MLRIT MUN 2022

International relations and their impact have never been as critical as they are today. From the pandemic to wars, it is important now, more than ever to discuss such global issues. The Internation Press team of MLRIT MUN 2022 has diligently covered all such debates, interviews, and arguments put forward by the delegates in each committee. Within itself, the MLRIT MUN 2022 Newsletter carries the notions of a free press, ardency for change, diplomacy, and rational argumentation. Our note cannot, in its entirety, justify the role of the International Press in a Model UN Conference. For, it is just not another committee, but the voice of the unheard. The strength that this committee holds can never be at par with others. At the International Press, the members have the ability to reform, transform and transition the perception of the world while strengthening the bridge that connects 21st-century democratic principles to the world at large. The International Press members have invested a significant amount of hard work in unveiling hidden truths; revolving around committees, hearing debates, and documenting speeches are but meager aspects in the laborious undertakings of the members. The team, built on a spirit of resilience and a need to drive change, has striven to transform into a pioneer of truthfulness. On this note, in the services of MLRIT MUN 2022, the press has delivered the same. We hope to illustrate the happenings of the conference through this newsletter. The Reporters and Photojournalists have done a commendable job in covering the developments across all committees. We strongly believe the conference's newsletter is an interesting read for everyone. Regards, Sai Preethi Polu - Head of International Press Aditya Bandike - Editor in Chief Srujan Lakka - Director of Photojournalism

Starting from the Day 1 planning regarding this MUN Edition, this conference is one of the greatest journeys, I’ve ever been on as the Secretary-General of MLRIT Model United Nations 2022. It was my immense pleasure to invite you all to a conference that was a result of diligence and commitment by our secretariat. This conference made me feel filled with euphoria every time I visited a committee. MUNs are not mere debates and also many interactions among each other. It is well rounded interactive experience which enhances and develops personality, boosts confidence, and whatnot. The college management has been a valuable partner in our MUN journey, providing us with the support we need to excel. We are truly grateful for their commitment to our growth and development. I have been inspired by so many of you people, and in the past at other conferences. I have been constantly delighted at the level of debate and the skills you show, and I can only feel hope for the future. \"Thanks\" though is a six-lettered word, it is a tall tale of a head that bows only in front of those who are worthy of its deference. To everyone, I hope you will, as I will, enjoy continuing learning through MUN. Regards, Repaka Pranay Kumar Secretary General - MLRIT MUN 2022

Should we reconstruct the Uniform Civil Code? Nakshatra Mani, writes on the initial meaning of Uniform Civil Code and how it is affecting the different religions of India Uniform Civil Code is a highly controversial law that brought about many rifts and dilemmas among the citizens and the different parties of India. “ONE LAW, ONE NATION” is the initial verdict made by the ruling party, then why are such comprehensible words creating a big commotion among the different communities? Why is a Citizen of India who is a part of the LGBTQIA+ community not recognized under this Umbrella law? These rhetorical questions ought to be answered before the implication of such fierce laws. The moderated caucus which took place in the committee today primarily focused on how each party, be it ruling or opposition is taking responsibility to eradicate the existing discrimination on the basis of UCC. Mallikarjuna Kharge, the President of the Indian National Congress stated that their party first introduced the reservation for women and devised anti-dowry acts which create transparency between men and women. Is the uniform civil code a myth? Prahlad Joshi, the minister of parliamentary affairs from the ruling party backs this statement by saying how wrongly people misinterpret that UCC inhibits the freedom of citizens. If the ruling party truly came to such a conclusion, then why are some BJP ruling states still opposing the UCC? Is the law so ambiguous that our leaders themselves are not solidifying the core meaning of the code? Instead of criticizing each party’s actions, the government should try to overcome the ambiguity in the definition of the Uniform Civil Code which would portray India as an illiterate nation on a global scale. A law like this is an umbrella of many civil laws which need to be given more mindfulness and inquisitiveness rather than fall prey to the politics of the nation. Page 1

