Mauritshuis Museum, Den Haag

Warning: Art Geekout forthcoming

On Sunday the 16th, Erin and I decided to explore more of Den Haag, since we honestly haven’t seen much of it other than the courts, which are on the outskirts of Den Haag, not where the life is for the most part. We got up late and headed to the Mauritshuis, which is this absolutely amazing art museum in Den Haag, containing masterpieces from, among others painters, Rembrandt and Vermeer. Most notably, the Mauritshuis is home to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.

This painting is beyond incredible. She follows you around the room, even as you look at the other paintings surrounding her, daring you to leave the room and her entrancing stare. There’s just something about her. Something that makes her real, more lifelike than any other painting. As I walked in the room, I was intensely concentrated on Michael Sweerts’ A Young Maidservant, not knowing whom I was sharing the room with. When she caught my eye, my heart skipped a beat. Although there was beauty surrounding her, I could not tear my eyes away. The Young Maidservant to the side of the Girl with a Pearl Earring is also radiant but in a different…an everyday way. While the Girl’s eyes show mischief and a quiet self-confidence, the Maidservant’s eyes are dark and full of longing.

Across the room from the Girl are some of the most incredible paintings of buildings, churches, and landscapes you’ve ever seen. Yet this side of the room is almost completely empty, deserted in wake of the Girl across the room. And what’s more… no one looks twice at the Maidservant.

But—could they be looking at each other if they were placed differently? The Maidservant seems to be looking out the window, and the Girl across the room. But if I had arranged the gallery, I may have placed them across the room from one another. Yet what would this say? Would that placement satisfy their longing? Finally to look at someone who wouldn’t turn away; someone who would look at her forever and never tire.

Other highlights at the museum for me included Johannes Vermeer’s View of Delft

Jan Brueghel I and Peter Paul Rubens’ The Garden of Eden With the Fall of Man

and Rembrandt Rijn’s Susanna and Two Moors

Art means a lot to me, even if I don’t have as intimate a relationship with it as I used to have. I love museums. They’re a place where I can be as solitary as I need and really sink into pieces of art. Sit where I want to sit for as long as I want, feel part of a painting, part of the furniture, and look into a piece of the artist, and subject’s, soul. That’s why I’m not a huge fan of commissioned portraits. I feel that these are just a shadow of most painters’ best work. The paintings that put bread on their table and allow artists to explore the painting they really want to complete.

Furthermore, often in portraits of royalty, black servants will be pictured to show the prestige of the royalty. This is something that I can’t stand… but yet fascinates me. Many times in portraits, people are pictured with an item of significant importance to them. Something that describes something about them and shows viewers what kind of a person this was. Thus, by adding a black slave to the photo, it is showing this person as an object. And not only that, but an object that says something about the subject of the portrait. The wealth and prestige. I own another human being, it says, and therefore I hold supreme power.

After the museum, Erin and I, who had separated since we had different museum paces, met up with Liz and Sam who had gone earlier, and got lunch at this British bakery slash lunch place called Kensington (yeah, I got a picture with the sign, betches) which was just about the most adorable bakery ever. The British man who owned it seemed to know every expat who lived in Den Haag, walking outside and greeting each one passing by. The food was amazing, both entrees and baked goods.

Then we hit the shops, of course, which is somewhat boring to retell, and headed back to the hostel for dinner. I skyped with Roth (happy T-bday darling!) and then we watched Havana Nights. Daymnnn.

Yay for finally catching up on blogging!
Mac

Delft and Rotterdam

On Saturday the 15th, Erin, Sam, Liz, Celine, and I slept in and then headed to Delft to see what they had to offer. We took the train from Station Hollands Spoor and ended up in Delft around noon. We headed toward the center of town, stopping on the way to eat at a really cute restaurant. We took our time before hitting the center, which was truly how you think of Holland. There were musicians on the street playing music, and—get this—people canvassing on the streets. Sadly, we’re not Dutch so we couldn’t help out the canvassers very much, but it was awesome to see the youth activism there. Especially because they were raising HIV/AIDS awareness. Holler!

Then, we headed to a little workshop that made authentic Delft pottery. We asked for a tour, to which one of them men replied, “A tour? Uhh… sure. Here it is!” He showed us around and showed us how the pottery was made. It takes a few firings before painting and then a firing after. After a few dish washes, the paint will come off, so it’s important to hand wash the authentic things. Apparently, the smaller the item, the more likely it is to break during firing.

Things were expensive, but needless to say, I bought a few things for mama bear (not gonna give it away though! Good try, mum.) We became fast friends with the guy who makes the pottery, and got a photo with both him and the painter. The potter was passed down the craft from his father. Super cool.

