UN bars altering Guyana control of territory

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Context: UN court bars Venezuela from altering Guyana’s control over disputed territory

More about the news:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Venezuela to refrain from taking any action that would alter Guyana’s control over the disputed Essequibo region.
The ruling, while not explicitly halting Venezuela’s planned referendum on the territory’s future, stated that Venezuela must avoid any action modifying the current situation in Essequibo.
Guyana had sought the ICJ’s intervention, expressing concerns that the referendum was a prelude to Venezuela annexing the disputed territory.
The ICJ’s legally binding order will remain in place until a final decision is reached in the case brought by Guyana against Venezuela, a process that could take years.
Both countries interpreted the ruling as supporting their positions.
Venezuela, despite not recognizing the ICJ’s jurisdiction, considered it a victory as the court did not halt the referendum plans.
Guyana welcomed the decision, emphasizing that Venezuela is prohibited from annexing or trespassing upon Guyanese territory.
The territorial dispute has a long history, dating back to the 1899 border decision and exacerbated by oil and mineral resources in the region.

Some facts about ICJ:

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).
It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and began work in April 1946.
The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
The ICJ has 15 judges who are elected to nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and Security Council, which vote simultaneously but separately.
To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes in both bodies.
A third of the court is elected every three years.
The president and vice-president of the court are elected for three-year terms by secret ballot. Judges are eligible for re-election.
Four Indians have been members of the ICJ so far.
Justice Dalveer Bhandari, former judge of the Supreme Court, has been serving at the ICJ since 2012. Others being R S Pathak (1989-91), Nagendra Singh (1973-88), Sir Benegal Rau (1952-53).
It is assisted by a Registry, its administrative organ. Its official languages are English and French.

India at the ICJ:

India has been a party to a case at the ICJ on six occasions, four of which have involved Pakistan.
They are:
Right of Passage over Indian Territory (Portugal v. India, culminated 1960);
Appeal Relating to the Jurisdiction of the ICAO Council (India v. Pakistan, culminated 1972);
Trial of Pakistani Prisoners of War (Pakistan v. India, culminated 1973);
Aerial Incident of 10 August 1999 (Pakistan v. India, culminated 2000)
Obligations concerning Negotiations relating to Cessation of the Nuclear Arms Race and to Nuclear Disarmament (Marshall Islands v. India, culminated 2016);
Kulbhushan Jadhav (India v. Pakistan, culminated 2019).

Some Facts about Guyana:

The Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America.
Guyana is an indigenous word which means “Land of Many Waters”.
The capital city is Georgetown.
Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east.
Guyana is the third smallest country in mainland South America.