Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL)

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2001 Summer Interns

In 2001, twelve (12) Indiana University Law Students worked for governmental, non-governmental, and inter-governmental human rights organizations in a dozen different countries. The students, who received law school scholarships and academic credit for their internships, worked for ten weeks each in office environments on a wide variety of human rights issues, including rights of mentally disabled persons, indigenous people, street children, labor rights, and other human rights. Below are a few comments about each of the interns and their placements.

List of 2001 Interns:

• Arnis Daiga (Riga, Latvia; Talinn, Estonia)
• Tim Brown (Castries, St. Lucia)
• Catherine Deprét (Kigali, Rwanda)
• Sarah Dillinger (Kathmandu, Nepal)
• Mark Fryman (Belize City, Belize)
• Tim Hurlbut (Budapest, Hungary)
• Cheryl Maman (Accra, Ghana)
• Daman Moore (Port Harcourt, Nigeria)
• Adriana Salcedo ( San Jose, Costa Rica; Mexico City, Mexico)
• Jenny Sarabia (Mexico City, Mexico; Castries, St. Lucia)
• Amela Sijaric (Port Harcourt, Nigeria)
• Janis Sims (Accra, Ghana)

Arnis Daiga (Riga, Latvia; Talinn, Estonia)

Mr. Arnis Daiga interned for two non-governmental organizations in the former Soviet Republics of Latvia and Estonia: (1) Latvian Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, in Riga, and (2) Mental Disability Advocacy Center in Tallinn, Estonia.

At both organizations, Mr. Daiga advocated for the Human Rights of the mentally disabled. In Riga, Mr. Daiga researched the treatment of mentally disordered criminal offenders and patient access to their medical records. In Tallinn, he sought to empower European and Asian advocates to provide information and advocacy to the mentally disabled.

Tim Brown (Castries, St. Lucia)

Mr. Tim Brown worked at the Aldet Center in Castries, St. Lucia. His assignments included researching laws concerning intellectual property rights and the indigenous people on the Caribbean island. Mr. Brown studied the emergence of the Carib indigenous people, their enslavement, their assimilation with African slaves, and the possibility of their receiving compensation from European colonist countries involved in slavery.

During the summer, Mr. Brown traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to attend preparatory committee meetings for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance (WCAR). The Geneva meetings were precursors to the WCAR, which was held in Durban, South Africa, in August and September 2001. Ms. Jenny Sarabia, Mr. Brown's co-intern, also participated in the Geneva UN meetings and worked in St. Lucia.

Catherine Deprét (Kigali, Rawanda)

Ms. Catherine Deprét spent her summer in Kigali, Rwanda, working at the office of the Attorney General of Rwanda. While in Rwanda, Ms. Depret worked on projects that sought to find solutions to the back log of prisoners awaiting trial for participating in the genocide of the 1990s. She researched issues related to the enactment of genocide legislation and gacaca jurisdiction.

Ms. Deprét also studied the possibility of the government of Rwanda derogating from fair trial guarantees enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights. She worked closely with a lawyer seconded from the United States Department of Justice. Upon her return to the United States, Ms. Deprét continued to work on projects she began in Rwanda.

Sarah Dillinger (Kathmandu, Nepal)

Ms. Sarah Dillinger worked for two non-governmental organizations in Kathmandu, Nepal: (1) the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED); and (2) the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GAESO).

In Nepal, Ms. Dillinger prepared an "Alternative Country Report on Implementation of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in Nepal” for submission to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Ms Dillinger traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, where the Committee held hearings on the report. While in Nepal, Ms. Dillinger interviewed representatives of government ministries, NGOs, and donor agencies about health and education systems and development programs in Nepal. She also researched women’s rights issues in Nepal.

Mark Fryman (Belize City, Belize)

Mr. Mark Fryman worked for the Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR), advocating for the human rights of workers in the Belizean banana industry. He researched and drafted memos related to legal issues encountered by the Banana Taskforce in their cause for education, advocacy, and promotion of unionization for the workers. Specifically, he worked with a Human Rights Commission lawyer and the Banana Taskforce to defend the rights of seven workers fired for their attempt at union affiliation under the Union Rights Act of 2000.
Banana workers in Belize suffer from brutal poverty, psychological and verbal abuse, and an extremely unhealthy environment. Their labor is exploited because many workers are not aware of, and have little if any access to, relevant Belizean law and international human rights law currently in place for their protection.

Tim Hurlbut (Budapest, Hungary)

Mr. Tim Hurlbut worked at the European Roma Rights Center in Budapest, Hungary, on the human rights of the Roma people. Roma people are sometimes known as “Gypsies,” and are at times negatively stereotyped as people who constantly travel throughout Europe making a living stealing and panhandling. The Roma are among the most discriminated groups in Europe. National and local governments appear to condone systematic discrimination against the Roma, and thus perpetuate widespread violations of the Roma’s fundamental human rights.

