Topic A: Rwanda v. Member States of the United Nations, Case Concerning the Failure to prevent Genocide in Rwanda.
In 1959 the Tutsi’s, the minority community that long dominated Rwanda, monarch was overthrown by the majority community the Hutus. After being overthrown, the Tutsi fled to Uganda and created a rebel group known as the Rwandan Patriotic Front, who would go on to Invade Rwanda in 1990 - 1993. After a peace agreement was made, the inciting incident of the Rwandan genocide occured. In 1994, a plane carrying the President Juvenal Habraimana and Cyprien Ntaramira of Burundi, but Hutus, were killed. The Hutus argued that the RBF were to blame and the RBF argued that the hutus shot down the plane themselves to create an excuse to incite a genocide. The tutsi were the target, over a million people being estimated to have died and a range of 150,000 to 250,000 women being raped. The Issue at hand is the UN’s and its member states responsibility to intervene. On December 1993, four months before the genocide began, the commande of the United Nations peacekeeping forces General Romeo Dallarie warned his suerios that the Hutu extremists 33were planning a campaign against the Tutsis extremists. Again, on January 1994, he requested stronger mandates and more troops, meet with a denial. The Internatinoal community calle the Rwandain genocide an “internal conclift” and the powers of the united nations discouraged intervention. Iditionally, days after the beginning of the genocide the UN security Council voted to reduce UN peacekeeping force from 2,500 to 270 soldiers. There were only a few international humanitarian aid organizations on the ground in Rwandan. Consider the United Nations Genocide Convention as well as past cast studies from the ICJ. The Question delegates must answer is what are member states of the united nations responsibility in providing aid during a genocide wartime?
Topic B: United States v. Member States of the United Nation, Case Concerning Torture during the War on Terror
Following the September 11 attacks, the United States launched the War on Terror to combat terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda. In the process, individuals suspected of terrorism were detained at sites including Guantanamo Bay detention camp and secret CIA black sites, where interrogation methods such as waterboarding and sleep deprivation were used. The U.S. government argued these “enhanced interrogation techniques” were necessary for national security, while critics claimed they violated international law, particularly the United Nations Convention Against Torture and the Geneva Conventions. The issue at hand is whether these practices constitute unlawful torture and to what extent states are responsible for authorizing, carrying out, or enabling such actions. Additionally, questions remain regarding accountability, as few officials have faced legal consequences despite widespread documentation of abuse. The question delegates must answer is: what are the legal limits on state conduct in interrogations during armed conflict, and how should violations of international law be addressed?
Meet your Dias!
Sarah Shapiro, Director
Sarah is a Junior with a double major in Political Science and Human Rights on a Pre-Law Track from New Jersey. This is her third year at UCMUN, being the Director for SOCHUM her first year and Director of Education her second year. She is currently studying abroad in London, working at an NGO named Groundwork, where she works in the unemployment program, helping individuals get certifications and find work. Outside of UCMUN, she is a climber, working at the University of Connecticut Recreation Center in the Climbing Gym. She loves reading books, going on hikes, spending time with her friends, climbing, and crocheting. She is overjoyed at the opportunity to serve as the Director for ICJ and looks forward to getting to know all the delegates and having a great year! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at sarah.shapiro@uconn.edu