© 2017 American University Model United Nations Conference All rights reserved. No part of this background guide may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the American University Model United Nations Conference Secretariat. Please direct all questions to [email protected] A NOTE Jonathan Scolare Chair Уважаемые Делегаты, Добро Пожаловать в Кабинет Министров Российской Федерации. Dear Delegates, Welcome to the Cabinet of Ministers of the Russian Federation. My name is Jonathan Scolare. I am a senior at American University’s School of International Service where I am majoring in International Studies and minoring in Russian Language/Area Studies. I have been involved with Model UN in one way or another since my junior year in high school. I have been involved with AU’s Model UN team since my freshman year with the exception of my year abroad in Russia. In Fall 2016, I studied at Smolny College in Saint Petersburg, Russia where I participated in the newly created Smolny Model UN club. In Spring 2017, I went on an exchange program to the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), where I chaired the Security Council of the Moscow International Model UN Conference. This is my third AmeriMUNC appearance and my second time chairing. Outside of Model UN, I am involved with the American University International Relations Society and the United Methodist Student Association. During my free time, I enjoy playing Civilization V (as Russia, of course), studying languages, rooting for the Green Bay Packers, watching “Bob’s Burgers,” and driving my friends crazy with my arsenal of puns. Enough about me, let’s talk about Russia and our committee. AmeriMUNC V will revolve around the theme of forced migration, a heavily pertinent topic in all parts of the globe. Russia has a long and tragic history of forced migration. During the years of the Russian Empire, Russians were forced to colonize Siberia in order to assert the Empire’s dominance in the region while simultaneously purging the native culture. Under Joseph Stalin’s brutal regime, millions of people were forcibly moved to GULAGs in all corners of the Soviet Union, killing more people than Adolf Hitler and displacing millions from their homelands. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, implemented an irrigation system to make the Central Asian desert into fertile fields by channeling water from the Aral Sea. The results were disastrous. The Aral Sea has all but dried up due to the irrigation system. The seabed is now exposed soil that has been polluted over years with chemicals and runoff. People whose families have lived by the sea for thousands of years now have no choice but to find work elsewhere. Khrushchev’s successor, Leonid Brezhnev, signed a deal with North Korean dictator Kim Il-Sung to set up work camps in Siberia, which are still in operation today. Over the past 25 years under the Russian Federation, thousands more have been displaced due to the Chechen War and, more recently, the events in Ukraine. Уважаемые делегаты, the Russian Federation cannot reverse the events of the past. Russia can only move forward. However, many Russians seek a “return to the past” where Russia becomes what the Soviet Union once was. It is up to you to figure out how to merge these two ideologies in devising an answer to the migration questions facing the world today. Position papers are not required for this committee. Sincerely, Jonathan Scolare Chair, Cabinet of the Russian Federation [email protected] FROM THE CRISIS DIRECTORS Hello! My name is Caroline Rose and I will be serving as your Head Crisis Director for AmeriMUNC. I am so immensely excited to bring you the most interactive, fast-paced, realistic crisis simulation that will challenge some of your most basic assumptions about climate migration and international politics. Your Secretariat, Crisis Directors, Chairs, and I have all been anticipating your arrival, and look forward to meeting all of you! I have been involved with the American University Model United Nations program for four years, and know this will be the best AmeriMUNC yet. A little bit about me: I am a senior in the School of International Service, studying American foreign policy and Middle Eastern politics. I have specifically focused on Iraqi-Kurdish relations and U.S. foreign policy in the Syrian Civil War, and enjoy engaging in deep discussion about some of the world’s most pressing conflicts. I have served as Head Delegate of American University’s travel Model United Nations team and currently serve as the Chief Executive Officer of our umbrella organization, the International Relations Society (AMIRS), as well as the Editor-in-Chief of our undergraduate public policy magazine, The World Mind. It is bittersweet to be staffing AmeriMUNC this year, as it is my last, and I have deeply enjoyed interacting with delegates as both a chair and staffer in the past. As for crisis, we will be looking to challenge you in more ways than one. Foreign policy, diplomacy, international politics are multifaceted phenomena, and have dimensions that should be dealt with from all angles. Climate migration is truly a 21st century phenomenon, combining some of the most intractable conflicts and concerns that should be addressed collaboratively across the international community. No one nation or leader can singlehandedly solve an issue of this scope and size, and therefore I encourage you to engage with your cabinets, different perspectives, and different countries, to effectively address crises. Your crises notes and directives are far more powerful when they are well-thought out and collaborative, and stand out on their own. Research also matters; dive deep into your character and the body they represent, and you will find that crises will be much easier to address. Most of all, learn something new. My favorite part about Model UN is how students can interact with some of the biggest pressing problems in the world face-to-face, and learn something new about foreign policy, cooperation, and even something about themselves. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in just a few months! Caroline Rose Head Crisis Director [email protected] Hello Delegates, My name is Alex Davis and I am going to be your Crisis Director for the P5 country cabinets for AmeriMUNC V! I can’t wait for AmeriMUNC, and we’re looking bring you an incredible for the weekend. For the P5 country cabinets, we’re going to be looking for you to work with your committee and with the other committees. Front room work, such as directives, communiques, and press releases will be just as important as your crisis notes, but please do not neglect crisis notes. As a Crisis Director, I want to encourage you to be as creative as possible, but try to stay realistic. We live in a very interesting time. The United Kingdom is breaking away from Europe. Russia seems to be returning to the international stage in a big way. France is trying to remain relevant and hoping to take on a new form of leadership with the decline of American leadership. China is of course the largest country, and trying to figure out how to balance their relationship with the United States and North Korea. Meanwhile, the United States seems to be making demands on the world stage, while burning bridges at the same time. I look forward to our simulation to reflect the changing world order, specifically how these countries interact with each other. This will be my fourth and last AmeriMUNC, and I can’t tell you how much being part of this conference means to me. I have seen this conference grow over the past several years, from a conference in one building to now to a conference that will take over our campus. I hope this AmeriMUNC will be the best one yet, and I know the cabinets will be the best committees of the conference. I can’t wait to see you all in February! Alex Davis Crisis Director [email protected] Page 1 | AmeriMUNC V // Russia The Russian Federation … and the after effects of the Chechen War Key Terms Caucasus - a mountain range stretching between the Black and Caspian Seas that includes Russian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, and Armenian territory Chechnya - a republic in the Caucasus region that is under Moscow rule but has its own president and parliament. Ingushetia - a republic in the Caucasus region that is under Moscow rule but has its own president and parliament. Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) - an international non-governmental organization focusing on advocacy and analysis of internally displaced persons around the world. Internally displaced persons (IDP) - according to the United Nations, internally displaced persons are fleeing violence but do not cross international borders. United Nations (UN) - an international body founded in 1945 for the purpose of promoting dialogue and peace between nations. Background & Current Issues their struggle against the Russians. This fervor grew to its Russo-Chechen Relationship Through 1991 zenith in Shamil’s Revolt in the 1860s, which was crushed The Russian Empire invaded the Caucasian region in the by the forces of Emperor Alexander II. [1] Chechnya became much more peaceful afterwards, resulting in roads, early 18th century, taking much of the lands from Persia. schools, industry, and cities being built with help from The lands were surrendered and re-conquered several times Moscow. The Bolshevik Revolution impacted the Caucasus between the Russians, Ottomans, and Persians in the by fueling movements for more autonomy among ethnic following decades until finally coming under complete groups. In 1921, Chechnya joined forces with its Russian rule at the turn of the century.