Destructive Day One Abhigna Gujjula reporting from Lok Sabha on its proceedings on the opening statements Day 1 of the committee was a ruckus, to say the least. Led with constant protests and powerful speeches, the leaders of Lok Sabha stopped at nothing to make their stances known either to the ruling or to the opposition. The ruling, even though they were less in number compared to the opposition, were very strong on their points and emphasized on the schemes and their implementations in all their speeches. Majority of the committee time was eaten up by the constant banter between Narendra Modi and the Gandhis, who kept pointing out the schemes or lack of them, in their respective regimes. Speeches made by the Gandhis, other Congress and opposition members emphasized on the lack of implementation of women safety and the LGBT community in India. Meanwhile, Mr. Modi and various other BJP members, hit back at the accusations of the opposition and made a point to enunciate on ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, which is one of the most widely addressed and well known schemes of the Central government. They made sure to stress on the fact that it has helped quite a number of women, and is one of the larger steps to empower women. Talking about the LGBT community, many leaders reiterated the stances taken by their parties in their support. Leaders of both the ruling and opposition, questioned the hypocrisy of the agendas put in forth by both the governments, and argued on the operation of the same. Asaduddin Owaisi was a force to be reckoned with, with the number of statements and their active participation in the proceedings of the committee. Many new faces were a part of the proceedings, and none of them hesitated to question or answer back when called upon to answer. Aggression could be seen on everyone with the way the committee went, and one can only hope that the upcoming debates will be proved fruitful in discussing the actual agendas at hand, which include the safety of women and the LGBT community. Page 2

A Perspective Abhigna Gujjula writes a diary entry from the point of view of a young transgender Credit- The Orange Effect Foundation Dear diary, Once again school seems to drag me down. It’s been like this ever since I’ve realized that maybe, I’m not a guy? Sure, I am one physically, but something inside me says that that’s not what I am. I thought it would be a healthy thing to talk to my friends about it in school, but it seems to have backfired. They laughed at me every chance they got in the beginning, and once they realized that I hadn’t been kidding, they’d gotten much worse. They constantly made jokes about my sexual orientation, and now I’m being ignored and alienated by the same people who I thought cared about me. I feel let down. Why does my dilemma turn them away? I’m just as confused about myself as they are, I was just hoping to seek some help when I confided in them. Now I have no one. I’m too scared to tell my parents about this now, as they’re quite orthodox and I’m afraid about how they’ll react to this. If my friends reacted to this negatively, I don’t want to imagine how bad my parents will be. Besides, am I not just like any one of them? I’m still a human being, I don’t deserve to be treated like an outcast like this, right? Until next time. Page3

THE MAYHEM AFTER SHAH. Chetana Chintapally, reporting from Lok Sabha, explains how the current Prime Minister Supriya Sule came into power. As a consequence of Amit Shahs blatant refusal to recognize LGB (not LGBT), refusal to give them reservation in the parliament, as well as just completely rejecting the very concept of LGB due to there not being a fixed definition of the term lesbian, gay and bisexual, Anurag Singh Thakur and Sunny Deol resigned their primary membership from the ruling party to establish themselves as independent candidates. Just within two hours into the second session of the day, there was a complete shift in the working dynamic of the committee. With protests and internal conflicts breaking out within the ruling party, there was chaos that followed in the wake of Amit Shah’s controversial speech. The committee saw two key members of the Bhartiya Janata Party, an MP and a cabinet minister resign. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi was evidently unhappy about the rift within his party, it was the defence minister Rajnath Singh that initially made a statement regarding the division. Rajnath Singh promised the formation of a standard disciplinary committee to analyse the statements made by Amit Shah. In succession, Narendra Modi came to Amit Shah’s rescue by justifying that there is in actuality no way to quantify whether a person is a lesbian or gay unlike in transgenders. With Modi completely backing Shah, the Bhartiya Janata Party could be seen going into a complete damage control mode. But this did not last long as it was then that the Prime Minister of the nation chose to come out as bisexual and transgender plunging the committee into further bewilderment. Rahul Gandhi as the only member with his priorities right, took his time explaining to the esteemed committee how the Prime Minister coming out as bisexual and transgender would under the Hindu Marriage Act make their wife a divorcee. Following this rather riveting revelation, the committee again took a complete 180 with the BJP tabling a motion for no confidence which it failed rather spectacularly leading to the dissolution of the Bhartiya Janata Party as the ruling Party in India, and leaving Supriya Sule as the current Prime Minister of the nation. Page 4

