The Use of Force?

 

The use of force by UN peacekeepers has the tendency to become counterproductive. This is not to say that counter productivity is unavoidable, but rather harder to prevent. There have been multiple incidents where the use of force by UN peacekeepers has become counterproductive such as the in the ONUC, Somalia, and UNPROFOR.


This counterproductive influence through the use of force may be best examined in relation to the Holy Trinity of peace keeping. As outlined frequently the Holy Trinity of is consent, impartiality, and minimum use of force. Because of the obvious implications on minimum use of force I will examine the relationship between the use of force and consent and impartiality.

UN peacekeeping requires the consent of the warring parties to intervene. This consent is given based on a strict mandate, although some mandates include the use of force in their opening mandate, others, such as ONUC; require a re-interpretation of the original mandate. ONUC was authorised with a minimal use of force mandate, however as the mission progressed the use of force was re-interpreted and eventually the mandate itself was amended (Chesterman 2004:7). This calls into question the continued consent of the warring parties, having given consent for a Holy Trinity peacekeeping force; it would be hard to later deny the changes to mandate.

Despite any degree or lack of force, impartiality in peacekeeping can be hard to maintain. This is especially the case in internal conflicts. If UN peacekeepers were to use force “directly or indirectly, against one of the parties, then it has taken sides in the civil war and is inevitably perceived as being at best, partial and, at worst, a combatant” (Goulding 1996:14). An example of this can be seen with UNPROFOR where despite the Security Council’s attempt in wording to remain impartial the actions of the peacekeepers became increasingly partial. Indeed the events in Somalia led to (as the lecture stated) the Peacekeepers being seen as the 16th clan, a combatant, in the conflict.

Although the use of force can prove successful in other forms of missions such as peace enforcement, history has show that it has been negative, even counterproductive in peace keeping.