USD International Human Rights Law Society

Iranian Filmmaker & Women's Rights Activist Arrested

2011-06-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

Mahnaz Mohammadi, 37 years old, was arrested from her home in Tehran, Iran by security forces. Mahnaz is a prominent Iranian documentary filmmaker and women’s rights activist who has directed several films including “Women without Shadows”, “The Soul’s Children” and “Travelogue.” She also collaborated with Rakhshan Bani-Etemad in “We are Half of Iran’s Population.”

In May, Mahnaz’s passport was seized to prevent her from going to the Cannes Film Festival for the screening of Reza Serkanian’s “Marriage Ephemeral,” in which she plays the lead role. Her arrest on Sunday was the second in three years. In August of 2009, she was arrested for laying a wreath on a woman’s grave who had been killed during protests of the re-election of Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

Mahnaz has been taken to Evin prison, where other activists are also being held, and is being denied access to her family and legal representation.

Two weeks ago, another women’s rights campaigner, Maryam Majd, 25 years old, was arrested before her planned departure to Germany to cover the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was expecting to meet a former German footballer to work on a book project about women’s sport until she was detained and transferred to Evin. Maryam has also campaigned for women to be allowed to enter football stadiums to watch games.

Amnesty International, along with other human rights groups, has condemned Iran for its targeting of artists and activists. Amnesty stated that the detentions seem to be part of Iran’s ongoing crackdown on journalists, film-makers, activist and lawyers – anyone who challenges Iran’s ideologies. Amnesty has urged the authorities not to torture Mahnaz and Maryam and provide them access to their family and lawyers, so far with no avail.

Mazier Bahari, an Iranian documentary film-maker who has been arrested before said: "Documentary makers are in direct contact with the society and show what's out there, sometimes negative, sometimes positive, but in Iran, where the regime thinks it has the right to intrude in all aspects of the citizens' lives, everything is politicized, and the work of film-makers can be interpreted as a threat to the so-called national security."

Among other filmmakers and activists that have been arrested in the past include director Jafar Panahi, film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof and lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh.
Amnesty said that if the only reason the women are being held is for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression, then they must be released immediately. Iranian authorities believe otherwise – restricting the expression is their very goal and they justify it based on false “national security” reasons.

While Iran is among the countries that signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both adopted by the United National General Assembly, it openly violates the individual rights it vows to protect. These are only a few of several international agreements committing Iran and other signatory countries to respect rights of freedom of speech, due process and a fair trial, in addition to other individual rights. Yet, without the power to enforce, the United Nations and international human rights organizations can yell as loudly as it can, but our shouts clearly land upon deaf ears.

China's Persecution of the Falun Gong

2011-02-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Since 1999, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been persecuting practitioners of Falun Gong. Practitioners have been and continue to be subject to a wide range of human rights abuses, including death, torture, unjustified detaining and arrests. As of July 1999, the CPC declared it a crime to practice Falun Gong in groups, possess its teachings, display banners or symbols or protest the ban.

Falun Gong is a system of beliefs and practices founded by Li Hongzhi in 1992, emerging at the end of China’s “qigong boom” (a period of growth of similar practices). The practice focuses on morality, including truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, and includes teachings from Buddhist and Taoist practices. The movement grew significantly between 1992 and 1999, with about 70 million practitioners in China by 1998.

In the mid-1990’s skeptics and critical reports began to emerge, leading practitioners to respond with peaceful protests, mainly requesting the assurance to lawfully pursue Falun Gong cultivation. In April of 1999, after a protest in Tianjin (which resulted in beatings and arrests) 10,000 practitioners gathered at the residence compound of China’s leaders. As a response, the CPC began a crackdown and campaign against the practice. In July 1999, security forced abducted thousands of Falun Gong leaders, and continued to “eradicate” the group through imprisonment, coercion and many times death. According to the U.S. State Department, about half of China’s reeducation-through-labor camp population is Falun Gong adherents. In addition, practitioners were among those most harshly persecuted by the government in 2008.

The reeducation-through –labor camp was part of the government’s conversion program, attempting to have detainees renounce their beliefs and transform their minds. Reports indicate that disturbing forms of torture have been a part of coercing practitioners who resist renouncing their beliefs. Sever beatings, psychological torment, corporal punishment and intense labor, solitary confinement, heat treatment, electric shocks, deprivation of food and sleep, rape, and more gruesome practices have been used as part of the conversion program by the government. Even faced with such cruel torture and injustice, Falun Gong practitioners remain truthful to their faith, while thousands of them are killed in the process. The Falun Dafa Information Center has reported that over 3,400 Falun Gong adherents have been killed as a result of the torture and abuse.

On June 16, 2005, 37-year-old Gao Rongrong, an accountant from Liaoning Province, was tortured to death in custody. Two years before her death, Ms. Gao had been imprisoned at the Longshan forced labor camp, where she was tortured and badly disfigured with electric shock batons. Gao escaped the labor camp by jumping from a second-floor window, and after pictures of her burned visage were made public, she became a target for recapture by authorities. She was taken back into custody on March 6, 2005, and killed just over three months later. On January 26, 2008, security agents in Beijing stopped popular folk musician Yu Zhou and his wife Xu Na while on their way home from a concert. The 42-year-old Yu Zhou was taken into custody, where authorities attempted to force him to renounce Falun Gong. He was tortured to death within 11 days.

Below are links to two-minute long videos on the Truth-Compassion-Tolerance International Art Exhibit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=560PYiZX2o0 Connecticut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2GKscishtQ&feature=channel Scotland

Where Human Rights and Environmental Rights Collide

2010-12-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, an Inter-American court ruled against Mexico in a case that involved threats, torture, and environmental degradation. Two peasant ecologists, Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera, were trying to protect a mountain against illegal logging when they found themselves confronted by the Mexican army.

In 1999, the army arrested them for peacefully blocking roads, and the government charged them with bogus drug and weapons crimes. Members of the army then beat the two men and threatened to harm their families. Two years later, the international community pressured the Mexican government enough to release Montiel and Cabrera, but they were never pardoned.

Yesterday's decision held that the Mexican government had violated the men's rights to liberty, personal integrity, due process, and judicial protection. The court ordered Mexico to pay damages to Montiel and Cabrera as to properly investigate the instances of torture they experienced so that those responsible can be brought to justice.

Before this ruling, the Mexican military investigated its own matters when the military was alleged to have engaged in illegal activity. This often led to coerced confessions and substantive impunity. Now, the government, not the military, must investigate the matter. So far, Mexico has said that it would abide by the binding decision.

You can read the whole story here.

Hot News! Wikileaks!

2010-10-24T01:25:00.000-07:00

Wikileaks files provide fresh evidence of Iraq torture
Amnesty International's Middle East expert Malcolm Smart says USA must investigate Wikileaks claims (right now, see the short video on the front page of http://www.amnesty.org/).

Read Amnesty International's article here:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/usa-must-investigate-detainee-abuse-claims-wikileaks-files-2010-10-22

Lab-Created Diamond Photo

2010-09-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who would like to see an image of lab-created diamonds, here's a photo of me at my law school graduation, where I wore lab-created diamond earrings with a matching pendant. :D Ok, it's not the best photo, but it's all I have at the moment. Here's another one, but you can't see the pendant as well as in the other one.

Cheers.

Alternative to Mined Diamonds

2010-09-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, mined diamonds have and continue to lead to the torture and death of people around the world.

I've received many "thank you"s from people (especially law students) who have chosen alternatives to diamonds due to IHRLS's consciousness-raising efforts. Some of those individuals chose to purchase and wear either recycled diamonds or lab-created diamonds (NOT CZs!) from Diamond Nexus Labs (you can find them here: http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com).

Thank you to everyone who has commented and made tiny changes for a big difference!

Let Me Tell You A Story: a short film's eye into world hunger

2010-06-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

At this moment, you may be a lawyer, a law student, or a recent law graduate. Perhaps you have no interest in the law, but you ARE interested in human rights.

Either way, this short 6-minute film is worth the time that you would otherwise spend on Facebook.

For me, personally, I'm studying for the bar. Now, I feel like I've gained some much-needed perspective. I hope you'll watch it and feel the same way.

