Dartmouth Model United Nations April 5 - 7, 2019 Future ... · Future Crisis: Post-Apocalyptic Asia DartMUN XIV Committee Overview Model United Nations, or MUN, is a worldwide academic

Dartmouth Model United Nations April 5 - 7, 2019

Future Crisis: Post-Apocalyptic Asia

Dartmouth Model United Nations Conference 14th Annual Conference – April 5 – 7, 2019

Dartmouth College – Rockefeller Center – Hanover, NH 03755 E-mail: [email protected] - http://sites.dartmouth.edu/modelun

December 5, 2018 Dear Delegates: On behalf of the entire Dartmouth Model United Nations staff, I would like to welcome and thank you for registering for the fourteenth annual Dartmouth Model United Nations conference this April 2019. We have been working relentlessly since the end of last year’s conference to provide a better and more worthwhile Model U.N. experience for this spring’s delegates. DartMUN is a unique conference. We pair world-class delegations and dais staff members in smaller, more-interactive environments to facilitate an enriching experience for delegates of all skill levels. We believe DartMUN’s active, small committees ensure delegates feel comfortable immersing themselves in a competitive but supportive environment that encourages trial by error and participation. Furthermore, DartMUN’s well-trained staff is excited to work with your delegates this winter in committee to equip the next generation of college students with the skills to tackle complex global problems. This being said, Model United Nations is only meaningful when delegates are thoroughly prepared. To aid in your research preparation, your committee staff has spent hours researching, writing, and editing this Background Guide. The Background Guide serves as an introduction to your respective committee and an overview of the topics that you will be debating over the course of the conference. The Background Guide is intended to be a starting point for your research and is not, in itself, an adequate exposure to the complexities of your committee’s topics. To be prepared, each delegate should do further research and focus on processing information through the lens of their respective country or position. If you are having trouble digesting all the information, the Background Guide contains relevant discussion questions that break down the topics. Also, as questions or ideas arise, do not be shy in contacting your committee staff via e-mail. Committee staff are knowledgeable and can help you better understand a particular topic or how your country fits into a larger international debate. More often than not, discussing the problem with another person can open up more paradigms and viewpoints that may guide you throughout the brainstorming process. As in years past, all delegates are expected to write a brief position paper before the conference to synthesize all of their preparatory research and analysis. Please see the position paper guidelines on the conference website for specific information about content, format, etc. Committee staff will collect position papers at the beginning of the first committee session on Friday evening. Bring a hard copy because delegates who do not submit position papers will not be eligible for awards. I look forward to meeting you this coming spring. Sincerely, Lauren Bishop Secretary-General DartMUN XIV

Lauren Bishop Secretary-General

Shelley Wang

Director-General

Mila Escadajillo Chief of Staff

Brandon Zhou Charge d’Affaires

Clayton Jacques

Undersecretary-General of General Assembly

Daniel Bring

Undersecretary-General of Special Committees

Nishanth Chalasani

Undersecretary-General of Current Crises

Samuel Zarkower

Undersecretary-General of Future and Historical Crises

Bill Kosmidis

Undersecretary-General of Ad-Hoc

Alec Rossi

Director of Finance and Public Relations

Bethany David

Director of Technology

Shawdi Mehrvarzan Deputy Chief of Staff

DartMUN is a student-run, non-profit, all volunteer organization sponsored by

the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy.

Dartmouth Model United Nations Conference 14th Annual Conference – April 5 – 7, 2019

Dartmouth College – Rockefeller Center – Hanover, NH 03755 E-mail: [email protected] - http://sites.dartmouth.edu/modelun

December 5, 2018 Dear Delegates:

Welcome to DartMUN and the Post-Apocalyptic East Asia Future Crisis Committee! Over the next few days, you’ll be determining the fate of East Asia in the wake of a cataclysmic meteor strike. Our committee will begin in 2025 after the initial disaster. We hope that you will fully take advantage of this opportunity to reshape the region, and perhaps the world.

A bit about ourselves (your chairs!): Ryan McCann is a ‘22 at Dartmouth College from just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. He will be one of your chairs for your time here at this conference. He has been involved with Model UN since his high school freshman year. He is currently planning on studying biology, specifically genetics and genetic engineering, but as you’ll find with nearly all college freshmen, nothing is set in stone. Outside of MUN, he is part of the Dartmouth College Marching Band (shout out to all the band geeks here), the Boxing and Conditioning Club, the Aegis Yearbook, and is an EMT in Dartmouth EMS. In the few short months he has been here, he has grown to absolutely love this college and everything about it.

Kyle Mullins is a ’22 at Dartmouth College and he will be your crisis manager. He hopes that everyone is looking forward to DartMUN as much as he is – this committee is going to be a BLAST! (Yes, pun intended.) He is originally from sunny St. Petersburg, Florida, so these whole “cold weather” and “seasons” concepts are really new and confusing. He has been a part of MUN since middle school, and he has experience in both general assembly and crisis committees. Here at Dartmouth, he is currently planning on studying some combination of Economics, Government, Public Policy, and Spanish, though that’s still a very open path. Outside of MUN, he is an aspiring journalist writing for the main paper on campus, The Dartmouth (the oldest college newspaper in the country, and don’t let anyone – cough, Miami University, cough – tell you otherwise). He is also a member of the climbing team, a frequent attendee of political events, a live-in member of the Great Issues Scholars program, and an avid news junkie. He recently fell into the breathtaking gorgeousness of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and he also has a particular penchant for podcasts.

