ADDRESS BY
PRIME MINISTER
MOST HON. P.J. PATTERSON, ON, PC, QC, MP
AT
RALPH J BUNCHE ANNIVERSARY LECTURE
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON
OCTOBER 25, 2003
"THE RELEVANCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST
CENTURY"
SALUTATIONS
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
It is a distinct pleasure and great honour to be here this afternoon to participate
in the celebrations to mark the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Ralph J. Bunche,
a tireless fighter in the struggle for peace and human dignity.
I readily accepted this invitation to offer some reflections on the United Nations
and its relevance to the twenty-first century as we honour the memory of an
Afro-American Statesman, who was a pioneer, an ardent defender of the UN and
a staunch advocate for global development.
It is indeed appropriate that this event takes place on the campus of this
prestigious institution, with its enduring commitment to educating students,
African Americans and other people of colour in particular, for leadership and
service to this nation, the United States of America, and the global community.
There can be no greater role model for the students of this institution than this
Nobel Laureate, scholar and humanitarian.
Howard University has long been the cradle of academic excellence and has an
impressive roster of alumni, not only of African-Americans but large numbers of
students of African heritage, from Africa, the Caribbean and other far flung
regions of the world, who have given and continue to give, distinguished service
in their communities and in the international arena.
UWI LIBRARIES
2
My own personal admiration for Ralph Bunche dates back to my student days.
Having made my choice clear then, and now having the privilege of making a
contribution to the political life of my country and the Caribbean region, I wish
today, to make a small gesture of support for the Ralph Bunche Centre by
presenting two copies of a recently published collection of my speeches entitled
"A Jamaican Voice in Caribbean and World Politics".
It reflects my own perspectives on the international arena from many years of
exposure at the highest levels of international negotiation and discourse since I
first served in my country's foreign ministry in the seventies and into this new
millennium. I trust it will give to the students at the Centre a special insight into
the formidable challenges faced by small economies, and the solutions which we
seek to end our state of persistent underdevelopment and poverty in a less than
caring international environment.
By a fitting coincidence, today marks the end of Jamaica's celebration of National
Heritage week as we gather here to commemorate the memory of Ralph Bunche,
a selfless international servant, but one who had to confront racial barriers and
ethnic discrimination in his own country.
Among our National Heroes, the first and perhaps the most prominent is the
renowned Marcus Garvey. This great Jamaican, this tireless fighter for dignity of
peoples the world over, inspired thousands in the United States and indeed
millions around the world, through his profound sense of internationalism and his
deep commitment to social justice and human rights.
At a ceremony last Monday marking the restoration of Liberty Hall, Marcus
Garvey's headquarters in the heart of the Jamaican capital, we were reminded of
the vision of this philosopher and humanitarian during the early decades of the
last century.
His contribution in retrospect, is made even more remarkable, given the fact that
at the relatively young age of thirty-four, Marcus Garvey already had thousands
of followers throughout the hemisphere, who were members of the Universal
Negro Improvement Association (UNIA).
Garvey and the influence of the UNIA contributed to the later emergence of the
civil rights movement in the United States and greatly benefited the work of
American stalwarts such as the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
UWI LIBRARIES
Marcus Garvey's sojourn in America, though relatively brief in its tenure, served
to define the great historical interconnectedness between African-Americans, the
people of Jamaica, and indeed, peoples of African descent throughout the
Americas.
Still regarded by millions of African-Americans as among the ten most influential
persons of the 20th century, Garvey's influence and the power of his ideals
continue to resonate here in the U.S., in the Caribbean and in the world at large.
For this reason, the Jamaican Government and our people remain indebted to
the Congressional Black Caucus for its unswerving advocacy, in the United States
Congress, to secure the complete exoneration of Marcus Garvey.
The Government and people of Jamaica strongly endorse and my Administration
will render whatever diplomatic support and representation may be necessary to
finally vindicate Marcus Garvey.
We are heartened that increasing numbers of lawmakers continue to express
support of this Bill and we laud the Congressional Black Caucus and
Congressman Rangel for their longstanding commitment to Garvey's legacy.
The CBC's advocacy on this issue is symbolic of the deep-seated internationalist
spirit and co-operation that characterise the enduring bonds between AfricanAmericans
and others in the Diaspora, in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
It was this embrace, both by Marcus Garvey and indeed Ralph Bunche, of a
g roba I agenda which sought to promote justice to foster peace to preserve
human dignity, that underscores their common passionate pursuit of their lofty
ideals.
