Road to Disarmament and Non-Proliferation: A Human Security Approach

1. Case Study:  Newspaper Article

Read the following news article. 

Foreign minister treads softly, raises Canada's profile

http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y99/jan99/07e8.htm

QUESTIONS

1. What two accomplishments does Axworthy take pride in at the beginning of 1999?

2. Identify two components of his concept of "soft power".

3. Could you say that Axworthy is a pacifist? Provide evidence for your answer.

4. Give evidence that some Canadians approve of his policies and others do not.

5. List three of his future foreign policy goals.

6.    Does the author approve, disapprove or take a neutral position towards Axworthy?  Give 3 examples to back up your choice.

7. After reading the whole article, go back and review the opening sentence. In your opinion, does "soft power" sound like it is a good course for Canada to take or an unrealistic one? Support your opinion with examples.

A Brave New World?  The Road to Human Security

The international community has been doing disarmament work for decades, yet much work remains.  The solution is not as simple as disarming people and states.   We must make sure that people will not have a reason to arm themselves again.  For that to occur, the underlying reasons for choosing to arm or not to arm, in the first place must be addressed.  Ultimately, individuals must be free from fear to guarantee the success of human security. 

“A human security approach is proposed with the following five essential policies:

• Placing human security on the security agenda.
• Strengthening humanitarian action.
• Respecting human rights and humanitarian law.
• Disarming people and fighting crime.
• Preventing conflict and respecting citizenship.

From a human rights perspective, the human security agenda must ensure the over-all shift from a state-centric security to a people-centered security.  With very few mechanisms that can be invoked to protect people in violent conflict, all the more is it imperative to build and strengthen peoples' capabilities to for conflict prevention and peace building. ”

"During the cold war, peace and security tended to be defined simply in terms of military might or the balance of terror. Today, we have a greater appreciation for the non-military sources of conflict. We know that lasting peace requires a broader vision, encompassing education and literacy, health and nutrition, human rights and fundamental freedoms. We know that we cannot be secure amidst starvation. We cannot build peace without alleviating poverty. We cannot build freedom on foundations of injustice."

This means that there is much work to do, in many of these areas.  This is the only way to ensure that all individuals can grow and thrive in a world free from fear. 

Challenge:  What could you do to advance the goals of disarmament and human security?  Get Involved!  Visit the Youth Action section of the website to learn more. 

Projects/Activities

2.Case study - Peacekeeping

Background:

In the post-Cold War era, peacekeepers are exposed to more demanding and dangerous activities, including peace enforcement, maritime interdiction operations, disarmament, providing security to local populations, organizing elections, protecting humanitarian aid convoys, and de-mining, among others.  The United Nations Association of Canada (UNA-Canada) elaborates: “Peacekeeping has evolved to the point where demands placed on peacekeepers transcend their traditional role, rendering it virtually unrecognizable to its founders.”

The peacekeeping role has evolved to a higher state of conflict resolution, and stabilization, and is now a multi-disciplinary approach: diplomatic, humanitarian, and stabilization fields working in harmony.

In the aftermath of 9/11, a new dimension has also been added.  Over 8,000 CF members have been deployed on operations in the War against Terrorism.  At its peak, the Naval Task Group deployment included six warships and approximately 1,500 Navy personnel.  Canada’s Air Force continues to transport military supplies, humanitarian aid, and thousands of personnel back and forth into different operational zones.  In 2002, more than 800 CF army personnel joined a Battle Group alongside US forces in and around Kandahar, Afghanistan.  Beginning August 2003, Canada also committed to two deployments of some 2,000 troops as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, an UN-authorized, but NATO-led operation.

In many ways, given the range of activities from combat (or peace enforcement) to post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction, Afghanistan represents the quintessential modern peace operation.  And, not only do these modern peace operations span the conflict spectrum and require pan-CF involvement of Army, Navy and Air Force, they also require pan-Government of Canada (GoC) involvement.  In Afghanistan, the GoC strategy—called the ‘3D’ approach—unites the diplomatic, development, and defence fronts via the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and DND/CF, respectively.  Simply put, the 21^st century battlefield is no longer a domain exclusive to soldiers, and enhanced civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) is essential. 

In summary, peacekeeping during the Cold War was about observation and sometimes policing, both used primarily to freeze brushfire conflicts before they escalated into nuclear war. 

Peacekeepers today are soldiers, as well as diplomats and humanitarians. 