View this movie at cultureunplugged.com

Jessie

How Not to Fight Mexico's Drug War

2010-06-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Monday, June 28, 2010 University of California, San Diego
6:30 pm - 7:45 pm
Cost: free, students; $10, public
Ken Roth will address whether human rights concerns should be a factor in withholding U.S. funding that supports Mexico’s fight against drug cartels (Merida Initiative). He will discuss the direct impact of the drug war on Mexican society and the nexus between drugs, security and human rights. In 1993, Roth became executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), one of the largest human rights organizations in the world, which conducts fact-finding investigations into human rights abuses in over 80 countries. A graduate of Yale Law School and Brown University, Roth was drawn to the human rights cause by his father's experience fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938. He began working on human rights after the declaration of martial law in Poland in 1981, and soon became deeply engaged in fighting military repression in Haiti. In his years as executive director, Human Rights Watch has quadrupled in size, while greatly expanding its thematic and geographic reach. Event will be held at University of California, San Diego's Institute of the Americas in Hojel Hall of the Americas Auditorium. Visit the Institute of the Americas website for map and parking information. Free for all students, press or faculty. Click here to register and indicate your affiliation in the notes section $10 per person for public. To register using electronic payment, click here. To pay cash at the door, click here to register Presented by Human Rights Watch and Institute of the Americas. Co-sponsored by Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice; San Diego World Affairs Council; Trans-Border Institute; and United Nations Association, San Diego
Joan B. Kroc Institute For Peace & Justice \| ipj@sandiego.edu \| (619) 260-7509

Poems from Guantanamo

2010-04-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Cost: Free
A dramatic reading of selections from Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak will be followed by a panel presentation and then Q & A. Co-sponsored by Amnesty International, San Diego.
IPJ \| ipj@sandiego.edu \| 619-260-7509

IPJ Film Series: Killer's Paradise

2010-04-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Cost: Free
Since 2000 nearly five thousand women have been murdered in Guatemala, a country with just 14 million people. “Killers’ Paradise” uncovers one of the most emotionally-wrenching hidden human rights abuses taking place, while exposing the impunity allowed by an inept judicial system. The IPJ invites you to view this film that documents the stories of victims’ friends and families and the testimonies of police officers and investigators, rapists and gang members. Despite the frustration, anger and great sadness and loss, women and men are coming together for a common fight in the name of their daughters, wives and sisters. Following the film there will be a panel discussion and then Q & A, with Christauria Welland, PsyD, clinical psychologist, and Jill Covert, alumna of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. Welland works with men in treatment for intimate partner violence and has carried out trainings in Guatemala to prevent such violence. Covert conducted the field research for her MA in Peace & Justice Studies, in Guatemala, resulting in a capstone project entitled “Women in Zones of Conflict: Femicide in Guatemala.” The event will be introduced by Maria Pilar Aquino, STD, professor in Theology and Religious Studies. Co-sponsored by Copley Library and Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Please note that the film is unrated. Harrowing scenes may make it unsuitable for younger viewers.

Celebration Breakfast: Women's History Month & International Women's Day

2010-02-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice
7:00 am - 9:30 am

The Sixth Annual Celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day will include a report from the 54th annual session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations in New York.

Tickets: $22, general admission; $8, student
For additional information about the breakfast please call (619) 260-7509.

Joan B. Kroc Institute For Peace & Justice | ipj@sandiego.edu | (619) 260-7509

Announcing: The 2010 Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program

2009-11-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

The American Society of International Law is pleased to announce the 6th Annual Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program.

The Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program, established in 2004 on the recommendation of the ASIL Honors Committee, recognizes the legacy of Arthur Helton, an ASIL member who died in the August 19, 2003, bombing of the UN mission in Baghdad along with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Viera de Mello and 20 others.   ASIL's Helton Fellowship Program gives micro-grants for logistics, housing and living expenses, and other costs related to the Fellow's fieldwork and research.

• Law students, practicing lawyers, human rights professionals, scholars, and other individuals seeking assistance in conducting international fieldwork and law-related research are encouraged to apply.
• Applicants must be affiliated, for purposes of completing their project, in some way with an educational institution, international organization, or non-governmental organization.

The Helton application form and guidelines for a qualifying proposal, as well as general information, may be found at asil.org/helton, or through the ASIL Service Center at +1-856-380-6810. All application materials for a 2010 fellowship must be submitted electronically to fellowship@asil.org starting October 12, 2009, and no later than February 12, 2010. Only the first 50 complete applications will be considered. Fellowship awards will be announced in late March 2010.

Conflict Resolution in Africa: Success Stories and Individual Peacemakers

2009-10-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies

The University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies invites you to attend a public lecture by visiting scholar John Prendergast.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

6:30 p.m. – presentation at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Theatre
7:30 p.m. – reception in the Rotunda, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice

John Prendergast is Co-Chair of the ENOUGH Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity. During the Clinton administration, John was involved in a number of peace processes in Africa while he was Director of African Affairs at the National Security Council and Special Advisor at the Department of State. John has also worked for members of Congress, the United Nations, human rights organizations, and think tanks, as well as having been a youth counselor and basketball coach in the U.S. He has authored eight books on Africa, including Not on Our Watch, a New York Times bestseller he co-authored with Don Cheadle. John is working on a new book which focuses on his 20 years in the Big Brother program. John has helped produce two documentaries on Northern Uganda and been involved in three documentaries on Sudan. He has been part of three episodes of CBS' 60 Minutes which earned an Emmy Award for Best Continuing News Coverage and is helping to develop two additional episodes. He is helping to spearhead a campaign involving the NBA and Participant Productions to widen awareness on Darfur, as well as a campaign to end the violence against women and girls in the Congo.

Admission is free of charge.

Continent Watch

2009-10-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

North America, United States
Brad Paladini
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, children as young as 13 working are allowed to work in agriculture for an unlimited number of hours if they have their parent’s permission to do so. Working in agriculture is four times as dangerous as any other working environment for youths. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard of California is currently working to introduce legislation to limit the number of hours children can work.

Oceania, Fiji
Ali Byler
Amnesty International released a report in September detailing the increasingly severe human rights violations that are taking place in Fiji. President Ratu Josefa Iloilo enacted the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) terminating Fiji’s Constitution in April 2009 and bestowing upon himself the ultimate power to make laws. The PER grants military personnel immunity from liability if “the use of such force cause harm or death to any person”, which has resulted in severe abuse of human rights in the forms of unfair arrests, beatings, detainments, and overall inhumane treatment of anyone expressing views inconsistent with those of the current government. The most common targets of this abuse have been political activists, clergy, lawyers, journalists, and government critics.

South America, Peru
Jessica Ponce
Peru has become the desired destination for asylum seekers, usually escaping political persecution, in Latin America,. In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez arrested two particular men who opposed his law that would bring political indoctrination into Venezuelan schools. Both men were charged with conspiring to commit and instigate crimes during a demonstration and both requested asylum in Peru to avoid going to trial in a country where the justice system does not provide fair trials and is severely controlled by the government.

Africa, Guinea
Bhavani Peesapati
Mass protests are currently taking place in Guinea to protest rumors that Junta head Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara intends to run for president in an election scheduled for next January. Guinean soldiers have responded by using tear gas, firing ammunition into crowds, and publicly raping women. Human rights groups are estimating that over 150 civilians have been killed and are working with the UN and the African Union to try and subdue the violence.

Asia, Burma
Amy Kim
Burma’s military government has more than doubled its political prisoner population in the last two years, reaching a total of more than 2,200 prisoners. These prisoners have been sentenced to long prison terms resulting from unfair trials for speaking out against military rule and from criticism of government actions or policies, specifically of the obstacles to humanitarian relief following Cyclone Nargis, which dealt a devastating blow to Burma in May 2008. The activists have been charged per Burma’s archaic penal code which criminalizes free expression, peaceful demonstration, and forming of independent organizations. There are 43 known political activist prisons with poor medical and sanitation conditions and more than 50 labor camps where prisoners are subjected to hard labor. Moreover, the government has a practice of transferring prisoners to remote areas, placing huge burdens on family members desiring to visit and bring essentials, such as medicine and food. The Human Rights Watch has a global campaign, “2100 by 2010,” asking for the release of 2,100 political prisoners by the scheduled 2010 elections.

Middle East, Turkey
Arine Harapeti
For years, the Turkish lobby has been pressuring world governments and media, especially in the U.S., to exclude the Armenian Genocide from history, and recent events have shown exactly how far they are willing to go. David Krikorian, a candidate for the Ohio 2nd congressional district elections for 2010, exposed the current Congresswoman holding that seat, Jean Schmidt, along with many other Congressman of taking bribes from the Turkish lobby to further the campaign of denial. Former FBI linguist, S. Edmonds, testified as to these facts during the Ohio Elections Commission hearings which are still in progress. These hearings are expected to expose the corrupt, illegal and immoral actions, not only of the Turkish still in progress. These hearings are expected to expose the corrupt, illegal and immoral actions, not only of the Turkish campaign, but also of U.S. elected officials working to hide the truth.

