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June Roundtable: Introduction

Human Rights & Human Welfare

An annotation of:

“The Red Cross Torture Report: What It Means.” by Mark Danner. The New York Review of Books. April 30, 2009.

Response To Mark Danner’S “The Red Cross’ Torture Report: What It Means”, Charli Carpenter

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Danner’s NY Review of Books treatise on torture calls our attention to many significant issues, but in his key argument he is critically wrong.

Torture—And Our Broader Understanding Of Human Rights, Mark Gibney

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Like most other human rights scholars, I am appalled at the idea that those people in the Bush White House who designed the administration’s policy on torture (but calling it something else) will in all likelihood go unpunished. In my view, the law is clear on this matter: those who directed and/or carried out torture must be held accountable for their actions. However, rather than focusing on the issue of accountability, I will use the issue of torture to make a broader point about how we have come to conceptualize the extent and scope of a state’s human rights obligations.

The Moral High Ground In An Age Of Vulnerability, Tyler Moselle

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Mark Danner’s New York Review of Books piece on torture in conjunction with John Nichols’ comment on the Bush administration, outline moral, legal and political problems related to the global war on terrorism and the ascendancy of the American imperial presidency. Most people seem to be repulsed by the idea of torture but are not morally committed enough or fully dedicated to prevent it from being employed to defend their way of life. Torture is a policy decision predicated on fear, self-defense, and vulnerability in an age of globalized insurgency: one way to respond is to take the moral high …

Ddasaccident706, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

While the deminer try to recover one missing AP mine (M14) assigned for him by the team leader after grapping all the visible APs in the cluster and the central AT, the mine blasted 2.2 metres away from the deminer while searching the area with the heavy RAKE after pinpointing a signal using the metal detector.

Ddasaccident711, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 27 May 2009 at 0840 hrs [the Victim] the section leader of [Demining group] DT-16 entered to a mined area which was not covered in current MF, stepped on a mine and caused the accident. According to the investigation report the section leader left the site for admin area in order to bring painted rocks for the marking purpose, on the way back from the admin area he wanted to use the shortest way, entered to unsafe area and the accident occurred. He had taken off his PPE and visor. As a result of accident the victim has lost …

Ddasaccident699, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

According to the preliminary investigation the deminer approached to the mine using the proper procedure (15 cm from the side and front), but the depth was less than 15 cm, and the mine was deeply buried (about 18 cm).

Ddasaccident683, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

While the deminer try to recover one missing AP mine (M14) assigned for him by the team leader after grabbing all the visible APs in the cluster and the central AT the mine blasted 2.2 metres away from the deminer while searching the area with the heavy RAKE after pinpointing a signal using the metal detector.

Ddasaccident744, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 11 May 2009 at 09:20 the de-miner [the Victim] was excavating a detected signal in his clearance lane, he stroked the top of a PMN2 mine with his bayonet and the accident happened. As the ground profile is uneven and the accident occurred in an area where the extra soil is brought by seasonal floods and the depth of mine was around 25cm. The deminer failed to go deeper as per procedure and discover the mine properly, so he stroked the mine and caused the accident. According to the investigation report and the pictures of victim deminer the visor …

Ddasaccident748, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 10 May 2009 at 10:35 [the Victim] the deminer of [Demining group] DT-02 was excavating on a detected signal in his clearance lane where he hit the top of an anti-personnel mine by bayonet and it caused the mine going off. The procedure of investigating a pinpointed signal was ignored by this deminer and he was working carelessly. As a result this accident the deminer got several injuries to different parts of body i.e. both hands and thighs. The deminer had only used the jacket of his PPE without skirt. If he would wear the skirt too, his lower …

Ddasaccident754, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 07th of May at 10:00 hours the de-miner [the Victim] was working in his clearance lane excavating a detected signal by unsuitable excavation tool (Pick). He hit the top of mine with a pick and caused it to go off. According to the investigation report the signal was not pinpointed correctly and the de-miner has used his pick carelessly. As a result he sustained multiple superficial injuries on his eyes, chest, Face, and both hands, the injured parts of the deminer body and his PPE clearly indicate that he had not used his PPE during operation. Because there is …

Ddasaccident760, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

According to the investigation report and as seems from the pictures of scene, the deminer was working with a big shovel. On 19th of April 09 one of the MACCA operations assistant found the team using big shovel and raised a non-conformity report, but the team leader and then the operations officer of [Demining group] did not accept the non-conformity report. However the problem was showed to be solved during the re-audit visits, but in reality it had not been solved and consequently the accident occurred.