After that, we found an outdoor market that pretty much rocked. There were tons of fresh flowers. I really wished I had somewhere to bring flowers, because they smelled incredible. There were other booths for jewelry, clothing, underwear, purses—pretty much anything. It was kind of like a flea market but better. And we seemed to be some of the only tourists. The potter had told us that tourist season was the spring, so they were making pottery to stock up for that time. They don’t get very many customers this time of year. There was a stroopwaffle stand too. And Delft boys? Super cute. Much more attractive than other men I’ve seen in this country. (No worries Roth, you’re way cuter)

Then, Celine headed to Leiden to visit a friend, and Erin, Liz, Sam, and I headed to Rotterdam to see what was up there. It’s a large city, but much more spread out than Amsterdam, and therefore, it was difficult to find out where the haps were. The architecture is all really cool, since it’s all relatively new and experimental. During World War II, Germany bombed the hell out of Rotterdam before the Netherlands would surrender, and therefore much of it had to be rebuilt and they got wicked experimental. Photos to come! We went into a sex shop and walked around a bit, but most things were closing around that time, and it was definitely before party time.

With that, we headed back to Den Haag, grabbed food at a wok place, and watched Dirty Dancing in Liz and Sam’s room. And that, my dears, was our exploratory and fabulous Saturday! It’s so great to be able to hop on a train and be somewhere totally different in 5-20 minutes. I so with the US had a system like this.

Peace,
Mac

Court of Arbitration, Court of Justice, Leiden!

Yesterday was Friday and we ended up going back to the Peace Palace for a tour. The Peace Palace holds five institutions, including the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which we spent most of the tour talking about. The court was established in 1899 at the First World Peace Conference. It has 111 members with hearings held in secret, unlike the ICJ, ICC, etc. The two arbitrators each have a judge, and there is a 3rd judge who is prom a neutral party and serves as the president of the arbitration. The court oversees mostly financial cases.

In fact, the Peace Palace was built primarily for this court. Countries that are signatories contributed money toward the building of the Palace, and Andrew Carnegie also gave a substantial amount of money. Many countries also give gifts when they join the PCA. The reason that it’s in Den Haag is that it was easily reachable both by land and by sea. The Netherlands was also already becoming the hub for international law.

Currently, the PCA is overseeing the Abyei case between the government of Sudan and the SPLM. It is being held in secret, though, as all PCA cases are, and the public has no information on how the case is going. Things may drastically change if South Sudan becomes its own state, and, further, if it signs onto the PCA as a member state.

We learned more about the International Court of Justice, which also resides in the Peace Palace. In 1946, the ICJ replaced the Permanent Court of International Justice, which had been put in place by the League of Nations. The ICJ stands as the principal judicial organ of the UN, focusing mostly on border conflicts and treaty violations. Judges are chosen by the UN General Assembly every nine years, It hears five to six cases per year, each case lasting about five years.

Conclusions made by the ICJ between two states are binding, but advice is not. In the case of Israel v. Palestine, Israel did not listen to the advice of the ICJ. Accountability is ensured mostly by diplomatic measures, although this has not often been an issue.

---

After the tour, Erin and I bought stuff at Albert Heijn to make sandwiches and we ate in the hostel before napping and then heading to high tea with Flavio and Bryan. We decided not to head to the ICC, because with their lunch break, we would have caught only about 45 minutes of the trial if we were lucky. And we definitely needed the sleep.

We headed to the Courthouse in this swanky pat of Den Haag for tea, and had an excellent time with Flavio and Bryan. They’re really bonding with us. We talked about everything from Harry Potter to youtube videos to trans issues to gender and sexuality. It was awesome.

Then, we grabbed dinner at this Turkish place at Hollands Spoor station and headed to Leiden (also spelled Leyden, apparently). Not much was going on their, but we went to this Australian bar for a bit, and then a coffeeshop called Paradise Coffeeshop, I believe, which is now one of our favorites. We had an awesome time, and then headed back to Den Haag where Erin and I slept forever. Boy, did we need to sleep bank. We got up at 9, headed to breakfast, slept some more, and then left for Delft!

More soon,
Mac

Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice

The Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice is this NGO in Den Haag that advocates for gender justice through the ICC. They’re incredibly kickass and work with the women most affected by the conflicts under investigation by the ICC through both the legal end and a programming end. Basically…. This org may be exactly what I want to do.

Three women met with us. Apparently they get a lot of requests for presentations, but are often unable to complete them. However, January is a slower month for them, and Hampshire has met with them before. They do political and legal advocacy about gender-based violence, capacity and movement building with women activists in armed conflict, conflict resolution in peace processes, monitor conflicts, contribute to publications, send e-letters, and work with other NGOS. They’re actually working with WITNESS, the video advocacy organization that STAND teamed up with for Pledge2Protect last November.

The Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice originated from the Women’s Caucus for Gender Justice, with the idea that a judicial solution to post-conflict transformation and current situations of violence does not fully solve the problems encountered in war-torn areas. They believe that women need to be involved in order to find an effective solution. Instead of viewing rape as a side effect of war and women as spoils, they argue, as many of us do, that rape is a systematic weapon of war and must be punished and treated differently in international criminal law.

They also advocate for victim participation in the ICC, and have helped many of the 1312 victims who have been accepted to participate in the Bemba case. These victims will all be eligible for reparations and have an opportunity to have their voices heard. They have been huge in the ICC’s development of a trust fund for victims through the ICC. They are constantly in contact with the court and prosecution, and have given amicus briefs to ask judges to ask the Office of the Prosecutor to reinvestigate certain cases. They also encourage women activists in areas of war and destruction to record the cases of gender-based violence so that there will not be impunity for these crimes.

