You, the People: The United Nations, Transitional Administration, and State-Building (Project of the International Peace Academy)

"Drawing on extensive new field research and interviews with key individuals, Simon Chesterman presents a concise history of UN state-building operations from colonial times to the problems faced in the early 21st century. Through a close examination of topics such as peace and security, the role of the UN as government, judicial reconstruction, economic reconstruction, and exit strategies, this book provides a unique perspective on whether and how to rebuild after war."--Jacket Contents......Page 14 Acknowledgements......Page 18 Abbreviations......Page 21 Introduction......Page 24 1 Colonies and Occupied Territories: Transitional Administration Through the Twentieth Century......Page 34 1. The League of Nations......Page 36 1.1. The Mandates System......Page 37 1.2. Administration by the League Under the Treaty of Versailles......Page 41 1.3. Other Quasi-Administrative Activity by the League......Page 45 2. Allied Occupation of Germany, 1945–1949......Page 48 2.1. Political Reconstruction......Page 49 2.2. War Crimes Trials......Page 54 2.3. The Marshall Plan......Page 58 3. The United Nations and Decolonization......Page 60 3.1. The International Trusteeship System......Page 61 3.2. Non-Self-Governing Territories......Page 64 4. Conclusion......Page 67 2 Power and Change: The Evolution of United Nations Complex Peace Operations......Page 71 1. Security Council Administration of Territory in Theory and in Practice......Page 72 1.1. The Power of the Council to Administer Territory......Page 73 1.2. Reaction and Improvisation......Page 77 2. Forms of Transition......Page 79 2.1. Decolonization......Page 81 2.2. Transfer of Territory......Page 87 2.3. Elections......Page 95 2.4. Peace Process......Page 98 2.5. State Failure......Page 106 3. State-Building and the War on Terror......Page 110 3.1. Afghanistan and the ‘Light Footprint’......Page 111 3.2. Operation Iraqi Freedom......Page 115 4. Conclusion......Page 120 3 Peace and Security: The Use of Force to Maintain Law and Order......Page 122 1. The Use of Force in Peace Operations......Page 124 1.1. From Self-Defence to Defence of the Mission......Page 126 1.2. Peacekeeping After the End of the Cold War......Page 129 2. Emergency Law and Order......Page 135 2.1. Law and Order in UN Peace Operations......Page 136 2.2. The Need for Doctrine......Page 141 2.3. Model Rules of Engagement......Page 144 3. Conclusion......Page 145 4 Consultation and Accountability: Building Democracy Through Benevolent Autocracy......Page 149 1.1. Consultation in the Balkans......Page 151 1.2. Consultation in East Timor......Page 158 1.3. Consultation and Responsibility......Page 166 2. Accountability of International Actors......Page 168 2.1. Existing Mechanisms......Page 169 2.2. Do as I Say, Not as I Do......Page 173 2.3. Other Forms of Accountability......Page 174 3. Conclusion......Page 175 5 Justice and Reconciliation: The Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Territories......Page 177 1. No Justice Without Peace?......Page 179 2. Kosovo: Justice in Limbo......Page 188 2.1. Applicable Law......Page 189 2.2. Executive Detentions......Page 190 2.3. Kosovo in Limbo......Page 191 3. East Timor: Post-Colonial Justice......Page 192 3.1. ‘Timorizing’ the Judiciary......Page 193 3.2. Infrastructure and Support......Page 194 3.3. Serious Crimes......Page 195 4. Afghanistan: Justice and the ‘Light Footprint’......Page 197 4.1. Applicable Law......Page 198 4.2. Human Rights and Transitional Justice......Page 199 4.3. Justice Sector......Page 201 5. Conclusion......Page 203 6 Relief and Reconstruction: The Politics of Humanitarian and Development Assistance......Page 206 1. Charity with Interest......Page 208 1.1. The Purposes of Assistance......Page 210 1.2. Disbursement of Funds......Page 212 1.3. Donor Policies......Page 214 2.1. Trust Funds......Page 219 2.2. Local Control in Afghanistan......Page 221 3. Perverse Effects......Page 223 4. Conclusion......Page 225 7 Elections and Exit Strategies: No Exit Without a Strategy, or No Strategy Without an Exit?......Page 227 1. Timing of Elections......Page 229 2. Institutions and Processes......Page 233 2.1. Constitutional Structures......Page 234 2.2. Electoral Systems......Page 238 2.3. Political Parties......Page 244 3. Elections, Exits, and Strategies......Page 246 3.1. Evaluating the Cambodian Elections......Page 247 3.2. Politics As Process: Kosovo......Page 249 3.3. Democracy in East Timor......Page 254 4. Conclusion......Page 256 8 ‘You, the People’: The Future of State-Building......Page 259 1. Contradictions of Transitional Administration......Page 261 1.1. Inconsistent......Page 262 1.2. Inadequate......Page 267 1.3. Irrelevant......Page 270 2.1. Nation-Building and the National Interest......Page 272 2.2. The Indispensable Nation......Page 276 3. Conclusion......Page 279 Appendix: Peace Operations with Civilian Administration Functions......Page 281 1. Treaties......Page 283 2. Selected UN Documents......Page 285 3. Selected Reports......Page 289 4. Books and Periodicals......Page 293 B......Page 309 C......Page 310 E......Page 311 H......Page 313 K......Page 314 N......Page 315 R......Page 316 S......Page 317 U......Page 318 Z......Page 319

