The organization of the court : the international campaign in support of an ICC [Adama Dieng]

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes that some progress has been made during the August 1997 session of the UN Preparatory Committee on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court. Although consensus has emerged on some issues, the ICJ is concerned that many of the politically-sensitive questions, such as the role of the UN Security Council, remain contentious and unresolved. Several provisions were reviewed during this session. Most of the language in the Court's Draft Statute remained between brackets. Several options and alternatives to each article were considered, but very few issues were finalised or resolved. The ICJ said: "Victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity throughout the world anxiously await the establishment of this permanent International Criminal Court to eradicate the impunity granted to the perpetrators of such crimes. They would like to see that an effective, independent, and just court be established soon". [excerpt]peer-reviewe

For an effective international law : from the preparatory committee to the diplomatic conference for the establishment of an international criminal court : the commitment of the international community [Carmel A. Agius & David Attard]

Mr Chairman, Distinguished Participants, It is a great pleasure and honour for me to have been invited to speak at this Conference which has managed to a assemble such distinguished personalities, many of whom have long been involved in the movement supporting the creation of a Permanent International Criminal Court. In our view the importance of this meeting is further enhanced by its timing. The efforts to create an International Criminal Court are at a crucial stage, as witnessed by the current debates within and outside the Preparatory Committee. It is our hope that the deliberations of this Conference will assist in facilitating the achievement of widespread State support for the establishment of an International Criminal Court. [excerpt]peer-reviewe

Returning home: forced conscription, reintegration, and mental health status of former abductees of the Lord's Resistance Army in northern Uganda

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Since the late 1980s, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a spiritualist rebel group in northern Uganda, has killed and mutilated thousands of civilians and abducted an estimated 52,000 to 75,000 people to serve as soldiers, porters, and sex slaves for its commanders. This study examines the types of violence to which former abductees have been exposed and the extent to which these acts have affected their psychological well-being.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study of 2,875 individuals selected through a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design conducted in 8 districts of northern Uganda. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed with symptoms for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression as the main outcome measures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One-third of the respondents (33%) self-reported having experienced abduction (49% among the Acholi, the largest tribal group in northern Uganda). Over half (56%) of all the respondents and over two-thirds of those who experienced abduction met the criteria for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Multivariate analysis shows that several factors increased the risk of former LRA abductees developing symptoms of PTSD. These factors included gender (females were more susceptible than males), being a member of the Acholi ethnic group, participating in or witnessing a cumulative number of traumatic events, and encountering difficulties re-integrating into communities after abduction. Factors associated with increased risk of meeting criteria for symptoms of depression included older age of males at the time of abduction, lower score on social relationship scale, high incidence of general traumatic event exposure, high incidence of forced acts of violence, and problems reintegrating into communities after abduction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Abduction and forced conscription of civilians has affected the psychological well-being of a significant number of northern Ugandans. The sources of psychological trauma are multiple, ranging from witnessing to being forced to commit violent acts, and compounded by prolonged exposure to violence, often for months or years. Community-based mental health care services and reintegration programs are needed to facilitate the reintegration of former abductees back into their communities.</p

Sexual violence in the protracted conflict of DRC programming for rape survivors in South Kivu

BACKGROUND: Despite international acknowledgement of the linkages between sexual violence and conflict, reliable data on its prevalence, the circumstances, characteristics of perpetrators, and physical or mental health impacts is rare. Among the conflicts that have been associated with widespread sexual violence has been the one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). METHODS: From 2003 till to date Malteser International has run a medico-social support programme for rape survivors in South Kivu province, DRC. In the context of this programme, a host of data was collected. We present these data and discuss the findings within the frame of available literature. RESULTS: Malteser International registered 20,517 female rape survivors in the three year period 2005-2007. Women of all ages have been targeted by sexual violence and only few of those - and many of them only after several years - sought medical care and psychological help. Sexual violence in the DRC frequently led to social, especially familial, exclusion. Members of military and paramilitary groups were identified as the main perpetrators of sexual violence. CONCLUSION: We have documented that in the DRC conflict sexual violence has been - and continues to be - highly prevalent in a wide area in the East of the country. Humanitarian programming in this field is challenging due to the multiple needs of rape survivors. The easily accessible, integrated medical and psycho-social care that the programme offered apparently responded to the needs of many rape survivors in this area

Sexual violence in the protracted conflict of DRC programming for rape survivors in South Kivu

BACKGROUND: Despite international acknowledgement of the linkages between sexual violence and conflict, reliable data on its prevalence, the circumstances, characteristics of perpetrators, and physical or mental health impacts is rare. Among the conflicts that have been associated with widespread sexual violence has been the one in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). METHODS: From 2003 till to date Malteser International has run a medico-social support programme for rape survivors in South Kivu province, DRC. In the context of this programme, a host of data was collected. We present these data and discuss the findings within the frame of available literature. RESULTS: Malteser International registered 20,517 female rape survivors in the three year period 2005-2007. Women of all ages have been targeted by sexual violence and only few of those - and many of them only after several years - sought medical care and psychological help. Sexual violence in the DRC frequently led to social, especially familial, exclusion. Members of military and paramilitary groups were identified as the main perpetrators of sexual violence. CONCLUSION: We have documented that in the DRC conflict sexual violence has been - and continues to be - highly prevalent in a wide area in the East of the country. Humanitarian programming in this field is challenging due to the multiple needs of rape survivors. The easily accessible, integrated medical and psycho-social care that the programme offered apparently responded to the needs of many rape survivors in this area

Case The Prosecutor v. Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir

TextFiles from the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against Sudanese president Omar Al Bashir for the crime of genocide.Human Rights Documentation InitiativeUT Librarie

A new frontier for the defense of human dignity : from the ad hoc tribunals to an international criminal court : competence and jurisdiction of an ICC [Muhamed Sacirbey]

I am not here to speak to you so much as an expert. I do have my law degree but long since it has become invaded by fungus from lack of practice. I am here to speak to you because the Tribunal and the idea and promotion of the International Criminal Court is most relevant for Bosnia and Herzegovina. That relevance translates itself into certain lessons which I would like to share with you. Rather than being general, I would prefer to focus on the following two points: the politicisation of the tribunals (i.e. the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda Tribunals) and the implications for the proposed International Criminal Court. [excerpt]peer-reviewe

The organization of the court : the international campaign in support of an ICC [Mustapha Mehedi]

Thank you Mr Chairman. Allow me first of all, on behalf of the UNESCO chair for teaching, research and education in human rights established at the University of Oran in Algeria, to express my profound gratitude to the organisers who did me the honour of inviting me to participate in these distinguished proceedings. May I assure them of our support for the campaign so that the diplomatic conference of the plenipotentiaries for the establishment of the court be convocated in 1998, as well as for the mandate of the preliminary committee required to finalise the statute of the court to ensure that all be set for the immediate arrest and submission to justice of persons pursued and accused of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide by ad hoc tribunals. [excerpt]peer-reviewe