The Women’s Initiative does field trainings for women on peace talks and processes and how to deal with domestic and international law. This. Fucking. Rocks. It is absolutely so important that women know their rights in these situations and learn about ways to advocate for themselves and their families. This gives them a path to both justice and reparations.

So… they basically rock. I really want to look into internships with them for this or next summer.

Love,
Mac

“If your neighborhood was being bombed, would you stay or flee?”

13 January 2011

Another day in the ICC today! We hurried so we could get to the court early. We got there and entered the courtroom. There were several African people speaking French to one another on the left side of the room. Celine and I sat by them, while Erin, Kathi, and Sam sat on the other side of the room in order to see the prosecution. Celine and I were very close to Bemba as the curtains opened.

***
WARNING: If you are triggered by sexual violence, please skip to the next set of asterisks.
***

As I mentioned before, today began the examination by the defense (what we would call cross-examination. The court does not call it this). The counsel for the defense, Mr. Kaufman, began by asking her about Chief Prosecutor Moreno Ocampo’s visit in February of 2008. He was polite with his questions, but seemed to be curt at some of her replies.

She said that those who were raped and robbed by the Banyamulenge met with the prosecutor. There was a large number, over 20 people. Mr. Kaufman continued questioning her about who spoke with her, what they asked, and what they did, but her memory did not seem to hold these names and dates. Other than the two prosecutors, she had only told her family and her father about her rape. Three white people recorded her story and took photos of the places in her testimony. She did not remember whether this was before or after Ocampo visited.

Mr. Kaufman asked her whether she had consulted a doctor after her rape. She answered no until the ICC brought her to see a doctor. She saw doctors in 2009 and 2010. They performed a gynecological examination on her and the doctor took notes. “After you had been brutally raped, why didn’t you see a doctor?” he asked her. She replied that to see a doctor, you need money, and since her money had been stolen by the Banyamulenge, she could not see a doctor. He asked whether she had gone to see the Red Cross or Medecine Sans Frontier (sp?), but she had not.

Mr. Kaufman grilled her about an error in her birth certificate, whose date was three days off from her actual date of birth, which was 13 February 1962. At this point, Bemba seemed to speak angrily to the defense counsel in front of him and pointed in the direction of the gallery. Mr. Kaufman asked whether the investigators had told her the dates of the attack, insinuating that they had put works in her mouth and tampered with her testimony. She said she was unsure of the dates, as it was long ago and she had been very upset at the time.

Furthermore, Mr. Kaufman mentioned other armed groups that had been in the Central African Republic at the time, suggesting that these soldiers weren’t necessarily Banyamulenge. She insisted, however, that they were wearing Presidential Guard uniforms. Bemba nods in the direction of the audience.

The session went on break after Kaufman asked, “If your neighborhood was being bombed, would you stay or flee?” She said, “I was supposed to go away.” And the defense decided to break for lunch.

When the curtains began to close to take the witness out, Celine and I saw Bemba wave to the African women seated next to us. These women laughed and waved back happily. ow we knew why they had been laughing throughout the victim's testimony. They were friends of Bemba, who is currently on the ballot for election in the DRC. Apparently, the gallery is often a place where supporters come, and people from the CAR are often too intimidated by the general feeling of the gallery to watch the proceedings.

I can say that I myself was extremely taken aback. I had been sitting next to Bemba supporters for the past few hours. Very eerie.

***

We had an appointment with the Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice after lunch, and so we headed to the store and picked up food. Celine and I got bread, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes to make sandwiches and headed to a café at Station Hollands Spoor near where we lived to grab coffee and make our food. Erin, Sam, and Kathi joined us.

Then, we took the tram to the ICTY stop and arrived early for our presentation at the Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice, which I’ll write about at length in my next entry. Working there may be my dream job. You’ll see why, but first I need to sleep. Then I’ll write all about it.

Over and out!
Mac

Erin's Birthday and Bemba Trial

12 January 2011

Happy Birthday to Erin! What an awesome day. The weather sucked and we were a bit ticked off during the day, but it was also amazing.

The first thing we did was head to the Special Tribunal for Sierra Lebanon—but not, as one would think, to learn about the Lebanon court. This is the site of the Special Court for Sierra Leone where Charles Taylor of Liberia is being tried under joint criminal enterprise for the mass atrocities that occurred in Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Because he never entered Sierra Leone during the conflict, they are using joint criminal enterprise to convict him. He is alleged to have participated in a common plan to export mineral resources. He is alleged to have had military control over the forces that carried out these acts.

Since there are not yet any prisoners for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon yet and the ICC is full, this seems the best location. The UN does not provide financial support for the SCSL, but the court is funded by country contributions. The United States is the biggest contributor, contributing 40% of the budget, with the UK, Netherlands, and Canada also giving significant funds. The court is working on closing after the Charles Taylor appeal phase is over. The highest conviction thus far was for 52 years. The SCSL is also the first international tribunal to take place in the country where atrocities were committed. Since Charles Taylor is such a high profile figure, however, they decided to move his case for security purposes.

Sierra Leone has a Truth and Reconciliation Commission simultaneously as the trials were being held. TRCs are used to write a more accurate version of history after conflict and to prevent future conflict in the region.

***
WARNING: If you are triggered by images of violence, please skip ahead to the next set of asterisks
***

Today was also the first day that we sat in on the Bemba trial at the ICC. We were able to sit in on a hearing where the witness was a victim whose identity was concealed. Every once in a while they would have to go into a closed session if names were being used, or any information was being used that could cause the public to identify the victim. This is the victim’s right should they choose these protective measures. Often, it is a huge risk for these people to come testify, and they are very afraid to be in the same room as the alleged perpetrator.

It was surprising to see Bemba. He is a large, stone-faced man who peers over his glasses at you from the left of the courtroom during proceedings. He is huge and guards sit on either side of him during court proceedings.

The victim is a woman. Questioning began with the prosecution, with her image and voice distorted to the public. A support person sat by her side in case she needed anything during the proceedings. Victims are allowed a break whenever they need one and can halt proceedings whenever they’d like. She may have as many breaks as she needs.

The story is that the Banyamulenge arrived at her house on 30 October 2002 around 7AM. The Bozize rebels had left the area, and boys were fleeing from the Bnyamulenge. That night, soldiers entered her house. From the bedroom, she could hear her brother yell, “No, no!” before a gun was shot. They withdrew and she heard her brother moan three times before silence. She heard him say, “Thank you, thank you. You’ve killed me. You may go in peace.”

After this information was relayed from her witness statement, the court went into private session in order to use names. When the court reopened, the prosecution was asking her questions. When she realized her brother was dead, she called to her neighbors to take him away. He was covered in blood with his head turned toward the door. The neighbors took him out through the back door and her uncle washed him to take him to PK22. He was bare-chested and the marks of bullets had left large injuries on his back. There appeared to be three marks from bullets.

When the prosecution was finished, the defense told Madame President that they had not been receiving emails and did not have the unedited transcript that the prosecution had been referring to, nor did they have the victim’s application, which had been filed the day before. At this point, they took a half hour break. We had to be at dinner soon thereafter, so we decided to leave and head back in the morning to see the defense present their case.

***

After court, we headed to this adorable Colombian restaurant near the ICTY with Flavio and Bryan. The food was really good, and we had an excellent time. The restaurant was family-owned and they really helped to make Erin’s birthday rock. Afterward, we took the tram to Flavio and Bryan’s apartment.

It was the cutest place ever. It was really small, with just a bathroom, small kitchen, living room, and one upstairs bedroom. Perfect for two people. They had a small party for Erin with this incredible Dutch cake and champagne. Everyone had an amazing time. We’ve decided to call Flavio and Bryan “Bravio.” They’re the absolute best.

Off for now!
Mac

ICJ, Peace Palace, ICTY

11 January 2011

Today we went to a hearing at the International Court of Justice at the Peace Palace and a hearing at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

The ICJ oversees disputes between nations. This particular case was Costa Rica v. Nicaragua. We got to see Costa Rica present its case. They said that Nicaragua had been illegally digging a canal across Costa Rica land. The dredging has already done a lot of damage on the San Juan River. Not only was the territory set by the 1858 treaty of limits, but the dredging also violates the charter of the United Nations and the charter of the Organization of American States. This case is to find whether or not Nicaragua is guilty of the aforementioned allegations and determine the reparation of Nicaragua to Costa Rica if necessary.

Costa Rica is calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Nicaraguan forces, cease construction of the canal, cease the destruction of trees and wetlands, cease dredging and dumping, and cease all other actions that would extend this dispute.

Of course, the first thing I noticed was that out of 16 judges, only two were female, and only 2 were black. In most other international courts, there is a mandate that there must be full gender equality, and representation by many nations. The judges are often very diverse.

We saw a few parts of this case before there was a recess in proceedings. We saw the general overview, the demands of Costa Rica, and a presentation of the geographical and historical context. I actually found this case incredibly intriguing and would like to look into studying state disputes in the future. I won’t bore with the details, but some of the technical legal things and use of treaties and documents were very interesting.

At the ICTY, we were able to view the Stanisic and Zupljanin case before our orientation with a woman from the Registry. We did not see a whole lot, since trials often move very slowly here, but I can say that it was very strange to be so close to these men. We couldn’t see Zupljanin very well from where we were seated, but we could see Stanisic. He looked up a few times and into the gallery, and when he did this, it seemed as if he was looking into your soul, memorizing your face. Every once in a while, he and Zupljanin would lean over and speak to one another and laugh, which was very disorienting and difficult to watch.

