Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Human Rights News & Events

WCL Events


1. EIGHT ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM SERIES: SIERRA LEONE’S REFUGEE ALL-STARS, Wednesday, October 24, 2007, 6:00pm, Rm. 603
Like to go to the movies? This Fall, the Center, in conjunction with the AU Center for Social Media, the Center for Global Peace, the Kay Spiritual Life Center, and School of International Service will sponsor the Eighth Human Rights Film Series. The film series explores ways in which film and media can be used to promote and protect human rights. Films will be screened twice, first on Wednesdays at WCL and again on Thursday nights on AU Main Campus.  Out of respect for those breaking the Ramadan fast, light refreshments will be served at each screening. Each film will be followed by a discussion with a guest speaker from local NGOs and institutions. For more information contact the Center’s Program Coordinator, Amelia Parker, at humlaw@wcl.american.edu.  A complete list of films featured in this year’s film series is listed below or for additional information, please visit the Center’s website at www.wclcenterforhr.org.

SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL-STARS (2005)
An inspiring story of survival and rebirth in the wake of the horrors of Sierra Leone’s Civil War, and a triumphant testament to the power of music. SXSW 2006 Film Festival Winner.
WCL: Wednesday, October 24, 6:00pm, WCL Room 603
Main Campus: Thursday, November 1, 5:30pm, Wechsler Theatre, 3rd floor, Mary Graydon Center

SPECIAL EVENT: HUMAN RIGHTS IN A TIME OF WAR: AN EVENING WITH GHOSTS OF ABU GHRAIB PRODUCER LIZ GARBUS!

Join us for a screening of the film Ghosts of Abu Ghraib and discussion with award-winning human rights film pioneer Liz Garbus as she shares her experiences and answers your questions about the making of this provocative film.  Ghosts of Abu Ghraib is a beyond-the-headlines look into the psychological and political contexts of the torture at Iraq’s infamous prison. An HBO Documentary, also featured at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.  There will be a one-time showing for this film.  This event takes place against the backdrop of Fernando Botero’s startlingly barbaric exhibit, Botero: Abu Ghraib.
Katzen Arts Center: Thursday, November 8, 5:30 pm

2.  HUMAN RIGHTS HAPPY HOUR!!! Wednesday October 24, 5-6pm, Rm. 524
Come hear Professor Howard from American University School of International Service and join other WCL students, faculty and friends for human rights, fair trade coffee, Argentine mate (the green caffeine), tea, sweets and Middle Eastern sweets and treats.  Get the scoop on all upcoming opportunities to get involved in human rights as students, staff and professors announce upcoming events at 5:30pm. For additional information, please email Karen McCarthy at kamcca@gmail.com.

3. LOOKING FOR A JOB IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST? COME TO AN EVENT ON 3L PUBLIC INTEREST JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES,
Thursday, October 25, 12pm - 1:20pm, Rm. 601
Are you a graduating student who wants to secure public interest employment? Come to this session to learn valuable job search tips and hear from alumni who successfully navigated the public interest job search process.  Sponsored by the Office of Public Interest and Office of Career & Professional Development.  For additional information, please contact Claire Raj at craj@wcl.american.edu.

4. ****SPECIAL SCREENING*** FRAGILE PEACE: REPORTS FROM SOUTHERN SUDAN,
Tuesday, October 30, 2007, 6:30pm, American University's Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Please join us for a screening of Fragile Peace: Reports from Southern Sudan on Tuesday, October 30th at 6:30pm to be followed by a panel discussion. This event is presented by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in partnership with American University School of Communication, Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, ENOUGH, Valentino Achak Deng Foundation, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. For more information and to RSVP please contact jheath@pulitzercenter.org.  

