I.P.O. ANNUAL REPORT 2004


Vienna, 28 December 2004/P/RE/19003c
 

NEW PUBLICATIONS

BOOK LAUNCHING EVENTS

On 14 June a book launching of Hans Koechler's "Global Justice or Global Revenge?" was organized by the University of the Philippines' (UP) Asian Center, the UP Institute of International Legal Studies, the UP Alumni Association, and the H. Koechler Political and Philosophical Society. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Hon. Hilario G. Davide, Jr., the Chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy, the Hon. Justice Ameurfina M. Herrera, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of the Philippines, Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing, and the Director of the Institute of International Legal Studies, former Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Merlin Magallona. On the occasion of the book launching, the H. Koechler Political and Philosophical Society released the first edition of the review volume on "Global Justice or Global Revenge?"

On 4 June 2004 a presentation of Hans Koechler's book "Global Justice or Global Revenge?" and book signing by the author was arranged at East-West University in Chicago (USA).
 

INTERNATIONAL ROUNDTABLE ON THE UNITED NATIONS

On 4 June 2004 the International Progress Organization organized an international roundtable meeting at East-West University, Chicago, Ill., USA, on "The United Nations and International Power Politics: The Future of World Order."

The meeting was organized in co-operation with the International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM). It was attended by NGO representatives, international law experts, and human and peoples' rights activists from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Austria. Among the guests was the Consul General of Turkey, Mr. Naci Koru. The roundtable was inaugurated by a lecture of Dr. Hans Koechler, President of the International Progress Organization, on "The Dialectic of Power and Law – The United Nations and the Future of World Order." Papers were presented, among others, by Dr. Yussuf Kly, member of the board of IHRAAM, on "The Subjective Nature of Democracy and Power Politics;" Dr. Türkkaya Ataöv, Professor emeritus of International Relations at the University of Ankara (Turkey) on "The American 'Model' and Multilateralism;" Dr. Farid I. Muhammad, Professor of Behavioral Sciences at East-West University (Chicago) on the recognition of collective rights in democratic multinational states; Prof. Sulayman Nyang of Howard University (Washington, DC) on "Islam, Social Justice and the Challenge of Globalization;" Mr. Roger Wareham, Attorney and representative of the International Association Against Torture (New York) on "The United Nations Reparations and the Politics of Racism;" and Ms. Maxine Hodgson, Director of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs at the Dept. of Justice (Saskatchewan, Canada) on minority rights in the future world order.
 

UNITED NATIONS REFORM

The International Progress Organization continued its co-operation with the Committee for a Democratic United Nations (CDUN) which was established in 2003 in Germany. The I.P.O. supported the initiative of CDUN for a Parliamentary Assembly of the United Nations and submitted a joint working paper entitled "Developing International Democracy – For a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations" to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (24 September 2004). The I.P.O. further participated in the European Public Debate, organized by the Union of European Federalists (UEF), on "The European Union and the Reform of the United Nations" (European Parliament, Brussels, 1 December 2004). The President of the I.P.O. delivered a special lecture on "The United Nations and the Imperatives of International Democracy."
 

CIVILIZATIONAL DIALOGUE

In a declaration issued on 5 February 2004 the International Progress Organization called upon the government of France to reconsider the draft law banning the hijab (Islamic headscarf) in public schools.

On 7 May 2004 the International Progress Organization participated in a public debate organized by the Islamic Educational and Cultural Center (Austria) in Vienna on "Stereotyping Islam."

On 31 August 2004 the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hans Koechler Center for Civilizational Dialogue was held on the campus of Mindanao State University in Marawi City, Philippines.

On 23 May 2004 the President of the I.P.O. delivered a lecture on "Philosophical Foundations of Civilizational Dialogue" at the World Congress on Transcendent Philosophy and Mulla Sadra in Tehran (Iran). On 30 September 2004 the President of the I.P.O. delivered a lecture on "The 'Clash of Civilizations' – Perception and Reality in the Context of Globalization and International Power Politics" at the International Forum on "Globalization and Dialogue between Civilizations" in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia.
 

