Special Committees of the Secretariat
Star Wars Galactic Senate (New Republic)
Background Guide
TechMUN 2009
March 6-7, 2009 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Alexandria, Virginia
TechMUN 2009
March 6-7, 2009
Curtis Mills Secretary-General Naren Tallapragada Club President Greg Romais Undersecretary-General John Struck Faculty Sponsor Alexandra Pou Faculty Sponsor Email tjmodelun@gmail.com Website tjhsst.edu/mun/techmun Address Model United Nations c/o John Struck and/or Alexandra Pou 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria, VA 22312 Phone: (703) 750-8300 Fax: (703) 750-5010 Dear Delegates, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for registering for TechMUN 2009. The secretariat has prepared a Model UN conference that hopefully will exceed your expectations. This year at TechMUN there are five types of committees, each with a different feel: the Middle School General Assemblies, the High School General Assemblies, the Specialized Committees, the Special Committees of the Secretariat, and the Joint Crisis. Choose your committee wisely to suit your strengths as a delegate. Your chairs have written committee-specific background guides with introductory letters in which they lay out their expectations and requirements. Most chairs strongly recommend that you write a position paper; your chairs, the secretariat, or a member of the TechMUN staff will read your position paper. We give an award to the middle school, small high school, and large high school whose delegates have done the best position papers and research. You can help your school win this award by writing a quality paper. Whether or not your committee requires a position paper, research your topics and know your stuff. You’re going to tackle extremely complex topics and crises in committee, and we can all agree that it’s a lot more fun to debate substance. If you have any committee-specific questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail your chairs. If you have questions about TechMUN in general, feel free to contact the secretariat at the e-mail listed to the left. We look forward to seeing you and your school at TJ soon, and we hope you will have fun at TechMUN! Sincerely, Curtis Mills Naren Tallapragada Greg Romais Secretary-General Club President Undersecretary-General
The list of positions on this committee is at the end of the background guide. Why a Galactic Senate at a United Nations simulation? The answer requires us to examine a few brutal truths about MUN. First, we must accept that however much we debate child soldiers and drug trafficking, peacekeeping operations and terrorism, what we say here has little impact on the “real world.” In other words, what we come up with isn’t why MUN is valuable. Rather, the way we do it is what makes MUN a worthwhile activity. It’s the ability to compromise, make decisions, respond rationally to crises, and all the other skills that we hone through MUN. But there comes a point when you just reach a limit. You can debate AIDS and malaria and poverty only so much before you hit a roadblock to development. Diplomacy and sincere discussion no longer work, because people refuse to stray from their country’s position, locked into place by what a Wikipedia article told them. New solutions are never found for issues. The working papers end up being a mish-mash of unrelated subjects, as everyone scrambles to get their voice in there so they can be listed a sponsor. Conferences become awards-driven, and because the substance of debate and MUN has been eroded, awards become based solely on who talks the most, or who speaks the most eloquently. This isn’t what the UN is about. It’s supposed to be about countries and diplomats meeting in a forum for meaningful dialogue and exchange, where ideas can be developed, people can expand their mindsets and viewpoints, and learn to work with other people. So what have we done? We created an entirely new committee, stripped of the regularity of your regular MUN committee. By changing the context entirely and ridding you of some of the less positive evolutions of MUN, I sincerely hope that what will result is an incarnation of the goals of the UN. You might not be in a UN, or even Earthly setting, but the same principles of diplomacy and creativity apply. As a sidenote, you can probably tell that we’re taking this seriously. We’ve put a lot of work into simplifying the Star Wars universe to be viable at TechMUN, setting up the committee’s structure and guideline, developing crises, and providing you with information, and in return I hope we can expect all of you to take this seriously. You may no longer be discussing malaria or the like, but that doesn’t mean you drop your professionalism, seriousness, or preparation.