The panel will be moderated by Jon Sawyer, Executive Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and panelists include: Dave Eggers is the author of What Is the What, a novel focusing on the harrowing tale of real-life hero Valentino Achak Deng, a refugee from the Sudanese civil war of the 1980s and 1990s; Karim Chrobog, is the founder of Tangier Pictures, a Washington, D.C.-based film company dedicated to bringing compelling stories from around the world to international audiences. His forthcoming documentary War Child focuses on Emmanuel Jal, a former Sudanese child soldier who is an emerging hip-hop star with a message of peace for his battered homeland and beyond; and Jen Marlowe, a filmmaker and Pulitzer Center-sponsored journalist, this summer accompanied three “Lost Boys” on their first return to the South Sudan villages they fled from nearly two decades ago. Her reporting with fellow Pulitzer Center journalist David Morse looks at connections between the conflict in South Sudan and other parts of Sudan, including Darfur, probing the larger questions of identity and ethnicity. Jen’s Sudan work includes the documentary Darfur Diaries: Message from Home, and the companion book Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival.

5. THE POVERTY LAW SOCIETY PRESENTS A PANEL ON DC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, Tuesday, November 6, 12pm - 1:20pm, Location TBD
Join the Poverty Law Society for a discussion of one of the prominent poverty issues affecting the Washington, DC community - housing development.  For additional information, please contact Shanti Martin at shantimartin@yahoo.com.

Community Events


1. NEGOTIATING WITH NORTH KOREA: LESSONS AND CHALLENGES, Tuesday, October 23, 6:30-8:30 pm, 1957 E Street, NW, Harry Harding Auditorium, Suite 213
The George Washington University Security Policy Forum, Sigur Center for Asian Studies, and the Security Policy Studies Program invite  you to attend the panel: “Negotiating with North  Korea: Lessons and  Challenges” featuring Victor Cha, U.S. Deputy Head of Delegation  to the Six Party Talks; James A. Kelly, Assistant U.S. Secretary of  State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs (2001-2005) and President of the EAP  Associates; Joel Wit, Coordinator for the 1994 Agreed  Framework,  U.S. State Department (1995-2001); and Kirk W. Larsen, Director, Sigur Center for  Asian Studies, George  Washington  University (moderator). Please RSVP to: spf@gwu.edu.

2. CYPRUS: A DISCUSSION OF THE CONTINUED HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:00am - 11:30pm, Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus, 2211 R Street NW, Washington, D.C.
To welcome Alexis Galanos, the Mayor of the City of Famagusta of the Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador Andreas Kakouris requests the pleasure of your company for an interactive discussion of the current human rights situation on the island. For more than 33 years, the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the people of Cyprus have been seriously violated.  The Mayor of Famagusta, Alexis Galanos, is a living symbol of the continuing human rights abuses against the Cypriots.  He was forced to leave his home during the 1974 invasion by Turkish military forces, and today his city is still occupied by Turkish forces, as is 36.2% of Cyprus’ territory. Galanos will discuss the importance of the continued human rights violations occurring in Cyprus today - more than 33 years after the 1974 invasion.  For more information contact the Cyprus Embassy at press.office@cyprusembassy.net.

3. REGISTER NOW FOR THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WORLDQUEST!!! Sunday, 28 October 2007, 6:00- 8:30 pm, Busboys and Poets Restaurant, 2021 14th Street, NW DC 20009
WorldQuest is an international affairs and current events trivia contest (much like Quiz Bowl) between 4- person teams. These teams can be representative of your company, organization, school, or have no affiliation. Teams compete by answering questions testing knowledge of current affairs, world leaders, geography, recent history, flags, international organizations, countries, regions, the world economy, culture, religion, and more. A full competition is 70 questions, 7 rounds of 10 questions each. The winning team is the team with the highest number of correct answers at the end of the game and prizes will be awarded to the top teams.
*****SPECIAL PRIZE***** The first place prize for the October WorldQuest will be lunchfor the winning teamwith Ambassador RonaldNeumann, former Ambassador to Afghanistan 2005-2007. To register, please contact the Council at (202) 293- 1051. Sample questions may be found here. Please note that these questions were used in the National WorldQuest Competition for High School students hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America. For more information please click here to Read More.

