August 23rd 2013
Our class visited the United Nations in Vienna today, where the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime are centered. During our trip, we were provided a special opportunity to ask questions to, and to learn from some of the worlds leading expects of nuclear proliferation and human trafficking, so our class took the time to prepare questions for our time with UN officials. I'm going to post my list of questions in this blog, and provided the answers I was given at the UN.
1) Recently, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon attended a conference in Iran where Iran's foreign minister urged the opposition of sanctions on Iran. Where dose the U.N. officially stand on the sue of sanction? Dose Ban Ki-Moon presence Indicate a shift in how the U.N perceives Iran's situation?
I did not ask this question directly, as I felt our UN spokesperson had answered this question indirectly before I had an opportunity to ask it. Ban Ki-Moon's actions don't really indicate any shift in position, because the United Nations dose not take any action against countries trying gain access to or develop weapons grade nuclear materials. Instead, the UN only dose what it is ask or allowed to do by nations, and merely provided information to the international community, thereby empowering other nations to take whatever course of action they see fit. Iran's minister can talk to Ban Ki-Moon about lifting sanctions as much as he wants, but the UN has nothing to do with Iran's sanctions. Instead, sending Ban Ki-Moon to Iran is likely an attempt to form a better relationship with the country, so the IAEA can control Iran's nuclear development in a way that's mutually beneficial.
2) The IAEA wants to send inspectors to Iran's nuclear plants in order to investigate rumors that the country is greatly accelerating the speed of their nuclear production. If the IAEA finds evidence that Iran is indeed capable of enriching uranium to weapons grade levels, what actions would the UN be prepared to take or suggest.
This sort of builds of the answer to my last question, but the UN would not take any action, or make any suggestion. They would simply provide an unbiased report to member nations. However, our lecturer state that the UN is happy to supply nations with safer types of nuclear technology in exchange for compliance with UN rules. They might make Iran an offer in a situation similar to the one described above.
3) The New York Times recently mentioned the use of a system of convert cyber attacks code-named "Olympic games" to undermine Iran's nuclear program. 60 minutes recently did a piece focusing on the remarkable level of complexity found in the virus attacking computers in Iran's nuclear facilities. Where dose the IAEA stand regarding the sue of cyber attacks? Do you endorse them?
Once again, I didn't ask this question because it was answered indirectly. I had previously thought that the UN took a much more proactive approach to dealing with rouge nuclear states than it actually did. The UN dose not have a stance on the use of such cyber attacks, as it leaves member states to deal with issues of international security on their own terms.
4) Most of the news regarding the IAEA has focused on Iran, but what other countries are a large concern for the IAEA? Is North Korea a concern for nuclear weapons, if so, is the death of Kim Jong Ill, and the appointment of his son as dictator a positive or negative chance for the IAEA's agenda?
Our UN spokes person commented that the felt North Korea poses a great nuclear threat than Iran did, as he felt that Iran was intentionally trying to appear more dangerous than they actually where. He continued to say that four nations had gained access to nuclear weapons technology despite the UN's attempts to keep access to such weapons to the 5 permanent members of the security council. Those nations are North Korea, Pakistan, Israel, and India.
5) To what extend is the unrest in Syria and the resulting strain on surrounding regions, caused by the out poor of refuges complicating the IAEA's attempts to regulate nuclear energy in Iran or other regions.
I did not receive a direct answer to this question, but I believe that the situation with Syria would make the IAEA's job easier based on my understanding on how the operate. In response to other questions, our UN spokesperson claimed that the IAEA has it's own resources that it readily gives to nations willing to comply with UN regulations. If anything, a situation that makes it more difficult for nation states around Syria to function would make otherwise reluctant nations more desperate for the UN's aid.
6) How dose atomic energy materials get into the wrong hands? Is it smuggled illegally or is it really only available to nation states with the power to create nuclear materials in labs? Is the idea that a small terrorist group could gather materials to make a dirty bomb a realistic concern?
