Wednesday, 10 February 2010
12:30-2:00 Senate Room, 6th floor, Robertson Hall
Carleton University
Complementary light sandwich lunch provided.
RSVP requested by Monday, 8 February to
This event was a panel discussion about current ‘hot spots’ for massive human rights violations and areas of the world that should be of concern to Canadian parliamentarians.The objective of the event was to inform parliamentarians about regions of the world that are at risk for human rights violations, mass atrocities, persecution of minorities, and other crimes against humanity.Mr. Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International, provided a ‘tour of the world’ for unstable regions and specifically discussed areas of the world that do not receive adequate media attention.
The event aimed to increase interest and involvement of the local media in international crimes against humanity and included presentations from various experts in the field.
The themes and expert panels guiding the workshop were as follows:
The panellists were:
Introduction – Member of Parliament Mr. Paul Dewar
Mr. Paul Dewar is the Member of Parliament for Ottawa-Centre, the New Democratic Party’s Foreign Affairs Critic and the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity. Since his first election in 2006, he has dedicated himself to raising awareness about violations of human rights both in Canada and abroad. Mr. Dewar is an advocate for Canadian action in places like Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has been a strong voice for peacebuilding. Mr. Dewar He has travelled to Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lebanon.
“Conflict, Genocide and Contemporary African Politics”- Professor Rita Abrahamsen
Dr. Rita Abrahamsen is Associate Professor in the School of International Development and Global Studies and in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She is joint-editor of African Affairs, the highest ranked journal in African studies. Prior to joining the University of Ottawa, she was in the Department of International Politics at the University of Aberystwyth.
“Recognizing widespread tribal and cultural differences”- Ms. Alice Musabende
Alice Musabende is a journalist based in Ottawa and currently works as a television producer for CPAC. Born in Kigali, Rwanda, Alice has worked as an international development worker for USAID, as well as a media fixer and freelance journalist in Rwanda. With a Bachelor of Journalism from the National University of Rwanda and a Master’s of Journalism from Carleton University, in Ottawa, Alice has worked as a reporter for CBC Radio in Quebec city, in Ottawa and for TFO (The Ontario French Television). Alice has also worked with the Genocide Intervention Network in Minneapolis on some of their Darfur/Sudan projects.
“Reporting on international human rights from Ottawa”- Ms. Marie-Jo Proulx
Marie-Jo Proulx is a fully bilingual Canadian with extensive experience in a wide range of locations, media environments, and communication roles. MJ has worked as a media trainer and workshop facilitator in Sierra Leone; senior writer, asylum case interpreter, and project manager in Chicago; reporter and technical writer in Ottawa; and course coordinator and French language instructor in Manchester, U.K. MJ’s freelance work has appeared in the Montreal Gazette, Winnipeg Free Press, Embassy Newspaper, Trente Magazine, and Z Magazine, among others.
The Genocide Prevention Group hosted a panel discussion on how the current economic recession may potentially impact human rights and crimes against humanity.
The themes and expert panel guiding the discussion were as follows:
1. “Recession Breeds Repression”
Dr. David Gillies and his colleague, Mr. Abraham Sewonet Abatneh from the North-South Institute, discussed how the current economic recession is a stressor and catalyst for conflict. The recession may breed repression by reducing commodity export revenues, remittances and foreign exchange and increasing unemployment levels and food prices. In countries with no or “frayed” social safety nets, this can lead to repression, conflict and crimes against humanity. Mr. Abatneh illustrated this with case studies of Southern Sudan, Haiti and Ghana.
2. The Economic Recession and Canadian Foreign Policy
Dr. Manfred A. Bienefeld from the School of Public Administration at Carleton University discussed the longer-term issues that breed recession and governments that are not responsive to their citizens. He argued that the situation in Somalia is an example of what could occur if we do not build a degree of cohesion. He further contended that Canada is not immune to difficulties arising from the economic recession and that we need to focus on the broader structures that cause these problems.
Although the security and humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been horrific for more than 10
years, the international community is generally unaware of this catastrophe. Thousands of Congolese victims, especially women, the elderly and children, have been totally abandoned.
The stakes are high, the fight is real and the cause is common.
Canadian Senator Mobina Jaffer held a day event to raise awareness of the Congo, especially the sexual violence against Congolese women and young girls in the eastern DRC. This event will have an impact only if all Congolese nationals themselves participate in numbers.
This event was a panel discussion with local non-governmental organizations and parliamentarians. Following up with the April 28 events, four themes guided the policy recommendations:
This event complemented the issues discussed on April 28, but provided concrete suggestions on how Canadian parliamentarians can contribute to ending the use of sexual violence in war. The panellists ultimately called for a study on human rights to be commissioned and for a National Action Plan for implementing United Nations resolution 1325.
Paul Dewar shaking hands with a member of the Congolese community in Ottawa
Panel in discussion
The Genocide Prevention Group hosted a creative and provocative event to inform parliamentarians about the systematic and widespread use of sexual violence, the ‘normalization’ of rape in war, and the political will to intervene.
Key note speakers included:
The Masters of Ceremonies of this event was Ms. Françoise Nduwimana, who works as a gender consultant in peace, security and development at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre.
From Left to Right: Robert Fox, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director; Joanna Kerr, Oxfam Canada’s Director of Policy and Outreach; Eve Ensler; MP Paul Dewar (Chair)
For Eve Ensler’s remarks, please click here.
Ms. Eve Ensler met with the members of the Genocide Prevention Group regarding the use of sexual violence in war and Canadian foreign policy. Ms. Ensler is a playwright, performer and activist and she is the award-winning author of The Vagina Monologues, which has been published in 45 languages and performed in over 120 countries. Ms. Ensler has created a “City of Joy” for survivors of sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. She shared her unique insight and policy recommendations with the members of the Genocide Prevention Group.
The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) invited the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity (the Group) to represent Canada in their upcoming field visit program to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The delegation was headed by a parliamentarian from Cameroon and consisted of six parliamentarians from developing countries and six parliamentarians from donor countries.
This program allowed Mr. Paul Dewar to make political assessments about how development aid can be used as strategy for conflict prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. Supported by a grant from the government of Finland, the delegation met with representatives and parliamentarians of the Government of the Congo, experts in the field of natural resources and conflict, and experts on post-conflict development and reconciliation. The delegation also visited a World Bank development project in Inga: a hydro-electric dam located about 360km away from Kinshasa.
The Chair of the Group took a critical eye to these projects and Canada’s existing bilateral aid policies.
The Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda to Canada and HUMURA (a survivor’s network in Ottawa) invited the Chair, Mr. Paul Dewar to speak at a memorial of the fifteen anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.
Mr. Dewar reflected on the tragedy of Rwanda and the lack of political will to intervene. He affirmed the importance of strengthening institutions to properly reflect current humanitarian situations, and the need to cooperate to prevent genocide, genocide denial and address the legal challenges of prosecuting genocide perpetrators.
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