4. REGISTER NOW FOR THE SEMINAR ON “USING INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE IN THE U.S,” Wednesday, October 31, 2007, Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 NJ Ave., NW, Washington DC 20001
Please join us for a day of nuts-and-bolts instruction from international law experts and activists. You do not need to be a lawyer to get valuable information from the seminar, and non-lawyers receive a substantial discount. Please note that Ajamu Baraka of the US Human Rights Network is scheduled to be one of the presenters. Panelists: John Brittain, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Ajamu Baraka, US Human Rights Network; the Hon. Claudia Morcom (ret.), former Wayne County Michigan Circuit Court Judge; Lance Tapley, journalist for the Portland, Maine Phoenix; Ann Fagan Ginger, Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute; Curtis Cooper, National Lawyers Guild International Committee; Marjorie Cohn, President, National Lawyers Guild; Bruce Zagaris, Berliner Corcoran & Rowe, LLP. Registration fees postmarked by October 10, 2007 are $150 for lawyers, $for students, $80 for all others. Registration fees postmarked after 0ctober 10, 2007 are $175 for lawyers, $60 for students, $100 for all others. Make checks payable to "MCLI", P.O. Box 673, Berkeley, CA 94701-0673. Register now for better rates! More information is available on the NLG International Committee website: www.nlginternational.org/event/current.php#59

Announcements & Professional Development Opportunities

 

1.JEAN-PICTET COMPETITION, Submissions must be received by Monday, October 29, 2007 at 5:00pm
The WCROis now accepting applications for J.D. and LL.M. students interested in the 2008 Jean-Pictet Competition, a week-long international humanitarian law exercise involving simulated diplomatic negotiations.It's an excellent opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the study and practice of the laws of war and international criminal law. We are looking for three students (J.D. or LL.M) who are interested in representing WCL in this year's competition, which will be held in Switzerland from April 19-April 26, 2007.The WCRO will select a team of three students and assist them in preparing an application in time for the mid-December deadline. If the team is selected to travel to Switzerland, the WCRO will help secure funds for the competition. Students with experience in humanitarian or international criminal law are particularly encouraged to apply for our team.Interested applicants should send us their c.v., a description of any experience with international criminal / humanitarian law, and a 500-word response to one of the following questions:
1. Is international humanitarian law sexist?
2. Are non-state actors who violate international humanitarian law nonetheless protected by it?
Email your application to warcrimes@wcl.american.edu or drop it off at our office at 4910 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 16.The deadline for applications is Monday October29, 2007 at 5 PM.

2. UNITED NATIONS - A CHALLENGING INTERNATIONAL CAREER. Applications must be received by Wednesday, October 31, 2007
The United Nations Secretariat is seeking highly qualified individuals for employment as junior professional officers (P-2 level). For this purpose, a competitive examination will be held on 26 February 2008 in the following disciplines: Environmental Specialists, Finance, Human Rights, Information Technology, Political Affairs, Program Evaluators and Statistics.
In order to qualify for the examination, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Be a national of one of the countries listed above;
  2. Be no more than 32 years old as of 31 December 2008 (born on or after January 1, 1976);
  3. Have at least a first-level university degree relevant to the occupational group to which they apply; and
  4. Be fluent in either English or French, the two working languages of the Secretariat. Knowledge of additional languages of the U.N. (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish) is an advantage.

