Taking the Fifth » 2009 » January » 30

BILL OF RIGHTS-- First Amendment - Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.-- Second Amendment -A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed-- Third Amendment - No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law-- Fourth Amendment - The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.-- Fifth Amendment - No person shall be held to answer for any capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.--Sixth Amendment - In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district where in the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.-- Seventh Amendment - In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law-- Eighth Amendment - Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted-- Ninth Amendment - The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people--Tenth Amendment - The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people--.

ICC BEGINS TRIAL FOR RECRUITMENT OF CHILD SOLDIERS

This week the International Criminal Court (ICC) began its first trial. Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dilyo is charged with the use of child soldiers in the recent civil war in The Congo.

According to Human Rights Watch Lubanga, the former leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) is one of four Congolese leaders charged by the ICC with the use of child soldiers. Also in custody are Germain Katanga of the Ituri Patriotic Resistance Forces (FRPI), a Ngiti-based group, and Mathieu Ngudjolo, of the Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI), a Lendu-based militia. Bosco Ntaganda, a former comrade of Lubanga in the UPC is reportedly cooperating with the Congolese government and has not been arrest even though the Congo a signer of the Rome Statute which formed the ICC is duty bound to arrest him.

Lubanga is not the first person put on trial for human rights violations involving child soldiers.has charged nine people and convicted four of them for similar human rights violations involving child soldiers under the age of 15. The use of child soldiers disrupts families, causes long term psychological damage to the kids and destroys their childhood.

The trial of Lubanga is the result of events that occurred between September 2002 and August 2003 in Ituri, a part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. During that period according to the United Nations and the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers their were approximately 30,000 child soldiers in the Congo.

The trial of Lubanga not only spotlights the dangers of the recruitment and use of child soldiers, it leads the way to future prosecution of others involved in the recruitment of child soldiers. But perhaps more importantly it indicates that in the future the ICC is going to be a force in the prosecution of human rights violations.
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