NationStates Jolt Archive

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #6
Proposed by: Kiften

Description: UN Resolution #6: End Slavery (Category: Human Rights; Strength: Significant) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: This Assembly,

DENOUNCING all forms of slavery, wherever they might exist;

UNDERSTANDING that legislation to defend against the possibility of slavery must ensure that said laws prevent misinterpretation or abuse;

RECOGNISING Resolution 6, "End Slavery", as a worthy attempt to tackle this problem, but flawed and ineffective for multiple reasons, and as such hinders the ability of the UN to fully eradicate slavery and its associated abuses;

NOTING the following inconsistencies and problems inherent within Resolution 6:

1) The lack of a definition for slavery
2) The statement outlawing the selling or purchasing of people does not grant freedom to any current slaves, effectively allowing slaveowners a 'grandfather clause'
3) The right to travel freely is in direct contrast with a government's ability to imprison a suspect or criminal, to enable a quarantine for contagious diseases or devastated areas, or provide restriction for unauthorized access to any place
4) The right to bodily safety from one's employer is worded vaguely, as one's employer might require said employee to participate in a function of his job which could hold the possibility of injury
5) The right to two week's notice is incompatible with many jobs, such as military and contract work
6) The 'right to own possessions' clause in the original is poorly written, and may preclude some UN governments from complying with this section

HEREBY REPEALS resolution 6, rendering it null and void

STRONGLY URGING the introduction of a more effective replacement resolution as soon as possible.




A replacement draft is being drawn up that promises to be much more comprehensive and eliminate any possible loopholes that might exist.

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=468347

I'd say that point 4 is probably your strongest one.

Something rubs me the wrong way about how this is phrased, but I'm not sure what...

Hack,

Do you think that I should bump that to number one? If you have any ideas, please let me know.

Nicodemus Larynger,
-Protectorate of Kiften-

DEFINING slavery as the state of one bound in servitude as the property of an individual or group of individuals, excepting for citizens imprisoned legally in order to compensate for their food and boarding;

MANDATES that legislation to defend against the possibility of slavery must ensure that said laws prevent misinterpretation or abuse;

REALIZES that Resolution 6 is ineffective for a number of reasons;

NOTES the following inconsistencies and problems inherent within Resolution 6:

All this should not be written in operative form. The "mandates" clause is especially illegal for a repeal. The definition is irrelevant, etc. Basically, don't worry about this part, and expand the rest into an argument.

Edited for further review.

Nicodemus Larynger,
-Protectorate of Kiften-

See also my comments on the proposed replacement.

DEFINING slavery as the state of one bound in servitude as the property of an individual or group of individuals, excepting for citizens imprisoned legally in order to compensate for their food and boarding;
There is no need to include a definition. You could, perhaps, point out that resolution #6, does not provide a definition, though.

UNDERSTANDING that legislation to defend against the possibility of slavery must ensure that said laws prevent misinterpretation or abuse;
Yes, agreed. You might add (start with?) an extra clause effectively "DECRYING slavery and believing it a UN priority to eliminate it".

REALIZING that Resolution 6 is ineffective for a number of reasons;
Right. You could also add "and such hinders the ability of the UN to combat and eliminate slavery more than it helps it".

NOTING the following inconsistencies and problems inherent within Resolution 6:
Ok...
I've thought of a couple of other problems: it doesn't allow states to isolate people with contagious diseases (this argument was used against the UN Biological Weapons Ban), and it also does not allow any restriction on where people can travel (such as high-security military sites). It also technically outlaws prisons.

HEREBY declares this resolution to be null and void
Personally, I prefer "HEREBY REPEALS Resolution #6" or similar.

You also must put something stressing the importance of replacement, and I would include a direct link to your other thread, with the replacement.

Gruenberg,

Thank you for your insightful comments. I have re-edited the draft for further review.

UNDERSTANDING that legislation to defend against the possibility of slavery must ensure that said laws prevent misinterpretation or abuse;

DENOUNCING all forms of slavery, wherever they might exist;
Good, but I would swap these around. First denounce slavery. Your repeal will be titled: "Repeal 'End Slavery'". Since you can't make a good impression, it's vital you make a good second one [for example, Omigodtheykilledkenny began "Repeal 'Gay Rights'" with a clause affirming the importance of gay rights].

REALIZING that Resolution 6 is ineffective for a number of reasons, and therefore in unable to effectively prevent slavery;
Could I suggest a rewrite to this line? It still seems muddled to me:

"RECOGNISING Resolution 6, "End Slavery", as a worthy attempt to tackle this problem, but as flawed and ineffective, and as such hindering the ability of the UN to fully eradicate slavery and its associated abuses"



The rest I like. It's looking promising.

Gruenberg,

The further edit suggestions have been duly noted and implemented.

I'd suggest adding

'STRONGLY URGES the introduction of a more effective replacement resolution as soon as possible.'

after the ' HEREBY REPEALS' clause.

Dear delegates,

Would anyone care to take this to proposal?

Best of luck with the proposal, My nation likes slavery.