United Nations involvement in Asia

The United Nations has been a very significant organization throughout the 1900s as well as today. Its has played a vital role in many international affairs and continues to do so. However, the actions and decisions taken by the United Nations has been a subject of much controversy for many decades now prompting many, as citizens of a global society, to question the significance or effectiveness of the United Nations. One continent that has been very familiar with the involvement of the United Nations has been Asia. Its role in conflicts with countries in Asia such as its involvement the India-Pakistan observer conflict, their mission in Tajikistan and the conflict in East Timor during the 1900s gives an individual a more detailed view of the role of the United Nations in a specific continent, Asia, that has been greatly influenced by the United Nations.
The Formation of the United Nations
The United Nations was first introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 as an international organization after the end of World War 2. After the consequences of World War 2, in which the total casualties were 63 million as well as the destruction of monuments, locations, cities, towns, it was time to make serious positive changes to give hope to citizens for the betterment of our international society. Fifty-one countries agreed to this organization with goals and aspirations of maintaining international peace and security, social progress, international cooperation amongst all nations as well as the betterment of human rights. It officially came into effect on October 24, 1945, when major signatories such as France, China, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and the United States ratified the Charter to put this international organization in effect. With the hopes of achieving all of its goals, the United Nations set out on its journey to attain peace, cooperation, progress, and fight for human rights.
The United Nations in the India-Pakistan Conflict
During the years 1965 to 1966, the United Nations came across its second ever conflict in the continent of Asia between countries India and Pakistan. Similar to East Timor, autonomy played a role in this conflict as well. That is because in 1947, the country that was once joined together, had been formally split into two individual countries-India and Pakistan. During the partition of these two countries, Kashmir was free to choose to go become a part of either side of the border, whether it wanted to belong to India or Pakistan. With its choice to formally belong to India, a conflict had erupted. A resolution was needed between India and Pakistan therefore the UNCIP( United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan) had been established. With this establishment came the idea for the use of observers in both countries to create an end to the fighting. In 1949, an agreement was signed by both countries establishing a line of ceasefire that was to be looked after by military observants. In 1951, the UNCIP was terminated and the UNMOGIP(United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan) was formed to continue observations and reports along with investigating ceasefire violations. Starting in 1965, the relationship between these two countries once again became strained. This time it was because of their individual claims over the Rann of Kutch(located at the south end of the boundary lines). By late 1965, the conflict the India and Pakistan was facing at the time erupted on a large military scale along ceasefire line that was previously created in Kashmir. Supervising and the use of military observers once again became necessary through the terms of the United Nations. Once again the United Nations called for a ceasefire and the cooperation of the UNMOGIP. The United Nations also called a withdrawal from all armed personnel. Since the acts of warfare extended beyond the ceasefire line located in Kashmir, the Secretary-General of the United Nations had made the decision to create the UNIPOM(United Nations India-Pakistan Observation Mission)to supervise the ceasefire outside Jammu and Kashmir. Approximately 90 observers were assigned to assist the UNIPOM. Despite the continuous efforts of the United Nations the violations of the ceasefire continued to take place and no troops were withdrawing themselves. The United Nations demanded cooperation of the military personnel of both countries and both parties expressed their opinion to continue the observer mission. Finally, on January 10, 1966,both India and Pakistan met in Takshent announced to withdraw the armed personnel of both parties and that both sides would respect and observe the terms held down upon the ceasefire and its line. The troops had withdrawn themselves in the month of February in 1966 according to the promises of both parties in Takshent therefore allowing the removal of UNIPOM and gradually the removal of the military observers.("United nations india-pakistan," ) With the creation of several
establishments and aids and the continuous demands of the United Nations, they were able to pull through to find a resolution to the conflict between both India and Pakistan, succeeding in their mission.
The United Nations in Tajikistan
Another conflict in Asia, this time directly dealing with Tajikistan, required the help of the United Nations. The UNMOT(United Nations Military Observers Tajikistan) was created to closely watch the peace agreements in the aftermath of the Tajikistan Civil War. This was the aftermath of the declaration of independence of Tajikistan from the Soviet Union. After a ceasefire between Emomali Rahmonov(Ruler of Tajikistan) and the United Tajik Opposition, these observers were put into action. Despite efforts of the United Nations and their Observer Mission, attempts to stop the trauma happening in Tajikistan were unsuccessful. The Tajikistan government and the United Tajik Opposition continued to fight with another causing alarming fatalities. The Secretary General of the United Nations then sent an envoy for ceasefire and in hopes of coming to some kind of a resolution from both sides. After much distress and attempts from the United Nations, the Tehran Agreement came into effectiveness for both sides. This agreement dealt with a ceasefire and the end to other acts of hostility which was signed by the government of Tajikistan and the United Tajik Opposition. (United Chronicle, 1997). The major issue with the Tajikistan conflict was the very slow progress and unreasonable extensions posed by the United Nations. Many citizens had already lost their lives to the fatalities occurring in Tajikistan with the slow progression of the United Nations. Although successful in the end, this mission was not handled as effectively as it should have been handled.
The United Nations in East Timor
Lastly, the United Nations also dealt with a conflict in East Timor. During the eighteenth century, East Timor became a colony of Portugal and remained one of Portugal's colonies until the year 1975. It became inhabited by forces of Indonesia requiring the United Nations to step in to provide some sort of a resolution. East Timor demanded the withdrawal of the Indonesian troops with the United Nations trying to find a conclusion to resolve this conflict. The government of Indonesia declined withdrawing its troops out of East Timor and also displayed ignorance in coming to any sort of a negotiation in response to this conflict. This led to growing international pressure upon Indonesia. Pressure such as the ban of the United States military cooperation with the Indonesian government, as well as the suspension of military sales of the British to Indonesia were enforced upon Indonesia. Until an agreement with East Timor was reached, the World Bank as well as the IMF(International Monetary Fund) refused to continue economically aid the Indonesian government and its citizens. After much pressure and frustration, both Indonesia and Portugal decided to use the aid of the United Nations in hopes of coming to a resolution. This occurrence happened after President Habibie started to suggest the possibility of East Timor breaking free of its colony and becoming an independent nation. ( Totten, Bartop, NA). After results of a referendum sent by the UNAMET(United Nations Mission in East Timor) displayed that 78.5% of voters rejected the idea of autonomy, the resulting consequence was massacres and horrible violence. This led to many people being driven out of their own homes by the Military of Indonesia as the United Nations tried to set up the UNTAET(United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor). The main focus of establishing this administration was to give it all authority over East Timor, with the inclusiveness of the administration of justice. It was created to help East Timor create strategies and develop establishments that would further allow East Timor to take on the challenge of becoming independent (Silander, 2009). After much economic development and establishing democratic institutions, on May 20, 2002, East Timor had officially become independent. After many measures taken and hard work displayed by the United Nations with its creation of UNAMET and the various pressure it had exerted on Indonesia, the United Nations was finally successful in reaching a resolution to resolve the conflict between East Timor and Indonesia.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Asia happened to be a major pinpoint in the eyes of the United Nations as well as other continents such as Africa and Europe. The United Nations was very successful in completing their missions in Asia with countries such as India, Pakistan, East Timor, Indonesia and Tajikistan as their missions. Although some may argue the way these conflicts were handled as a negative way to handle certain situations. Some may find that the inclusion of time constraints and ineffective methods used by the United Nations to prove its unreliability. All in all, the United Nations has had a major role in all of these missions to try to keep peace between conflicting countries and to lessen problems on an international level as they did in the continent of Asia.

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