Ezgi Okutan is a ’22 at Dartmouth College and she will be one of your crisis chairs. This is going to be her fourteenth conference overall and fourth chairing experience. She has been an admin, an executive board member, a delegate, and also a chair, and has loved every second of it. She is from Istanbul, Turkey: international student alert! Looking back, studying here at Dartmouth has been a very enjoyable and rewarding journey for her. She is majoring in engineering sciences modified with economics, and intends to minor in government. Outside of Model UN, she skiis, snowboards, and windsurfs. In addition, she writes for The Dartmouth, our school’s main newspaper, as an opinion columnist. She also enjoys writing poetry; in fact, I published a poetry book last year! She is part of a first-year community called Great Issues Scholars, in which she discusses global issues.

This committee will be conducted according to Parliamentary Procedure. As co-chairs, we’ll be switching off to moderate debate. Because this is a crisis committee, you will be presented with new, changing information on the situations you are handling. As a future committee, it’s especially important that you have a strong understanding of your character’s motivations so that you can adapt to crisis situations. To get into the 2025 spirit, feel free to bring props and costumes (to tastefully supplement your western business attire)! It’s an exciting and fast-paced flow of debate that we’re excited for you to experience!

We hope that this background guide will be a helpful starting point in your research and will help you get to know your delegation. If you have questions about anything – from research to parliamentary procedure – please don’t hesitate to ask. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the conference! Best,

Ryan McCann, Kyle Mullins, and Ezgi

Lauren Bishop Secretary-General

Shelley Wang

Director-General

Mila Escadajillo Chief of Staff

Brandon Zhou Charge d’Affaires

Clayton Jacques

Undersecretary-General of General Assembly

Daniel Bring

Undersecretary-General of Special Committees

Nishanth Chalasani

Undersecretary-General of Current Crises

Samuel Zarkower

Undersecretary-General of Future and Historical Crises

Bill Kosmidis

Undersecretary-General of Ad-Hoc

Alec Rossi

Director of Finance and Public Relations

Bethany David

Director of Technology

Shawdi Mehrvarzan Deputy Chief of Staff

DartMUN is a student-run, non-profit, all volunteer organization

sponsored by the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy.

Future Crisis: Post-Apocalyptic Asia DartMUN XIV

Committee Overview

Model United Nations, or MUN, is a

worldwide academic program that promotes

understanding of and involvement in

international relations and global issues

through simulation of the real United

Nations. The United Nations is an

international organization, often called a

peacekeeping body, that ensures active

efforts by all 192 member states to the

principles of peace, justice, equality, and

human dignity.

What are Crisis Committees? Crisis Committees are specialized groups at

DartMUN that spend most of their time

dealing with real-time events that require

immediate attention and action. These crises

range from terrorist attacks to natural

disasters to corruption within a certain

organization. Common considerations of

crisis committees include: understanding the

crisis and its implications, informing/not

informing the press and public, undertaking

immediate damage-control, reacting to the

actions of other groups, and preventing

future crises.

Simulation Overview

Parliamentary Procedure Specific to Crisis

Committees (adapted)

The same parliamentary procedures which

are used for GAs and Specials apply to the

Crisis Committees. However, Crisis

Committees tend to be more informal than

other committees, that is, they require a

limited use of parliamentary procedure.

They are often times more unstructured, and

the flow of the committee is heavily

dependent on the discretion of the chair. The

chair will make his/her procedural

preferences clear at the start of the first

committee session.

There may be a speaker’s list, yet most

committees do without one. There is often

no official setting of the agenda, as debate

tends to flow between topics and is

determined by the pertinent crisis at hand.

In general, discussion occurs through

moderated caucuses in which the chair calls

upon delegates to speak. Delegates motion

for moderated caucuses of a specified

length and speaking time and on a specified

topic. Many issues may be discussed


concurrently and crises introduced by the

crisis staff may interrupt discussion.

Occasionally, unmoderated caucuses

(motioned for by a delegate) are held in

which formal debate is suspended and

delegates speak at will in groups of their

choosing. In voting, a motion for an

unmoderated caucus takes precedence over a

motion for a moderated caucus. Often,

motions are simply passed without voting if

there are no competing motions.

Action is taken through directives, and there

are generally no working papers or

resolutions, unless the chair so desires.

Notes are used to communicate between

delegates while the committee proceeds.

They may also be sent to delegates on

another committee if it is a JCC. They are

often used to work with delegates of similar

viewpoints to coordinate actions. Questions

can also be sent to the chair (or crisis staff)

in a note.

