2008-2009 War Crimes Speaker Series
First, Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army
Peter Eichstaedt, Africa Editor of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, spoke about his new book which describes his journey into war-torn villages and refugee camps, talking to former child soldiers, child “brides” and other victims. He has worked as a journalist and news media advisor in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Afghanistan and most recently Uganda.
The Darfur Investigation of the International Criminal Court
Xabier Agirre, WCL Visiting Scholar and Senior Analyst at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor, discussed the ICC’s investigation of the atrocities committed in Darfur and the status of the arrest warrant against President Omar al-Bashir, the first sitting head of state being investigated by the Prosecutor of the ICC.
Trying Rwandan Genocidaires: The “Military I” Case
Barbara Mulvaney, Lead Trial Attorney for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) spoke about the 18 December 2008 Trial Chamber judgment in the case against Rwandan Colonel Théoneste Bagosora, the directeur de cabinet of the Ministry of Defence; General Gratien Kabiligi, the head of the operations bureau (G-3) of the army general staff; Major Aloys Ntabakuze, the commander of the elite Para Commando Battalion; and Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva, the commander of the Gisenyi operational sector. Bagosora was the highest ranking official in the Ministry of Defense following the death of President Habyarimana and has been called the mastermind of the genocide. The Prosecution team, which included Ms. Mulvaney, secured convictions of three of the four accused. A former Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, Ms. Mulvaney also discussed how she got involved with the work of the ICTR.
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia After Two Years: Significant Progress but Little That Is Public Yet
Stuart Ford, Assistant Prosecutor of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), talked about the Prosecution's work at the ECCC, including the case against Kaing Guek Eav (alias "Duch"), the director of the Khmer Rouge prison Tuol Sleng, whose trial began in March 2009, and the case against the remaining four accused under investigation by the ECCC. Mr. Ford discussed a number of the challenges faced by the hybrid court, which is charged with trying the most senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge and others deemed most responsible for the atrocities that occurred in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979.
Radio for Justice: Making Sense of Rule of Law in Communities Where the International Criminal Court Is Investigating
Wanda Hall, Founder and Director of Interactive Radio for Justice (IRfJ) and Outreach Adviser to the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, discussed her work with IRfJ, which broadcasts programs over community radio in regions where the ICC is investigating genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes to promote dialogue between local populations and the national and international authorities responsible for rendering justice to them. IRfJ’s programming is broadcast in French, Swahili and Lingala throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic and provides a forum for listeners to ask questions about justice, reconciliation, and the rule of law. Ms. Hall answered a number of questions by students regarding the attitudes of those populations currently most affected by the ICC and provided many interesting insights regarding the challenges of conducting outreach in regions of ongoing hostilities and the importance of connecting local populations with people working at the Court.