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Search: kony 2012

31 Oct

...the seriousness of Tom’s statement, I am very pleased to learn that the distance between us is actually narrow. [snip] More fundamentally, I am delighted to see that the HRW has given a clear and very constructive answer to my question about intermediate uses of force. I asked whether HRW would support taking out Joseph Kony with a Predator if that were possible. Tom’s answer? “We see this as a law enforcement operation, in the sense that the primary objective should be to capture Kony and others wanted by the...
31.10.10 | |

09 Oct

...ICC positively contributed to getting the warring parties to the table but negatively affected a successful outcome of the talks. International attention and the possibility that Kony believed that engaging in negotiations could result in the removal of the arrest warrant against him may have convinced the LRA to come to the negotiating table. However, the inability of reversing the arrest warrants and distrust of the process by Kony, fueled by the fact that he did not personally attend the talks and that the LRA was treated as having illegitimate...
09.10.11 | |

29 Nov

The UNGA is expected to recognize Palestine as a “non-member” state during a vote today. Following massive protests earlier this week in Cairo, the Assembly drafting the new Egyptian Constitution has vowed to publish, and vote on, a draft today. The US is considering options to intervene more strongly in the Syrian conflict, while the EU has renewed its sanctions for another three months leaving the door open for a closer involvement after March 1. China will give police in its Southern Hainan province broader powers to...
29.11.12 | |

01 Aug

Fighting rages on in Syria’s Aleppo, trapping many citizens inside the embattled city. The tens of thousands who have managed to escape have become refugees, many struggling to find shelter and food. Libya’s Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is seeking a trial in The Hague at the ICC, rather than in Lybia. His lawyers say a fair trial in his home country is impossible. Foreign Policy outlines how the Taliban financially benefits from the reopening of NATO supply routes between Afghanistan and Pakistan; estimates from 2010 show $360 million...
01.08.12 | |

10 Mar

If you have not been able to keep up with the stream of posts on Opinio Juris this week, we are pleased to offer you a weekend roundup. Three topics and a symposium fought for your attention. First, the US Supreme Court hearings in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum continued to provide food for thought, particularly after the Court’s order on Monday to re-open the argument on the specific issue of extra-territoriality. Following up on discussions last week, Julian Ku pointed to the importance of Sosa. Ken Anderson...
10.03.12 | |

14 Dec

...Blog. Of particular note in this regard is that Kadi was recently delisted by the Sanctions Committee in October 5, 2012, as noted on the Ombudspersons’ website. Another recent decision of interest is the European Court of Human Rights’ September 2012 judgement in Nada v. Switzerland. The Court found that Switzerland violated Nada’s right to family and a private life in its implementation Resolution 1267, and noted that implementation of the Resolution does not bar domestic judicial review. Life is hard for someone on a UN “blacklist”. Once an individual...
14.12.12 | |

07 Nov

In a roundup of some of the big news coming out of the US elections, President Barack Obama was elected to serve a second term, the Republicans have kept control of the House of Representatives and the Democrats still control the Senate, Maine and Maryland have legalized same-sex marriage and Washington state and Colorado voted to legalize marijuana for all uses.The world markets react to the news of Obama’s reelection. Same-sex marriage legislation, which included the right to adoption, has been upheld by the Spanish constitutional court....
07.11.12 | |

04 Jun

Perhaps as a good primer to our upcoming book discussion this week, a few drone-related news items: Despite Pakistan’s requests to the US to stop the program, the third drone strike in Pakistan in as many days has taken its toll on new victims; irrespective of the method of civilian or combatant counting, there are at least 27 dead. The Washington Post points out that drone strikes in Yemen raise legal questions. Canada has come out in support of the US’ use of drones. The UN Committee...
04.06.12 | |

30 Aug

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameni has said that Iran will never pursue a nuclear weapon, but will not give up its right to peaceful energy at the summit for the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has asked the leaders of Iran at the summit to prove that the nuclear development in their country is for peaceful ends. At this same meeting, the president of Egypt is present for the first time since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and he praised the “brave”...
30.08.12 | |

14 Nov

UN Development Program Chair, Helen Clark, has argued for a greater UN economic role. Preparations are underway to exhume Yasser Arafat’s body for forensic analysis. France has become the first European country to recognize the Syrian opposition coalition as the sole representative of its people. Despite the EU’s decision to suspend its ETS with respect to international aviation, the US House of Representatives has accepted a modified Senate bill protecting US airlines from the effects of the EU ETS. China’s Communist Party has concluded its conference with...
14.11.12 | |

13 Oct

This week on Opinio Juris, Eric Posner’s Slate article about the legality of US drone strikes in Pakistan attracted the attention of Julian Ku and Kevin Jon Heller. Julian wondered whether Koh’s “conversion” on the issue will serve as a shield against international arguments about the illegality of the strikes. Kevin in turn expressed hope that Posner’s rejection of the “unwilling or unable” test will stop the spread of this standard from the US into non-US opinio juris. Kevin reflected, twice, on how history tends to repeat itself,...
13.10.12 | |

26 Jun

As NATO meets over the downing of Turkey’s jet by Syria, Turkey has also written to the UN Security Council that the attack is a “serious threat to peace and security”. The EU foreign ministers have urged Turkey to exercise restraint in its responses. Meanwhile, Syria has allegedly shot at a second Turkish jet. In an interview, the Director-General of MI5 has revealed that the UK has faced 11 credible terrorist threats since 2001, and that the terror threat has been widening since the Arab Spring. Rwanda’s...
26.06.12 | |