Directives: In order to carry out any action during

committee, a directive must be sent by an

individual, a group of individuals, or the

committee as a whole. If it is not on behalf

of the entire committee, then the delegate(s)

can choose to make the directive private and

it will not be revealed to the whole

committee. If the chair deems necessary, the

directive may need to be introduced by a

requisite number of writers. To pass a

directive on behalf of the whole committee,

a simple majority vote is required. The chair

will hold a vote as each directive is

introduced.

Types of Directives: There are three types of directives – Action

Orders, Communiqués, and Press Releases.

Action orders are used to direct troops,

agencies, individuals, etc. to take an action

that is within the authority of the committee.

An individual may only send an action order

if it is within his powers (check the

background guide for a summary of the

characters and their committee roles and

powers). A communiqué is used to

communicate with foreign governments,

other committees of the JCC, or individuals

outside the committee. A press release is

used to reveal information to the public.

Examples of Directives Action Order:

Direct Allied forces to invade Normandy,

France on June 6th. Paratroopers shall be


dropped behind enemy lines on June 4th.

Landings shall take place at Utah, Omaha,

Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches.

-The Allies

Communiqué

To the Emperor of Japan:

We demand an immediate, unconditional

surrender by all Japanese forces within 48

hours, or we shall be forced to unleash

heretofore unimaginable devastation upon

your cities.

- The Allies

Press Release

Yesterday, Dec. 7, 1941 - a date which will

live in infamy - the United States of

America was suddenly and deliberately

attacked by naval and air forces of the

Empire of Japan.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Examples of Notes To a member of the same committee:

[Address Section on outside of Note]

To: Franklin D. Roosevelt

From: Winston Churchill

[Message on inside of Note]

We ask that you work with us to increase

intelligence efforts directed against our so-

called allies, the Soviets, so that we will not

be surprised by any actions they take after

the war.

- Winston Churchill

To chair/crisis staff:

[Address Section on outside of Note]

To: Chair/Crisis

From: Winston Churchill

[Message on inside of Note]

What is the current disposition of British

forces in the Middle East?

- Winston Churchill

An Outline of How a Typical Crisis

Committee ‘Flows

» A moderated caucus takes place with

delegates outlining their position.

» A delegate motions for a moderated

caucus on a specified topic of a specified

length with a specified speaking time.

» Delegates discuss actions to take regarding

that topic through the moderated caucus and

through notes.


» Delegates submit directives to the chair to

take an action and motion to introduce the

directive.

» Discussion on the directives will proceed

through the current moderated caucus and

amendments may be proposed and voted on.

» A delegate will motion to vote on a

directive and the directive is either passed or

rejected.

» A crisis will occur, oftentimes in the

middle of debate. The crisis staff will

introduce new information or developments

through news articles, videos, intelligence

reports, etc.

» Discussion will shift informally or

through a new moderated caucus to discuss

this development.

Delegations in Attendance:

1. The People’s Republic of China is the

main power in the region, the 10,000-

pound elephant in the room. They are

well-prepared for the crisis – the central

government estimates that, barring any

disruption, they have enough food and

water stored to last the population a

year and a half to two years with strict

rationing. Their military is still strong,

and with the United States out of the

picture, it is likely China will pursue an

expansionist strategy in the region,

seeking to impose its power on other

countries – though its offensive

capabilities are questionable. It must

keep domestic unrest to a minimum and

repair the export-oriented economy;

otherwise, the Communist Party will

start to lose its grip on power. Relations

with Taiwan deteriorated even further

in the years before the strike – perhaps

an invasion will raise the people's’

morale? Or will it cause domestic

backlash? Additionally, the erratic

behavior of North Korea caused a

formal break in relations in early 2024,

and the hermit kingdom seems to be

slowly spiralling out of control.

2. Japan is a powerful force in the

region. Before the strike, as American

retrenchment and chaos grew greater

in the face of the impending crisis,

Japan and South Korea worked

valiantly to put aside their historical


differences and signed a series of

diplomatic and military alliances

(Japan finally succeeded in amending

its constitution to allow a formal

military in 2022, and has been

building it rapidly). One was aimed at

North Korea (see South Korea’s entry

for more detail). The relatively rich

and stable government managed to

stockpile significant amounts of

supplies pre-crisis, and under martial

law began implementing a strict

rationing system months before the

impact that should extend their

supplies for several years. Japan is

also pouring massive amounts of

money into a joint scientific venture

with South Korea to research

urban/indoor farming and genetically

modified crops. The two countries

called the conference ostensibly in

order to promote humanitarian efforts

and manage crises, but in reality, both

want to encourage the other countries

in the region to stand up to Chinese

expansionism.

3. South Korea is in a precarious

position. Its neighbor to the north, the

Democratic People’s Republic of

Korea, is suspected to have as many

as 100 nuclear warheads, including

one that they tested in international

waters in the far northern Pacific,

which roused international

condemnation and, eventually, a

break in relations with the People’s

Republic of China. Several skirmishes

between North Korean military units

and South Korea/Japanese units have

occurred, further raising tensions.

