EQ3 - How Are Human Rights Used As Arguments For Political And Military Intervention

Question 1

Define Geopolitical interventions

Answer 1

Is the exercise of a country’s power in order to influence the course of events outside it’s borders

Question 2

Explain Development aid as a form of geopolitical intervention in defence of human rights

Answer 2

Often called overseas aid, is financial aid given to developing countries to support their long term economic, political, social and environmental development. Given by governments of developed countries, intergovernmental organisation and non governmental organisations

Question 3

Define Bilateral aid as a type of development aid

Define multilateral aid as a type of development aid

Answer 3

Aid that is delivered on a one-to-one basis between a donor and a recipient country

Aid given by donor countries to international aid organisations who distributes the aid to what they seem deserving of the cause

Question 4

Explain Trade Embargo’s as a form of geopolitical intervention in defence of human rights

Answer 4

Is a government or international ban that restricts trade with a particular country, to encourage them to change its policies and actions. Often used in response to threat to international security or to end human rights abuses, individual countries or IGO’s can impose these embargos

Question 5

Explain military aid as a form of geopolitical intervention in defence of human rights

Answer 5

Consists of money, weapons, equipment or expertise given to developing countries to help them protect their borders, fight terrorism or combat piracy and trafficking

Question 6

Explain military action as a form of geopolitical intervention in defence of human rights

Answer 6

Is a last resort used by governments and IGO’s after all other intervention has failed, involves direct action (air strikes or troops on ground or indirect action (providing military and political assistance).
Is either taken at the request of the country concerned or to protect people from their own government.

Question 7

Explain how valid the International Monetary Fund’s interventions are as an IGO:

• What is their stance on intervention
• Do they focus on human rights
• How many members
• Type of intervention

Answer 7

Seek to improve the economies of member countries by monitoring economic performance and recommending policies.

Aims are economic based rather than to protect human rights

Has 188 members who pay into the IMF

Aims to foster money cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote employment and reduce poverty around the world.

Question 8

Explain how valid Oxfam’s interventions are as a NGO:

• Stance on intervention
• Focus on human rights
• Members
• Type of intervention

Answer 8

Focuses on the hunger and starvation that prevailed after WW2

One of it’s three main targets is to campaign for women’s rights.

Has 20 independent affiliate organisations

Has three main targets: development work aimed at lifting people out of poverty and improving health (as seen in Burkina Faso, Papa New Guinea and South Sudan) by tackling the inequality that keeps people poor. Also assists those affected by conflicts and natural disasters (as seen in Afghanistan and Nepal) by providing food, safe water, shelter and money. Also campaigns for women’s rights by aiming for improved legislation and policies to tackle gender inequality.

Question 9

Define National Sovereignty

Answer 9

Is the idea that each nation has a right to govern itself without interference from other nations.

Question 10

Explain the Libya intervention in 2011 in explaining how some western governments use human rights violations to offer aid when national sovereignty is challenged

Answer 10

Popular uprisings against autocratic leaders in Arab countries led to Libyans demanding for change
Libyan dictator Gaddafi had little patience for dissent and vowed to cleanse Libya house by house.
An international coalition led by Nato argued it was its responsibility to protect Libyans citizens
A no fly zone was installed over Libya and Gadafi’s military positions were bombed.
This led to criticism with members arguing it had overstepped it’s mandate of protection and was aiming for regime change,
Months after the revolution a transitionary government was being formed and Nato declared it’s job done
However almost 4 years later Libya is in a civil war as two conflicting governments claim responsibility over the country.
The success of the intervention and NATO’s involvement has been seriously questioned.

Question 11

Explain why governments favour bilateral aid (3)

Answer 11

Provides control over where money is spent

Allows quicker and more flexible action

Encourages longer term trade relationships with recipient countries

Question 12

Explain why multilateral aid is considered more legitimate (2)

Answer 12

Allows for the pooling of resources which can be more cost effective when funding large projects, rather than lots of projects working in isolation.

Charities are less likely to be tied to a political or economic interest

Question 13

Explain the need for Haiti to receive aid

Answer 13

Haiti is a developing country, with 77% of the population living on less than $2 a day.

In need of development aid: with a history of political turmoil, an unfair and ineffective tax system and importantly its vulnerability to natural hazards with the 2010 earthquake.

Sometimes called the republic of NGO’s as 10,000 NGO’s are working there at any period of time. After the earthquake $13.5 billion was donated and NGO’s funded reconstruction processes

Question 14

Explain the Christian aid that has taken place in Haiti

Answer 14

Has worked in Haiti since the 1980’s with the aims of empowering citizens and supporting communities.

They have worked on the rural community, reaching 180,000 people and initially producing 230,000 hot meals, 10,000 hygiene kits, helping 2500 families with emergency shelter and training 35,000 people with how to deal with disaster

Question 15

Explain the issues with aid in Haiti

Answer 15

Haiti continues to face problems but many aid providers are now reducing their operations and the dependency they held

It is believed that the UN peacekeepers were the cause of the initial cholera outbreak

Many NGO’s have funnelled money into ill planned projects with little oversight and accountability, leading to waste and profiteering that has likely impeded the country’s long term development.

Question 16

Explain the attempts to reduce malaria deaths (3)

Answer 16

Swampy areas where the anopheles mosquito breeds are drained or sprayed with DDT and other chemicals

Those at risk are encouraged to take a preventive medicine , the drugs do not cure the disease but reduce the risks of contracting it.

