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Welcome to the St Mary's Legal Studies wiki.
Here you should be able to find resources to study and also be able to contribute to discussions in class regarding relevant topics.
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Role on international tribunals - The ICTR through its hearings determined that rape was a weapon of genocide. This was a significant determination. The trials were held in neighbouring Tanzania. So far, the Tribunal has finished 50 trials and convicted 29 accused persons. Another 11 trials are in progress. 14 individuals are awaiting trial in detention; but the prosecutor intends to transfer 5 to national jurisdiction for trial. 13 others are still at large, some suspected to be dead.[5]The first trial, of Jean-Paul Akayesu, began in 1997. Jean Kambanda, interim Prime Minister, pleaded guilty. (source wikipedia).
The courts have taken a long time but have found many people guilty of their crimes and handed down sentence.

After the civil war concluded the UN established a mission: United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) in 1993. They were sent to monitor the peace and make sure there was no trouble before the upcoming election. This peacekeeping mission was never meant to be involved in a huge conflict like they found themselves. The force had only 2500 troops. After 10 Belgian soldiers were executed very early in the genocide Belgium withdrew her 400 soldiers and many other nations did likewise. This left the force with only 250 soldiers.
Because of the mandate that UNAMIR had it was unclear what the soldiers could do to prevent the slaughter, so they did nearly nothing.
ethnic slaughter. If they were willing to label it as genocide then there would have been an obligation for the international community to take military action. The USA, Britain and France stalled discussion in the Security Council around what was considered genocide. This could civilian groups.
International Tribunal investigating the genocide.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), or the Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda (TPIR), is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of the international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan citizens in nearby states, between 1 January and 31 December 1994.
In 1995 it became located in Arusha, Tanzania under Resolution 977. (From 2006, Arusha also became the location of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights). In 1998 the operation of the Tribunal was expanded in Resolution 1165.
Through several resolutions, the Security Council called on the Tribunal to complete its investigations by end of 2004, complete all trial activities by end of 2008, and complete all work in 2012. (source Wikipedia)
How does this relate to the course?
Genocide - This is a type of conflict. It requires formal recognition by the Security Council before any international force can be taken to stop it. Rwanda was genocide because it was a deliberate organised attack on people of a specific ethnicity.
Effectiveness of UN - The UN structure was shown to be ineffective in that the actions that were needed to be taken were not. This happened because of the bureaucratic nature of the UN and Security Council. This adds to the call to reform the structure of the UN in the post- cold-war era.
Role on international tribunals - The ICTR through its hearings determined that rape was a weapon of genocide. This was a significant determination. The trials were held in neighbouring Tanzania. So far, the Tribunal has finished 50 trials and convicted 29 accused persons. Another 11 trials are in progress. 14 individuals are awaiting trial in detention; but the prosecutor intends to transfer 5 to national jurisdiction for trial. 13 others are still at large, some suspected to be dead.[5]The first trial, of Jean-Paul Akayesu, began in 1997. Jean Kambanda, interim Prime Minister, pleaded guilty. (source wikipedia).
The courts have taken a long time but have found many people guilty of their crimes and handed down sentence.

Rwanda and the International response
Overview
Hutu civilians. This lurkedA civil war had also broken out in the memory of1990 and ended in 1993 with a peace treaty. In 1994 the Hutu people who in 1994 began a restore order.
For mare detailed info see the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Assistance_Mission_for_Rwanda
Below is a link to a video that reviews the material above and offers extremely graphic video and photos of the genocide. Before watching this video be aware that the images show many people who have experienced a violent death and many decomposed corpses. Do not watch the video if you feel it will upset you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__kf7TljgGs
Below is a link to a reporters recollections to his time in Rwanda and a commentary on the lack of action by the International community.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/dec/18/rwanda-genocide
What was the international response?
After the civil war concluded the UN established a mission: United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) in 1993. They were sent to monitor the peace and make sure there was no trouble before the upcoming election. This peacekeeping mission was never meant to be involved in a huge conflict like they found themselves. The force had only 2500 troops. After 10 Belgian soldiers were executed very early in the genocide Belgium withdrew her 400 soldiers and many other nations did likewise. This left the force with only 250 soldiers.
Because of the mandate that UNAMIR had it was unclear what the soldiers could do to prevent the slaughter, so they did nearly nothing.
The International community treated the genocide as a traditional tribal squable and refused to recognise it as ethnic slaughter. This could be because they did not want to get dragged into an African war. Once most of the fighting had stopped the international commitment was increased. The UNAMIR mission is considered a failure even though it was not in their mandate to stop fighting between civilian groups.

Rwanda and the International response
Overview
Rwanda is a central African country. It was once a Belgian colony until it gained its independence in 1962. There are two main ethnic/tribal groups in Rwanda; the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsis. When the Belgians left Rwanda they left the Tutsis in charge. In the 1960s there was an overthrow of the Tutsi regime and the Huts took charge and many Tutsis were forced to leave the country and many others were killed. There emerged a resentment between the two groups. In 1974 the Tutsi rebel army killed many Hutu civilians. This lurked in the memory of the Hutu people who in 1994 began a mass program of genocide that corresponded with the death of the then Rwandan President. In the following 100 days it is estimated that 800,000 Rwandan people were killed, nearly all were Tutsi men, women and children. Some Hutus were killed. It is reported that they were killed if they did not help to kill their Tutsi neighbours. After 100 days the Tutsi rebel army finally managed to stop the killings and restore order.

{Adoption Amendment Same-sex NSW 2010 media.docx}
3. Reform on domestic violence - This article discusses a reform in law which was aimed at reducing penalties for women who kill their partners after long periods of domestic violence, known as defensive homicide. The article suggests this has failed and actually helped the abusers. Consider the effecetiveness of law reform in addressing conflict between family members.
{defesive homicide failure of law - media.docx}
4. Defensive homicide - case study
In this article it provides a good case study of how the purpose of the law reform from the article #3 (above) has been abused. It is worth a read and adding the case study to your files on DV and law reform.
{defesive homicide failure of law - media.docx}

2. This is the follow up article that was written immediately after the Bill on same-sex adoption in NSW was passed. The name of the bill is contained at the top of the file and should be what is referenced. Consider this article when discussing effectiveness of the law in promoting equality, law reform and different family arrangements.
{Adoption Amendment Same-sex NSW 2010 media.docx}
3. Reform on domestic violence - This article discusses a reform in law which was aimed at reducing penalties for women who kill their partners after long periods of domestic violence, known as defensive homicide. The article suggests this has failed and actually helped the abusers. Consider the effecetiveness of law reform in addressing conflict between family members.
{defesive homicide failure of law - media.docx}