The Chaotic Committee? Chetana Chintapally, reporting from UNSC, writes about the Delegates’ discussion of various aspects of the situation in Ukraine. The Delegates of UNSC mutually decided to discuss the situation in Ukraine considering the recent Russian annexation of Crimea. The committee was kick- started by the Delegate of Kazakhstan referring to Ukraine as a weaker nation caught in the crossfire of two powerful nations. The Delegate of Kazakhstan then went on to talk about North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and their expansion towards the east. In succession, the Delegate of Korea chose to deviate from the set agenda and took the opportunity to bring up the security issues faced by the People’s Republic of Korea and demanded that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) government give up their nuclear weapons while calling for the unification of DPRK and People’s republic of Korea. Followed by the Delegate of Australia, who called out Russia for violating the non-proliferation treaty and Budapest memorandum. The Delegate of Greece firmly stated that Greece has always had a healthy and political relationship with Russia and wants to keep it that way, they also reiterated their stance in taking in the refugees in support of Ukraine. The Delegate of Ukraine emphasised on the importance of the sovereignty of Ukraine. The Delegate of Ukraine then called out Russia for violating article 2, para 4, of the UN Charter (state sovereignty and territorial integrity) and accused Russia of feigning concern for the Russian majority citizens of Crimea while in truth it is all an elaborate façade in order to gain control over the black sea and monitor potential threats and improve upon its defence techniques. Page 5

The Delegate of the USA called Russia’s annexation of Crimea a perpetrated annexation. It labelled the current situation in Ukraine as a humanitarian crisis. Additionally, the Delegate went on to aggressively remind Russia of the protocols and acts it had signed and ratified on the international platform. The Delegate of USA ended his speech calling for immediate de-escalation and demilitarisation in the annexed region of Crimea or threatened Russia with sanctions and military intervention. To this, China pointed to the disparity in USA’s stance for talking about a humanitarian crisis in Russia while simultaneously promising military intervention as an alternative. The final speech of the final committee session of day 1 was given by the Delegate of China. The Chinese representative did not hold back while telling member nations like the USA to not intervene in the Russia-Ukraine dispute and further deteriorate the situation. China offered to mediate the issue if and only if both the involved countries toned down the hostilities. China also brought up the Syrian issue in the committee as retribution to USA’s reference to China in their speech. Page 6

ONE METRE Chetana Chintapally, reporting from UNSC, writes from the perspective of a 13 year old in a war torn nation. I can taste the metal in my mouth from how hard I’m biting down on my tongue to keep from screaming. Then I hear footsteps. I further press my back into the little alcove, the dust webs falling into my hair. They can’t see me. They can’t hear me. They can’t see me. Maybe if I say it enough times, I’ll actually disappear. But I can’t disappear, can I? Not when I’m so close. So close I can see the barbed wire. Sometimes its hard to believe how different things can be just by being on the wrong side of a piece of metal. The footsteps get closer. I close my eyes and whisper my prayer. The gun grazes my arm but the man doesn’t turn, he walks past me. Once my heart beat gets back to normal, I breathe a sigh of relief. Slowly emerging from my hiding place, I look around before I start walking toward the barbed wire. 400 meters, 300 meters, 200 meters, “STOP!”. My heart leaps into my throat. I was close. So close. The man from before is walking toward me, but this time he has something in his arms. I think I can see him trembling? I hold myself as still as I possibly can, afraid to even breathe the wrong way. The man slows in front of me and thrusts a small bundle into my arms. Before I can even process what is happening, he turns on his heels and walks away. Leaving me with a newborn and my freedom. 100 metres away. 50 metres. 10 metres. Page 7

Two sides to a coin G. Dharani Reddy reporting from the United Nations Security Council interviewing the delegate of the Russian Federation. International Press (IP): Are the troops in Crimea part of the Russian Armed Forces? Delegate of the Russian Federation (Russia): No, not at all. The Russian troops are nowhere involved in the conflict that is happening inside the territory. IP: You have voted ‘no’ during the opinion poll stating that sanctions are inadequate to intimidate and ensure the retreatment of Russian armed forces. This was your stance during the opinion poll. If you have stated no. You are also acknowledging that the troops are part of the Russian armed forces. What is your stance on this one? Russia: At the present moment there are no troops in Ukrainian territory. The point is we may have ambitions of actually deploying them since we got the backing of the President of Ukraine. We have plans and ambitions of sending our military to Ukraine in the near future and when we send our troops into Ukraine, the sanctions are not going to be of any consideration. IP: What are the ambitions of the delegate of Russia in sending Russian armed forces or troops into Crimea? Russia: Considering that the president of Ukraine has actually given it in writing to his excellency the president of the Russian Federation, we will definitely consider the option of sending it to the Crimean territory of Russia. There are already 25,000 troops stationed as a part of a treaty that was signed with Ukraine and yes, regarding the request of the president of Ukraine, we will be considering sending our troops into the Ukrainian program. IP: Would these troops be retrieved from Kenya in the future? What purposes do these troops do you think will serve? Russia: The President of Ukraine has asked us for support. So, we restore law and order in Ukraine. So as long as there is a problem of law and order, the troops will stay there once it is over. Once the referendum is conducted peacefully, the troops will retreat. IP: If troops are sent into Crimea, as you have stated as long as they maintain law and order, it would be okay. Is that right? Russia: The entire point of sending in our troops is to maintain law and order for the President of Ukraine. And also we have this agenda of making a free and fair referendum for the people of Kenya. So as long as both these purposes are considered, then that is the exact purpose of sending them. Page 8

One-man revolution G. Dharani Reddy reporting from UNSC and P. Siddharth reporting from UNGA illustrate the final statement of the convict who attempted an assassination on Vladimir Putin. Your honor, the clock is ticking tick-tock, tick-tock, time is passing but it seems like everything is still. Bullets flying all around. My heartbeat goes up and my nerves kick in, the heat of the battle indeed got to me. I reverb all those tainted pieces of history with the glory of my motherland. Perhaps that is why I joined the Ukrainian army at only twenty-one. I knew I was young, fearless, and maybe even reckless. Fighting for my nation during the annexation of Crimea in 2014 had been nothing but a matter of pride. I was witnessing the consequences of war as I looked around to see my comrades, my troop, and my people not fighting with eyes full of courage but laying still and dead. It all started back in 2014 when a twenty-one-year-old was stupidly courageous enough to wage a one-man war against a country that does not even care for its existence. That might be my biggest strength, no one would even imagine that a kid who just finished his university entrance examination would go to such lengths. Lengths that countries as a whole could not dream of. That is my biggest strength. These eight years that I have poured my heart towards, where most kids would be out enjoying. I was out seeking justice for my motherland. My goal was simple, but my mind was insane. Do you know the definition of insanity? I found it out the hard way. Insanity is going over the same exact scenario so many times and for every possible outcome. That no amount of uncertainty feared me. Insanity prepared me. Prepared me to fight. Prepared me to die. I look back to my younger self, before the blood on my hand, I see a more vibrant and vulnerable boy who could barely grasp the happenings of the world around him. Now, the war has changed me. I see an aggressive man, a murderer. One with zero humanity. One who would take a life without considering the consequences. The assassination of Putin does not just serve as a means of getting justice for my country but more so, a warning to the world leaders that if people are being oppressed, their voices curbed and their rights deprived. Someone like me shall rise, killing me will not end this revolution. As I approach the final moments of my life, I feel ashamed to have not repaid my country. I feel guilty to have let down my nation, my comrades, and my people. I request the court and the Honourable Judge to end my life at this instant for I cannot bear to see my mistakes which the children of this country will have to reap. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself being forgotten. Page 9

SHOULD WE “LEGALIZE” THE LGBTQIA+ MARRIAGES? Getting to know the ultimate step for “modernizing” India and highlighting the sensitivity of LGBTQIA+ marriages - Nakshatra Mani Premise: The LGBTQIA+ community have fought a long battle for their recognition, but why should their battle stop at just a mere acknowledgement when their marriages or preferences are viewed as immoral or unlawful? This predicament must be absolved before it’s too late for India’s cognizance. Question: Will the ruling party include the LGBTQIA+ community under the special marriage act 1954? Sample space: A survey was conducted among the ruling party members of the Lok Sabha comprising 20 in number where in their stance was taken and counted. Result: Analysis: As seen from the above pie chart, we can decipher that three members have agreed to give authority to the community under special marriage act, Two members have decided to disagree with the further inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ into the act whereas 13 members are still in a hazy state of ambiguity. Their decision would give rise to a better India or just another diverse and conventional country. Furthermore, two members have abstained themselves from stating their opinion as it is a highly sensitive topic which needn’t have an open judgement. Conclusion: The special marriage act 1954 was an improvisation of the marriage act which further includes all religions like Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism etc but there is still an answer waiting to be heard by the LGBTQIA+ community who’s prime focus in seeking their rights is on the respect which ought to be given to any and every citizen of India. This country is looking forward to a change which should benefit all its citizens irrespective of their life choices, caste, creed and gender. Page 10

A Plain-Spoken letter to the United Nations Hailing from a muslim family in India, I have always faced a lot of criticism and inequality when it comes to expressing my views or portraying my preferences. The way I live, has always been an outcome of the society’s judgement and how my family has become a slave to such a degree of vicious thoughts about a woman. Just until a few days, I gave up on finding myself a glimmer of hope because I always believed that my life is already decided, but a certain incident has raised a lot ramifications and left a scar on my life and I mustered the courage to pick this pen up like a weapon and write this letter to you in order to finally raise my little lost voice. Cyber crime is a pernicious disease which festers slowly in your mind and eats your soul away. I was recently harassed by a group of “terrorists” who incessantly threatened to leak my personal information for the sake of human trafficking. When I went with all evidence about my wounds to the police, my identity received a backlash and I was blamed for being too “active” on social media and “hallucinating” things but the truth was always unheard and it was that I was shown no concern or even a little shred of humanity. These days, due to the occurrence of modern fourth generation warfare, cyber violence is an increasing problem against women in online environment in any form. Mostly women of a particular minority group or who proclaim themselves as a part of LGBTQ+ community are specifically targeted by these groups. This type of violence not only hampers the full realization of gender equality, but also violates basic women’s rights. I was not only suffering psychologically, but also my political, social and cultural life was affected .Who would want to be treated like an inanimate object in their very own country? Why are still people considering these traumatic stories as a mere “myth”? The answers to these intimidating questions lie in the era where every human and their difficulties are treated equally and the funding to such horrendous activities must definitely be given an end. Here's to an undying wish of seeing women in a better place, in a better situation and a better life Yours truly, Sabana Shaik /Collectively written by Nikita and Nakshatra/ Page 11

Solving Sex Trafficking Reporter Nehal from UNHRC opines on the role of BJP in regards to Women safety and empowerment. The committee, even though it started blandly, soon gained the momentum anticipated when a moderated caucus on the topic of \"sex slavery\" was raised. Every country sets out to find a compelling solution that solves the problem. Many major points were brought up, starting with delegates introducing the topic at hand and criticising every country's approach to the situation at hand. The session was set ablaze and was in action once delegates from Germany started the moderated caucus on the agenda. Libya gave a good start explaining what sex trafficking is and how much it affects the victim as a whole. The speech was then followed by Bolivia, which put forward points such as the state of Bolivia being known as a major for human and sex trafficking and saying that they’ve been trying to control it. An Indian delegate followed Bolivia, talking about the instability in the areas of conflict and how those areas are the major hotspots of sex trafficking. She gave the example of Afgani women who were desperately trying to escape their nation by marrying someone they didn’t want and then later getting abused. During all of the ruckus, a right of reply rose between the United Arab Emirates and the Russian Federation. In conclusion, there was a fruitful debate on the topic of sex trafficking, which included almost the entire audience with the exception of a few silent bystanders. Page 12

