We invite you to join us on December 10, 2010 for a day of discussion, debate and progress on the issue of Human Rights in the 21st century.
Morning
● Introduction from experts and role playing debate on the case study of the Israeli attack on the Humanitarian Flotilla in 2010
The debate Peoples` Tribunal Concerning the Israeli Attack on the Humanitarian Flotilla in the High Seas on its Way to Gaza, which is a role playing debate on the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that took place on May 31, 2010. Roles include UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Ambassadors of US, Turkey,and Israel to the Security Council, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, International Committee of the Red Cross, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch.
If “humanitarian intervention” is an emerging principle of international law, why has it not been applied in Gaza?
Afternoon
● Presentation by Professor Kirk Boyd and his book 2048: Humanity`s Agreement to Live Together
● Linking and building upon 2048 Project, bringing students, experts and professors together for discussion on the redrafting of the Declaration of Human Rights
2048 Project A new functional human rights paradigm focusing on enabling rights, over-arching rights and end rights, to replace the artificial first/second/third generation paradigm. Drafting a statute for a World Court of Human Rights and taking a look at articles that can be revised or articles that are missing within the Declaration.
How can we make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights relevant for the issues of today?
Professor Bruna Molina, Project 2048 Geneva representative and Professor Alfred de Zayas, professor of International law at Geneva School of Diplomacy will introduce the topic and supervise the debate. Dr. Mishana Hosseinioun will join the speakers as one participant of the 2048 project.
Peoples` Tribunal Concerning:
The Israeli Attack on the Humanitarian Flotilla, March 31, 2010
- · Debate centered around the raid of the humanitarian flotilla
- · Maximum participation of students & teachers
- · Dramatis personae
The facts: On 31 May 2010 a flotilla composed of eight ships carrying humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza strip was boarded in the high seas by sailors of the Israeli Navy. The persons on board one of the ships, the Mavi Mara resisted the illegal boarding. Nine Turkish citizens were killed, including a double national Turkish and U.S. citizen, and dozens were injured. The attack was condemned by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on 31 May 2010 . The Human Rights Council ordered an investigation and appointed a working group of 3 experts, who presented a 56 page report to the 15th session of the Human Rights Council,. The UN Security Council condemned the attack in an emergency session and called for an impartial investigation.
Role Playing debate to include:
International Judges: from Sweden, Switzerland, China, Brazil, India, Australia etc.
For the Prosecution: A Chief Prosecutor, several assistant Prosecutors
Amicus curiae: representative of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Society for Human Rights, expert from the International Committee of the Red Cross, Professor of international law, Professor Norman Finkelstein, Professor Ilan Pappé, representative of the Holy See, Israeli NGOs including B’Tslem.
For the Defence: A team of lawyers, students to play the role of the Israeli Defence Department, US State Department, Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz,Israeli Professor Yoram Dinstein, UN Watch. Arguments for the defence: military necessity, self-defence,
Witnesses: Persons on board of the boats, sailors of the Israeli Navy
Ambassadors: US Ambassador to UN, Turkish Ambassador to UN, Israeli Ambassador to UN, Permanent Observer of Palestine to UN
Third party experts: Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN, Representative of the European Union, Representative of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, Representative of the Arab League, Representative of the Non-Aligned Movement, Representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross
The debate should address issues of general international law, the role of the International Court of Justice at the Hague, International Criminal Law, the International Criminal Court, the UN Security Council, the UN Law of the Sea Tribunal in Hamburg and many more legal and judicial actors.
The conclusion of the Tribunal should be a judgment establishing the facts and drawing legal consequences:
1. violation of general principles of law, freedom of the seas, UNCLOS, international humanitarian law
2. general illegality of blockades, blockades as a form of “aggression” pursuant to the definition of aggression contained in General Assembly Resolution 3314, blockades as a “crime against humanity” when their purpose is not military but targets the civilian population
2. Responsibility of the State of Israel for deaths and injury
3. Remedy owed to the victims, including apology, punishment of the guilty, lifting of the blockade of Gaza, reparation and compensation.
