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TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
MS DISEC
Thomas Jefferson High School Model United Nations Conference
TechMUN 2015
Middle School General Assembly
Chair: Laura Chu
Chair: Prathik Naidu
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Dear Delegates,
It is our utmost honor and pleasure to serve you as your co-chairs for the DISEC
Committee of TechMUN 2015! Our names are Laura Chu and Prathik Naidu and we are both
sophomores at TJHSST. We both began
participating in Model UN in freshman year and
have been active participants ever since, from
both a delegate and a staff member’s perspective.
Although TJ is primarily a STEM driven
school, Laura’s academic passions lie in
humanities and international affairs, and she has
developed an unparalleled love for Model UN. In
addition to MUN, she enjoys public speaking and serving her community through tutoring and
mentoring. She is the current class President and is active in Forensics Speech, Operation
Communication, Kids Are Scientists Too, Encouraging Empowerment Through Education, and
Namaste. She enjoys running on the cross country
and track team, playing flute in the McLean Youth
Orchestra, and hanging out with her friends!
Apart from being on the Model UN team,
Prathik’s interests are centered around biology and
chemistry. He is an active member of the
Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, and Biology
Olympiad clubs at TJ and competes in the Chemistry
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Olympiad competition. In addition, he enjoys pursuing scientific research and takes part in many
science fairs. Apart from his typical-TJ-student activities, Prathik enjoys playing the piano and
clarinet, hanging out with friends on the basketball court, rooting on the Baltimore Ravens, and
of course, just making the most out of the very little free time he has!
DISEC will be comprised of our international community's most crucial issues in the
status quo and will relate to humanitarian concerns, economics, ethical dilemmas, and political
controversy. We expect high levels of active debate, diplomatic interaction, effective leadership,
and cooperation amongst delegates to write creative and implementable solutions. We highly
encourage all of you to research to the best of your abilities to be fully prepared for committee.
Please keep in mind to cite all information that you draw from external sources--we do not
tolerate plagiarism. As your chairs, it is our goal to make your TechMUN 2015 experience one in
which you can develop your skills, gain new experiences, meet new people, and above all, have
fun! Please do not be too concerned about awards or not being the “best” delegate; the
experience and knowledge you gain is an invaluable award in and of itself, and any one of you is
the best delegate if you simply do your best.
If you have any questions/comments/concerns or would simply like to introduce yourself,
please feel free to contact us at disectechmun2015@gmail.com. We look forward to an
enthralling and memorable conference with you all!
Best wishes,
Laura Chu and Prathik Naidu
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Committee Introduction
Welcome to the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC), the First
Committee of the General Assembly. DISEC serves as a forum for member states to discuss
topics ranging from internal conflict resolution to nuclear proliferation. The overarching goal of
DISEC is to debate and work towards resolving issues in order to promote, establish, and
maintain international peace.11 It is important to note that, like other general assemblies of the
United Nations, DISEC is unable to impose sanctions, dictate a Member State’s actions, or
authorize armed intervention.10 Instead, DISEC is a collaborative environment where nations can
discuss and solve global issues that are recognized in the UN Charter and are of utmost
importance.
Debating the topics in this committee will allow your country to present its stance on the
issues at hand and work with other nations to develop comprehensive and implementable
solutions. Your country’s ideas are the backbone for the resolutions developed in committee, and
it is essential that these resolutions are in accordance with both the goals and limitations of
DISEC.10
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Topic I: The Future of Cybersecurity and Cyber Warfare
History and Background
The birth of the Internet originally began as a United States Department of Defense
military projects commissioned by the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
(ARPANET). ARPANET was a successful advancement that allowed the U.S. military to share
data and information across large distances in just a few seconds.5 The development of highspeed e-mail communication also contributed to the increasing interest in a global cyber network.
With the boom in personal computer and server technologies around the mid-1980s, the Internet
became integrated with these computers and was available to the public in the 1990s.1 The
continuing improvements in the Internet through the creation of websites made people’s lives
easier, but at the same time contributed to the evolution of network security. Modern
developments in security have made the Internet more secure, but there continues to be breaches
in networks that needs to be addressed, given the widespread use of the Internet.
Relevant Action
Cyber security efforts in the international community have been centered around the
creation of global security centers and the promotion of cooperation. The first major action
against cyber attacks was the creation of 18 Cooperative Cyber Defense Centers of Excellence
by NATO.3 These centers build focus on research and training on cyber security, but also
analyze the legal aspects of cyber attacks. NATO works directly with these centers to provide the
necessary resources to ensure high quality training of individuals for cyber defense and
prevention efforts.10
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
The UN is known for being a forum of communication and collaboration among
member-states and thus, would like to focus cyber security on building cooperation on the issues
at hand. In December 2011, Resolution 66/24 was adopted by the General Assembly and urged
member states to take action on improving cyber security based on the recommendations from
expert bodies.10 A report titled, “On the Developments in the Field of Information and
Telecommunications in the Context of International Security” goes into detail about the
importance for promoting cyber stability, transparency, and confidence.3 The report recommends
that nations streamline their communication systems and allow for information sharing to ensure
global protection from cyber attacks through a collaborative effort.
The main issue of the UN’s promotion of collaboration is that many nations are sensitive
to cooperative international measures because of the distrust with other nations. With
collaboration comes the threat of stolen practices and confidential information that must be
accounted for when discussing cyber security measures. However, in general, the collaboration
of resource between nations have proven to be very successful in the response and recovery of
cyber attacks.4 For example, Australia and New Zealand have collaborated on cross border early
warning and response approaches to potential cyber attacks.7 This effort has been productive and
effective in ensuring cyber security for both nations. Similarly, combined efforts towards cyber
security research have the potential to save money while allowing nations to have access to the
best methods of cyber protection.10
Main Problems and Possible Solutions
The advent of new technologies and the rapid pace of Internet innovation creates
widespread social and economic benefits both on an individual and international scale. Many
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
nations are becoming more reliant on cyberspace because it is the backbone for day-to-day life in
modern society.4 However, although the Internet is praised for its ability to enrich personal and
professional lives, it is also faced with challenges from those who have the capacity to abuse its
interconnectivity. Ensuring that the international cyberspace is secure and safeguarded is
imperative for preventing high-consequence cyber attacks that have the potential to disrupt
national security, economic vitality, and even public health systems.4 As malicious individuals
begin to use more advanced methods and tools for hacking, the number of cyber attacks
continues to grow on a daily basis.
Currently, a majority of cyber attacks stem from criminals who focus on stealing
confidential data for the purpose of gaining a financial benefit. The Norton Report, published by
the Symantec organization in 2009, discovered that the direct cost of these cyber attacks has
increased from $110 billion to $113 billion in just 1 year.13 Accounting for the long-term
economic effects the attacks, a McAfee security report estimated nearly $575 billion worth of
direct loss coming from property theft, market manipulation, and financial crime.12 In 2013,
there were more than 800 million records of cyber attacks, a number that continues to grow and
impact both the economy and security of member states in the UN.9
One of the greatest challenges with respect to cyber crime is the lack of a standardized set
of cyber laws on a global scale. Variations in cyber security laws and policies within memberstates allows malicious attackers to take advantage of these “hotspots” for executing their
operations. For example, Brazil currently implements weak laws for cyber crime management
and loose policies for the protection for intellectual property.10 The lack of stringent cyber laws
have led to the development of a hacker population that faces little to no risk of prosecution.6
These areas, termed “rogue states”, serve as a safe zone for hackers to successfully execute
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
attacks of malicious intent because the regions do not many cyber abuse regulations. Because
cybercrime is an issue that spreads beyond the host nation, the growth of cybercrime in one
region can lead to a multitude of negative impacts on the security of other nations.1
Another important aspect of ensuring cyber security is the protection of critical
infrastructure systems within nations. Sectors such as energy, public health, and water must be
protected from any potential security threats to ensure the stability of nation’s infrastructure.7
The Stuxnet malware, which was a cyber operation conducted by the U.S. to shut down
centrifugation systems in Iran’s nuclear plants, shows the power of cyber attacks on critical
infrastructure.13 However, each nation’s technologies and implementation of critical
infrastructure tend to be different, which means a one-size-fits-all security measure can not
sufficiently combat cyber attacks on a global scale. Instead, cyber security solutions must have
the ability to focus on every nations specific risks in the cyber space but at the same time remain
effective internationally.
Questions to Consider:
1. How can international cooperation be implemented while accounting for some nation’s
distrust?
2. How can DISEC account for future changes in networking technologies and the risks
posed by these advancements?
3. How can cyber security standards be implemented on an international scale to prevent the
risks from “rogue states”, which lack necessary cyber infrastructure?
4. How can a solution prevent individual cyber crimes within nations while being broad
enough to cover international cyber warfare?
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Works Cited
[1]
"After Snowden: The Road Ahead for Cybersecurity." AEI. AEI, 22 May 2014. Web. 06
Feb. 2015.
[2]
"Cyber Security Infographic." NATO Review. NATO Review, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[3]
"Cybersecurity: A Global Issue Demanding a Global Approach | UN DESA | United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs." UN News Center. UN, 12 Dec.
2011. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[4]
"Finding Solutions. Together." Five Concerns and Five Solutions for Cybersecurity.
Global Economic Symposium, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[5]
"Foreign Policy Cyber Security." The White House. The White House, 12 Feb. 2013. Web.
04 Feb. 2015.
[6]
"Global Economic Crime 2014 Survey." PwC. PwC, n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[7]
"Homeland Security." Blueprint for a Secure Cyber Future. Homeland Security, n.d. Web.
06 Feb. 2015.
[8]
James, Randy. "Cybercrime." Time. Time Inc., 01 June 2009. Web. 05 Feb. 2015.
[9]
"January 2015 Cyber Attack Statistics." Hackmageddon. Hackmageddon, 5 Feb. 2015.
Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[10] Lacosse, Michelle, Devin Disabatino, and Jeffrey Nadel. DISEC ILMUNC XXXI.
Philadelphia: ILMUNC, n.d. PDF.
[11]
"United Nations, Main Body, Main Organs, General Assembly." UN News Center. UN,
n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
[12] "2014 McAfee Report on the Global Cost of Cybercrime." 2014 McAfee Report on the
Global Cost of Cybercrime. Center for Strategic & International Studies, 9 June 2014.
Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
[13] "30 Years of Risky Business: A Cybersecurity Timeline -- GCN." 30 Years of Risky
Business: A Cybersecurity Timeline -- GCN. GCN Staff, 3 June 2013. Web. 06 Feb. 2015.
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Topic II: Illicit Arms Production and Distribution
History and Background
The production and distribution of illicit arms has destabilized the global community, as
it provides insurgents, gang members, pirates, and terrorists with multitudes of firepower.7 Most
conflicts today involve illicit small arms that are cheap, light, and transportable.7 In fact, more
human rights abuses are committed with small arms than with any other type of weapon.7 Illicit
arms have led to the incidents and killings of UN employees and peacekeepers, workers for
humanitarian and non-governmental organizations, and a myriad of human rights violations.7 As
small scale trade continuously grows across borders, a large-scale trade has become established
in a vicious cycle where illicit arms are passed from one conflict to another.
The production of illicit arms has shifted to markets, and up to 8 million small arms are
estimated to being produced each year.7 As production has increasingly become licensed and
craft production has become more commonplace in private workshops, production is often
uncontrolled and unmonitored.7 Because surplus government weapons are susceptible to theft
and can enter the illicit arms circulation 3, leaking government stockpiles have also become a
large source of illicit arms.7 Arms then become illicit through domestic systems of mass
distribution, leakage and resale amongst other methods.7 In the past, a majority of the selling and
monitoring of small arms was legal and effective, however private intermediaries between trade
have become more common--these intermediaries supply arms to suppliers to the government, as
well as private entities.7 Traders, agents, brokers, shippers, and financiers have also come to
combine their respective jobs to create complicated networks of trade that are indistinguishable
from legal brokering.7 The Small Arms Survey 2014 showed a relationship between illicit market
prices in Lebanon and the number of fatalities in the conflict in Syria, and suggests that
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
monitoring ammunition prices can serve as useful data to governments, however price
monitoring is uncommon in the international community.2
A case study of a failed illicit arms trade attempt in 2003 illustrates the measures traders
use to smuggle arms.3 In the incident, an associate of Victor “The Devil” Infante, who was
largely active in weapons exportation, was observed delivering a Federal Express Package from
the U.S. to the Philippines.3 The airway bill the associate used claimed his package contained a
camera tripod.3 Upon investigation, however, the package was found to contain parts for M-16
and AR-15 assault rifles.3 Similarly, the UN Security Council has discovered international
networks involved in illicit trade and has exploited brokers and dealers who work through legal
loopholes, evade customs and airport controls, and falsify documents such as passports.7
Relevant Action
Public safety lies first in the responsibility of individual governments to ensure that
government arms do not enter illicit trade, however countries have worked within the UN to take
action against illicit arms through commitment to: the Firearms Protocol, an Instrument on
marking and tracing, and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law
Enforcement Officials.7 Within the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, 130 countries have
signed the Arms Trade Treaty, however only 61 have ratified it.4 In 2013, DISEC also adopted
Resolution A/68/411, titled “Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and
light weapons and collecting them”.1
Most notable, however, is the UN Programme of Action. Agreed upon in 2001, it remains
the primary international agreement for illicit arms control.8 As a means of implementing the
actions set out in the UN Programme of Action, the UN Programme of Action Implementation
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Support System (PoA-ISS) serves as a “one stop shop” for those working within the UN to
combat illicit small arms trade.5 The PoA-ISS provides information such as advisory networks
for contact points, clearing-house functions such as project proposals, and basic documentation
such as PoA reporting.5 Although the UN has implemented various frameworks of action to
reduce illicit arms trade and individual nations have taken steps to monitor their borders, the
issue of illicit arms production and distribution still wreaks havoc across the international
community, and increased measures must be taken to protect civilians.
