A brief post for Opinio Juris, within a few hours of the Indian air strike on JeM camps in Pakistan. A brief assessment of the Indian Foreign Secretarys statement - with a more detailed international law analysis to follow subsequently…
“Comfort Women”, the “Birangona” and historical war time sexual violence: Ignoring wounds of the past?
I attended the opening of the exhibition on Women & War at the Ayala Museum in the Philippines. Hearing a Lola - or grandmother who survived the ordeal of being a “Comfort Woman” - made me think of this issue more, and also look into the often forgotten '“Birangona” of Bangladesh. What hope for justice and redress?
Amnesties: Three Disparate Contexts, Similar Goals?
Taking Statelessness Seriously: Linkages to Mass Atrocities?
Comment on “Internationalized Armed Conflicts in International Law”
As part of a book symposium for Opinio Juris, I comment on “Internationalized Armed Conflicts in International Law” by Kubo Mačák. The book is an insightful analysis of the tipping point at which non-international armed conflict (NIAC) may be ‘internationalized’ and considered an international armed conflict (IAC). I had a few thoughts, relating specifically to conflict in South Asia, and to the ‘humanization’ of international law.
Women in International Law: A Vanishing Act?
Human rights impact assessment in Myanmar: Facebook’s anodyne report
Philippines withdrawal from the International Criminal Court: Legal challenge at the Supreme Court
The withdrawal of the Philippines from the International Criminal Court is being challenged before the Philippine Supreme Court. Attending the hearings have given me an insight into the way the case may proceed - here are my reflections on issues of international law and domestic law - and a prediction about the case.
Tangled skeins towards accountability: Myanmar and international justice
I examine the circumstances around the creation of an independent mechanism to consolidate evidence in Myanmar. The Human Rights Council has stepped up to its role and mandate - and with the confluence of other legal developments including at the ICC, there are reasons to feel hopeful about accountability.
A rejection of John Bolton’s assault on the ICC – and an opportunity to reflect
This blog post relates to the blistering attack on the International Criminal Court (ICC) by John Bolton, including threats to sanction and prosecute its personnel. The court definitely is a work in progress, and is far from perfect, but is a vital institution in the fight against impunity. John Bolton's arguments must be addressed - and then rejected, using the opportunity to reflect on the court while doing so.