4. A regime of sanctions for failure to implement the Tribunal’s judgment.
The debate should address: issues of general international law, a possible appeal to the International Court of Justice at The Hague,The obligation of States to cooperate with the United Nations and to let UN experts carry out their investigationsThe obligation of States to provide diplomatic protection to their citizens — e.g. Turkey’s obligation to protect the rights of their citizens; U.S.’s obligation to do the same.international criminal law, the possible involvement of the International Criminal Court,he problem of impunity — questions of the law of the sea including piracy (it is illegal to board a ship on the high seas unless it is engaged in piracy or the slave trade) , possible appeal to the United Nations Law of the Sea Tribunal in Hamburg,the role of the Security Council, and when the SC does not act, the responsibility of the General Assembly to act. Relevance of the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine. If “humanitarian intervention” is an emerging principle of international law — why has it not been applied in Gaza?
2048 Project:
Our mission is to educate students and the public about the evolution of human rights, and to provide a process to draft an International Bill of Rights that will be enforceable in the courts of all countries by the year 2048, the 100th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. www.2048.berkeley.edu
Earth Focus Foundation:
Earth Focus Foundation provides you the opportunity to come up with some answers. For the third year, it organises a debate based on the Berkeley’s University “Project on the Future of Human Rights”. More information on the debate and discussion at: http://www.earthfocusfoundation.org/next-debates/
To sign up :
Send an e-mail to conference2010@earthfocus.org
More information & references :
http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.nsf/47D4E277B48D9D3685256DDC00612265/0FA4BE77DDDD871A852577A80060DC7C
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/15session/A.HRC.15.21_en.pdf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/01/flotilla-attack-full-un-statement
See also
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2010/may/31/israel-troops-gaza-ships
http://www.euractiv.com/en/foreign-affairs/eu-strongly-condemns-gaza-flotilla-attack-news-494701
Taking the example of the Russell Tribunals on Vietnam or the Russell Tribunal on Palestine
http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/
and more recently the Brussels Tribunal on the Iraq War (US former attorney general Ramsey Clark)
http://www.brusselstribunal.org/
http://www.brusselstribunal.org/Academics.htm
Israeli ngo’s including B’Tslem
http://www.btselem.org/English/index.asp
Defense:
did the flotilla have links to terrorists, to Al Quaeda?
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/30/reports-israeli-ships-attack-aid-flotilla-dead/
Débat “Réécrire la Déclaration Universelle
des Droits de l’Homme”.
Vos élèves réclament souvent plus de justice dans le monde, disent que l’économie et les gouvernements devraient être plus justes et éthiques?
La Fondation Earth Focus vous donne l’opportunité de leur fournir des éléments de réponses grâce à l’organisation, pour la 3eme année consécutive, d’un débat sur les Droits de l’Homme. Celui-ci se base principalement sur le “projet 2048 : l’avenir des Droits humains”, du Dr Kirk Boyd de l’Université de Berkeley, Etats Unis. (voir aussi : www.2048.berkeley.edu).
Le Pr Bruna Molina, représentante de cette université à Genève et le Pr Alfred de Zayas, professeur de droit international à l’Ecole de Diplomacie de Genève, introduiront le sujet et encadreront le débat. Se joindra à ces intervenants Dr. Mishana Hosseinioun qui participe au projet 2048 et donc à la réécriture de la Déclaration universelle des Droits de l’Homme.
Participez à cet audacieux projet qui consiste à réécrire la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme, avec la participaiton du plus grand nombre, pour la rendre plus d’actualité.
Sujet du débat : Comment rendre la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme plus en adéquation avec les problématiques actuelles? Quels articles faut-il modifier pour aller dans ce sens?
Date : 10 décembre 2009
Heures : 9h-12h et 13h-16h (repas offert pour les participants à la journée entière)
Lieu : CICG, rue Varembé, Genève
Participants : toute classe d’élèves de 15 ans et plus
Merci de remplir la fiche d’inscription afin de confirmer votre participation. Date limite d’inscription : le 26 Novembre
Télécharger la Déclaration universelle des Droits de l’Homme, article du Pr Alfred de Zayas.
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