Pre-Invite: 1st ILSA - NLIU Model United Nations Competition

PRE- INVITATION

This is a pre-invitation for all interested colleges for the ILSA-NLIU Model United Nations Conference 2012 (IN-MUN) scheduled to be held in National Law Institute University, Bhopal. The First Edition of IN-MUN, this conference is scheduled to be held (tentatively) from 24^th to 26^th February, 2012. There shall be an opening ceremony on the first day, followed by four sessions of debate and discussion over the course of two days, concluding with valedictory session and Delegate Dinner and Dance.

We at IN-MUN are deeply committed to fostering the learning and practicing of international relations. This conference comes at a time when the youth world over is fighting to have its voice heard, be it in the Arab Spring or the Occupy Wall Street protests. The youth is driven to usher in change. We give you a platform for lively debate, to come up with bold and creative solutions to resolve issues that are hammering away at world peace. A highlight of this Conference shall be the various Specialized Agencies, including the Committee on International Court of Justice Rulings.

The Rules, Model UN Preparation Guide and the Official Invite shall be made available shortly, after we can gauge the interest of interested colleges. All queries regarding the Competition shall be directed to nliu.cril@gmail.com. A brief overview of the organizers and the format of the IN-MUN have been included in this pre-invitation.

The purpose of this pre-invite is to gauge how many colleges are interested in coming down to Bhopal for the Competition. So kindly acknowledge the receipt of this pre-invite and let us know if you would be interested to participate. As of now we are not declaring a cap on the number of students from each college. We hope to see you all in Bhopal come February!

FORMAT OVERVIEW

Each participant is designated a country and a committee. While playing their roles as ambassadors of their designated country, student "delegates" make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and adversaries, resolve conflicts, and navigate the Model UN conference rules of procedure - all in the interest of mobilizing "international cooperation" to resolve inflamed conflicts and issues. Students can indicate preferred country and apply to be a part of The General Assembly, The Security Council, The Economic and Social Council or one of the Specialised Agencies. The number of delegates under each head shall be different and all allocations shall be made on a combination of early-bird and merit basis.

ABOUT NLIU

The National Law Institute University has been successful in instilling a sense of broad perspective along with scholastic and reflexive capabilities bearing in mind larger national and humanitarian goals in its students Legal education never received the attention it deserved in this country. It is a paradox that the Constitution ushered in the ideal of rule of law and adopted the policy of development through law but little attention was paid to legal studies. For almost half a century study of law in Indian Universities has been in doldrums. It was increasingly realised by the professionals and academicians that the system of law teaching was thoroughly inadequate, unimaginative and divorced from the major public issues of the day but attempts to change have that have been few and far between.

ABOUT ILSA

The International Law Students Association is a non-profit association of students and lawyers who are dedicated to the promotion of international law. ILSA provides students with opportunities to study, research, and network in the international legal arena. It was incorporated in May 1994 in the District of Columbia. The organization's activities include academic conferences, publications, the global coordination of student organizations, and the administration of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

ILSA's primary unit of organization is the ILSA Chapter in the form of a local International Law Society (ILS). NLIU is the Bhopal chapter of ILSA.

Save the Tiger Meet

INTRODUCTION

The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top predator and is at the apex of the food chain and therefore, the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well-being of the ecosystem. Protection of tigers in forests protects habitats of several other species. Indirect benefits include protection of rivers and other water sources, prevention of soil erosion and improvement of ecological services like pollination, water table retention etc. The absence of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is not sufficiently protected. There has been steep decline in the tiger population all across the world and according to studies and reports, today, tigers occupy just 7% of their historic range.

Tigers occupy an important place in the Indian culture. Since ages, it has been a symbol of magnificence, power, beauty and fierceness and has been associated with bravery and valour. It is also the national animal of the India. The decline in the tiger population in India can be attributed to many factors. One of the major reasons is the growth in human population. Since independence large chunks of prime tiger habitats have been lost forever to agriculture and developmental activities. However, the problem is not so much of managing resources as it is of the unconcerned and lackadaisical approach. Tiger conservation is an issue that has not acquired national importance despite being one that requires utmost attention.

