Twin Updates

Our meeting on Thursday November 15 at noon in Grace Courtroom now features a three speaker panel.

• Dr. David Gangsei, Clinical Director, Survivors of Torture
• Sharon Darrough, Manager of the International Rescue Committee
• Shira Roman of the newly-created Human Rights Watch - San Diego

They will all speak to us about their organizations and employment opportunities in NGO's in the human rights field. It should be a great event.

Our bakesale is ongoing, and will continue today and tomorrow in the Writs. I personally recommend the cupcakes with the peace signs written in frosting.

Twin Announcements

Our next Meeting!!
This will take place on:
When: Thu Nov 15 2007 12:00PM 12:50PM
Where: WH-Courtroom (WH-303A)
What: There will be a speaker and/or a short DVD shown that day! =)
Food: Yes, there will be food! =)

We have also have decided to do a bake sale in the Writs in order to raise money for our group! We need lots of people to sit at the table during the day, and we need a few people to bake. The dates will be Tues., Nov. 13, and Wed., Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day. We need people to sign up for 1 hour (or more!) shifts in order for this fundraiser to work. As we are a relatively new club, we desperately need this money to bring in more speakers, and to put on our film festival in the spring which is currently being planned. If you can sit for a shift or two, please email Jessie at jzaylia@gmail.com as soon as possible and she will begin a list. Thanks in advance for all the help we can get! As far as baking goes, we already have cookies, so we need glorious baked goods like brownies, cakes, muffins, cupcakes, or whatever else you would like to make. Again, please email Jessie at jzaylia@gmail.com if you will be bringing anything for this fundraiser.

Ralph Nader Film

The Law and Social Justice Film Series
Hosted by Professor Orly Lobel, USD School of Law Free and Open to the USD Community and Public
*** PIZZA, SNACKS AND DRINKS WILL BE SERVED***

An Unreasonable Man - Ralph Nader: How Do you Define a Legacy?

Introductory Remarks:
Professor Bob Felmeth, Price Professor of Public Interest Law & an Original "Nader's Raider".

November 6, Tuesday; 12:00-2:00 p.m.
Warren Hall 3D, USD School of Law

In 1966, General Motors, the most powerful corporation in the world, sent private investigators to dig up dirt on an obscure thirty-two year old public interest lawyer named Ralph Nader, who had written a book critical of one of their cars, the Corvair. The scandal that ensued after the smear campaign was revealed launched Ralph Nader into national prominence and established him as one of the most admired Americans and the leader of the modern Consumer Movement. Over the next thirty years and without ever holding public office, Nader built a legislative record that is the rival of any contemporary president. Many things we take for granted including seat belts, airbags, product labeling, no nukes, even the free ticket you get after being bumped from an overbooked flight are largely due to the efforts of Ralph Nader and his citizen groups. Yet today, when most people hear the name "Ralph Nader," they think of the man who gave the country George W. Bush. After being so right for so many years, how did he seem to go so wrong?

Darfur Speaker at IPJ

You are invited to the following IPJ event this Friday: IPJ Daylight Series Friday, Nov. 2; 12:30 - 2 p.m. IPJ Rooms E/F "Peace in Southern Sudan: The Role of Civil Society" Beth Rogers-Witte, USD '02, will speak to the role that civil society has played in maintaining the peace in Southern Sudan after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. Specific examples will be given from a project implemented by the international nongovernmental organization, Mercy Corps, where Ms. Rogers-Witte formerly worked as a Deputy Program Manager, based in Southern Sudan. Lessons learned from those programs can also transfer to peacemaking efforts in Darfur. This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP is required, and attendees are free to bring a lunch. Beverages will be provided.

Where is the Justice in the D.R. of Congo?

Mary Elizabeth Grant submitted the following article on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We thank her for her diligent work.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the theatre for Africa’s world war and is the continent’s most underreported and arguably worst humanitarian crisis. Unlike Darfur, the international spotlight on Congo has been dim, presumably because there are very few Western interests in Congo, despite the fact that the country is rich in mineral resources such as diamonds, gold, copper, and coltan (used for chips in cell phones and laptops).

After Belgium gave Congo its independence in the 1960s, civil war raged until 1965 when Joseph Mobutu gained control with the help of the United States. The U.S. supported Mobutu because of his stance against the Soviet-supported Angola.

Violence continued in parts of Congo (then known as Zaire), and for the most part, Mobutu controlled the country. However, when the Cold War ended, the U.S. withdrew its support.

Civil war erupted again in 1997 when Laurent Kambila became president. While opponents of Kambila rebelled with support from Uganda and Rwanda, Kambila succeeded in receiving support from Angola, Nambia, and Zimbabwe.

Peace negotiations in 2002 led to the replacement of Zimbabwean, Rwandan, Ugandan, Nambian, and Angolan troops with United Nations troops. In fact, Congo currently has the largest UN force—17,000 troops—on hand with the goal of maintaining peace. However, the UN troops are largely ineffectual as they are intimidated not only by the brutality demonstrated by rebel militias but also by the fact that they are outnumbered in the eastern region of the country.