Main Problems and Possible Solutions
In order to effectively monitor illicit arms circulation and curb the production of illicit
arms, realistic and cost-effective solutions are needed to ensure that the global community can
collaborate in addressing the issue. One of the inhibitors of effective solutions, however, is that
little data on the production, holdings, trade, legislation, and use of small arms is available.7
Without knowledge of the circulation of the illicit arms, only estimated statistics can be used to
take action against the illicit trade.7 Rather than increasing the bureaucracy of organizations
dedicated towards research, integration of research methods of small arms trade patterns in
existing bodies can assist efforts to better understand arms circulation. In addition, only a small
number of countries actively mark all weapons upon production to ensure proper recording of
weapons.7 An organized system of standardized arms labeling across national or international
borders could allow tracing of arms back to their owners. With the support of national
governments and enforcement from governments and bodies, the ability to trace illicit arms to
their owners could maximize national courts’ abilities to hold illicit traders accountable for their
actions.
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
In regards to the international community, a lack of a clear framework for all States to
guide decisions involving arms transfers can lead to inconsistent and misguided actions by
nations.7 Often times, the rule of law cannot be upheld in situations where armed violence is used
for resolving conflicts.7 Although standardized laws on an international scale may not be realistic
in terms of different country policies and circumstances, national governments should be
encouraged to develop policies that focus on limiting the stockpiling of government weapons
that are prone to leakage. Although the matter is controversial, destroying existing stockpiles
may dramatically reduce risk of stockpile leakage. For example, in Mozambique, civilians
benefitted from the “Transforming Arms into Tools” project founded by the Anglican Bishop
Dinis Sengulane.6 The project offered tools such as plows for farmers and school materials for
children in exchange for weapons that were later destroyed.6 Lastly, resources focused on
combating groups armed with illicit arms can often leave countries with little resources to
improve human and economic development, thus a balance in resource and funding distribution
from a variety of sources is essential to combat the issue of illicit arms trade in a cost-effective
manner.
Questions to Consider
1. Through what methods can the international community cooperate in more effectively
monitoring and tracking the distribution of both illicit and legal arms, as well as people
susceptible to being active in illicit arms trade?
2. How can nations take part in preventing legally created government weapons from
leaking into the illicit arm trade?
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
3. How can nations create or modify policies to prevent brokers and dealers from exploiting
loopholes avoiding legal consequences for trading illicit arms?
4. Because a country’s overall humanitarian and economic development can be essential to
reducing conflict as a whole, how can resources be distributed evenly to protect civilians
in armed conflicts involving the use of illicit arms while working towards national
development?
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015
TechMUN 2015
MS Disarmament and International Security Committee
Works Cited
[1]
General Assembly. "General Assembly." Assistance to States for Curbing the Illicit
Traffic in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Collecting Them(n.d.): 331-33. United
Nations. 9 Dec. 2013. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
[2]
"Illicit Trafficking." Small Arms Survey. Small Arms Survey, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.
[3]
Schroeder, Matt. "The Illicit Arms Trade." Federation of American Scientists. N.p., n.d.
Web. 26 Jan. 2015.
[4]
"The Arms Trade Treaty." UNODA. UNODA, n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
[5]
"PoA-ISS." United Nations Programme of Action Implementable Support System. United
Nations Programme of Action Implementable Support System, 2012. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
[6]
"Solutions for Stopping the Flow of Guns." Peace Education Fund. Peace Education
Fund, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2015.
[7]
"UNODA - Small Arms and Light Weapons." UNODA. UNODA, n.d. Web. 25 Jan.
2015.
[8]
"UN Programme of Action." Saferworld. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Jan. 2015.
TechMUN at Stuart Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and JEB Stuart
High School Fairfax, VA | April 10-11, 2015