mass violence

Carter School hosts activist whose organization documents war crimes in Ukraine

Mariam Aburdeineh — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 15:31:57 +0000

Carter School hosts activist whose organization documents war crimes in Ukraine Mariam Aburdeineh Mon, 03/13/2023 - 11:31

In This Story

Karina Korostelina

Alpaslan 脰zerdem

Daniel Rothbart

On February 24, the one-year anniversary of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, 海角社区鈥檚 Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution hosted 鈥�One Year After: Ukraine War Analysis and Prospects,鈥� an all-day virtual event to discuss the effects of the war and potential post-war contexts.

The event featured Romantsova Oleksandra, executive director of the Center for Civil Liberties, the first Ukrainian organization to win a Nobel Peace Prize. The recognition, which the human rights organization received in 2022, was due in part to their work documenting war crimes against civilians in occupied areas of Ukraine.

Karina Korostelina (left) and聽Romantsova Oleksandra during the virtual event, "One Year After: Ukraine War Analysis and Prospects."

Oleksandra spoke about her work to an audience of about 50 people, and answered questions about the war via Zoom. The discussion was moderated by Karina Korostelina, professor and co-director of Mason鈥檚 Program for the Prevention of Mass Violence.

鈥淭he war in Ukraine has presented a real challenge to those who favor negotiated outcomes,鈥� said Carter School Dean Alpaslan 脰zerdem in his opening remarks. 鈥淗owever, even if the political space is constrained for negotiations at the moment, we shouldn鈥檛 write off what conflict resolution could achieve in the future.鈥�

Oleksandra began by explaining how her work started in 2014鈥攁round the time Russia invaded Crimea鈥攁nd explained how they started with a hotline where they gathered questions about Crimea and Donbas before starting field work there.

After summer 2014, and the disputed Crimean status referendum, their mobile teams on the ground were blocked, Oleksandra said.

鈥淭hey don鈥檛 give the possibility of Ukrainian human right defenders of going into the territories,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, we collect[ed] information using the help of our partners from Belarus, from Russia, and from other countries.鈥�

Oleksandra described various ways her team collects information, including gathering testimonials from individuals or relatives of those who have been prosecuted. The team also investigates sites where crimes occurred, and documents the aftermath with photos and video.

Other times, the Center for Civil Liberties uses data from institutions, such as hospitals.

鈥淲e have a lot of evidence that sexual crimes happened, too, like thousands of cases. People [don鈥檛] very directly speak about that with prosecutors or police, but they easily speak with doctors,鈥� Oleksandra said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we have some statistics, and we have a national line where the people can call and speak about that.鈥�

Oleksandra鈥檚 organization has used all this information to create databases and maps of where human rights violations have occurred.

鈥淲e have now more than 33,000 cases [of] potential war crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hy 鈥榩otential鈥�? Because at the end, only courts can give this characteristic and classification.鈥澛�

鈥淸The] International Criminal Court is working now in Ukraine,鈥� Oleksandra said. 鈥淲e support them. We give them information, but they will cover maybe 20 cases.鈥�

Despite a backlog of cases waiting to hit the courts, the work is still worth pursuing. Oleksandra said documenting evidence is important to punish those who committed atrocities, bring justice, protect human rights, promote public awareness, influence policy, and move toward sustainable peace.

Oleksandra said their ideal is to create a new model to deal with the thousands of other cases that demand attention. She also hopes an international tribunal against crimes of aggression would be assembled to hold Russian leaders accountable, including President Vladimir Putin.

鈥淚鈥檓 really glad to speak with people who are thinking about what happened in Ukraine and trying to understand what kind of experience Ukraine now can give all the world about war crimes,鈥� Oleksandra said.

The session was also meaningful for attendees.

鈥淭he presentation was outstanding,鈥� said Carter School Professor Daniel Rothbart.

鈥淭he selection of [Oleksandra鈥檚] Center for Civil Liberties for the Nobel Peace Prize demonstrates just how vital her work is for bringing peace to this war-torn nation,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he center represents an inspiration to all of us hoping for a peaceful end to this tragic violence in Ukraine.鈥�

Click here to watch recorded sessions from "One Year After: Ukraine War Analysis and Prospects."

Topics

Russia-Ukraine war

Ukraine

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Point of View Statement on Conflict in Ukraine: Negotiate Peace Now

Paul Snodgrass — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 19:38:10 +0000

Point of View Statement on Conflict in Ukraine: Negotiate Peace Now Paul Snodgrass Wed, 03/30/2022 - 15:38

In This Story

The opinions and views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of the Carter School or 海角社区, its affiliates, or employees.

