The Role of the UN Security Council in Preventing Ethnic Cleansing Crimes

Abstract

Ethnic cleansing has become a tangible reality, expressed through tragic international events in a number of societies and is not limited to a specific geographic region. Ethnic cleansing crimes reflect the desire of a racial or tribal minority to monopolize supreme political power in the country. The policies of racial discrimination, slavery, genocide, and other practices pursued by South Africa until recently are a historical example of these methods of governance. These violations may also be traced back to the outbreak of internal conflicts on ethnic, religious, tribal, or political grounds between citizens of a single state, similar to what happened in Rwanda and Darfur not long ago. The UN Security Council therefore plays a pivotal role in curbing ethnic cleansing crimes through the powers it possesses under the UN Charter, of which it is one of the organs. Consequently, the UN expresses its concern in armed conflicts not only by providing humanitarian assistance, but also through the resolutions adopted by its organs demanding that states respect international humanitarian law. These resolutions are interpreted as exercising the powers entailed in maintaining international peace and security and the jurisdiction of other organs over issues related to human rights.