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By Debbie, February 4, 2010

Sudan’s Leader May Be Accused of Genocide

The president of Sudan, who is already facing an international arrest warrant, came under new legal scrutiny on Wednesday when appeals judges at The Hague reopened the possibility that he may be charged with genocide.

The Sudanese leader, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, became the first sitting president to face an arrest order by the International Criminal Court in March, when pre-trial judges said he should be tried for crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan’s region of Darfur. But the judges rejected the prosecutor’s request to charge Mr. Bashirwith genocide, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient.The court’s appeals chamber, in a short session on Wednesday, directed the judges to reconsider the prosecution evidence and to decide anew whether Mr. Bashir’s actions could amount to genocide. They found that the judges had used far higher standards of proof than were needed for an arrest warrant, and that the dismissal of the prosecutor’s genocide charges therefore amounted to an “error or law.”

Lawyers following the proceedings said that to sign an arrest order at this court, judges must find that there are “grounds for charges” but that in this case the judges had sought a level of proof needed to find someone guilty or innocent.

The re-opening of the genocide question may not bring Sudan’s president, who has thus far defied the court, any closer to trial in The Hague. But genocide charges carry a heavy weight that could affect his international dealings and isolate him.

For Entire Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/africa/04bashir.html?scp=1&sq=bashir&st=cse

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By Debbie, January 28, 2010

This spring, CASIN is bringing a group of students to observe and participate in the Commission on Population and Development at the United Nations. We are currently accepting applications to attend the conference.

Information: Commission on Population and Development, 43rd session

Date of event: April 12, 2010 – April 16, 2010

Location: New York

Theme: Health, Morbidity, Mortality and Development

The Commission on Population and Development (CPD), formerly the Population Commission, is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations Population Division. The CPD’s primary focus is on studying and assisting the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with population issues and patterns, streamlining of population and development strategies, providing temporary assistance to developing countries that request it, recommending steps for implementation of the Program of Action (http://www.un.org/esa/population/cpd/aboutcom.htm).

We invite applications from all students interested in observing, attending, and participating in this exciting conference. For questions or to obtain a copy of the application, please email Tanya Maxwell at tanya@americanstudents.us or Debbie Sharnak at debbie@americanstudents.us

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By Debbie, January 17, 2010

In light of the outpouring of concern among University students here in the United States, the Council for American Students in International Negotiations (CASIN) would like to recommend a few charities to our members if they are interested in donating to the relief efforts. Our mission is intricately tied to deepening the understanding of international issues and we know Haiti will continue to be at the forefront of the international agenda for years to come. Please feel free to post other charities on the CASIN blog. We welcome other suggestions!

Partners in Health – pih.org

Zanmi Lasante (“Partners In Health” in Haitian Kreyol) is PIH’s flagship project – the oldest, largest, most ambitious, and most replicated. The small community clinic that first started treating patients in the village of Cange in 1985, has grown into the Zanmi Lasante (ZL) Sociomedical Complex, featuring a 104-bed, full-service hospital with two operating rooms, adult and pediatric inpatient wards, an infectious disease center (the Thomas J. White Center), an outpatient clinic, a women’s health clinic (Proje Sante Fanm), ophthalmology and general medicine clinics, a laboratory, a pharmaceutical warehouse, a Red Cross blood bank, radiographic services, and a dozen schools. ZL has also expanded its operations to eight other sites across Haiti’s Central Plateau and beyond. Today, ZL ranks as one of the largest nongovernmental health care providers in Haiti – and the only provider of comprehensive primary care, regardless of ability to pay, for more than half a million impoverished people living in the mountainous Central Plateau.

Doctors Without Borders- http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971.

Today, MSF provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF reserves the right to speak out to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge inadequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols.

In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize.

MSF teams are working to provide surgery and basic care to as many patients as possible, but needs continue to outstrip available resources.

• Surgical Teams Work Round the Clock; Assessments of Other Affected Areas Planned
• “Patients who were not critical three days ago are now in critical phases”

Red Cross- http://www.redcross.org/

Haitian Red Cross at the Heart of Relief

By Gennike Mayers, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, reporting from Port-au-Prince

Sunday, January 17, 2010 — At the St. Pierre square in Pétionville – a small suburb to the east of Port-au-Prince – hundreds of earthquake survivors have taken refuge. Families have set up make-shift tents using sheets, curtains or whatever could be salvaged from their crumbled homes.

