The curious case of DISEC: where silence speaks louder than diplomacy

After the ceremonious exchange of opening speeches — a.k.a. the “I Googled This Last Night” showcase — the esteemed DISEC committee glided ever so gracefully into the next sacred ritual of MUN: the General Speakers List. One by one, delegates marched to the podium with the confidence of people who definitely knew what "Rohingya" meant as of this morning. The agenda? The Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar. The vibe? Confident chaos.

As the unmoderated caucus began, the room turned into a diplomatic version of a high school group project. Nineteen delegates, somehow united by vibes rather than actual strategy, flocked together behind the ever-charismatic Delegate of Japan. The five other delegates? Well, they were the underdogs — or, depending on your view, the only ones still thinking independently.

Led by the Delegate of Japan (again — we cannot stress enough how central this delegate was), the mighty Bloc of 19 strutted through their talking points with synchronized nods, dramatic hand gestures, and an occasional buzzword or two. It was giving model United Nations, quite literally.

Then came the plot twist: the Delegate of the United States, loyal foot soldier of the Japan-led squad, dared to take initiative and proposed a motion for a moderated caucus titled, “What international action can be taken in support of the refugee crisis?” Finally! A meaningful, relevant, and strategic topic! One that could spark real debate, push the committee forward, and maybe even make the Chair look up from their phone.

And then… silence.

Not just silence — pin drop silence. You could hear the hope drain from the Delegate of USA's soul. No support. No reaction. Just blank stares and awkward shuffling. The motion died like a forgotten resolution clause.

So, what happened? Stage fright? Wi-Fi failure? Collective amnesia? Or was it perhaps something more concerning — like the realization that no one actually had a clue unless the Delegate of Japan whispered it first?

Call it loyalty, call it intimidation, or call it what it really is: chronic diplomatic dependency. A whole bloc, apparently so united, but utterly paralyzed without their unofficial team captain. Does this indicate a lack of confidence? Absolutely. Does it scream "I didn’t expect to be called on today"? 100%.

But hey — it’s DISEC. What else can we expect? Competence? Original thought? Unlikely. At this point, if incompetence were a country, DISEC would be its capital.

Seymour Cox

CNN