2005 Southern California Division ResolutionsAll of the following Southern California Division resolutions were enacted by the National Convention and are policies of the UNA USA: MUTUAL SECURITY SINGLE-STANDARD BAN ON WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION RATIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LANDMINE BAN SUPPORT FOR FAMILY PLANNING ALLOCATION KURDISH RIGHTS OF DEMOCRATIC SELF-DETERMINATION RATIFICATION OF LAW OF THE SEA CONVENTION UNITED STATES DEMONSTRATION OF GOODWILL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION MUTUAL SECURITY SINGLE-STANDARD BAN ON WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION Delegates in 2005 Biennial National Convention of the United Nations Association of the USA Concerned that the United States is involved in military confrontations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel/Palestine and in Columbia, and that the United States has not rejected the potential for pre-emptive war, and Disturbed that the USA Administration pursues funding, development, testing and manufacture of new depleted uranium munitions and more destructive nuclear bunker bombs, and other weapons of mass destruction, and Recognizing that these military and armament escalations are promoting terrorist recruitment and a new spiral of governments seeking acquisition of nuclear capability, Therefore, appeal to our government of the United States of America to reaffirm our national commitment to the United Nations’ purpose to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” and Further, urge Congress and State Department to reclaim the moral leadership of the United States of America in the international community, in dedication to world-wide rejection of development and manufacture of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction---toward the goal of their reduction, and future elimination, and Further, since we of the USA must not expect to prohibit other nations from weapons that we allow ourselves to develop and use, we ask---and expect USA adherence to---a single-standard for all nations in the achievement of these mutual goals. Sponsor: Santa Barbara Chapter, UNA-USA; President, Catherine Dishion Co-Sponsor: San Fernando Valley Chapter, President, Dorothy Boberg With revisions by Southern California Division, UNA-USA, Board of Directors Approved by unanimous vote of Directors of UNA-USA San Fernando Valley in Board Meeting January 12, 2004 2005 Biennial National Convention of the United Nations Association of the United States of America Believing in the United Nations Charter in which all signatories vowed to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” and Understanding that the United States government brought war to Iraq. Considering that an election in Iraq sponsored by the UN was held on January 30, 2005 authorizing an Iraqi National Assembly and its right to establish Iraq’s own constitution and hold elections for the official new government, and Respecting the Iraqi peoples’ right to withdrawal of troops, and Supporting the United States’ commitment: 1. to rapidly end military occupation, 2. to provide further police training if requested by the new interim government, 3. to rebuild the inflicted devastation, and 4. to cultivate broad based democracy and positive relations between the various peoples of Iraq. Therefore urge the United States Congress and the coalition of allies to: 1. declare the end of military operations, 2. negotiate transfer of authority to the new interim government, and to the United Nations, for the provision of non-combatant nations’ police forces and police training teams, until Iraq can provide its own policed security, and Further: urge incremental withdrawal of uniformed personnel immediately after transfer of authority, as increments of police personnel assume authority. Further urge the Congress of the United States to continue contribution to funding of Iraqi police training, and to reconstruction by Iraqis, administered by Iraqis accountable to the United Nations with transparency to United States and other concerned governments, and Further urge the Congress of the United States to fund a United Nations’/ United States’ cooperative oversight process. Sponsor: UNA, San Fernando Valley, Dorothy Boberg, President RATIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LANDMINE BAN 2005 Biennial National Convention of the United Nations Association of the United States Convinced that the development and production of landmines is unconscionable; and Aware that modern devices are capable of negating the effectiveness of conventional mines, as demonstrated in the 1991 Gulf War, and that landmine victims are now mainly civilians, predominantly farmers and children, and Fervently desiring to hasten the end of USA manufacture and deployment of landmines---pursuant to the United Nations’ purpose to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” as set forth in the UN Preamble, Therefore urges our Government of the United States of America to ratify and adhere to the International Landmine Ban, and Further requests that all chapters, and divisions holding events to assist victims of landmines ---and/or conducting fund-raisers to provide for removal of landmines---ask their attendees to participate in UNA-USA grassroots campaign to obtain United States ratification of the Internatiional Landmine Ban. Sponsored by: Coastline Chapter, UNA-USA. Carl Mariz, President, Co-sponsor: Southern California Division, UNA-USA ( as revised by Southern California Division UNA-USA Board ) SUPPORT FOR FAMILY PLANNING ALLOCATION 2005 Biennial National Convention Delegates to United Nations Association - USA Knowing that the United States Congress has allocated $34 million for international family planning for each of the last three years: 2002, 2003, and 2004, Realizing that the United States Administration has withheld this money from the United Nations Population Program (UNFPA), Understanding that the American people, represented by the Congress, support family planning assistance to needy families around the world, Recognizing that family planning can prevent numerous abortions and maternal and early childhood deaths from starvation