bordering the Mediterranean Sea, the state does not pertain to the issue of tending to any refugees part of the Mediterranean Refugee Crisis. II. Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) After protests in March 2011 to remove President Bashar al-assad from power, displacement in the Syrian Arab Republic began, along with civil war. There are currently slightly over 7,600,000 IDPs in Syria, all of which have been displaced because of the civil war. This civil war is between the Syrian government and anti-government groups of Islamic fundamentalists (ISIS, al-nusra) and secular opposition. The delegation from Iran believes if the control of the state was given fully to President Bashar al-assad, overall rights of IDPs in Syria would improve
because people would be able to return to their homes and Syria would not have the issue of IDPs. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the Syrian Arab Republic a strong ally, and has since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Iran has been aiding the Syrian military with financial support, supplies and advisors, with the goal of keeping President al-assad in power, since the civil war erupted in 2011. Iran is currently home to just under one million refugees, primarily from Afghanistan. Iran has and will continue to be responsible for supplying basic human rights, as outlined in the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Iran has also sent humanitarian aid of supplies to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. According to the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement Principle 25 part 1, whatever state the IDPs are found in, this state is responsible to supply these Universal Human Rights to its people. In this case, Syria could be reminded of their obligations to do so. If Syria, or any state with IDPs, is unable to fulfill aiding the IDPs, part 2 and 3 allow international organization to step in and supply aid. As mentioned above, if the Syrian government was not fighting opposition, these IDPs could return to their homes. This goal of ending conflict could begin by having peaceful conferences between Syria and countries aiding anti-syrian groups, such as Iraq and Turkey. Stated in both the 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 14 and UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement Principle 15, the IDPs are able to leave the country they are currently residing in. While the Iranian delegation understands this is not necessarily financially possible to all IDPs, it is an option, especially with European countries starting to allow more refugees to enter their lands.
Israel North Olmsted High School United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees I.The Rights of Refugees in International Waters The issue of refugees in international waters has been largely ignored by the international community for much of the past century. In the late 1970s through the 1980s, resolutions were passed to allow seafaring refugees to be relocated by the UN, but these measures were incomplete and ineffective. This issue has become increasingly prevalent in recent months; with thousands of people fleeing Syria in attempts to find safety from the ongoing civil war. This has raised questions in the international community on what the best way to handle this issue. The State of Israel is highly concerned with the United Nations response to this pressing international issue. Not only do the people of Israel care deeply for the safety of these refugees, they are also very cognizant of the security issues brought on by accepting these refugees into a country. Many of these refugees come from violent regions of the Middle East, and many nations are concerned that these refugees might be members of Islamic extremist groups. On numerous occasions, The State of Israel has been involved in conflict with these same groups. While we wish to insure the safety of all people fleeing their country in search of sanctuary, we believe that the security of all nations must also be considered in any UN resolutions. The State of Israel believes that the issue of refugees in international waters is an issue that must be handled by the United Nations. In order to solve this problem, Israel would support any UN resolution which not only can provide the framework for rescue and relocation programs, but also addresses the underlying threats posed by allowing large numbers of refugees from violent regions into a nation. II The Rights of Internally Displaced Persons The issue of IDPs (internally displaced persons) in Israel has become so significant that the UN and the state of Israel both are ignoring it. The biggest wave of displacement is between Palestine and Israel where around 450000 IDPs were relocated to Israel. The wars happening around and inside the state of Israel since the late 40s have caused Israel to be a state of almost constant displacement, with most IDPs being in northern Israel. IDPs were largely affected by the Absentee Property Law of 1950 when any IDPs, or people who moved to safer parts of Israel, were then labeled as absentees and the government took their homes and land and encouraged the internally displaced persons to stay where they moved to. There is a lack of action on the government and UN s part when it comes to helping IDPs feel safe and helping them integrate if they do feel the need to move elsewhere. The State of Israel should not be reluctant to accept any help when coming up with a solution to the problem of mass internal displacement.
Delegation from: Italy Represented by: Orange High School Committee: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The issues before the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are: The Rights of Refugees in International Waters; and Improving the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons. The Republic of Italy has always been sympathetic towards refugees, and because of this has always tried to help where it can and provide as much aid as possible. This delegation hopes to continue working for the betterment of the conditions for refugees in society as a whole and to spread the caring nature of Italy elsewhere. I. The Rights of Refugees in International Waters The modern Republic of Italy is an ardent supporter of helping out refugees coming in from troubled areas in any way that it can. Italy is in the top five of European countries in amount of refugees accepted, a number that continues to grow each year. With such crises as the one in Syria currently going on the world, it is imperative that these refugees find a safe place to escape to from their troubled home countries where they face risks of injury and death on a daily basis. However, there is a great problem that refugees face when they have to cross through international waters to reach safe havens. The topic of human rights in international waters is one that is not taken lightly by Italy. Even though there are several UN conventions providing for safe passage in international waters, there is nothing stopping countries from disobeying these conventions. Migrants are often intercepted at sea by non-sympathetic nations and then sent back to their home countries without a second thought. In addition, some countries will send refugees who do not have proper documentation back to their home countries, which could possibly mean death for them. Many countries are denying these refugees the simple human right to seek asylum. The Republic of Italy sees the main reason for all these problems to be the unenforceable nature of the aforementioned UN conventions. These broad declarations by the UN, while being made with good intentions, have no way of being enforced as we have clearly seen. Changes need to be made to the way the world deals with accepting and caring for refugees. During this meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the delegation of Italy hopes to work with other member nations to draft resolutions providing the improvement of conditions for refugees. While the cultural toleration of refugees varies from country to country, the delegation of Italy hopes to come up with legislation that is at least agreeable to most nations. To accomplish this, Italy has broken up the problem into three main parts. First, bodies smaller than the UN, such as the European Union, need to start keeping international waters safe. The UN has proven that it s current domain is too broad in scope to be able to handle taking care of this issue. Second, countries that are willing to provide help in keeping refugees safe should be given more aid to assist them. Despite being one of the countries with the most refugees, Italy is not very well off economically and is struggling under the burden of refugees. Finally, the delegation of Italy hopes to see this meeting result in an effective method to incentivize those who help refugees and punish those who actively work against them. II, Improving the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons