A. Prevent European intervention in Latin America
Answer:
Affirmatively, ethnic groups seeking independence as free nations have other methods to achieve their goal, without incurring terrorist actions.
Although sadly we have plenty of examples of terrorist actions committed with the aim of forcing the independence of a certain ethnic group (ETA in favor of the independence of the Basque Country in Spain; or the terrorist actions of the Kurds in the Middle East), there are many other ethnicities who have sought their independence through peaceful means.
An example of this is Catalunia, which since 2012 has been trying to separate peacefully from Spain, even declaring its independence in 2017 after a popular referendum.
Another example of independence by peaceful means is that obtained by India, in which its population participated in non-violent protests and action measures against Great Britain, without incurring armed confrontations or sporadic attacks.
Since the Genocide Convention was created in 1948, its effectiveness has been hindered by debates on what the definition actually means. It has been widely accepted that the meaning of ‘‘intent,’’ within the Genocide Convention, refers to specific or special intent, dolus specialis. However, as more trials have taken place, creating more understanding of the crime of genocide, the linking of dolus specialis with the intent definition, that was so easily accepted at the first genocide trial (Akayesu at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [ICTR]), has been repeatedly put into question. The new approach being put forward as the most appropriate interpretation of ‘‘intent’’ is the knowledge-based approach. The Vienna Convention on Treaties states that interpretations of laws should follow the treaty’s original purpose and objective, and should do this by looking at the preparatory work and its circumstances.