Their varied roles include:

·  Combat

·   settling disputes among locals

·   gathering intelligence

·   assessing community needs

·   distributing humanitarian aid

·   drug interdiction

·    various other non-traditional activities

·    working alongside civilian colleagues from other government departments, as well as aid workers, members of the news media, non-governmental organizations, and contractors.

These new roles demand more robust rules of engagement, as well as combat-capable and responsive military forces, and ever-increasing technical expertise. 

Discussion Questions

1.  What is meant by the term “peacekeeping”?

2.  Who grants the authority for the UN to engage in peacekeeping missions?

3.  How is peacekeeping different from peacemaking?

4.  How have the roles of peacekeepers changed over time?

5.  What is the human security dimension in modern peace support operations?

6.  Why do individual countries, free from war and conflict, send peacekeepers to these regions?

7.  How do you determine when to let the ‘peacekeeper’ go home and turn peace enforcement over to local governments?  

3. Case Study Story: “A Crucial Step Forward to Stability”
(disarmament carried out by ISAF in Kabul”

This case study will assist students to delve into the Human security dimension of Canada’s activities in Afghanistan. 

Some background discussion on the situation in Afghanistan could precede the clip below, which was taken from a recent Maple Leaf article. The students would be put in the case study scenario. Following the case study, students could read the Maple Leaf story on Canada’s recent disarming initiatives in Kabul and also read about CIDA’s development efforts.

This presentation order would be a bit different, in that the students are:

1. given the context (without Canada’s approach)
2. given the “case study scenario”, which is essentially what Canada faces in Afghanistan
3. asked to come up with their solutions, and then
4. exposed to Canada’ real-world efforts for comparison.

4. Case Study: Canada’s Contribution to Afghanistan’s Reconstruction

“I explained to the crowd [of Afghan citizens] that Canada (pointing at the flag on my shoulder) was present as part of ISAF and trying to help Afghanistan rebuild and become a safer place to live. They listened carefully. A young man asked if I thought Afghanistan would ever be safe? I told him I thought so and that Canada was one of many nations that would help. He disagreed and said there were too many Taliban and that the people would never be safe. There was a lot of discussion in the crowd. From the interpreters I gathered they can see the positive results of mine clearing, road openings, building reconstruction, and school openings... but their personal experience and the history of their country makes them pessimistic.” Lt. Kevin Stewart, positioned in Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 2004.

Situation

Canadian Forces and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) are positioned in Kabul, Afghanistan, as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), following the war. They are there as part of an international effort to restore peace and security in a region that has experienced civil war for over 20 years. The capital city of Kabul has been wrought with warlords who are threatening the level of security with the use of light and heavy weapons. Also, the prevalence of small arms and light weapons in the hands of the general population means that there is a heightened level of tension.

Divide the Students into three groups with the following roles / interests:

 Canadian Forces –  Among other duties, they have been given a mandate to:

1. • Enforce protection
   • Ensure freedom of movement in Kabul and the region surrounding the city

CIDA – they have been afforded a limited budget to contribute to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and to help ensure safety and security.

Warlords– The Warlords are Afghans from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. They have just fought in a war and they have seen their country go from civil war to chaos. They do not know who to trust and they fear for their lives and security. They have had small and heavy weapons for decades and know how to use them. Many of the warlords are poor, have relied on arms for security as the norm for 20 years and have very few alternative options.

Post Case Study Discussion Questions

1. What types of things can the Canadian forces do to gain the trust of the community

2. What social and economic issues will have to be dealt with, alongside the basic requirement to restore order and safety?

3. Why would the warlords be reluctant to give up their weapons?  What might convince them to do so? 

Extension Activities

• Investigate the changes made both nationally, by the Canadian government to increase domestic security, and internationally since the terrorist attacks on September 11th.  Have governments increased their powers?  If so, how? 

• Research instances when the Canadian government has restricted individual civil liberties to protect the security of society.  (e.g. FLQ crisis, Japanese Internment…)  Were the restrictions reasonable?  Why/why not?  What can be learned by the past?  How can this inform future decision-making?

• Investigate/volunteer for  a local NGO that is doing work on Human Security

• Analyze the work that Canada is doing to increase our national security.  Give Canada a report card grade on whether the new steps are making citizens more secure. 

• Investigate the work of the Human Security Network.  What countries are members?  What projects are being focused on?  What principles guide the network? 

• Investigate the mandate of the Un’s Commision on Human Security

     http://www.humansecurity-chs.org/

Create an action plan for how you could make your community a safer and more secure place to live.  What population would you reach out to?  How would you help?  How would you fundraise?  How would you publicize your mission?