Prize Winning Essays - 2009, Ann Abdoo

Citizens for Peace

To promote The Season of Nonviolence, Citizens for Peace sponsored an essay contest for Michigan high school and college students. Their essays had to answer the following question: How do nonviolent practices reduce conflict and create pathways to peace? Each winner was given the opportunity to read their essay at The Season for Nonviolence celebration on April 14, 2009. Both high school and college awards were $250, $100, and $50 each for first, second and third place.

The Season for Nonviolence began in 1998 when it was inaugurated at the United Nations. It was co-founded by the M.K. Gandhi Institute …

Ddasaccident677, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

According to the preliminary investigation the incident happened due to individual mistake while the deminer trying to recover an invisible mine and to prevent like incident in the future all invisible Mines would be investigated using the metal detector.

Ddasaccident592, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the 21st of April 2009 an UNMAO QA Officer from the Juba Sub-Office whilst conducting distance and bearing checks during a completion QA for the handover of a cleared DA-SS-796 in Central Equatoria State suffered serious injuries after stepping on an AP mine resulting in the traumatic amputation of his right foot. The injured was transferred to UNMIS medical facilities in Juba where he was stabilized and subsequently transferred abroad for further medical treatment. The BOI determined that MDD assets had cleared the specific area of the accident and there were missed mine which resulted in the serious injury …

Ddasaccident622, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

According to the preliminary investigation the incident is caused due an individual mistake that the deminer according to the SOP have to use first off all the Light RAKE to investigate the signal), then if there is a need to use the heavy RAKE he have to approach it 15 cm from the side and 15 cm from the front with a 15 cm depth (which was not followed properly) and instead of that he hack the mine from the centre of the signal.

Changing The Culture Of Corruption - Do Small Steps Count?, Rhona Smith

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Corruption is endemic in modern society, but history attests this problem is as old as states themselves. No single solution to date has garnered sufficient political and/or popular support to effect change. Could education play a role in changing the culture?

Minefield Indicators And Analytical Mine Contamination Assessment In Scientific Projects And In Practice, Milan Bajic, Andrija Krtalic, Cedo Matic, Dejan Vuletic

Global CWD Repository

The key factors of the application of the airborne remote sensing technology for humanitarian demining are the minefield indicators [1] or the indicators of mine presence and the indicators of mine absence [2] and the analytical assessment of the contamination by the landmines [3]. The basic simple concept of the minefield indicators was given in [1], where it was related to the ordinary physical features of the artificial and natural objects in the mine suspicious area. Similar concept was used in other works, while in [2] were introduced signatures of the minefield indicators and additional contextual features. The signatures depend …

Cursing Cambodia, Charli Carpenter

Human Rights & Human Welfare

Joel Brinkley has written a heartbreaking piece in Foreign Affairs about Cambodian society thirty-five years after Pol Pot. We are presented with anecdote after anecdote about historical trauma, corruption, and poverty. It’s a depressing picture, and an important country case to have on the US’ foreign policy radar screen.

No Show, Mark Gibney

Human Rights & Human Welfare

For someone of my generation, any mention of Cambodia conjures up a jumble of images and emotions—albeit, nearly all from the distant past. Always appearing, but in no particular order, would be: the revelation of Nixon’s secret war; the killings at Kent State; strikes that closed down a number of American college campuses; Pol Pot; the seemingly endless debate whether to use the term Cambodia or the more radical “Kampuchea”; Prince Sihanouk; and last but certainly not least: the Khmer Rouge as the personification of a Third World liberation movement.

New Government In Cambodia, Tyler Moselle

Human Rights & Human Welfare

The government of Cambodia is replete with corruption and does not respond adequately to the needs of its citizens according to Joel Brinkley’s Foreign Affairs article “Cambodia’s Curse.” Pol Pot, the killing fields, and the Khmer Rouge still linger in the memories of most Americans when Cambodia’s name is mentioned. Yet, the country is currently languishing in the arms of an unresponsive governing elite whose fortunes may continue to improve due to oil and continuous aid grafting.

The Samurai's Rebirth - Japan's Increasing "Offensive" Security Capabilities, Patrick Bright

Political Science Theses and Capstones

This thesis studies the increasing "offensive" nature of Japanese security capabilities in nation which has major restrictions on military capability. There are regional tensions in East Asia that have the potential to escalate to armed conflict. Other countries in the region have increased their levels of armament but how has Japan reacted? I look at three major acquisitions by Japan that have created controversy, then examine the role public opinion has towards issues of defense, including external and domestic considerations. Two major data sets on public opinion, the Global Attitudes Project and the Asia Barometer, are used. I find that …

Geneva International Centre For Humanitarian Demining 2008 Annual Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Annual narrative report on the work of the GICHD in 2008.

