No peace without justice

No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ), in association with the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT) and with the financial support of the European Union, is organising a Roundtable Conference on “Justice, Accountability and International Experience” on 2-3 May 2007 in Islamabad. The Conference is part of a series of meetings organised within the framework of the NPWJ’s International Criminal Justice Program whose purpose is to give support to the practical operation of the principle of complementarity, whereby national systems maintain primary responsibility for addressing serious crimes under international law, and to promote local efforts to narrow the impunity gap that are designed to strengthen the rule of law and ensure the widest possible accountability for crimes under international law. The project includes an assessment of the effectiveness of national accountability mechanisms in implementing ICC complementarity, including through more effectively designed and operated non-judicial, quasi-judicial and neo traditional accountability mechanisms, thereby promoting positive complementarity through more effective integration of the roles of formal judicial institutions and non‑judicial, quasi-judicial and neo-traditional accountability mechanisms.

During the two-day meeting, participants with direct knowledge, experience and expertise in the realities on the groundwill focus on justice or accountability processes in the Pakistani context, as well as the contextual factors surrounding their establishment or operations. The accountability mechanisms that may be discussed in this respect include the Jirga system in the tribal areas of Pakistan such as the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) in the north-western part of Pakistan; Punchayets in many rural areas of Punjab and Sindh provinces; and the Sardar-based accountability system in some parts of Balochistan, Sindh and southern Punjab. Participants and speakers include former Ministers, Chief Justices and other legal professionals, parliamentarians, representatives of government and members of civil society, and for No Peace Without Justice, Niccolo’ Figa-Talamanca, Program Director, and Alison Smith, Coordinator of NPWJ's International Criminal Justice Program.

The results of the discussions will feed into the production of develop a Global Report on whether, how and to what extent non-judicial, quasi-judicial and neo-traditional accountability mechanisms have, could or should contribute to implementing ICC complementarity, narrowing the impunity gap and promoting the rule of law rather than provide an alibi for impunity, as they sometimes can appear. The Global Report is designed to be a lobbying and advocacy tool and an impetus for more rigorous consideration of the interplay between different mechanisms and their potential contribution to integrated -and more effective accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

No Peace Without Justice

No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) is an international non-profit organisation working for the establishment of an effective international criminal justice system and in support of accountability mechanisms for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, with a view to strengthening democracy and the rule of law worldwide. Much of its work is conducted in the field, gathering evidence, providing technical support, seconding experts and conducting extensive outreach campaigns. Extensive fieldwork has been conducted in Kosovo, in East Timor and in Sierra Leone.

For further information, contact Alison Smith, email: asmith@npwj.org, phone: +32-486-986 235.