Across the road, just a few meters away, is a small branch of the Red Cross working out of a garage beneath the Mayor’s office. It bears very little resemblance to a first aid station – the space is cramped and full of cars. But these are some of the conditions to be overcome in order to provide support to injured, explains one Red Cross volunteer.

“It may not be the best place with all these cars around but plenty of people are coming in and we are caring for them,” says Rita Aristide, a Haitian Red Cross volunteer since 1999. ”We have been dressing wounds for hundreds of people already.”

The range of injuries vary from scrapes and scratches to deep gashes, open head wounds, and fractured arms and legs.

Dr. Grégory Gué, a physician from the southern town of Jacmel travelled to Port-au-Prince to work alongside Red Cross volunteers.

“I came where there was need. We have to do what we can to help our people. Haiti needs all the help it can get. Help will come from outside very soon but we also have to help ourselves,” he explains.

Among the steady stream of wounded persons receiving medical attention from Dr. Gué and the Red Cross first aid team were two pregnant women who suffered damage to their backs during the quake. Both had been hit by falling blocks. One of the women lost her child. They were brought over on stretchers from the square to the Red Cross station. Serious injuries, like these, are being treated where possible and referred to the nearest hospital.

On January 16, a Red Cross convey arrived in Port-au-Prince, having travelled overland from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It included a 50-bed hospital. Earlier in the day, the first of three basic health care teams landed in the city as well. This unit can provide basic but vital heath care to 30,000 people.

You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org

How to Help

• We are not accepting volunteers to travel to Haiti. If you would like to volunteer for the American Red Cross, please contact your local chapter.
• Persons in Haiti and abroad can search for and register the names of relatives missing since the earthquake at www.icrc.org/familylinks. The International Committee of the Red Cross is helping to reconnect separated families within the country.
• People trying to locate U.S. citizens living or traveling in Haiti should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 or (202) 647-5225.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

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By Debbie, December 29, 2009

Eyes on the ICC Seeks New Editor-in-Chief 

The Board of Directors is accepting applications for the position of Editor-in-Chief of Eyes on the ICC, CASIN’s flagship academic journal on the International Criminal Court. Junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, ABDs, and advanced graduate students are especially encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2010. 

Eyes on the ICC is an annual journal published by the Council for American Students in International Negotiations, a non-profit, non-partisan organization composed of a network of students and young professionals from around the world.  

Entering its sixth year of publication, Eyes on the ICC is an interdisciplinary journal that invites submissions from any field that address the International Criminal Court or international criminal law more generally. Past editors have come from the fields of international law, international relations, and sociology. To view current and previous volumes, please visit the journal’s website.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Editor-in-Chief (EIC), with the assistance of the Managing Editor and 5-7 Assistant Editors, will be responsible for producing one volume per publication year, comprised of at least five articles, with a camera-ready manuscript due on November 1. Submissions are accessed via Expresso as well as through direct e-mail contact between authors and the EIC or the Managing Editor. The EIC reports to the Publications Committee of CASIN’s Board of Directors.

Additional obligations will include:

-          Assisting in managing submissions received via Expresso as well as through direct e-mail contact with ME or EIC;

-          Assisting in managing submissions to be published on the CASIN website throughout the publication year;

-          Managing the peer review process;

-          Supervising the Managing Editor;

-          Making article selection decisions based on reviews of Editorial Staff;

-          Assisting with all final-editing of all accepted articles and assisting with intermittent contact with authors throughout selection process as need be;

-          Maintaining regular contact with ME, who manages most of administrative editorial process;

-          Maintaining regular contact with Publications Board, Directors, and Peer Reviewers, as well as Editorial Advisory Board;

Please note that this is a virtual position. Work is coordinated predominantly through e-mail and other forms of electronic exchange. Please also note that this position is offered without compensation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

-          Editorial/publication experience;

-          Strong writing, research, and interpersonal skills;

-          Comfort working closely with virtual staff;

-          Strong commitment to international human rights, criminal law, and/or social justice;

-          be reliable, organized, and team-oriented.

Address all questions to publications@americanstudents.us. Applicants will be notified of the decision by mid-February, 2010.

How to Apply:

Submit a letter of interest, a resume/CV, 1-2 writing samples, and 3 references to publications@americanstudents.us.

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By Ted, December 7, 2009

The Council for American Students in International Negotiations (CASIN), along with the Advisory Board of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Rights Law (IJHRL), is currently seeking applications for Assistant Editors and Editorial Assistants. The IJHRL is a scholarly, peer reviewed academic journal focusing on interdisciplinary issues relating to human rights law. Individuals specializing in issues concerning International Human Rights Law are highly encouraged to apply. Candidates should be available to assume their titles immediately.

