FREDERICK K. COX
INTERNATIONAL LAW CENTERFounder/Advisor
Michael P. ScharfWar Crimes Prosecution Watch Volume 11 – Issue 14
September 19, 2016
Editor-in-Chief
Kevin J. VogelTechnical Editor-in-Chief
Jeradon Z. MuraManaging Editors
Dustin Narcisse
Victoria SarantWar Crimes Prosecution Watch is a bi-weekly e-newsletter that compiles official documents and articles from major news sources detailing and analyzing salient issues pertaining to the investigation and prosecution of war crimes throughout the world. To subscribe, please email warcrimeswatch@pilpg.org and type “subscribe” in the subject line.
Opinions expressed in the articles herein represent the views of their authors and are not necessarily those of the War Crimes Prosecution Watch staff, the Case Western Reserve University School of Law or Public International Law & Policy Group.
CENTRAL AFRICA
- Human Rights Watch: A Chance for UN Peacekeeping to Get It Right
- openDemocracy: Rethinking what ICC success means at the Bemba Trial
- Sudan Tribune: SPLM-N warns EU and US against funding Sudan’s militia
- Sudan Tribune: S. Sudan committed to hybrid court for war crimes: official
- BBC: South Sudan’s Kiir and Machar profited during war – report
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- International Justice Monitor: Judge Orders Legal Aid for Bemba in Witness Corruption Case
- Daily Mail: DR Congo warlord on hunger strike at war crimes trial
WEST AFRICA
- allAfrica: Mali: President Fires Defence Minister After Gunmen Seize Village
- Institute for Security Studies: A New African Force For Mali?
- The Washington Post: Gunmen Kill 3 Soldiers, Injure 2 In Central Mali ‘Ambush’
EAST AFRICA
- Christian Newswire: Liberty Counsel : Liberty Counsel Files Brief on Behalf of American Pastor in International Lawsuit
- Geeska Africa: Uganda drops charges against 17 in Muslim clerics murder trial
- AllAfrica: The Observer: Uganda: Kony Lawyer, Minister Sued Over Shs 1.2 Trillion
- AllAfrica: The Observer: Uganda: Mukulu Causes Fracas in Court to Get Transfer
- AllAfrica: The Monitor: Uganda: Museveni Orders Police Field Force Unit Out of Kampala
- All Africa: Somalia: 70,000 Refugees at Dadaab Willing to Return Somalia
- The Washington Post: Can Two Men Once Charged with War Crimes Tame Ethnic Violence in Kenya?
Rwanda (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda)
- The New Times: Rwanda: Swedish MPs Commit to Push for Arrest of Genocide Fugitives
- K93.3fm : Rwanda’s Withdrawal May Not Affect Future AfCHPR Ratifications
- Daily Nation: Repatriation threatened after Dadaab returnees are blocked in Somalia
- AllAfrica: Al Shabaab Beheads Elders in Southern Somalia
- AllAfrica: Mortar Shell Hits Near Mogadishu International Airport Ahead of IGAD Meeting
- AllAfrica: President Mohamud Launches National Strategy for Countering Violent Extremism (Cve)
- Human Rights Watch: Kenya Is Abandoning Somali Refugees
- Human Rights Watch: Five Wrongfully Detained in Somalia Now Free
NORTH AFRICA
EUROPE
Court of Bosnia & Herzegovina, War Crimes Chamber
- The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Indictment confirmed in the case v. Enver Buza
- The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Suspect Jasmin Viković ordered into custody
- Balkan Insight: Bosnia Arrests Six Serbs for Milici War Crimes
- The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Prohibiting measures ordered to the Suspects in the case v. Radomir Pantić et al.