Much of the warfare in eastern Congo is a continuation of an ethnic conflict originating in Rwanda. Hutu leaders and soldiers, who participated in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, fled to Congo after the Rwandan Tutsis regained control of the government. Rwanda then invaded Congo’s eastern front on several occasions in order to track down the former Hutu leaders.

Battles continue between the FDLR (former Hutu soldiers) and a Congolese army led by General Laurent Nkunda, who claims that he wants to defend the Rwandan Tutsis. For instance, Nkunda has formally petitioned the government to protect the Tutsis so that those who have fled the country may return to Rwanda and live in safety.

Many hoped that the 2006 election of the first democratically-elected president in the DRC, Joseph Kabila, would bring peace. However, conflict and extreme violations of human rights nevertheless persist.

The last seven years of warfare have amounted to some staggering statistics: 4 million people have died from war-related starvation, disease, and injury; 72% of the population is undernourished; death comes to 20% of children under the age of 5; the average life expectancy is age 43; the average annual income per person is less than $250; over 800,000 people have fled their homes; 30,000 children have been forced to fight in the militia (those who refuse have been killed on the spot); girls are commonly kidnapped as sex slaves for the militia; and according to the BBC, 1,200 individuals die daily as a result of the conflict. Also, according to Kevin Watkins and the Human Development Report 2006, the Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked 167^th out of 177 countries on the Human Poverty Index.

Rape is widely used as a weapon of war in order to humiliate, degrade, and control not only the victims but also those associated with them. While the exact numbers are not yet known, estimates on the number of rapes in Congo far exceed the ballpark figure of the 50,000 rapes that occurred in Rwanda as a sort of genocide through “ethnic cleansing.” Children as young as age 2 have been raped and brutalized in Congo. Forty percent of rape victims have been held as sex slaves for at least several months on end. Thirty percent of rape victims, including men and boys, have been sexually tortured and mutilated. Their injuries are usually permanent, the least of which include constant incontinence. Another 30% of rape victims are infected with HIV/AIDS.

Moreover, violence and torture associated with rape in Congo is escalating to the point where victims are forcibly blinded, and their ears and lips are cut off so that they can not identify their attackers.

Justice is non existent. Rape, forced child labor, sex trading, sexual slavery, torture, dismemberment, murder, and cannibalism prevail so that citizens live in pervasive terror, and these victims have very little recourse. The Congo militia members are often perpetrators along with rogue and rebel militias roaming the countryside.

Corruption runs the judiciary, and perpetrators often escape punishment. Due to the fact that judges are paid on average only $100 a year, they are highly susceptible to bribery. According to the BBC’s Joseph Winter, in one incident, after bribing a judge, a client asked why he should pay his lawyer. The attorney responded, “… because the other party may have bribed the judge as well and so the case may just be decided on the law.”

So what are the solutions? How will Congo achieve peace when such a rampant and atrocious lack of respect for human life dominates the consciousness? For some ideas, check out the Enough Campaign. Here, you can sign a letter to the President, requesting that he take more decisive action.

Guantanamo Bay Speakers

Please join the Criminal Law Society and the Pro Bono Legal Advocates on

Thursday, October 18th

At 12:00 noon

In WH Grace Courtroom

Where the Federal Defenders that represent Detainees of Guantanamo Bay will share their first hand experiences. This is a rare chance to hear riveting accounts from federal defenders of detainees at the largely secret and covert detention facilities of Guantanamo Bay.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided, and the event is from 12:00 to 12:50 so you will not have to miss classes.

Please RSVP to Tara Aguilar at aguilarbro@yahoo.com if you are interested in coming.

Burma Teach-In

The IPJ is holding a Burma Informational Session on Tuesday October 16 from 3:00-4:30 in IOJ rooms C and D. Professor Karma Lekshe Tsomo of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Tim A. Hardy, a local Burmese-American who took part in the 1988 demonstrations in Burma and Joyce Neu of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice will discuss the ongoing non-violent protests in Burma against the military junta that has ruled the country since 1988.

Check out the IPJ's flyer here.

Background on the Current Conflict and Potential Crisis in Myanmar

Mary Grant submitted the following update on the situation in Myanmar. We thank her for her diligent work.


Over the last few decades, the government of Myanmar has typically responded to peaceful demonstrations with violence, at times with dramatic results. In 1988, thousands of demonstrators were killed, and in 1989 thousands were arrested. To avoid similar human rights violations, the international community must apply pressure on Myanmar to implement a democratic response to the current demonstrations.

As of September 22, 2007 the Burmese monks, in an unprecedented move, denied spiritual service to all military personnel. Twenty thousand monks are leading the largest demonstrations in 20 years. Demonstrations have swelled to over 100,000 people over the past nine days. Protestors are calling for lower prices of basic commodities, improved health care and education, and better utility services.