Other notes on the Galactic Senate: we will operate as a cabinet, with modifications. We will be in a permanent moderated caucus, with unmoderated caucuses whenever necessary. You can send communiqués to other agencies in the Star Wars universe (e.g. to the Jedi Council, the office of the Chief of State, the Court of Justice, etc) and you will receive responses. There is also an official news station of the Galactic Senate, HoloNet Channel 11, through which press releases can be made. As in any other cabinet, decisions the Galactic Senate makes should be the result of much discussion; quantitatively, 66% of those present must vote yes for a resolution to pass. Also, for everyone’s sake and for professionalism (do not forget that, even if you’re on the Galactic Senate, it’s still a MUN conference), please do not dress like a Star Wars character at TechMUN; come in with your regular Western business attire. Last, a note on position papers. After much contemplation, we have decided to make position papers required for the Senate. Your position paper should focus on the history and culture of your planet, which planets your planet is aligned with and which planets it has a history of hostility towards, some of the current issues your planet faces and, of course, how your planet relates to the topics at hand and some of your thoughts on the issues. The positions you take will not be clearly laid out. Rather, you will have to infer these positions based on your planet’s history and background. This gives you a flexible position from which to operate (which will, hopefully, give way to diplomacy and negotiations in the true spirit of the UN). As far as citing and bibliography goes, just put in footnotes after facts you state, and in the footnote put “Star Wars Episode V” or “Starwars.com Databank” (a very good source, by the way). Don’t worry too much about citing and sourcing, though. We hope for this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved. Hopefully, it provides you with something different, but if nothing else, maybe you can take some valuable skills away from it. It will only be as enjoyable, productive, and educational as you make it to be, so come prepared to get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to email any of us at the email addresses below. We’re looking forward to meeting all of you at TechMUN 2009! Sincerely, Varun Bansal, Chair varun0625@gmail.com Aditya Palepu, Chair Crisis Czar apalepu23@gmail.com Jonathan Kuo, Chair tubbytwinkie@gmail.com Nishanth Parameswaran, Galactic Senate nishanth9028@gmail.com
Introduction The Star Wars universe is vast and expansive, covering thousands of years and narrated via hundreds of books, video games, cartoon shows, comics, novels, and of course, the six movies themselves. No one can be expected to know everything in the Star Wars universe, so for the purposes of TechMUN 2009, limitations will be imposed on how much can be pulled from and used from the Star Wars universe. The Galactic Senate at TechMUN 2009 will take place shortly after the end of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (abbreviated SWE6), and the topics, crises, and discussion matter will concern themselves with the aftermath of the Empire: rebuilding the New Republic, recreating the Jedi Council and Order, etc. Thus, our working title is the “New Republic Senate,” but for official purposes we are the Galactic Senate (New Republic). Delegates are expected to be familiar with all six Star Wars movies. Due to the nature of the topics this committee will cover, material from Episodes III, IV, V, and VI may prove to be the most useful. The movies construct a fairly comprehensive world, with details on governmental organization, history, power structures, and other details. Some of this information is difficult to discern from the movies, however, so we advise that you go online and do a bit of additional research to come in with ideas, especially related to the planet you represent. This background guide is atypical in the sense that its purpose is to highlight salient points from the movie - not plot-related, but universe-related – and to fill in the storyline from the end of SWE6 to the “present,” where the “present” is the moment when committee starts. In other words, this background guide is going to help explain some of the features of the Star Wars world, such as how government is organized, and will fill in the details that you need to know beyond the movies. If you happen to be familiar with the Extended Universe (the Star Wars novels, merchandise, etc. that extends beyond the six movies), please note that while you are allowed to pull information from before the movies, you should disregard what comes after the movies; the Galactic Senate at TechMUN will take its own course, and will not be limited to and will stray far from the Extended Universe plot. In other words, if you are familiar with the six movies, have read this background guide, and have done some research on your planet, you will have all the information you need to operate effectively in this Senate. All information that delegates use must come from either the movies, or from the Extended Universe timeline from before the movies. No information whatsoever should come from the
Extended Universe after the movies; what happens after the six Star Wars movies up to the moment we meet is determined by us; what happens after that is determined by you. Not by random authors in the Extended Universe. Events between the end of SWE6 and the start of committee This committee will take place around 8 ABY1. At this point, the New Republic has been established, and the last three years or so have been spent liberating planets from the weakening grip of the now destroyed Galactic Empire. One of the major conflicts that occurred in this period was the Bacta War, where a fleeing Empire army took over Thyferra, a bacta producing planet that was the galaxy’s lifeline. Bear in mind that this committee also takes place before the Thrawn Crisis, where a high ranking military officer of the former Galactic Empire gathered all of its remaining troops to begin a new war in an attempt to regain the Empire’s hold on the galaxy. Structure of the New Republic Immediately after Battle of Endor, the turning point in the battle against the Galactic Empire, the band of rebels formed a transition government known as the Alliance of Free Planets. After roughly five years, the Alliance was transformed into the New Republic (unofficially, and less widely, known as the Second Galactic Republic or the New Galactic Republic, and widely referred to as the Republic), the new galactic government. The New Republic was based on the ideals and characteristics of the Old Republic, with slight modifications to safeguard against the rise of another Empire. The structure of government in the New Republic is similar to that in the Old Republic. The Republic is made up of three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch consists of a unicameral legislative body, the New Republic Senate. The powers accorded to the Senate are detailed in a section below, “Powers and Structure of the New Republic Senate.” The executive branch is led by the Chief of State; similar to a parliamentary system, the Chief of State is elected by fifty percent and one vote majority of the Senators (of the New Republic Senate). Other functions of the Chief of State include the President of the Senate and Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet (the fledgling military of the New Republic). The executive branch also includes the General Ministry, the bureaucratic mechanism of the New Republic in charge of day-to-day operations and implementation of the laws. The General Ministry itself is
1
After Battle of Yavin (the battle in Episode IV) – the Star Wars timeline is organized as BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) and ABY. BBY and ABY are, roughly, analogous to BC and AD, respectively.