Intelligence and news reports indicate

that, apart from stockpiling yet more

luxuries for the ruling regime, North

Korea made no effort to prepare for

the asteroid strike. In response, the

South Korean government has

pursued similar policies to Japan,

stockpiling resources, implementing

martial law, and rationing all

resources. The South Korean military

and its missile defense systems are on

high alert, prepared for anything that

might come south.

4. Vietnam is a nation that greatly

values its autonomy. The

authoritarian Vietnamese government

implemented strict rationing,

agricultural planning, and martial law


far ahead of most other countries in

the region, and halted food exports in

2023, ensuring a significant stockpile.

Though concerns have grown about

government officials hoarding

resources for themselves, any

evidence of corruption is harshly put

down as “destabilizing.” Despite

aggressive domestic policies,

Vietnam’s primary goal is to maintain

stability in the region, and to build

leverage against China.

5. Indonesia, in the wake of the news

of the impending asteroid strike,

began to pursue a more assertive

foreign policy in coordination with

other ASEAN members. Its

government began to prepare for the

impact and began cracking down on

instances of public disorder

immediately after, but given its vast

population and varied geography, its

stockpiles are not extensive and

some outer regions like West Papua

are grumbling about independence.

Some have begun leaving and

attempting the journey to Australia,

New Zealand, and even China. If it

can consolidate control at home and

secure the necessary resources for its

population, Indonesia will be a major

player; if it fractures, it will be taken

advantage of by its rivals.

6. Australia was in an excellent

position to handle the crisis. The

government seized farmland across

the nation and converted almost all

of it to food production, stored vast

surpluses, and even began exporting

to countries struggling to stockpile

enough food for their populations.

The population of livestock animals

has been significantly decreased to

free up crops for people. The most

food-secure of all countries in the

region, Australia is a valuable ally

to have, and is sure to leverage this

influence in committee. However,

this makes them attractive, and

flows of migrants from Indonesia

and other countries have strained

ties with ASEAN and prompted a

buildup of their Maritime Border

Command. Ties with New Zealand

are especially strong thanks to their

shared history, systems of

government, and defense treaties.


As the US retreated, the two

reaffirmed their alliance.

7. Russia and China signed the Treaty

of Good-Neighborliness and

Friendly Cooperation, a military

treaty intended to counter the United

States’ presence in Asia, which was

going to stay in effect until 2025,

prior to the discovery of the meteor.

Now that the US Presence is gone,

Russia aims to grow its radius of

power, and sees China as its greatest

rival. However, China is Russia’s

biggest trade partner, and rising

tensions have the potential to harm

the Russian economy substantially.

On the other hand, China depends on

Russia as an oil exporter, which

Russia aims to play as a trump card.

8. India and the US had been working

together to counter an increasingly

assertive China before the meteor

strike. Apart from that, the Indian

government had been working hard

to form good relationships with its

neighbour, and strengthening ties

with ASEAN countries. India

specifically was seeking to secure

partnerships with Vietnam and

Japan. After the disaster, India lost a

huge global partner, and worries that

it will lose its global power, so it is

looking for new strategic partners.

Also, the growing Chinese-Russian-

Pakistani relations worries India

greatly.

9. Thailand is a member of ASEAN,

so after the apocalypse, together with

other ASEAN members, it looks

forward to increasing its

international influence. However,

territorial disputes with Cambodia

and internal instability persist.

10. The Philippines is also a founding

member of ASEAN. However,

disputes over the South China Sea

and the Spratly Islands continue to

create tensions between the

Philippines, China, Malaysia,

Taiwan and Vietnam. The

Philippines is currently under a

military dictatorship.

11. New Zealand pursued a similar

strategy as Australia. A unity

coalition was formed in the


government, and preparation for the

strike went smoothly. Rather than

nationalizing the farms, the

government banned the production

of non-food crops and began buying

up surpluses rather than exporting.

The population of livestock animals

has been significantly decreased to

free up crops for people. New

Zealand thus also has a large

surplus of food and resources, and

its isolation and alliance with

Australia protect it from foreign

threats. It has also seen migrant

flows, but to a far lesser extent due

to the size of the Tasman Sea. The

government was initially

welcoming, but after the strike and

subsequent earthquakes, the public

has turned against this policy, which

may need to be revised.

12. Malaysia is another ASEAN

member that holds territorial claims

in the Spratlys Islands and the South

China Sea. Malaysia and its

neighbour Indonesia have both sent

special envoys in order to settle the

1 "Malaysia's South China Sea Policy: Playing It Safe." The Diplomat. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2016.

maritime borders, maintaining a

smooth diplomatic process which

Malaysia embraced. However, since

2013 there is an ongoing intrusion

to Malaysian maritime borders from

China; it does not only infringe

Malaysia’s national sovereignty but

also poses a threat to fisherman.