During our ICTY orientation, we also had a lot of information thrown at us, some old, some new. The ICTY was the first international tribunal since Nuremberg and Tokyo, and was established in 1993. It can only convict crimes committed in the territory of the former Yugoslavia after 1 January 1991 and can only cover individual disputes, not disputes between states. Its responsibility is on individual planning, ordering, instigating, aiding, abetting, and committing atrocities. This is mostly limited to superior command, or the knowledge of or failure to prevent atrocities from being committed. Unlike the ICC, it is a temporary court and trials are expected to wrap up by 2014 unless someone unexpected is found and arrested. Thus far, out of 161 indicted, 124 cases have been completed. There are 37 ongoing trials.

While this may not end impunity, it definitely sends a message that punishment for such crimes is possible. It works to ensure that leaders know that their position is no protection from persecution.

Final note: Prosecutor in the Stanisic and Zupljanin trial was a woman! She was incredibly confident and entirely badass. She may have been balding, but she knew what she was doing. Maybe someday this woman will be up there too. The possibilities are endless…!

-Mac

ICC, Case Info, and Beauty of Den Haag

Aha! So I haven’t blogged since I got to Den Haag, because it’s been really busy. But it’s also been fabulously epic.

10 January 2011

Today, we got up early to head to the ICC. We got a miniature tour and a briefing of the basics of the court and how it differs from the American court system. We couldn’t sit in on hearings, since the Bemba case begins on the 11th, but we did get to see the courtroom.

The history of the ICC is interesting. International criminal law has been around since the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials in 1945/6, and then the ICTY and ICTR in the 1990s. Since then, the United Nations has created several special tribunals. These are for a specific time in a specific territory, whereas the ICC is for all member states and signatories of the Rome Statutes. However, the ICC only began its jurisdiction on 1 July 2002, so crimes committed before this date are not covered by the ICC. The ICC is based off of a treaty, and was not created by the UNSC like the special tribunals are. It has a working relationship with the UN, but is an independent entity.

The mandate of the ICC is to prosecute the “most serious crimes of international concern,” these being war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and genocide. It operates under the clause of complimentarity, which means that the primary responsibility and duty to prosecute crimes and hold war criminals accountable lies with the states. If the state is unable or unwilling to do this, the ICC will take over. They are fond of saying it’s a court of ‘last resort.’

The three divisions are the pre-trial chamber, the trial chamber, and the appeals chamber. The pre-trial and trial chambers have three judges per chamber, while the appeals chamber has five judges, including the president of the Court. Next year, there will be elections for a new Chief Prosecutor.

It’s further important to note that the ICC has carried out no sentencing since its conception. They may imprison those found guilty for thirty years or life imprisonment in a volunteer state. They also have the power to impose reparations to victims. In the ICC, victims of atrocities may participate in proceedings—this is very new to international law.

There are a few cases currently taking place at the ICC. Relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is the Lubanga case, the Ntaganda case, the Katanga and Ngudjolo case and the Mbarushimana case.

Lubanga
UPC/FPLC leader
Enlisted child soldiers under the age of 15
Has had two suspensions in proceedings
First ICC case and first case relating to child soldiers

Ntaganda
Same crime as Lubanga

Katanga and Ngudjolo
Attacked Bogoro
Crimes = rape and child soldiering

Mbarushimana
Recent arrest in Paris
Will be brought to the ICC in the next few weeks

The Ugandan case currently underway relates to crimes of the Lord’s Resistance Army against the Ugandan government. There is one case, against Joseph Kony, for crimes against humanity, murder, sex slavery, rape, war crimes, and child soldiering.

There are a few cases relating to Sudan. The cases are against Harun, Banda and Jerbo, and, of course, al Bashir.

Harun
Currently the ‘Humanitarian Minister’ of Sudan
Accused of war crimes relating to Sudan’s civil wars

Banda and Jerbo
Related to the situation in Darfur, Sudan

al Bashir
Indicted for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide
First case before ICC to be tried for genocide

The Kenya case, which is the most recent if the ICC cases, indicts six high-level Kenyan officials for crimes against humanity during the last election in Kenya.

The Central African Republic case is the case I’m focusing on for the purposes of this class. It is against Jean-Pierre Bemba. Bemba sent troops into the Central African Republic to help the president keep power. He did not commit the crimes directly, but he is considered responsible because of his knowledge of the crimes and his failure to keep order within his troops. In theory, this will give a warning to other commanders who fail to keep order. It’s also interesting to note that the sexual and gender-related crimes outnumber murder in this case.

Currently, Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo is working to decide whether or not Palestine is considered a state, and if they can investigate crimes there. The International Criminal Court only has jurisdiction over nationals of a state party or a crime committed on the land of a state party. If the United Nations Security Council refers a situation to the ICC, then they will look at the criteria and decide whether or not to open an investigation. This was the case with the situation in Darfur.

Clearly, international law is new, and the ICC is still setting its own precedents. These first few trials and convictions will be vital in the ever-evolving role of international law. There’s so so much more to say, and I have so many more notes, but I don’t want to bore whoever’s reading this. ☺


Later—

Had an incredible walking tour of Den Haag with Flavio and Brian. It’s definitely a lot quieter than Amsterdam, but amazingly beautiful. They have very different vibes, but this one is definitely a lot more traditionally Dutch. I can’t wait to explore other Dutch towns. Erin and I are planning on hitting up Leiden, Haarlem, and Rotterdam next weekend.

