The Faith Based Caucus for the International Criminal Court

1. The Faith Based Caucus for the International Criminal Court

2. The Faith Based Caucus The Faith-Based Caucus for the International Criminal Court is a coalition of religious and interfaith NGOs that promotes the ICC by disseminating information and promoting programs about the Court to their respective religious, ethics and faith-based communities, and by advocating for the ratification of the Court by countries throughout the world. The caucus is co-sponsored by the International Coalition for the ICC (CICC) and the American NGO Coalition for the ICC (AMICC).

3. Current Membership American Jewish Committee/ Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights American Humanist Association Baha‘i’s of the United States Church World Service Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Fellowship of Reconciliation Loretto Community Maryknoll Office for Global Concern National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA The National Service Conference of the American Ethical Union Presbyterian Church, USA Soka Gakkai International Temple of Understanding Unitarian Universalist Association United Methodist Church World Council of Churches

4. Why the International Criminal Court? • The International Criminal Court fights against human injustice and evil through rule of law, which is an essential prerequisite to promoting long-term peace building and to reconciling peoples and communities devastated by violent conflict. • The prime objective of the ICC is not only punishment ( or retributive justice), but also rehabilitation, protection, compensation, and restitution for the offended, or what theologians in the Christian tradition have described as restorative justice. • This includes looking at the moral, political and ethical dimensions of impunity, the individual and collective healing of society, including the rehabilitation of both victims and perpetrators, and the relationship between confession, repentance, compensation and forgiveness. • The International Criminal Court will provide an international judicial instrument capable of fulfilling the relevant concerns of the United Nations Charter, the International Bill of Human Rights, the Genocide Convention, as well as other United Nations Conventions for justice and peace.

5. Caucus Objectives • Promote education and awareness of the mission, membership and objectives of the Faith Based Caucus to faith-based constituencies, elected officials, media and the general public. • Promote education and awareness of the ICC and the Rome Statute within respective religious, ethics and faith-based communities • Promote NGO partnership with ICC to further the responsibility, rehabilitation and healing of victims, perpetrators and society. • Research and disseminate information about religious liberty and persecution issues as it relates to the Rome Statute. Explore the relationship between confession, repentance, compensation and forgiveness, including the moral imperatives of retributive and restorative justice.

6. Objective 1: Promote education and awareness of the mission, membership and objectives of the Faith Based Caucus to faith-based constituencies, elected officials, media and general public. • Increase and diversify membership of the Caucus • Establish faith based caucuses in The Hague, Washington DC • Publish advocacy ad • Continue to develop caucus web site

7. Objective 2: Promote education and awareness of the ICC and Rome Statute within respective religious, ethics and faith-based caucus • Encourage each caucus NGO to develop an education and advocacy strategy to implement within their own community. • Continue to develop ICC materials for distribution within faith based communities, including: • Encourage adoption of statements and resolutions in support of ICC. • Create curricula to educate constituencies about ICC. • Distribute ICC brochures for other faith constituencies, including Baha'i, Buddhist, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim communities • Distribute Sabbath observances. • Promote the Victims Trust Fund Campaign • Promote local congregational participation in AMICC local alliances. • Link caucus web site to denominational web sites.

8. Objective 3: Promote NGO partnerships with ICC to further the reconciliation, rehabilitation and healing of victims, perpetrators and society • Promote the establishment of the Centre for Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague • Help NGOs present religious persecution cases to the Court. • Encourage religious groups to sponsor victims called to testify to the ICC. • Develop seminars in New York and/or The Hague on religious liberty & persecution issues for ICC Judges, prosecutors and staff. • Develop working relationship with ICC Victims and Witnesses Unit. • Promote proposed April 2004 UN Fundraiser for Victims Trust Fund by Victims Rights Working Group.

9. Objective 4: Research and disseminate legal and theological analysis religious liberty and persecution issues as it relates to the Rome Statute. Explore the relationship between confession, repentance, compensation and forgiveness, including the moral imperatives of retributive and restorative justice. • Organize proposed Fall 2003 conference/seminar on the Rome Statute and religious liberty/persecution issues at Columbia University Law • Post on caucus web site relevant theological articles that examine the moral imperatives of the Court • Contact theological seminaries and relevant academic departments.

10. For More Information on the Faith Based Caucus: Website: http://www.amicc.org/faith.html Jeffery Huffines, Co-Chair CICC/AMICC Faith-Based Caucus 866 UN Plaza, Suite 120 New York, NY 10017 Tel.: 212-803-2500 E-mail: ciccfaithcaucus@yahoo.com To subscribe to the caucus email listserv, please send a blank message to: icc-faithcaucus-subscribe@yahoogroups.com