Applications must be received by October 31, 2007 (acceptable by email, fax or mail). Detailed information about tested disciplines and the application process, as well as the application forms, can be found at www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/examin/exam.htm

3. AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION (ACLU) INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY, Submissions must be postmarked by November 1, 2007
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) seeks highly motivated first and second year law students for summer internship positions in its Racial Justice Program (“RJP”). RJP aims to preserve and extend constitutionally guaranteed and other rights to segments of the population that historically have been denied those rights on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin. Interns will work with an experienced team of racial justice lawyers in the ACLU’s National Office in New York City on a broad range of racial justice issues, particularly in the areas of criminal justice and education.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Interns assist in all aspects of litigation, including legal research, factual investigation, and the drafting of memoranda, affidavits, and briefs. The duration of the RJP summer internships is 10-12 weeks. Students who wish to split their internship with another organization will be considered at RJP’s discretion.
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS: First- and second-year law students are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice issues, civil rights, and civil liberties. They should be self-motivated, articulate and capable of complex legal analytical work. Excellent legal research and writing skills are essential. Experience conducting factual research is also beneficial.
COMPENSATION: Students are highly encouraged to seek public interest fellowships or other funding for the internship. Arrangements also can be made with the student’s law school for work/study stipends. In the event that a student is unable to secure alternative funding, RJP will provide a modest stipend.
HOW TO APPLY: Applications should be postmarked no later than November 1, 2007, for 2Ls, and no later than January 15, 2008, for 1Ls. Applications should include a cover letter; a resume; two letters of recommendation; and a writing sample. Applications should be sent to:
Melissa Francisco
ATTN: 2008 Summer Internship Program
Racial Justice Program
ACLU Foundation
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004

4. SUMMER 2008 REFUGEE WOMENS RIGHTS LAW CLERK POSITIONS. Send in applications now! The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), one of the nations leading refugee advocacy organizations, is seeking full- time Judith Stronach Womens Rights Fellows for Summer 2008. The Center, which is based at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, works to advance womens human rights by focusing on gender-based asylum and broader migration and refugee policies, both in the U.S. and internationally. The law clerks will be involved in the full range of CGRSs work, including research and writing on key legal issues, appellate advocacy, the development of detailed country conditions information, the preparation of expert witness affidavits, and national policy work. Experience or background in immigration or asylum law is required. Experience with related areas, such as international human rights law should be mentioned. Spanish language desirable, but not required. Position runs from June 2 to August 8, 2008. Please indicate eligibility for work study, as well as your prospects for securing external funding. For more information on CGRS visit http://cgrs.uchastings.edu/.  All applications must be received by November 16, 2007.  Interested applicants should mail or fax a cover letter and resume to:
Diana Rodriguez
CGRS Summer Law Clerk Position
UC Hastings College of the Law
200 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Fax: 415/581-8824
The cover letter should include how the applicants background is relevant to an organization committed to diversity in all respects. CGRS is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). All qualified persons including people of color, women, lesbians and gay men, are encouraged to apply.

5. OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE LEGAL INTERN POSITION. Send in applications now!
The OSI Washington office seeks to hire a Legal Intern to work on United States civil liberties issues and immigration policy. Specifically, the qualified applicant shall research and prepare reports on civil liberties and immigration policy issues with particular attention to human rights and national security. The Legal Intern will work under the supervision of the Senior Policy Analyst for Civil Liberties and Immigration Policy, and his or her duties will include: (1) Performing legal research (including LexisNexis and other research tools); (2) Drafting legal memoranda, background papers, and other advocacy materials; and (3) Attending hearings or meetings and drafting summaries and analysis. For additional information about OSI, please visit www.soros.org.  Apply Immediately.  Interested applicants should mail or fax a cover letter and resume to:
Lynthia Gibson-Price
Administrator
Open Society Institute- Washington Office
1120 19th Street, N.W., 8th Floor
Re: Human Resources
Fax to: (202) 530-0128; or e-mail: osidcresume@osi-dc.org .

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The Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law compiles a newsletter at the start of each semester and distributes it to all students, faculty and staff as a resource for upcoming human rights events and opportunities at WCL. We hope you find it useful and look forward to seeing you at the many events that the Center and other offices and student groups have planned throughout the Fall. To access the Fall 2007 newsletter, please visit the following site: http://www.wcl.american.edu/humright/center/newsletter/fall07_newsletter.cfm

 

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