Consolidated Report Reporter Nehal from UNHRC reports the happenings of the committee on all the three days. Even though the start of the committee was bland and stale, it soon got set ablaze as the delegates started to speak out and introduce the topic and their roles in combating the problem at hand. Many points of great interest were made, such as Russia criticising Pakistan for being oppressive and having corrupt officials in the government. Pakistan responds by pointing out that every government has its own faults, and they are trying to combat them. The same momentum was carried onto day 2, with everyone being energetic and having a moderated caucus on human trafficking. During the caucus, many different opinions and points were raised.Even though these points were different, the common point that everyone agreed on was the solution to this problem. This one problem had led to discussion of various different points such as \"sex trafficking,\" \"child protection,\" and \"organ trafficking.\" Later, the subject of \"child protection\" led to the right to respond on LGBTQ rights in Russia.The delegations of Russia and the USA had a great debate, with the delegate of India bringing the right to reply to an end. On the third day, the committee began discussions on the current topic, \"Human Trafficking.\" The delegates gave various reasons for the cause of this problem and made points about how the cause should be stopped at the source of the problem rather than after it has occurred and grown out of control. Delegates proposed a five-point strategy, the formation of new committees for this cause, or the inclusion of major bodies to put an end to this cause; some have also suggested adding the death penalty and keeping stricter rules so as to scare everyone even before trying to attempt human trafficking. Page 13

As I shiver more than one would on a cold winter night... A diary entry written by Nikita, reporting from UNGA writing on the cyberviolence women face in the country. Dear Diary, Today something happened due to which I’m barely able to move. I’m trying not to shiver as I write this. Yet, I have gathered to try to place this weight on me through the weight of the pen today here as this is something that will remain personal to me. As you know I have an Instagram account which I use to chat with my friends and family. Me being as naïve as I was, accepted the request of this guy whose account seemed to be as one of my classmates, automatically assuming it was his. Soon at 11, I got a text from him. Soon followed some series of texting and events that led to me being sexually abused harassed and commented upon. I even received death threats and false allegations regarding things I have done. And threats to spread some false rumors throughout my school if I did not oblige with what he wanted which was a sexual picture of myself and a payment of 10k. Now that hit my anxiety so bad, as even after blocking him he kept coming back through various accounts. Later through an inquiry of my friend, I found out he wasn’t even my classmate and was catfishing through a false name which damaged the reputation of my friend too. Now I am not the sole victim of this. You see, in the present modern world that the planet is progressing towards, one of the most impactful inventions that are persisting is the invention of the internet. With the widespread usage of the Internet in every house to every corner of the hill, there is now, yes of course the easy approach and all the advantages’ part, but also the sidetrack, that is the repercussions. It is now faster to attack another individual, a family, or a country. Cyberviolence is an increasing problem worldwide and is often gender-based and targets women and girls. This targeted approach towards women is of no surprise, after all, gender justice is a myth even in the 2022s. Violence against women in an online environment is of any form, from cyber harassment to threats of rape or sexual assault, or murder. Predominantly, the root cause of violence against women and girls is gender inequality but it is also observed to be targeted more at women of colour, members of a particular region or race, and the most attacking one yet- the people who identify as LGBTQ. It pains me to know that about 58% of girls experienced online harassment and 50% said they experience more online harassment than street harassment. I am writing this to share my deep regret and offer condolences to myself and my fellow women who too faced what I did and perhaps something even worse. I just hope this stops and the internet would be a place to connect better and not disconnect from the basic sincerity and ethics one must hold. Ishita Page 14

Indi-genius solutions to 4GW Prahas Reddy reporting from the United Nations General Assembly, writes about the dominance of India on the agenda along with the proposed solutions The Executive Board set the agenda to discuss “Analyzing the compliance of Fourth generation warfare tactics with International law.”The delegate of India put forward his stance right at the beginning of the committee that the safety of Indian citizens is the most important objective. Further, the delegate referred to civil societies as the new frontiers of fourth-generation warfare. The delegate claimed that a civil society that subverts , that divides which then can be manipulated to hurt the interest of a nation. Moreover, the delegate mentioned that war itself has ceased to become an effective instrument for achieving political or military objectives as it got too expensive and unaffordable. The delegate further stressed that the Geneva Convention was to be ratified further, for which there have to be diplomatic deliberations. This was suggested for the solid reason that the majority of the nations are not the signatories of the three protocols, especially with the powerful nations involved in the issue too not being a part of it. In reply to the allegation imposed by the delegate of France that India encourages the development of “SAFFRON TERRORISM”, referring to RSS predominantly, the delegate of India defended it gracefully that these communities are encouraged as they empower themselves for social welfare. To the statement made by the delegate of Russia on curbing the non-transitional state groups, the delegate of India questioned back the delegate of Russia upon their stance on the way to deal with them, where Russia stated that the punishment for the non-state groups should be dependant upon the intensity of their atrocities. This was stated on February 24th when Mexico convened an informal meet-up on the mentioned forum. The first moderated caucus topic passed by the delegate of France is “Defining terrorism and its impact with special emphasis on judiciary proceedings”. In this session, the delegate of India suggested a solution to this issue where the delegate feels that the United Nations should adopt chapter 4, section 15 of UAPA which provides an extensive definition that can be adopted to define terrorist activities which say that, whoever is a party which has the intention to cause harm which can vary from using bombs to cyber warfare and many more. Page 15

