Justification for Humanitarian Intervention
The mushrooming of International Organizations all throughout the world has been happening ever since the end of the Second World War under the auspices of the powerful and affluent countries of the world (Wilkins 2003). The motivational force behind such enterprises had been to collect resources from the rich countries of the world to help out the citizens of the underdeveloped countries. For the present purpose, the role of Australia in extending a helping hand towards the vulnerable population of the Asia-Pacific region through the Right To Protect initiative shall be taken up for discussion. The following sections shall be elaborating upon the moral issues, the justification of armed intervention and the diplomatic underpinnings in conflict resolution shall be elaborated upon.
Australia is one of the exceptionally developed countries in the geographical southern region of the world, which has an established policy of granting aid to the isolated populations of the Asia-Pacific region. Before any discussion on the noble role played by Australia in this regard, it is essential to provide a moral justification that encourages such humanitarian intervention (Nabers 2017). The justification is very much rooted in the socio-economic conditions of the countries in that part of the world. They are wrought with acute poverty, gender inequality and, on top of that a severe threat from the unpredictability of nature which can potentially engulf the entire population of the tiny islands (Macklem 2008). The common problems with which we associate under-development- lack of education, poor standard of life, low per-capita income, fragile infrastructure, lacuna in medical facilities- are all present there. Hence, Australia has devised several aid schemes to reach out to the distressed in the Asia-Pacific region, for targeting specific issue areas. Australia spends millions of dollars each year for the purpose. The government has also promised a spending which is worth over 200 million dollars for the year 2018 under the Pacific Regional Program scheme (Fink and Redaelli 2009). An approximate budget of at around 20 million shall be disbursed so that the Gender Equality Fund, functioning as a subsidiary of the Pacific Women Shaping and Development, can effectively tackle the issue of gender disparity (Abiew 2012). The list of objectives shall include gender sensitization, mass awareness about gender issues and activities that shall be aimed at benefitting and uplifting the distressed women folks of the region. The Millennium Development Goal seeks to enshroud the isolated indigenous communities of the several, miniscule islands of the Asia-Pacific against the harsh onslaught of climatic whimsicalities like cyclones and tsunamis (Putt and Dinnen 2018). They not only pose a huge risk to life and property, but also hampers economic activities like fishing, on which majority of the inhabitants are dependent for source of livelihood. This accounts for the moral and philosophical justification for Australia’s right to protect.
The information provided in the above section deals with peaceful and harmonious aspects of the humanitarian intervention on part of Australia. However not all justificatory grounds been as peaceful. There have been several instances when Australia have had to intervene using force. Those were exceptional instance when violence was inevitable. In the entire region of South Pacific, around the periphery of Australia, she is the only super-power that is politically and militarily well equipped to maintain the regional security. The fact is even acknowledged by the most powerful nation of the world, the United States of America. The RAMSI, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands was set up in the year 2003 and had been active throughout till 2013 to keep the volatility of the political affairs of Solomon Islands under check (Evans, Thakur and Pape 2013). In 2006, matters went beyond control when the military coup tried to topple the government at power in the Fiji Islands (Stahn 2007). Then the Australian Defense Forces had intervened in Fiji to maintain peace. However the intentions of Australia in Fiji have been viewed with suspicion. The benevolence of Australia have not been adequately acknowledged. Rather views have been expressed that Australia intervened not because she was concerned about the civilian government in Fiji, she was interested in evacuating the Australian nationals stranded amidst the conflict (Allen and Dinnen 2016). Nevertheless, the Australian intervention was inevitable, without which the restoration of democracy in the Fiji would not have been possible. There have also been no surreptitious motive to take over the political state of affairs of the country. This justifies the military intervention conducted by Australia.
Australia’s Extensive Aid Schemes in the Asia-Pacific Region
Not all diplomatic interventions have been of violent nature as they did not call for it. The Australian Foreign Affairs Department has a wing that is dedicated to ensure regional cooperation and conflict resolution through non-violent means (Hutchinson 2015). The post of the Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Cooperation (APEC) takes care of that. It aims at enabling more positive prospects of economic growth and development so that the region can uplift itself and can feel empowered. Australia feels that as the 13th largest economy of the world, and as one of the strongest countries in the region, it has a moral responsibility to help out the backward nations in the Asia-Pacific (Yamashita 2012). Australia has also entered into diplomatic agreements with the countries in the region to take steps against the encroachment of any terror into the region. Terrorism has become a global menace and Australia feels that collective efforts are the only means by which such threats can be kept under check. Isolated and economically weak countries are more vulnerable. Hence, Australia is proactive in diplomatic mediation for conflict resolution of all sorts (Chatterjee 2005).
Thus it is very evident that Australia has a moral, and philosophical grounds to justify armed and diplomatic interventions in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia is living up to the ideals of the noble initiative of Right to Protect, and is also planning to keep on expanding and continuing with the good work. The country has selflessly spent huge amounts of money for the philanthropic cause. The endeavours undertaken by Australia has very evidently been successful in peace-making and peace building process. Such initiatives should be undertaken by all powerful countries of the world. In this Globalized world, the value of interdependence occupies a very important position, and that shall only materialize if the stronger ones help out the weaker ones and contribute to the goal of making the world a better place.
References
Abiew, F.K., 2012. Humanitarian action under fire: Reflections on the role of NGOs in conflict and post-conflict situations. International Peacekeeping, 19(2), pp.203-216.
Allen, M. and Dinnen, S., 2016. Beyond Life Support? Reflections on Solomon Islands after the Regional Assistance Mission. Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, 3(1), pp.6-15.
Chatterjee, P., 2005. Sovereign Violence and the Domain of the Political. Sovereign bodies: citizens, migrants, and states in the postcolonial world, pp.82-100.
Evans, G., Thakur, R. and Pape, R.A., 2013. Correspondence: Humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect. International security, 37(4), pp.199-214.
Fink, G. and Redaelli, S., 2009. Determinants of international emergency aid-humanitarian need only?. The World Bank.
Hutchinson, S., 2015. Women, peace and security in the South Pacific. Constructive Pathways: Stimulating and Safeguarding Components of WPS, 74, pp.227-242.
Macklem, P., 2008. Humanitarian intervention and the distribution of sovereignty in international law. Ethics & International Affairs, 22(4), pp.369-393.
Nabers, D., 2017. The ‘War on Terrorism’and Security Cooperation in the Pacific. In Redefining the Pacific? (pp. 85-106). Routledge.
Putt, J. and Dinnen, S., 2018. Serving in a Multinational Police Mission in Solomon Islands: New Zealand Perspectives.
Stahn, C., 2007. Responsibility to protect: Political rhetoric or emerging legal norm?. American Journal of International Law, 101(1), pp.99-120.
Wilkins, B., 2003. Humanitarian intervention: moral and philosophical issues. Broadview Press.
Yamashita, H., 2012. Peacekeeping cooperation between the United Nations and regional organisations. Review of International Studies, 38(1), pp.165-186.
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