Our spokes person said the IAEA takes care to make sure that all of the nuclear material reported entering a nuclear power plant remains in a power plant, so smuggling is a big concern. Power plants have many employees, scientists and managers that have access to dangerous materials, and it is a real concern that some of them could be bribed into letting loose nuclear materials slip into the wrong hands. Although a dirty bomb has never been fired or detonated, such devices have been recovered from terrorist groups, so they are indeed a real threat.
7) Dose the IAEA look into matters of safety in nuclear power plants, or is the IAEA chief concern the monitoring of nuclear weapons? What kind of actions did the IAEA take in response to the disaster at the Dai Ichi power plant in Fukushima Japan?
The safety of nuclear power plants in a major concern of the IAEA, and a great deal of their time and energy is spend ensuring the nuclear power plants are kept safe and running. the IAEA inspects nuclear regularly, and provides advice and aid regarding how nuclear power plants can upgrade and improve their safety and security. In regards to the Fukushima disaster, the IAEA inspected the plant shortly before the earthquake and the resulting flood, and gave passing rating for safety. The IAEA then provided aid to the plant, and helped coordinate attempts to control the damage after the disaster started.
8) On the issue of human trafficking, are there some countries that have a larger problem with human trafficking than others? Do some nations tend to receive human traffic, while others seem to supple it?
This question is somewhat difficult to answer, as trends in human trafficking tend to be very general, and no one country can be said to fit a typical pattern of human trafficking as there is no such this as a typical pattern. However, humans tend to be trafficked from poor areas to rich areas, and they tend to be trafficked to foreign countries, where they are not citizens, and would lack legal rights and protections. However, this dose not imply that citizens of wealth nations are safe from victimization as a great deal of internal trafficking occurs in the United States and other nations.
9) How dose gender effect human trafficking? I know many female Vicente are trafficked for enslavement in sexual trades, but are males victims of human trafficking as well? What happens to males if they are trafficked.
Men, women, and children are all victims of human trafficking, although minors and men tend to face different types of exploitation when they are trafficked. The UN spokesperson speaking to us on the matter claimed that many children are put to work in illegal sweat shops, and many men are subjected to physically intensive forced labor.
10) Are people of all ages at risk for human trafficking, or are certain age groups at more risk than others.
Children are certainly at risk for exploitation, as are adult men and women. There is certainly a wide age range for victims of human trafficking, so anyone at any age can potentially be at risk of being trafficked.
11) What kinds of help or aid is commonly available to victims of human trafficking? How many victims receive medical or psychological help for problems they develop while being trafficked?
The UN spends most of it's resources attempting to deal with the actions that law enforcement officials take toward victims of trafficking. They try to ensure that victims are not treated like criminals, and are given help instead of being deported to their home countries where they will likely get trafficked again. Unfortunately, there are no help organizations specifically geared toward victims of trafficking, so when victims are given aid, they are passed along to shelters ill equipped to meet their needs. As a result, most victims of human trafficking do not receive the care they need, and not get any forms of medical or psychological treatment.
Discussing matters of nuclear safety and human trafficking with members of the United Nations of Vienna taught me a lot about how the agency deals with member states in a diplomatic manor. I was surprised to learn that the UN enjoyed a great deal of influence despite having no actual power to enforce or impose it's regulations. I did not except to find that an agency like the IAEA, which deal with matters as critical as tracking and controlling the speared of nuclear weapons, would rely on nation states to approach them and comply voluntarily. I was further surprised to learn how well the system had worked in limiting the speared of nuclear weapons to 9 nations. I suspect that the system relies on the fact that many of the worlds most powerful nations would likely back up the UN's guidelines with tangible force or actions, however that has never been certain. The success of such restrained enforcement amazes me, but that masterful diplomacy would required for such tactics. Having visited the UN, I learned that the organization was more amazing that I had ever imagined before.
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