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

In 2004, the International Progress Organization continued its efforts towards the analysis of the causes of terrorism and a comprehensive legal definition of the term "terrorism." An I.P.O. Research paper was published on the theme: "The United Nations and International Terrorism: Challenges to Collective Security." On 16 March 2004 the President of the I.P.O. gave a live interview to ORF Austrian Radio on questions of Islam and terrorism. During the Summer Semester 2004 Prof. Koechler held a seminar at the University of Innsbruck (Austria) on "Terrorism and International Power Politics." In connection with this seminar, a fact-finding mission was undertaken to the Philippines in June 2004.
 

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

14 May 2004: In a message addressed to the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, the International Progress Organization called for the establishment of an International War Crimes Commission for Iraq. Referring to the "Memorandum on the legal implications of the Iraq war 2003, including measures of criminal justice" of 12 August 2003, the President of the I.P.O. explained that the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by personnel of the occupying powers in Iraq cannot be investigated in an objective manner by the military justice system of the involved countries. The I.P.O. initiative was endorsed, among others, by the President of the Turkish Human Rights Organization (TIMAK), Ankara, and Prof. Türkkaya Ataöv, member of the Central Executive Council of the International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Geneva.

On 26 July 2004 the President of the I.P.O. was interviewed for the program Dialogue of CCTV International (China Central Television) on the war crimes trials in Iraq. In the course of the conversation with the program's anchor, Mr. Yang Rui, in Beijing, Dr. Koechler explained the crucial issues of international criminal justice in the context of global power politics.

On 8 September 2004 the International Progress Organization issued a statement on the assignment of Counsel to the former President of Yugoslavia by "Trial Chamber III" of the so-called "Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal."
 

VOTE WATCH PHILIPPINES

Within the framework of its international monitoring program, the I.P.O. has co-operated with Vote Watch Philippines 2004, an independent NGO group established with the purpose of monitoring the 2004 presidential and legislative elections in the Philippines.

On 17 June a delegation of the I.P.O. observed the canvassing of the votes by the joint congressional committee at the House of Representatives in Manila. The I.P.O. issued a final report on 26 June 2004. The observations of the I.P.O. delegation were widely reported in the Philippine media.
 

FOLLOW-UP TO THE LOCKERBIE OBSERVER MISSION

On 11 February 2004, the President of the International Progress Organization, Professor Hans Koechler, held meetings in London on the possibility of an international investigation of the Lockerbie air disaster. He met, among others, with Dr. Jim Swire and Rev. John Mosey of the group UK Families Flight 103 that represents British families bereaved in the bombing of  the Pan Am jet over Lockerbie (Scotland) in December 1988. He also met with MP Tam Dalyell, Father of the House of Commons. The consultations took place a day after British Prime Minister Tony Blair had received the Libyan Foreign Minister in London. Professor Koechler expressed the view that a public inquiry should be held under the auspices of the British Parliament (not the Government). Should the Parliament be unable to act, the I.P.O. suggested the setting up of an international commission of inquiry by the families of the Lockerbie victims in cooperation with international non-governmental organizations affiliated with the United Nations.
 

COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

The I.P.O. participated in a special briefing session on the activities of the Preparatory Committee of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) by the organization's Executive Secretary, Ambassador Wolfgang Hoffmann, at the United Nations Office in Vienna (25 November 2004).


THE WAR IN IRAQ

On 29 January 2004, Mr. Ramsey Clark, former Attorney-General of the United States, founder of the International Action Center (New York) and member of the Executive Board of the International Progress Organization (I.P.O.), sent an open letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, concerning the war of aggression against Iraq. In his letter Mr. Clark recalled the United Nations General Assembly's definition of aggression (December 14, 1974); he stated that the United Nations must  insist that the U.S. withdraw from Iraq as it insisted Iraq withdraw  from Kuwait in 1990.

