Addressing what he called an "impending disaster," Syrian president Bashar al-Assad asked the United Nations Thursday to stop the rebels in Syria from preventing unity in his country by creating a cruel civil war, causing death.
Actually, the person representing al-Assad was Michael Charles, one of 10 University of the Virgin Islands students who participated in the Fifth Annual Model United Nations Competition. The mock debate was held Thursday on the St. Thomas campus.
The students had their work cut out for them with two tough assignments: Critical issues facing Saudi Arabia and Syria.
UVI political science professor Kula Francis, the competition organizer, said the countries were chosen because they garner a great deal of media coverage based on their current political climate. That makes research easier.
Saudi Arabia, represented by St. Croix students Ivory Carter, Richard Dorsey, Gabriel Ible, Chevron Merchant and JoAnn Thomas-Lewis, addressed the tolerance of homosexuality, fighting terrorism stigmas, women’s rights, the legal system and human trafficking. Syria, represented by St. Thomas students Jacqueline Adonis, Michael Charles, Kevin Miller, Shania Shervington and Kamika Thomas debated the civil war, water shortages and issues associated with forcing democracy on Syria. Humanitarian law and the proper use of the Geneva Convention were also on the agenda.
The UN was represented by three judges: Rotarians Erva Denham and David Beck and UVI professor Alexander Randall, who gave the students a lively inquisition following their presentations.
Some students said they were appearing as a voice for their country, as individual citizens, others as UN delegates and one stood alone as the voice of al-Assad. With the exception of al-Assad, aka Michael Charles, the students pleaded with the UN for assistance, and, in some cases, intervention.
Charles, as al-Assad, told the UN that his country is "very open to Christians, Jews and Muslims." He asked the UN to help unite the country from foreign aggression against a sovereign nation. The UN judges took a dim view of Charles’ quest.
"I commend you for taking this stance, with the last dictatorship in the Middle East," Randall told Charles, who rose to the occasion. "That is Western propaganda," he replied. "We are a good Islam democracy."
"Do you have chemical weapons?’ Randall persisted. "No comment," said Charles.
Appearing before the UN, protocol requires presenting a set of resolutions, which only one student, Jacqueline Adonis speaking for Syria, did formally.
Using powerful graphics, backed up by an impressive amount of research, Adonis, discussed "The Syrian Uprising."
"On March 15, 2011, life as the people of Syria knew it changed," Adonis said. "Protest against the cruelty inflicted on students expressing anti-government sentiments led to an agitated military buildup. During the military attacks many of the government’s soldiers defected to form the Syrian National Council – the Opposition Party to the Bashar Al Ashad’s Regime."
Adonis proposed three resolutions: 1) War crimes must be reported to and prosecuted by the International Criminal Court. 2) The populace must be educated about the codes of the Geneva Convention. 3) to address future conflicts, the United Nations should reconsider its position regarding sovereignty and human rights based on a pre-determined threshold, as established by UNSC – Humanitarian rights must take priority over state sovereignty.
Kamika Thomas discussed Syria’s water shortages, backed by an impressive amount of
research.
"Lack of water and sanitation cause 1.8 million deaths in children worldwide as result of diarrhea," she saidn, noting the longstanding water wars between Turkey and Syria, its historical record and the political impact it has today.
Richard Dorsey began the debate with an impressive discussion of the role of Saudi Arabia in preventing terrorism, noting the international bad press the country gets in this regard. He said Saudi Arabia has the best antiterrorism record on the planet, but said the UN must be a facilitator in disseminating impartial information about the country to erase the stigma.
Students covering the Saudi Arabia executions, asked the UN for protection with international safeguards from Sharia justice. Gabriel Ible and JoAnn Thomas-Lewis spoke on women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. Ible hit it on the head.
"Men are the problem," she said."Women cannot do anything without the consent of a man, a guardian, including working, health care, travel, getting an education."
Thomas-Lewis described a recent incident in which a woman who complained about her husband after suffering a broken leg was shot and killed by the husband when she returned home.
"That’s the reality," she said, speaking as a Saudi who wants her country’s laws to change.
Judge Randall asked her after her discourse, "Does your husband know you are here?" "Yes," Lewis replied without a blink, "He is very understanding. He even lets me drive, (at night).
If it’s bad for women in Saudi Arabia, consider the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender commnity. Ivory Carter spoke movingly.
"Death by stoning is the penalty for a married man," she said. The UN endorsed supports LGBT rights in 2011, but it was not accepted by Saudi Arabia.
"Why are we more comfortable with men holding guns than holding hands?" Carter asled.
St. Croix won the competition, with individual awards to Richard Dorsey for presentation, JoAnne Thomas-Lewis for her paper and Michael Charles for his responses.
The competition was sponsored by the Rotary Club West, Rotary Club Harborside and Rotary Club of St. Croix. Simon B. Jones-Hendrickson, UVI interim dean, David Hall, UVI president, Robert Boschulte representing Delegate Donna Christensen, Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone and Tax Assessor Ira Mills, representing Lt. Governor Gregor Francis, gave welcoming remarks.