I have so many photos, but failed to bring my USB drive, so sadly you won’t be able to see them until I’m home. Suffice to say that the medieval part of Den Haag is incredible. The place where Parliament sits and where the Queen lives is astounding… and of course right on a canal. I could really see myself spending a lot more time in this country. The only thing that’s wrong is the amount of rain and wind. How does anyone ever look good here?!

Bright side? Stroopwafels. Bringing a zillion home so y’all can try em.

Love,
Mac

Den Haag!

Today was a travel day again. Before heading to Den Haag, we went on a canal tour. We were in this houseboat-type boat, and got to see Amsterdam from the water, which is entirely different from seeing it on foot. It brings you back to what you’d imagine the old days in Amsterdam were like—before the cars, bikes, and trams. When getting around the city was either by walking or taking the canal. Amazingly old city. It’s interesting to look at these things kind of the way natives do—how their history is so embedded in their culture and language.

Then we went off for lunch. I went with Esther, Eje, and Noor to this wok place where we got noodle bowls. Then, we went to the waffle stand and got these doughnut-like balls of fried dough with cream down the middle. So good. I forget what they’re called, but it has the word ‘poof’ in it, whatever it is. I’ll definitely post the photos when I get home. I’m also kind of food blogging my way through this trip.

Then, we headed back to the hostel to meet Flavio and leave for Den Haag. It was a relatively quick trip. We took the tram to the train station at Lelylan where we took a train to the airport and then another to Das Haag. It was literally like 20 minutes from the airport in Amsterdam to Das Haag, which looks so far on a map. We zoomed past farms and provincial landscapes, further reminding us of the differences between our countries, and then arrived in Das Haag where we retired to the hostel. And here I am!

I’m going to the International Criminal Court tomorrow for our orientation to the cases and courts, and then have class with Flavio before getting a walking tour of the city. We definitely want to check out the coffeeshops and bar scene here.

I’m really excited, but nervous, to view the Bemba trial. I’ll probably blog about this later, but for now I am incredibly tired and must head to bed soon, as we need to be out of the hostel by 9 at the latest.

Hope y’all are well!
Mac

Life in Amsterdam

We just arrived in Den Haag after a crazy couple of days in Amsterdam. I think I’m in love with Amsterdam. There is so much life and bustle, but it is also a lot calmer than other cities I’ve been to. The overall feel is cozy, and the city itself is small and rather compact. If you know where to go, there are some really chill locals who can give you the DL on the haps around town.

I’m going to try to summarize everything that happened. Although it was only three days, it felt like a good full week. I don’t know if/when my feet will recover, but I’m hoping to sleep bank tonight.

The public transportation in Amsterdam is incredible. There are very few cars and very little traffic congestion, but this is partially because the trams rule the road. They are incredibly convenient and easy to ride. As long as you know what number to take and which stop to get off (which all the locals know, so you can ask anyone), you are golden. But we were also in the center of everything, so we’d only ever have to take the tram a few stops to get anywhere, if at all. Leidseplein is where we were and that is where the life of Amsterdam is, although it is quite touristy.

On the first full day, we explored the Jewish section of Amsterdam. We went to the Jewish Historical Museum, the Portugese Synagogue, Hollandse Schouwburg (Nazi deportation center), the Auschwitz Memorial, and the Dutch Resistance Museum. The Portugese Synagogue was very cool, partially because it is so incredibly old and still in use. It is the richer of the two synagogues in the area, and also a more conservative synagogue. Flavio, my professor, and his partner Bryan, both had to wear yarmulkes upon entering.

Other highlights from the day included the outdoor flea market, the awesome woman at Bagels & Beans who told us exactly where to go in town, Bluebird, this fab coffeeshop, and, of course, the Pub Crawl. Kathy, Eje, Esther, Noor, and I went. For 18 Euros, we got a free shot and a free drink at all 6 pubs that we went to. The dancing was good, the company was good, and a fab time was had all around.

Yesterday, we went to the Anne Frank museum. It was a really incredible experience, but not really what I expected. There was a lot of information, and poignant quotes from Anne’s diary were posted about the walls in the house next door, which was turned into a sort of museum. Once you entered the Secret Annexe through a bookcase in the wall, it was just empty rooms with a bit of information on some of the walls. It was eerie, walking around the empty rooms and knowing what happened inside of those walls. Anne’s room was furnished with pictures from old magazines, which had been smuggled into the Secret Annexe to help the girls stay sane during their two years of hiding.

Anne Frank is a huge reason why I do what I do. Having read her diary in the fifth grade, I felt a connection with her and her everyday struggles. It was soon after reading her diary that Harwich started a STAND chapter and I decided to join. It was her I chose when Theatre Lila ran a women’s workshop and we had to choose a woman who we related to to work with over the course of the workshop. For all intents and purposes, I was Anne. It was… incredibly humbling to walk through the rooms that this young, intelligent, and amazingly insightful young woman lived in.