Nick Vujicic - A Life Without Limbs

2009-04-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Join IHRLS on Thursday, April 16 at 12:00 in 3A for an event not to be missed!

Meet Nick Vujicic!

Imagine being born without arms. No arms to wrap around a friend, no hands to hold the ones you love, no fingers to experience touch. No way to lift and carry things. How much more difficult would life be if you were living without arms and hands? Or what about legs? Imagine if instead of no arms, you had no legs. No ability to dance, walk, run, or even stand. Now put both of those scenarios together… no arms and no legs. What would you do? How would that affect your everyday life?

Meet Nick Vujicic. Born in 1982 in Brisbane, Australia, without any medical explanation or warning, Nicholas Vujicic came into the world with neither arms nor legs. Imagine the shock his parents felt when they saw their first born, brand new baby boy for the first time only to find he was what the world would consider imperfect and abnormal. A limbless son was not what nurse Dushka Vujicic, and her husband Pastor Boris Vujicic had been expecting. How would their son live a normal happy life? What could he ever do or become when living with such a massive disability? Little did they or anyone else know that this beautiful limbless baby would one day be someone who would inspire and motivate people from all walks of life. God uses Nick to touch lives and bring the hope of Jesus Christ to people across the globe.

Throughout his childhood Nick dealt not only with the typical challenges of school and adolescence such as bullying and self-esteem issues; he also struggled with depression and loneliness. He constantly questioned why he was different to all the other kids surrounding him; why he was the one born without arms and legs. He wondered what the purpose behind his life was, or if he even had a purpose. According to Nick the victory over his struggles throughout his journey, as well as the strength and passion he has for life can be credited to his faith in God. His family, his friends and the many people he has encountered during his life have also encouraged him along the way.

After school Nick went on with further study and obtained a double bachelor degree majoring in accounting and financial planning. By the age of 19 Nick started to fulfill his dream of being able to encourage other people and bring them the gospel of Jesus, through motivational speaking and sharing his testimony about how God changed his life and gave him a future and a hope. “I found the purpose of my existence, and also the purpose of my circumstance… There’s a purpose for why you’re in the fire.” Nick wholeheartedly believes that there is a purpose in each of the struggles we encounter in our lives and that our attitude towards those struggles, along with our faith and trust in the Lord can be the keys to overcoming the challenges we face.

Now at 25 years old this limbless young man has accomplished more than most people even twice his age. Nick recently made the massive move from Brisbane, Australia to California, USA, where he is the president of an international non-profit organization; Life Without Limbs, and also has his own motivational speaking company; Attitude Is Altitude. Since his first speaking engagement back when he was 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions of people, speaking to a range of different groups such as students, teachers, youth, business men and women, entrepreneurs, and church congregations of all sizes. He has also told his story and been interviewed on various televised programs worldwide.

“If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart!”

http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

New IHRLS Board!

2009-03-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome 2009-10 Board!

Here are our new leaders:

President : Camille Lucidi
Vice President : Vienna Munro
Esteemed Secretary : Shelly Caterino
Esteemed Treasurer : Jennifer Cullimore
Web Dude Extraordinaire : Justin Trauben

We love you! You will carry the torch far and bright!

With love,

Jessie
Outgoing President IHRLS

ICC CHALLENGES

2009-02-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

By Mary Elizabeth Grant, VP of International Human Rights Law Society

Several challenges currently facing International Criminal Court (ICC) could undermine its credibility and efficiency for years to come. The court’s first trial opened under a wave of controversy. Issues of disclosure almost led to the release of the court’s first suspect. Concern over protection of witnesses and informants compromised the veracity of the testimony given by the first witness. Political pressure emphasizing a need for peace over justice is undermining the court’s authority as they relate to current proceedings. How the court overcomes the challenges could greatly impact the ICC’s international authority.

In March 2004, The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) asked the ICC to investigate war crimes committed in the country since the enactment of the Rome Statute. The court issued warrants against Thomas Lubanga and three other warlords in March 2006. Lubanga was the first suspect charged by the ICC to be apprehended and held in custody at the Hague. Lubanga is charged with recruiting and using children under the age of 15 to fight. Lubanga headed the miltia group, UPC, who raged war against an ethnic group, the Lendu, over gold and mining rights in the Ituri region of DRC. During the five year conflict, 30,000 children were used by all sides in the conflict to pillage, rape, mutilate, and kill civilians. 60,000 people lost their lives during the conflict.

The trial against Lubanga was due to start in June 2008 but was almost derailed when the court ordered Lubanga released because his right to a fair trial had been violated. The prosecutor had obtained evidence from the United Nations and other sources on condition of confidentiality. The court ruled that the prosecutor misapplied Article 54(3)(e) of the Rome Statute regarding disclosure. The court ruled that the error rendered a fair trial impossible. On appeal, the prosecutor agreed to supply the court with the confidential information. (ICC-01/04-01/06-T-94) The prosecutor has been widely criticized for acquiescing. Any promises, whether of confidentiality or protection, to potential sources of information will be viewed with skepticism about the prosecution’s ability to keep its word.

Protection of witnesses and informants is an important issue in determining the effectiveness of the trial. The prosecution plans to call thirty four witnesses. Nineteen of those witnesses will testify behind a screen with their voices distorted in order to protect their anonymity. The first of the witnesses, a former child soldier, testified on January 28. While he testified behind a screen and was hidden from the public gallery, he was visible to the defendant. Witnesses stated that the defendant glared at the witness while he testified. When the witness returned from a break, the witness retracted his testimony. Prosecutors immediately requested a delay in the trial in order to investigate security for witnesses who fear reprisal when they return to DRC. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7857230.stm)

The recent sentence of an ICC informant to seventeen years in jail in Sudan emphasizes the need for protection of witnesses and informants if the ICC does not want its evidence gathering ability compromised. Mohammed Ibrahim was convicted of spying, criminal conspiracy, and passing on confidential military documents to the ICC about Ahmed Haroun, the state minister for humanitarian affairs. (http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2009/01/sudan-man-imprisoned-for-aiding-icc-war.php) The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Haroun in April 2007. He is charged with fifty one counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. President Bashir, refuses to turn Haroun over to the ICC. In September 2007, he assigned Haroun to lead an investigation in to human rights violations in Darfur.

Lack of political pressure on Sudan has lent force to Bashir’s flagrant disregard for the authority of the ICC. Many African and Arab nations, along with four of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, support suspending the case against Sudan officials in the hope that Bashir will change his policies regarding Darfur. Despite the pressure though, on February 12, 2009, a panel of judges at the ICC decided for the first time to seek detention of a sitting head of state by issuing an arrest warrant for President Bashir. The nature of the charges has not been revealed although the chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo, requested the warrant based on evidence that Bashir masterminded crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes committed in Darfur. The decision to issue a warrant against Bashir has been conveyed to the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, and is expected to be formally announced. The question though is whether the Security Council will decide to exercise its power to suspend the case against Bashir for a year in order to further the peace negotiations. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/world/africa/12hague.html?scp=1&sq=icc%20arrest%20warrant%20for%20bashir&st=cse) The dilemma though is that such action could send a message to war criminals and perpetrators of egregious crimes against humanity that justice is negotiable and that they can commit atrocities with impunity. The danger is that such a precedent could send a message that heads of state can completely disregard the ICC as long as they can convince the rest of the world that they have an ‘interest in furthering the peace process.’

The outcome of the current trial will greatly impact the ICC’s role in and its authority for implementing international justice. Internationally there are 250,000 child soldiers, primarily in Chad, DRC, Sudan, Uganda, Burma and Philippines. International attention has been directed towards the increased use of children in armed conflicts. 58 countries recently signed the Paris Principles, promising to prevent the use of child soldiers and to work towards disarming underage fighters. The trial against Lubanga is the first trial in history to focus exclusively on the use of child soldiers as a war crime and it is the first time that victims are being allowed to participate fully in an international trial. In DRC, the trial is being given wide media coverage. 400 people gathered around a giant screen in the Ituri region capital, Bunia, to observe the trial proceedings. Whether the global perception is that justice was served, proceedings were fairly conducted, and witnesses and informants protected will affect the perception of war criminals as to the impunity they can attain from their crimes.

State Sovereignty versus R2P

2008-10-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

By Mary Elizabeth Grant, VP of International Human Rights Law Society

Armenian genocide - 1.5 million people killed between 1915 and 1923; Holocaust - 6 million people killed during World War II; Cambodian genocide - 2 million people killed from 1975 to 1979; Rwandan genocide - 800,000 people killed in 90 days in 1994; Bosnian genocide - 200,000 people killed between 1992 and 1995; Darfur genocide - 200,000 to 400,000 people killed between 2003 to date.

