Dhirubhai Ambani International Model United Nations 2019 Forum: GA1 – Disarmament and International Security Issue: Demilitarization of militias in post-IS Syria Student Officer: Ishaan Goel Position: Deputy Chair Introduction The Syrian Civil War is arguably the worst civil conflict of the century, having drawn on for the past eight years. Almost 400,000 people have been killed and millions more have been displaced from their homes, either into other nations or to other regions within Syria itself. The conflict has several participants, ranging from the Syrian people themselves to foreign military personnel. However, the most notable belligerents have been the independent militias, formed in large numbers during the course of the war. The oldest of these are the anti-government rebel forces and pro-government militias, which have existed as long as the War itself. Till 2014, however, their numbers were limited. The formation and brutal rise of ISIL in 2014, along with the establishment of its theocratic caliphate, led to the rise of several reactionary groups to counter it. Some of them were even formed with foreign aid from nations such as the USA, Russia, Iran and Turkey. A large number of Arab tribes in Syria too formed their own militias. These militias all had one common objective – eradicating ISIL – but otherwise, they had little to nothing in common, often fighting amongst each other. After the defeat of the last stronghold of ISIL in early 2019, the issue of demilitarization of these militias has come to the forefront. With ISIL now almost completely vanquished, the militias are pursuing their individual interests in the Syrian Civil War. For example, Kurdish forces are using supplied arms to further their fight for autonomy in the Rojava region of Syria. They are even contributing to separatist movements in Turkey and Iraq for the formation of an autonomous Kurdish state. This has led to an increase in political tensions in the region, as shall be detailed later. There exists a real possibility of the beginning of infighting amongst the several militia groups, as has already happened several times in the past. For example, as recently as January 2019, the National Liberation Front, a rebel group, engaged in battle with Tahrir-al-sham, a radical Research Report | Page 1 of 24 Dhirubhai Ambani International Model United Nations 2019 Salafist group1. Moreover, the presence of militias has led to the emergence of several illegal arms black markets and flourishing drug trades. All these events pose a risk to the already fractured Syrian economy and political conditions. Fighting between militias has also had adverse effects on ethnic unity within Syria, while also leading to the destruction of more government infrastructure. Moreover, an extensive use of child fighters has been noted in the Syrian militias, with 851 documented cases in 2016 alone2 and the current, actual number expected to be several times higher. This is indicative of a worrying trend - the increase of involvement of minors in direct fighting. With 2.8 million children deprived of an education due to the war3, the future of skilled labour in the country has also been severely impacted. Demilitarization of militias in post-IS Syria is an urgent and critical issue. It is important for the maintenance of the political stability and security of not only Syria, but also its immediate neighbours. Moreover, mutual and co-ordinated demilitarisation is a crucial step in finding a solution to the decade long Syrian War as a whole as well as rejuvenating Syrian society. It will also serve as an end to the multiple proxy wars between foreign states taking place in Syria. Thus, it is imperative for the DISEC to act on it immediately. Definition of Key Terms Demilitarization For the discussion of this topic, it is important to define the process of demilitarisation. Demilitarization is defined well in the International Encyclopaedia of the Social and Behavioural Sciences as “the dismantling or demobilization of a military, and the eventual destruction of military equipment, the destruction of weapons and explosives, and the incineration and destruction of chemical and biological weapons.”4 The term “Demilitarize” can be understood to 1 “National Front for Liberation–Tahrir Al-Sham Conflict.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 June 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Front_for_Liberation%E2%80%93Tahrir_al-Sham_conflict. 2 Turner, Laura. “Child Soldiers in Syria.” The Borgen Project, The BorGen Project, 23 July 2018, borGenproject.orG/child- soldiers-in-syria/. 3 “Nearly 5 Million Syrian Children AccessinG Education despite over Seven Years of War on Children.” Home Page, 23 Apr. 2018, www.unicef.orG/mena/press-releases/nearly-5-million-syrian-children-accessinG-education-despite-over- seven-years-war. 4 WriGht, James D. “Demilitarization.” Demilitarization - an Overview | ScienceDirect Topics, ScienceDirect, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/demilitarization. Research Report | Page 2 of 24 Dhirubhai Ambani International Model United Nations 2019 mean “to do away with the military organization or potential of” or “to prohibit (something, such as a zone or frontier area) from being used for military purposes”. 