and disease, while encouraging smaller healthy families, Aware that the population of the world was .3 billion in 1 A. D., 1 billion in 1830, 2 billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1987, and 6.3+ billion today and is on a trajectory that is unsustainable, Believing that families will become more free and democratic if they can plan their family numbers, Therefore be it Resolved that the United Nations Association USA supports the release of family planning funds from the United States government to the UNFPA and supports allocation of such funds for the next four years. Sponsor: Orange County Chapter, UNA-USA . Niloo Nikpour, President Co-sponsor: Southern California Division , UNA-USA Approved by Consensus of Southern California Division UNA-USA Board of Directors KURDISH RIGHTS OF DEMOCRATIC SELF-DETERMINATION The 2005 Biennial Convention of the United Nations Association-USA Recalling the first article of the Charter of the United Nations, that recognizes the principle of equal rights of peoples to self-determination and independence, and Recognizing that since the founding of the state of Iraq, the Kurdish people, through struggle and strife, reached agreements with the central government in Baghdad to live in peace as equal citizens in that country. Understanding that after the central government gained sufficient power, it repeatedly abrogated the agreements, abandoned human decency and international laws, and violated the rights of the Kurdish people, and. Knowing that in January 2005, under the Iraqi Transitional Administrative Law, the Kurds, in their first free election, formed the Kurdistan National Assembly, with the hope that this time, history will not be repeated - that after the formation of an Iraqi constituent assembly and establishment of their new constitution, full democratic rights of the Kurdish people will be guaranteed, and Concerned that although a referendum vote of more than 1.7 million Kurds was presented to the United Nations on December 22, 2004, showing a consensus for self government, the question of Kurdish future safety and welfare remains unresolved, and. Recalling that this real and legitimate concern is the result of decades and centuries of suffocating cultural policies and racist practices by the central governments ruling Kurdistan, driving the Kurdish people, in particular Kurds in Iraq, to call for international community attention to their plight, and. Recalling Further that in the beginning of the reconstruction, stabilization and democratization of Iraq, the Kurds extended full cooperation to the transitional government and to the United Nations field representatives and the neighboring countries to bring peace and stability to Iraq and to the region, Therefore, calls for the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people to self-determination in the future constitution of the new Iraq, and Further calls upon the United Nations and the United States to be signatories to any accord between the Kurds and future government of Iraq, to guarantee and safeguard this legitimate and inalienable right of the Kurdish people, and Further asks the President of UNA-USA to forward this resolution to President Bush, Secretary Rice, the Chairs of the House and Senate Foreign Affairs Committees and Secretary-General Kofi Annan for achievement of these protective actions. Sponsor: Pomona Valley Chapter, UNA-USA; President Ardishir Rashidi-Kalhur Co-Sponsor: Southern California Division, UNA-USA, Board of Directors RATIFICATION OF LAW OF THE SEA CONVENTION The delegates of the 2005 Biennial Convention of UNA-USA Recognizing that past UNA-USA national conventions have repeatedly urged United States ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Commending President George Bush for his recent public support of proposals for US ratification, and Determined to bring to culmination the valuable processes of global cooperation in preservation of the seas and in harmonious commerce, in and on our world’s seas, Therefore reaffirm support for United States’ ratification and leadership in the global conservation and lawful, peaceful development of the seas, and Further, urge all members, councils, divisions, chapters and boards of of UNA-USA to take this cause to the US Senate for deliberation and ratification. Sponsor Chapter: Citrus Chapter, Harry Hood, president Co-Sponsor: Southern California Division Board of Directors Ardishir Rashidi-Kalhur, President UNITED
STATES DEMONSTRATION OF GOODWILL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Submitted by: UNA-USA/San Diego Chapter Noting that the Security Council is given the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security under the Charter of the United Nations. Observing that the structure and membership of the Security Council was established in light of the world situation at the end of World War II and that this structure and membership does not reflect the current world situation in terms of national economies or populations or national contributions to the United Nations. Further observing that the “Report of the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change” strongly recommends a change in the permanent membership and structure of the Security Council to add new permanent members and regional representatives in order to make the Council more representative of the world community as we now know it . Further Noting that the reform of the membership and structure of the Security Council has been discussed for decades without action being taken on any major reform and that the United States government has not taken a leadership role on Security Council reform heretofore. Therefore affirms its strong support for the reform of the Security Council in line with the principals outlined in the Secretary-Generals report as the highest priority for action by the international community. Further calls upon the President of the United States to cause our government to take a leadership position on Security Council reform proposing the addition of new permanent members and regional representatives and develop a specific proposal for the amendment of the Charter of the United Nations to accomplish this objective. |
