Here are a few photos from the Congress thus far.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Quote of the day for June 6, 2009
“This battle is not over. This battle is far from over. This battle is just and righteous and there is no doubt that with international solidarity, we will succeed on this.” - Jeanne Mirer on obtaining justice for the victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam
Vietnamese Veterans at the Ho Chi Minh complex
The Vietnam Lawyer Association has extremely graciously offered us a tour of Hanoi. (Those in tracks 3, 4 and 5 could take a tour today while 1, 2, and 6 worked on their recommendations for resolutions; tomorrow, we switch.) Our first stop was the Masoleum, with Ho Chi Minh beautifully preserved after 40 years. He looks like he is asleep, and will open his eyes and talk to you at any moment. Pictures cannot do justice to the size and grandeur of the building and the huge open lawn and plaze in front. The VLA had donated a funeral wreath on our behalf, which was laid at the door of the Masoleum with great ceremony by the guards in their funeral white uniforms. As we began to filter in, one guard raised his finger to his lips to indicate we should be respectfully quiet, a quizzical combination of white gloves and white uniform in the librarian's pose.
We came in through the VIP/foreigners' entrance; through a snafu with directions, some members of the tour and I had originally come to the People's entrance, the Vietnamese entrance. The line from there to the other entrance looked like it was at least a mile, with 10,000 crammed into the narrow walkway that wraps around the outer circumference of the complex. People come from all over Vietnam to see the complex. One of the staff members of the front desk of our hotel said he has seen it many, many times, too often to count.
After you come out of the Masoleum, the line snakes through the complex to view first the Presidential Palace, built by the French for their French-born governor (Ho Chi Minh felt is was too grand for a single, simple man) and then appropriated by the Vietnamese and the two buildings he lived in, one a two-room simple wooden structure, raised on stilts to provide single wide area, about the size of a small conference room, where the breeze could blow while he and his ministers met around a straight-forward table.
At that point, I spied them: a group of Vietnamese soldiers in the old green uniforms that I had seen so often from pictures of the war with the U.S., some of them with medals hanging from their front pockets. I became as curious and stared as much as all the Vietnamese stare at me (white faces are still vastly in the minority, despite the opening up of Vietnam and the encouragement of toursim). I was excited and so much wanted to talk to them: what state were they from? where had they fought? Did they get to met Ho? Did they ever hear him talk? How do they feel about the U.S. today? We are supporters of the U.S. group, Veterans for Peace, which helped to start the Vietnam Friendship Village, an organization that helps children and veterans affected by land mines and Agent Orange. We know several Americans who fought in the war. I ached to reach out to them, to offer a bridge of peace, or even a contact of peace. But it was too sudden, to come across them like this. I could not formulate the words to tell our translator why I was so excited, and my Vietnamese is non-existent. We stared at each other several times in the walk through the complex, sometimes only two or three feet away, but it might as well have been opposite sides of the Grand Canyon. I finally asked permission to take a photo. I wanted to have a picture with them, but even that part didn't come across. They shook their heads no. To have it come down to such a dumb tourist kind of gesture. I feel so sad. They are clearly all older, they must be in their 60s and 70s, who knows if we will have another chance. And who knows how they feel about being approached by this overweight middle-class American woman after all they had been through.
I will write again about the Congress. It is incredibly exciting to be here, the ideals and solidarity expressed are deeply felt and reach across all kinds of barriers of language and experience. That makes the contrast with the experience with the Vietnamese veterans all the more pointed in my heart. But this took me an hour, and I have to up early to get to the meeting point where the very organized VLA has suttle buses waiting for us to get us to the Congress site. Thank you, Eric, for setting this up, and giving us this opportunity to share.
Karen Weill
Seattle, Washington
On being an American
During the opening plenary, I was pained to hear speaker after speaker, including and especially our own Marjorie Cohn, condemn actions of the US government. I was saddened to recognize that the catalogue of condemnation was only a partial list of my country's transgressions. And I was angered to be reminded so graphically that the United States has been, and remains, the world's most dangerous rogue state. We are a country that has much to offer the rest of the world, but that must start with admission of how much we have taken from the rest of the world.
Of course, being in Vietnam brings that home to those of us of a certain age, whose lives and politics were formed by the Vietnam War protests. But the video about the victims of Agent Orange -- both American and Vietnamese -- drives home the point that the effects of US imperialism in this country that is hosting us are still with its people and ours. The chemical companies that manufactured Agent Orange have made payments to American victims and GI's who were exposed to it are able to collect some disability benefits, but the Vietnamese continue to suffer the ravages of dioxyn poisoning generations later while the US has failed to abide by the commitment of aid it made when the peace treaty was signed and the chemical companies successfully defeated the suit brought against them. It was no secret back in 1969 that Agent Orange poisoned people. I recall Rennie Davis talking about it on more than one occasion.
But I was reminded of other things, great and small, that demonstrate Vietnam and Agent Orange were not aberrations, but the fundamental character of post-World War II America.