5 Militias and insurGents The definition of a militia is quite ambiguous, with some publications limiting militias to pro- government activities and equating them to paramilitaries, while separating them from insurgent groups. For example, a militia has been described as an “armed group that acts alongside state security forces or independently of the state, aiming to shield local populations from rebels.”6 Insurgent groups, in turn, constitute insurgents. An insurgent is one who participates in an insurgency, which has been defined as “rebellion, riot or mutiny by portion of the citizens of the State against the established government.”7 For the discussion of this topic, militia can refer to either of these definitions, as is common practise. Armament and Disarmament Disarmament can be described as “a variety of measures designed to limit or reduce, both quantitatively and qualitatively, eliminate and cease the production of means of warfare.” It “may include limitation and reduction of military personnel of armed forces, and reduction of defence spending”. 8Armament is simply the inverse of disarmament, and can be understood as a set of measures to increase the production of means of warfare, as well as armed personnel and defence spending. Demilitarized and Buffer Zones A demilitarized zone is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities or personnel.9 A buffer zone, meanwhile, is defined as “a defined area controlled by a peace operations force from which 5 “Demilitarize.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demilitarize. 6 Jentzsch, Corinna, et al. “Militias in Civil Wars.” Journal of Conflict Resolution, SAGE Publications, 2015, journals.saGepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022002715576753. 7 Gupta, Rashi. “RecoGnition of InsurGent and BelliGerent OrGanisations in International Law.” SSRN, Nirma University - Institute of Law, 28 June 2014, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2457749. 8 Tuzmukhamedov, Bakhtiyar. “Disarmament.” Oxford Public International Law, Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of the Law, 6 June 2017, opil.ouplaw.com/view/10.1093/law:epil/9780199231690/law-9780199231690-e289. 9 “PaGe.” Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East, by Michael B. Oren, Presidio Press, 2003, p. 7. Research Report | Page 3 of 24 Dhirubhai Ambani International Model United Nations 2019 disputing or belligerent forces have been excluded”. It is generally formed to “create an area of separation between disputing or belligerent forces and reduce the risk of renewed conflict”.10 The two are often combined, forming demilitarized buffer zones (such as the one between North and South Korea). Rojava Rojava (officially the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria) is the portion of Syria under control of the Kurdish people and a de facto state. Its definition remains unclear, with the constitution of Rojava stating “All cities, towns and villages in Syria which accede to this Charter may form Cantons falling within Autonomous Regions.” Cantons are the administrative regions of Rojava. So far, Rojava is believed to have 7 main regions in Northern and Eastern Syria – Jazira, Euphrates, Afrin, Raqqa, Tabqa, Manbij and Deir-ez Zor. The state is officially unrecognized, but it is largely free from government control Governorate A governorate is an administrative division of a country. It is headed by a governor. 11 BackGround Information BackGround of the Syrian Civil War The Syrian Civil War began as a part of the larger Arab Spring Movement in 2011, with the citizens of Syria protesting against the allegedly oppressive and nepotistic regime of President Bashir al-Assad, and demanding human rights. The government then led a violent crackdown on unarmed protestors, thus leading to multiple civilian casualties. This led to civilians taking up arms against the government, starting an armed conflict that snowballed into a civil war. It has since magnified in intensity, with the introduction of multiple new groups working for the attainment of individual interests. It has even become a proxy war between major foreign powers. 10 “Buffer Zone Definition (US DoD).” Military Weapons, 11 Law, Gwillim. Administrative Subdivisions of Countries: a Comprehensive World Reference, 1900 through 1998. Mcfarland, 2011. Research Report | Page 4 of 24 Dhirubhai Ambani International Model United Nations 2019 Early formation, support and armament of the militias The militias formed early in the war were mainly anti-government in nature. Of these, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), formed by defectors from the Syrian military who were trained in Turkey, was the most prominent. These militias initially armed themselves through theft from the military storehouses that they captured. Soon, they also received weaponry from the Turkish military and private donors from the Gulf region, particularly Kuwait.