United Nations Security Council: West Papua, 1962
Dual Delegate Crisis Committee
unsc@uclamun.org
Committee Summary
The trauma of colonization lingers long after a colonizer leaves and the withdrawal of a colonizer does not always signal immediate self-determination and peace. This is exemplified by the Indonesia-West Papua Conflict—in 1962, the Netherlands relinquished control of West Papua to a temporary UN administration. The agreement included a stipulation that a referendum on West Papua’s right to self-determination be held prior to 1969. This transition of government has led to an unhappy Netherlands, who were forced to hand over West Papua; an ambitious Indonesia, who have plans of their own regarding West Papua; and a hopeful West Papua, which has thrown off the shackles of a colonizer and can only see better days ahead.
As the United Nations Security Council, it is your job to ensure that the rule of West Papua does not devolve into chaos and terror and that relative peace in the region is established. While many of your nations have been on either end of colonial rule, it is necessary for the UNSC to collectively decide the best path forward. Balancing Indonesian aims with the actions of the Free Papua Movement places the Security Council in a precarious position. While you may want to consider your own interests, remember that the geopolitics—and fate—of Oceania rests in your hands.
Chair Letter
Dear Delegates,
My name is Lori Garavartanian and I will be serving as your chair for the UNSC at LAMUN XIX. I’m so excited to see you all in LA and to witness the invigorating debate you’ll initiate throughout the weekend.
To start, I’m a third-year studying political science and applied linguistics at UCLA. If you’re wondering what applied linguistics even means I love to talk about it, so please ask! Including high school, this is my 7th year doing Model United Nations, which is a level of commitment I didn’t even know I had in me and definitely a sign I’ve been doing this too long. I chaired the Decline of the Library of Alexandria committee last year, had so much fun, and am happy to be back chairing LAMUN this year with a whole new set of problems in the UNSC. Additionally, I've chaired BruinMUN, our high school conference, and am a member of Model UN at UCLA’s travel team. Outside of MUN, I write for our school paper, work for the Campus Life office, and am on the pre-law track. I can also talk about sports for too long and can’t put a book down, even after I’ve recognized how badly written it is.
As the only body with authority to issue binding resolutions on member states, the UNSC is an organ that bears extreme responsibility and deals with many geopolitical considerations. The year 1962 particularly put the issue of West Papua in front of the Security Council. With the committee starting as the United Nations takes temporary administration of the territory, there are a variety of directions delegates can choose to take to remedy the situation. You face two sides, the state of Indonesia and the Free Papua Movement, who are intimately concerned with the land at stake and what it means for the self-determination of various groups of peoples. With guerilla warfare, protests, and accusations of indiscriminate violence, the Papua conflict is one entrenched in nuance and one that requires careful consideration. Keep your countries’ interests in mind, while recognizing the role you play in determining global politics.
I’m looking forward to seeing all of you in committee and hearing what you have to bring to the table. If you have any questions, always feel free to reach out.
Best,
Lori Garavartanian
Chair
United Nations Security Council: West Papua, 1962 | LAMUN XIX
Crisis Director Letter
Dear Delegates,
My name is Saksham Madaan and I am so excited to be your Crisis Director for the LAMUN XIX UNSC. I am currently a second-year Business Economics major here at UCLA, with a film minor on the side. After my undergraduate studies, I aim to pursue a law degree, focusing on corporate law.
My high school lacked a proper MUN team until I left so I was a big speech and debate guy. Coming into college, I was looking for that same type of community in a club that was also centered around public speaking and political issues which is where I discovered MUN. Since then, I have fallen in love with this club and met some of my greatest friends here at UCLA. In my freshman year, I crisis staffed for both BruinMUN 30(Hollywood) and LAMUN XIII(Ad-hoc). Just earlier this year I was a Crisis Director for our Novice Crisis committee on the Mauryan Empire at BruinMUN. In addition to staffing, I am also on the travel team, competing mainly in crisis, and am the Director of Technology this year for both this conference and our Model United Nations team in general. Outside of MUN, I am a writer and Director of Finance for the Bruin Review, an independent publication on campus, as well as a valet attendant for the UCLA hospital. My other hobbies include film photography, geeking over the newest MCU movie, reading manga, and consistently revamping my playlists to be objectively better than everyone else’s.
As a Crisis Director, I always aim to elevate the delegate experience as much as possible so that everyone comes out of committee with a great time and precious memories. I am so excited about this committee’s topic! The Indonesia-West Papua conflict explores various themes of colonialism and its impact. As members of the United Nations Security Council at the time, you will be responsible for navigating this tumultuous clash of interests between Indonesia, the Free Papua Movement, and the Dutch. In a battle for individuality and control, it will become vital to keep the people’s and your own country’s interests in mind while responding to various obstacles such as protests, international pressure, and guerilla warfare. I am thrilled to be your crisis director and hope I can make this the most fun committee possible.
Best of luck and have fun!
Saksham Madaan
Crisis Director
United Nations Security Council: West Papua, 1962 | LAMUN XIX