The News Review:

- British couple’s war child mission
- Letter to President Obasanjo on Commonwealth Heads of Government…
- International Justice Tribune – Lettre d’information
- Global Santas touch lives in developing and war-scarred lands

British couple’s war child mission
BBC News – Nov 27, 2003
The couple have so far raised 12,000 and hope to raise more by auctioning three executive tickets to Sunday’s Chelsea v Manchester United match at Stamford Bridge. They also hope to take footballs and other sports kit with them when they set off on 10 December and are to visit a children’s centre in Freetown run by another Oxfordshire-based charity, Action for Children in Conflict. Sierra Leone, which has a population of five million, emerged last year from a decade of civil war. Mr Bendor-Samuel said: “My job is two-fold – first to provide encouragement and help where I can and second to do sports coaching with the kids. “We hope this will be a ministry that heals and brings people together – sport does that. Anyone interested in making a donation or bidding for the Chelsea v Manchester United tickets can call St. Andrews Church on 01865 311 212.

Letter to President Obasanjo on Commonwealth Heads of Government…
hrw.org – Nov 27, 2003
The failure of Commonwealth members to speak out on such abuses to date leaves the organization open to accusations of double-standards and undermines the effectiveness of Commonwealth actions on situations like those in Zimbabwe and Pakistan. Ending impunity for Charles Taylor and Sierra LeoneNigeria and its Commonwealth partners have an important responsibility to fight against impunity for those responsible for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. The Commonwealth has been strong in its support for the new International Criminal Court. The Commonwealth has also lent support to international efforts to ensure justice for past crimes in Sierra Leone, for instance by nominating judges to serve on the Special Court for Sierra Leone. In his report to your meeting, the Commonwealth Secretary General stresses the importance of “international efforts to end impunity and to bring to justice those responsible for heinous crimes. ” It is unacceptable, therefore, that Nigeria should continue to shield from prosecution Liberian ex-president Charles Taylor who has been charged by the Special Court for Sierra Leone with crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law for his role in Sierra Leone’s civil war. It is unprecedented that one member of the Commonwealth should host someone indicted for war crimes in another Commonwealth country.

International Justice Tribune – Lettre d’information
International Justice Tribune – Nov 27, 2003
2 pages Thierry Cruvellier, 27 November 2003 L’accès à l’article complet est réservé aux abonnés identifiés ayant souscrit les formules “Archives” ou “Lettre + Archives”, mais celui-ci peut également être acheté à l’unité. En voici un apercu : Sam Hinga-Norman was arrested by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, on 10 March 2003. He was then Minister of Internal Affairs and National Security. In 1994, he first organised traditional hunters, the Kamajors, into self-defence before being, from 1997 to 2002, the national co-ordinator of the Civil Defence Forces (CDF), the main armed group fighting in support of the government of President Kabbah, who was democratically elected in 1996. Hinga Norman’s indictment for crimes against humanity and war crimes sparked heated debates in Sierra Leone. His trial will be one of the most important before this international Court, a “mixed” jurisdiction established in Freetown, in January 2002.

Global Santas touch lives in developing and war-scarred lands
Seattle Times – Nov 27, 2003
Paul and Joyce Chiles are not in Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Iraq. The topic turns away from the horror and sadness they see in the world’s most troubled spots to the rewards that uproot them so often from their pleasant, 100-year-old farmhouse. Rewards?”There must be some rewards, we’re not getting paid much,” says Joyce, 58, salt-colored strands showing through her formerly all-pepper hair. “Remind me, honey!” she coaxes her physician husband, her high-school sweetheart, and then erupts in a laugh that corrects any assumption of pious restraint. We’re not talking afterlife reward here, although that would make sense for the Chileses, who are devout Christians.