After the intrusion of a Chinese

vessel, Malaysia condemned China

and currently a tension has arisen

between the two nations.1

13. Singapore is also a member state in

ASEAN, and a strong advocate for

the regionalization efforts in

Southeast Asia. Amidst the global

crisis, Singapore aims to strengthen

its economy and play a balanced,

yet tactful diplomacy in order to

become a regional leader. On the

other hand, Singapore had been

maintaining close ties with China,

and supporting it as an emergent

power.2 Now, it has two options:

either to grow behind China’s lead,

or to wage a diplomatic war against

China. Close relationships and

2 "Singapore, China leaders laud deep, growing ties". TODAYonline.


military alliances with United

Kingdom. Malaysia, Australia and

New Zealand exists.3

14. Myanmar is another member state

in ASEAN, and therefore has

similar interests to the other

member states with regards to

seeking to increase international

influence.4 In the time leading up to

the strike, the government of

Myanmar stockpiled its chief

exports (dried legumes and natural

gas) in preparation.5 However, due

to the pandemonium of the

impending strike, the pre-existing

crisis surrounding the Rohingya

inflamed and became far more

violent.6

3 Malaysia: Military Alliances:Written question - 2257". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015. 4 “ASEAN Member States.” ASEAN | ONE VISION ONE IDENTITY ONE COMMUNITY, https://asean.org/asean/asean-member-states/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 5 OEC - Burma (MMR) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/mmr/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 6 OEC - Burma (MMR) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners.

15. Laos is another member state in

ASEAN, and therefore has similar

interests to the other member states

with regards to seeking to increase

international influence.7 However, it

should be noted that Laos has close

ties with Vietnam. Following the

public announcement of the

impending strike in 2021, riots

broke out throughout the country.

As a result, the government utilized

the Lao People’s Army to suppress

any and all dissent.8

16. Cambodia is in dire need of

assistance. With the majority of

Cambodia’s exports consisting of

textiles, the economy has been

negatively impacted.9 While some

rice and fish were stockpiled prior

https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/mmr/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 7 “ASEAN Member States.” ASEAN | ONE VISION ONE IDENTITY ONE COMMUNITY, https://asean.org/asean/asean-member-states/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 8 “What Type Of Government Does Laos Have?” WorldAtlas, https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-type-of-government-does-laos-have.html. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 9 OEC - Cambodia (KHM) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/khm/.


to the strike, these stores are

dwindling quickly. They need to

quickly establish a steady supply of

foodstuffs. Perhaps they can

establish a military alliance with

one of the great powers in exchange

for these greatly needed supplies.

17. Papua New Guinea has a strong

alliance with Australia and, by

extension, with New Zealand.10 Due

to this and close proximity to

ASEAN members as well, Papua

New Guinea attempts to mediate the

two. However, Papua New Guinea

has also taken a hardline stance with

regards to migrants in order to

maintain positive relations with

Australia.

18. Mongolia has cultivated friendly

relations with all major powers.

Situated strategically between

Russia and China, its export-based

economy saw a boom as

international governments began

preparing for the asteroid strike,

Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 10 “Papua New Guinea Country Brief.” Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

increasing infrastructure spending

and thus driving raw material prices

up globally. The Mongolian

government used the new inflow of

tax revenues to begin storing food

and supplies. However, when the

president, prime minister, and

multiple members of parliament

were caught embezzling funds and

hoarding supplies less than three

months before the impact, massive

riots broke out in Ulaanbaatar that

resulted in the resignation of much

of the government. The hastily

elected new president, rumored to

be very close to Russia, quickly

consolidated power. How Mongolia

balances a Russo-Chinese rivalry

and develops its still-rural economy

remains to be seen.

19. Brunei is another member state in

ASEAN, and therefore has similar

interests to the other member states

with regards to seeking to increase

http://dfat.gov.au/geo/papua-new-guinea/Pages/papua-new-guinea-country-brief.aspx. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018.


international influence.11 Brunei did

not stockpile food leading up to the

strike, and therefore is entering the

committee in need of assistance.

However, Brunei has large reserves

of petroleum that it can exchange

for food.12

20. Taiwan faces a daunting task ahead

of it. Without the United States’

protection, it must now find a new

way to survive. Thankfully though,

it has an extensive military

stockpile at its disposal. However, it

needs to gain recognition and

support from other states. Perhaps

then the Republic of China can

realize its old ambitions and

recapture its mainland territories.

21. Nepal, being located directly on a

major fault line, was ravaged by

earthquakes following the impact. Due

to this, the Nepalese Army is currently

providing aid to the survivors of the

11 “ASEAN Member States.” ASEAN | ONE VISION ONE IDENTITY ONE COMMUNITY, https://asean.org/asean/asean-member-states/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 12 OEC - Brunei (BRN) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/brn/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018.

disaster and is therefore unable to be

mobilized at this time. It should be

noted that Nepal has access to major

freshwater sources.13

22. Bangladesh shares land borders with

India, and just like India, it is a member

of South Asian Association for

Regional Cooperation. Also, it is a

member of the Organisation of Islamic

Cooperation along with Malaysia.

Apart from that, China is Bangladesh’s

largest trade partner and eighty percent

of the Bangladeshi army’s munitions

and equipment are provided by China.14

Thus, it seems like after the meteor,

Bangladesh has no choice but to follow

China’s lead.