Add Your Signature

Peace and Conflict Resolution scholars and foreign affairs practitioners convened at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School鈥檚 Point of View research and retreat facility in Mason Neck, Virginia issued the following appeal to the conflicting parties in Ukraine: 聽
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All parties to this conflict are now hurting. 聽The costs in human life and suffering are mounting and the damaging effects of the conflict are rippling around the world. 聽It is high time for the parties to agree to an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities. 聽Continuing the struggle inevitably multiplies the damage and poses increasing risks that nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction may be used. 聽
聽
Along with the U.N. Secretary General, we believe that conditions now exist for negotiating an agreement acceptable to all parties. 聽The parties should therefore set about negotiating a comprehensive peace agreement with no preconditions. 聽聽
聽
We call on the international community to support peace as it emerges, offering humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding support for the long-term process of recovery. 聽聽
聽
In addition, it is imperative that all OSCE Participating States commit to a throughgoing review of the existing security architecture. 聽This review should begin immediately with a view to updating the Helsinki Final Act and other security agreements at the OSCE鈥檚 forthcoming 50th Anniversary in Helsinki in 2025. 聽
聽

Signatories are listed below. 聽Others are invited to join the statement and to distribute it widely. 聽To be added as a signatory, please provide your information here.
聽

John M. Evans
Former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia

Jeffrey Sachs
University Professor at Columbia University

Jack F. Matlock, Jr.聽
U.S. Ambassador to the USSR, 1987-91

Richard Falk
Professor of International Studies, Emeritus, Princeton University

Ambassador Jacques Paul Klein
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations (Ret.)

Alpasian Ozerdem
Dean, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Christopher R. Mitchell
Professor Emeritus, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Susan H. Allen
Director, Center for Peacemaking Practice, 海角社区

Richard E. Rubenstein
University Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Karina Korostelina
Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Sergey Utkin, Leading Researcher, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences

Daniel Rothbart
Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Prabha Sankaranarayan
President and CEO, Mediators Beyond Borders International

Hugh DeSantis
Former career office, U.S. State Department, Author

Sara Cobb
Professor, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Dr. Margarita Tadevosyan
Research Assistant Professor
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, 海角社区

Ivan Kislenko
Fulbright Scholar聽

Alex van Oss
(Former) Coordinator, Caucasus Area Studies
Foreign Service Institute

Michael Shank
Adjunct Professor at New York University's Center for Global Affairs and 海角社区's Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Dr. Lara Olson聽
Consultant, Peacebuilding and Conflict Sensitive Development聽
Research Fellow, Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies (CMSS), University of Calgary, Canada

David Carment
Professor of International Affairs, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Fellow, Institute for Peace and Diplomacy,聽

Cynthia Lazaroff聽
Founder and Director, Women Transforming Our Nuclear Legacy聽

Omar Grech
Director, Centre for the Study and Practice of Conflict Resolution, University of Malta

Rene Wadlow
President, Association of World Citizens

Kevin Avruch
Henry Hart Rice Professor of Conflict Resolution Emeritus
Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, 海角社区

Peggy Mason
Former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament to the United Nations聽
Current President of the Rideau Institute聽

Antonio Carlos da Silva Rosa
Editor, Transcend Media Service

Jake Lynch
Associate Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies
The University of Sydney

Diane Perlman
U.S. Convenor, TRANSCEND

John Scales Avery, PhD

Michael Loadenthal
Executive Director, The Peace and Justice Association

Jeremy Wildeman
Adjunct Professor, Adjunct Professor at the School of Indigenous and Canadian Studies, Carleton University; and in International Development Studies, Trent University

J.M. Flagg
Chicago, Illinois

Jan Oberg, dr hc, director
The Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research, TFF
Lund, Sweden

Dr. Mary Wade
Founder, Building Respect in Community (BRIC), Philadelphia, PA

Professor Marianna Muravyeva
Russian Law and Administration聽
For Legal and Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki

Tatsushi Arai
Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies, Kent State University

Dr. Paula Garb聽
University of California, Irvine Center for Citizen Peacebuilding

Alma Abdul-Hadi Jadallah
Advisory Board Member and Part-Time Faculty, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Sean Howard
Adjunct Prof. of Political Science, Cape Breton University

Douglas Irvin-Eriksen
Assistant Professor, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Dr. Peter Langille
Director, Sustainable Common Security

Marie Myers Lloyd
Member, Ceasefire.ca

Nicholas Ourusoff
Educator in Computer Science, Chomskian Activist

Dr. Gordon Yanchyshyn
Psychiatrist

Connie Duchene
Council of Canadians

Emmanuel K. Akyempong
Graduating Senior, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Irene McPhee
Mother, Grandmother, Human

Dr. Paul Owen
Retiring Politician, Counselor

David Parnas

Phyllis Creighton
Honorary Life Member, Science for Peace

Sara Petite

Eleanor Coffey

Larry Kazdan
Global Citizen

Crl Boychuk

Sk. Tawfique M. Haque, PhD.聽
Professor and Director South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and Center for Peace Studies (CPS) Chair, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Katherine Li聽
Assistant Professor, Department of English & Modern Languages Adviser, Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University聽

Ambassador Shahidul Haque聽
Professorial Fellow South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG), North South University聽

Dr. Abdul Wohab聽
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology Coordinator, Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University聽

