1999 Summer Interns
In 1999, nine (9) students worked during the summer for twelve (12) different human rights governmental, non-governmental, and inter-governmental organizations in twelve (12) different cities and countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. This marked a more than two-fold increase in placements from the previous year, and broadened the geographical scope of the PIHRL's placements.
- Karla Cameron (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Kenya-Taray Delemore (Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
- Scott L. Goodroad (Melbourne, Australia)
- Jason Gross (Harare, Zimbabwe)
- Michele Jackson (Ottawa, Canada)
- Kirti Patel (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
- Joshua Robertson ( Katmandu, Nepal)
- Celine VanHoenacker (Arusha, Tanzania)
- Richard Woodhouse (Moscow, Russia; Gomel & Minsk Belarus; and Vilnius, Lithuania)
Ms. Karla Cameron ('00) worked for the Attorney General of the Puerto Rican Department of Justice. She assisted the Attorney General in attempting to persuade the U.S. Navy to cease live weapons training on the Puerto Rican Island of Vieques. She also was involved in a project concerning the Constitutional rights of American citizens to vote for the U.S. President and Vice President. Currently, citizens of "territories of the United States," such as Puerto Rico and Guam, cannot participate in presidential elections.
Mr. Kenya-Taray Delemore ('00) held two internships - one in West Africa and one in East Africa. In West Africa, he worked in Accra, Ghana, for the African Commission of Health and Human Rights Promoters on issues related to health and human rights, HIV/AIDS, and torture victim assistance. In East Africa, he worked in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the Research Centre for Civic Human Rights and Civic Education on issues related to civil and political rights and human rights education.
Mr. Scott L. Goodroad ('99) worked for the East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC) in Melbourne, Australia. He documented human rights abuses in East Timor, determined what actions constitute human rights violations, drafted interrogatories, and submitted documentation to appropriate NGOs, foreign governments, and the United Nations. He also prepared a bi-annual report on human rights abuses in East Timor for submission to foreign governments, NGOs, and the United Nations.
Mr. Jason Gross ('00) worked with two different organizations in Harare, Zimbabwe. He worked with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) and with the Gay & Lesbian Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ). He drafted a paper on the violation of the human rights of gays and lesbians in Zimbabwe, focusing on discrimination based on sexuality. The paper is to be used for lobbying before Zimbabwean and United Nations bodies.
Ms. Michele Jackson ('00) worked for the Human Rights Internet, Children's Rights Division in Ottawa, Canada. She worked on Phase II of the "Protection Project: Creating an International Framework for Legislation to Protect Women and Children from Commercial Sexual Exploitation." The project will generate model legislation for the purpose of enabling countries to draft laws to prevent, reduce, and ultimately eliminate the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children. Ms. Jackson published a human rights article in the global Human Rights Internet publication, the Tribunal.
Ms. Kirti Patel ('00) was placed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a human rights group named Tenaganita, led by human rights advocate Irene Fernandez. Irene is currently on trial, having been charged under the Printing Presses and Publications Act of 1984, with allegedly maliciously publishing false news regarding conditions in government-run detention centers. Ms. Patel researched, wrote memos, and was involved with issues related to hearsay and malice standards in various countries (in particular Commonwealth Countries and the United States), the admittance at trial of audio tape recordings, and the preparation of witnesses for trial. She also worked on migrant worker human rights issues.
Mr. Joshua Robertson ('01) worked for the International Human Rights and Environmental Organization (INHURED) in Katmandu, Nepal. He researched racial discrimination in Nepal and drafted a report analyzing Nepal's compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). The report will be submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All forms of Racial Discrimination, which meets at the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and will be used by INHURED for a legal advocacy campaign in Nepal. In March 2000, the Government of Nepal will appear for hearings before the CERD Committee in Geneva. The PIHRL hopes that Joshua Robertson will be able to personally present his "shadow" report to the Committee in Geneva on the occasion of the Nepal Hearing.
Ms. Celine VanHoenacker ('98-'99, Lille Exchange Student) worked for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania. She researched and wrote legal memoranda on various topics related to the defense of various individuals accused of genocide and crimes against humanity. These individuals are awaiting trial at the Tribunal. She also researched and wrote legal memoranda on other aspects of international criminal law, compiled minutes (in English and French) of Judges' meetings, and researched and compiled a bibliography of materials to be used at the Tribunal.
Mr. Richard Woodhouse ('00) interned in three different countries
for various organizations. First, he worked in Moscow, Russia, for
three organizations: the Open Society Institute; Civic Assistance;
and the Moscow Helsinki Group. In Russia, his focus was on civil
and political rights.
In Gomel & Minsk, Belarus, Mr. Woodhouse worked through the Central and East European Law Initiative (CEELI) of the American Bar Association with a Belarussian Professor on a project related to domestic violence.
In Vilnius, Lithuania, he worked through the United States Information Agency with the Jewish State Museum on a project related to Nazi war crimes.