“...If humanitarian intervention is, indeed, an unacceptable assault on sovereignty, how should we respond to a Rwanda, to a Srebrenica -- to gross and systematic violations of human rights that offend every precept of our common humanity? ...Surely no legal principle -- not even sovereignty -- can ever shield crimes against humanity ... Armed intervention must always remain the option of last resort, but in the face of mass murder, it is an option that cannot be relinquished.” We, The Peoples, 2000 Millennium Report by Kofi Annan.

After the horrors of the Holocaust were revealed, the international community appeared to vow, “Never Again”. “Never Again” would the international community allow genocide to occur. Kofi Annan, Speech at Stockholm International Forum, 11/2/2004. Despite the pledge, four genocides have been committed since World War II, resulting in approximately 3.2 million deaths. The genocide in Darfur continues despite the international community’s awareness of committed atrocities. Why hasn’t the international community taken more decisive action to prevent these genocides or to stop them once the systematic killing has begun? Tony Blair summed up the issue in a speech he gave in Chicago in 1999. He said, “The most pressing foreign policy problem we face is to identify the circumstances in which we should get actively involved in other people’s conflicts.”

In an attempt to reconcile the issues of intervention versus state sovereignty, the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS), a task force of a dozen experts on international law and conflict, published in December, 2001 a 91-page report entitled The Responsibility to Protect. The report proposed that while state sovereignty gives states the right to control their borders and to establish governance over their citizens without interference from the international community, it also creates the responsibility for states to protect their citizens. The report suggested that if a state fails to protect its citizens from atrocities like genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, the international community bears the responsibility to protect the state’s citizens by preventing, reacting, and ultimately rebuilding areas affected by mass suffering.

The responsibility of prevention is based on the theory that genocides and other atrocities are planned. Planning consists of implemented stages, such as classification of citizens into groups--like ethnic or religious groups, promotion of hatred of the targeted group through publicized propaganda, dehumanization of the targeted group, and round up of the targeted group. The stages that lead to these horrors are discernible, thus prevention is possible through intervention, such as the use of negotiations, political pressure, sanctions, and aid that helps a state establish economic development, political stability, and an effective judicial system.

The responsibility to react advocates military intervention when the use preventive measures and reactive techniques, such as negotiations, political pressure, and sanctions, fail. In order to determine if military intervention should be used, six thresholds must be met. (1) There must be just cause in that crimes against humanity that “shock the conscience” are being committed; (2) military intervention must be the last resort after all other nonviolent means of intervention have been exhausted; (3) the level of military intervention must be the least encroachment on state sovereignty as possible; (4) success of the military intervention must be reasonably likely and likely to do more good than harm; (5) military intervention must be used solely to protect citizens and not for the selfish interests of the interveners; (6) military intervention should occur with the authority of the United Nations Security Council or, if not granted, then authority from the General Assembly or a coalition of nations as long as the other thresholds have been met.

The responsibility to rebuild requires the international community to provide, particularly after a military intervention, the state with assistance with recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation, addressing the causes of the harm the intervention was designed to halt or avert.

The United Nations publicly adopted the concept of Responsibility to Protect in 2005 at the UN Summit of World Leaders. In 2006, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1674, which said: “Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity... The international community, through the United Nations, also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means... to help to protect populations... In this context, we are prepared to take collective action... should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.” They also agreed that if a state fails to do so, it is then the responsibility of the international community to protect that state’s population.

The international community has strived to implement portions of the R2P doctrine such as peace negotiations to end the genocide in Darfur; however, the genocide continues in Darfur. The steps of military intervention and strong sanctions to end the genocide have been blocked by states who see R2P as

a threat to state sovereignty, in that advocating military intervention will in the long run lead to abuses and trumped-up reasons for invasion of countries. United States invasion of Iraq provided ammunition for states fearing that interest in protecting citizens would translate to interveners pursuing their own selfish interests at the expense of the citizens, state and mission.

The responsibility to protect will remain an ideal until the perception that intervention equals abolishment of sovereignty is changed. For this change to occur, clear guidelines must be established that define in detail the circumstances requiring international intervention. Those guidelines must be agreed upon by the international community as the universal standard for action. States must be reassured that only intervention that is backed by the majority of the international community will be advocated. Strong sanctions must be established to punish unilateral intervention. Until similar steps are taken, state sovereignty will prevail over human rights.

Article citing from original R2P report at http://www.iciss.ca/report-en.asp

FREE FILM!!!!

2008-10-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Blood Diamonds

WHERE: WH-133
WHEN: Wed., Oct. 15 @ 5:00 p.m.
FOOD: Yes! Snacks, at least... and drinks, too! I'll pop popcorn, and if anyone wants to bring non-raw foodstuffs, that's great, too!

Afterwards, we'll have a discussion about some of the best alternatives to diamonds, which should be great for everyone! I'll even have some informational pamphlets to give out.

October at the IPJ

2008-09-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

Check out these great October events at the IPJ!

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
"Uniting Communities Torn Apart by Political Violence"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Zandile Nhlengetwa from South Africa.
Zandile Nhlengetwa, youth advocate, facilitator, counselor and creator of peacebuilding strategies for communities affected by high levels of violence, will share her story.

Thursday, Oct. 7, 2008, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
"Combating Violence and Discrimination through Advocacy"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Olenka Ochoa from Peru.
Olenka Ochoa, political organizer, human rights activist, founder of the first commission of women in her municipality and creator of programs for battered women and at-risk youth, will share her story.

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
"Empowering Impoverished Women in Marginalized Communities"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Shinjita Alam from Bangladesh.
Shinjita Alam, activist, mediator, peace educator and creator of regional forums for interfaith dialogue, will share her story.

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
Peace & Justice Theatre
"Fighting against Rampant Sexual Violence against Women"
A Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Sylvie Mbanga Maunga from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sylvie Mbanga Maunga, lawyer, counselor, radio correspondent and tireless advocate for victims of sexual violence, will share her story.

FILMS and more FILMS! =D

2008-09-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

We are RE-SCREENING our first film (due to a marketing snafoo).

WHAT: Life & Debt in Jamaica

Quick blurb: Utilizing excerpts from the award-winning non-fiction text "A Small Place" by Jamaica Kincaid, Life & Debt is a woven tapestry of sequences focusing on the stories of individual Jamaicans whose strategies for survival and parameters of day-to-day existence are determined by the U.S. and other foreign economic agendas. By combining traditional documentary telling with a stylized narrative framework, the complexity of international lending, structural adjustment policies, and free trade will be understood in the context of the day-to-day realities of the people whose lives they impact. POTLUCK! (Please bring something if you can, but if you can't, come anyway! =D) (Remember: no raw food.)

WHERE: WH-133

WHEN: Wed., Oct. 8 @ 5:00 p.m.

FOOD: Well, we'll bring some snacks. Please feel free to bring any non-raw food stuffs, and we'll make this a potluck! =) If you can't bring anything, please come anyway!

Our next film will be Blood Diamonds on Wed., Oct. 16 @ 5 p.m. in WH-133. This will be a pot luck also, so if everyone could bring a little something, that would be awesome. However, even if you can't bring anything to eat or drink, please feel free to come anyway! After the movie, we'll talk about some of the best alternatives available to diamonds.

Remembering the Holocaust

2008-09-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

One Woman Recalls Her Experience

The story of Renee Firestone helps us see the Holocaust in a different light with facts unknown to the average population.

This Semester at the IPJ

2008-09-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

* Aug. 20 - Nov. 8 *
Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice Galleries
"China's Olympian Human Rights Challenges"
Human Rights Watch Photography Exhibit presented by the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice.
Don't miss this bold collection of recent photos from China illuminating some of the human rights issues spotlighted by the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Open free to the public on Wednesdays and Thursdays 12 - 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. For related lecture, see Sept. 17 below.

* Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. *
Peace & Justice Theatre
"Human Rights in Post Olympics China: Has Anything Changed?"
Carroll Bogert, Associate Director of Human Rights Watch, will examine how the Olympic Games impacted human rights in China. Please arrive early to view "China's Olympian Human Rights Challenges," a Human Rights Watch photography exhibit.
A reception will follow the lecture. To RSVP online, go to http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/ipj/ and scroll down to find the event.

* Friday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. *
Kroc IPJ Garden of the Sky Special Event
- International Day of Peace Celebration -
Commemorating the United Nations International Day of Peace, this celebration is hosted by the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies and the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at the University of San Diego. Enjoy live entertainment, documentary films, a photography exhibit on human rights in China, and a dove release at noon. Free and open to the public. For further details go to http://www.sandiego.edu/peacestudies/ipj/ and scroll down to find the event.