composed of several permanent Ministries, smaller service Agencies, and several semi-independent Institutes. An important dynamic to note is that the Senate, through its various specialized councils, has oversight and financing authority over the counterpart Ministries. Finally, the Cabinet consists of the ministry heads and is headed by the Minister of State. The last branch is the judicial branch, which consists of the Court of Justice. Unlike in other governmental systems, the Court of Justice has the specific role of reviewing charges of violations of the New Republic Common Charter by members of the other branches of the New Republic's government – an internal oversight board, of sorts. This means that the Court of Justice does not serve as the “Supreme Court,” per se – the last court of appeal for citizen cases; those types of cases are settled at the local judicial level. In addition to this system, the New Republic government also maintains a network of regional officers on almost all member planets. Membership to the New Republic is voluntary and available to “any independent sovereign political entity representing one or more unified planetary populations, or to other recognized and definable territories, such as the surviving Alderaanians.” The member planets form a confederation organized on the principles of the New Republic Common Charter and in accord with the Declaration of a New Republic. Beyond primary membership, the New Republic also recognizes affiliate (non-voting) membership, available to “subordinate political units,” such as the individual members of a league of worlds, and to “recognized representatives of sentient species not constituting a political unit.” Powers and Structure of the New Republic Senate The New Republic Senate is recognized now as the central government of the New Republic, and is deferred to in matters of galactic policy. The New Republic Senate is made up of over 2,000 congressmen, the collective term for governordelegates (senators) or legates. Legates represent affiliate groups and do not have voting power, but are allowed to voice their concerns. The Senate is divided into many committees and subcommittees, which each handle various issues of Galactic government and lawmaking. The most prominent of these committees that you should be aware of are: the Senate Action Subcommittee, Allocations Committee, Appropriations Committee, Senate Budgetary Committee, Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee, Internal Activities Committee, Senate Interspecies Advisory Committee, Security Council, Trade Commission, Senate Military Oversight Committee, and the Senate Bureau of Intelligence. For several of these committees, their role in the New Republic has not largely been defined yet. It may be up to you, Senator, to define some of the functions of these committees as the situation calls for it. Many factions still exist within the Senate,
most notably the Core faction and the Rim faction. The members of the Core faction are mostly human, while the members of the Rim faction are generally nonhuman.
Topics
Rights of Droids We spoke with the synthetic person (his designation is not included herein, for fear that his masters might erase his memory – or worse), and he informed us that this was, in fact, a standard day on the job. When asked if it hurt to fall down the stairs, he seemed genuinely surprised by the question. "Comfort," he told us, "is not an issue. I am uncomfortable, but it allows me to look forward to a hot oil-bath in the evening, after my wonderful charges have been put to bed. This is what I do. I fall down stairs, and I allow myself to be kicked, hit, beaten upon with hammers, partially dismantled, and subjected to various other indignities. I do this so that my master does not have to suffer in these same situations. It is much better that I do so, because if I have an unpleasant experience, I can have it erased from my memory, while my master would have to live with that experience for all time. As such, one might say that droids are made to suffer -- it's our lot in life." -- Excerpt taken from an essay on droid rights written by Force adepts San Herrera and Nia Reston Droids have an incredibly wide range of uses that have made life easier for all species. They are often specialized for tasks too menial or dangerous for humans and other species, or for tasks that require extensive specialization and knowledge (medical droids, etc). Droid designers face a fundamental paradox – make the droids overly intelligent and risk rebellion, or not intelligent enough and they will be ineffectual. Droids are classified into five basic degrees. First-degree droids are capable of creative, complicated thought. Second-degree droids are used in engineering and technical fields, and also include pilot droids. Third-degree droids are generally protocol droids, while fourth-degree droids are security or military droids. Fifth-degree droids are labor droids, generally programmed to perform nonintelligent tasks. Historically, droids were typically treated as property. While more advanced droids received more respect, some protested the status of droids as slavery. The biggest issue is assessing levels of artificial intelligence, and determining which droids could be considered properly sentient. Droid emancipation seemed like a radical concept, but many opposed the use of memory wipes except for very simple droids. Droid revolutions have not been non-existent. The Great Droid Revolution was an uprising of droids on Coruscant which occurred in 4,015 BBY. It was