23. Sri Lanka would like to remain

independent. However, it has recently

strengthened its ties with India in order

to acquire the support, military

assistance and economic resources that

it needs to survive. If it fails to

13 OEC - Nepal (NPL) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners. https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/npl/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2018. 14 Sheikh Shahariar Zaman (18 March 2014). "China biggest arms supplier to Bangladesh". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2017.


adeqautely supply itself, then it may

descend into civil war once again.

Post-Apocalyptic East Asia

Overview

In 2019, scientists at the Chinese

National Space Administration spotted

an extremely large asteroid on a collision

course with Earth. When informed, Xi

Jinping made the fateful decision to not

release the information publicly, and it

wasn’t until late 2021 that the European

Space Agency spotted the same rock

hurtling towards our planet. China used

the extra two years of warning to begin

preparing for the strike, assuming that

with a strong central government, a

powerful military, and proper

preparation, they could come out on top.

When the ESA announced their findings,

worldwide astronomical and scientific

efforts focused on finding a way to

divert it rather than prepare for it. As the

rock drew nearer, NASA and the ESA

grew increasingly desperate, and their

final attempts in late 2024 failed. The

exact impact site was known by then:

Hopewell, Missouri, roughly an hour

south of St. Louis.

The impact on September 29, 2024, was

apocalyptic. The crater itself stretched

hundreds of kilometers. Firestorms

ignited across North America within

seconds, followed by devastating

windstorms within hours, and debris

thrown up from the crater caused

catastrophic mudslides. The United

States was annihilated as a global power,

Canada’s population was almost

completely obliterated, and Mexico’s

government collapsed in the chaos. The

American federal government relocated

to Anchorage, Alaska, but is almost

powerless; California, Oregon, and

Washington are the only states on the

mainland with any semblance at all of a

surviving population. Globally,

earthquakes rocked every fault line,

causing effectively random tsunamis and

destruction. Freak hurricanes caused by

the sudden changes in climate suddenly

form, slam into the coasts, and dissipate

almost as quickly. Most importantly, the

global temperature dropped several

degrees celsius within a month due to

the massive amount of debris in the


atmosphere, leading to short-term crop

failures. It is expected that extensive

acid rain will lead to long-term

agricultural damage that will need to be

addressed.

In the ensuing chaos, Japan and South

Korea jointly convened the Conference

of Asian Nations (CAN) in Kyoto to

coordinate diplomacy and relief efforts

in Asia. Ostensibly, the organization

seeks to build up the region as a global

power in the wake of the United States’s

collapse, promote good relations among

historically squabbling members, and

avert famines and loss of life as much as

possible. In reality, each nation is

desperate to survive – or even thrive – in

the newly zero-sum world. Delegates

will grapple with each other in the front

room as old and new geopolitical fault

lines pose problems, and alliances will

rise – and presumably, eventually, fall –

as the circumstances change.

The committee begins in January 2025,

three months after the impact. Little is

known about the state of the North

American continent, and no contact has

been made with any country in the

Americas since the impact due to the

failure of satellites and the mysterious

breakdown of undersea cables. Afro-

Eurasian nations remain mostly in

contact with one another thanks to

aboveground and underground

infrastructure, so coordination and

conflict with the Middle East, Africa,

and Europe are possible.

Portfolio Powers • China

o Has an army and a navy. Can

deploy them around the world to

conquer or stabilize regions.

o Has a powerful intelligence

apparatus – the Ministry of State

Security. Can spy on other

delegates and launch cyber-

attacks in order to stymie the

portfolio powers of other states.

o China’s vast size gives it

substantial resources to trade

with other countries.

• Japan

o Japan’s research and

development teams are top-

notch, so they will be able to

improve their military, farming,


and resource extraction

capabilities.

o Japan’s has a small but

technologically-advanced and

well-trained military, and a navy

that can conduct operations

outside Japan. They can be sent

around the world in order to

capture territory or counter other

actors.

• South Korea

o South Korea’s research and





capabilities.

o South Korea’s military,

especially land and air forces are

strong but mostly preoccupied

with North Korea.

• Vietnam

o Vietnam’s well-trained, very

large army can be a formidable

force on the ground.

o Coordination with ASEAN allies

offers diplomatic clout in

negotiations.

o Vietnam’s censorship over the

Internet makes them less

vulnerable to internal dissent.

• Indonesia

o Indonesia is one of the leading

nations in ASEAN, so it can

coordinate with ASEAN allies.

o Indonesian marine corps can

engage in amphibious warfare to

protect its borders against

plunderers.

o Indonesia has a young and

growing population, and its

manpower can be recruited to the

army in case of a war. This

attracts potential allies.

• Australia

o Australia’s Coast Guard and

Navy excel at defense of

mainland Australia and their

allies.

o Australia’s research and


notch, allowing them to improve

their military, farming, and

resource extraction capabilities.

o Agricultural sector is massive

and well-organized, making

Australia a possible source of

humanitarian aid


o Military coordination with other

Five Power Defence

Arrangements members (United

Kingdom. Malaysia, Australia

and New Zealand).