Mr. Hurlbut researched a new European Union anti-discrimination law. He reviewed current human rights reports for various European countries, seeking guidance for implementation in Hungary. The country reports were to be used by non-governmental organizations to gain an understanding of national responsibilities under a European Union directive.

Cheryl Maman (Accra, Ghana)

Ms. Cheryl Maman (along with co-intern Ms. Janis Sims) worked with the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) in Accra, Ghana. The LRC, which was created for grassroots human rights education and advocacy, also provides legal assistance to the community.

Ms. Maman interviewed youth leaders in the community, researched police-community relations with other security agencies, and helped organize a conference between leaders of the community and representatives of the police to work on establishing a cooperative relationship, ensuring respect and protection of the community. She attended night meetings between the LRC and the leaders of the Nima community in Accra, and worked with community women.

Ms. Maman also worked on a national reconciliation project, where she participated in fieldwork in the north of Ghana. Ms. Maman worked closely with interns from the University of Ghana Law School, and Harvard Law School (under the direction of Professor Lucie White of Harvard Law School).

Damon Moore (Port Harcourt, Nigeria)

Mr. Damon Moore worked for the Nigeria Civil Liberties Organization based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. He drafted memos, researched issues related to pending human rights litigation, and wrote letters to businesses informing them of the organization’s intentions to file suit against them.

One of his projects focused on the case of Mr. Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was a political activist executed by the Nigerian government after he protested human rights abuses perpetrated in his tribal region by Western oil companies. Mr. Moore explored the possibility of compensation from the Nigerian government for Mr. Saro-Wiwa’s wrongful execution. Mr. Moore’s research revealed that by denying the opportunity to appeal Ken Saro-Wiwa’s conviction, the Nigerian government not only violated the constitution of the country but also committed human rights violations under the African Charter and other international laws.

Adriana Salcedo (San Jose, Costa Rica; Mexico City, Mexico)

Ms. Adriana Salcedo's worked with Casa Alianza (Covenant House), a human rights organization that seeks to rehabilitate and defend homeless street children in Latin America. Casa Alianza has offices in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Ms. Salcedo visited and worked with Casa Alianza offices in Costa Rica and Mexico.

Ms. Salcedo researched the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international law instruments; researched juvenile justice in Latin America; and constructed a proposal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. She also observed and interacted with homeless Latin American children on the streets and at Casa Alianza facilities.

Jenny Sarabia (Castries, St. Lucia; Mexico City, Mexico)

Ms. Jenny Sarabia worked with the Aldet Centre, based in Castries, St. Lucia. Ms. Sarabia focused on issues related to race discrimination in the lead up to the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, in August and September 2001. She traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in the Second Preparatory Committee for the World Conference. In Saint Lucia, Ms. Sarabia also researched domestic violence legal issues. Ms. Sarabia also briefly worked with Casa Alianza in Mexico City, Mexico (along with co-intern Adriana Salcedo).

Amela Sijaric (Port Harcourt, Nigeria)

Ms. Amela Sijaric worked for the Nigeria Civil Liberties Organization in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, focusing on violations of human rights such as torture, lack of due process, and unlawful detention. With Mr. Damon Moore, also a PIHRL intern, Ms. Sijaric visited prisons and interviewed prisoners pre-trial. She also researched various aspects of human rights law related to domestic litigation.

Janis Sims (Accra, Ghana)

Ms. Janis Sims (along with co-intern Ms. Cheryl Maman) worked in Accra, Ghana, with the Legal Resources Centre, a grassroots human rights education and advocacy non-governmental organization that also offers legal assistance within the community. The LRC seeks to help eradicate human rights abuses, facilitate reconciliation for past human rights abuses, improve the quality of life in Ghana, and encourage Ghanaians to participate in good governance.

Ms. Sims worked on projects to improve community-police relations and helped investigate health and human rights issues in one of the most impoverished communities in Accra — Nima-Maamobi. She also participated in a national truth and reconciliation project.

Ms. Sims conducted legal and academic research to examine legislative instruments and the Ghanaian Constitution. Furthermore, she interviewed various people, including: representatives from international agencies such as UNICEF, UNDP, WHO; assemblymen and assemblywomen; youth group leaders; and tribal chiefs. She also helped to design and analyze a written questionnaire, conducted oral surveys of indigenous people in remote parts of Ghana, and assisted with open forums. Ms. Sims worked closely with interns from the University of Ghana Law School, and Harvard Law School (under the direction of Professor Lucie White of Harvard Law School).