Contextualising the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ in Darfur

ABSTRACT

This article argues for a thorough contextual analysis based on understanding local, regional and international politico-economic linkages in the Sudan, in order to ground prospects of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ (R2P) doctrine in the ongoing crisis in Darfur. The R2P framework was crystallised by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) in 2001. It was adapted and subsequently endorsed by United Nations (UN) member states during the 2005 UN World Summit. The R2P ostensibly provides normative benchmarks on how states should respond to the quadruple human rights violations of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. Indeed, there is debate on whether the prevailing crisis in Darfur constitutes a test case for the application of the R2P. However, such debate is misplaced on two grounds: first, it glosses over the inherent conceptual deficiencies of the R2P, as presently constituted. More importantly, such debate is primarily inspired by reactionary and externalising influences based on past international failings, like Rwanda (1994) and Bosnia (1993). Hence, it is argued that the starting point of analysing the Darfur crisis should be a thorough investigation of how local, regional and international politico-economic factors have historically worked in an orchestrated fashion to trigger and sustain the crisis in the Sudan. Knowledge and an understanding of such historical specificity is a requisite for determining the relevance of the R2P in Darfur. The R2P, as presently constituted and practised, does not address this gap.     

Reconstruction and reparations: Lessons from China and the Pan-African world

Abstract

This article addresses the role of the university and institutions of higher learning in carrying out the mandate of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR), held in Durban, South Africa in 2001. The active contribution of the university is anticipated in Article 98 of the Programme of Action published in the Report of the World Conference (2001), which clearly states:

We emphasize the importance and necessity of teaching about the facts and truth of the history of humankind from antiquity to the recent past, as well as of teaching about the facts and truth of the history, causes, nature and consequences of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, with a view to achieving a comprehensive and objective cognizance of the tragedies of the past.     

Fit for what? Towards explaining Battlegroup inaction

Abstract

The thrust of this paper concerns the case of the European Battlegroup (BG) non-deployment in late 2008, when the United Nations requested European military support for the United Nations Organisation Mission peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The argument is built on the fact that when, in official documents, the EU approaches the European security and ESDP/CSDP's military crisis management policy and interventions, it makes strong references to the United Nations and the UN Charter Chapter VII's mandate of restoring international peace and security. Such references make it seem that supporting the UN when it deals with threats and crises is a primary concern of the EU and the member states. These allusions lead to the main contention of this paper, that there is much ambivalence in these indications. The paper develops its argument from one key hypothesis; namely, that the non-deployment of a European BG in the DRC, at the end of 2008, constitutes a useful case study for detecting a number of ambiguities of the EU in respect of its declarations in the official documents establishing the European military crisis management intervention structure.     

自然、契约与人性——古希腊智者与近代契约理论的界分

契约理论是关于国家(城邦)起源的重要理论。古希腊智者学派在自然与约定的争论中表达了早期的契约理论,将自然本性和人性完善作为契约的基础,对人、社会、自然做出了界定,同时也抬升了人的地位。近代霍布斯、洛克以自然状态为社会契约论的逻辑起点,以人性的欲望至上性为基础,在确立人的主体地位的同时,也削弱了自然和人的本性力量。通过古代与近代契约理论的界分,领悟到人的真正发展是自身发展和自然的复活,是人、社会、自然的和谐发展。     

生态人与法的价值变迁

人性处在不断变化、不断发展和完善之中,人性的进化必然同时带动了法的价值变化。生态人代表了人性在环境时代的一次全新展现,它意味着"自我"认同继续深化成为人与自然一体的"大我",意味着利他精神不仅向后代人扩展,而且还超出了人类范畴而惠及到自然界内的其他生命物种——而生态人所代表的人性在环境时代的种种变化,必然最终带来了法的安全、平等和自由价值的变迁。     

论任意雇佣原则在美国劳动法中的衰落

从19世纪末开始,美国普通法上形成的任意雇佣原则授予雇主任意解雇员工的权力而不要求其承担任何法律责任,对劳动者权利保护甚为不利。考虑到绝对任意雇佣原则所带来的种种消极影响,在许多方面已经不适应现代劳资关系的发展,美国立法机关和各州法院已经形成该原则的多项普通法例外,任意雇佣原则逐步走向衰落。由于任意雇佣原则在美国社会长期实行,拥有深厚的社会基础,动用立法权和司法权等国家权力也并非以废止该原则为目标,因此迄今为止其仍然是调整美国雇佣关系的重要规则。     

国家干预经济中政府失灵的人性解读及控制

对政府失灵及其缘由的追寻和考究,是经济法学人长期以来的不懈追求,也获得了诸多真知灼见。然而,鲜有人注意到,人性中的"强"、"群"、"乐"等因素,才是政府失灵更为深刻的原因,从干预者人性的角度对政府失灵进行解读,可以为我们提供一个可靠的认识论基础,也可为经济法克服政府失灵提供有效方向和路径。     

常识、常理在司法中的运用

正确理解常识和常理,对司法裁判具有重大意义。常识和常理属于人们的的经验性知识,具有前理性、非系统性、经验性、大众性乃至客观性等特征。在司法中,常识和常理是法官认识案情、解释法律、展开逻辑推理的前提和基础。法官可以运用常识、常理认定案件事实,检验和校正法律推理。常识和常理还是法官进行法律论证的资源之一。但是,不能过于夸大常识和常理在司法中的作用。     

刑法中的人道问题

近代以来,随着人道主义呼声的高涨,犯罪人的处遇措施应该得到改良、死刑应当废止的主张日渐扩大了影响面。但是人道能否限制刑罚？从国内的主流观点——人道是刑罚的价值要素去推论,人道可以对刑罚构成一种根据性的限制,与人道不符,刑罚就应该废止。但是通过价值哲学、刑罚历史、刑罚根基的考察,人道不是刑罚的价值要素。因此,人道对刑罚的限制不是根据性的,而是条件性的,只有当人道理念较比刑罚理念占优势时,人道才限制刑罚。至此,中国当前的刑事政策应是适度改良监狱设施,坚持保留死刑立场上的严格限制死刑。     

法官判决的知识基础

通过两个有关法官判决的司法文本的对比阅读,力求揭示“常识”这一知识形态自身内部结构因素的流变以及逻辑基础和知识谱系的转化,进而动态地展现其与司法知识之间的微观内在勾连;并在此基础上,努力在社会转型、权力分工以及司法知识形态的流变三者之间建立起一定意义的内在关联,进而揭示出当下中国司法知识专业化建设所可能面临的问题,从而指出解决问题的可能的司法模式或司法改革道路。