New ICC Prosecution: Opportunities and Risks for Peace in Sudan

2008-07-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

Written by Mary Elizabeth Grant - VP

Brussels, 14 July 2008: Today’s application by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for a warrant of arrest for Sudanese President Omar Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in Darfur creates both big opportunities and big risks for peace in Sudan.

These are the first charges of genocide and the first charges against a head of state to be brought before the ICC. The judges will now have to weigh the Prosecutor’s evidence and decide – a process that could take some months – whether to issue the
arrest warrant.

In seeking this warrant, the Prosecutor is acting within his mandate under the Rome Statute and from the UN Security Council, which in 2005 referred crimes committed in Darfur to him for investigation and prosecution. That mandate has been consistently frustrated by the Sudanese government – not least in its refusal to hand over the government minister, Ahmad Harun, and Janjaweed commander, Ali Kushayb, against whom warrants were issued in April 2007 – and it is important for the Prosecutor to protect the credibility of the Court by pursuing further prosecutions.

It may also prove to be the case that in initiating this process the Prosecutor will be advancing the interests of peace. That is not his official role – which is rather to act, in the interests of justice, to end impunity for those believed guilty of atrocity crimes. But it may be that the increased pressure now placed on the NCP governing regime will lead it to take long overdue steps to cease all violence, implement genuine and credible measures to resolve the Darfur crisis – including allowing the full and effective deployment of the UNAMID peacekeeping force – and fully carry out its side of the bargain to implement the North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

The problem for international policymakers is that the Prosecutor’s legal strategy also poses major risks for the fragile peace and security environment in Sudan, with a real chance of greatly increasing the suffering of very large numbers of its people. Hard-liners on all sides may be reinforced, with the governing regime and other actors reacting to today’s application, and any subsequent warrant, in ways that seriously undermine the fragile North-South peace process, bring an end to any chance of political negotiations in Darfur, make impossible the effective deployment of UNAMID, put at risk the humanitarian relief operations presently keeping alive over 2 million people in Darfur, and lead to inflammation of wider regional tensions. These are significant risks, particularly given that the likelihood of actually executing any warrant issued against Bashir is remote, at least in the short term.

The best way through this dilemma may be for the UN Security Council to take advantage of the likely two to three month window before the judges’ decision on the arrest warrant, to assess whether genuine and substantial progress is in fact being made in stopping the continuing violence for which the governing regime bears responsibility, engaging in genuine peace negotiations in Darfur, expediting UNAMID deployment and advancing the CPA. If it believes such progress is being made, and that the interests of peace justify this course being taken, the Security Council could – even if the Prosecutor and the ICC wanted to proceed – exercise its power under Article 16 of the Rome Statute to suspend any prosecutions, for an initial twelve months but with such suspension able to be renewed indefinitely.

Such a decision would have to be made in light of the regime’s history of repeatedly flouting agreements it has entered into. But the need for any Article 16 deferral to be renewed on an annual basis would provide an incentive, hitherto lacking, for the regime to abide by commitments made under threat of ICC prosecution.

This is not the time to be relieving pressure on the Bashir regime – or the rebel groups who are making their own major contribution to conflict in Darfur. But the most critical of all needs is to end the horrific suffering of the Sudanese people and to ensure there is no new explosion of mass violence.

Crisis Group President Gareth Evans said that the international community now faced a hard policy choice in balancing risk and opportunity: “The Sudanese governing regime has until now utterly failed in its responsibility to protect its own people. The judgement call the Security Council now has to make is whether Khartoum can be most effectively pressured to stop the violence and build a new Sudan by simply letting the Court process proceed, or – after assessing the regime’s initial response, and continuing to monitor it thereafter – by suspending that process in the larger interests of peace”.

Blood-Free Diamonds: "Manufactured" Real Diamonds are Perfect Alternatives to Mined Ones

2008-04-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here's some info I ran across today... thought I would share. No reason to buy mined diamonds ever again! These are amazing!

https://secure.diamondnexuslabs.com/jewelry/index.php?osCsid=k6v8ek6qsnf6knkc1qvrmr88j4

Free ground shipping!:

http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com/jewelry/information/shipping.htm

14 reasons why these diamonds are better:

http://www.diamondnexuslabs.com/jewelry/information/14.htm

Great Speaker this Wednesday

2008-04-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW SOCIETY,

NATIVE AMERICAN LAW SOCIETY,

INTERNATIONAL LAW SOCIETY

PRESENT

CONSUL GENERAL OF EGYPT

Abderahman Salaheldin

LECTURE ON:

“Egypt and the U.S.: A Model of Dialogue and Cooperation on Peace, Economic Development and Human Rights in the Middle East”

When: Wednesday, April 16; 12:00-1:00 pm

Where: Grace Court Room in Warren Hall

FOOD and Drinks will be provided!

Synopsis on Ambassador Salaheldin

Ambassador Salaheldin has been a career Diplomat for more than 27 years. Since September 2004, Ambassador Salaheldin has served as the Consul General of Egypt in San Francisco, covering the states of Arizona, Alaska, California, Idaho, Washington, Utah, Montana, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii and Wyoming. Previously, he occupied the following positions:

Deputy Assistant Minister Of Foreign Affairs for North America (02-04)
Minister for Political and Congressional Affairs, Embassy of Egypt, Washington, D.C. (98-02)
Director, UN Affairs, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (96-97)
Political Counselor, The Permanent Mission of Egypt at the UN in New York, dealing with Middle East and Peace keeping issues and served as the Rapporteur of the UN Peace Keeping Committee. (92-96)
Member of the Cabinet of the Foreign Minister and member of Egypt’s delegation to the “Madrid Middle East Peace Conference” and “Moscow’s Conference on Regional Cooperation in the Middle East”. (90-92)
First Secretary, Embassy of Egypt, Washington, D.C. (86-91)

*Ambassador Salaheldin has recently written an article in the San Francisco Chronicle on the Palestine Israeli Conflict. Students may review the article by looking up this website: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/10/EDL2UUI5J.DTL

Last Film Event of the Semester!

2008-03-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

Join us on Thurs., April 10th for a film that will also be co-sponsored by La Raza and Women's Law Caucus!

Film: Senoritas Extraviadas
Place: WH-131
Time: 5 - 7ish

Food: YES!!! =)

Bake Sale Feb. 13 and 14

2008-02-08T17:54:00.001-08:00

Remember the success of last semester's IHRLS bake sale? We do! So we are having another one to support this semester's speakers and activities.

It is going to be held Wed., Feb. 13 and Thurs., Feb. 14 in the Writs from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. each day.

Here's what we need:

* Volunteers to sit at our table in 1-hour (or more) shifts.

* Volunteer bakers ... maybe with a Valentine's theme???

We need people to RESPOND by emailing Jessie at jzaylia@gmail.com regarding whether you are volunteering to 1) sit at our table, 2) bake, or 3) BOTH!!! We had some awesome baked goods and even t-shirts (not baked, but still good) for sale last semester and we are hoping to blow that bake sale out of the water.

Events at the IPJ

2008-01-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 4, 7 p.m.
IPJ Theatre
Joan B. Kroc Distinguished Lecture Series
"War, Peace and Climate Change: A Billion Lives in the Balance"
Jan Egeland, former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator for the United Nations, will discuss the humanitarian challenges of environmental catastrophes caused by both human conflict and natural disasters. Egeland, who currently serves as Special Advisor to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on conflict prevention and resolution and as director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, is the author of "A Billion Lives: An Eyewitness Report from the Frontlines of Humanity". A reception and book signing will follow the lecture. RSVP by Tuesday, Feb. 26 at http://peace.sandiego.edu or call (619) 260-4236. Seating is limited and events fill up quickly, so early replies are recommended.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
IPJ Theatre
IPJ Speaker Series
"Iranian-Saudi Relations and Prospects for Gulf Peace"
Banafsheh Keynoush, Ph.D., specializes in Middle East foreign relations, security issues and international law. A native of the region, she will examine the prospects for peace in the Persian Gulf. RSVP by Tuesday, Feb. 5 at http://peace.sandiego.edu.

Monday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
IPJ Theatre
IPJ Film Series
"The Peacekeepers"
With unprecedented access to the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping, "The Peacekeepers" provides an intimate and dramatic portrait of the struggle to save a "failed state." The film follows the determined and often desperate maneuvers to avert another disaster like Rwanda, this time in the Democratic Republic of Congo. John Prendergast, noted human rights activist and scholar-in-residence at the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, will provide commentary and answer questions. RSVP by Friday, Feb. 8 at http://peace.sandiego.edu.

