The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan: Impartiality in New UN Peace Operations

Abstract

Set within the complex contemporary context of international interventions, UN peacekeeping operations have now evolved into peace operations. The emergence of the concepts of human security and the responsibility to protect have raised expectations that UN peace operations should deal with both macro and micro level insecurity in conflict and post-conflict situations, especially in the case of failed or collapsed states. Reflecting this development, the question of an appropriate framework in which to conceptualize peace operations has also been debated. This essay considers a conceptualization of UN peace operations from a conflict resolution perspective and analyses the case of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), using a framework of conflict transformation. It argues that the impartiality of UN operations has been reconceived in terms of the values of ‘human security’ and the ‘responsibility to protect’, making it vital to explicitly articulate the meaning and implications of ‘value-based’ impartiality.

Keywords:

• conflict resolution
• UN peace operations
• UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
• human security
• responsibility to protect

Acknowledgements

The case study in this essay is mainly based on the author's research while working in Afghanistan with the UNHCR during 2002 and 2003. However, the opinions expressed here are her own and do not represent those of the agency.

Notes

1. Though it acknowledges that the concept of robust UN peace operations differs from outright military enforcement.

2. For example, United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was mandated under Chapter VII. United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) II resulted from the transformation of multi-lateral military operation into a UN operation. United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) initially did not have any reference to Chapter VII of the UN Charter which was added later.

3. The author's field observation.

4. The national programmes referred to here imply the National Emergency Employment Programme, the National Solidarity Programme, and the National Area Based Development Programme.