Press Release - from ICC on First Trial

Coalition for the International Criminal Court

www.iccnow.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLOBAL COALITION FOR THE ICC LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE AND BLOG

Blog, "In Situ: See Justice through the Eyes of Civil Society," Offers Grassroots Perspectives on ICC's First Trial

26 January 2009. Today, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, a network of civil society organizations in 150 countries, launched its new website at www.iccnow.org or www.togetherforjustice.org . The new site provides user-friendly navigation from the Coalition's homepage to some 1,000 pages of content and expertise on the ICC in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.

The site features the latest news developments from the Coalition's membership of more than 2,500 organizations working in partnership to ensure that the ICC is fair, effective and independent. ICCnow.org also includes a calendar of ICC-related events, and a new blog entitled "In Situ: See justice through the eyes of civil society." To join the discussion on our blog, see www.iccnow.org/blog or www.togetherforjustice.org/blog.

In Situ is Latin for "in the natural place." As our blog name, we use this term to reference the International Criminal Court's attempt to hold trial proceedings in the Democratic Republic of Congo—in addition to those in The Hague where the Court is based—for its trial in the Thomas Lubanga Dyilo case. However, due to security concerns, in situ trial proceedings for Mr. Lubanga were not possible. These proceedings would have helped directly engage and involve communities affected by the crimes for which Mr. Lubanga was charged. The Coalition's blog is an attempt—in both name and substance—to help bridge the gap between populations affected by the crimes under the Court's investigation and the ICC's daily activities at its headquarters in The Hague.

The first edition of In Situ will focus on the trial of Mr. Lubanga who stands accused of recruiting, enlisting and actively conscripting child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We will aim to bring you the hopes, perspectives and fears of the local population as the Court's historic first trial gets underway.

Bloggers include Roger Muchuba, co-director of the DRC National Coalition for the ICC and executive secretary of Bukavu, DRC-based "Inheritors of Justice;" Descartes Mponge, South Kivu focal point for the DRC national coalition for the ICC; Desire-Israel Kazadi, a Kinshasa-based journalist;' and Lorraine Smith of the International Bar Association, among others.

Update on ICC trial of leader of Child Soldiers in Congo

As the ICC prepares its first trial in the Hague, the international community works to bring evidence against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the ex-militia leader accused of forcing children in the Congo to fight in the war.

Ex-militia leader denies forcing children to fight in Congo war.

Related story:

U.N. and Rwandan troops in Congo for joint operation

Victims or Collateral Damage?

Expanding on today's topic of legal jurisdiction and human rights, the following link offers an interesting insight into the conflict in Gaza. The question that comes to mind is "at what point do civilian casualties of a territorial conflict become victims of a war crime? Who has jurisdiction and who makes the decision? Read the article below for an interesting discussion.

Possible War Crimes in Palestinian Gaza

Obama's Inaugural Speech

For those of you who may not have been able to watch the Inaugural Address, below is a link to the text of President Obama's speech.

Text of 2009 Inaugural Address

For those of you who did watch and listen to the speech, let us all hope that we can work together to bring peace and renewed prosperity to both the nation and the world.

Commander of Child Soldiers on Trial

As we research the impact of digital media on global cultures, it is important to also keep in mind the role of the law in eradicating child abuse. One deterrent is to find and prosecute the adult perpetrators of these crimes. The link following this blog entry is a report on how one Congolese commander of child soldiers has been placed on trial. By reading this article, you will help spread greater awareness of the horrors these children face.

Commander of Child Soldiers to be Put on Trial

Keep up with the News

You may have noticed that the box to the right of this blog post is continuously updated with an international news feed. The news items are chosen randomly by an rss news feed and do not necessarily reflect my personal views. However, the articles do present a variety of news written from multiple perspectives and and the news feed is not affiliated with CNN, Fox, BBC or any one private or public organization. The news is drawn from many sources and therefore, the articles may provide you with a good starting point to begin connecting your research project to current events.

Celebrating Epiphany

Religious holidays have cultural implications that impact business and other international affairs. In Latin America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean, particularly, Three Kings Day or Epiphany is an important holiday. Think of some ways that this might impact communication and business with those regions.
Links:
AJC - Celebrating Ephiphany (General)
Village Voice - Fresh Rosca de Reyes (Mexico)
In Puerto Rico - Celebrating Three Kings Day in Puerto Rico

Virtual Borders or Digital Divide

Reading to be discussed Wednesday, January 7, 2009:

Virtual Borders or Digital Divide