Monday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.
Shiley Theatre (USD)
Special Event
"Three Cups of Tea: An Evening with Greg Mortenson"
The "New York Times" bestselling book, "Three Cups of Tea - One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, describes Mortenson's dangerous mission to build schools in Taliban-ruled parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. After 13 years spent bringing 58 schools to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mortenson believes that terrorism should be fought with books, not bombs. Co-sponsored by USD's Department of Public Relations, KPBS and the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. A book signing will follow the lecture. Due to overwhelming interest, we have moved the event to USD's Shiley Theatre. The event is free and seating will be first-come, first-served. Please note that there will be two other opportunities the following day to hear Greg Mortenson. For more information, go to www.kpbs.org/onebook.

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.
IPJ Theatre
IPJ Film Series
"Beyond the Gates"
Approximately 800,000 people were killed during the 1994 genocide that took place in a mere 100 days during April to July in Rwanda. This film is based on the true story of a secondary school in Kigali, the Ecole Technique Officielle, where over 2,500 people took refuge under the protection of UN troops. On the fifth day of violence, the U.N. troops left, taking with them only the European nationals. The film, shot on location in Rwanda, was directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars John Hurt, Hugh Dancy and Clare-Hope Ashitey. A panel discussion featuring actors and crew from the film, including survivors of the genocide, will follow the screening. This event is co-sponsored by the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice and Colleges.com/U. Magazine. For more information on the film or to participate in the discussion, go to www.beyondthegates-movie.com or contact nkennedy@colleges.com. RSVP by Friday, Feb. 22 at http://peace.sandiego.edu.

Friday, March 7
Save the Date
"Fourth Annual International Women's Day Celebration Breakfast"
Further details on how to register and pay will follow.

For event additions, changes and directions go to http://peace.sandiego.edu or call (619) 260-7509. 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.

State of the Union

2008-01-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

I pulled this letter to President Bush off the Amnesty International Website. I think it's worth a few minutes of your time.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA
January 28, 2008

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write in advance of your State of the Union address to urge you to speak to the most pressing human rights issues faced by people around the world and here in the United States. It is essential that all who listen to your State of the Union Address hear that the United States stands for the highest human rights standards and that our nation is committed morally, politically and financially to improving human rights in the world.

As this nation recovered from the shock of the attacks on September 11, 2001, you provided a vision in your State of the Union address in January 2002 for an America that stands firmly in support of human dignity and human rights of all.

"America will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere. No nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them. . . But America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law; limits on the power of the state; respect for women; private property; free speech; equal justice; and religious tolerance."

And yet just days ago, January 11, 2008, marked the 6th anniversary of the first transfer of detainees to Guantánamo Bay. On this anniversary, thousands of people across this nation and in more than thirty countries staged protests calling for this facility to be closed, for the basic right of habeas corpus to be restored to all, and for the United States to make clear once and for all that it upholds unequivocally the absolute ban on torture and ill-treatment. The totality of the detention regime in Guantánamo - harsh, indefinite and isolating - amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and is in violation of international law. If America is to be true to the ideals and vision you articulated in January 2002, all those who remain in detention in Guantánamo must either be charged with a crime and given a fair trial or released unconditionally. If America is to represent the ideals you stated so clearly, all secret and clandestine prisons must be closed, extraordinary renditions ended, and the absolute ban on torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment must be understood to apply to everyone, wherever they are held. America must stand firmly for the rule of law and equal justice for all.

As we look at conditions around the world, the horrific crisis in Darfur, Sudan, continues to demand immediate attention and action. U.S. leadership has been instrumental in achieving progress, but it is more essential than ever now to ensure the full deployment of UN-African Union peacekeepers to bring about greater security. We urge the United States to support UN efforts to secure ground and air transport equipment, including twenty four helicopters, and we urge you to press more strongly to end Khartoum?s obstruction of the deployment. We urge you to use your influence on European and other donor countries to ensure that much-needed equipment is provided and that you offer to provide U.S. funds for the helicopters. We also ask you to reach out to allies that can effectively press the Government of Sudan to end its obstruction and facilitate the deployment of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).

Around the world, women and girls continue to face epidemic levels of violence that cuts across all countries, social groups, ethnicities, religions, and socioeconomic classes. Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that includes rape, domestic violence, acid burning, dowry deaths, so-called honor killings, human trafficking, female genital cutting and other harmful practices. The United States has a historic opportunity to ensure a systematic approach for ending the suffering of millions of women and girls. The International Violence Against Women Act is groundbreaking legislation that lays out a powerful international agenda to combat violence against women and girls and help achieve prosperity and stability around the world. The bill allocates more than $175 million in U.S. assistance per year to fund international programs that prevent violence, encourage legal reform and changes in public attitudes, promote access to economic opportunity projects and education, and support health programs; it also directs the U.S. government to create a comprehensive, five-year international strategy to reduce violence against women and girls in ten to twenty low and middle income countries. We urge you to support this bipartisan legislation wholeheartedly and to ensure it is fully funded and implemented.

Within the United States, violence against women affects Native American and Alaska Native women disproportionately. Native women are two and one half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other women in the United States. It is shocking that a complex maze of tribal, state and federal jurisdiction enables perpetrators to rape with impunity and makes it nearly impossible for survivors to achieve justice. Correcting this shameful situation is long overdue. Among the necessary changes are: amending the Indian Civil Rights Act to recognize the authority of tribal courts to impose penalties proportionate to the offences they try, consistent with international human rights standards; recognizing the concurrent jurisdiction of tribal authorities over all crimes committed on tribal land regardless of the Indigenous identity of the accused; providing more funding for law enforcement - including to process forensic evidence, and maintaining relevant databases - and for tribal courts and legal systems, in compliance with international standards of justice; and instructing the Indian Health Service (IHS) to create standardized protocols for treatment of rape victims, make available sexual assault nurse examiners, and provide increased funding to the IHS including for rape kits. We urge to take these urgent steps to end the current maze of injustice and ensure perpetrators of rape and other violent crimes against Native women are better able to be prosecuted. We urge you to make this part of your legacy.

Two years ago, you launched an initiative to lend support to brave defenders of human rights around the world. The plight of individuals at risk, especially those at risk for defending fundamental human rights for themselves and others, is at the core of Amnesty International's mission. There are innumerable individuals who inspire us with their courage and commitment and who deserve our intervention, such as Ma Khin Khin Leh, a teacher in Burma; Shi Tao, an internet dissident in China; Zmitser Dashkevich, a youth leader in Belarus; Fathi el-Jahmi a free speech advocate in Libya; and Yusak Pakage and Filep Karma who are imprisoned in Indonesia for simply raising a flag. As you travel and meet with leaders from around the world, we urge you to make it a priority to raise these cases. We know that when this has happened in the past, some human rights defenders have been released, such as was the case with Rebiya Kadeer, Haleh Esfandiari, Father Ly, and Bulgarian nurses who were being held by the Libyan government. We urge you to make this a consistent priority with the leaders of countries that are friend or foe, standing with those who put their lives on the line for the principles of freedom and human rights.

Mr. President, as you deliver the State of the Union address, we call on you to recommit this nation to stand firmly for the rights of all people, wherever they are, and to be a voice for those who are unable to be heard because of repression they endure. As you address the nation, we urge you to announce your intent to close Guantanamo, to end renditions, and secure a universal ban on torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. We encourage you to persevere in your advocacy and funding to end the violence in Darfur. We ask you to stand for women everywhere by supporting the International Violence Against Women Act and by taking concrete action to end the maze of injustice that has allowed countless Native women to be raped and suffer other forms of violent assault. We urge you to be a voice for human rights defenders around the world and a consistent advocate for human dignity and human rights of all, both in word and deed.

We look forward to your address,

Larry Cox Executive Director

Human Rights Violations in Chechnya

2008-01-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

Once again thank you to Mary Elizabeth Grant for keeping us up to date on Human Rights situations around the world.

Author: Mary Elizabeth Grant

Editor: Jessie Zaylía

On Behalf of USD School of Law’s International Human Rights Law Society

For the last nine years, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors without Borders, and many other human rights organizations have reported wide spread human rights violations in Chechnya. Russian and Chechen security forces, along with Chechen rebel forces are accused of widespread torture, rape, executions, kidnapping, and forced “disappearances” in Chechnya.

