Transcript The Faith Based Caucus for the International Criminal Court

The Faith Based Caucus
for the
International Criminal Court
The Faith Based Caucus
The Faith-Based Caucus for the International Criminal Court
is a coalition of religious and interfaith NGOs that promotes
the ICC by disseminating information and promoting
programs about the Court to their respective religious,
ethics and faith-based communities, and by advocating for
the ratification of the Court by countries throughout the
world.
The caucus is co-sponsored by the International Coalition
for the ICC (CICC) and the American NGO Coalition for the
ICC (AMICC).
Current Membership
American Jewish Committee/ Jacob Blaustein Institute for the
Advancement of Human Rights
American Humanist Association
Baha‘i’s of the United States
Church World Service
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Loretto Community
Maryknoll Office for Global Concern
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
The National Service Conference of the American Ethical Union
Presbyterian Church, USA
Soka Gakkai International
Temple of Understanding
Unitarian Universalist Association
United Methodist Church
World Council of Churches
Why the International Criminal
Court?
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The International Criminal Court fights against human injustice and evil
through rule of law, which is an essential prerequisite to promoting longterm peace building and to reconciling peoples and communities
devastated by violent conflict.
The prime objective of the ICC is not only punishment ( or retributive
justice), but also rehabilitation, protection, compensation, and restitution
for the offended, or what theologians in the Christian tradition have
described as restorative justice.
This includes looking at the moral, political and ethical dimensions of
impunity, the individual and collective healing of society, including the
rehabilitation of both victims and perpetrators, and the relationship
between confession, repentance, compensation and forgiveness.
The International Criminal Court will provide an international judicial
instrument capable of fulfilling the relevant concerns of the United Nations
Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights, the Genocide Convention,
as well as other United Nations Conventions for justice and peace.
Caucus Objectives
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Promote education and awareness of the mission, membership
and objectives of the Faith Based Caucus to faith-based
constituencies, elected officials, media and the general public.
Promote education and awareness of the ICC and the Rome
Statute within respective religious, ethics and faith-based
communities
Promote NGO partnership with ICC to further the responsibility,
rehabilitation and healing of victims, perpetrators and society.
Research and disseminate information about religious liberty
and persecution issues as it relates to the Rome Statute.
Explore the relationship between confession, repentance,
compensation and forgiveness, including the moral imperatives
of retributive and restorative justice.
Objective 1:
Promote education and awareness of the
mission, membership and objectives of the
Faith Based Caucus to faith-based
constituencies, elected officials,
media and general public.
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Increase and diversify membership of the Caucus
Establish faith based caucuses in The Hague, Washington DC
Publish advocacy ad
Continue to develop caucus web site
Objective 2:
Promote education and awareness of the
ICC and Rome Statute within respective
religious, ethics and faith-based caucus
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Encourage each caucus NGO to develop an education and
advocacy strategy to implement within their own community.
Continue to develop ICC materials for distribution within faith
based communities, including:
 Encourage adoption of statements and resolutions in support of ICC.
 Create curricula to educate constituencies about ICC.
 Distribute ICC brochures for other faith constituencies, including
Baha'i, Buddhist, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim communities
 Distribute Sabbath observances.
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Promote the Victims Trust Fund Campaign
Promote local congregational participation in AMICC local
alliances.
Link caucus web site to denominational web sites.
Objective 3:
Promote NGO partnerships with ICC to
further the reconciliation, rehabilitation and
healing of victims, perpetrators and society
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Promote the establishment of the Centre for Justice and
Reconciliation in The Hague
Help NGOs present religious persecution cases to the Court.
Encourage religious groups to sponsor victims called to testify to
the ICC.
Develop seminars in New York and/or The Hague on religious
liberty & persecution issues for ICC Judges, prosecutors and staff.
Develop working relationship with ICC Victims and Witnesses Unit.
Promote proposed April 2004 UN Fundraiser for Victims Trust Fund
by Victims Rights Working Group.
Objective 4:
Research and disseminate legal and theological analysis
religious liberty and persecution issues as it relates to the
Rome Statute. Explore the relationship between confession,
repentance, compensation and forgiveness, including the
moral imperatives of retributive and restorative justice.
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Organize proposed Fall 2003 conference/seminar on the Rome
Statute and religious liberty/persecution issues at Columbia
University Law
Post on caucus web site relevant theological articles that examine
the moral imperatives of the Court
Contact theological seminaries and relevant academic
departments.
For More Information on the Faith Based Caucus:
Website: http://www.amicc.org/faith.html
Jeffery Huffines, Co-Chair
CICC/AMICC Faith-Based Caucus
866 UN Plaza, Suite 120
New York, NY 10017
Tel.: 212-803-2500
E-mail: [email protected]
To subscribe to the caucus email listserv, please
send a blank message to:
[email protected]