Linking Mine Action And Development | National Mine Action Centres, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Mine action programmes often are not linked early and strongly enough with key development actors. Despite the availability of extensive research documenting the need for greater coordination between mine action and development organisations, concrete guidance for practitioners and policy-makers on how to link mine action with development has been lacking. In response, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Development has published guidelines on how to ensure mine action promotes development in mine-affected countries. More specifically, the guidelines seek to:

• Increase awareness that landmines and other remnants of conflict block development in many affected countries

• Strengthen coordination between mine action and …

Linking Mine Action And Development | Official Development Cooperation Agencies, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Mine action programmes often are not linked early and strongly enough with key development actors. Despite the availability of extensive research documenting the need for greater coordination between mine action and development organisations, concrete guidance for practitioners and policy-makers on how to link mine action with development has been lacking. In response, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Development has published guidelines on how to ensure mine action promotes development in mine-affected countries. More specifically, the guidelines seek to:

• Increase awareness that landmines and other remnants of conflict block development in many affected countries

• Strengthen coordination between mine action and …

Alienation In Acholiland: War, Privatization, And Land Displacement In Northern Uganda, Nicole Kligerman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper presents the various dynamics, causes, and consequences of land conflicts in Acholiland. In order to comprehensively address these complex issues, this paper analyzes land conflict in connection to the Northern Uganda war, explaining the military strategies that resulted in widespread displacement and alienation from the land. This paper further explores changing Acholi cosmology and customary land law in connection to land alienation. Additionally, I examine local land conflicts as well as three privatization and “development” plans in relationship to preexisting land displacement issues. This paper highlights the opinions of my fieldwork participants regarding the importance of land to …

Teaching Peace: An Exploration In Youth Peace Building Through Peace Education Programs In Gulu Municipality, Northern Uganda, Julia Firestone

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

After more than two decades of conflict and instability in Northern Uganda, there is finally relative peace. Now is the time of post-armed conflict transformation. The establishment of peace during this time will determine the direction of much of Uganda. Because youth were greatly affected by the conflict, they are particularly important to building a “culture of peace” (Interview with Mapenduzi, 18/4/2009). This study aims to explore the broad mechanisms of peace education and the role of youth in peace building using the case study of Gulu municipality. The research also utilizes key community representatives to examine the non-youth perspectives …

The Heart Of Forgiveness, In Light Of Unforgettable Hurt: A Multi-Faceted Perspective On Reconciliation In Northern Uganda, Barbara Vi Thien Ho

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the prospect of a peace agreement in northern Uganda becomes more likely, there is no greater time than now to address reconciliation and reintegration of formerly abducted persons (FAPs). Rather than focus on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and reception centers, however, the study utilized focus group interviews, informal and non-formal interviews and secondary sources to gain a deeper understanding of how the community approaches reconciliation and reintegration. The study takes a critical look at Acholi community’s traditional approaches to justice and reconciliation in order to understand its strength and weaknesses in providing true reconciliation and a positive …

Vital Correspondence: Analyzing Local And International Media Coverage Of Armed Conflict, Marissa Moran

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The atrocities of armed conflicts such as those in Israel’s Gaza Strip and the Darfur region of Sudan are not reaching and affecting Westerners as clearly and potently as they should, considering the technological capabilities of today’s international news media. In this paper, I will argue that media coverage of armed conflict in the developing world is stifled by the politics of international and transnational news media organizations and the unique challenges and limitations to local news organizations at the site of conflict. Private interests, financial constraints, and physical and political limitations cause global media to emphasize mainly the violent …

Ending Violence…Creating Peace? Rediscovering The Connections Between The Women´S Movement And A Culture Of Peace In Nicaragua, Sami Poindexter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

My project, Ending Violence…Creating Peace?: Rediscovering the Connections between the Women’s Movement and a Culture of Peace in Nicaragua, explores, both in theory and practice, the relationships between the Nicaraguan women’s movement and building a culture of peace. Through an extensive literature review that covered everything from history to feminist and peace theories and from reconciliation and peacebuilding to the militarization of society. Through the process of the literature review, I was fully able to make the theoretical connections between feminism and peace which then allowed me to establish a framework for my research and fieldwork. To investigate the links …