The Founding of the United Nations
Yesterday, 24th October, was celebrated as United Nations Day, marking the 58th
anniversary of the organization. Ralph Bunche was one of the major players in
the formation of the UN and was the principal author of two chapters of the
Charter - on trusteeship and self-governing territories.
It was also he who devised the machinery to expedite the massive move toward
decolonisation that swept across the world after the end of World War II at the
founding of the UN.
UWI LIBRARIES
4
Through his work in the UN, he was to become the foremost international
mediator and peacekeeper of his time, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950,
a prize which in his modesty he had to be persuaded to accept as he felt it
unnecessary to be awarded such an honour simply for doing his job!
Bunche believed passionately in the purposes, as set forth in the Charter to:
■ Maintain international peace and security;
• Develop friendly relations among nations;
• Cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and
humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms; and
■ Be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining
these ends.
Ralph Bunche who was generally and fondly known as "Mr. UN", very much
reflects the tides and ebbs of that Organisation, which is as much venerated as it
is maligned.
But what lingers most with us today - is that his vision for international peace,
under the auspices of the UN, and his passionate belief in preventive diplomacy
and the pacific settlement of conflicts remain worthy ideals based on sound
principles, which are no less important and relevant today than they were at the
time when the UN was founded.
An Equal State
The UN was created in a very deliberate manner, as a response to the
devastating impact of two World Wars on global relations. The principles and
purposes of the charter of the Organisation were carefully cra~ed to provide the
foundation of a body which would save succeeding generations from the scourge
of war;
to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights;
to promote justice and respect for the rule of law; to fuel social and
economic progress.
All states, big or small, rich or poor were offered an equal stake and a voice in
the United Nations.
It is important to recall that the fear of return to world war was a very real one
which motivated the commitment to international peace and security. In these
UWI LIBRARIES
5
circumstances, special emphasis was placed on the United Nations machinery for
the settlement of disputes and promotion of cooperation between states to
minimise conflict and remove danger. The environment in which we currently
operate render these goals and objectives as relevant and crucial as they were
fifty-eight years ago.
While we no longer fear a nudear holocaust, the armed conflicts which often
involve children and result in cruel mutilation, the violent disintegration of
established nation states, the eruption of ethnic cleansing, genocide, the dangers
of nuclear proliferation, have all combined to create unprecedented levels of fear
and global insecurity.
Indeed, we are reminded of a quote from President Eisenhower, speaking at a
time of mad militarism over 50 years ago:
"This is not a way of fife at all in any true sense. Under the cloud of
threatening wa1;. it is humanity hanging from a wooden cross. "
While, its effectiveness was severely eroded by bitter superpower rivalry, let us
not forget that during this difficult period of political polarisation the United
Nations was still able to realise some of its most notable achievements.
Its role on trusteeship matters and decolonisation was most significant.
Ralph Bunche will always be remembered for his sterling contributions and
pioneering work in these fiefds. He was instrumental in drafting the sections of
the UN Charter dealing with trusteeship and the future of non-self governing
territories. He subsequently became head of the Trusteeship Division.
His pioneering work was critical to the self-determination struggles and political
independence of close to one billion people throughout the continents of Asia,
Africa and later in the Caribbean. Bunche perceived the self-determination of
colonial peoples as essential for the maintenance of international order and world
peace. Newly independent states, including Jamaica in the 1960's, benefited
from the economic and technical assistance programmes which Bunche had
initiated.
The United Nations played a pivotal role in the struggle against Apartheid,
leading to its demise in South Africa in 1993 and the formation of a truly
democratic and non-racial state.
UWI LIBRARIES
6
New Areas of Cooperation
The UN was able during this period to extend its presence and reach into new
areas of cooperation, which emphasised the benefits of broadening international
action; the development of new programmes for economic and social
development and as a corollary; the establishment of new institutions.
A number of international conferences and meetings on issues such as the
environment, on the question of Palestine, on the Law of the Sea were able to
contribute in carving safe routes of passage through hazardous political
minefields and thereby to engender a deeper understanding and closer
appreciation of the importance of the multilateral approach to other issues of
grave global impact.