The source of conflict derives from Chechens who want Chechnya to be an independent country while Russia attempts to maintain its control over the territory. The Russians conquered the Chechen territory located in the Caucasus mountain range in 1859. Though Chechens achieved brief independence in the 1920, Russia quickly regained control in 1922. When the Nazis marched into the Chechen region during World War II, the Chechens again attempted to establish independence from Russia. However, when the war ended, Stalin deported Chechens to Siberia for allegedly collaborating with the Nazis. Tens of thousands of Chechens are estimated to have died as a result of deportations.

When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Chechnya once again declared its independence. Responding swiftly and expecting a quick victory, Russia sent troops to Chechnya to force the territory to join the Russian Federation in 1994. While a signed peace agreement between Russia and Chechnya (two years later) gave Chechnya autonomy, it did not grant Chechnya independence. Since then, Russia has attempted to quash rebels by conducting a reign of terror over civilians.

The Chechen government was weak and unable to control the rebel warlords that took over the region. The rebels kidnapped civilians and held them for ransom and also frequently beheaded their captives. Further, the rebels conducted terrorist attacks in other territories; they are accused of exploding two civilian airlines and of bombing a Moscow train.

In an attempt to gain control and to prevent the rebellion from spreading to other territories, the Russian government sponsored a new constitution that provided Chechnya with even greater autonomy. Elections in 2005, suspected of being rigged, resulted in a primarily pro-Moscow parliament. In April, 2007, Vladimir Putin’s protégé, Ramzan Kadyrov, was elected president of Chechnya. Now, Kadyrov’s security forces, in conjunction with Russian armed forces, are accused of widespread human rights violations.

Currently, Kadyrov’s security forces abduct people from their homes without providing any explanations to family members or information regarding where the abductees are being taken. The few who have been released from the security forces’ control report torture and recall deplorable conditions of secret detention centers. Those who have been released or escaped claim they were tortured in order to elicit confessions of providing food and shelter to rebels when they were innocent of those charges.

Overall, an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 people have “disappeared” from Chechnya since 1999. Because many people don’t report the disappearance of relatives for fear of reprisals, arriving at solid figures is difficult because Chechens fear that other family members will be taken. Indeed, many who have sought justice frequently experienced retaliation and, in some cases, have been murdered. The Russian government has been uncooperative in providing resources to help families find the missing.

The Commissioner of Human Rights visited Chechnya in March of 2007. He publicly stated, “The disappearance of a human being is a tragedy, a gross violation of his/her rights. It is also a crime against humanity. This problem must be addressed by the authorities, in order to find the truth, punish the guilty, and preserve the health of society.” [Council of Europe, Initial Conclusions of the visit to the Chechen Republic, March 6, 2007.]

In the last twelve months, the European Court of Human Rights has issued eight rulings in which they found Russia to be responsible for executions, torture, disappearances, and failure to investigate reported crimes in Chechnya. The Court ruled that Russia has violated several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, specifically Article 2 (right to life), Article 3, (prohibition of torture), Article 5 (right to liberty and security), Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), and Article 38 (furnish necessary facilities for the examination of the case). The Court has awarded plaintiffs with pecuniary and non pecuniary damages, as well as reimbursement of costs and expenses.

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment (CPT) issued its third statement on March 13, 2007, calling on Russia to take action to stop the human rights violations in Chechnya. As the CPT works confidentially with governments of countries to stop violations, the three public statements regarding one country are unprecedented and representative of Russia’s lack of compliance.

The European Court of Human Rights has no authority to force Russia to comply with its rulings. Rather, Russia has sole discretion to follow through with awarding damages to the victims, investigating crimes, and informing families as to the fate of “disappeared” persons. Despite the positive move of the European Court to attempt to provide the victims of crimes in Chechnya with justice, the perpetrators are held unaccountable to date. Such impunity provides a forum for the abuses to continue, which ultimately undermines the social and political fabric of Chechnya and will continue to do so unless the international community applies significant pressure on Russia to take action and end the crimes against humanity.

For cases on this topic, please see: Chitayev and Chiteyev v. Russia. App. No. 59334/00; Baysayeva v. Russia. App. No. 74237/01; Musayev and others v. Russia. App. No. 57941/00, 58699/00, 60403/00; Magomadov and Magomadov v. Russia. App. No. 68004/01; Bitiyeva and X v. Russia. App. No. 57953/00 and 37392/03; Estamirov and Others v. Russia. App. No 60272/00; Imakayeva v. Russia. App. No. 7615/01; Luluyev and Others v. Russia. App. No 69480/01; Khashiyev and Akayeva v. Russia. Nos. 57942/00 and 57945/00; Isayeva v. Russia. App. No. 57950/00; Isayeva, Yusupova, and Bazayeva v. Russia. App. No. 57947/00, 57948/00, 57949/00; Bazorkina v. Russia. App. No 69481/01

Califonia Innocence Project Event

2008-01-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

Please join us for the first ever

Community Mixer, Silent Auction and Raffle to benefit the California Innocence Project

hosted by the CWSL Jewish Student Union, USD Jewish Law Student Association, and CWSL National Lawyers Guild.

Sunday, January 27^th

6pm

Wine Steals, Point Loma

2970 Truxton Road, San Diego, CA 92106

please see winestealssd.com for an accurate map

Hosted bar and appetizers from 6-7pm
California Innocence Project Director Justin Brooks will speak at 7pm
Bidding will be from 7-8pm, and item pick up from 8:30-9pm.

We will also be raffling prizes throughout the night!

Casual Attire suggested (no suites please)

$5 for students, $10 for general public.
All proceeds will go to benefit the California Innocence Project

Please contact cwsljsu@gmail.com to RSVP or with any questions

Twin Updates

2007-11-13T14:19:00.001-08:00

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

2007-11-06T13:16:00.000-08:00

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

2007-10-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

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?

2007-10-21T20:07:00.001-07:00

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

2007-10-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-09-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-19T22:17:00.000-07:00

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

2007-09-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

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

2007-04-11T14:48:00.001-07:00

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

2007-02-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-23T14:20:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

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

New President for Spring Semester

2006-11-27T15:24:00.000-08:00

I want to give an early introduction to everyone of our new President for the Spring Semester: Brett Barley. Brett will be taking over the club, and I'm sure he'll do a great job organizing speaking events and getting everyone to go to the excellent IPJ events next semester.

I'll be in Amsterdam next semester, studying intl. human rights law, which is why I'm handing the club over to Brett. If anyone has any questions about human rights study abroad programs, or summer human rights intereships, please feel free to ask me (kgrigsby-09@sandiego.edu).

Lastly, if anyone has any suggestions for events next semester or improvements, please let Brett know (brettbarley@yahoo.com).

Thanks for a great semester and I'm glad we could get such a good showing for the first ever semester of the club!

Kevin Grigsby

IPJ Internships

2006-11-13T14:05:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that the Joan B Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice is currently accepting applications for their Spring 2006 internship. Although the internship is unpaid, it offers students the opportunity to conduct research on global conflicts and peaceful strategies. Im sure law students would be allowed to take a legal focus to peacefully ending such conflicts. The internship is a minimum of 15 hours a week, but would be great for a resume of anyone wanting to work in the human rights field. Details are below, or you can email me at kgrigsby-09@sandiego.edu if you want any more information about IPJ. Thanks!

http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/internship.html

Kevin

Peace in Nepal

2006-11-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

Just in case anyone missed it while outlining...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6128062.stm

Walk For Darfur

2006-10-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

I'm definitely going to be participating in the Walk for Darfur which is on November 19 in Balboa Park. This is the first event of its kind in San Diego and I think it would be great to have a good showing from the USD School of Law.

Participating in the San Diego Walk For Darfur is a great way to get actively involved in this cause. This is a family oriented event perfect for everyone -- all age groups and fitness levels. You can choose to run, jog, or walk approximately 3 kilometers in the beautiful setting of San Diego's historical Balboa Park. This great event offers a chance to spend a meaningful morning with friends and family, and the extended San Diego Community as we raise funds for an extremely important cause. There will be refreshments and entertainment along the route; at the finish line we will gather for a rally that shall include a keynote address by Rabbi Lee Bycel, humanitarian and International Medical Corps Senior Advisor for Global Strategy. In addition, awards will be given out to honor the individuals and teams with the most funds raised! More details of Local Celebrities and Entertainment to come. Each registered participant receives a colorful, top-quality commemorative T-shirt.

It is sponsored by the American Jewish World Service. If you're interested, you can register or email me at jemnesia@yahoo.com.

IHRLS FALL SEMESTER SCHEDULE (UPDATED)

2006-10-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a tentative schedule of the speaking events we hope to attend as a club. I will reserve a block of tickets for each event, and hopefully we can meet as a club 30 minutes before outside the law school and attend as a group. Theres quite a few events in October, so dont feel compelled to go to all, but try to attend as many as you can!