- Balkan Insight: Bosnian War Rape Victims Struggle for Compensation
MIDDLE EAST AND ASIA
Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
- The New York Times: Married off by the Khmer Rouge, and ‘Nobody Could Help Me’
- The Phnom Penh Post: Former Khmer Rouge Supporter Gives Talk to Students
- Japan Times: Japanese Academic Testifies at Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia
- The Washington Post: IS car bombing kills at least 12 civilians in Iraqi capital
- Reuters: Iraq gears up for late-year push to retake Mosul from Islamic State
- ALALAM: ISIS Barbarically Executes 8 Iraqi People by Drowning inside Cage in Mosul City
- RUDAW: UPDATED: Coalition airstrike destroys ISIS chemical weapons plant near Mosul
- Xinhua: Family of 7 killed in bomb blast while fleeing IS-held town in Iraq
- Aljazeera: Syria’s war: Use of chemical gas to be investigated
- CNN: Syrian ceasefire appears to hold, but aid deliveries are on standby
- The Daily Star: Prosecutors: Hariri killing was plotted in south Beirut
- The Daily Star: STL expert witness unpacks analysis of conspiracy
- The Daily Star: STL: Defense puts forward its own theory of phones
AMERICAS
- CBC News: Trois-Rivières man deported to Ivory Coast for alleged war crimes
- Los Angeles Daily News: Genocide in Guatemala topic of USC international conference
- Truthout: Iraqi Woman Uses Chilcot Report in War Crimes Lawsuit Against George W. Bush
- Daily Mail: Ex-head of Argentina air force convicted in ‘dirty war’ case
- Colombia Reports: ICC welcomes Colombia peace deal, but urges prosecutions
- Colombia Reports: FARC leaders touring Colombia to beg forgiveness for war crimes
- AP The Big Story: UN approves Colombia peace mission
- Telesur: Historic: Peru Jails 10 Military Men for Brutal State Massacre
TOPICS
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- The New Times: Political will, selfless leadership key to a united Africa – activists
- Vancouver Sun: B.C. First Nations, business council pledge economic support with new agreement
- The Wire: Long Road Ahead For Transitional Justice in Nepal
- The Daily News: Disappearances major topic at UNHRC sessions
- The West Australian: Police frustrated with youth crime, family dysfunction in Kalgoorlie: Gordon
- The Hindu: Kabul’s global charity attacked in ‘war crime’
- The Washington Post: Report offers new details on San Bernardino terrorist attack
- The Guadian: Sarkozy urges special courts and facilities to detain potential terrorism suspects
- Bloomberg: Facebook and Israel Agree to Tackle Terrorist Media Together
- CNN: Germany: 3 alleged ISIS members arrested in Paris attacks probe
- The Guardian: Old Bailey jury to hear secret evidence from counter-terrorism officer
- ABC News: Russia Urges Syrian Rebels to Separate From ‘Terrorists’
- NBC News: 9/11 ‘Sponsors of Terrorism’ Bill Could Fuel Extremism: Saudi Adviser
- The Economist: High-seas piracy hits a two-decade low
- BBC News: ‘Do you have an AK-47 and can you swim?’
- S&P Global Platts: Piracy ebbs in Southeast Asia waters on lower oil price, better law enforcement
- Hellenic Shipping News: Indonesia can nab pirates in Philippine waters
- Maritime Executive: Vietnam to Extradite Eight Indonesian Pirates
Special Features
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect: R2P in Focus: UN General Assembly Eighth Informal Interactive Dialogue on R2P
R2P in Focus, No. 6
R2P in Focus
R2P in Focus is a monthly publication from the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect designed to highlight recent events and political developments concerning the Responsibility to Protect (R2P).
8th UN General Assembly Informal Interactive Dialogue on R2P
UN Photo/Cia Pak
On 6 September the President of the 70th UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, convened the eighth informal interactive dialogue on R2P. This year’s dialogue was focused on the last report of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on R2P: “Mobilizing collective action: The next decade of the responsibility to protect.” In his opening remarks, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said R2P was a signature achievement of the UN and that “the time has now come to seriously counter and confront crisis and potential crisis situations. There are millions of people looking to the UN for help in a time of dire need, conflict and distress. In the name of humanity and in the spirit of the UN Charter, we must not fail them.”
A panel of experts, including the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Mr. Adama Dieng, and two former Special Advisers on R2P, Dr. Edward Luck and Dr. Jennifer Welsh, presented their perspectives on the Secretary-General’s report. During the debate, 68 member states and the European Union delivered statements on behalf of 93 countries. For the third year in a row, the UN Group of Friends of R2P delivered a statement at the event. Additionally, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect was among four civil society organizations to deliver statements.
Member states used the dialogue as an opportunity to reflect upon remaining obstacles to mobilizing consistent and timely action to prevent or halt atrocities. Some member states spoke about how to improve the UN’s response in the face of atrocities, including through supporting the ACT Code of Conduct and the French/Mexican Initiative on the veto, strengthening peacekeeping through the Kigali Principles, and encouraging regular briefings to the UN Security Council by the UN Office on the Prevention of Genocide and R2P. Participants also discussed countering violent extremism and accountability for mass atrocity crimes.
For more information, including statements and video footage, see our Overview of the 8th Annual Informal Interactive Dialogue on R2P.
UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministeria l
On 8 September over 80 UN troop contributing countries gathered in London for the annual UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial. Many states made pledges to bolster their troop, police and financial contributions. The outcome document focused on the “Three Ps” of peacekeeping: planning, pledges and performance. During the meeting participants addressed the need for peacekeepers to deliver on their mandated responsibilities, particularly with regard to civilian protection, noting the “best practices set out in the Kigali Principles.”
UNGA Calendar Highlights
The annual general debate of the 71st UN General Assembly will take place from 20 to 26 September. The Global Centre is co-hosting and participating in a variety of events during this important time.
Monday, 19 September 2016
The governments of the United Kingdom, Belgium and Iraq will co-host an event on fighting impunity for victims of Da’esh. The Global Centre’s Executive Director, Dr. Simon Adams, will be moderating the event.
Tuesday, 20 September 2016
The Holy See and the UN Office on the Prevention of Genocide and R2P will co-host an event with the Global Centre on the role of religious leaders in preventing mass atrocities. This event is open to the public and will take place from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in UN Headquarters Conference Room 2.