The Turntables Siddharth Pashikanti reporting from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presents his views on the current conflict in Crimea. It all started in the month of November 2013, the country of Ukraine was all set to sign a Free Trade and Association agreement with the European Union (EU). The world was perfect, Ukraine had its goal set. A perfect world. With the president of Ukraine quite literally condemning and denying any association with its neighbour Russia. Until, it was not. While the EU was preparing itself to welcome a newfound member in the form Ukraine, Ukraine on the other hand drops a bomb courtesy of Russia’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Who announced later that Ukraine had formed alliances with Russia. A close partner, Dmitry was quoted referring to Ukraine. The crisis of Ukraine can also be faulted as a blunder by the western countries. As aforementioned, Ukraine was very much interested in being a part of the EU and if the situation would be ideal, find its place all the way in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation(NATO). Something that the United States of America will be very willing for. This scared the Putin government because Crimea and Ukraine were neighbours to the Russian Federation. The thought of NATO using the Crimean Peninsula for strategic interests that might creep into and damage the Russian plan. This led to Putin allegedly forcing Ukraine to join an ‘economic partnership’ with Russia. Something that gave Putin a little bit of breathing room to further plan his next moves and figure out Russia’s plan of action. Page 16

This retaliation was predicted because NATO and EU were slowly and steadily crawling into Russia’s territory and makes it pretty clear that Russia is putting a strong foot forward and warns anymore further threats to its strategic interests. With the partnership with Russia, the capital of Russia gains unquestioned and uncensored access to the military and naval bases in Sevastopol. This will quite literally prove the power of the Russian government and possibly threaten NATO and other western countries. The military benefits are not all Putin came for, although they act as an added incentive to the more important agenda of regaining influence over the political situation and proceedings of Ukraine as a whole. These threats on the other hand that Putin thinks are being sent by the EU and NATO are not exactly what he envisions them to be, with a press release by the EU on the sixth of March 2014 that said ‘The European Union has important relations with Ukraine and the Russian Federation and stands ready to engage in a frank and open dialogue with them. It has a special responsibility for peace, stability and prosperity in Europe. We will pursue these objectives using all available channels and ask the EU representatives to take all necessary initiatives.’ The situation of Crimea and the Ukraine crisis is mostly Russia’s fault. But with the West acting as a trigger, a moral question is to be raised. One crime, one punishment. Who is to be punished? The perpetrator? Or the one acting behind the scenes? Page 17

FIGHT FOR SOVEREIGNTY Prahas Reddy reporting from the United Nations General Assembly, gives a pictorial thread of the verbal exchange between the delegate of Russia and Ukraine on sovereignty during the committee proceedings.. Page 18

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“За любимую Родину!” (For Our Motherland) Siddharth Pashikanti reporting from the United Nations Security Council writes a fictional story on the invasion of Crimea. “You really tried to shoot without clearing the nozzle? Dimwit” mocked Mikka. A young man in his twenties, dark and tall with hair that felt like silk. “Well not exactly, I mean cut me some slack man! I am no vet like you!” cried Otto. A young man in his teens, called to battle to fight for his nation. A proud citizen of Russia, something that Otto takes great pride in mentioning. Otto and Mikka were friends before they joined the army, same school, college, ambitions, and love interests too. Nothing could separate the two of them. “Soldiers!” A voice screamed, beaming with authority a man of Napoleon's stature and quite frankly attitude but with a fade for a haircut. “Yes, Sergeant Dansk!” the group of young trainees shouted in unison, a sense of patriotism filled the air. “Soldiers! You are trainees no more, you are now called upon by the motherland of Russia! To fight! For its sovereignty and integrity! And quite frankly for your family” the sergeant took a second to breathe and continued, “now everyone gather round. Crimea is ours! But it was unjustly taken away from us. Your job now is to go and fulfil your duty. A noble one. Remember cadets, wars are fought by soldiers but won by heroes'', the sergeant bellows the last phrase with added emphasis. xxx “We have no backup sergeant! We can’t hold the line any longer. Requesting permission to retreat” Otto shouts into his communication device. “I. Do. Not. Care soldier, you either die a hero or live long enough to see your side lose.” A voice bellows from the comms device. The troop came in with fifty five men, now reduced to ten. They knew what they had to do, but no one had the courage or was dumb enough to do it. All this in the heat of battle Bullets flying all around, the sounds of guns recoiling and reloading. Bullets and people dropping to the ground under the guise of collateral damage. Otto signals to Mikka across the trench, they both look into each other’s eyes. Page 23

