Introduction
The Pacific sub-region has been grappling over the past several years with issues relating to democracy, human rights and the rule of law, in particular how those principles can best be promoted and protected within a constantly shifting political environment. There are many parallels between countries in the region and elsewhere, with similar challenges being addressed in various ways and with greater and lesser degrees of success. At the same time, it is recognized that each country will have its own specific strategies for moving forward. Within this context, the role of accountability mechanisms, particularly transitional justice mechanisms, in promoting and protecting democracy, the rule of law and human rights is of increasing interest.
The Roundtable Discussion
No Peace Without Justice and its Pacific partner, the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, are convening a Pacific Roundtable Discussion in Fiji on 24-27 June 2008, to discuss the role of and potential for various accountability mechanisms or processes in the promotion and protection of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the Pacific sub-region. The Pacific sub-region, in this context, is considered to include Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. Participants will be leaders drawn from the government and related institutions, civil society, the legal profession and the media. The meeting is organised with the financial support of the European Union, the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Topics for discussion include:
- The importance, indivisibility and relationship between democracy, the rule of law and human rights;
- The role of accountability in the promotion and protection of the rule of law, democracy and human rights;
- The role of Constitutions and other legal mechanisms in conflict prevention and post-conflict accountability;
- The role of the media, the legal profession and other members of civil society in promoting and upholding the rule of law, democracy and human rights;
- The international criminal justice system, including mechanisms for addressing war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, with a particular focus on the International Criminal Court;
- National formal justice systems, including the role of the independence of the judiciary; and
- National formal and informal mechanisms, including traditional or “neo-traditional” mechanisms, designed to promote conflict resolution, transitional justice, reconciliation and similar goals.
Specific outcomes foreseen for this Roundtable Discussion include recommendations for addressing specific problems related to democracy, the rule of law and human rights at the country and sub‑regional levels. It is also foreseen that through discussions on formal and informal mechanisms, participants will elaborate what justice or accountability processes their country has experience with and what systems are there or have there been to address accountability, with a view to identifying the ingredients and components of the various accountability mechanisms relate to their explicitly declared, and/or non-declared objectives, and provide examples for future reference to other countries.