Wednesday, 21 September 2016
The governments of the Netherlands, Italy and Rwanda, in coordination with the Global Centre, will co-host the 9th Annual Ministerial Roundtable on the Responsibility to Protect. The discussion will focus on the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians.
Thursday, 22 September 2016
The governments of Liechtenstein, Mexico and Costa Rica, in partnership with the Global Centre, will co-host an event on preventing mass atrocities and advancing UN Security Council reform.
For information on all #UNGA events and statements that are R2P-related, follow @GCR2P on Twitter.
Connect with us
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect: R2P Monitor, Issue 29, 15 September 2016
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ICTJ: In Focus: Duterte’s Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines
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ICTJ In Focus 60 September 2016 |
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Salam Kawakibi: Manufactured Expertise: Selling Out Arab News Audiences
Since the onset of the “Arab Spring,” and through the development of revolutionary phases, with their violent consequences, Arab satellite TV stations, which reach millions of viewers, persistently devoted themselves to broadcasting interviews with “analysts,” “academics,” and “experts” on the issues surrounding various national uprisings.
As events continued to unfold, the demand for these types of guests increased, despite a structural supply shortage of serious and professional experts. Subsequently, some stations resorted to “manufacturing” their experts, inviting virtual unknowns and bestowing upon them supreme titles in an attempt to artificially qualify them for their roles as news analysts without having to go through the vetting process of reviewing their actual scientific or practical credentials.
As a result, many true experts – including those knowledgeable about the subject matter in question – simply refused to participate in the charade. Respect for the viewers, and their intelligence, as well as the experts’ own self-respect made them unwilling to be misrepresented.
Other groups chose to strictly confine their TV appearances within the limits of their expertise, avoiding pretensions, or the temptation to make claims of knowledge in areas outside their specializations or practical experiences. Nonetheless, a majority of the guests did willingly plunge into the maze of spotlights, exploiting the qualitative and quantitative shortage of truly qualified experts. They emerged as “stars” of the screen, triumphing at the expense of the viewer, regardless of the simplicity of his understanding and the shallowness of his knowledge.
The interviews varied from individual commentary on a specific event to confrontational conversations between two or more speakers. The moderator often actively stirred up the atmosphere, inducing shouting matches and raised voices in order to attract the largest number of thrill-seeking guests. Arabic-language satellites distinguished themselves in producing these types of talk shows, justifying the final product as a form of vigorous debate and diversity of opinion. Some of these programs gained wide popularity with many viewers anxiously awaiting their broadcasts, like people lining up to watch a street fight.
As the Syrian slaughter continued unabated, these talk show programs became profitable. Those searching for calm and deliberate analysis instead found guests engaged in shouting matches punctuated with harsh, reckless words, and thoughtless gestures. Originally exclusive to Arab TV stations, this practice was soon imitated by the new Europe-based Arabic stations. A majority of those managing the diasporic media still embrace a share of the authoritarian Arab media culture which they carried with them as they migrated to the West, releasing hidden desires to exercise power in doses of professionally unjustified aggressiveness. The image of the winner and the loser becomes clear in these conversations: whoever has the louder voice and the greater skill in mocking their opponent will emerge as the victor.
According to the old economic market doctrine, demand creates supply. On Arab satellite talk shows, this means a vast market of loud-talking “specialists” in the Syrian conflict who have just strolled into TV studios after practicing in other arenas. Both Syrian regime representatives and supporters start to psychologically manipulate their counterparts even before taking the stage. The regime representatives, polished, and professionally made up, face the opposition’s spokesperson as if to impart to him the ability to facilitate his “return to the homeland,” or they continue to make gestures that question his patriotism and nationality. Utilizing the Stasi method – according to the horrific East German intelligence service – he succeeds in aggravating the atmosphere, pushing the opposition debater to fall into the trap of entrenching himself in a defensive position, and resorting to verbal violence which causes him to lose control over his thought processes. On the opposite side, the loyalist guest, carefully trained, remains sufficiently calm when necessary, and adequately raises his voice when he becomes vindictive.
However, others, not just regime loyalists, find themselves guilty of hollow speech. The “revolutionary” voice or opposition falls into the trap of populism, and an empty rhetoric devoid from meaning, often reverting to repetition of already-stated sentences which they think, erroneously, will enable them to preserve their credibility and popularity. Ultimately, they distance themselves from actually delving into the subject, or properly analyzing it.
The first and the last victim remains the Syrian viewer who searches for intellectual assistance, or even truthful news assistance, to aid his own personal understanding of daily issues. The Syrians, and other Arabs, who live with great pain and deep wounds, constitute the real losers far more than all these guests on the satellite screens who are presumably considered “strategic experts.”
Edited translation from the Arabic by Elie Chalala. The author has granted Al Jadid magazine the right to translate and publish his essay. The Arabic version of Mr. al-Kawakibi’s essay appeared in https://hunasotak.com/article/21186.
This essay is scheduled to appear in the forthcoming Al Jadid, Vol. 20, no. 71 (2016).