- Reported by
Konark Bhutani for THE CHATTER
Feb 23, 2014
11:00 am (IST)
On 23
February 2014, Thursday, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology experienced its
first interaction with the proceedings of a United Nations summit, in the form
of a mock summit conducted under the aegis of SMIT Model United Nations.
The purpose
of this mock summit was a pre conditioning exercise for the delegates to
familiarize themselves with the proceedings of a MUN Summit, which will be
officially held on the 6 April 2014.
The agenda
that was set for the summit was about the recently leaked reports of illicit
online snooping by National Security Agency, an intelligence agency of United
States of America, tasked with responsibility of the internal security of the
country.
Although the
event was to begin at 10:30 am, delay in the starting of the event was caused
due to late arrivals of the delegates of various nations for the summit.
Finally the house proceedings began at 11:00 am, when the General Secretary of
the SMIT MUN, Manav Bhalla set the ball rolling, for the voting of the agenda
for the summit, by the nations.
The event,
although a mock summit, was marred by the conspicuous absence of 14 countries
of the total 30 countries summoned. Of the countries which arrived late, the
voting powers of the delegates were restricted, as was the case with reporters
of various dailies, regarding the reporting aspect.
The delegates submitted their
position papers at the beginning of the summit, on the agenda of illicit online
surveillance by NSA. The executive board present at the Dias explained that for
a resolution to be passed ,1/3rd majority of the total countries present had to pass
the vote in acceptance of the issue.
Beginning the summit, Italy was
given the first privilege to present their views on the agenda. They said it
was an eye opener, when former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked reports
about the online snooping by the NSA on a global level. Although NSA gave an
alibi that the online surveillance was to fight terrorism, child pornography
and social unrest among other issues that were plaguing USA, Italy was firmly
against it as it invaded privacy of its citizens and stripped them of their
right of freedom of expression. Italy does not support nor exercise such an
option either for internal and its external interests.
Sri Lanka,
Australia, France, Cuba, Brazil, Israel, Republic of Korea, Zimbabwe, and UK
towed the line set by Italy. The various other issues raised by these countries
regarding the online snooping pertained to control of economy of the country
under surveillance, clash between neighbours over power struggle of a region,
sensitive information being leaked out, assassinations and Intel activities
being carried out by surveying nations on a host country. In the cases of many
allies of United States, such as Republic of Korea, Israel and Brazil, it was a
hard dent in the relations they shared with USA. Australia also brought up the
issue of large transactional data being siphoned off and inspected by other nations
and the issue of Metadata. Tapping
of phones and internet access of various leaders of nations also was a cause of
concern amongst the delegates. India, Cuba and Israel were also of the opinion
of self-surveillance.
Zimbabwe
also was apprehensive of future targeting by 1st world nations. They along with Italy brought up a working
paper “Blue Cheese”, which raked up the issues of Mass Surveillance being
equated to Countering Terrorism.
Central
African Republic, India and Iraq were in support of the illicit snooping by
NSA, giving the reason that it helped curb terrorism in their countries. But
their argument was not in sync with other nations.
India also
brought up an issue self-surveillance by stating that the NETRA program is also
a surveillance agency for internal security of India.UK was also pulled up for
their involvement with the Prism, when GCHQ and MI6 was also reported
for their hand in glove act with NSA.
At the end
of the summit it was passed that global surveillance be made legal with
permission for a country to be snooped by another country with formal
permission.
After the
passing of resolution, moderated and unmoderated Caucuses followed.
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