PIL Flashcards
which case said that IL is the will of the state?
SS Lotus
when was league of nations established?
1920
when was the statute of teh PCIJ drafted?
1920
who chaired teh drafting committee of the PCIJ statute?
belgian professor and senator, baron edouard descamps
when was UN established?
1945
when was PCIJ completely replaced by ICJ
1946
which case laid down the basic rule regd continuity and reptition?
asylum case
which case laid down that ‘Some degree of uniformity amongst state practices was essential before a custom would come into existence.”
anglo Norwegian fisheries case
four modes of acquiring territory
occupation, prescription, accretion, cession
concept of territorial sovereignty in which article of un charter
article 2(4) and 2(7)
four ways thru which the state can acquire territory
occupation, prescription, cession, and accretion
which article thru which the states can keep territory acquired thru self defence
article 51
island of palmas case
netherlands v. usa
what were the contentions of usa
(spanish) discovery, nothing has caused the title to disappear so need to display actual sovereignty, principle of contiguity and so palmas is part of the philippines.
contentions of netherlands in palmas case
discovery by spanish contested, principle of contiguity contested, if any title that did exist, it has been lost. east india company has had title since 1667
sovereignty in the relationship w other states signifies
independance
what is essential to establish superior totle
peaceful and continuous display of title
claim of usa in the island of palmas case was thru?
cession, treaty of paris, article 3: transfer of all rights spain possessed
palmas case ratio?
discovery alone (by spain and subsequent transfer), without maintaining it would not constitute territorial sovereignty. inchoate title must constitute effective occupation for some time, the continuous and peaceful display of territorial sovereignty (peaceful in relation to other States) is as good as a title.
island of palmas belongs to whom?
netherlands
what kind of territory is acquird by occupation”?
terra nullius
In order to show occupation, the Eastern Greenlands case considered two criterion -
Intent or will to act as a sovereign
Adequate exercise or display of sovereignty.
critical date?
when teh rights of the parties crystallise - it must also be shown that the territorial sovereignty has continued to exist and did exist at the moment which for the decision of the dispute must be considered as critical.
max huber based his arguments on:
effective occupation, critical date, intemporal law, principle of contiguity rejected
clipperton island arbitration between?
france v. mexico
history of clipperton island?
Englishman Captain Clipperton - france discovered but didn’t claim - 1858 france claimed - later france saw american were mining waving the US flag - mexico later came and claimed sovereignty
clipperton island case held
territory which is uninhabitable and for teh full disposal of a party, the possession becomes perfect the occupation occurs. france occupied, and never showed the animus of not occupying it. no positive act is required in this particular case
clipperton island issue: Regarding whether Spain discovered the island
arbitrator held?
Mexico claimed the land based on a claim of ‘historic right’, due to the discovery by Mexico. Here the Arbitratoy found Mexicos claims as being unsubstantiated, and hence not valid.
clipperton island issue: Status of the land before 1898
arbitrator held?
Before 1898, Mexico had not done anything on that island , so they had no claim there.
clipperton island issue: Status after 1898?
arbitrator held?
Even though France declared their right over Clipperton island in 1858, the arbitrator looked into whether there was animus occupende or an intent to occupy. Specifically due to the nature of this territory as being uninhabitable, the arbitrator considered that exercising effective control cannot be done the same way over this territory like other states. Therefore, what was looked into was whether there was an intent to abandon the territory. Seeing none, it was held that France had sovereignty.
clipperton island moral
Concept of effective control is fluid, and has to be assessed according to the nature of the territory.
Eastern Greenlands Case?
norway v. denmark
what two criteria did the court (eastern greenlands case) give when there is a claim to sovereignty based not on title thru treaty or cession, but thru continued display of authority?
Intention and will to act as a sovereign
Actual exercise or display of such authority.
what factors did the court consider in proclaiming that denmark has sovereignty over eastern greenlands island?
making laws to regulate activities such as fishing and hunting, give access to the island to british and french nationals, statement made by the secretary of norway that they would help denmark in the settlement of territories, thus recognizing denmark’s claim.
Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan
(Indonesia v. Malaysia)
Eastern Greenlands Case in favour of?
denmark
Clipperton Island Arbitration in favour of?
france
Island of palmas case in favour of?
netherlands
Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan
malaysia
Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan ratio?
16:1
critical date in Sovereignty over Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan case
the time of delineation of territory, but practices even after that date were also considered
Indonesian claims in the pulao ligitan and pulao sipadan case
conventional title, drilling activities, fishermen considered it part of their territory, continued presence of dutch and indonesian navies
which court had taken up the pulao ligitan and pulao sipadan case
PCIJ
on what all grounds did PCIJ reject the claims of indonesia in Pulau Ligitan and Pulau Sipadan case
- no convention title couldn’t substantiate it
- the navies that patrolled didn’t consider
in whose favour was the pulao ligitan and pulao sipadan case
malasiya
to show effective occupation the following must be shown:
- before occupation it was terra nullius
- occupation was on behalf of states rather than individuals
- effective taking of possession
- intent to occupy as sovereign
what is prescription
the same thing as adverse possession, the possessor was peacefully occupying the property and the owner had no problem.
three ways to certify effective prescription
(a) possession must be exercised à titre de souverain; (by the sovereign authority)
(b) possession must be ‘peaceful and uninterrupted’; and
(c) possession must exist for ‘a reasonable length of time’.
Case concerning sovereignty over Pedra Blanca/Pulau Batu Puteh between?
Malaysia v. Singapore
Case concerning sovereignty over Pedra Blanca/Pulau Batu Puteh between was over what structures and where?
straits of singapore - pedra blanca/palau batu puteh, middle rock, south ledge
feature of pedra blanca
a granite island, measuring 137 m long, with an average width of 60 m. It is situated at the eastern entrance of the Straits of Singapore – one of the busiest maritime passages in the world.
feature of middle rock
cluster of rocks
feature of south ledge
low tide elevation
timeline in the pedra blanca/pulau batu putejh case
1979 - malasiya published map
14th february, 1980 - singapore disputed map
6th feburuary 1993 - issue over middle rock and south ledge arose
critical date of pedra blanca dispute
14th feb 1980
critical date of middle rock and south ledge
6th feb 1993
contentions of malaysia in pedra blanca case
- had original title and nothing had occurred to dispute it
- construction of lighthouse + other activities by Singapore was a result of grant by sultan of johor whose successor was malaysia
- all three islands were not to be seen as seperate and had to be independently assessed
contentions of singapore in pedra blanca case
- pedra blanca was terra nullius and thus construction of lighthouse was act of sovereignty
- no sovereign claimed pedra blanca before the british went there
- three islands were a single maritime feature and thus sovereignty was established over one, it could be est for the rest.
which court decided the pedra blanca judgement?
ICJ
pedra blanca judgement by ICJ?
singapore has sovereign bcs malaysia failed to establish effective occupation.
ratio in pedra blanca case
12:4
prescription case
pedra blanca - malaysia v. singapore
middle rock sovereignty
malaysia
south ledge sovereignty
art 13 of UNCLOS
which article for revision
61 - revision after discovery of some fact of decisive nature, unknown to court, provided that the ignorance was not due to negligence.
The application for revision must be made in six months from discovery of new fact, and no application for revision can be made after 10 years from judgment.
who gave for revision in the case of pedra blanca
malaysia
what was the end result of the pedra blanca case
mutual settlement
Frontier Dispute (Benin/Niger) what held?
UPP was determining factor to determine sovereignity
Case Concerning Territorial and Maritime Disputes Between Nicaragua and Honduras in the Caribbean Sea
(Nicaragua v. Honduras)
common heritage of mankind unclos section
art 136
territorial sea rights
territorial sovereignty, fisheries right right over minerals
EEZ coastal county access?
exclusive fisheries right, exclusive minerals right
extended continental shelf in the high seas coastal country access? maximum limit?
exclusive right over minerals after doing process of establishing outer border of the continental shelf, 350nm