O rganisations ? Read the two cartoons on this page. Both the cartoons comment on the ineffectiveness of the United Nations Organisation, usually referred to as the UN, in the Lebanon crisis in . Both the cartoons represent the kind of opinions that we often hear about the UN.
On the other hand, we also find that the UN is generally regarded as the most important international organisation in today’s world. In the eyes of many people all over the world, it is indispensable and represents the great hope of humanity for peace and progress. Why do we then need organisations like the UN? Let us hear two insiders: “The United Nations was not created to take humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell.” — Dag Hammarskjold, the UN’s second Secretary-General.
“Talking shop? Yes, there are a lot of speeches and meetings at the U.N., especially during the annual sessions of the General Assembly. But as Churchill put it, jaw-jaw is better than war-war. Isn’t it better to have one place where all… countries in the world can get together, bore each other sometimes with their words rather than bore holes into each other on the battlefield?” — Shashi Tharoor, the former UN Under-Secretary- General for Communications and Public Information.
These two quotes suggest s o m e t h i n g i m p o r t a n t . International organisations are not the answer to everything, but they are important. International organisations help with matters of war and peace. They also help countries cooperate to make better living conditions for us all.
Countries have conflicts and differences with each other. That does not necessarily mean they must go to war to deal with their That’s what they say about the parliament too — a talking shop. Does it mean that we need talking shops? During June , Israel attacked Lebanon, saying that it was necessary to control the militant group called Hezbollah.
Large numbers of civilians were killed and many public buildings and even residential areas came under Israeli bombardment. The UN passed a resolution on this only in August and the Israel army withdrew from the region only in October. Both these cartoons comment on the role of the UN and its Secretary-General in this episode. © Harry Harrison, Cagle Cartoons Inc.
© Petar Pismestrovic, Cagle Cartoons Inc.