a SMALL STATES AND THE UNDERCURRENTS OF COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE CASE OF NAMIBIA BY PEYA MUSHELENGA SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF LAWS (LLM) IN THE SUBJECT INTERNATIONAL LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA STUDENT NO: 9323236 SUPERVISOR: DR A. JORGE SEPTEMBER 2017 i DEDICATION I dedicate this study to the memories of my uncle, Aaron Shihepo, who passed away on 6 September 2016, for the role he played in the negotiations for Namibia’s independence at the United Nations and other international platforms thereby contributing to international peace and security in general, and international legislation on Namibia, in particular, which impacted on the shaping of Namibia’s embracing of international law. ii DECLARATION I, Peya Mushelenga, hereby declare that: • This study is a true reflection of my own research, and that this work, or part thereof has not been submitted for a degree in any other institution of higher education. • No part of this thesis/dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by means (e.g. electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior permission of the author, or The University of Namibia in that behalf. I, Peya Mushelenga, further • grant The University of Namibia the right to reproduce this thesis in whole or in part, in any manner or format, which The University of Namibia may deem fit, for any person or institution requiring it for study and research; providing that The University of Namibia shall waive this right if the whole thesis has been or is being published in a manner satisfactory to the University. …………………………………………………… Date…………………………….. Peya Mushelenga 9323236 iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First I would like to thank my dear wife, Eunike for being a pillar of support in my life, our son, Panduleni and daughter Pamwenatse, who provided a sense of humour, s necessary to smoothen the stress of studies. I am indebted to all persons who made time from their busy schedules to grant me interviews, as part of my primary data collection. I am indebted to my supervisor, Dr Aimite Jorge who made comments to the research proposal provided a critique on the draft thesis. I am further indebted to Prof Wanda who made comments to the draft research proposal. I am grateful to my secretary, Ellen Swartz, for facilitating my appointment with the interviewees and my driver-cum-protection officer, Warrant Officer Tonata Moongo, who took me to my interview appointments. I further express gratitude to the staff at the National Assembly Library and National Library who provided me with assistance in accessing secondary resources during my data collection. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication i Declarations ii Acknowledgements iii Abstract x List of acronyms and abbreviations xi Chapter One Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.1.1 Orientation of the study 1 1.1.2 Objectives of the study 5 1.1.3 Statement of the research problem 5 1.1.4 Hypothesis 5 1.1.5 Importance of the study 6 1.1.6 Scope and limitation of the study 6 1.2 Literature survey 7 1.3 Emerging trends in international law: selective justice approach of small African states 19 1.4 Research methodology 20 1.5 Research ethics 23 1.6 Conceptual clarification 23 1.6.1 Small states 23 1.6.2 Victor’s justice 24 1.6.3 Soft laws 24 1.7 Chapters outline 25 Chapter Two Small states in international law within the context of rigorous adherence to international law: comparisons with large states 27 2.1 Introduction 27 v 2.2 Defining small states 28 2.3 Middle powers and large states 29 2.4 A framework of compliance with international law 30 2.5 Support for and compliance with the international law 31 2.6 Capacity to influence international law 36 2.7 Consciousness of smallness 42 2.8 International law and municipal laws of small states 43 2.9 Vulnerability to ramifications 44 2.10 Attitude of large states 45 2.11 Inequality in international law 47 2.12 Atypical small states behaviour and international law 50 2.13 Conclusion 53 Chapter Three Namibia and rigorous upholding of international law: The effect of constitutional principles 55 3.1 Introduction 55 3.2 Namibia as a product of international law, a historiography 55 3.2.1 The International Court of Justice and pre-independent Namibia’s cases 57 3.2.2 Pre-independence UN-legislated international law on Namibia 57 3.3 The constitutional principles on international law and their origin 60 3.4 Namibian municipal laws vs international law 61 3.5 The case of Kasikili Island dispute with Botswana 63 3.5.1 Background to the Kasikili / Sedudu Island dispute 64 3.5.2 The parties 65 3.5.3 Legal arguments and the Court’s consideration 69 3.5.4 Compliance with the International Court of Justice’s