Dear students,
Your readings for Monday's class have been uploaded to the e-course site. Please skim (i.e. read quickly) the entire Sumner article. For the ICJ opinion on Western Sahara, please read:
- Paragraphs 48 to 52, 54 to 62, 65, 70, 75, 77, 79 - 82, 87 - 96, 99 - 101, 103, 105, 108, 118, 128, 129, 145 - 147, 149, 152, 162
This is a complicated case and for those of you who have not read a law case before the format may be confusing. The below questions may help you navigate the reading. Be prepared to answer these questions in class (with help from me and your peers):
- Who are the interested parties in the case?
- What position is each of the parties advancing? Why?
- What is the role of the UN General Assembly in this case?
- What questions is the ICJ asked to answer (hint: there are two of them)?
- What does the ICJ decide regarding the status of the territory in question at the time of colonisation?
- What is the Sherifian state? Why is it important to this case?
- What does the court find in regards to Morocco's claims to sovereignty?
- What does the court find in relation to Mauritania's claims to legal ties to the territory?
- In what way could the court's findings impact the right to self-determination of people on the disputed territory?