But what has triggered the current protests, especially when the country has endured incredible oppression under the military junta’s rule for the last 40 years? In September, the government released a long awaited draft constitution that continues to ensure military control of the legislatures and ministries. The controlling military junta is regarded as one of the most “draconian regimes in the world” (Life Under Burma’s Military Regimes, BBC News, June 15, 2006).

Various international agencies, including the Red Cross, have accused the military junta of violating international humanitarian laws. Within Myanmar, the government is in the habit of eliminating all opposition by arresting and sentencing dissenters to lengthy jail terms, hard labor, or death. Citizens claim that everything they do is controlled. Media is heavily censored. Education is geared towards military propaganda. Citizens must ask the government for permission even if they want to have a guest stay overnight.

In 2006, the International Labor Organization sought to bring charges of forced labor against Myanmar in the International Court of Justice, accusing the military of kidnapping villagers, including children. The military allegedly forced those they kidnapped to serve as porters, to lead troops through fields in order to uncover land mines, and to work on construction projects. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime lists Myanmar in the top 45 countries of human trafficking originators, transit points, and final destinations.

The government has poured money into developing the military and building a new capital, but it has done little to improve the country’s standard of living. Consequently, the economy of the Burma has become one of the poorest and most corrupt in Asia. It has the fourth highest inflation level in the world (at 25%), and it is the second largest producer of opium. Their economic growth rate has slowed to 1.5%, and the annual GDP per capita is $1,600. Half of the children under the age of 5 are considered chronically malnourished. Additionally, an estimated 150,000 children under the age of 5 die every year from preventable diseases such as malaria and dysentery.

The economic crisis, which has been looming for years, intensified in 2006 when the military junta authorized increased salaries for all government workers. However, the government did not have the economic means with which to pay these salaries. The result has been a 30-60% increase in the prices of basic commodities.

When considering the economic and social climate, the current protests seem inevitable. The question is how to resolve the conflict. Myanmar has strong economic ties with China. Exports from China to Burma have risen 50% so far this year. As China wants positive international publicity (as it approaches the Beijing Olympics), the international community can apply pressure on China to exert its significant influence over Myanmar in order to initiate a democratic process and resolve the conflicts peacefully. For more ideas on how to resolve the emerging crisis in Myanmar, see the recent media release by the International Crisis Group. http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=5092&l=1

October IPJ Schedule

October is the busiest month of the year at the institute, with numerous Women PeaceMakers events, a series of workshops cosponsored with USD's Social Issues Conference, the Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series and special events such as film screenings and book signings. All events are free and open to students and the public unless otherwise specified. Event details and RSVP information are listed below the Events AT A GLANCE.

EVENTS AT A GLANCE

Oct. 2 "Walking Together in Peace" - Thich Nhat Hanh
Oct. 4 "Peace is a Matter of Justice Everywhere" - Women PeaceMakers Panel
Oct. 4 "Peace Building: Both Art and/or Science?" - Dean William Headley, Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies
Oct. 4 "Climate Change and the Responsibility to Protect" - Social Issues Conference Workshop
Oct. 9 "Uniting Women to Overcome Long-standing Inter-tribal Hostilities" - Susana Tenjoh-Okwen from Cameroon
Oct. 11 "Weaving Women's Rights into an Independent Democratic State" - Samia Bamieh from Palestine
Oct. 16 "Liberating Minds Imprisoned by War Trauma and Media Bias" - Irina Yanovskaya from South Ossetia in Georgia
Oct. 18 "Reviving Traditional Law to Transform Contemporary Tribal and Migrant Disputes" - Latifah Anum Siregar, Indonesia

Oct. 23 "Peacemaking: Persevering in the Face of Violence" - Women PeaceMakers Summit Panel
Oct. 23 "Seeking Human Security: Crossing Conflict Lines" - Women PeaceMakers Summit Panel
Oct. 23 West Coast Launch of Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters - Book Launch
Oct. 23 "International Strides for Inclusive Peacebuilding" - Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series Panel
Oct. 24 "Peacebuilding: Fostering Civic Trust" - Women PeaceMakers Summit Panel
Oct. 24 "Media as A Tool for Peacebuilding" - Women PeaceMakers Summit Workshop
Oct. 24 "The Faith Club" - Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, Priscilla Warner
Nov. 2 "Peace in Southern Sudan: The Role of Civil Society" - Beth Rogers-Witte
Nov. 9 Registration Deadline for "Negotiation and Communication Mastery for Leaders"
Nov. 14 "The Israelis and Palestinians: Prospects for Peace" - Marcia Freedman

EVENT CALENDAR

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m.
Jenny Craig Pavilion
Special Event
"Walking Together in Peace"
Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist monk, author and activist, is the keynote speaker for the 18th Annual Social Issues Conference and the Center for Christian Spirituality. He has spent his life advocating peace and nonviolence. His protest of the Vietnam War compelled Martin Luther King Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Cosponsored by USD's Social Issues Conference, the Center for Christian Spirituality, the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and other USD and community organizations. The talk will be preceded by a walking meditation from the Hahn University Center to the Jenny Craig Pavilion from 5:30 to 6:15, and a guided meditation and chant at the Jenny Craig Pavilion from 6:30 to 7. General Admission: $10, Students: free. To register, go to www.sandiego.edu/socialissues call (619) 260-4798.

Thursday, Oct. 4, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Program
"Peace is a Matter of Justice Everywhere" - Women PeaceMakers Panel
Spanning the globe from state conflicts to tribal wars, from a former Soviet province to a Pacific island, from a Middle East hotspot to a little known African conflict, four women from very different parts of the world will address the challenges and hopes of achieving peace with justice. The recognized peacemakers and justice advocates are Samia Bamieh from Palestine, Latifah Anum Siregar from Indonesia, Susana Tenjoh-Okwen from Cameroon and Irina Yanovskaya from South Ossetia in Georgia.

Thursday, Oct. 4, 12:15 to 2 p.m.
Hahn University Center, Forum A - B
Special Event
"Peace Building: Both Art and/or Science?"
Dean William Headley, C.S.Sp., founding dean of USD's Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, keynote speaker for the 18th Annual Social Issues Conference luncheon. Dean Headley will examine the dynamic tension between academic theoretical approaches to peacebuilding and the intuitive, creative methods used by people in conflict areas. Lunch is free but registration is required. To register, go to www.sandiego.edu/socialissues call (619) 260-4798.

Thursday, Oct. 4, 10:45 a.m. to noon
Hahn University Center Room 103
Social Issues Conference Workshop
"Climate Change and the Responsibility to Protect"
This panel will examine whether the newly enshrined concept of the "responsibility to protect," originally designed to protect populations from atrocities like genocide and crimes against humanity, may be combined with the concept of "sustainable development" to protect populations against the injurious effects of climate change. The session will report on the recent 60th Annual Department of Public Information/Nongovernmental Organizations conference at the United Nations, entitled "Climate Change: How it Impacts Us All." Panelists: Karla Alvarez, USD '07, Program Coordinator, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice; Lesley K. McAllister, Associate Professor, USD School of Law; and Elena McCollim, Program Officer, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. To register, go to http://home.sandiego.edu/~jrivera/cgi/s18form3.html.

Tuesday, Oct. 9, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Program
"Uniting Women to Overcome Long-standing Inter-tribal Hostilities"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Susana Tenjoh-Okwen from Cameroon. Tenjoh-Okwen, mother, professor, community peace mediator and respected gender activist from Bamenda in the northwest of Cameroon, will share her story.

Thursday, Oct. 11, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Program
"Weaving Women's Rights into an Independent Democratic State"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Samia Bamieh from Palestine. Bamieh, mother, founding member of the International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian-Israeli Peace and committee member assigned to draft a Palestinian constitution, will share her story.

Tuesday, Oct. 16, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Program
"Liberating Minds Imprisoned by War Trauma and Media Bias"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Irina Yanovskaya from South Ossetia in Georgia. Yanovskaya, mother, journalist, lawyer, chair of the Journalists for Human Rights and one of the 1,000 women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, will share her story.

Thursday, Oct. 18, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Program
"Reviving Traditional Law to Transform Contemporary Tribal and Migrant Disputes"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Latifah Anum Siregar from Indonesia. Siregar, human rights lawyer, chair of the Alliance for Democracy in Papua and advocate for peace working in the complex tribal and migrant conflicts in Papua communities, will share her story.

"Is Peace Possible? A Summit of Women PeaceMakers on Today's Frontlines"
The Women PeaceMakers Program at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice (IPJ) is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a series of public panel presentations and interactions. As the IPJ welcomes four new peacemakers in 2007, it is also hosting previous women peacemakers for a two-day summit. The women will update us on their work and share how they are handling some of the treacherous obstacles to peace.

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 9:30 a.m. to noon
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Summit
"Peacemaking: Persevering in the Face of Violence"
Panelists will present the complexities of real-world conflict mitigation and peace negotiations in their respective countries. Reflecting on the current obstacles to their past initiatives to cross conflict lines and create the conditions for peace, women on the frontlines will share their perspectives and updates on the recurring challenges and possible improvements in their work.

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2 to 4 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Summit
"Seeking Human Security: Crossing Conflict Lines"
In entrenched conflicts, dehumanizing perceptions of the "other" must be called into question. These speakers will discuss their on-the-ground work to dispel politically-motivated myths through education, policymaking, grassroots activism and cross-border communication. By working across conflict lines these women demonstrate and model methods to achieve and foster inclusive human security in communities, nations and regions scarred by ethnic conflict, identity politics and discrimination.

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Summit
"West Coast Launch of Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters"
How and why do women's contributions matter in peace and security processes? Why should women's activities in this sphere be explored separately from peacebuilding efforts in general? Sanam Anderlini offers a comprehensive, cross-regional analysis of women's peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Anderlini also traces the evolution of international policies in this arena and highlights the endemic problems that stunt progress. Her analysis, based on extensive research and field experience, demonstrates how gender sensitivity in programming can be a catalytic component in the complex task of building sustainable peace, and provides concrete examples of how to draw on women's untapped potential.

