Security Council Background Paper

Security Council Background Paper

Background Paper
Question in Darfur

DATE:

December 12, 2007

COMMITTEE:

Security Council

CHAIRPERSONS:

Andrea Gómez Chargoy

Pablo Elizalde Allende

Karla Hinojosa Miranda

TOPIC A:

The question in Darfur



INTRODUCTION

In the last 4 years, Darfur has made headlines around the world when an important rebel group called Janjaweed started a massacre of African people in Sudan. The problem has repeatedly been on the Security Council agenda due to the importance of the issue and the concern of the international community of dealing with a bigger problem: Genocide.

The Security Council (SC) is an organism of the UN that has the responsibility for peace and security maintenance. “When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it… it may set forth principles for a peaceful settlement.” (Security Council Background). The SC has also the power to investigate any dispute or situation that might lead to international friction; recommend methods for adjusting a dispute; to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force to prevent or stop aggression; to take military action against an aggressor and even to recommend the admission of new Members.

Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on procedures are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions on essential matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members (United Kingdom, United States, Russia, China and France). This is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions which Member States are obligated under the Charter to carry out.

Having cleared the faculties of SC it is important to express how remarkable the humanitarian crisis was when the world found out how non- Baggara...