Dr. Ishrat Zakia Sultana聽
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. M Jashim Uddin聽
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Bulbul Siddiqui聽
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Helal Mohd. Mohiuddin聽
Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Harisur Rahman聽
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Md Rizwanul Islam聽
Professor & Chair, Department of Law, North South University聽

Dr. Norman K. Swazo聽
Professor, Department of History and Philosophy, North South University聽

Ahmed Hossain聽
Professor, Department of Public health, North South University聽

Dr. Nova Ahmed聽
Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, North South University聽

Dr. Raymond Kwun-Sun Lau聽
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Mohammed Nuruzzaman聽
Professor, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Ms. Parisa Shakur聽
Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, North South University聽

Tata Zafar聽
Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Tasmia Nower聽
Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Dr. Hasanuzzaman聽
Assistant Director, Office of External Affairs, North South University聽

Dr. Md. Jakariya聽
Professor, Department if Environmental Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Mizanur Rahman聽
Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Sociology, North South University聽

Fahd Bin Zahed聽
Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, North South University聽

Dr. Tasnuva Enam聽
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of History and Philosophy, North South University聽

Farin Shabnam Ritu聽
Research Associate, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University 聽

Md. Parvez Hasan Yousuf聽
Research Associate, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University聽

Rudmila Khan聽
Research Associate, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University聽

Miad Islam聽
Research Assistant, South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) and Center for Peace Studies (CPS), North South University
聽

This image by Zach Rudisin聽is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license via Wikimedia Commons.

Topics

Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution

Climate change might be fueling ethnic violence. PhD candidate Emily Sample explores why

Mariam Aburdeineh — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 19:49:37 +0000

Climate change might be fueling ethnic violence. PhD candidate Emily Sample explores why Mariam Aburdeineh Fri, 02/04/2022 - 14:49

In This Story

Douglas Irvin-Erickson

Emily Sample. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications/海角社区

As a junior and senior at Annandale High School in Virginia, Emily Sample spent her summers as a docent at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. She was a teenager who had just lost a friend to police violence, she said, and joining the museum鈥檚 Young Ambassadors Program resonated with her.

鈥淚 was fascinated and continue to be fascinated by this highly illogical idea of genocide,鈥� said Sample, a PhD candidate at 海角社区鈥檚 Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Since then, Sample has built her career around atrocity prevention. In addition to earning a master鈥檚 in human rights and genocide studies from Kingston University London, she has worked as a genocide scholar and educator for Holocaust Museum Houston in Texas. She currently works for the Fund for Peace, where she said she supports their portfolio on human rights and international peacebuilding.

鈥淭he best way to prevent genocide is to help make violence not an option,鈥� Sample said, explaining that an 鈥渦s-versus-them鈥� mentality can develop when people believe there is scarcity of resources, and are manipulated into thinking ethnic violence is an answer.

She鈥檚 further studying this at Mason, with a case study in West Nile, Uganda, where she lived and conducted research while enrolled at Kingston. Her dissertation examines structural mass atrocity prevention through the lens of climate change adaptation and gender.

Emily Sample (right) and her research partner Lina Zedriga in Uganda in 2013. Photo provided.

鈥淚f we make the climate better, if we empower women and have better access to clean water, then [Ugandans] will not be forced into making decisions about whether or not their family lives and the next family dies,鈥� said Sample, who is interviewing Ugandans over Zoom.

Sample is also looking at the effects of environmental racism, where negative environmental impacts disproportionately affect people of color.

鈥淭he day-to-day life of someone in Uganda may be much more impacted [by climate change than a Westerner鈥檚] because they鈥檙e having to adjust their farming season, and the type of seeds and livestock they鈥檙e buying,鈥� she said.

These impacts have gendered implications, Sample said, as women often tend the gardens, cook, and walk to retrieve water.

Increasing education and environmental justice, such as reparations for environmental racism, while reducing scarcity fears, could alleviate many atrocity issues, she said.

Sample said she came to Mason because she wanted to dive deeper into the genocide prevention field.

鈥淢y hometown university has one of the best [conflict resolution] programs in the country,鈥� said Sample, who also works with Mason鈥檚 Rapha毛l Lemkin Genocide Prevention Program.

鈥淭he Carter School is extremely unique in how many scholar-practitioners we have,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey integrate students into their work in unique and really pivotal ways that allow students to become practitioners.鈥�

Though the PhD journey is demanding, Sample said her studies have been worthwhile.

鈥淓very single professor is approachable, interesting and has contributed to me seeing the world in a variety of different ways,鈥� she said.

鈥淓mily is a rising star in genocide studies and conflict resolution, and the nexus of these fields with the practice of peacebuilding,鈥� said Douglas Irvin-Erickson, director of Mason鈥檚 Genocide Prevention Program. 鈥淪he鈥檚 a brilliant social analyst with many years of ethnographically informed research experience, and her聽deeply rooted sense of justice endears her to those with whom she works the closest.鈥�

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sample conducts interviews for her dissertation virtually. Here, two Ugandan men communicate with her from Africa via Zoom using a smartphone (bottom right). Photo provided.