Tuesday, Oct. 23, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series (not in bold)
"International Strides for Inclusive Peacebuilding"
International policymakers and experts will highlight gender concerns and inclusion in conflict resolution, peacekeeping operations and long-term peacebuilding efforts such as reconciliation and accountability for war crimes, particularly gender-based human rights violations. Speakers include former Ugandan parliamentarian Winnie Byanyima, gender advisor to the United Nations Development Programme; Priscilla Hayner, director of the Peace and Justice Program at the International Center for Transitional Justice; and Lt. Gen. Joseph Owonibi, former force commander of U.N. peacekeeping operations in Liberia. RSVP by Oct. 12 to http://peace.sandiego.edu or call (619) 260-4236. A reception will follow the lecture.

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to noon
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Summit
"Peacebuilding: Fostering Civic Trust"
Steps toward peace and security remain tentative without gender-inclusive governance and policies. With a stable peace on the horizon, a range of issues must be addressed at each level in society following periods of mass atrocity and gross human rights violations. Women are often at the forefront of these efforts, whether at the grassroots level to restore relations or in the national arena to create a climate in which institutions are reformed. From building the capacity of civil society to ensuring good governance, women have a key role to play.

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Women PeaceMakers Summit
"Media as A Tool for Peacebuilding"
Today's emerging information and communication technologies have the potential to connect the world as never before. New media tools can enable us to share peacebuilding solutions, strengthen cultures, educate communities (no matter the level of literacy), monitor peace processes, promote civic empowerment and create new levels of accountability and transparency in governments and corporations around the world.

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Special Event
"The Faith Club"
The Faith Club is a book written by three women of three different faiths - Christianity, Islam and Judaism - searching for understanding and peace amongst diversity. At this special panel presentation with authors Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner, they will describe the journey of their post-9/11 interfaith dialogue, including their personal stereotypes and misunderstandings about one another and the issues that divide and ultimately unite them. They will also speak on how to start a faith club to experience an enriched personal faith and understanding of people from any faith. A book signing will follow the lecture. RSVP by Oct. 17 at http://peace.sandiego.edu or (619) 260-4236.

Friday, Nov. 2, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
IPJ Rooms E/F
IPJ Daylight Series
"Peace in Southern Sudan: The Role of Civil Society"
Beth Rogers-Witte, USD '02, will speak on the role that civil society has played in maintaining peace in southern Sudan after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005. Specific examples will be given from a project implemented by the international nongovernmental organization, Mercy Corps, where Ms. Rogers-Witte currently works as a deputy program manager, based in southern Sudan. Attendees are free to bring a lunch. Beverages will be provided.

Friday, Nov. 9
Registration Deadline for Negotiations Event
"Negotiation and Communication Mastery for Leaders" will bring together high-level professionals in the private and public sectors including business executives, government staff and military officials to hone negotiation and communication techniques for leadership success in conflict management in a four-day negotiations event Jan. 15-18, 2008. Participants will learn how to negotiate durable agreements and develop an integrated approach to goal setting, planning and conduct of critical interactions. This event is convened by CMPartners, a global leader in strategic conflict management advising and training and the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice (IPJ) at the University of San Diego. Proceeds will support the IPJ Nepal Project working for peace and democracy and CMPartners' public sector projects in Burundi, Kashmir, the Middle East and Nepal. Register by Nov. 9 at http://peace.sandiego.edu/events/leaders/registration.php. For more information, contact Laura Taylor at laurataylor@sandiego.edu, or call (619) 260-7807.

Wednesday, Nov. 14, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
IPJ Speaker Series
"The Israelis and Palestinians: Prospects for Peace"
Marcia Freedman, founding president of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, and a member of the Knesset from 1973 through 1977, will speak. Brit Tzedek v'Shalom, the Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace, seeks to educate and mobilize American Jews in support of a negotiated two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This event is co-sponsored by Brit Tzedek v'Shalom/The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace and the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. RSVP by Nov. 9 at http://peace.sandiego.edu.

For event additions, changes and directions go to http://peace.sandiego.edu or call 619-260-7509. USD students are encouraged to attend all IPJ events. Events fill up quickly, so professors are encouraged to make reservations in advance for any classes that will be attending as a group.

Work-Study Position at the IPJ!

The Distinguished Lecture Series at the Institute for Peace and Justice is looking for a work study student. The position pays $12-13 per hour and you get to do research on all these really interesting human rights events, speakers, and organizations. The woman who runs the program is Diana Kutlow. She is a super nice lady. Brett worked there last year and Kevin worked there the year before. If you are interested, talk to Brett or Kevin or go to the IPJ and check it out for yourself.

Fall Semester Schedule of Events

Thursday, September 20, 7 - 8:30 p.m: Kenneth Roth, Executive Director Human Rights Watch will speak at the IPJ.

