World needs blue helmets who act blue.

The Concept of ‘Bystander’

• Yehuda Bauer, Holocaust historian, emphasized the importance of the ‘bystander’ in peacekeeping.

• The UN’s Charter, Chapter VI, advocates for peaceful dispute settlement, but Chapter VII prescribes the use of armed force in cases of aggression and breaches of peace.

• Chapter VIII prescribes robust regional arrangements for enforcing peace.

Hits and Misses in UN Peacekeeping

• The UN has established peace in many theatres, including Cambodia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Angola, Timor Leste, Liberia, and Kosovo.

• However, instances like Rwanda (1994) and Bosnia (1995) have seen the UN accused of being a bystander, unable to protect noncombatants and vulnerable sections.

• The UN has brought the protection of civilians centrestage in subsequent missions, restoring its commitment to its core values.

The Need for UNSC Reform

• The UN has been reduced to a ‘Bystander’ status in the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the war in Ukraine.

• The UN’s response in both conflicts has failed to call out the perpetrator and take decisive action in protecting civilian lives.

• The UN’s strong forces could have been deployed in robust numbers to contain further loss of life and destruction.

The Lost Chance to Act with Decision

• Extraordinary situations demand extraordinary interventions.

• The UN’s commitment to enforce peace implies their consent to protect civilians.

• The UN must act impartially and decisively, as seen in Kosovo and Timor Leste.

The Need for UNSC Reform

• The veto power of the Permanent Security Council members has often acted as a millstone around their neck.

• The case for reform includes expanding Permanent membership to include India and South Africa and banning the veto cat.

• The deployment of UN standing troops or shifting troops between’missions’ should be enabled under Chapters VII and VIII of the UN Charter.

• If the UN cannot enforce peace despite having standing uniformed forces, UN-led peace operations must close and be used only for exalted discussions by another international non-governmental organization or a think-tank.