Connecting People to Peace

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As we have seen, the United Nations cannot function properly without the support and cooperation of individual nations. It does not   force nations to act in one way or another, the U.N. success relies largely on the governments with which it works. Thus this page investigates current governments of various world nations because they play such a key role in the shaping of U.N. policy and effectiveness.

South Africa:

Starting in 1948, the Nationalist Party dominated South African government. The Nationalist Party favored whites, allowing them in the Parliament while prohibiting African representatives from Parliament. In fact, the Nationalist Party aimed at maintaining white supremacy by outlawing marriage between whites and nonwhites, segregating towns into white and nonwhite areas, and excluding nonwhites from certain universities. Blacks in South Africa protested for decades before foreign governments came to their aid. In 1962 the U.N. Assembly called on its member states to enforce economic sanctions against the apartheid government in South Africa. However, many states did not respond until the mid-1980s. The U.S. imposed economic sanctions on South Africa in 1986. Other nations acted similarly, which hastened the major reform of South African government that began in 1990. By 1994 the South African apartheid had ended, ushering in a multiracial democracy. Nelson Mandela, a black who had been imprisoned by the apartheid government since 1962, was then elected president of South Africa. This was another instance of equality (in this case, racial) triumphing over inequality, thus furthering the common cause of mankind.

Russia and former U.S.S.R. Countries:

Russia was ruled by Emperors and Empresses until the overthrow of the Romanov family in 1917. Since then the Communist party has ruled Russia--then called the U.S.S.R. The Communist government had been the final authority in every aspect of Russian life, often getting its way through suppression and violence. For example, the KGB, which was the Soviet secret police, could arrest a person without giving a reason, and that person might never be seen again. However, a democratic election held in Russia in 1991 made Boris Yeltsin president of the U.S.S.R. After a coup was launched against Mikhail Gorbachev (who had maintained his Communist influence) in August 1991, Gorbachev lost his power. Part by part, the Russian government took control from the Soviet government, reaching a climax in November 1991 when Boris Yeltsin banned the Communist party from the government.

Ukraine took courage from this measure and in early December 1991 voted for independence from the U.S.S.R. When Boris Yeltsin (president of Russia), Leonid Kravchuk (president of Ukraine), and Stanislau Shushkevich (leader of Belarus) met on December 8, they officially declared the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. On December 24, 1991, Russia officially took the place of the U.S.S.R. in the United Nations. Mikhail Gorbachev resigned the next day.

Despite this victory, Boris Yeltsin was not able to sustain the suddenly changed Russian economy. Starting in 1992, the Russian economy teetered on the edge of a depression and eventually collapsed. Despite his inability to pull Russia out of the depression, Yeltsin held onto the presidency until December 31, 1999, at which point he resigned. In accordance with the law, he was replaced by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a former agent of the KGB, the Soviet secret police. Vladimir Putin then won the presidency in his own right after the March 26, 2000, elections.

Afghanistan:

After the September 11, 2001, attacks on America, the United States invaded Afghanistan in search of the terrorists. As a result, the Afghan people got an entirely new government which gave them more rights and privileges. On January 4, 2004, the Constitution of Afghanistan was approved. It was officially signed by interim president Hamid Karzai on January 26, 2004. The first presidential elections took place on October 9, 2004, and Hamid Karzai (the interim president since June 2002) was elected.

The Constitution of Afghanistan divides the nations into 32 provinces, each governed by a provincial council. The members of the provincial councils are elected for four-year terms. Furthermore, every town has a council whose members serve for three-year terms. On a higher level, the Constitution calls for an elected President and National Assembly. The president of Afghanistan is elected by the Afghan people and serves a five-year term. He cannot serve more than two terms as president, and he must be a Muslim, native born of Afghan parents, and not guilty of war crimes. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He appoints various members of the government and determines policies along with the legislative branch. The whole legislative branch of Afghanistan is called the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. It is made up of two houses: the Wolesi Jirga (House of the People) and the Meshrano Jirga (House of Elders). The main legislative body is the Wolesi Jirga, which is composed of 250 delegates. There must be at least 64 women delegates, two representatives of the physically disabled, and two nomads in the Wolesi Jirga. The Wolesi Jirga is in charge of making and ratifying laws and approving the actions of the president. The Meshrano Jirga is composed of any number of local dignitaries and experts. It must approve of laws passed by the Wolesi Jirga, but the Wolesi Jirga has significant veto power over the Meshrano Jirga, thus causing a balance of powers. Finally, the judicial system in Afghanistan has multiple levels, the lower levels being the local and district courts, the Appeals Courts, and the High Courts. The highest court is the Stera Mahkama (Supreme Court), whose members are appointed by the president for 10-year terms.

Although there are still many difficulties to work out in the government of Afghanistan, there have been a great many improvements over the past few years. The new constitution promises citizens the right to life, liberty, privacy, peaceful assembly, and freedom from torture. It also guarantees citizens the right to be informed of charges against them, to be represented in court, and to be assumed innocent unless proven guilty. Furthermore, women are protected by the law. Thus Afghanistan has made huge strides recently in furthering the rights and privileges of the Afghan people.
 

Last Updated: March 19, 2006