I worked for the NLG's Military Law Office in Japan and Okinawa in 1974. Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, the provision renouncing war, had been imposed by the US and Douglas MacArthur after the war. But, even back when I was there, that was changing. The Nixon Doctrine called for local regional partners to protect US "interests" around the world and, with China looming, Japan was the designated Asian junior partner. Its "Self-Defense Forces" were large and growing, with US blessing. Now, it is being encouraged to scrap Article 9 altogether and the dominant Liberal Democratic Party has signed on willingly.
In Okinawa, US bases covered virtually the entire island. They included a Coast Guard station because even the coast of Okinawa was to be guarded by the US. All the land had been stolen from the Okinawans who had farmed it for generations and had been forced to serve as baseworkers. But they formed a militant union whose principal demand was return of their land, but which also fought for better wages and working conditions. Ultimately, they were all fired and replaced by military "dependents," so were force to scrounge for work in service to the occupiers, mainly in bars and as prostitutes, or to be the last hired, first fired, most menial workers (along with Koreans) on the Japanese mainland. With Okinawa being returned to Japan (the right of Japan to Okinawa is questionable, but another story), control of some of the bases went to the Self-Defense Forces, but none went back to the people from whom it was stolen.
Being here, meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones from around the world, reminds one of what our responsibility is in the belly of the beast. The world is too small and fragile for us to be complacent or parochial. We are obligated, not just to change US policy, but to change the very nature of the US. We owe it not just to the rest of the world, but to all those suffering at home, victims too of a rapacious system that has converted every wonder it has wrought into a means of enriching a few at the expense of the further impoverishment of billions around the world. I realize this can sound like empty rhetoric, then you meet those victimized and impoverished and you realize the rhetoric doesn't do the condemnation justice.
David Gespass
Of course, being in Vietnam brings that home to those of us of a certain age, whose lives and politics were formed by the Vietnam War protests. But the video about the victims of Agent Orange -- both American and Vietnamese -- drives home the point that the effects of US imperialism in this country that is hosting us are still with its people and ours. The chemical companies that manufactured Agent Orange have made payments to American victims and GI's who were exposed to it are able to collect some disability benefits, but the Vietnamese continue to suffer the ravages of dioxyn poisoning generations later while the US has failed to abide by the commitment of aid it made when the peace treaty was signed and the chemical companies successfully defeated the suit brought against them. It was no secret back in 1969 that Agent Orange poisoned people. I recall Rennie Davis talking about it on more than one occasion.
But I was reminded of other things, great and small, that demonstrate Vietnam and Agent Orange were not aberrations, but the fundamental character of post-World War II America.
I worked for the NLG's Military Law Office in Japan and Okinawa in 1974. Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, the provision renouncing war, had been imposed by the US and Douglas MacArthur after the war. But, even back when I was there, that was changing. The Nixon Doctrine called for local regional partners to protect US "interests" around the world and, with China looming, Japan was the designated Asian junior partner. Its "Self-Defense Forces" were large and growing, with US blessing. Now, it is being encouraged to scrap Article 9 altogether and the dominant Liberal Democratic Party has signed on willingly.
In Okinawa, US bases covered virtually the entire island. They included a Coast Guard station because even the coast of Okinawa was to be guarded by the US. All the land had been stolen from the Okinawans who had farmed it for generations and had been forced to serve as baseworkers. But they formed a militant union whose principal demand was return of their land, but which also fought for better wages and working conditions. Ultimately, they were all fired and replaced by military "dependents," so were force to scrounge for work in service to the occupiers, mainly in bars and as prostitutes, or to be the last hired, first fired, most menial workers (along with Koreans) on the Japanese mainland. With Okinawa being returned to Japan (the right of Japan to Okinawa is questionable, but another story), control of some of the bases went to the Self-Defense Forces, but none went back to the people from whom it was stolen.
Being here, meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones from around the world, reminds one of what our responsibility is in the belly of the beast. The world is too small and fragile for us to be complacent or parochial. We are obligated, not just to change US policy, but to change the very nature of the US. We owe it not just to the rest of the world, but to all those suffering at home, victims too of a rapacious system that has converted every wonder it has wrought into a means of enriching a few at the expense of the further impoverishment of billions around the world. I realize this can sound like empty rhetoric, then you meet those victimized and impoverished and you realize the rhetoric doesn't do the condemnation justice.
David Gespass
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Arrival to amazing Hanoi National Convention Center
The Congress met today and we had a lot of fun meeting with poeple from so many countries. Our hosts really entertained us with music and gracious support
and we listened to the President of Vietnam and others speak of peace and justice. It is late and I will write more but I wanted to upload some pics for you all to enjoy and watch tomorrow for dozens of pics and even some footage. 
Go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/sirotkin/sets/72157619266349131/ for a temporary look at 51 photos from Day one. Tags and descriptions added soon.
Enjoy. You can see that we are. Other delegates will write soon. Good night.
