Introduction and Details about the ICJ
Hello Everyone!
Remember how it felt to be at your
first conference? If you haven’t been a part of the ICJ before, that’s
precisely how this transition may feel. You have to take everything that you
took for granted about an MUN committee and throw it out the window, because in
the ICJ you’re going to have to get used to new terminology, procedure, and a
fast-paced debate as events unfold right before your eyes. As such, there are
crucial details of an ICJ committee that both differentiate it from regular MUN
proceedings and create a novel experience for everyone involved.
You’re no longer a representative
of a country arguing your stance in front of a whole committee. Rather, you’ve
now become esteemed judges expected to react to evidence about a real-life
situation to create an argument grounded in legal precedent. As such, the first
thing that you need to do, is to get into the mindset of analyzing situations
from a legal perspective. Does a particular action that a country took violate
international law? If so, what ramifications could it have on the international
community? These are some of the questions that you should keep in mind when formulating
your opinion on the contentious case. Remember, the role of an ICJ judge is to determine,
not a resolution, but a personal verdict for the case based on the presentation
of evidence from both sides of the contentious issue.
Now onto my
absolute favorite part of the ICJ: witnesses! Witnesses, like in a court of
law, are called upon by both sides of the case to argue in favor of their side.
It’s your job to interpret their testimony in relation to the facts of the
case. As judges, you will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses and ask them questions.
During this time, your research into the topic and your quick-thinking will come
into play as you attempt to press witnesses for more information. Just be
careful, some witnesses will be less than helpful! Regardless of all the differences
between the ICJ and other committees, there is one indisputable fact that
remains the same: preparation is everything. In the ICJ more than every other
committee, your knowledge of the case and legal precedents that relate to it will
directly influence your ability to weigh in on debate especially as more
witnesses are introduced and the conflict unfolds.
Seeing as
the topic for this year’s ICJ is the question of the accusation of genocide
levied against the Republic of Serbia by Bosnia and Herzegovina, a useful place
to begin looking for information might be past agreements or conventions
regarding the issue. I look forward to seeing all your ideas about the case! If
you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at asrikanth@bmun.org.
Yours,
Ashwin
One of the main purposes of having courts is to bring "justice" on the issues we are discussing. While justice is usually considered something that everyone believes is right, the "justice" that we bring in the court is sometimes different: it is something that can be concluded based on pieces of evidence we have and what those evidence can prove. At the beginning of the trial, the accused should be presumed innocent, and we, the judges, should examine the whether the evidence submitted completely prove that the accused is responsible for what he or she(a state in our case) is accused of or not. If one of the vital component of the proof is missing, then, the accused should be found not responsible, and this is what we refers to as the "justice." In this conference, I am representing a judge from the French Republic and would like to make a fair judgement by following these principles.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
I am looking forward to seeing you!