Special Africa Edition 2007
Interview with Ambassador David ShinnAbout this Edition
Interview with Ambassador David Shinn
David Shinn is an adjunct professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs. He served for thirty-seven years in the U.S. Foreign Service at eight embassies in Africa, the Middle East, and in Washington, D.C. He has a BA, MA, and PhD from The George Washington University.
Nicole CordeauIn early 2003, as the scale of targeted, governmentsponsored violence in Sudan’s Darfur region escalated, it appeared that a defining moment had arrived. Sadly, the international community was slow to recognize the severity of the situation and only put together a clumsy and ineffective response after the magnitude of the disaster became evident. Today there is growing indication that the international community may intervene at a level sufficient to prevent the massacre of innocent civilians. As the recent impasse in the peace talks in Libya shows, however, there is still a wide gulf between theory and practice in humanitarian intervention.
Fostering Peace and Ending Impunity: The International Criminal Court, Human Rights, and the LRA
David L. McCoyIn October 2005, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for the top leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group in northern Uganda. The international community has praised the involvement of the ICC, which is seen as a necessary and positive step towards justice. The local response, however, has been one of negativity and opposition. The case of the ICC and the LRA brings to light the at times contentious relationship between seeking justice and fostering peace. This begs the question, how should the ICC and considerations of human rights contribute to resolving intrastate conflicts?
Political Violence and the African Refugee Experience
This essay seeks to explain the disproportionately high levels of political violence found among refugees in sub-Saharan Africa. High-profile cases in Rwanda and Kosovo have fostered perceptions that political violence among refugees is on the rise. However, the dramatic increase in political violence on the African continent actually runs counter to global trends. The following study offers insight into the African refugee experience and develops policy recommendations for reducing refugee-related political violence.