These agreements became embodied in new institutions such as UNESCO, UNEP,
UNIDO, UNCTAD, the IAEA, UNDP, UNICEF and the UNHCR, among others.
The body of international law has been significantly expanded through the
adoption of legal agreements in various fields to promote economic development
and to enhance international peace and security.
MULTILATERALISM
This is clear evidence that the UN, and by extension multilateralism, works best
where and when it is allowed to do so. While the Cold War era may have
stymied the potential of the UN in several respects, the period since then has
offered challenges of a magnitude hitherto unknown. Indeed, they are of such
complexity as to require cooperative action by the entire international
community.
Faced as we are with recurring outbreaks of war, the threats of terrorism, and
the manifest abuse of human rights, we have no acceptable option but to create
a climate of trust and respect for international law by restoring confidence in an
international system of which the UN must be the cornerstone.
The alternatives are too ghastly to contemplate: a reversion to the rules of the
jungle or, a surrender to the dictates of a global hegemony.
We must, without further delay, set in motion an emergency process for the
reform of the UN which will restore its primacy in the community of nations
thereby returning us to the superior values of democracy in the global state and
permit the ascendancy of the rule of law everywhere.
UWI LIBRARIES
7
It has to be accepted that despite our differences in wealth, religion, gender,
military power or political creed, the planet earth provides the only common
space for all mankind.
If as we proclaim, we all belong to a single global village, we need to strengthen
the role and function of the only body with the potential to formulate the rules to
which we should all subscribe. Instead of usurping its authority, we need to
fortify the role and function of the UN.
There are clear and urgent imperatives for pursuing the path of multilateral
cooperation and for strengthening the United Nations system. Our constituents
demand that of us and the challenges of the new era oblige us to do so.
We need to manage the global society to promote international law which
protects the weak from the strong and regulates the use of military force.
The war in Iraq brought to the fore the need for the international community to
work together to prevent and resolve conflict and to bring political stability to
countries and regions in turmoil.
There is a compelling need to strengthen the regime of international law to
ensure common rules. The rule of law is not a luxury to which we resort just
when it is expedient.
All members of the United Nations should abide by the Charter and observe the
principles of international law which are the instruments that provide the
organization with its legitimacy and strength.
The search must continue for the settlement of disputes especially in longstanding
situations such as the Middle East. The Organization cannot shirk its
duty to confront this task because of its magnitude.
The armistice that ended the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 was envisaged as a
prelude to a permanent Accord which has proven elusive for 55 years. We need
another Ralph Bunche today.
Reform
In the context of the new era, I suggest that the reform of the United Nations to
confront the new realities, the new challenges, the new expectations, is
undoubtedly its most urgent task.
Forms of decision-making which stifle the achievement of agreement on critical
areas of international life are anachronistic. It is a contradiction to expect more
of the organization but not to provide it with the means for achievement.
UWI LIBRARIES
8
None of the five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council can question
the compelling arguments to alter its design and function, if it is to fulfil the
mandate conferred by the Charter in the realities of this twenty-first century.
The case for expansion of membership is irrefutable. It must be reformed in a
way so as to command the support of all Member States in its decisions for the
maintenance of international peace and security. The reform must extend
beyond composition and geographical balance. It must be broadly
representative of the international community as a whole. It must correspond
with the principle of the sovereign equality of all Member States.
This is the only way it can regain the full confidence of Member States and
exercise its commanding duties, in the world community.
Long and sterile debates, extended agenda to satisfy tradition should no longer
be fashionable.
Failure to address serious issues or inability to agree on how to do so, should not
be the result of fear of the veto or the dominance of might.
The Security Council as guardian of the peace must lead by example.
Cooperative Action
There is also the need to develop a framework which promotes understanding
between different cultures and avoids conflict. International institutions like the
UN must support this effort and promote the observance of human rights and
the rule of law worldwide.
The international community, through the UN, must counter the dangerous
spread of terrorism and its various manifestations. We must respect the
concerns of those who feel uniquely threatened and replace the tendency to
unilateral actions, with collective and multilateral approaches in order to address
the roots of those concerns.
Sustained and cooperative international action is also required to control the
increase and spread of weapons of mass destruction. We must be careful to
ensure, however, that in the fight against terrorism and the spread of Weapons
of Mass Destruction, we do not ignore other important issues such as poverty
and HIV/ AIDS, which constitute obstacles to development of gargantuan
proportions.