Thursday, October 5th, 12:00-12:50pm (Warren Hall 2A) Professor William Aceves, "International Human Rights Litigation in the US" Prof. Aceves is a Professor of Law at California Western School of Law and is the Director of the schools International Legal Studies Program. Among other courses, he teaches Human Rights Law at Cal Western. Prof. Aceves has also wrote extensively for both the ACLU and Amnesty International on the use of international law in domestic courts. He has also represented several human rights organizations in federal courts. Prof. Aceves will be the clubs first ever guest speaker, and will be speaking about intl. human rights litigation, particularly in domestic courts. He will also touch upon studying and practicing intl. human rights law. http://www.cwsl.edu/main/default.asp?nav=faculty.asp&header=faculty.gif&body=aceves/home.asp

Tuesday, October 10th, 12:30-2:00pm (IPJ Theatre) Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Shukrije Gashi, “Transcending history, pursuing reconciliation for a future Kosovo.” ****Since most 1L's have class during the event, if anyone who doesnt have class wants to meet and walk over as a group, post a comment here that you want to attend, and we will meet in front of the main entrance to the law school at Noon and walk over. http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/WPM/womenpeacemakers2006.html#ShukrijeGashi

Thursday, October 12th, 12:30pm-2:00pm (IPJ Theatre) Conversation with Woman PeaceMaker Palwasha Kakar, “Mobilizing women and defending human rights under and after the Taliban in Afghanistan.” ****Since most 1L's have class during the event, if anyone who doesnt have class wants to meet and walk over as a group, post a comment here that you want to attend, and we will meet in front of the main entrance to the law school at Noon and walk over. http://peace.sandiego.edu/programs/WPM/womenpeacemakers2006.html#PalwashaKakar

Wednesday, October 18th, 7:00pm (IPJ Theatre) Joan B.Kroc Lecture Series. "Women, War, Peace: Politics in Peacebuilding." Elisabeth Rehn, former Minister of Defense of Finland, and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be addressing the topic of her book. ****We will be attending as a group, meeting in front of the law school at 6:30pm and walking over as a club

Thursday, October 19th, 7:00pm (IPJ Theatre) Women's inroads and blockades to peace with justice in current conflicts." Women from the frontlines in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Northern Uganda, the Philippines, Somalia, and Sudan discuss their work and gender-specific challenges in current policies in a public panel. ****We will be attending as a group, meeting in front of the law school at 6:30pm and walking over as a club

Thursday, October 26th, 7:00pm (IPJ Theatre) “Building cultures of peace with justice” – Annual Women PeaceMakers Panel. This is a perfect opportunity for the 1L's who couldnt attend the women peacemaker events during the day in October to hear them give their final talks as a panel. ****We will be attending as a group, meeting in front of the law school at 6:30pm and walking over as a club

Thursday, November 2, 7:00pm (IPJ Theatre) IPJ Speaker Series presents “Unifying Cyprus: Are the stakes too high?” Dr. Gerald Monk, Professor at the International Security and Conflict Resolution Program (ISCOR) at San Diego State University, will moderate a panel of experts from both the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. ****We will be attending as a group, meeting in front of the law school at 6:30pm and walking over as a club

More events will be added for November when we become aware of them.

Enforced Detainment

2006-09-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

I thought this was an interesting article that highlights the clandestine nature of this "war on terror." It seems that Pakistan has joined the frey, and who knows how many other countries have detained, interrogated and possibly executed human beings dubbed as "terrorists."

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-09-28T235250Z_01_L28760021_RTRUKOC_0_US-RIGHTS-PAKISTAN.xml&WTmodLoc=IntNewsHome_C1_%5bFeed%5d-2

"Ambassador" Film/ Monday Night

2006-09-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post this message and let everyone know about the film "Ambassador" that was shown at the IPJ last night.

The film was well done, and it documented the possible human rights violations intelligence czar John Negroponte may be guilty of from his ambassadorship in Honduras and Nicaragua in the 1980's.

The film was powerful, and illustrated the current struggle that is going on worldwide to end official impunity and shed light on the criminal activity military and political leaders have engaged in over the years.

The film is not available on DVD yet because they are looking for a publisher, but I would recommend anyone who is interested in international human rights and increasing accountability to those responsible for carrying out these violations to check out this film on the web or go to peace.sandiego.edu and read about the film there.

Peter

ALSO, Solar Energy Week and Conference

2006-09-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I also want to pass on a message to everyone from Scott Anders, director of the law schools Energy Policy Initiatives Center. EPIC will be hosting a Solar Energy Conference this Thursday the 27th as part of Solar Energy Week here on campus.

The conference is all day, from 8-5, so feel free to show up when you can, or just for a few hours and learn about solar energy developments in California. Registration is required (info about registration at the web address below) but it is free and includes meals.

<http://www.sdenergy.org/ContentPage.asp?ContentID=292&SectionID=288&Section

Hope some of you can attend. Also, if you are interested in energy law or alternative energy, feel free to stop by EPIC (in the back of the LRC) and talk to Scott Anders (scottanders@sandiego.edu) . He may even have work study positions avaliable.

Ogaden Conference

2006-09-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

I would like to echo the previous bloggers comments on the Ogaden conference.

I thought the conference was fantastic. The first panel was very enlightening in terms of the history of the Ogaden people, their plight and what the government of Ethiopia and the warlords of Somalia have neglected to do over the years to help them.

The second panel was also very interesting, highlighting the problems Somali refugees have in staying active with their problems back in the native land along with wrestling the common day problems here in the United States.

I really thought the evening was topped off perfectly when the former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Mr. Cohen, spoke about the reasoning behind American policy in the Horn of Africa.

If this is any sign of conferences to come at the IPJ, I am very excited to attend each one. I know of a couple coming up in October on gender roles in conflict resolution which I am going to be a student delegate to and also some conferences on Mexican economic issues and speeches given by high level justices in Mexico, Spain and Chile on reforming the Latin American judicial system.

I'll try and keep everyone posted on what I hear on this message board.

Peter S.

Darfur

2006-09-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Artice in the New York Times today about the impending African Union pull out from Sudan.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/10/world/africa/10darfur.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5094&en=de6591ccdb144071&hp&ex=1157860800&partner=homepage

Good Books?

2006-09-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

In between reading law cases I have been trying to slide in some interesting books regarding to human rights. I was wondering if any of you had some recommendations? A list books I have gone through recently are:

The Culture of Make Believe (a book about what makes America such a destructive society)

Mountains Beyond Mountains (up lifting book about a doctor in Haiti)

First World Ha Ha Ha! The Zapatista Movement

Problem From Hell: America in the Age of Genocide (chronicles of genocide since WWII and reasoning behind the lack of American involvement)

A Little Matter of Genocide (evaluation of US relations with indigenous Americans)

Overthrow (History of American Foreign Policy that resulted in overthow of foreign government)

Ogaden

2006-09-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

The conference on Ogaden was great. It was an enlightening experience to share a room with 100+ refugees. I learned a lot about the history of the conflict with Ethiopia and the ongoing conflict in the region now. The speakers were knowledgeable, well spoken, and most importantly, passionate about seeking a peaceful resolution to what is happening there. A transcendent event!

speaker suggestion: William Aceves

2006-09-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

William is a professor of international human rights law at Cal Western. He's very involved with Amnesty International USA and the local Amnesty group has organized several speaking events with him (e.g., Guantanamo detensions, torture, extraordinary renditions, universal jurisdiction). I believe he's also been invovled in lawsuits against torturers under the Alien Tort Claims Act.
waceves@cwsl.edu
http://www.cwsl.edu/main/default.asp?body=aceves/home.asp

LRA demand ICC charges be dropped in Ugandan Peace Talks

2006-09-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I know its tough in the hustle and bustle of law school to keep abreast on event around the world, but heres an important one. This is a fascinating article about the LRA -Ugandan cease fire, and the LRA's current tactic of attempting to avoid international liability by threatening the end of the cease fire:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5320254.stm

Enjoy and feel free to post similar human rights articles you find interesting.

Kevin

Welcome to the IHRLS website!

2006-09-06T01:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

This is the club website which will include the following things: schedule of club events (including speaking events at the IPJ), international human rights job postings/internships/study abroad opportunities, and relevant news articles on human rights issues abroad.

So EVERYONE can post relevant information and articles they come across for all to see, here is the username and password for the blog. You can log in at www.blogger.com

username: usdhumanrights
password: usdhumanrights

Hope to see some posts soon!

Kevin