| The 69th General Assembly of the United Nations opened in New York on September 16. The theme for this year's General Assembly is "Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative Post-2015 Development Agenda." One of the high-level meetings that begins each session is the General Debate, held this year from September 24-30, where UN member states addressed the plenary on the theme and raised their particular concerns and preoccupations. Over the course of these six days, 196 speakers comprising all the 193 UN Member States, as well as the Observer State of the Holy See, the Observer State of Palestine and the delegation of the European Union addressed the plenary. They raised issues such as the crisis in Ukraine, the unfolding conflict in Iraq and Syria and the Ebola epidemic affecting African nations, amongst many others. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the debate with the annual report of the organization, pointing out that "Not since the end of the Second World War have there been so many refugees, displaced people and asylum seekers. Never before has the United Nations been asked to reach so many people with emergency food assistance and other life-saving supplies." One of the main features of the debate at the UN was the divide between the U.S., Big Powers of old Europe and their allies on the one side, and the smaller and developing nations on these questions. The imperialists have a long-established practice of only supporting the UN when it can be manipulated to serve their narrow self-serving purposes. U.S. imperialist chieftan Barack Obama, gave his address to the Assembly on September 24. He presented the UN's core mission as follows: "The United Nations was founded by 51 countries in 1945 after World War II. In a world still reeling from the territorial aggression of warring nations, the UN committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing better relations among nations, and promoting social progress, living standards, and universal human rights for all mankind." This rendering is full of weasel words and conspicuously omits any of the UN's guiding principles to ensure that international peace is maintained. Namely, to guarantee that the world is never again subjected to a world war, the principle of the equality and sovereignty of all nations is upheld, and that conflicts between nations are resolved without the use of force. Might does not make right. Obama's corrupt rendering of the UN's purpose foreshadowed the rest of his speech -- that the U.S., in the name of peace and justice, fully intends to violate these principles to justify its striving for world domination. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, Obama spoke self-righteously, attempting to take the moral high ground so as to isolate Russia, despite the U.S. itself being guilty of each accusation it makes against Russia: "This is a vision of the world in which might makes right -- a world in which one nation's borders can be redrawn by another [...] America stands for something different. We believe that right makes might -- that bigger nations should not be able to bully smaller ones, and that people should be able to choose their own future." Thus Obama defends U.S. exceptionalism by claiming the U.S. is morally unassailable and upholds universal values. Ergo it has the right to decide for itself and also knows what is best for others, and everyone else must submit or else the world will "descend into the destructive rivalries of the past." Regarding the Islamic State or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Obama tries to frame the discussion as one of religion and bringing all faiths together and opposing sectarianism and extremism. In this way, the discussion of how imperialism has destabilized the world through invasions, drone strikes and other forms of state terror, fomenting civil wars, instigating coups, arming counter-revolutionaries/terrorists/paramilitary groups that are now coming back to haunt the U.S., is to be ignored. "It is time for a new compact among the civilized peoples of this world to eradicate war at its most fundamental source, and that is the corruption of young minds by violent ideology," said Obama. Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke on September 25. As someone whose role has been to annex Canada to the United States of North American Monopolies and U.S. imperialist aims, Harper spoke in a similar vein to Obama, saying that the crux of the conflict between peoples today is the civilized versus uncivilized, and that Canada is one of the civilized and therefore morally superior forces: "The world that Canada strives for is the world that the founders of the United Nations wanted from the beginning, [...] where life, liberty, independence and religious freedom are defended, where human rights and justice are preserved, and where all join in a common struggle against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world." Such a reactionary outlook of inhuman savages versus civilized peoples is anathema to the basis on which the UN was founded. Harper spent much time discussing the question of health for mothers and their children, where Canada has managed to position itself in various UN initiatives on this matter. Harper did not mention the experience in Canada, where his government scuttled plans for a national day care program and how this has undermined the well-being of mothers and children in Canada. He did not mention that his government refuses to carry out a national enquiry on missing and murdered indigenous women and girls as recommended in May by the UN Special Rapporteur. Nor did he mention how Canada's participation in imperialist wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, as well as its unflinching support for Israel's war crimes, have led to death and destruction for mothers and their children. British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking on September 24, took note of the extraordinary "tests of our values and our resolve," in Ukraine, in the Middle East and in dealing with the Ebola outbreak, but primarily, the threat from ISIL. As the U.S., Canada, UK and others undertake another dubious "war on terror," Cameron stated without irony that lessons must be learned from the past, especially from what happened in Iraq 10 years ago. He said the right lessons must be learned, namely to act, but to act differently. Like Obama, Cameron shirked any responsibility for how imperialism has destabilized the world. He made the issue the defeat of Islamist extremism, while at the same time claiming the problem has nothing to do with Islam, then put the onus on Muslims and their governments worldwide to "reclaim their religion." He called for a new Special Representative on extremism at the UN. He added that the world "should be uncompromising -- using all the means at our disposal, including military force, to hunt down these extremists." European leaders addressed the UN on September 25, calling for concerted action to confront the events that have turned 2014 into a terrible year, including Russian "aggression" in Ukraine and ISIL. Regarding the crisis in Ukraine, President of the European Union Herman van Rompuy said the situation there "matters beyond the European continent. It is about rejecting the use of force, about defending the rule of law that upholds our society of nations." Like Obama and others, he spread disinformation about the referendum in Crimea, in one breath calling the people's overwhelming decision to join Russia an annexation and claiming in the next that the EU "stands firm in its solidarity with Ukraine; it is the Ukrainian people's right to decide their own political destiny." Many other European leaders spoke in a similar vein seeking to isolate Russia for allegedly violating international law, then demanding forceful military action to combat ISIL that is totally outside any norms of the UN to uphold the peace and the rule of international law. Meanwhile, many other countries presented their concerns about these very same issues, but did so by acknowledging the primacy of the structures and principles of the UN with respect to matters of international law and war and peace. This was in sharp contrast to the view of the U.S., EU and others that the UN espouses some indeterminate "civilized universal values." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for a comprehensive approach to terrorism, proposing the UN Security Council make a thorough enquiry into all aspects of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, and highlighted the ongoing dispossession of the Palestinians as one of the main factors. He also denounced the hypocrisy of the U.S. and its allies in their accusations against Russia regarding the crisis in Ukraine. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia said the multiple crises facing the world -- from the Ebola epidemic in West Africa to armed conflict and terrorism to sustainable development -- can be resolved if States adhere to UN principles. "These challenges are not insurmountable," he said. Regarding the situation in the Middle East, Cuba in particular denounced the U.S. for its illegal military actions against Iraq and Syria. Several countries reiterated the need to reform the UN, especially the Security Council, precisely because it favours the big powers while excluding the participation or representation of other countries, or is used to blackmail and violate the sovereignty of smaller countries. Various countries threatened by imperialism affirmed their right to be. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea highlighted in particular the need to reunify Korea as the only way to prevent war and safeguard peace on the Korean Peninsula and the region. Many countries, especially those exploited by the colonial powers, underscored the urgent need for development that would increase the well-being of their peoples. Many of the African nations presented their concerns and proposals to further their development. The representative of Cuba pointed out that to address the Ebola epidemic affecting African nations in a profound way, the need for development must also be addressed. President of Peru Ollanta Humala emphasized that development must stay true to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Also related to the question of sovereignty and development, many countries denounced the U.S. for its ongoing blockade of Cuba, a violation of international law which stifles that country's development, and interferes in normal relations between nations. The General Debate makes clear once again how the U.S. striving for world domination and its contention with other big powers holds grave dangers for the world's peoples. The abuse of the UN by the U.S. and others in the name of high ideals must be rejected. As well, Canadians must not be taken in by the Harper government's phony humanitarian concern for the well-being of mothers and children, while it steps up Canada's military participation in U.S.-led illegal wars and aggression abroad and implements a brutal anti-social offensive at home. About the 69th Session of UN General Assembly The 69th annual session of the United Nations General Assembly opened September 16 at UN Headquarters in New York. The following high-level meetings of the General Assembly took place from September 22-30: September 22: Follow-Up to Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development September 23: Climate Summit September 22-23: World Conference on Indigenous Peoples September 24-30: General Debate The UN website states, "The General Assembly (GA) is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations." It provides a forum for multilateral discussion of international issues covered by the UN Charter. The main theme for the 69th General Assembly, "Delivering on and Implementing a Transformative post-2015 Development Agenda," was chosen by the General Assembly President for the 69th annual session, former Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa. Other significant meetings included a Security Council summit on September 24 chaired by U.S. President Barrack Obama on foreign terrorist fighters. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also chaired a session on September 25 on international response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. The General Assembly has six Main Committees: Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee); Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee); Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (Third Committee); Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee); Administrative and Budgetary Committee (Fifth Committee); and Legal Committee (Sixth Committee). At a plenary session on September 19, an agenda for the UN General Assembly was adopted which organized items for discussion by these six Main Committees under the following themes: A. Promotion of sustained economic growth and sustainable development in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and recent United Nations conferences. B. Maintenance of international peace and security C. Development of Africa D. Promotion of human rights E. Effective coordination of humanitarian assistance efforts F. Promotion of justice and international law G. Disarmament H. Drug control, crime prevention and combating international terrorism in all its forms and manifestations I. Organizational, administrative and other matters, which includes: revitalization of the General Assembly. (With files from UN News Centre, Wikipedia) |