Human Rights Brief

Volume 13 | Issue 2 Article 13

2006 NGO Update Lauren Bartlett American University Washington College of Law

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Recommended Citation Bartlett, Lauren. "NGO Update." Human Righs Brief 13, no. 2 (2006): 48,56.

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NGO UPDATE

To foster communication among human access to American courts to challenge the Roth & Zabel LLP; John Pierre, Attorney rights organizations around the world, each legality of their detention. and Professor at Southern University Law Center; the Public Interest Law Project; and More recently, on November 30, 2005, issue of the Human Rights Brief features an the Equal Justice Society have assisted with under the doctrine of universal jurisdic- “NGO Update.” This space was created to aid this litigation. FEMA had previously tion, CCR filed a complaint on behalf of announced that the evacuees would have to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by four Iraqis who were tortured in U.S. cus- find alternative housing by mid-December. informing others about their programs, suc- tody. The complaint was filed with the On December 12, 2005, the U.S. District German Federal Prosecutor’s Office against cesses, and challenges. The views of the organ- Court ruled in favor of the Lawyers’ high-ranking United States civilian and Committee’s clients and allowed individuals izations below do not necessarily reflect those military commanders over abuses commit- displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to of the Human Rights Brief. For information ted at Abu Ghraib prison and elsewhere in remain in hotels until February 7, 2006, or Iraq. CCR decided to ask the German on how to submit updates for your organiza- two weeks after they receive a notice regard- prosecutor to launch an investigation tion, please see the instructions provided at the ing their application for assistance. because the U.S. government is unwilling end of the column. to open an independent investigation into the responsibility of these officials. CCR MOVIMIENTO DE MUJERES DOMINICO- CENTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS chose Germany because several of the HAITIANAS (MUDHA) (CCR) defendants are stationed there. http://kiskeya-alternative.org/mudha www.ccr-ny.org Movimiento de Mujeres Dominico- LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL The Center for Constitutional Rights Haitianas or Movement of Dominican- RIGHTS UNDER LAW (CCR) is a nonprofit legal and educational Haitian Women (MUDHA) was founded in organization dedicated to protecting and www.lawyerscomm.org 1983 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Re- public, and assists communities surrounding advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights sugar refineries. MUDHA aims to battle Constitution and the Universal Declaration Under Law is a nonpartisan, nonprofit sexism, racism, and antihaitianismo (anti- of Human Rights. For almost 40 years, CCR organization formed in 1963 at the request Haitianism), as well as to defend and safe- has used litigation proactively to advance the of President John F. Kennedy to provide legal guard the civil, political, economic, social, law, to empower poor communities and services to victims of racial discrimination. cultural, and human rights of Dominico- communities of color, to guarantee the rights The Lawyers’ Committee has litigated cases Haitian women and children. MUDHA di- of those with the fewest protections and the involving fair housing, education, desegrega- rects seminars, conferences, trainings, and least access to legal resources, to train the tion, employment discrimination, voting campaigns in the Dominican Republic. next generation of constitutional and human rights, and environmental justice. The rights attorneys, and to strengthen the broad- Lawyers’ Committee also testifies before er movement for constitutional and human Congress on issues affecting civil rights and CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND rights. CCR has litigated a number of land- equal access to justice and engages in public DEMOCRATIC STUDIES (CEHURDES) mark cases including Monell v. Department of policy advocacy within the federal adminis- www.cehurdes.org.np Social Services, which enabled private indi- tration. In addition to the direct representa- The Center for Human Rights and viduals and civil rights groups to bring con- tion of clients in ongoing litigation, the Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) is a stitutional claims against local government Committee frequently files amicus curiae nonprofit, nonpolitical, and nonpartisan officials; NOW v. Terry, which was the first briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court and fed- organization based in Kathmandu, Nepal. case to establish a “buffer zone” around abor- eral appellate courts to participate in the Established in 1999, CEHURDES is coor- tion clinics; and Filártiga v. Peña-Irala, which evolving interpretation of civil rights laws. established the Alien Tort Claims Act dinated by a committed group of Nepali (ATCA) as a statute that can be used to bring After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last human rights workers, lawyers, social claims involving human rights violations in fall, the Lawyers’ Committee quickly activists, and journalists. CEHURDES other countries. CCR has continued to influ- became involved in litigation against the works for the protection and promotion of ence the field of international human rights Federal Emergency Management Agency human rights, especially freedom of expres- litigation with cases such as Sosa v. Alvarez- (FEMA). The Lawyers’ Committee filed a sion and freedom of the press, as well as Machain, which reaffirmed an individual’s class action lawsuit in November 2005 on democracy in Nepal. Each year CEHUR- right to have U.S. courts review violations of behalf of Hurricane evacuees to prevent DES publishes a report on freedom of the international law under the ATCA, and Rasul FEMA from evicting registered displaced press in Nepal. The 2005 report is available v. Bush, in which the Supreme Court held victims who were staying temporarily in on its website. that prisoners in Guantánamo Bay have hotels. The New York law firm of Schulte continued on page 56