• Russia

o Russia is the greatest exporter of

natural gas, oil, and firearms to

China. They can economically

sanction other states, which will

make the other states’ portfolio

powers less effective.

o Military action: Russia has a well

trained army and navy. Can

deploy these forces around the

world.

o Foreign intelligence: Russia’s

GRU can spy on the actions of

other delegates and organize

assassination attempts.

o Secret trade deals: Can trade oil,

natural gas, and small arms

equipment.

• India

o Foreign intelligence: can spy on

the actions of other states.

o Military action: can use its army

to conquer territory or counter

other actors. Can deploy its navy

around the globe.

o

• Thailand

o Diplomatic cooperation with

ASEAN members lends it clout

in negotiations.

o Can deploy its army and navy

around Southeast Asia.

• Philippines

o Diplomatic cooperation with

ASEAN members

o Embargoes and Sanctions: The

Philippines has been enjoying

external liquidity, and has a

surplus of foreign currency.

Thus, sanctions’ consequences

would be negligible.

• New Zealand

o New Zealand’s research and





capabilities.


Five Power Defence



and New Zealand).

• Malaysia


o Can engage in diplomatic

coordination with ASEAN

members and with members of

the Organisation of Islamic

Cooperation

o Arrangement of Foreign Direct

Investments: Malaysia has a

strong business environment so it

can make deals with foreign

investors to generate capital.


Five Power Defence



and New Zealand).

• Singapore

o Diplomatic coordination with

ASEAN members


Five Power Defence



and New Zealand).

o Singapore has the third largest

GDP in the world. Can use its

wealth to acquire resources.

• Myanmar


ASEAN members

o Trade deals: Myanmar has a

surplus food and fuel to be

traded, especially valuable with

agriculture being destroyed by

acid rains.

o The Myanmar Military, the

Tatmadaw, can be mobilized

• Laos

o Military alliance with Vietnam

and the ability to mobilize the

Lao People’s Army

o Trade deals: Laos has strong

trade ties with China and has

excess hydroelectric electricity to

be sold to nearby nations.


ASEAN members

• Cambodia


ASEAN members

o Cambodia has close trade ties to

Thailand, and can request

assistance from the military of

Thailand, which now functions

as its government.

o Cambodia has the ability to

mobilize the Royal Cambodian

Armed Forces, especially in

conjunction with China.

However, this must be done


sparingly due to the strain placed

on resources.

• Papua New Guinea

o Can mobilize the Papua New

Guinea Defense Force

individually or to assist allies

o Can request assistance from the

Australian Maritime Border

Command for managing the

migrant situation, but should be

requested sparingly so as to

maintain relations with ASEAN

members

o Acts as a mediating force

between Australia and ASEAN

members if tensions rise

• Mongolia

o Generally takes a neutral stance,

doesn’t have many enemies

o Has strong alliances with China,

receiving economic and military

support

o Access to many natural resources

with regards to metal ore

o Mobilization of the Mongolian

Armed Forces

o Use of the General Intelligence

Agency of Mongolia

• Brunei


other ASEAN members

o Can mobilize the Royal Brunei

Armed Forces

o Can trade petroleum with other

countries

• Taiwan

o International defamation

campaigns against China

o Taiwan’s research and





capabilities.

o Has a small, but elite army and

navy. They can be used to

expand their territory.

• Nepal

o Potable water reserves to be

traded with other countries

o The Nepalese Army will once

again be made available for

deployment following sufficient

rebuilding of the nation

o Ability to utilize strong trade ties

to India

• Bangladesh


o Democratic relations with the

Organisation of Islamic

Cooperation

o Military alliance with China

o Mobilization of the Navy fleet:

Bangladesh has the third largest

fleet

o Large army (8th largest

population)

• Sri Lanka

o Mobilization of the Sri Lanka

Armed Forces

o Utilization of strong economic

ties to trade with India

Damage Report • China

o Earthquakes rocked several cities

in the interior, and small

tsunamis caused by offshore

earthquakes damaged Shanghai,

Tianjin, and Hong Kong.

Widespread crop failures, though

the government is investing

billions into research on

genetically-modified crops and

climate-resistant agriculture.

• Japan

o When the asteroid hit, Japan did

not fare well. Earthquakes and

tsunamis damaged most of the

country’s major cities. However,

the government made generous

investments in sturdy housing

that survived the strike, so Japan

actually has a small surplus of

housing. Agriculture is

struggling, but in much better

shape than most developing

nations.

• South Korea

o Beyond minor tremors and small-

scale tsunamis resulting from the

earthquakes in Japan, South

Korea mostly escaped unscathed.

Agriculture is struggling, but in

much better shape than most

developing nations.

• Vietnam

o Though some coastal cities

sustained damage from tsunamis

triggered by earthquakes in the

Philippines, overall, Vietnam did

not suffer too much damage. If

the economy does not pick up

again or agriculture continues to

fail, however, the government

may have serious instability

issues on its hands.

• Indonesia


o Indonesia’s geography lent itself

to extensive damage from the

impact, possibly the most in the

region. Coastal areas – most of

the country – were badly hit by

earthquake-spawned tsunamis,

generating a flow of refugees and

internally-displaced citizens.