transitional Administrations Represent The Most Complex Operations Attempted By The United Nations. The Missions In Kosovo (1999-) And East Timor (1999-2002) Are Commonly Seen As Unique In The History Of The United Nations. But They May Also Be Seen As The Latest In A Series Of Operations That Have Involved The United Nations In 'state-building' Activities, In Which It Has Attempted To Develop The Institutions Of Government By Assuming Some Or All Of Those Sovereign Powers On A Temporary Basis. Viewed In The Light Of Earlier Un Operations, Such As Those In Namibia (1989-1990), Cambodia (1992-1993), And Eastern Slavonia (1996-1998), The Idea That These Exceptional Circumstances May Not Recur Is Somewhat Disingenuous. The Need For Policy Research In This Area Was Brought Into Sharp Focus By The Weighty But Vague Responsibilities Assigned To The United Nations In Afghanistan (2002-) And Its Contested Role In Iraq (2003-).

This Book Seeks To Fill That Gap. Aimed At Policy-makers, Diplomats, And A Wide Academic Audience (including International Relations, Political Science, International Law, War Studies And Development Studies), The Book Provides A Concise History Of Transitional Administration And A Treatment Of The Five Key Issues Confronting Such Operations: Peace And Security, The Role Of The United Nations As Government, Establishing The Rule Of Law, Economic Reconstruction, And Exit Strategies. Research For The Book Has Been Conducted Through Extensive Field Research And Interviews With Key Un Staff And Local Representatives In Almost All Of The Territories Under Consideration. The Unifying Theme Is That, While The Ends Of Transitional Administration May Be Idealistic, The Means Cannot Be.

Essential For: Scholars And Students Of Politics And International Relations, Especially Those Interested In Un State-building Operations, International Law, Democracy Studies, Conflict Resolution, And Globalization.

new York Review Of Books (vol 51, No 14) - Brian Urquhart

chesterman, Director Of An International Institute At New York University, Has Made An Original Study Of How New Institutions Can Be Created In Such War-damaged Countries As Bosnia, Cambodia, And East Timor. In His Book The Weight Of The Subject And The Depth Of The Research Are Supported By Wit, Candor, Brevity, And Analytical Writing Of A Very High Order. Although The Occupation Of Iraq Is Just One Of Many Cases That Chesterman Considers, His Book Provides, Among Other Things, A Guide To The Problems Of Transitional Occupation That Is Extraordinarily Relevant To America's Current Difficulties.

The governance of post-conflict territories embodies a central contradiction: how does one help a population prepare for democratic governance and the rule of law by imposing a form of benevolent autocracy? Transitional administrations represent the most complex operations attempted by the United Nations. The operations in East Timor and Kosovo are commonly seen as unique in the history of the UN--perhaps never to be repeated. But they may also be seen as the latest in a series of operations that have involved the United Nations in 'state-building' activities, where it has attempted to develop the institutions of government by assuming some or all of those sovereign powers on a temporary basis. The circumstances that have demanded such interventions certainly will be repeated. Seen in the context of earlier UN operations, such as those in Namibia, Cambodia, and Eastern Slavonia, the view that these exceptional circumstances may not recur is somewhat disingenuous. Moreover, the need for such policy research has been brought into sharp focus by the weighty but ambiguous role assigned to the UN in Afghanistan and the possibility of a comparable role in Iraq. This book fills that gap. Aimed at policy-makers, diplomats, and a wide academic audience (including international relations, political science, international law, and war studies), the book provides a concise history of UN state-building operations and a treatment of the five key issues confronting such an operation on the ground: peace and security, the role of the UN as government, judicial reconstruction, economic reconstruction, and exit strategies. The governance of post-conflict territories embodies a central contradiction: how does one help a population prepare for democratic governance and the rule of law by imposing a form of benevolent autocracy? Transitional administrations represent the most complex operations attempted by the United Nations. The operations in East Timor and Kosovo are commonly seen as unique in the history of the UN - perhaps never to be repeated. But they may also be seen as the latest in a series of operations that have involved the United Nations in'state-building'activities, where it has attempted to develop the institutions of government by assuming some or all of those sovereign powers on a temporary basis. The circumstances that have demanded such interventions certainly will be repeated. Seen in the context of earlier UN operations, such as those in Namibia, Cambodia, and Eastern Slavonia, the view that these exceptional circumstances may not recur is somewhat disingenuous. Moreover, the need for such policy research has been brought into sharp focus by the weighty but ambiguous role assigned to the UN in Afghanistan and the possibility of a comparable role in Iraq. This book fills that gap. Aimed at policy-makers, diplomats, and a wide academic audience (including international relations, political science, international law, and war studies), the book provides a concise history of UN state-building operations and a treatment of the five key issues confronting such an operation on the ground: peace and security, the role of the UN as government, judicial reconstruction, economic reconstruction, and exit strategies. The governance of post-conflict territories embodies a central contradiction - how does one help a population prepare for democratic governance and the rule of law by imposing a form of benevolent autocracy? This book explores the transitional administrations put in place by the UN