ruling 72 3.6 Internal stakeholders’ coordination on international law 73 3.7 Challenges 75 3.7.1 Compliance with international laws 75 3.7.2 Lack of expertise 76 3.7.3 Lack of inter-ministerial coordination 77 vi 3.8 Assessment 79 3.10 Conclusion 80 Chapter Four Selective justice, inconsistencies and controversies in international law: the case of the international criminal court 82 4.1 Introduction 82 4.2 Namibia’s initial stance towards the International Criminal Court 83 4.3 Namibia’s changing posture towards contemporary international criminal law 84 4.3.1 Namibia’s policy shift towards the International Criminal Court 84 4.3.2 Background to the case of Kenyan leaders at the International Criminal Court 86 4.3.3 An assessment of Namibia’s shifting approach to the International Criminal Court and the question of rigorous adherence to international law 90 4.3.4 The controversy of inequality in the application of international criminal law 104 4.4. Conclusion 106 Chapter Five Specific United Nations Security Council resolutions as international law impacting on Namibia and the question of compliance 107 5.1 Introduction 107 5.2 Methods of enforcing international law 107 5.3 The impact of United Nations Security Council resolutions 1929 of 2010 and 2094 of 2013 on Namibia 108 5.3.1 United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1929 of 2010 on Iran 110 5.3.2 United Nations Security Council Resolution 2094 of 2013 on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 112 5.3.3 Namibia’s compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 114 5.4 Inequalities in the application of international law to small states, vs large states 115 5.5 Selectivity and the juxtaposition of politics and law affecting compliance with international law 119 vii 5.6 An assessment of the application of international law to large and small states 123 5.7 Conclusion 126 Chapter Six 6.1 Conclusion 128 6.2 Recommendations 131 7. Bibliography 133 Annex 1 150 A sample of interview questions used in the study Annex 2 151 List of interviewees viii LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1: Judges of the ICJ and their nationality, 1946 – 2015 39 Table 2: The Namibian Legal Team 66 Table 3: The Botswana Legal Team 67 Table 4: African cases before the ICC 93 ix LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1: Namibia-Botswana borders around the Kasikili Island area 64 x Abstract This study examines small states’ compliance with international law, with a specific focus on Namibia. The study is based on the questions whether small states rigorously adhere to international law and whether they are different from large powerful states and what are the consequences for small states’ non-compliance with international law. The study establishes that there are instances of non-compliance with international law by both small and large states, with some large states non-compliance occurring more often compared to small states. It further concludes that measures taken against for non-compliance with international law, like economic sanctions, affect small states more compared to the impact on large states. The study adopted qualitative research methodology using both primary and secondary data collection techniques. Information gathered was analysed and assessed using legal arguments. The study found that Namibia has generally embraced international law as an integral part of its legal system and strictly adheres to it, as illustrated by the Kasikili / Sedudu Island dispute between Namibia and Botswana at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The study however found that there was a paradigm shift in Namibia’s approach towards international law, in respect of international criminal law. This is illustrated by her stance on the International Criminal Court (ICC) when she espoused selective justice approach manifesting failure and omissions to advocate compliance with international law by leaders indicted by the Court. With regard to the UN enacted laws, the study concludes that where there is non-compliance with international law by both small and large states, large states could violate international law with minimal or no consequences, while small states would face consequences, unless small states that are aligned to large states. Meanwhile, the study found that, as a small state, Namibia cannot afford the consequences of non-compliance with international law and has, therefore, endeavoured to be compliant. xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific Group AU African Union CARICOM Caribbean Community CIA Central Intelligence Agency CIL Customary International Law COMESA Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa DPRK Democratic Republic of Korea ECJ European Court of Justice EPAs Economic Partnership Agreements ESAAMLG