Tiger hunting was officially banned after the enactment of the Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972. Today, increasing biotic disturbances, uncontrolled poaching of prey, urbanization, mining and quarrying; and poaching of tiger for its body parts gravely threaten the future of the tiger.

LAWS FOR PROTECTION OF TIGERS

In 1969, the General Assembly of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) proposed a resolution calling for international efforts to save the tiger. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) responded in 1972 with Operation Tiger, a global program to fund conservation efforts for the tiger in the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, and Indonesia. India responded most rapidly with the formation of Tiger Task Force followed in 1973 by Project Tiger, which established India's first tiger reserves and financial support from the Indian government for habitat conservation and tiger protection. Since the 1980s, the success of the wildlife reserves has been increasingly and drastically undermined by conflicts between "protected" tigers and both individual poachers and the needs of surrounding communities.

Indian Tiger is an endangered animal and is listed in the Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This act gives it protection against hunting/poaching and trade for skins, bones and body parts. Any person who commits such an offence is punishable with an imprisonment of not less than three years extending up to seven years along with a fine of not less than fifty thousand rupees which may extend up to two lakh rupees. In the event of a second or subsequent conviction he can receive imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and a fine which shall be not less than five lakh rupees and can vary up to a maximum of fifty lakh rupees. 

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) presently ratified by over 160 countries, makes international trade in tiger parts illegal. India has been a signatory of this convention since the year 1975.

In the present context, the law pertaining to notification of lands falling within 10 kilometers of the boundaries of National Parks and Sanctuaries as eco-fragile zones given under section 3(v) of the Environment (Protection) Act and Rule 5 Sub-rule 5(viii) & (x) of the Environment (Protection) Rules is very important. It is the unsatisfactory and negligent implementation of these laws that needs to be addressed. No diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes from critical and ecologically fragile wildlife habitat should be allowed. Furthermore, encroachments and illegal activities from within forest lands and Protected Areas should be curbed. It is imperative that commercial culture must not be allowed to replace natural forests. 

OUR AIM

Madhya Pradesh was known as the Tiger State of India but it recently lost this coveted status owing to a decline in their numbers according to the latest tiger census report. Although many laws exist, their improper implementation and lack of backing by the civil society has reduced them to mere hortatory statements. To be effective, laws established to protect the endangered tiger need to be reinforced by public education that effectively illustrates the serious case of extinction and the importance of conservation. In addition, economic resources are needed to support currently under-funded enforcement efforts, as well as community-based programs on sustainable development. This can only be achieved by the sensitization of the general public especially the youth. It is our belief, that when motivated youth action is combined with other efforts to protect tiger habitat, these actions can help reduce the economic and political circumstances that continue to undermine attempts to save the tiger.

Secondly, our aim is promoting the conservation and protection of tiger through legal advocacy. Through scientific, planned management interventions such as restoration of habitat and prey base, curbing human-tiger conflict and illegal wildlife trade, we can help conserve viable tiger populations in the wild. However, the major stakeholders in tiger conservation in India, that is, the Government of India (Ministry of Environment and Forests), State Forest Departments, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (formerly known as the Project Tiger) and local communities must be reminded in a persistent manner of their responsibility to implement laws. This is being done through various Public Interest Litigations filed by Tiger Conservation activists in the High Courts and the Supreme Courts. We hope that by our initiative, we not only gather support for these movements but we can round up motivated youth to become aware of laws and join us in ensuring they are implemented by means of legal advocacy.

Tiger conservation is not an issue confined to a particular state or a particular country. However, it is our opinion that every small effort counts. Our two point program to sensitize and spread legal awareness amongst members of the civil society, especially the youth, is one such initiative. We invite students from all over to attend the meeting. For further details, you can e-mail us on nliu.cril@gmail.com


The CRIL Team

ILSA Conference on Public Liability of Private Corporations

Each year, ILSA joins with one member school to host an international conference. This year, the member schools of the Transnational Law Program (Washington University (US), Utrecht University (Netherlands), Catholic University (Portugal), University of Trento (Italy), and Queens University Belfast (Northern Ireland)) will be hosting the conference from August 4-6, 2011 at the University College Utrecht campus in The Netherlands.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Public Liability of Private Corporations.” It will involve topics ranging from the chemical industry’s role in the non-proliferation of chemical weapons to the 2010 BP Spill, and many more! The conference will offer not just an opportunity to make new international friends (or perhaps see Jessup friends again!), but will also allow students to network with academics and practicing lawyers who work on these issues in both the public and private international law sectors.

