Rights and Duties of UN States
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The Genesis of the Resolution
- Originally posted in the UN Forum by Frisbeeteria
I can't claim credit for a lot of this material. The original draft of this document was a very lightly adapted copy of an early draft from the real world United Nations, called "A Declaration on Rights and Duties of the United Nations." It started with 14 articles, including a significant one on human rights and quite a bit more on the topic of war. I'm sorry to say I've lost the original link, and www.un.org is just a bit too sweeping for me to find it again.
Credits
In this topic, several nations provided input and suggestions over a three day period. My especial thanks go to Greenspoint, Monocia, Nibbleton, Heru Ur, New Eriu, and Oppressed Possums, for their input and assistance. We ended up stripping away the human rights bit and adapting it more to the world of NationStates. Shortly afterwards, I completely rewrote the descriptive bit at the top (removing at least four "Whereas" statements, and updated the entire section on War to adapt to the fact that NationStates wars are fought only by mutual agreement. I rearranged it into the three relevant sections, and posted the final version.
Timing
Later that evening, I submitted the reformatted proposal, and posted this topic. Unfortunately, I made a strategic blunder in timing and campaigning, and it died with a respectable but unsatisfactory number of approvals. Foolishly, I repeated the mistake for the second pass, and it too died with perhaps double the approvals of the first attempt. But the third time, we'll make it happen, by golly. Thanks to some timely aid from Mikitivity (and the North Pacific forums), the nations of Nibbleton and NewTexas, and any number of encouraging forum posts and telegrams; we managed to get the word out. Thanks also to Francos Spain, who pointed out that I misspelled the word proper grammer in my campaign telegram. Dang it.
Text of the Resolution
| Category: | Political Stability | Strength: | Significant | Proposed By: | Frisbeeteria |
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UN membership in NationStates is a choice, not a requirement. Those of us who chose to participate have certain responsibilities to ourselves, each other, and the entire NationStates community. At the same time, we as NationStates have certain rights and responsibilities that we do not willingly give up when we chose to join the UN. It is therefore vital to clearly delineate what constitutes sovereign law versus UN sanctioned international law. This document will attempt to enumerate those most basic of rights, as they exist within and as defined by the United Nations of NationStates.
- A Declaration on Rights and Duties of UN States
Section I
- The Principle of National Sovereignty:
Article 1
§ Every UN Member State has the right to independence and hence to exercise freely, without dictation by any other NationState, all its legal powers, including the choice of its own form of government.
Article 2
§ Every UN Member State has the right to exercise jurisdiction over its territory and over all persons and things therein, subject to the immunities recognized by international law.
Article 3
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to refrain from unrequested intervention in the internal or external economic, political, religious, and social affairs of any other NationState, subject to the immunities recognized by international law.
Section II
- The Art of War:
Article 4
§ Every UN Member State has the right of individual or collective self-defense against armed attack.
Article 5
§ War in the World of NationStates is defined as a consensual act between two or more NationStates. Any and all NationStates may, at their discretion, respond to declarations of war on NationStates who wish to avoid war. The recommended method is a barrage of I.G.N.O.R.E. Cannons.
Article 6
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to refrain from fomenting civil strife in the territory of another NationState, and to prevent the organization within its territory of activities calculated to foment such civil strife.
Article 7
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to refrain from giving assistance to any NationState which is acting in violation of Article 5, or against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action.
Article 8
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to refrain from recognizing any territorial acquisition by another NationState acting in violation of Article 5.
Section III:
- The Role of the United Nations:
Article 9
§ Every UN Member State has the right to equality in law with every other UN Member State.
Article 10
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to carry out in good faith its obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law, and it may not invoke provisions in its constitution or its laws as an excuse for failure to perform this duty.
Article 11
§ Every UN Member State has the duty to conduct its relations with other NationStates in accordance with international law and with the principle that the sovereignty of each UN Member State is subject to the supremacy of international law.
- Votes For: 15,083
- Votes Against: 3,395
- Implemented: Tue Feb 24 2004
Appendix
An Appeal in Defense of Defense
- Originally Posted by Lord Evif of Goobergunchia
- As somebody who has had a resolution adopted by this body, I would recommend that the delegate from Frisbeetaria ignore their telegrams and be prepared for a lot of facile argumentation when their resolution reaches the floor.
"Lord Evif, Delegates, Members, and Guests.
Thank you for your warm words. Frisbeeteria is delighted with the respect and lauds this yet un-passed proposal is garnering. Still, we are not satisfied.
We have no intention or desire to avoid a floor fight on this resolution. In fact, we relish the thought as both an intellectual challenge and a worthy debate. In that spirit, we are hoping to set an example to all who would propose resolutions before this august body.
If you are unwilling to stand at this podium, proposal at hand, as angry UN members shout questions and demand answers, then why are you wasting our time proposing them? This proposal started as an adaptation, went through a revision committee, was submitted and failed twice before finally passing, and now stands on the threshold of passage. Are Frisbeeterians proud of this accomplishment? Of course we are! How can we do other than stand FOR this proposal against all who would oppose it?
Lord Evif says this is a rare occurrence. I would ask, "Why?" Every proposal should be a labour of idealistic fervency; firmly and totally supported by its authors. Is this some child's game, that we throw scribbled notes on a page, toss them in front of these fine Members, and slip away into the night? I say thee, "Nay".
Let this be the start of a New Era for the UN. Let idealists gather in smaller rooms and collaborate on shared concepts. Let the committees meet for a day, a week, or a month; until the rough edges are filed away and the major objections answered. We are seeing this already, in studies of weapons, courts, and the use of space. There is ample room and credit for all who are willing to devote their time and effort to the success of their ideals.
Perhaps when the UN demonstrates that it has put childish practices behind it, the nations who have chosen to shun this body may in fact return to these halls. Share this dream with me, with Frisbeeteria, and with the world of NationStates.
I thank you for your time, and attention.
Additional Materials
- Discussions on Rights and Duties of UN States
- United Nations
- Passed UN Resolutions