Both Assistant Editors and Editorial Assistants are afforded substantial input in the journal’s content and have unparalleled opportunities to work closely with a wide range of international scholars. Opportunities for additional responsibility and promotion within the organization are available to highly motivated candidates.

Qualifications: Candidates for both positions should have strong research and writing skills, in addition to a demonstrated interest and background in human rights law. Applicants should have relevant academic experience in the field of human rights, political science, history, law, sociology, religion, journalism, international affairs, area studies or another relevant field. Assistant Editors should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, although preference will be given to those possessing  Masters degrees. Editorial Assistants should be at least in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree.

Duties: Assistant Editors and Editorial Assistants report to the Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the journal. Primary responsibilities of Assistant Editors include reviewing submissions and preparing them for publication. This includes editing for content, formatting, grammar, style, as well as fact checking, final copyediting and typesetting. Assistant editors are expected to initially review manuscripts submitted by authors, provide constructive comments, and determine the manuscript’s suitability for publication and contribution to the field. Primary responsibilities of Editorial Assistants include preparing manuscripts for publication, proofreading and editing copy, verifying facts and references, providing a preliminary manuscript summary and evaluation, and editing manuscript submissions according to style and typesetting guidelines. All candidates should also have steady access to email, library facilities and databases for fact and citation checking purposes.

Please send a letter of interest, resume/CV, writing sample, contact information for three references and examples of past editing work (if applicable), to ijhrl@americanstudents.us. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with a final determination of staff for 2010-2011 scheduled for early 2010. Applications received by February 1, 2010 will be given highest priority. In the letter of interest, please indicate for which position you are applying. Competitive candidates will be asked to edit a sample article.

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By Debbie, December 6, 2009

“GLOBAL COALITION URGES SECURITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT ICC INVESTIGATION IN DARFUR,” CICC Media Release, 4 December 2009, http://www.iccnow.org/documents/CICC_Media_Advisory_ICC_Prosecutor_10th_Report_to_UNSC_Dec09.pdf

WHAT: On 4 December 2009, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo will present his tenth report to the Security Council of the United Nations on the situation in Darfur, Sudan. The Coalition for the ICC – a global network of civil society organizations in 150 countries advocating for a fair, effective and independent ICC – calls on all ICC member states, the government of Sudan, and other relevant parties to fulfill their obligations under the UN Charter and the Rome Statute and thereby cooperate with the Court in ensuring that President al-Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Ali Kushayb are brought before the Hague-based ICC to face justice.

WHY: While three ICC arrest warrants are still outstanding in the Darfur situation, the Sudanese Government has openly defied and consistently refused to cooperate with the Court and the international community. Anything less than full cooperation with the ICC threatens to undermine the authority of the UN Security Council, which itself referred the situation in Darfur to the Court.

HOW: Under UNSC Resolution 1593, which referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, the prosecutor is required to report to the Council every six months on the progress of his investigation in Darfur. The prosecutor’s tenth report is expected to outline national regional and international efforts to promote accountability in Darfur, to address the status of state cooperation as regards the enforcement of arrest warrants, and to reemphasize the Prosecutor’s commitment to cooperate with other relevant bodies, such as the African Union. The report is also expected to provide an outline of crimes allegedly committed in Darfur during the last 6 months.

BACKGROUND:

“We must not let the Security Council forget its initial intentions when referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC Prosecutor” said Tanya Karanasios, Program Director of the Coalition for the ICC. “We therefore call on the Security Council not to lose sight of what is really at stake here: justice for the victims in Darfur, and the peace that justice will contribute to.”

The situation in Sudan was referred to the Court by the United Nations Security Council through Resolution 1593 on 31 March 2005. The investigation into the situation in Darfur, Sudan was officially opened by the ICC prosecutor on 6 June 2005. On 2 May 2007, Pre-Trial Chamber I issued arrest warrants against Ahmad Muhammad Harun and Ali Kushayb for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur between 2003 and 2004. On 4 March 2009, an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and war crimes was issued against President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir of Sudan. To date none of the three outstanding warrants have been executed. Further, in response to summons issued by the Court on 17 May 2009, rebel leader Abu Garda voluntarily appeared in Court to respond for war crimes allegedly committed during the attacks in Haskanita.

