Suchergebnisse

In early 2014, a devastating epidemic of Ebola broke out across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, which then spread to other countries and led to the deaths of more than 11,000 people. In response, the affected countries declared states of emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the epidemic to be a public health emergency of international concern, and the United Nations (UN) determined the epidemic was a threat to international peace and security. Though these actions helped confront the spread of Ebola, the WHO's and UN's responses were too slow and too inefficient to effectively combat the disease. To end this epidemic and to address future epidemics, the WHO and UN must be strengthened with more robust enforcement capabilities and increased funding. Further, the international community must recognize that Ebola is as much a threat to international peace and security as an act of war. Thus, states should react to disease outbreaks just as they would react to an act of war by utilizing the principle of self-defense pursuant to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

In 2011, the Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) found Justin Mugenzi and Prosper Mugiraneza guilty of conspiracy to commit genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide due to their roles in the removal and replacement of Jean-Baptiste Habyalimana as prefect of Butare in April 1994. In February 2013, the Appeals Chamber reversed these convictions and acquitted Mugenzi and Mugiraneza, determining that the appellants did not possess the requisite mens rea and genocidal intent. The ICTR's goal is to bring justice and reconciliation to Rwanda, but these acquittals demonstrate its institutional weakness. The Appeals Chamber's weak reasoning, simplistic view of the facts, and failure to take a strong stance against government leadership contributed to this weakness and may have a lasting impact on the ICTR's legacy.