                Until April 30, 2011, registration is only $35 ( 20)! There is also a conference and lodging package available for $300 ( 200). Lodging will be available on the campus of University College Utrecht—at the conference venue—for the convenience of students who choose this option. After April 30, 2011, and until June 30, 2011, the registration price will rise to $50 ( 35) for the conference and $350 ( 215) for the conference and lodging package. To register, please go to http://transnationallaw.net/registration.shtml.

                Finally, the conference will also involve up to 25 student paper presentations. Single and co-authored papers will be accepted. For information on how to submit an abstract for the conference, please go to http://transnationallaw.net/call_for_papers.shtml. Note that the deadline for submissions has been extended to May 7, 2011, and the notification and final submission dates will also be extended accordingly.

               

We are proud!

ILSA Best Academic International Event Award

We would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to the CRIL Team on winning the Best Academic International Event ILSA Award! There were a number of highly qualified schools that were nominated this year for the various ILSA awards. It was extremely difficult to choose the award winners but the National Law Institute University, Bhopal stood out as the winner in this category based on our nomination form and what the school has done in the international arena this past year. 

The CRIL Team

Talk on The War Against Terrorism

Dear Students, 

This is to bring to the notice of the student community that CRIL is beginning with a series of weekly discussion forums where senior students specializing in the field of International Law will deliver talks on topics of importance in the current International scenario.

We are beginning this endeavor on Tuesday,  22^nd March 2011 at 6 p.m. in the Academic Block with the first talk being delivered by Rijoy Bhaumik on The War against Terrorism – The Classification of Terrorists under International Law.

The talk will be followed by a discussion on the topic. Students are encouraged to attend these lectures in order to improve their knowledge of International Law and to keep abreast with the latest issues concerning the international community.

Regards,

The CRIL Team

5th STUDENT ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE, 2011

5^th STUDENT ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE, 2011

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Indo- U.S. Nuclear Deal: Emerging Issues of International Law

The India-U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement (or the 123 Agreement) is a bilateral agreement for civil nuclear commerce between the two countries, the United States of America and India.

Within India, critics believe that the reciprocal non-proliferation commitments India has entered into, as part of the agreement, bring it closer to the regime it has always opposed, thereby compromising its strategic sovereign independence and right to test nuclear weapons in future, thus, bringing India into a de facto defense alliance with the U.S.

 From the international angle, it has been primarily alleged by the critics that the India exception bends non-proliferation rules irreparably for political purposes and sends the wrong signal to countries such as Iran.

However, it may be noted that future generations may remember the deal for quite different reasons than the debate over nuclear proliferation!

The 123 Agreement has opened the Pandora’s Box due to which, several other issues, such as human rights, international trade law, and international environmental law have surfaced on the international horizon.

This conference seeks to identify the concrete legal areas which will get affected and the respective legal implications of the 123 Agreement by following a multifaceted approach.

It is hereby informed that: ------

a)      The last date for submission of abstract is 10th April, 2011.

b)      The last date for submission of the full length paper is 31^st May, 2011.

Both, the abstract and the paper must be mailed to nliu.cril@gmail.com

The participation is allowed to a maximum of two (2) members per team. Registration fee for each participating student shall be Rs. 50/- only. This is to clarify that a team of two members is required to pay Rs. 80/- only. Registration would be done at the time of commencement of the Round Table Conference on 30th of July 2011.

For any further clarifications please contact: Rhea Joshi ( rhea8790@gmail.com ) or to Shruti Goswami (shruti.dgp@gmail.com).

Submission of both the soft and the hard copy is mandatory.

Note: Other rules and regulations shall be forwarded to those who register their participation.