A day of Reckoning comes to the big screen

The Reckoning, a documentary film by Skylight Pictures about the first cases of the International Criminal Court, will be presented at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Festival organizers selected about 200 films for exhibition from more than 9000 submissions.

Launched in 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is the first international tribunal of its kind, a permanent criminal court set up to prosecute individuals for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. The Reckoning, a feature-length documentary filmed in High Definition on 4 continents, follows charismatic, relentless Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo and his team as he issues arrest warrants for leaders of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, puts 4 Congolese warlords on trial in The Hague, charges the President of Sudan with genocide and war crimes in Darfur, challenges the UN Security Council to have him arrested, and shakes up the Colombian justice system. How is this tiny upstart court in The Hague going to bring justice and enforce the Prosecutor’s mandate to end genocide in the Wild West of these conflict zones? As the Prosecutor tells us, he has to take this tiny court, created by dreamers, and turn it into a functional reality. He has a global mandate to prosecute perpetrators around the world for the worst crimes imaginable, whether they are warlords or military brass or heads of state, even as they continue to wreak havoc.  But he has no police force – he needs to shame and pressure the international community to follow through, to muster political will.  It has turned out to be a monumental David and Goliath challenge. Will it succeed?  This is a court for humanity, and it’s fighting for its life against the forces of impunity.

Afghanistan signs cluster bomb treaty

In response to an international campaign by human rights organizations, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan agreed to join more than 90 other nations last week in signing a treaty to ban cluster munitions.

The decision was a surprise given Karzai’s close relationship with the U.S. government, which opposes the treaty that bans the use, production, sale, and stockpiling of the bombs. Hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan and other conflict areas have been killed or seriously injured by the bombs, which scatter small explosives across a wide area and can explode years after they hit the ground. The New York Times and other outlets covered the story.

Tim Tebow - QB on a Mission

Tim Tebow led the Florida Gators to their second BCS Championship but his leadership extends far beyond the football field. We can only hope he elects to stay at Florida for one more season as his visibility, integrity, and impact on others is likely maximized in pursuit of a third national title instead of a development year in the NFL. This is how Tim spends his downtime from the Gators.