Friday, September 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m: International Day of Peace Celebration at the IPJ. Learn about local organizations working for peace and social justice, including us. The symbolic dove release will take place at noon.

September 28-29th, 9am to 12pm/ 5pm to 6:30pm: Just War Theory and Terrorism debate at Warren Hall, featuring USD Law Professor Larry Alexander.

Thursday, October 4th, time TBD: International Criminal Court debate jointly hosted with the USD Federalist Society.

Thursday, October 4, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m: Women Peace Makers Program at the IPJ, featuring Samia Bamieh from Palestine, Latifah Anum Siregar from Indonesia, Susana Tenjoh-Okwen from Cameroon and Irina Yanovskaya from Georgia. Cameroon and Irina Yanovskaya from Georgia.

Tuesday, October 9, 12:30 - 2:00
p.m: Susana Tenjoh-Okwen, mother, professor, community peace mediator and respected gender activist from Bamenda in the northwest of Cameroon, will share her story at the IPJ.

Thursday, October 11, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m: Samia Bamieh, mother, founding member of the International Women's Commission for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian-Israeli Peace and committee member assigned to draft a Palestinian constitution, will share her story at the IPJ.

Tuesday, October 16, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m: Irina Yanovskaya, mother, journalist, lawyer, chair of the Journalists for Human Rights and one of the 1,000 women nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, will share her story at the IPJ.

Thursday, October 18, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m: Latifah Anum Siregar, human rights lawyer, chair of the Alliance for Democracy in Papua and advocate for peace working in the complex tribal and migrant conflicts in Papua communities, will share her story at the IPJ

First Fall 2007 Meeting

Hello everyone!

The first International Human Rights Law Society meeting will be on Wednesday, September 19 @ 12pm to 1:00 in WH 2B. Spread the word... FREE LUNCH

This is going to be the year that we kick IHRLS into a higher gear! In the past we have brought speakers to campus and gone to events at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. This year we are hoping to add a couple of more activities to the mix. We would like to coordinate a field trip to a "sweat shop" in Tijuana and begin doing monthly film screenings. There is so much injustice out there it should, unfortunately, be easy to stay busy.
If you are looking for some opportunities to fill out your schedule or resume there are some great opportunities with the International Human Rights Law Society.

Events Already Planned:

Meeting: Wednesday, September 19 @ 12pm to 1:00 in WH 2B

Speaker: Ken Roth Executive Director of Human Rights Watch Thursday, September 20, 7 - 8:30 p.m., Peace & Justice Theatre: Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series: "The Dynamics of Human Rights and the Environment."

Peace Fair: Friday, September 21, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., IPJ Garden of the Sky
International Criminal Court Debate: October 4th 12 p.m.

Check our Blog for information from last year and upcoming events at http://usdhumanrights.blogspot.com/

Positions Available:

IHRLS will be holding the elections for the incoming board members plus a bunch of other positions that will be needed for our projects this semester/year. There are tons of opportunities!

Interested students need only respond to this email with their name, position of interest, phone number, and class year. We are particularly interested in developing a base of 1L members so the club will have ready-and-willing hands to carry the torch when the old board graduates. Obviously, many of these positions will go uncontested and you'll get it. I will email those that have picked a contested position and we'll do a quick vote on Wednesday after hearing from each candidate.

The available positions include...

· Vice President: an essential job to ease the burden of the President(s), ideally being groomed to take over the following year/semester.

· Secretary: manager of web communications and blog, emails about club meetings, coordinates the new email account, email lists, and meeting minutes.

· Treasurer: budget manager, reimbursement slips, etc. A great position for those interested in SBA Treasurer or who have a finance background.

· SBA ELS Rep.: goes to SBA meetings and announces club business and insures ELS announcements are on the SBA meeting agenda and minutes. A particularly important position because club attendance is now required at SBA meetings. Good for 1Ls who want to be involved, but don't have a ton of time.

· Fundraising Chair: you guessed it! This position finds and organizes ways to get funding for IHRLS activities and events. For the glad-handing, not-afraid-to-ask-for-anything kind of law student. Anybody up for the challenge? This is a massively important role for any organization. Plus, you get to make a lot of contacts in the community that are environmentally conscious and have money to give.

· Community Service Chair: organizes community service events for our club. Ideally we would like to take this money use for non-profits like Amnesty or One.org.

· Public Relations Chair: help disseminate to the community updates about all the good work we are doing up here at USD. Must be willing to write one article in Motions (our school newspaper) and keep the pulse on International Human Rights stories. You get published!

· Local Current Events Chair: tracks new and existing human rights outreach around the San Diego area, updates the blog with stories they find, and creates a handout for meetings. This is a great job for an Institute of Peace and Justice Work Study. This is a job that I did last year, working at the IPJ keeps you up to date with what is happening in the community, plus you get paid for it, and its more fun than working in the library.

· International Current Events Chair: same as above, but on a international level. Great for students interested in global conflict and human rights initiatives.