thought that the revolution was instigated by HK-01, a rogue Hunter-Killer assassin droid. Many parallels can be drawn to the status of clones. When the Grand Army was first unveiled on Geonosis, the Galaxy thought the clone troopers no better than their droid counterparts. Many clone troopers developed personalities and a sense of individuality. Basic rights for clones were promoted under the Old Republic, but those ideals were lost during the reign of the Empire. What rights should droids receive? What protections? Should the New Republic outlaw the ownership of certain droids? Dealing with the Aftermath of the Galactic Empire Although many beings in the galaxy rejoiced at the fall of the Galactic Empire, our work is not yet over. This section will briefly sample a small selection of the issues we still face, despite the defeat of the Empire. The issues this section will cover are: dealing with the remnants of Imperial weaponry and technology; dealing with former Imperial Stormtroopers, officers, and other sympathizers; and determining the future of the Jedi Order. Without a doubt, the Empire was advanced in its capability to devise larger, more destructive, more powerful weaponry, the likes of which are unmatched. The fall of the Empire means that there is now loose weaponry, literally, floating around. The potential for unfriendly groups, Imperial sympathizers, and other hostile organizations to seize control of these weapons is imminent and likely. Thus, we are tasked with the duty of somehow securing the weapons. Do we destroy all the weapons? But how do we know if they are all destroyed, and is it worth such a loss of technological knowledge? Do we store them? But how do we keep them secure? How do we track the weapons? These issues must be dealt with. The issue of former Stormtroopers, officers, and other sympathizers is an even trickier issue. There is a high likelihood that there are still Imperial sympathizers scattered throughout the galaxy. Those well-versed with the Dark Side, those who enjoyed high positions of power, those who feel ostracized from the new system, and those who were affronted in the rebel movement are all potential threats. How do we deal with them? What do we do to maintain fundamental rights for all living beings, but a proper level of security for all, and a stable government? But what about the common soldiers of the Empire? What of the technicians and other employees? Are they all sympathizers, or were they forced into labor, or both? What of the definite divide between the humans of the Core galaxies and the recognized non-human beings of the Rim galaxies (do not forget that the Empire
was decidedly discriminatory and was heavily biased against non-humans in its rule)? Last is the prickly issue of the Jedi Council. As a result of the infamous Order 66, issued by Palpatine, the only known Jedi is Luke Skywalker, trained by the late Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. This does not preclude the existence of other Forcesensitive individuals; as we discuss these issues, Skywalker is touring the galaxies, searching for Force-sensitive children to bring back with him to a new Jedi training center. In the Old Republic, the relationship between the Jedi and the government was never well-defined; sometimes it was seen as integrated within the government, at other times it was seen as a policing force; sometimes it was controlled by oversight from within the government, at other times it was entirely autonomous. These issues must be resolved as well, to ensure the success of a new Jedi Order, in which we all have a vested interest. Consider the questions listed after each paragraph, and think about the other issues we must deal with now that the Empire is gone. The topic as a whole is complex, but by focusing on groups of problems, it can be dealt with. May the Force be with you.
List of Positions (Planet – Name of Senator)
Position 1: Chandrila – Senator Mon Mothma Position 2: Bakura – Senator Molierre Cundertol Position 3: Naboo – Senator Arani Korden Position 4: Bothawui – Senator Mak Sezala Position 5: Dac – Senator Clighal Position 6: Kashyyyk – Senator Kerrithrarr Position 7: Tatooine – Senator Kyle Darklighter Position 8: Forest Moon of Endor – Senator Wicket Teebo Position 9: Kothlis – Senator Borsk Fey'lya Position 10: Rodia – Senator Navik the Red Position 11: Ando – Senator Po Vagger Position 12: Ryloth – Senator Kur Position 13: Sullust – Senator Sian Tevv Position 14: Clak'dor VII – Senator Nara Deega Position 15: Arbra – Senator Plif Position 16: Ithor – Senator Umwaw Moolis Position 17: Elom – Senator Kav Spijek Position 18: Ralltiir – Senator Dennix Shiirba Position 19: Antar 4 – Senator Ta'laam Ranth Position 20: Tibrin – Senator Gume Saam Position 21: Corellia – Senator Shyla Dallasal Position 22: Brentaal IV – Senator Allia Pokahr Position 23: Malastare – Senator Sebanga Position 24: Froz – Senator Scortrintoris Position 25: Metellos – Senator Gilad Delvari Position 26: Yag'Dhul – Senator Na-Soth Vyrr