International Law and Its Change Face

International Law and Its Change Face

 International law and its change face
International law came into existence when states start losing their control over the system. International law has considerable cohesion as a system of interrelated rules, principles, and concepts that operating within the political background, are to some extent distinct from it. Aonal law but with a political term such as “sovereignty” or “state” may also be used within the system of international law but with a different meaning. All states carry equivalent weight in international law system, and it is closely related to the political context in which it operates.
Case of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone’s war over conflict diamonds began in March 1991 when “a few hundred men crossed over the Liberian border and attacked towns in eastern and southern Sierra Leone.” In an effort to stabilize the region and restore democratic civilian rule, the National Provisional Ruling Council became engaged in a war with R.U.F. rebels.
The rebels, in turn, launched a vicious attack on Sierra Leoneans during the 1996 elections. To intimidate potential voters and to maintain control of the diamond mines, the rebels chopped off the hands and feet of adults, teens, children and even infants.
By July 1999, the violence had escalated. The government of Sierra Leone was forced to sign another peace agreement with R.U.F. The R.U.F., however, was not interested in rebuilding Sierra Leone only regaining control of the diamonds mines. As a result, thousands of Sierra Leoneans were killed and mutilated mainly because there was no large scale, international intervention in the early stages of the war.
The Kimberley process
The United Nations and other groups are working to block the entry of conflict diamonds into the worldwide diamond trade. Their approach has been to develop a government certification...

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