The ICC is the first permanent international court capable of trying individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. To date, it has publicly issued twelve arrest warrants and one summons to appear for investigations in four situations: the Central African Republic; Darfur, Sudan; Uganda; and the Democratic Republic of Congo. A Judges decision is pending on a request by the OTP to open a fifth ICC investigation in Kenya. Four suspects are currently in custody. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) has allegedly analyzed or is analyzing at least eighth other situations on four continents.

For further information on the CICC visit www.iccnow.org

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By Debbie, November 30, 2009

PROSECUTOR REQUESTS OPENING OF ICC INVESTIGATION IN KENYA
See www.iccnow.org for further information

Prosecutor Requests Judges’ Authorization to Investigate Alleged Crimes Committed during 2007-2008 Election Violence

WHAT: On 26 November 2009, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo requested the authorization of Pre-Trial Chamber II to open the investigation into crimes allegedly committed in Kenya in relation to the post-election violence of 2007-2008. Judges of Pre-Trial Chamber II will have to consider whether or not there are reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation and that it appears to fall within the jurisdiction of the Court.

WHY: Kenya signed and ratified the Rome Statute and hence is a State Party to the ICC. By becoming a State Party, Kenya has accepted the jurisdiction of the Court over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide committed on its territory or by one of its nationals, thus opening the door for the Prosecutor’s investigation into acts which are not being investigated and prosecuted by national authorities.
HOW: Today is the first time that the ICC Prosecutor seeks to open an investigation on his own initiative i.e. proprio motu, in accordance with article 15 of the Rome Statute. The other situations currently dealt with by the Court were initially referred to the Prosecutor by States Parties or the United Nations Security Council. Indeed, for the Court to open an investigation, a situation can be referred to the Court by a State Party, the UN Security Council or initiated by the ICC prosecutor himself, with authorization of the Judges.
COMMENT AND BACKGROUND:
“With the Kenyan government failing to establish a special tribunal for Kenya, and the impotence of the national legal system, the ICC Prosecutor is fully justified in seeking to open an investigation in the 2007-2008 post election violence in Kenya,” said James Gondi, Program Officer, International Commission of Jurists -Kenya (ICJ-Kenya). “We welcome today’s request as it sends a strong sign of hope to victims that justice will be served in Kenya,” he added.

“Today we urge the Court to develop a clear outreach and communications plan to explain the ICC and the Court’s role in Kenya and to enter in a dialogue with affected communities as soon as possible,” said Stephen Lamony, the Coalition’s Africa outreach liaison and situations adviser. “In this process, the Court should consult local civil society and media to design tailored communications strategies for Kenya,” he stressed.

On 16 July 2009, the Prosecutor had received six boxes containing documents and supporting material compiled by the Waki Commission, an international commission of inquiry established by the Government of Kenya to investigate the violence that occurred between December 2007 and February 2008, following presidential elections. The documentation included a sealed envelope containing a list of suspects identified by the Waki Commission as those most responsible for the violence.
The Prosecutor had also received information from Kenyan authorities on witness protection measures and on the status of legal proceedings carried out by national authorities. Thus far national attempts at addressing the post-election violence have resulted in the establishment of the Kenyan Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission and discussions in the government to use the regular judicial apparatus instead of a specially constituted tribunal. Constitutional amendments that would have established a special tribunal, as recommended by the Waki Commission, failed to get the requisite consensus in parliament, which meant that the Kenyan Government missed the deadline for initiating prosecutions by the end of September 2009, a deadline agreed upon by both the ICC Prosecutor and the Kenyan Government delegation which visited the ICC on 3 July 2009.
The Prosecutor has alleged he supports a “three-pronged approach” to the Kenya situation that would involve prosecution by the ICC of those most responsible for the post-election violence coupled with national accountability proceedings for other perpetrators, the format for which would be determined by the Kenyan Parliament. The third prong would include other mechanisms, such as a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission.
The ICC is the world’s first permanent international court to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. To date, the ICC has issued twelve arrest warrants for investigations in four of the most brutal conflicts of our time: the Central African Republic; Darfur, Sudan; Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Four suspects have been arrested and one has appeared voluntarily at the Court. The ICC is also monitoring at least seven other situations on four continents.

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By Debbie, November 22, 2009

Call for Contributions:

The journal, Eyes on the ICC is looking for contributors to its annual publication. With the emerging investigation in Kenya, we would like to see all articles that address the situation there and implications for the Court’s development as a legitimate institution on the international scene.

