In search of real justice for Africa and Africans,and her/their descendants in a world of justice,injustices and impunity

Abstract

The quest for justice by Africans and peoples of African descent, wherever they may be in the world, is arguably one of the most daunting mental, psychological, moral, legal and material challenges facing humanity in general, and the peoples of Africa in particular. It is a question of whether African peoples demand justice for the wrongs committed against Africa and its peoples over the last 500 years, or whether Africa and African peoples accept complicity in the global impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of those injustices, and by doing so diminish the significance of contemporary enthusiasm for global justice. Centralising the question of impunity to date for horrendous crimes, gross human and peoples’ rights violations and other injustices against Africa and Africans is not meant to distract Africans in Africa and the diaspora from the quest, in the 21^st century, for a new Africa that we have a historical responsibility to build and, by doing so, to ensure that the past is not repeated. Acknowledging the wrongs of the past and making symbolic reparative actions for those wrongs are essential for ensuring that the pursuit for a better world of justice is not built on top of underlying sinkholes and on the waste dumps of past injustices. Critical breakthroughs, such as the commitment enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the African Union (2000), on crimes against humanity, war crimes, genocide and the prohibition of unconstitutional change of government, must be vigorously pursued to their logical conclusion. To do so requires an understanding of where Africans, in their relationship with peoples in the rest of the world, are coming from. Smaller parts of the world have experienced similar heinous injustices with impunity, and Africa's pursuit of real justice also applies to those states and their peoples. Corrective or reparative justice is needed to clear the path for the meaningful and honest promotion of real global justice in the making of the future. It is imperative that the making of the African Renaissance confront real global justice for the sake of the past, the present and the future.     

Mapping the effects of Brexit on legal education in Wales: proposals for addressing students’ concerns

ABSTRACT

Whilst the future for UK–EU relations remains to be realised, Brexit will have consequences for legal education. However, to date, neither the UK nor Welsh Governments have sufficiently addressed what those consequences will be for higher education. This paper, which documents the results of 336 student questionnaires received from law students surveyed from every law school in Wales, evidences that learners have already started to decide what they believe Brexit means for them. Amongst the numerous challenges for Welsh law schools is the opinion of current students that Brexit makes Wales a less attractive place for overseas students and lecturers, both EU and other internationals, to study and work. Meanwhile UK students studying in Wales are questioning the relevance of EU law modules, and are viewing aspirational careers within EU institutions as now being “closed doors”. By drawing upon our findings, as well as comparisons with other EU Member States, this paper proposes six areas where urgent collaboration between governments and universities is needed. Failing to address the concerns identified by this research has the potential to further threaten the internationalised education model that UK students benefit from by studying law at Welsh universities.     

西方国家放宽经济制裁背景下的缅甸经济发展前景

西方国家对缅甸实施长期经济制裁,深刻影响了缅甸的经济发展。2011年3月,缅甸新政府执政以来,采取了一系列政治经济改革举措,得到国际社会普遍认可,也促使西方国家放宽对缅甸的经济制裁。在此背景下,缅甸未来经济发展潜力巨大,但也面临诸多问题和挑战。     

Disrupting Conventional Law Firm Business Models using Document Assembly

Document assembly software is a technology that is fundamentalto disrupting law firms. This article uses the framework setout by Clayton Christensen in The Innovator’s Dilemmaand subsequent books to examine the range of business modelsthat use document assembly software, from those that are sustainingin relation to law firms to those that are disruptive in relationto law firms. It looks at three barriers that slow down thepace of disruption: a shortage of the right people, rules againstunauthorised practice, and inadequate capitalisation of lawfirms. These barriers will be overcome on a piecemeal basisas disruptive forces advance and undercut the billable hour.     

当代中国内地的行政救济体制

当代中国内地的行政救济体制主要由行政机关救济、司法机关救济、权力机关救济构成,三种救济体制相互衔接、互为补充。但无论是行政机关救济,还是司法机关救济,抑或是权力机关救济,为行政相对人所能提供的救济都是极为有限的。而且,受我国政治体制和历史传统与观念的影响,行政救济体制的功能尚未完全发挥。因此,进一步增强救济机关的独立性,完善行政救济程序,拓宽行政救济的范围,是未来中国行政救济体制发展的必然趋势。     