UWI LIBRARIES
9
The international community must not relent in the ongoing efforts to combat
transnational crime on drug trafficking.
Like any battle, victory will only be won by resolute and collective action on land,
sea and air.
The critical problems facing us concerning war and peace are compounded by
the proliferation of weapons of all kinds. Military expenditure globally now
amounts to over US$800 billion annually. Experience has shown, however, that
military power and massive investment in weapons do not bring security and
lasting peace.
The force of arms cannot impose lasting peace. Instead, it breeds a climate of
insecurity and feeds violence, war and terrorism. In the words of Ralph Bunche:
"To suggest that war can prevent war is a base play on words and
despicable form of warmongering. The objective of any who sincerely
believe in peace clearly must be to exhaust every honourable course in
the effort to save peace. The War {referring to World War II) has had
ample evidence that war begets only conditions which begets further
war. /I
The arms industry fuels a rapidly growing underworld of transnational organized
crime, which jeopardizes law and order and impedes economic growth and social
progress. We cannot continue to divert the financial resources so vitally needed
for development and related programmes for fighting poverty and disease into
funding wars.
We cannot afford to divert the attention of the world community away from the
attainment of development objectives to an unending cycle of armed conflict.
The war on terror must be fought and fought vigorously on all fronts.
Jamaica and all Caribbean Countries were in the frontline of
condemnation of the acts of international terrorism that marked 9/11.
We lost many of our own Caribbean citizens in the dastardly attacks.
We, in Jamaica, have now completed the draft of a comprehensive
Anti-Terrorism Act which will be tabled in the Houses of Parliament on
my return home for early debate and passage.
Yesterday the Secretary-General unveiled a memorial to those who lost their
lives in the service of the United Nations. Today, we salute the memory of all
victims of the recent terrorist bombings in Baghdad.
UWI LIBRARIES
IO
But as the Secretary-General has stated in his Annual Report, "there is danger
that we may retreat from some of the important gains of the 1990s, as human
rights come under pressure from both terrorism and from the methods used by
countries to fight it".
We must be on the alert so as to avoid any such risk.
The Post Cold War era and the new century upon which we have embarked are
undoubtedly fraught with myriad challenges, of greater complexity than in 1945
when the Charter itself was crafted.
We face global challenges both old and new, ushered in by the scientific
revolution, technological advances, population explosion, the spread of new
diseases such as HIV/AIDS, persistent internal conflicts within societies, and
environmental degradation.
No one can dispute the responsibility and obligation of the international
community to act firmly against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
It must also do so for the illicit traffic in small arms and weapons, which wreak
such havoc in countries like Jamaica.
It must be resolute in the fight against all forms of terrorism. We must resist the
building of nuclear arsenals.
Human Development
But the international community also has the political and moral obligation to
face firmly the issues of poverty, social exclusion and unemployment.
In the words of Ralph Bunche:
"If peace is to be secure, long-lasting and long-starved people of the
world, the underprivileged and the undernourished, must begin to realise
without delay, the promise of a new day and a new life. "
Ralph Bunche did not say these words then, nor do I today repeat them, to
dilute the primacy of the need for international peace. To the contrary, as we
examine the relevance of the United Nations in the tvventy-first century, we must
not make the mistake of ignoring the need for peacekeeping efforts, whether on
the continents of Europe or Africa.
But the attainment of peace and security cannot be divorced from meaningful
goals for human development. The resources required for development and
related programmes can only be made available if they are not diverted to
funding wars. Wars and armed conflict consume human and financial resources
UWI LIBRARIES
1 l
needed for development, for fighting poverty and disease. Efforts to end
conflicts distract the world community's attention from the pursuit of attainable
development goals.
We need to promote equity in the international economic system so that there is
balance in the spread of economic opportunities and in the distribution of global
prosperity. The UN more than ever needs a strong development focus. We
must seek to operationalize the Millennium Development Goals.
Developing countries, particularly in Africa, face enormous economic challenges
and require the continued support of the international community in a spirit of
partnership.
Progress is still achievable in the post-Cancun period, provided we all prepare to
infuse the negotiations with a fresh momentum.