I went to the Van Gogh Museum, which was incredible. His paintings are honestly beyond words. The paint strokes and emotion they portray, and the way they relate to the canvas are unbelievable. Some strokes are short, and others tower over the former. Esther and I had some incredible conversations about the paintings. It’s so different seeing them in person than seeing copies of them. The three-dimensionality is the best part. You can see the way the strokes were formed, and therefore see into the artist’s mind as they were painting. And how artists see things in ways others don’t. How when you and I both look out to the ocean holding hands we see it differently based on our personality, preferences, and mood.

Then, Kathy and I went out to meet Nina’s friend Grace at this place called Beer Temple. She is the vice-chair of Democrats Abroad. The members were having a social hour at this place, which was a really cool place. It’s a bit of a melting pot for those who have immigrated to the Netherlands. A place to gather and explore their interests with one another, as people who can all speak English in some way, but are living in Amsterdam.

We made friends with the bartender, and got excellent tips for bars, clubs, and coffeeshops that we just had to visit. There were two men we met—I think they were dating, but we weren’t sure—who gave us a thousand places to go, and told us to call them when we were back in town at the end of the night, because they wanted to chill with us. So when Erin and I are back in town, we’ll shoot them a line and see what there is to see!

Claire also offered us her pull out bed, which is hugely nice. So I’m going to email her and see if we can stay with her the weekend of the 21st. It’d be so nice not to have to pay 22 euro per night to stay at the hostel. Not only would we not be sharing a room with four strangers, but we’d be staying with someone local, learning more about the culture of the country, and be in an actual neighborhood, rather than the hub of the city.

So that was excellent! And then Kathy and I headed out late, but missed dinner and had to pick other people’s scraps. From there, we headed to this coffeeshop that they lady from Bagels & Beans recommended, called The Dolphin and had an excellent time. It was really chill, although the woman serving had to ask us to be quiet a couple of times. It’s odd that in coffeeshops, the music is similar to that at clubs, considering their different audiences. Although here, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much difference between and coffeeshop and a bar person, although perhaps that’s because drinking has a different aim in Europe than it does in the US.

We wandered to another coffeeshop after that, and then people seemed to want to go to a club. Sam and I didn’t really want to go to a club, so we hung out at a bar with Noor and her friend who lives in Amsterdam. The guys who were with Noor kept buying us rounds of shots, but I didn’t want to join in, so a few of us left and went back to the hostel, while others went clubbing. I was glad to get some sleep, especially as my feet and legs had been literally killing me all day.

After the fact,
Mac

Travel Day!

Today included Boston --> Philadelphia --> Dublin --> Amsterdam

Finally in Amsterdam and already having a fab time.

There were some travel issues, but when aren't there any? Erin and I missed our flight in Dublin and ended up having to run a 5K to try to make our flight in Dublin. We ran to the wrong gate and then had to go through customs and security again, missing the flight at the correct gate. Then we hit up customs and security again and hopped on the next flight. We had time to grab a beer before boarding to head to Amsterdam (holler at my first legal European drink!)

We hit up the Amsterdam public transport, and I was able to use my very limited Dutch to ask, "Sprekt u engels?" and, appreciatively, "dank u wel." We got to the hostel, napped, and then woke up before the other gals got here. We headed to dinner at the stayokay where our fave waiter Omar gave us three free pitchers of beer. Can you say welcome to Amsterdam? And now we're headed to bed early for a packed day tomorrow.

We're going to the Jewish Historical Museum, Portugese Synagogue, Hollandse Schouwberg (Nazi deportation center), the Auschwitz Memorial, and the Dutch Resistance Museum in the morning with the afternoon free. It's going to be pretty heavy, so we're looking forward to hitting up the coffeeshops and checking out the nightlife tomorrow night.

Jeez, it's tough to blog on a blackberry. But 3 euros an hour for internet? What, Netherlands? Really? Erin and I are gonna split costs when we want to use it, so this is it for now. I'll probably journal and hope to upload those entries later.

Okay, headed to bed. Long travel day. Love!

Off to Amsterdam

Currently sitting at Boston Logan airport with my friend Erin, preparing for our grand Dutch adventure. We're headed to Philadelphia, then Dublin, and then, finally, Amsterdam.

We'll be studying International Human Rights Tribunals; in particular, I will be studying the Jean-Pierre Bemba trial and the Thomas Lubanga trial. The Lubanga trial is currently on hold, so I'll be primarily at the Bemba trials, although I'll also have the opportunity to see trials at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Court of Justice.

Das Nederlands... it's going to be interesting. And intense. I'm going in large part because I want to know if international justice is something I want to pursue. Is it an effective form of preventing genocide and mass atrocities from occurring? What is keeping the proceedings going so slow? Are they targeting the right people? Is it fulfilling is ultimate goal of accountability for governments worldwide?

Big questions. And I have a lot of them. And honestly, I don't expect to get them answered--no one can answer them; international law is just too new to know much of this yet.

Well, cheers to a safe journey, new friends, and tourist adventures!

-Mac

Why I Care - Harwich High Address, 4 January 2011

Some of you know me.  My name is Mac Hamilton and I graduated from Harwich in 2009.  I’m currently a sophomore at Smith College and have been involved in the anti-genocide movement since I was a sophomore here.  I am the Advocacy Chair at SmithSTAND and STAND’s Northeast Regional Outreach Coordinator.