In a public lecture on 18 June 2004 on "The U.S. Handover of Sovereignty to Iraq – Moral and Legal Questions" at the People's Forum on Peace for Life in Manila (Philippines), the President of the International Progress Organization stated that the 30 June "transfer" of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government by the United States and other occupying powers will be legally invalid. On the same day, Dr. Koechler was the key speaker at a Public Forum on "The U.S. Handover of Sovereignty in Iraq – Implications, Problems and Prospects" organized by Bayan, the Justice Not War Coalition and other civic groups at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. On 17 June 2004 he gave a lecture on the Iraq crisis, the role of the United Nations and questions of international legitimacy at the College of Law of the University of the Philippines. The President of the I.P.O. further had an exchange of views on the Iraq situation with the Vice-President of the Philippines, H.E. Teofisto Guingona, Jr., at the latter's office in Manila. Dr. Koechler was special guest of Ricky Carandang at the morning talk show of the ABS-CBN TV News Channel (ANC) on the situation in Iraq.
 

THE PALESTINE PROBLEM

In a statement issued on 22 March 2004, the International Progress Organization condemned the assassination of the founder and spiritual leader of the Palestinian organization Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yasin, and seven other Palestinians in Gaza City. The I.P.O. demanded that an international security force be dispatched immediately to the occupied Palestinian territories. In this regard, the President of the I.P.O. reiterated the call for joint and consistent action by the League of Arab States in order to protect the Arab people of Palestine and its political and spiritual leaders.
 

NGO COMMITTEE ON PEACE

On 18 February 2004 the President of the I.P.O. made a presentation on the activities and projects of the International Progress Organization at a special briefing session of the NGO Committee on Peace at the United Nations Office in Vienna.


SPECIAL LECTURES BY THE PRESIDENT


INFORMATION VISITS BY THE PRESIDENT

Within the framework of the I.P.O.'s activities, Prof. Hans Koechler undertook information visits to the Islamic Republic of Iran (20-24 May 2004), the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (27-30 May 2004), the Philippines (12-23 June 2004, 29 August-3 September 2004), the People's Republic of China (24-29 July 2004), and the United Arab Emirates (20-25 December 2004).
 

FACT-FINDING MISSION TO THE PHILIPPINES

From 12 to 23 June 2004 the President of the I.P.O. undertook a fact-finding mission to the Republic of the Philippines. He met with politicians, intellectuals and NGO-representatives, and delivered a series of lectures on global affairs. The visit was arranged by the Foundation for Social Justice (Philippines) at the initiative of its Chairperson-President, Dr. Fatemah R. Balbin. Dr. Koechler was accompanied by a group of students from Austria, China and the United States.

The President of the I.P.O. met with the Vice-President of the Philippines, H.E. Teofisto Guingona, Jr., and with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Hon. Hilario G. Davide, Jr. He also met with the former Supreme Commander of United Nations Forces in East Timor, Major General Jaime de los Santos, who gave a briefing for Dr. Koechler's students on peace-keeping and nation-building in East Timor. He further met, among others, with the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of the Philippines, Dr. Purificacion C. Valera Quisumbing; the Mayor of the City of Marikina, Ms. Marides "MCF" Fernando; the Commandant of the Command and General Staff College of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Major General Neon D. Ebuen; the Acting President of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Dr. Samuel M. Salvador; the Vice-Chairperson of Bayan, Dr. Carol Araullo; the Chief of Staff of the Bayan Muna Parliamentary List, Ms. Lualhati S. Roque; and the Secretary-General of the International League for Peoples' Struggle (Philippines), Ms. Rita Baua.

In connection with an ongoing fact-finding project on the situation in Muslim Mindanao, the President of the I.P.O. held a meeting with the founder-leader of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and former Governor of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Mr. Nur Misuari, at the latter's place of detention at the headquarters of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force at Fort Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa. He also met, at the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, with Director Ramon El Martinez, Jr, member of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) and participant in the Coordination Committee on Cessation of Hostilities Meeting (CCCHM) between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). He further held consultations with the Chairman of the MNLF-ICC (Islamic Command Council), Hj. Matanog "Diego" M. Mapandi, and with the Director of the International Relations Department of the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City, Prof. Lomala Dimaro.

On 17 June the delegation of the I.P.O. observed the canvassing of the votes of the presidential elections by the joint congressional committee at the House of Representatives in Manila.
 

SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE PRESIDENT

On 1 April 2004 Prof. Koechler met with the President of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), Shri Ram Niwas Mirdha, in Vienna to discuss the forthcoming Second International Law Conference in New Delhi and possibilities of co-operation between ISIL and the I.P.O.