· Webmaster: publishes minutes on our blog and both the sandiego.edu and SBA websites. This individual will share a lot of responsibility with the secretary. Great for anyone with web experience, considering IP law, or just good with computers!

· ABA Liaison : a dual role position that helps you connect IHRLS and yourself to the International Law Bar by actually serving on their board as a student representative. A great spot to hunt for summer and permanent job opportunities!

· USD Organizational Outreach Chair: responsible for making connections to other human rights inclined organizations and persons associated with USD Law, undergrad clubs, business school, Institute for Peace and Justice, etc. A great way to get work with our on campus organizations. Having USD connections = job connections!

· Community Organization Outreach Chair: same as above, but for the San Diego Community. Again, another great way to find jobs.

· Special Projects/Events Coordinator/Field Trip Planner (one for each event--need only 3 to start): takes the lead, but gets tons of help, organizing an event.

· Organizational Growth Chair: helps grow the prestige and influence of IHRLS using leadership skills and business acumen. Takes us from being just a "club" to an institution. This position, along with a business plan report, would serve as an excellent JD/MBA application attachment.

· Film Festival Coordinator: We would like to have a film festival or a weekly/monthly film where we show a feature that pertains to International Human Rights. Whether is is Sudan or Child Soldiers or Latin America is up to you. This person would also be in charge of advertising the film and should probably draft a committee to assist them on the program.

Name your own position... If there is any other way that you would like to help IHRLS, please fill in your own position and we'll make it work.

Well, that is it for now. I hope all the 1L's are getting settled in and enjoying USD and I hope the rest of us are happy to be back. Remember the words of the great anthropologist Margaret Mead:

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday.

Your Presidents,

Brett Barley & Kevin Grigsby

Ralph Nader

International Human Rights Law Society:

We have a wonderful opportunity to hear Ralph Nader give a lecture at USD on Friday evening, April 27, at 6:00 p.m. The lecture, which is being co-sponsored by the School of Law and the Public Interest Law Foundation, will be followed by a reception and -- possibly/hopefully -- a book-signing event where you can purchase Ralph's latest book, The Seventeen Traditions (more on that at the link below -- it's a great book), and Ralph will autograph it for you.

http://www.seventeentraditions.com/index.html

The lecture will be held in the main auditorium (first floor) of the Manchester Executive Conference Center on campus at USD (about 5 buildings west of Warren Hall, on the same side of the street). If you want to attend, please RSVP (starting on Tuesday, April 24) via email to usdlawevent@sandiego.edu or call (619) 260-6848.

I know this is a really busy time of year, but Ralph is one of the best speakers on the face of the earth. He will motivate you like nobody's business. How many other people do you know who were listed on Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential Americans of the 20th Century? He is well worth the hour -- I hope you can make it.

Brett Barley

Speaker Friday, April 20, 12pm 2A

The International Human Rights Law Society invites you to lunch with one of the country's preeminent International Lawyers, Marjorie Cohn! Professor Cohn will be speaking Friday, April 20th on International Law, International Human Rights, the War on Terror, and the future of International Institutions like the International Criminal Court and the United Nations. The room location has not yet been decided and you will receive a second email regarding the location. Free food and wine will be provided.

Professor Cohn became president of the National Lawyers Guild in October 2006. She also was recently recognized as one of San Diego’s Top Attorneys in Academics for 2006. She lectures throughout the world on international human rights and U.S. foreign policy. A news consultant for CBS News, and a legal analyst for Court TV, she also provides legal and political commentary on BBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR and Pacifica Radio. Co-author of the book Cameras in the Courtroom: Television and the Pursuit of Justice, Professor Cohn has published numerous articles in such journals as Fordham Law Review, Hastings Law Journal and Virginia Journal of International Law, as well as The National Law Journal, Christian Science Monitor and Chicago Tribune. Professor Cohn is a contributing editor to Jurist, MWC News and Guild Practitioner.

Professor Cohn was a legal observer in Iran on behalf of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers in 1978 and she has participated in delegations to Cuba, China and Yugoslavia.

Sincerely,

Brett Barley
President International Law Society

Thursday Event with Gareth Evans

Come meet and see the Honarable Gareth Evans! This event is at the IPJ at 6pm but YOU have the amazing opportunity to meet Mr. Evans in a small setting tomorrow at 1pm. As a member of International Human Rights Law Society you can meet him for a special session tomorrow from 1pm to 2pm at the IPJ Rooms E and F. Just reply to (619) 260.7803 by 5pm today. If you do not respond this invitation will be opened to other students. Thanks and see you tomorrow.


Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series Thursday, April 12 - 6:00 p.m., IPJ Theatre. “Preventing Mass Atrocities: Making 'Never Again' a Reality” presented by The Honorable Gareth Evans - president and CEO, International Crisis Group; former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia. A reception will follow the lecture. Seating is limited, so early replies are recommended. RSVP here by Tuesday, April 10 or call (619) 260-4236

Summer Human Rights Study and Internship Opportunities

Hey everyone,

I wanted to let you know about several study abroad programs in the summer for those interested in international human rights law. Some things to consider about summer plans is that it can be very difficult to find a paying summer law job your first year (and nearly impossible if you want to do human rights law). There are many unpaid internships in the US and abroad, but you will have to pay your own way. However, there are several study abroad programs that will give you an internship in addition to taking courses, and you can take out financial aid to cover the cost. Even though many of the programs, especially USD's are expensive, you can use the credits you earn to go part time your 3rd year or even graduate a semester early, making the total cost of law school the same. Here's an outline of just a few, and resources to find more!

1. Moscow and St. Petersburg-Russia (Sponsored by USD)

I put this one first only because I did it last year, so I know all about it. The pros are that you can earn 11 credits in only two months, enough to in practice graduate a semester early. You take classes for a month, and in the second month you work full time in an internship. There are several human rights organizations you can work with, and some, including the one I worked for, dont require knowledge of Russian. The internship has lots of hands on experience, and you get a great feel for working in a non profit human rights law firm. Also, contrary to popular belief, Russia is not cold during the summer, but in fact very beautiful and exciting. The cons: Since its a USD program, tuition and living expenses comes out to something like 20 grand. But like i said, since you can graduate a semester early or go part time, the cost evens out.

2. Cape Town- South Africa (Sponsored by Howard Law School)

This one month, 6 credit program entails taking two courses in Cape Town. However, space permitting, the program coordinator is willing to give students a part time internship with human rights organizations to be done in the afternoons.

3. The Hague, Netherlands (American Law School, or Santa Clara Law)

No internship, but a month of intensive international human rights law study in the human rights capital of the world (The Hague).

4. Sydney, Australia (Santa Clara Law)

This 6 credit program is classes and they offer human rights internships for credit also.


There are several other classes only programs that specialize in human rights law. Go to http://www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/foreign.html to see all the study abroad programs offered. Each law schools website has information tucked away about their programs.

I'm currently spending the semester studying human rights law in Amsterdam, which is an option to do your second year. If anyone has any questions about that, or the summer abroad programs, feel free to email me at kgrigsby2@yahoo.com. I hope everyone is having a good spring semester and be sure to attend the excellent IPJ events with Brett!

Kevin Grigsby

Sudan Speaker

January 31th at noon in 2A.

Judy Bernstein is one of the co-authors of They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky, the true story of three boys under the age of seven who were forced to flee their war-ravaged village. Traveling over one thousand miles across Sudan, Alephonsion Deng, Benson Deng, and Benjamin Ajak sought relief in refugee camps and eventually immigrated to the United States. Bernstein met the three young men during her work for the San Diego chapter of the International Rescue Committee. Inspired by their tragic childhoods and epic tales of survival, Bernstein set out to help the three tell their story. The resulting memoir, They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky, has been hailed by the Washington Post as "one of the most riveting stories ever told of African childhoods – and a stirring tale of courage."

Brett Barley

War Debate

War Power Debate: Architect of the Patriot Act, John Yoo, and USD Law Professor Michael D. Ramsey Debate About the War on Terror

The School of Law’s Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism will welcome John Yoo, professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall) and architect of the Patriot Act, for a debate about the War on Terror. Yoo will go head-to-head with USD School of Law Professor Mike Ramsey on issues of war power such as the authority to launch pre-emptive attacks abroad and conducting surveillance without a warrant.

When: Monday, February 12, 2007, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Where: Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on the USD Campus

Brett Barley

New Addition to Schedule

One more event was scheduled at the IPJ. It is on the 22nd of this month at 5:30 p.m. The speaker is John Prendergast. He is a senior advisor to the International Crisis Group and worked in the Clinton Administration. He has written numerous articles and has an upcomming book comming out with Don Cheadle. He recently made a trip to the Congo with Angelina Joli. Should be an interesting guy. Hope you can come.

Brett Barley

Spring Schedule

This is the schedule for speakers at the Joan B. Krok Institute for Peace & Justice. I will be attending most if not all of the speaking events. In the fall we met outside the IPJ (by the fountain) and sat together in the theater. That seemed to work well. Hope to see you there!

February 15, Thursday, 7:00 p.m., IPJ Rooms H-I.
IPJ Film Series: "Searching for Peace in the Middle East"

Monday, March 12 - 7:00 p.m., IPJ Theatre
IPJ Film Series: "A Force More Powerful: The Way of Dr. King & Gandhi."

Thursday, March 22 - 7:00 pm, IPJ Theatre
IPJ Special Event: “A Land Twice Promised.”
Renowned storytelling performer Noa Baum performs, based on her heartfelt dialogue as an Israeli with a Palestinian women while living in the United States.

Thursday, March 29 - 7:00 p.m., IPJ Theatre
IPJ Film Series presents, “Reversing the Ripples of War.”

For more detail on the event you can check out IPJ's website http://peace.sandiego.edu/

Brett Barley