It cannot escape mention that the international community has benefited
significantly from efforts made over the years to strengthen its engagement with
civil society in all spheres of activity. This process must continue.
Non-governmental organizations have gained access in areas of conflict when
the UN has been unable to do so. They often meet people at their most basic
areas of need. So too have they been an important part of the partnership in
the implementations of action programmes of the UN derived from a series of
global conference especially in the decade of the 90s.
CARICOM Concerns
Small countries like Jamaica and those of the Caribbean region, of similar size
and status look to the United Nations in a special way.
In order to strengthen our economies, we need a more favourable trading
environment for our products, more rapid and effective debt relief. The dogma
of globalisation and liberalization must be tailored to enable small economies to
escape the trapdoor of poverty.
We require a special prescription for the problems of Small Island States, the
issues of our vulnerability and their effects on development prospects.
CARICOM States have a vested interest in a United Nations system which can
regain its strength and vitality and with the capacity to play an expanded role in
the multilateral process in the collective search for common solutions to the
problems and challenges of the new world environment.
UWI LIBRARIES
12
We intend to actively participate in the UN Reform Debate and to engage other
Member States in building support for the UN Secretary-General wide-ranging
initiatives designed to improve the overall effectiveness of the organization
through reform of the institution's infrastructure.
RELEVANCE
If the UN is to retain its relevance in the twenty-first century, it must ensure that
the partnership envisaged between the Developed and Developing World in our
Millennium Development Goals, is not used as a vehicle for the imposition of
conditionalities to promote bilateral political objectives. True partnership must
respect the concept of ownership by recipients and the national priorities that
they determine.
Development policies and development cooperation must be monitored closely
within the international system. Decisions affecting development are being taken
in different arenas, different forums and among different agencies. Increasingly,
there is need to ensure coherence in policies and programmes.
We need to develop an effective mechanism for conducting such an exercise.
One of the urgent tasks of the moment is to create a mechanism within the
international architecture, which will focus on trade, finance, technology and
development policy in an integrated manner.
The democracy which we seek to practice should not be confined within our
domestic borders, but should embrace all the Multilateral Institutions as well.
The Bretton Woods Institutions, and the \NTO, cannot be exempt from the
requirements of transparency and democratic decision-making.
We can eliminate hunger, reduce poverty, empower women, nurture all the
children of the world, banish ignorance and combat disease, during the first
decade of this new millennium with the goodwill and determination of those who
are presently charged with the tasks of leadership, in the political field, those at
the helm of our Multilateral Organizations and Corporate Businesses.
Conclusion
I submit, ladies and gentlemen, that the United Nations is the only vehicle with
the moral authority and the global prestige to ensure the continued development
of the world and its peoples in all our diversity. With the political will of all world
leaders, with necessary reform within its systems and new financial commitments
and renewed sensitivity on the part of the wealthiest nations, there is hope.
UWI LIBRARIES
13
Yes, the war in Iraq has severely tested the principle of collective security and
the resilience of the organization. Conflict and war, confrontation and
intransigence on the part of leaders in many countries continue to exercise our
patience, our goodwill and our confidence in the future of a world of peace and
prosperity. But let us continue to work to achieve the vision of the Founders of
this organization.
The sterling value of the rich legacy which Ralph Bunche has bequeathed to the
generation of today forbids the pronouncement of a requiem to the United
Nations.
After all is said and done, it still remains the only vehicle with the capacity and
potential to provide global governance and to promote universal peace and
security.
Let us who are gathered on this memorable occasion hear his strong and
persuasive voice, urging us to empower the United Nations, in contemporary
times, so that it can be the symbol of our common humanity and an instrument
of peace and progress for all mankind.
The words of the man whose life and work we celebrate today still ring true. In
his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize he stated:
''I have a deep-seated bias against hate and intolerance. I have a bias
against racial and religious bigotry. I have a bias against war; a bias for
peace. I have a bias that leads me to believe in the essential goodness of
my fellowman; which leads me to believe that no problem of human
relations is ever insoluble."
Let us in honour of his memory and all those who have worked to fulfil the
mission of this organization, go forward together, determined to fulfil the aims
and objectives of the United Nations, eager and equipped to fulfil the hopes of
the human race for peace, security, development, equality and justice in the first
decade of the new millennium by becoming all so resolved.
UWI LIBRARIES
Percival J. Patterson Collection