Eric Sirotkin
Ashland Oregon
Friday, June 5, 2009
Seeking Progressive Changes from the Heart of Hanoi
Hanoi has the most unique traffic pyramid I have ever encountered. One where an entity's size -- whether a vehicle, rickshaw, cart, or pedestrian -- determines its power on the road. Irrespective of this sheer physical and phenotypical power, pedestrians and stray animals push their way through the never ending waves of motor bikes and occasional SUVs amidst the very narrow city roads, where streets too are populated with parked motor-bikes. This power-play on Hanoi's roads is analogous to state-state interactions in international law, which makes it a wonderfully appropo place to host this year's annual IADL conference. The conference will be discussing issues central to contemporary International Law: Right to Peace, Accountability in the Internatinal Criminal Court System, an Independent Judiciary, ESC Rights, and the Right to Development and Environmental Security.
I came to the conference with very little knowledge about NLG's International Committee and the IADL in general. However, the introduction meeting today clarified the history and the objectives of the conference. As we feasted over various vegetarian dishes in Hanoi's old quarter, Jeannie Myers, the current Secretary-General of the IADL gave us brief intro to the organization and the conference itself. IADL was founded in 1946 by the prosecutors of the Nuremberg trial, with the objective of creating an international coalition of lawyers to realize the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, further enshrined in conventions like the CCPRs, and CESRs. It has lawyer-members from over 100 countries, and they collectively attempt to carry out the struggle against violations of these foundational principals of modern international law. The conference will be attended by over 220 legal practitioners and students, and the President of Vietnam will give the plenary talk!!
Regardless of the fan and flare of the line-up, what I found most interesting were the career paths of the lawyers with whom I met. I would say over half of the 16 or so lawyers present had worked directly on labor and employment issues across America, and almost all had served as staunch opponents of the Vietnam War (and presumably Iraq too!). In fact, Jeannie spend the last 10 years of her career to use legal avenues to bring compensation to the victims of Agent Orange via American war-tactics during the 60s and 70s. It was refreshing to see American lawyers working on justice issues across the world, from Human Trafficking issues in Tajikistan, to human rights promotion in post-conflict Bosnia and Croatia to serving as defense counsel at the ICTR to pushing for peace on the Korean peninsula to suing oil companies for their misadventures in Nigeria to working with advocacy groups in Venezuela & Cuba. It was pretty inspiring to be sitting among a group of folks who were reaching beyond the rhetoric to make things happen, and hopefully this would serve as a good segway into tomorrow's events!
Anurag Gupta,
NYU Law School
I came to the conference with very little knowledge about NLG's International Committee and the IADL in general. However, the introduction meeting today clarified the history and the objectives of the conference. As we feasted over various vegetarian dishes in Hanoi's old quarter, Jeannie Myers, the current Secretary-General of the IADL gave us brief intro to the organization and the conference itself. IADL was founded in 1946 by the prosecutors of the Nuremberg trial, with the objective of creating an international coalition of lawyers to realize the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, further enshrined in conventions like the CCPRs, and CESRs. It has lawyer-members from over 100 countries, and they collectively attempt to carry out the struggle against violations of these foundational principals of modern international law. The conference will be attended by over 220 legal practitioners and students, and the President of Vietnam will give the plenary talk!!
Regardless of the fan and flare of the line-up, what I found most interesting were the career paths of the lawyers with whom I met. I would say over half of the 16 or so lawyers present had worked directly on labor and employment issues across America, and almost all had served as staunch opponents of the Vietnam War (and presumably Iraq too!). In fact, Jeannie spend the last 10 years of her career to use legal avenues to bring compensation to the victims of Agent Orange via American war-tactics during the 60s and 70s. It was refreshing to see American lawyers working on justice issues across the world, from Human Trafficking issues in Tajikistan, to human rights promotion in post-conflict Bosnia and Croatia to serving as defense counsel at the ICTR to pushing for peace on the Korean peninsula to suing oil companies for their misadventures in Nigeria to working with advocacy groups in Venezuela & Cuba. It was pretty inspiring to be sitting among a group of folks who were reaching beyond the rhetoric to make things happen, and hopefully this would serve as a good segway into tomorrow's events!
Anurag Gupta,
NYU Law School
Let the Games Begin
Lawyers and law students from all across the US gathered here in Hanoi today for a great veggie feast at the Tamarind restaurant (conveniently located right across from the Elegance Hotel). It was great seeing everyone excited about Vietnam and being here. We first met with a representative from the Vietnam Lawyers Association 
who brought us gift briefcases, our manual with the translated papers and a gift for everyone. The event starts tomorrow and we head early to the Convention Center. The President of Vietnam comes to address us tomorrow. We will try and tape it and get it up to watch. Banners hang around town welcoming the IADL.Art and Sandy had just gotten back from a boat trip on Halong Bay. Beautiful caves and rock formations and some kayaking too. Marjorie was sharing with some students and others her first trip to China just after Mao died in 1977 with the Lawyers Guild.
Several people had just arrived and more are still coming in. What was most exciting was to hear the wealth of experience as people went around and talked about their work and lives. Michael Sorgen shared his work in the 60's where they actually got a Federal Judge to declare the Vietnam War illegal and tracked his work forward through stop-Loss challenges and other cases.
Law Students shared their experiences in finding the Guild and how inspiring it was to be here. Tiger Beer and Carrot Juice flowed freely. Watch for everyone's blog entries in the coming days.Eric Sirotkin
Ashland, Oregon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)