It’s hard to trace back to the point where I started caring about human rights.  I’ve thought a lot about it and can trace it back to when I was in Miss Malcolm’s sixth grade English class.  We read Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.  The sheer simplicity of the writing mixed with the horrors experienced by a girl my own age shocked me, and I was so thankful that that period of time was over.  Some of the injustices I could understand.  As a woman, I am a minority and have faced difficulties and injustices, but nowhere near what Annemarie and Ellen faced during the Holocaust.

For those of you who know me, you know that I was very involved in theatre in high school.  I did a lot of shows at the Harwich Junior Theatre, and it was in a class there that I first heard about anti-Semitism within the United States.  A dear friend of mine, a beautiful redheaded 12-year-old girl, had been harassed at her middle school for being Jewish.  The story was traumatizing.  How could the book I’d read relate to my friend 60 years later?  Someone had told her, “What is the difference between a Jew and a pizza?  A pizza doesn’t scream when it’s put in the oven.”  She told that story, sobbing, to a group of individuals in our class and as the tears dropped to the floor, my heart pounded and tears of my own appeared.  Clearly, there was something more to human nature than I had known before.

Fast-forward to Ms. Whittemore’s—now Mrs. Hoffman’s—freshman English class.  Reading The Diary of Anne Frank set the stage for me to join the newly formed STAND chapter the next year.  I was in a theatre ensemble called In Good Company at the time and a friend of mine invited me to come to a Battle of the Bands at Harwich High.  In between acts, students presented figures that I could barely comprehend.  400,000 killed.  2 million displaced.  Violence and fear still running rampant.  They told stories that, if I had not known my friend at HJT, and had I not read Number the Stars or The Diary of Anne Frank, I may not have believed, or may have downplayed. 

I bought a t-shirt—“STOP GENOCIDE IN SUDAN” it commanded.  From there, my actions grew.  When I heard about a new law, I would call my senators and urge my parents to do the same. I thought that if I made one hundred calls and if that saved even one human life, lightened the burden of one girl like my friend at HJT, that it would be worth it.  I was right.  Through my activism, not only have I found an incredible family of human beings that value human life and dignity above all other things, but also I have found that the actions of one person does truly affect the lives of hundreds.  Ruby’s life affecting mine has affected students across the United States and the global community in which we live.

Tomorrow, I’m leaving for the Netherlands.  A country once torn apart by World War II and the genocide that went with it.  A country that has transformed itself into a land of justice and a beacon of hope for genocide survivors and their descendants everywhere.  I will walk the same streets as Anne Frank, my personal hero.  The Netherlands is the site of the International Criminal Court, which currently is hosting Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former vice-president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who has been charged with two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes.  It is also hosting Thomas Lubanga, who stands accused of the war crime of ‘conscripting and enlisting children under the age of fifteen years and using them to participate actively in hostilities.’ 

Every day, I wear this whistle.  Contrary to the beliefs of the many who ask me why I wear it, it is not a rape whistle.  In the Eastern Congo, there has been a war raging since 1998 that has resulted in the deaths of over 5 million people, much of this a spill over from the 1994 Rwandan genocide.  When armies clash, they put young boys in the front line armed only with a whistle, which is supposed to scare the enemy away.  These boys take the first round of bullets.

Now, while this is all extremely depressing and difficult to hear, there’s also so much hope.  International outrage at these atrocities has grown in recent years, due in large part to outcries of activists in high schools and colleges across the United States.  In this year alone, we have gotten the United States to publicly support a United Nations Security Council Commission of Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity in Burma.  The US supports putting in systems in Eastern Congo to monitor mines and ensure that our electronics are conflict free, and not funding the armies that are enlisting child soldiers and raping Congolese women.  Barack Obama spoke on MTV in November about how the student movement has put the Sudan referendum on the administration’s radar.  The appointment of Princeton Lyman after nationwide vigils in August of 2010, the appointment of Darfur envoy Dane Smith in December, and the passing of the first ever genocide prevention legislation all happened because of student activism.

There are good things that are happening, but there is also more to be done.  The fact that civil war has not started in Sudan as of today, 5 days before the referendum, is incredible.  But it’s also important to continue monitoring the conflict should our voices be needed.  My only qualm about going to the Netherlands tomorrow is that I will not be in the United States to help mobilize people should violence occur as a result of the referendum.  That’s where you come in.  By going to http://bit.ly/pledge2protect and signing the letter to President Obama, you will also become part of the post-referendum rapid responder team.  If things do end up going badly, we are going to need all of the voices we can get calling our senators and the administration, writing letters, and taking action.  As high school students, you have a huge responsibility on January 9^th.  Most colleges will not yet be back in session.  You will be the ones most able to mobilize your communities, talk to your friends and family, and use your voices.

You did so much incredible work in 2010: from hosting Gabriel Bol Deng to having your own STANDfast to questioning your candidates for accountability, you’ve let your voices be heard.  And I know you can do the same in 2011.