Mosquito nets are distributed for people to sleep under, most people are bitten when they are asleep

Question 17

Explain Malaria and the development aid introduced

Answer 17

Is the world’s most deadliest killer, with 438,000 malaria deaths in 2015 with most children under the age of 5.

Has seen a new $3 billion plan set up by the British government and Bill Gates to eliminate the disease

Question 18

Explain development aids effect on gender equality

Exemplification

Answer 18

The global gender gap report showed equality in health and education in some countries, but still a considerable difference in economy (how much money women earn in comparison to men) and politics (the representation of women in politics) .

Yemen has received gender aid with a 150% increase in aid but has not closed the gender gap between 2006 and 2015
Bolivia has received gender aid with a 160% increase in aid, leading to improvements in economy and politics and a already equal health and education

Question 19

Define Aid dependency

Exemplification

Answer 19

Refers to the proportion of government income that comes from overseas aid. Countries like Liberia receive 77% of net official aid as a % of government expenditure.

Question 20

Why does aid dependency hinder economic and political development (3)

Answer 20

It becomes easier for governments to rely on aid money rather than helping local industries to develop or increasing tax revenues to self fund development projects

Aid goods flood the local market, driving down prices and reducing the incentive of subsistence farming

Aid dependency leaves a country a risk if aid is suddenly reduced or stopped

Question 21

Explain the impact of the oil industry on the niger delta

Answer 21

The Niger delta is the third largest wetland and fourth largest mangrove forest in the world.

Commercial oil production started in 1958, forming a key part of the Nigerian economy and making it the largest oil exporter in Africa

However although Nigeria earns $10 billion a tear from oil, 70% of citizens in the delta are below the poverty line, less than 20% of the region is accessible by road, poor sanitation has caused problems with access to drinking water and traditional fishing and agriculture is being disrupted by pollution reducing their income.

There were 550 oil spills in 2014 which polluted soil and water, mangrove forests are frequently destroyed, burning gas has caused breathing problems and a higher risk of cancer, oil spills will take 30 years to clean up at a cost of $1 billion and corruption has led to 20% of production being stolen.

There has been several protests and pressure groups against the exploitation of the delta.

Question 22

Explain Land Grabs in Kenya, destroying the environment and local culture

Answer 22

Land grabbing involves the irregular privatisation of public land, illegally acquired.

Is used by high profile government officials as a source of bribes.

88% of the population only have access to three hectares of land and minority ethnic groups are excluded from land ownership.

The land grabs have serious impacts on public finances, development opportunities and land pricing.

Question 23

Explain the UN - Libya conflict using human rights as a justification

Answer 23

President Gaddafi and his supporters were complicit in a number of terrorist attacks , including the downing of a flight over Scotland. Seriously abused the human rights of Libyan Citizens in order to gain a political grip on the country.

UN intervention saw the human rights abuses and intervened by conducting airstrikes on Gaddafi,

There has been conflict ever since with a split government fighting each other to gain political control

National and international governments vested interests for a regime change and energy security, but instead a human rights argument was put forward as a justification for intervention.

Question 24

Explain Russia and Ukraine conflict where human rights was used as a justification

Answer 24

Russia used the protection of the human rights of ethnic Russians as a reason to invade Eastern Ukraine in 2014

The real motive was likely due to the need to annex a strategically important territory due to the likelihood of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO and therefore giving western countries a passage into Russia

Taking Crimea and sending troops to occupy Eastern Ukraine was a serious assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty. However the west did not intervene in order to prevent a full out war

Question 25

Explain Colombia military aid from the US as an example in explaining whether poor human rights records prevent military aid

Answer 25

Colombia has been one of the largest recipients of military aid from the US for over a decade

However the country has a record of human rights abuses, NGO’s have documented the widespread and systematic use of torture by the country’s military forces

The US argues that military aid helps Colombia maintain peace, tackle illegal armed groups and counter people and drug trafficking

The US also say’s that it imposes human rights conditions on aid payment, however NGO’s say only 25% of aid is withheld if human rights conditions are not met

Question 26

Explain the UK military aid to Saudi Arabia as an example in explaining whether poor human rights records prevent military aid

Answer 26

Have been allies since 1915 when Saudi Arabia became a British protectorate

In 2005 they concluded a military agreement where the UK sold £10 billion worth of defence equipment to Saudi Arabia. In return Saudi Arabia has invested £60 billion in UK join ventures and real estate.

This has occurred even though there has been human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, especially for women

Question 27

Explain the situation of ISIS in Iraq and Syria as a need for the war on terror

Answer 27

Is an opportunistic terrorist organisation with no respect for human rights.

Occupied regions in Iraq, due to the withdrawal of troops, and Syria, due to civil war, as well as cells in major cities.

ISIS have hijacked and perverted Islam to suit its own barbaric needs, with the strategy of annihilating minority communities.

There have been public executions, forced conversions and rape amounting to war crimes and genocide

Question 28

Explain the Torture and Rendition that has occurred due to the War on terror used to justify military intervention

Answer 28

The War on terror has been used as a reason to justify military intervention.

Due to modern technology , Western governments have been able to listen in to terrorist acts being plotted.

It is suspected that many countries who signed the UN convention against torture still use it in their questioning of terrorist suspects.

There has been imprisonments of suspects without trial at the US Guantanamo Bay where people claim to be suspect to torture and people have been wrongly imprisoned.