They know what the other one is thinking, they know they probably will die if they do it. They know. They knew. Otto nods at Mikka, Mikka signals not to do it. Mikka wants them to go back, saving the troop’s lives mattered more. Too many lives were lost and too many taken. Mikka wants it to stop. Under the heavy sounds of guns, grenades and glocks, Mikka could hear. The faintest of voices, from the corner of his eye spots Otta running into open fire with a battle cry. “За любимую Родину!” Translating to ‘for our motherland’ but only, he could not complete the warcry. Bullets pierced through Otto, as blood splattered all over the barren land. His blood became one with the soil and he, one with the almighty. Otto gave his life so that he could save his troop. Otto gave his life so that he could save me. xxx “And that kids is the story of Otto. The great war hero of Russia. I was lucky enough to fight alongside the likes of him. Something I consider a blessing.” “But grandpa? What happened to Mikka?” a little girl asked with innocence all over face. “Mikka. Well he realised something. He realised that sergeant Dansk was wrong. Sergeant said that wars are fought by soldiers and won by heroes. Sergeant was wrong. Wars are fought by soldiers and won by old men in suits.” Page 24

“Depends On the Situation” Siddharth Pashikanti reporting from the United Nations General Assembly presents his analysis on an opinion poll conducted. Premise: With fourth generation warfare tactics blurring the lines between public uprising and propaganda missions undertaken in a very violent manner, that is with arms being accessible to the common man with rather east. There arises a need for a clear definition for the term ‘terrorism’. Question: Can state sponsored demilitarization be considered as terrorism against the affected country? Sample Space: The sample space for the poll consists of a huge roster of countries. Some of them include but are not limited to New Zealand, Russian Federation, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Pakistan and many more. Result: Number of countries: 35 Yes: 7 No: 17 Abstain: 11 Analysis/Conclusion: What came as a surprise was the astonishing amount of ‘No” as a reply that has been recorded. A staggering 48.57 percent voted for no. Including countries that were notable victims of the said demilitarization operations. The country of Iran in this case voted for no while being on the receiving end of this demilitarization by the United States of America. Funnily enough Iran was quoted accusing the US of illegal intervention by military corps. That however was not the biggest controversy. The biggest however was the Russian Federation deciding to abstain from answering while also specifying explicitly that the Russian Delegation’s stance might change as per the situation. Ukraine on the other hand decided to answer in negation of the question. Considering the recent political and on ground affairs of Ukraine, this answer comes as a surprise and certainly raises questions on the many accusations by Ukraine against Russia. With the committee seemingly headed in the same direction, the answer to many of the questions raised by this opinion poll might be answered as decisions and proceedings of the committee moving forward. Page 25

MLRIT MUN 2022 INTERNATONAL PRESS TEAM REPORTERS Nakshatra Mani | Abhigna Gujjula | Chetana Chintapally | G. Dharani Reddy | Nehal | Prahas Reddy | Siddharth Pashikanti | Nikitha PHOTOJOURNALISTS K Pranav Reddy | Anirudh Gaddamanugu | Vijaya Aniroop Mantripragada | Madugu Harshavardhan | Satwik Yarlagadda HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL PRESS ......... Sai Preethi Polu EDITOR IN CHIEF ...................................... Aditya Bandike DIRECTOR OF PHOTOJOURNALISM ........... Srujan Lakka