Published by Digital Commons @ American University Washington College48 of Law, 2006 1 Human Rights Brief, Vol. 13, Iss. 2 [2006], Art. 13

vent, Punish and Eradicate now hopes to apply to her tions and hopes that her work Emily Wann, a J.D. candidate at the Washington College of Law, covers the Violence Against Women. She prospective judgeship. Most of will positively affect others Alumni Profile for the Human Rights maintains her focus on all, Ms. Rioseco continues to now and in the future. HRB Brief. women, human rights, and share her passion through her public interest law, which she courses and her many publica-

NGO UPDATE: continued from page 48 50 YEARS IS ENOUGH: U.S. NETWORK Organization. The Network partners with Update.” If your organization has an event or FOR GLOBAL ECONOMIC JUSTICE over 185 international organizations in more situation it would like to publicize, please send www.50years.org than 65 countries. Through economic liter- a short description to [email protected] acy training, public mobilization, and policy .edu and include “NGO Update” in the sub- 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for advocacy education and action, the Network ject heading of the message. Please limit your Global Economic Justice is a coalition of seeks to transform the international financial submission to two paragraphs. The Human over 200 U.S. grassroots, women’s, solidari- institutions’ policies and practices and to Rights Brief reserves the right to edit for con- ty, faith-based, policy, social and economic make the development process more demo- tent and space limitations. HRB justice, youth, labor, and development cratic and accountable. organizations dedicated to the transforma- Lauren Bartlett, a J.D. candidate at the Washington tion of the World Bank, the International The Human Rights Brief is accepting sub- College of Law, covers the NGO Update for the Human Rights Brief. Monetary Fund, and the World Trade missions for the next edition of the “NGO

CENTER NEWS/FACULTY AND STAFF UPDATES: continued from page 55 hoc and hybrid criminal tribunals. She erator for a panel on “Globalization of Law and the United States” presented by also delivered a presentation on the prose- Clinical Legal Education: Transplanting the United Nations Association, National cution of gender-based crimes committed Clinical Models into Other Cultures and Capitol Area, and co-sponsored by the ABA in the context of war or mass violence at Families of Law” at the Sixth International Section of International Law. He was invit- the Global Women’s Court of Account- Clinical Conference, UCLA/IALS, in Lake ed to serve as an international expert by the ability, held November 17-18, 2005, at Arrowhead, California. He sponsored a Clinical Legal Education Foundation of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and report entitled “A Moral Choice for the Russia to assist in the planning of three Justice of the University of San Diego. United States: The Human Rights Implica- trainings of 24 selected clinical programs Over the past several months, she has par- tions for the Gwich’in Peoples of Drilling in during 2006 in St. Petersburg, Russia. In ticipated in three sessions of the Working the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge” along November he was interviewed by Susan Group on Social Reconstruction and Rec- with the Gwich’in Steering Committee and Kinzie of the Washington Post about WCL’s onciliation convened by the U.S. Institute the Episcopal Church. He served as a com- clinics and other human rights activities. In of Peace. In January 2006 she also partic- mentator on a presentation by Justice December he was interviewed by the ipated in a roundtable discussion on legal Richard Goldstone called “Perspectives on National Journal regarding the case of and judicial reform in Sudan convened by Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.” He Canadian detainee Omar Khadr, represent- the Initiative for Inclusive Security. also served as a moderator for a panel on ed by Rick and Muneer Ahmad. HRB “International Prevention of Torture: The Rick Wilson, Professor of Law at WCL and Role of the United Nations, International Co-Director of the Center, served as a mod-

UNITED NATIONS UPDATE: continued from page 40 NEW JUSTICES On November 7, 2005, the UN General Skotnikov of the Russian Federation. Judge THE INTERNATIONAL COURT of Justice is Assembly elected four new judges, who will Thomas Buergenthal of the United States, composed of 15 permanent judges who are begin their nine-year terms on the bench on former Dean and Professor of International elected by the UN General Assembly and February 6, 2006. The retiring judges include Law at the American University Washington the UN Security Council from individuals Nabil Elaraby of Egypt, Pieter Kooijmans of College of Law from 1980 to 1985, was nominated by the national groups in the the Netherlands, Francisco Rezek of Brazil, reelected for another term. HRB Permanent Court of Arbitration. Elections and Vladlen S. Vereshchetin of the Russian Federation. The new judges include take place every three years, with one-third Nicholas Leddy, a J.D. candidate at the Washington of the judges retiring at the end of each cycle Mohamed Bennouna of Morocco, Sir College of Law, covers the United Nations Update and to ensure continuity within the Court. Kenneth Keith of New Zealand, Bernardo the ICJ Update for the Human Rights Brief. Judges may be re-elected. Sepúlveda Amor of Mexico, and Leonid http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/vol13/iss2/13 56 2