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President of Vietnam gives Congrats to Jeanne Mirer
NLG's JEANNE MIRER ELECTED TO IADL PRESIDENCY
By Eric Sirotkin
June 22, 2009
Our own NLG IC member Jeanne Mirer was elected to a four year term as President of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers. Congrats to Jeanne. She is the first NLG member and first woman to head the IADL. Osamu Niikura of Japan was elected Secretary General....
NLG/IADL ISSUE WHITE PAPER ON ILLEGAL OCCUPATION
SHARE THIS WIDELY!
By Jeanne Mirer
May 22, 2009
During the bombardment and invasion of Gaza by Israel in December 2008 and January 2009 the International Association of Democratic Lawyers condemned Israeli actions in Gaza. We issued statements that these actions violated international law, the laws of war and international humanitarian law. IADL also called for Israel to be held accountable for these violations....
We issue this White Paper to explain the legal implications of the bombardment and invasion so that the reasons and legal bases for our condemnation of Israeli bombardment and invasion are clearly understood.
READ THE FULL REPORT AND PHOTOS - CLICK ON REPORTS
...
IADL GOES ONLINE - FOLLOW BLOG AND PICS
COMMENT ON THE IADL CONGRESS IN HANOI
By Eric Sirotkin
May 22, 2009
THE BLOG HAS BEEN HAPPENING! GO TO nlgic.blogspot.com
Please go on and read moving entries from Guild lawyers and students in Hanoi. Also follow Eric Sirotkin's trip to Korea the week before when the former President committed suicide and the DPRK exploded a nuclear weapon.
Please make comments on the various entries. It makes it a community dialogue and encourages more people from the trip to post things. The blog is available to anyone to view and comment so plase share it around on your mailing lists. Tell people to visit nlgic.blogspot.com. You can hear a video of the President of Vietnam's address to the IADL Congress.
We have also posted our photos on FLICKR and continue to add more each week. See a slide show of what you missed in Hanoi, the riot police on the street in Seoul or the great sharing with lawyers and students from around the world.
For those hwo don't know, Flickr is like an interactive photo album where you can invite others to the page, post delegation photos, leave comments and do a slide show. The slides can become a whole educational powerpoint for anyone in the world to watch from anywhere. You can also have others use the photos for non-profit ventures. To see the pics go to:http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlgic Older delegations are preparing their photos to upload to the site as well so watch for more! ERIC...
Puerto Rico Bar Association Under Attack
for its Progressive and Independista politics
By Jan Susler
April 13, 2009
The Puerto Rico Bar Association, founded in 1840, is the oldest professional organization in Puerto Rico and the third oldest in the American hemisphere. It is a mandatory organization, similar to the majority of state bar associations in the U.S., such as California and Florida, where membership is required. In addition to providing services to attorneys and improving the legal profession, it is one of the foremost organizations of civil society in Puerto Rico, offering pro bono legal services to indigents and weighing in on issues important to society as a whole, such as opposing the use of the death penalty (outlawed by the Constitution of Puerto Rico) in the U.S. District Court; providing a mechanism for grievances against attorneys, personal support for attorneys, advocating to protect the independence of the judiciary; and supporting the rights of women.
Puerto Rican society is defined by the colonial relationship to the United States. The status question is a subject of daily discussion and debate among those who favor the status quo, or commonwealth; those who support statehood; and those who favor independence. Bar Association members are free to support any political party or status preference. For decades, however, the Bar Association has presented a legal analysis of the current status before the U.N. Special Commission on Decolonization, acknowledging the failure of the current status to comply with international law. Most recently, organizational commissions comprised of all tendencies have studied the issue and proposed a Constitutional Convention as the means for resolving the status.
Since November of 2008, when the pro statehood New Progressive Party [NPP] won the gubernatorial and many legislative and municipal elections, those favoring annexation began implementing drastic changes in Puerto Rican society. Not only did the new governor convene business leaders to come up with a plan to privatize many government services, he defunded many longstanding community organizations, announced the firing of 30,000 (mostly unionized) government workers, named an FBI agent as superintendent of police, and introduced legislation which would dismantle the Bar Association....
Wiwa v. Shell Heading for Trial on May 26, 2009 in NYC
CCR and Earthrights suing Shell for human rights violations against the Ogoni People of Nigeria
By
April 8, 2009
Royal Dutch Shell, plc (Shell) began oil production in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in 1958 and has a long history of working closely with the Nigerian government to quell popular opposition to its presence in the region. At the request of Shell, and with Shell’s assistance and financing, Nigerian soldiers used deadly force and massive, brutal raids against the Ogoni people throughout the early 1990s to repress a growing movement against the oil company. The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), EarthRights International (ERI) and other human rights attorneys sued Shell for human rights violations against the Ogoni. The case will go to trial on May 26, 2009 in New York City.
Get the full story HERE...
ONSLAUGHT: Israel's Attack of Gaza and the Rule of Law
National Lawyers Guild Gaza Delegation Report
By National Lawyers Guild Delegation to Gaza of Feb. 2009
April 2, 2009
During its 22 day offensive, Israeli forces killed more than 1400 Palestinians, including at least 288 children, and injured over 5300, of which at least 1606 were children. The majority of those killed were civilians. Two weeks after Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire, a National Lawyers Guild Delegation of seven attorneys and one law student traveled to Gaza to investigate the circumstances that led to the massive Palestinian casualties, and to determine what, if any, violations of international law occurred, and whether U.S. domestic law was violated as a consequence.
Download the Final Report here....
More IC Global News
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The NLG International Committee (IC) supports legal work around the world "to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests." As lawyers, law students, and legal activists, we seek to change U.S. foreign policy that threatens, rather than engages, or is based on a model of domination rather than respect. The Guild provides assistance and solidarity to movements in the United States and abroad that work for social justice in this increasingly interconnected world.
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