I was doing some pro bono work for Lawyers Without Borders on the Caprivi High Treason Trial in Namibia, and I was approached by one of the interpreters to see if I had anything he could read. He said he loved to read but there weren't a lot of resources available in his country. One Friday afternoon I gave him a copy of my PhD thesis, and on the Monday
morning he was ready to engage me with insightful questions on specific matters raised in various chapters, including the veto power in the Security Council and the challenges with humanitarian intervention, in relation specifically to Rwanda and he also wanted to talk about Sierra Leone. It wasn't the first time I reflected on the difference between intellect and education, and how there are so many brilliant minds in least developed countries, thirsty for knowledge. I recall meeting a girl who was about 10 years old, in a township in South Africa, and she had with her a tertiary level science book which a tourist had left with her. She said she knew everything in it and wanted to know if I could send her some more science books.
I spent almost 2 yrs in the area, as a Combat Soldier.....main Bases were in Katima and Rundu.
The geopolitics of the entire region gets wiped out by the Big Guys.
iIn later professional life I was a Chief Prosecutor - and I "released" hundreds of detainees if there trials hadn't been concluded when I deemed they'd been in custody for approximately half of their potential sentences (if they were likely to be convicted (based on the evidence in the file.
Not sure what role you were undertaking then.....
Very surprised to see that Sam (Njorma) would even want to prosecute these people for exercising their sovereignty.
i.am.ro@email.com
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