UN Human Rights Council

Dear Delegates,

Hi! I’m Katherine Medler (or Kat), a sophomore in Eliot House. I’m still deciding between concentrating in Social Studies, a strange Harvard amalgamation of the humanities, or Something Else… perhaps by conference I will know! I was born and raised in a small town on the Big Island of Hawaii and will readily admit that I miss that sun everyday. I did do many stereotypically “Hawaiian” things, but I never learned to surf or dance hula (sorry!). I can’t resist a good adventure and take every opportunity to travel, which helped spark my interest in international relations and Model UN when I got to Harvard.

I actually had no idea what a MUN conference was during high school. It just so happened that my sister (Harvard Class of 2009) and all my friends were involved in the International Relations Council, an umbrella organization for this conference and many other programs. I was intrigued right away and was an Assistant Director for HMUN ’08 and HNMUN ’09 for the Human Rights Council and NGOs. It’s a privilege to work at this conference on the Human Rights Council, as the issues we discuss are incredibly emotional and controversial, but matter the most. I believe that the delegates in the Economic and Social Council are the most passionate and informed in the entire conference. It will be a challenge for me to fulfill your expectations, but I’m looking forward to it.

Please feel free to email any questions or general wonder-ments you may have! Ciao!

Sincerely,

Katherine Medler
Director, UN Human Rights Council
Harvard National Model United Nations 2010

Topic Area A: Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America

Especially in these trying economic times, there is the temptation to find a scapegoat, or group onto which to transfer the blame. This has recently led to heightened persecution of indigenous populations, especially in the countries of Latin America. We will examine the situations in Colombia, Chile, and Guatemala. Most of the persecution is directed towards indigenous Maya populations in these countries. In Colombia, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), a guerilla organization have kidnapped, threatened, and killed members of various indigenous groups, including the Awa and Afro-Colombians. Displaced civilians have found the government unsupportive and negligent, resulting in the establishment of armed groups targeting communities supposedly aligned with the guerillas. The indigenous communities of Chile have been the subject of excessive violence and persecution. Agricultural, industrial, and infrastructure expansion is systematically evicting indigenous communities like the Mapuche, Wichi, and Guarani. This struggle for land is centuries old and has escalated to armed conflicts and government-sanctioned harassment. Similarly, the struggle between the indigenous Maya and the Ladinos in Guatemala can be traced to the first Spaniards to colonize Latin America, but the tensions between these groups peaked during the Guatemalan Civil War (1960-1996). Lack of accountability for war crimes coupled with an attitude of prejudice, following the Spanish colonial pattern, has created a hostile environment for Mayans. Despite making up about 40 percent of the population, Mayans are denied access to education, healthcare, and political representation. The struggle for rights affects every aspect of life, from police profiling to protecting indigenous land and language differences to lingering prejudices. We will analyze the UNHRC’s past involvement and possible actions it can take in the future using these case studies to specifically target the tensions between the Spanish-descendents and indigenous communities of Latin America.

Topic Area B: Police Brutality

With recent innovations expediting the movement of information; grass-roots and social movements have become popularized through the media. Movements that are controlled or repressed through police action and brutality are particularly of interest to the UNHRC. This committee will discuss cases in Turkey and Argentina. Recent studies have revealed an upsurge in police brutality in Istanbul since 2008, including deaths following routine procedures and cover-ups. This increase has been attributed to recent laws enacted to facilitate Turkey’s bid for EU membership. In Argentina, there have been a disturbingly large number of victims reportedly beaten by police officers during land, union, and civil rights protests. These reports are strangely reminiscent of those seen during La Junta Militar (military dictatorship from 1976-1983) and the Dirty War, but have occurred under the democratically elected president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. This study guide will call into question the accepted definition of police brutality, the responsibility of the state to either enforce civil liberties or order, and how these two countries in particular are responding. It also questions the role of the UN, and specifically the UNHRC, in recommending or forcing state actors or institutions of authority to desist in such behavior. The case studies will serve as an example of similar situations across the globe and our goal will be to draft a resolution with a broad application, now and in the future.