BBNJ国际协定中人类共同继承财产原则的去留探析——人类命运共同体理念下的中国因应之策

国家管辖范围以外区域海洋生物多样性(BBNJ)养护和可持续利用国际协定的立法进程已进入关键阶段。其中,关于BBNJ国际协定的一般原则或方法条款中是否包含人类共同继承财产原则这一问题,各方代表立场不同,再次成为谈判焦点之一。从全球海洋治理中,国际法理论与实践创新以及国家利益视角分析,得出中国应当支持此原则被明确列入BBNJ国际协定一般性条款之中。但是,解构当前人类共同继承财产原则的法律内涵与适用,结合现有各方立场,得出此原则最终被明确列入BBNJ国际协定一般原则或方法条款中的实然可能性偏小。基于此,建议中国首先立足争议问题本身,将人类命运共同体理念作为价值导向引入BBNJ国际协定,增强各方国际合作与责任承担共识,平衡诉求矛盾,推进BBNJ国际协定的出台与生效;其次,通过引入人类命运共同体理念,完善人类共同继承财产原则的国际法内涵,增强该原则在谈判中的国际认同度与采纳度,并通过阐释中国支持性的主张,进一步增强中国运用人类命运共同体理念参与并引导全球海洋治理的能力。     

人类共同价值的生成逻辑及其内在维度

人类共同价值是构建人类命运共同体的基本话语,它正在得到越来越多的国家的响应和认同,成为不同国家和民族共同接受和遵循的价值话语。多种宏观要素和社会历史条件有机统一,共同作用,形成了人类共同价值的生成逻辑及其内在维度。人类共同价值是当今人类实践活动深度融合的价值反映,是各个国家共同利益不断增强的价值共识,是当今时代各国应对共同挑战的价值立场,是国际社会反对西方普世价值的价值诉求,是不同国家自觉进行价值互鉴的价值结果,是各个国家构建全球价值格局的价值愿景。只有深刻理解人类共同价值的生成逻辑及其内在关系,才能真正把握人类共同价值的科学内涵和正确取向。     

近代国际法之罗马法基因考

近代国际法体系在形成与发展的过程中,汲取了丰富的历史资源。其中,罗马法为近代国际法的成长奠定了理论、制度和法律精神上的深厚基础。首先,近代国际法的概念和范畴与罗马“万民法”息息相关;其次,罗马法中民事权利主体平等、契约自由、保护私产、侵权责任等重要的私法原则和制度经由格劳秀斯等近代国际法学家的移植、解释与演绎逐渐演变为近代国际法中的重要规则;更为重要的是,源自罗马法的平等、公平正义等重要法律理念和法律精神在罗马法和国际法的互动影响中,引领着近代国际法在数百年间向着文明与和平的主题不断进化和发展。探讨罗马法对近代国际法成长历程中的多元影响,对于理解国内国际法律秩序,丰富国际法话语体系的内涵,构建人类命运共同体的国际法治方向有重要的启发和意义。     

太空安全秩序构建中的体系压力与战略指向

在当前“一超多强”的国际体系中,美国加大太空威慑不仅直接给对手带来清晰的威胁,还导致国际太空安全日益滑向军备竞赛和安全困境。这种由美国追求太空霸权所导致的国际体系层面的变化又反过来塑造着当前太空安全关系,促使其他各国在体系压力下作出包含反威慑在内的复杂应对。除了来自国际体系层面的安全压力,各国的太空安全战略选择还受到太空力量功效、太空法规意识、战略协调、国家互动情势、政治过程等中介变量的影响。这些中介变量不但影响国家对太空安全的认知,而且一段时间内会导致国家间太空安全决策的效率竞争型社会化。不过,随着国际社会过程不断延伸发展,太空力量功效和太空法规意识增强使相关国家安全决策更为谨慎和规范。全球化曲折推进中的战略沟通和政策协调使国家间太空安全互动情势由进化冲突向进化合作转变。在各国保持战略审慎的前提下,太空力量的多元化有助于构建包容、普惠、和谐的新太空安全秩序。太空全球性实质引领的共同利益观念又将助推人类命运共同体的构建。     

印尼政治经济2002年回顾与2003年展望

2002年印尼的政治局势总体趋稳,经济主要由消费驱动只获得小幅增长。2003年印尼的政治风险因临近选举而增大,政治经济形势不容乐观。经济增长动力仍然只能依靠消费,投资和出口乏力,因此,经济增长也只会稍高于2002年,不可能有大的改观。