Be sure to tune in tonight to PBS’s P.O.V. documentary series for the broadcast premiere of The Reckoning: The Battle of the International Criminal Court. The Sundance award-winning film by Pamela Yates, Peter Kinoy, and Paco de Onis chronicles the first six years of the ICC from its headquarters in The Hague, to the scenes of the crimes – in eastern Congo and northern Uganda – to the U.N. headquarters in New York, where the Court has met some of its toughest critics.
Check your local listing for showtimes.
The public broadcast will mark the kick-off of a national advocacy effort to raise awareness about the ICC and press for the United States to support the work of the Court.The United States, under President Clinton, was initially a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC in 1998. However, the Bush administration was strongly opposed to the Court and moved to un-sign the Rome Statute in 2002, a decision which remains in effect today. Now, proponents of international justice seek to convey the message to the Obama administration that the United States should revisit its position toward the Court and actively support the work of the ICC. IJCentral.org will be the hub for this advocacy effort, so check it out to sign an online petition and learn about more ways to get involved in promoting international justice.
As part of this effort, Enough will host a live video conference tomorrow with Enough Policy Advisor Colin Thomas-Jensen, who will provide an update about recent developments with the ICC and take questions from viewers. We will be live at 1p.m. EST tomorrow, July 15. Click here to tune in.
In the run-up to the national broadcast and in light of the recent attention the Court has received, Mark Goldberg of U.N. Dispatch interviewed Paco de Onis, the producer of The Reckoning. The video blog includes interesting discussions about the making of the film, which got a behind-the-scenes look at the personalities behind the Court, the ICC’s first case to go to trial – the case of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo of Ituri, DR Congo – and the controversial arrest warrant issued for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Have a look: