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MALE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Maldives President Ibrahim Solih and his main challenger Mohamed Muizzu are likely to face off in a second round of a presidential election, with results from Saturday's first round showing Muizzu ahead but short of the 50% needed to win outright.
With nearly 195,000 votes counted, Muizzu, seen as favouring closer ties with China, led Solih, who has promoted ongoing warm ties with India, 46% to 40%. Authorities said around 75% of the 282,000 eligible voters had cast ballots.
Solih, seeking a second five-year term, had championed an "India-first" policy during his time in power. The coalition backing Muizzu has launched an "India out" campaign, promising to remove a small Indian military presence of several surveillance aircraft and some 75 personnel.
Muizzu entered the fray after former President Abdulla Yameen was banned from contesting the election by the Supreme Court in August following a conviction for corruption and money laundering.
Thousands turned out early at over 570 polling stations across 187 islands. Maldivians were also voting at polling stations in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Britain and Abu Dhabi.
"We thought turnout might be low during the early stages. However, we have been surprised with many people queuing very early," Fuwad Thowfeek, the president of the Elections Commission told Reuters. "So far, everything is moving smoothly without any disruptions or delays."
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"Unveiling the Upset: Pro-China Triumphs in Maldives Election, Sending Shockwaves to India"
Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu, who is viewed as pro-China, emerged as the winner of the Maldives’ presidential runoff election, dealing a significant blow to Indian influence in the archipelagic nation. The Elections Commission of the Maldives announced on Sunday that Muizzu garnered 54 percent of the votes, while the incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih received 46 percent. After conceding…
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"Unveiling the Upset: Pro-China Triumphs in Maldives Election, Sending Shockwaves to India"
Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu, who is viewed as pro-China, emerged as the winner of the Maldives’ presidential runoff election, dealing a significant blow to Indian influence in the archipelagic nation. The Elections Commission of the Maldives announced on Sunday that Muizzu garnered 54 percent of the votes, while the incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih received 46 percent. After conceding…
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"Unveiling the Upset: Pro-China Triumphs in Maldives Election, Sending Shockwaves to India"
Opposition candidate Mohamed Muizzu, who is viewed as pro-China, emerged as the winner of the Maldives’ presidential runoff election, dealing a significant blow to Indian influence in the archipelagic nation. The Elections Commission of the Maldives announced on Sunday that Muizzu garnered 54 percent of the votes, while the incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih received 46 percent. After conceding…
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Venezuela, SKorea, Afghanistan lose vote for UN rights body
New Post has been published on https://medianwire.com/venezuela-skorea-afghanistan-lose-vote-for-un-rights-body/
Venezuela, SKorea, Afghanistan lose vote for UN rights body
UNITED NATIONS — Venezuela, South Korea and Afghanistan lost contested races for seats on the top U.N. human rights body in Tuesday by the General Assembly, which faced criticism for electing countries like Vietnam and Sudan, which have been accused of having abysmal human rights records.
The 193-member assembly voted by secret ballot to fill 14 seats on the 47-member Human Rights Council. Seats are allocated to regions to ensure geographical representation, a rule that has regularly led to many regions putting forward uncontested slates — as Africa, Eastern Europe and Western nations did this year.
Human rights groups have long criticized this practice, saying it denies U.N. member nations any choice of countries on the council and virtually guarantees seats for some countries with poor rights records.
In this year’s election, the most hotly watched race was in the Latin America and Caribbean regional group, where Chile, Costa Rica and Venezuela were vying for two seats. The result saw Chile get 144 votes, Costa Rica 134 and Venezuela 88.
Venezuela narrowly won a seat on the Human Rights Council in 2019. Louis Charbonneau, U.N. director for Human Rights Watch, welcomed Tuesday’s result, saying the General Assembly “rightly closed the door” on Venezuela’s attempt to remain on the council.
“U.N. investigators have found evidence that (President Nicolas) Maduro and other officials may have been responsible for crimes against humanity against their own people,” Charbonneau said.
“A government facing these kinds of allegations has no business sitting on the U.N.’s top rights body. Now U.N. member states should seek ways to hold accountable those Venezuelan officials responsible for grave human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and torture.”
The other closely watched race was in the Asia-Pacific region, where Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, South Korea and Vietnam contested four seats. Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives and Vietnam were declared the winners.
Charbonneau said that “electing abusive governments like Vietnam to the council only undermines its credibility.”
In the uncontested regions, the assembly elected Africa’s slate of Algeria, Morocco, South Africa and Sudan, Eastern Europe’s candidates of Georgia and Romania, and the Western nations’ candidates of Belgium and Germany.
The 14 newly elected countries will take their seats Jan. 1 and serve until Dec. 31, 2025
The Human Rights Council was created in 2006 to replace a commission discredited because of some members’ poor rights records. But the new council soon came to face similar criticism, including that rights abusers sought seats to protect themselves and their allies.
On April 7, the General Assembly approved a U.S.-initiated resolution to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council because of the rights violations it committed in invading and taking control of parts of Ukraine.
The vote, 93-24 with 58 abstentions, was significantly lower than on two resolutions the assembly adopted in March demanding an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine, withdrawal of all Russian troops and protection for civilians.
The assembly voted overwhelmingly on May 10 for the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the council.
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State watchdogs must investigate the source of funds for Yameen’s Y18 Sports Fiesta
How did President Yameen’s campaign team raise MVR 7.5 million for organizing a sports fiesta? Amid widespread public corruption and embezzlement reported in the audit reports, people of the Maldives must be told how such a huge sum has been raised. The answer for this question is important for all Maldivians. Even if Dharubaaru Faction of PPM reveals the ways in which this sum was raised for just one event, the watchdogs must investigate the funding sources to establish that these are not embezzled from the state or laundered through illegal means. The recent behaviour of the Maldives at the UN (regarding the persecuted Rohingya community) and Yameen’s over-dependence on China also make this investigation important to ensure that the presidency is not a foreign-power installed presidency.
The Y18 Sports Fiesta — a nationwide sports festival organised as part of the campaign event for the re-election of Abdulla Yameen was launched on 18 September 2017. Speaking at the ceremony, held at the National Art Gallery, Yameen praised his wife, Fathimath Ibrahim and her team for organizing such a large-scale event. The official logo of the festival and its website were launched by Yameen at the function. A women’s volleyball tournament and men’s futsal tournament will be held in the fiesta. The prize money allotted for the winning teams is MVR 7.5 million (US$490,000). This is excluding the expenses for organizing the fiesta.
The tournaments consist of three rounds and the 20 atolls are categorized into six regions for the fiesta. MVR 50,000 is set to be awarded to the champions of atoll tournaments while it is set to award MVR30,000 for runners-up. In addition, fair play teams will be awarded with MVR 20,000. Similarly, zone champions will be awarded with MVR 100,000 and runners-up with 75,000 and fair play teams with MVR 50,000. Champion of the tournament in which all champions compete will be awarded 200,000 rufiyaa and the runner-up with MVR 150,000. The fair-play team of the Champions’ tournament will get MVR 75,000. The event organizers will provide a Home Kit, Away Kit, and Official Kit for each team, and to prepare for the festival each team will receive MVR 15,000 (for the Atoll Round), MVR 50,000 (for Zone Round), and MVR 100,000 (for the Final Round).
The organizers are promoting the event as the “The Largest Sporting event in Maldivian History”. Obviously, nobody in the Maldives can miss such a humongous event, and especially when it is promoted by two media agencies, Vaguthu and state broadcaster Public Service Media (PSM).
Despite the strong marketing and the involvement of public servants in organizing the event, it has not come into the attention of the watchdogs, Elections Commission and Anti-Corruption Commission.
It should have come to their attention as it violates the laws. Firstly, the event itself amounts nothing less than offering bribes as the purpose of the event to gain political support for a candidate contesting in the 2018 Presidential Elections and not as for any other objective. Even if the event is considered to be organized by Fathimath Ibrahim, as an individual, it is a clear violation of Article 5 of Corruption Prevention Act (Law: 2/2000). Hence, it must be investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (with powers given to the Commission in Article 21(a) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act).
In the media releases and public announcements, it has been admitted that the “fiesta is a campaign event for President Yameen for the Presidential Election to be held next year” . Hence, it is clear that the Elections Commission must be monitoring the progress of the Fiesta. In that respect, the Fiesta violates Article 29(b) of The General Law on Elections (Law 11/2008). Furthermore, the Fiesta is a step beyond the permitted activities for gaining support to a candidate contesting for a public office, as the permitted activities are clearly stated in Article 28(b) of Law 11/2008. The huge prize money and financial reward (prize money) and material reward (three sets of jerseys) for just participating in the Fiesta illustrates the extent the event can harm other potential candidates through undue influence, both directly and indirectly.
#Maldives corruption#Y18 Sports Fiesta#Abdulla Yameen#Fathimath Ibrahim#Maldives politics#Maldives Presidential Elections 2018#Antii-Corruption Commission#Elections Commission Maldives
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Headlines
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Venezuela Tortured Military Personnel Accused of Subversion: Rights Groups
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Forget Fantasy Brexit, UK Tells Lawmakers as Crucial Deal Debate Begins
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1,185 eligible voters in 126 Finifenmaage - the 2nd most common house name in the Maldives - marked with roses on this map.
Below is a link to a list of most common house names based on published voters’ list by the elections commission of Maldives on Sep 2018.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hTE8iAP5Js42SUqXfeLagdRH7ACCS93nr__QmYdnWSY/edit?usp=sharing
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MPS launches youth career exploration program.
MPS launches youth career exploration program.
The 2018 Presidential Election was one of the most defining elections in the history of the Maldives as both local and international shareholders held their breath as the Elections Commission of Maldives counted the ballot papers.
From the onset, both contenders accused the President of the Elections Commission of Maldives Ahmed Shareef of conspiring with the other party. The three months…
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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/pompeo-brings-anti-china-roadshow-to-indian-ocean-islands-world-news/
Pompeo brings anti-China roadshow to Indian Ocean islands | World News
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday brought the Trump administration’s anti-China campaign to Indian Ocean islands considered particularly at risk for what American officials allege is Chinese exploitation.
Pompeo is visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives to press the two countries to be on guard against potential predatory lending and investment by China. He was making the case less than a week before the American election in which President Donald Trump is seeking to paint his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, as weak on China.
Even before Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka, China had fired back at the U.S. message, accusing Washington of bullying smaller nations.
In Sri Lanka, the Maldives and then in Indonesia on Thursday, Pompeo plans to press each nation to push back against increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, which U.S. officials complain is highlighted by development and infrastructure projects that benefit China more than the presumed recipients.
Ahead of Pompeo’s arrival in Colombo, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka denounced his visit, accusing one of his top aides of making unacceptable threats against the country. In those comments, the top U.S. diplomat for South Asia, Dean Thompson, warned Sri Lanka of the dangers of allowing China to get a foothold on the island.
“We encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practices,” he said. “We urge Sri Lanka to make difficult but necessary decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity, and we stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka for its economic development and growth.”
The Chinese Embassy said the comments were a blatant violation of diplomatic protocols and also chided the U.S. for organizing Pompeo’s 24-hour visit and imposing a major logistical burden on the country, which. like much of the rest of the world is in the midst of a spiraling surge in coronavirus cases.
“Does this approach truly prove your respect to the host country? Is it helpful to local epidemic prevention and control? Is it in the interests of the Sri Lankan people?” the embassy said in a statement.
The U.S.-China tug-of-war plays out against concerns that the Sri Lankan government is backsliding on democratic reforms. Last week, Parliament by a large majority approved a constitutional amendment concentrating powers under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and reversing efforts a previous government had made to curb authoritarianism.
With the change, Rajapaksa will be able to hold ministries, as well as appoint and sack ministers. He will also be the appointing authority of the elections, public service, police, human rights, bribery or corruption investigation commissions.
Those commissions were perceived as independent with a constitutional council comprising of lawmakers from different political parties and civil personalities making the appointments. With the amendment, the constitutional council was abolished for a parliamentary council whose observations the president is not bound to implement.
Rajapaksa will also be able to dissolve Parliament after two years and six months, instead of six months before its five-year term ends. And, he was able to push through a clause that lifted a ban on dual citizens holding political office, a move that will pave the way for a sibling who is a U.S. citizen to enter Parliament, further strengthening his family’s hold on political power.
Currently, Rajapaksa’s older brother, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is prime minister. Another older brother and three nephews are also lawmakers — three of them ministers.
Sri Lanka has been ruled under a powerful executive presidential system since 1978, but a reformist government in 2015 clipped much of the president’s powers and gave them over to Parliament and independent commissions, saying successive presidents had been more authoritarian.
Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka late Tuesday from India, where he and Defense Secretary Mark Esper had stepped up the Trump administration’s anti-China message by playing on Indian suspicions about the Chinese to shore up a regional front against Beijing,
“The United States will stand with the people of India as they confront threats to their freedom and sovereignty.” Pompeo said, referring pointedly to ones posed by the Chinese Communist Party, ”Our leaders and our citizens see with increasing clarity that the CCP is no friend to democracy, the rule of law, transparency, nor to freedom of navigation — the foundation of a free and open and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Just hours before the meetings in New Delhi began, the Trump administration notified Congress of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan — the second major arms sale in two weeks to the democratic island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. China angrily reacted to the first sale by announcing sanctions on U.S. defense contractors.
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NCERT Class 12 Political Science (World) Chapter 6 International Organisations
NCERT Class 12 Political Science Solutions (Contemporary World Politics)
Chapter 6 International Organisations
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED :
Q 1. Mark correct or wrong against each of the following statements about the veto power:
(a) Only the permanent members of the Security Council possess the veto power.
(b) It’s a kind of negative power.
(c) The Secretary General uses this power when not satisfied with any decision.
(d) One veto can stall a Security Council resolution.
Answer: (a) Correct (b) Correct
(c) Wrong (d) Correct
(e) India (f) Maldives
(g) India (h) Nepal
Q 2. Mark correct or wrong against each of the following statements about the way the UN functions:
(a) All security and peace related issues are dealt within the Security Council.
(b) Humanitarian policies are implemented by the main organs and specialised agencies spread across the globe.
(c) Having consensus among five permanent members on security issues is vital for its implementation.
(d) The members of the General Assembly are automatically the members of all other principal organs and specialised agencies of the UN.
Answer: (a) Correct (b) Wrong
(c) Correct (d) Wrong
Q 3. Which among the following would give more weightage to India’s proposal for permanent membership in the Security Council?
(a) Nuclear capability
(b) It has been a member of the UN since its inception.
(c) It is located in Asia.
(d) India’s growing economic power and stable political system.
Answer: (d) India’s growing economic power and stable political system.
Q 4. The UN agency concerned with the safety and peaceful use of nuclear technology is:
(a) The UN Committee on Disarmament
(b) International Atomic Energy Agency
(c) UN International Safeguard Committee
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (b) International Atomic Energy Agency
Q 5. WTO is serving as the successor to which of the following organisations:
(a) General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs
(b) General Arrangement on Trade and Tariffs
(c) World Health Organisation
(d) UN Development Programme
Answer: (a) General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs
Q 6. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The prime objective of UN is
(b) The highest functionary of the UN is called
(c) The UN Security Council has permanent and non permanent members.
(d) is the present UN Secretary General.
Answer: (a) to maintain peace and security
(b) Secretariat
(c) 5, 10
(d) Ban-ki-Moon
Q 7. Match the principal organs and agencies of the UN with their functions:
A. 1. Economic and Social Council
2. International Court of Justice
3. International Atomic Energy Agency
4. Security Council
5. UN High Commission for Refugees
6. World Trade Organisation
7. International Monetary Fund
8. General Assembly
9. World Health Organisation
10. Secretariat
B. (a) Oversees the global financial system.
(b) Reservation of international peace and security.
(c) Looks into the economic and social welfare of the member countries.
(d) Safety and peaceful use of nuclear technology.
(e) Resolves disputes between and among member countries.
(f) Provides shelter and medical help during emergencies.
(g) Debates and discusses global issues.
(h) Administration and coordination of UN affairs.
(i) Providing good health for all.
(j) Facilitates free trade among member countries.
Answer: 1. Economic and Social Council—
(c) Looks into the economic and social welfare of the member
countries.
2. International Court of Justice—
(e) Resolves disputes between and among member countries.
3. International Atomic Energy Agency—
(d) Safety and peaceful use of nuclear technology
4. Security Council—
(b) Reservation of international peace and security
5. UN High Commission for Refugees—
(f) Provides shelter and medical help during emergencies.
6. World Trade Organisations—
(j) Facilitates free trade among member countries.
7. International Monetary Fund—
(a) Overseas the global financial system.
8. General Assembly—
(g) Debates and discusses global issues.
9. World Health Organisation—
(j) Providing good health for all.
10. Secretariat—
(h) Administration and coordination of UN affairs.
Q 8. What are the functions of Security Council?
Answer: Its main function is to maintain peace and security in the world and the other functions are as follows:
1. The Security Council recommends methods to adjust disputes among nations.
2. Security Council can take military action if required.
3. Security Council elects the judges of International Court of Justice and appoints the Secretary General by recommending to the General Assembly.
4. Security Council can apply economic sanction also to stop any aggression.
5. The Security Council can investigate the disputes in case a friction arises.
Q 9. As a citizen of India, how would you support India’s candidature for the permanent membership of Security Council? Justify your proposal.
Answer: As a citizen of India, we may support India’s candidature for the permanent membership of Security Council in the following manner:
1. India is the most populous country in the world with one-fifth of world population.
2. India is world’s largest democracy.
3. India’s economic emergence on the World Stage.
4. India is a regular financial contributor to the UN.
5. India signifies a growing importance in world affairs in conduct of its foreign policy.
6. India participated in all the initiatives of the UN.
Q 10. Critically evaluate the difficulties involved in implementing the suggested reforms to reconstruct the UN.
Answer: The following are the question marks in implementing the suggested reforms to reconstruct the UN:
1. How big an economic and military power may qualify to become UNSC membership?
2. What level of budget contribution should be enabled?
3. No guarantee to be effective as Council Member in respect for democracy and human rights.
4. Why should the issue of equitable representation decided by geography? Why not by levels of economic development?
5. Why not to give more seats to members of developing world?
All the above mentioned criteria which were adopted bud not universally accepted. Hence, the difficulties were involved.
Q 11. Though the UN has failed in preventing wars and related miseries, nations prefer its continuation. What makes the UN an indispensable organisation?
Answer: 1. Interdependence and globalisation is not possible without the international organisations such as the UN.
2. To enforce cooperation on the issues of poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, crime rate etc.
3. To provide financial assistance to developing countries to stabilise economy all over the world,, the UN and its specialised agencies are always required.
4. The UN works as a forum to solve any international dispute among nations and sort out the best possible way.
5. Hence, though the UN has failed in preventing related wars and miseries, despite the nations require its continuation due to above mentioned reasons to promote international peace and understanding.
Q 12. “Reforming the UN means restructuring of the Security Council”. Do you agree with this statement? Give arguments for or against this position.
Answer: Yes, we agree with the statement because Security Council plays a crucial role in functioning of the UN. In today’s scenario power equations have been changed with the disintegration of USSR and many new countries are entering into the UN:
1. The UN charter has given a privileged position to permanent members to bring stability all over the world. This position remains the same and no one is allowed to enter.
2. Except permanent members enjoy veto power to be placed in a valuable position.
3. Permanent members category is from industrialised developed country which should be balanced by enhancing representation from developing countries to become either permanent or non-permanent members.
4. Hence, Security Council should reform and improve its working to make the UN more effective i.e., inclusion of member states should be judged on the basis of contribution to peace keeping initiatives.
Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]
Q 1. Who is present Secretary General of the United Nations?
Answer: Ban-Ki-Moon from South Korea.
Q 2. Name any two member states of the European Union who are permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Answer: Britain and France
Q 3. What is the main objective of the United Nations?
Answer: To prevent international conflict and to facilitate cooperation among states.
Q 4. Mention any two agencies of the United Nations.
Answer: 1. International Monetary Fund.
2. World Health Organisation.
Ans. Amnesty International is an NGO, which was established to campaign for protection of human rights all over the world. Its objective is to promote respect for all the human beings and human rights in the universal declaration of Human Rights.
Q 5. How many member countries have got veto power in the UN Security Council and why?
Answer: Five permanent member countries i.e France, Russia, UK, the US, China got veto power because they have been emerged as industrialised developed countries to stall any decision.
Q 6. Mention any two advantages of having international organisation in the world?
Answer: 1. To help countries in the matters of conflicts and differences.
2. To make the countries cooperate and create better living conditions for humanity.
Q 7. State any two objectives of the UN.
Answer: 1. To maintain international peace and security.
2. To facilitate cooperation among member countries by avoiding conflicts and war.
Q 8. State any two objectives of Human Rights watch.
Answer: 1. To draw global media’s attention to human rights abuses.
2. To help in building international coalitions like the campaigns to ban land-mines, to stop the use of child soldier, and to establish international criminal court.
Q 9. What reforms in the UN are required?
Answer: Following reforms are required in the UN:
1. Reform of the organisation’s structures and processes.
2. A review of the issues that fall within the jurisdiction of the organisation.
3. Reforms are required due to certain limitations to the UN i.e. only five members on permanent basis in the UN Security Council and their veto power, dominance of few powerful countries etc.
Q 10. Discuss the resolution adopted by General Assembly in 1992 over the reform of the UN Security Council.
Answer: In 1992, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, which reflected three main complaints:
1. The UN Security Council no longer represents contemporary political realities.
2. Its decisions reflect only western values and interests and are dominated by a few7 powers.
3. It lacks equitable representation. Considering above mentioned demands for restructuring of the UN on 01 January 1997, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan initiated an enquiry into how the UN should be reformed.
Q 11. What is the veto power? Should it be modified?
Answer: The veto power is a negative vote to stall any decision by five permanent members of UN Security Council. Sometimes the moves have been made to modify this but it is presumed to have a danger to lose interest by great powers, and without their support and involvement such organisation would become ineffective.
Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]
Q 1. Critically evaluate the difficulties involved in implementing the suggested reforms to reconstruct the U.N.
Answer: In 1992, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which reflected three main complaints—
• The Security Council no longer represents contemporary political realities.
• Its decisions reflect only Western values and interests and are dominated by a few powers.
• It lacks equitable representation. In view of these growing demands for the restructuring of the UN, on 1 January, 1997, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan initiated an inquiry into how the UN should be reformed. How for instance, should new Security Council members be chosen?
1. India’s nuclear weapon capabilities
2. If India is included, some emerging powers (Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Africa) will also be accommodated.
3. France and the US advocate that Africa and South America must be represented for they do not have any representation in the present structure.
Q 2. What steps should be taken to make the UN more relevant in the changing context?
Answer: (a) Creation of Peace Building Commission.
(b) Acceptance of responsibility of international community in case of failures of national governments to protect their own citizens from atrocities.
(c) Condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
(d) An agreement to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
Countries have conflicteand differences with each other. That does not necessarily mean they must go to war to deal with their antagonisms. They can instead discuss contentious issues and find peaceful solutions, indeed, even though this is rarely noticed most conflicts and differences are resolved without going to war. The role of an international organisation is not a super-state with authority over its members. It is created by and responds to states. It comes into being when states agree to its creation. Once created, it can help member states resolve their problems peacefully.
Questions
1. Is this necessary to engage into wars during conflicts among countries?
2. Is an international organisation a super state?
3. What is the significance of international organisation?
Answer:
1. No, instead countries can discuss contentious issues to find peaceful solutions.
2. No, it is created by and responds to states and comes into being when study agrees to its creation.
3. To help member states to resolve problems peacefully without going to war.
2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
By 2006, the UN had 192 member states. These included almost all independent states. In the UN General Assembly, all members have one vote each. In the UN Security Council, there are five permanent members. These are the US, UK, Russia, France, China. These states were selected as permanent members as they were most powerful immediately after the Second World War and because they constituted the victors in the war.
Questions
1. How many member states were there in the UN 2006?
2. Name five permanent members of UN Security Council.
3. Why these states were selected as permanent?
Answer:
1. There were 192 member states in the UN by 2006.
2. The UK, US, China, Russia and France are the permanent members.
3. Because they were most powerful immediately after the Second World War and constituted the victors in the war.
Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]
Q 1. Describe any six criteria for the new membership of Security Council as suggested after 1997.
Answer: A new member, as suggested after 1997, should be
(i ) A major economic power
(ii) A major military power.
(iii) A substantial contributor to the UN budget.
(iv) A big nation in terms of its populations.
(v) A nation that respects democracy and human rights
(vi) A country that would make the Council more representative of the world’s diversity in terms of geography, economic system, and culture.
Q 2. Examine the role played by India in the implementation of UN policies and programmes.
Answer: 1. India believes that a strengthened and revitalised UN is desirable in the changing world.
2. India also supports an enhanced role for the UN in promoting development and cooperation among states.
3. India believes that the development
should be central to the UN’s agenda as it is a vital precondition for the maintenance of international peace and security.
4. India debates more representation in Security Council may enjoy greater support in world community.
5. India has major concern about restructuring of UN Security Council.
6. India supports the role of developing countries should be represented in Security Council in decision making.
Q 3. How far did the UN perform its role successor fully in maintaining peace in the world? Explain.
Answer: 1. Interdependence and globalisation is not possible without the international organisations such as the UN.
2. To enhance cooperation on the issues of poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation, crime rate etc.
3. To provide financial assistance to developing countries to stabilise economy all over the world, the UN and its specialized agencies are always required.
4. The UN works as a forum to solve any international dispute among nations and sort out the best possible.
5. Hence, though the UN has failed in preventing any related wars and miseries, despite the nations require its continuation due to above mentioned reasons to promote international peace and understanding.
Q 4. Suggest any six steps since 2005 to make the United Nations more relevant in the changing context.
Answer: In September 2005, the UN celebrated its 60th anniversary and leaders decided to make it more relevant in the changing context by following steps:
1. Creation of Peace Building Commission.
2. Acceptance of the responsibility of the international community in case of failures of national governments to protect their own citizens from atrocities.
3. Establishment of a Human Rights Council (Operational Since 19 June 2006).
4. Agreements to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
5. Condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
6. Creation of a Democracy Fund.
7. An agreement to wind up the Trusteeship Council.
Q 5. Can the UN serve as a balance against the US dominance?
Answer: No, the UN can not serve against the US dominance in a comfort zone because:
1. The US has been the only superpower after 1991 and may ignore international organisations economically and militarily.
2. Its veto power can stop any move damaging its interests.
3. The US enjoys a considerable degree of say in the selection of the UN Secretary General.
Besides the above mentioned grounds, the UN is playing an effective role to argument against the US attitudes and policies and makes compromises and concessions even or the part of the US. The EU performs as an important bloc in International Economic Organisations such as WTO but SAARC has initiated SAFTA only to cooperate economically among its member states.
Picture/Map Based Questions[5 Marks]
A l. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
Questions
1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. Who is the person being commented in the cartoon?
3. What message does the cartoon convey?
Answer:
1. It represents role of the UN on attack on Lebanan by Israeli forces.
2. The UN Secretary General.
3. It conveys message on relevance of the UN as immediate follow-up was not there by Israeli forces despite passing a resolution from the UN.
2. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
Questions
1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. What type of crisis does the cartoon show?
3. What message does the cartoon convey?
Answer:
1. A humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.
2. Starvation, genocide, horror etc.
3. ‘A Big Helping of Words’ only because during these crises, the international organisations performed debates, speeches on these but no actual aid or support was reached to peoples.
B. On a political outline map of the world locate and label the following and symbolise them as indicated:
Questions
1. Five permanent members of UN Security Council and symbolise them as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
2. Locate and label peace keeping operations.
Answer:
1. 1. France 2. Russia
3. The UK
4. The US
5. China
2. (A) Cyprus 1964
(B) Lebanon 1978
(C) Israel 1974
(D) Sudan 2005
(E) East Timor 2006
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Maldives ruling party celebrates landslide win in parliamentary polls
Maldives ruling party celebrates landslide win in parliamentary polls
Male: The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Sunday, April 7, celebrated a historic victory as preliminary results showed its candidates securing a landslide victory in the parliamentary polls deemed crucial for the island nation.
According to the preliminary results from the Elections Commission late Saturday, the MDP won 62 out of the 87 seats in the People’s Majlis, reports Efe news.
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#Thailand -- Thailand's Election Commission has assured representatives from 11 nations and one international electoral watchdog organisation of a clean and fair election tomorrow. The EC briefed representatives of election commissions from Australia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, East Timor, and Vietnam at the Rama Gardens Hotel at 9.45am
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mvelection 2018 official results
source: elections commission of maldives - 29 sep 2018
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Former Maldives President Arrested Over Money Laundering
A Maldives court ordered the arrest and detention of former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Monday on charges of money laundering. The criminal court in Male, the capital, ordered Yameen held in custody after prosecutors argued at a hearing that he could attempt to influence witnesses if he were free. Yameen was charged with money laundering for alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corp. funds. Police say investigators found $1 million in Yameen’s bank account allegedly linked to a deal to lease public islands for tourism development in the Maldives, an Indian Ocean archipelago famous for its luxury resorts. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih also suspended two Cabinet ministers - Ahmed Maloof and Akram Kamaludeen - over $33,000 allegedly found in each of their accounts from the same resort development deal. State lawyer Aishath Mohamed said documents showed that Yameen had attempted to influence witnesses and had offered them money to change their statements. Referring to the prosecutor’s statement, Chief Judge Ahmed Hailam ordered Yameen to be kept in detention until the end of the trial. Yameen told the court that he didn’t know the people who had testified against him and never gave anyone bribes. He also said he didn’t know that $1 million had been transferred in to his account, and that after he found out he contacted the Anti-Corruption Commission. Yameen lost his bid for re-election last September after a five-year term during which he was accused of corruption and misrule. The elections, only the third since multiparty democracy was restored in 2008, was a surprise upset by Solih, who campaigned on a promise to investigate allegations of corruption by Yameen’s government. Dozens of Yameen’s political opponents - including his half-brother, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom - were jailed during Yameen’s term in office following trials that were widely criticized for lacking due process. Gayoom was released on bail a week after Yameen’s defeat. Another ex-president, Mohamed Nasheed, who spent a year in jail on a terrorism conviction under Yameen before winning political asylum in Britain, returned to the Maldives after Yameen’s election loss. The Supreme Court annulled his conviction in November. Nasheed, now a top Solih adviser and candidate in April parliamentary polls, told The Associated Press a separate investigation of Yameen on suspicion of international money laundering continues. Nasheed said the debt-saddled Maldives government is asking China to reduce some of the more than $3 billion it owes, arguing that some of that money went to Yameen in the form of “ill-gotten wealth.”
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