Indonesia would likely benefit

from international aid to address

this restless and increasingly

desperate population.

• Australia

o Minimal. The lack of fault lines,

sparsely populated territory, and

general isolation spared Australia

much pain. Though their

agricultural capabilities are, like

everyone else’s, crippled, they

have prepared well.

• Russia

o Embargoes and Sanctions:

Russia is the greatest importer of

natural gas, oil, and firearms to

China. Any sanctions would be

detrimental to any countries, yet

it should be noted that equally

detrimental retaliations would be

expected.

• India

o The chemicals released with the

meteor impact started to cause

acidic monsoons, causing a great

national panick. Many crops,

especially rice and wheat, all

died because of these, and this

may lead to a famine because of

the large population.

• Philippines

o After the meteor hit, the

Philippines endured many

tsunamis in addition to the acidic

monsoons. Because it is the

farthest in the South China sea,

the damage is one of the greatest

among all member states, and

more tsunamis are expected.

Philippines has also been

experiencing typhoons due to its

location near Equator. The

country is currently in need of

humanitarian aid like tents and

tarps.

• New Zealand

o New Zealand’s North Island –

the population center – was

struck by several powerful

earthquakes. Auckland was

particularly devastated. The

government scrambled to find


housing and support for people

who lost their homes, and though

the situation has been mostly

addressed, the government lost

significant domestic support due

to the slow speed of the response.

• Malaysia

o Malaysia’s location near the

pacific ring of fire and many

many oceanic volcanoes resulted

in ocean based earthquakes and

some weak tsunamis at the

Eastern coast. Nevertheless, the

presence of the Philippines

archipelago prevented any real

damage from these tsunamis.

• Singapore

o Singapore’s geographical

location, which is in between the

two Malaysian coasts, protected

it from tsunamis. Though

earthquakes happen, the skilfully

built infrastructure wasn’t

affected by it. The only fear is

acidic rains; however, since

Singapore is not an agriculture-

intensive country, there are no

economic worries. Singapore is

one of the least affected countries

by the environmental toil, so it

can direct its focus on becoming

a regional leader.

• Myanmar

o The coast received damage from

several tsunamis and, like India,

food production has been

ravaged by acid rains.

• Laos

o Most of the damage to Laos was

due to the acid rain.

• Cambodia

o Being in the gulf of Thailand, the

coast of Cambodia is mostly

sheltered from the Tsunamis

from the strike; however, some

smaller tsunamis have hit the

coast and caused moderate

damage. The majority of sources

of food have been damaged or

destroyed due to the acid rain,

which threatens the start of a

famine with the depletion of food

stockpiles.

• Papua New Guinea

o Similar to Australia’s damage in

that it was minimal and mostly

constrained to damage to

agriculture caused by acid rains

and climate change.

• Mongolia


o Beyond agricultural disruptions,

Mongolia was mostly untouched,

protected by its inland location

away from fault lines. It is

entirely dependent on the

goodwill of the Russian and

Chinese governments for exports,

however, and as tensions grow in

the region, Mongolian

sovereignty may be threatened.

• Brunei

o Like most other nations, Brunei’s

agriculture was heavily damaged

due to the acid rains and climate

change following the strike.

Brunei has also been struggling

with a famine since the strike.

• Taiwan

o Huge tsunamis hit the Taiwanese

coasts, causing a huge

humanitarian crisis.

• Nepal

o The majority of the damage to

Nepal was caused by a series of

large earthquakes, damaging

much of Nepal’s infrastructure.

• Bangladesh

o The impact of the ruinous meteor

didn’t reach Bangladesh.

• Sri Lanka

o The damage withstood by Sri

Lanka is similar to that of India,

in that the acid rains heavily

damaged all agriculture in Sri

Lanka.

Questions to Consider: 1. What can be done to address the

impending food and water shortages in

the region?

2. How can disaster relief be implemented

against acidic rains, tsunamis, and

earthquakes?

3. How should scientific research into

crisis-mitigating technologies be

funded? What form or direction should it

take? What technologies should be

prioritized?

4. How will each form of government –

democracies, autocracies, and everything

in between – maintain legitimacy and

cultivate favor with domestic

populations?

5. Can democratic governments function

simultaneously with martial law?

6. How much cooperation should be

undertaken with the rest of the world?

Europe? Africa? The Middle East?

7. What will the role of ASEAN be?


8. How can increasing tensions between

Taiwan and China be addressed?

9. How will each nation react in the event

of a North Korean crisis?

10. Is anyone going to settle the South China

Sea dispute?

11. Will the three superpowers in the region

– China, India, Russia – be able to come

to agreements?

12. What is the status of North America?

Might there be exploitable resources

there?

13. Should Asia make contact with the

American government or American

military units?

14. To what extent should Asian nations

unify or separately pursue their own

interests at the expense of other nations?

Dartmouth Model United Nations April 5 - 7, 2019 Future ... · Future Crisis: Post-Apocalyptic Asia DartMUN XIV Committee Overview Model United Nations, or MUN, is a worldwide academic

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