Asia Pacific Transitional Justice and Human Rights

June 22 – July 3, 2009

Bali, Indonesia

In 2009, the Asian International Justice Initiative will hold its second annual Summer Institute for International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights in collaboration with the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission in Bali, Indonesia. This two-week workshop is designed for participants working across a broad range of fields and disciplines related to international humanitarian law and human rights. The workshop is best suited to people working within the Asia Pacific region or with an Asia Pacific focus. Participants from Southeast Asia are particularly encouraged to apply. Journalists, non-governmental organization workers, investigators, monitors, government agency workers, as well as lawyers and advanced law students from across Asia as well as internationally will find the workshop relevant to their work.

This year’s Summer Institute theme is “Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Human Rights”. The course focuses on the inter-relationship between transitional justice and the establishment of robust human rights institutions (both in the aftermath of violent conflicts and as a preventative measure to safeguard against State instability and civil unrest). It centers on the case study of Southeast Asia, asking participants to analyze both in-country and regional dynamics, but encompasses a comparative focus as well.

The goal of the course is to engage participants in the key debates surrounding both: (i) the utility and effectiveness of transitional justice mechanisms in the region (particularly those which are or have been utilized in Indonesia, East Timor and Cambodia); and (ii) the establishment of an ASEAN Human Rights Body for the protection and promotion of human rights. The aim will be to link a study of post-conflict efforts towards establishing and maintaining peace with that of ongoing national and regional human rights reform.

The course will ask participants to consider what lessons can be learned by both the success (and challenges) faced by post-conflict efforts when considering a rights-based approach to sustaining peace. Some of the questions that the course will ask are: What is the relationship (if any) between holding individuals accountable for past abuse and a State’s support of ongoing promotion and protection of human rights? Do internationalized trials really promote the rule of law and have the powerful ‘demonstration effect’ they claim to have? What is the relationship between establishing the truth and preventing future atrocities? From a post-conflict perspective, what is the benefit of building robust human rights commissions? Are they likely to prevent future conflicts? Are rights-based approaches effective for sustaining peace? These and many more questions will be debated throughout the course, which favors an interactive format in which participants are asked to engage actively in considering these issues.

Participants will be taught by a faculty of experts, predominantly from the region.

To inquire about the program contact Penelope Van Tuyl, Coordinator, at summerinstitute@eastwestcenter.org.

For information regarding the 2008 Summer Institute, click here.

To view the course program, click here.