On 15 June 2004 the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Hilario G. Davide, Jr., gave a dinner reception in honour of the President of the I.P.O. at the seat of the Supreme Court in Manila.

On 17 June 2004 Prof. Koechler was received by the Vice-President of the Philippines, H.E. Teofisto Guingona, Jr., at the latter's office in Manila.

On 28 July 2004 Prof. Koechler met with in Shanghai (China) with the Director of the Shanghai Center for International Studies, Prof. Pan Guang.

On 30 August 2004 Prof. Koechler met in Manila with the Chairperson-President of the Foundation for Social Justice, Dr. Fatemah R. Balbin, Senior Commissioner of the National Amnesty Commission of the Philippines.

On 30 August 2004 Prof. Koechler held separate meetings with Dr. Carol Araullo and Ms. Rita Baua of Bayan and Ms. Vivian de Lima of the National Council of Churches of the Philippines to discuss issues of national reconciliation in the Philippines.

On 1 September 2004 Prof. Koechler had a breakfast meeting with the Mayor of Marawi City (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao), Omar Ali "Solitario," on the prospects of a just and lasting settlement of the Moro problem in the Philippines.

On 1 October 2004 the President of the I.P.O. was received by the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, at the seat of the Patriarchate in Tbilisi.

On 20 October 2004 the President of the I.P.O. held consultations with Prof. L. R. Penna of the National University of Singapore (NUS) in Singapore.

On 15 November 2004 the President of the I.P.O. met with the Deputy Secretary-General of the Asian African Legal Consultative Organization, Ambassador Dr. Alireza Deihim, in New Delhi.

In talks with the President of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL), Shri Ram Niwas Mirdha, and ISIL Secretary-General Mr. C. Jayaraj, on 16 and 17 November 2004, the President of the I.P.O. agreed on closer cooperation between the I.P.O. and ISIL in regard to the legal aspects of United Nations reform.

On 16 November 2004 the President of the I.P.O. met with the Ambassador of Austria to India, Dr. Jutta Stefan-Bastl, in New Delhi.

On 2 December 2004 the President of the I.P.O. met at the seat of the European Parliament in Brussels with the Secretary-General of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), Mr. Bruno Boissière, and with UEF Vice-Presidents Alojz Peterle, member of the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Slovenia, and Philipp Agathonos (Austria).
 

HONOURS AWARDED TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE I.P.O.

In recognition of his contribution to the theory and practice of civilizational dialogue, the Mindanao State University (Philippines) conferred upon Dr. Koechler the degree "Doctor of Humanities honoris causa." The degree was conferred in a solemn ceremony at the main campus of Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City on 1 September 2004. The ceremony was presided over by the President of the MSU, Dr. Camar A. Umpa; it was attended, among others, by the members of the MSU Board of Regents and the Mayor of Marawi City.

On 1 September 2004, Sultan Haj Mohd. Ali Asghar bin Sani of Marawi, Chair of the Grand Council of the Sultanates Legislative Assembly (Muslim Mindanao), conferred upon Dr. Koechler  the honour of Royal Datoship. The ceremony was attended, among others, by the Secretary-General of the Federation of Mindanao Sultanates, Prof. Dato Hj. Mhd. Hasan Cana, PhD, and by the Vice-Governor of Lanao del Norte Province, Ms. Bae Monira Dimakuta Makabangon.


CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND NGOs

The International Progress Organization established informal co-operation in fields of mutual interest with the following institutions and NGOs:
 

-- Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) (New Delhi, India);
-- People's Forum on Peace for Life (Manila, Philippines).

The International Progress Organization participated in an interactive session of the Indian Society of International Law (ISIL) with the American Society of International Law (ASIL), the Societé française pour le droit international, and the Singapore Society of International Law at the headquarters of ISIL in New Delhi (15 November 2004).
 

The I.P.O. continued its co-operation with the Population Institute, Washington DC, and co-sponsored the Global Population Forum 2004 (Washington, DC, 13-16 May 2004).

INTERNSHIPS

From January to June 2004 Ms. Emily Gruenwald (University of Iowa, USA) served as intern at the head office of the I.P.O. in Vienna.