Eyes on the ICC is the first peer-reviewed, scholarly journal devoted to the study of the International Criminal Court. The journal seeks to advance the understanding of the ICC as well as promote positive relations between the international criminal law community and the United States.

Each submission should contain an abstract, a CV, and appropriate contact information. Articles for this piece may range in length from 10 to 25 pages, double-spaced. Please adhere closely to the Chicago Manual of Style and cite sources in legal format according to the Harvard Blue Book. Deadline: December 21, 2009

All comments, questions, and submissions should be made to debbie@americanstudents.us

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By Ted, November 15, 2009

VOICES OF THE FUTURE: Official Newsletter of the Council for American Students in International Negotiations (CASIN)

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. New Website, New Opportunities
2. CASIN Board of Directors Elects new Chair; Apply to join the Board
3. Call for Student Delegates – 8th Session of the Assembly of States Parties
4. IJHRL Now Available on Westlaw
   • Subscribe to a CASIN Journal
   • IJHRL: Call for Reviewers
5. Become a Member of CASIN

1. New Website, New Opportunities
CASIN has launched a new website to increase the ease with which members can communicate with each other and share resources. In addition to a sleeker look and feel and more logical organization, the new platform features a blog for discussing CASIN programs, sharing resources, and opining on current events. Poke around at www.americanstudents.us and be sure to register for an account on the blog! Please direct any feedback about the new site to webmaster@americanstudents.us.

2. CASIN Board of Directors Elects New Chair
The CASIN Board of Directors elected Debbie Sharnak the new chair in August 2009. Debbie joined the Board in September 2008 and has been the Chair of the Publications Committee and the Nominating and Selection Committee. Elected every six months, the Board Chair is responsible for leading monthly meetings and determining the overall direction of the organization. For any questions about the workings of the Board, or to welcome her to her new position, please e-mail debbie@americanstudents.us.

Apply to Become a Member of the Board
Dedicated CASIN members are encouraged to apply for a seat on the CASIN Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is the executive body of the organization, charged with hiring hiring officers and staff and coordinating various program areas. To apply, please send a letter of interest and resume to board@americanstudents.us.

3. Calling All Student Delegates: Attend the 8th Session of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court
Where: The Hague, Netherlands
When: November 18, 2009 – November 26, 2009

The Council for American Students in International Negotiations (CASIN) strives to deepen the commitment of American students to multilateral institutions through scholarship, discourse, and engagement in international policy. One of our key initiatives is to expose students to international diplomacy in action on a number of topics. At this conference, students will have the opportunity to observe proceedings of the Assembly of States Parties, the governing body of the International Criminal Court.
Interested in attending? Please contact tanya@americanstudents.us for further information and conference application.

Application Deadline: October 25, 2009

4. Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Rights Law to Be Indexed in Westlaw
IJHRL tracks trends in human rights scholarship from a variety of fields, and Volume 3 breaks new ground in the areas of the right to information, the responsibility to protect, universal jurisdiction for genocide, and the right to asylum. CASIN has recently reached agreement with Thomson Reuters to make IJHRL available through Westlaw, the popular database of legal periodicals. Volume 4: 2009-2010 will be out in January 2010. For the call for papers, call for reviewers, and subscription information, please visit the IJHRL web page.

Subscribe to a CASIN Journal
As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, sales of CASIN journals go toward supporting our program areas. The journals themselves give American students unique opportunities to work hand-in-hand with top international scholars and explore issues in international law and policy in depth. Print and online access is available to current and back issues for individuals and institutions. To subscribe, please visit the web pages of Eyes on the ICC or IJHRL.

IJHRL: Call for Reviewers
The Advisory Board of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Rights Law (IJHRL) is seeking applications for peer reviewers. Applicants should be academicians and practitioners specializing in issues concerning international human rights law. Junior level faculty members and human rights scholars and practitioners are especially encouraged to apply. For more information about the journal and the application process, please visit the IJHRL web page.

5. Become a Member of CASIN
Not a member yet? Membership is free, and not only does it map you into a network of students, professors, and professionals working in international law and international relations, but it entitles you to some great benefits, too.

Signing up takes just a minute, and undergraduates, graduate students, recent graduates, young professionals, professors, and practitioners are all welcome. For questions about membership, please contact anja@americanstudents.us.

Want to make a donation? We depend upon donations from members and supporters to make our work possible. Donations are tax-deductible, and no amount is too small.

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By Yasmin, October 29, 2009

Article from Harvard Human Rights Journal by Thomas E. Davies