In this special episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, we are honored to host Ambassador Juan Esteban Aguirre, who brings a wealth of experience from his distinguished career as Paraguay's Minister of Foreign Affairs and as the Vice President of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Aguirre has also served as Paraguay's Ambassador to the United States, Canada, and Brazil, and as Head of Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva.

Ambassador Aguirre delves into the critical role that human rights protections play in building and sustaining durable peace. Drawing from his experience in various conflict zones, he highlights how acknowledging human rights violations during conflict during the peace processes, is foundational to achieving lasting peace. Through the lens of the Colombian conflict, Aguirre discusses the challenges in balancing the immediate need to end violence with the necessity of embedding human rights into peace negotiations.

He emphasizes that for peace to be sustainable, it must be built on the ground, starting with the empowerment of local communities. Aguirre argues that human rights should not only be a component of peace agreements but also a core principle guiding the entire peacebuilding process. He shares insights on how the United Nations Human Rights Council's mechanisms, such as fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry, can provide crucial information that ensures accountability and justice are part of the peace process.

Ambassador Aguirre also calls for a shift from a reactive to a more preventive approach in addressing human rights abuses, advocating for greater collaboration and information-sharing among human rights bodies to promote more comprehensive and effective peacebuilding strategies.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of human rights and peace processes, as it provides actionable insights and recommendations for integrating human rights into the heart of peacebuilding efforts.

Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran joins Dr. Williams on this compelling episode of Lawyering Peace. Mr. Rudrakumaran, or Rudra, served as the former legal advisor to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the peace talks with the Government of Sri Lanka that commenced in 2000. He is currently heading the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam in exile as its Prime Minister.

Rudra provides a vivid recount of the context leading to the Norwegian-facilitated peace process in Thailand, detailing his journey to becoming the LTTE’s chief legal advisor. He delves into the unique challenges faced by lawyers representing non-state armed actors in peace negotiations, particularly the struggle to achieve and maintain parity with state actors amidst international perspectives favoring states.

Through gripping narratives, Rudra illustrates how the LTTE sought to counterbalance the government’s legal and resource advantages by leveraging the Tamil diaspora and engaging in strategic lawfare. He offers practical advice for lawyers on how to effectively integrate into their client's team and utilize soft power to influence negotiations.

Rudra's experiences underscore Dr. Williams’ frequent assertion about the need to understand and navigate the parallel agendas of international mediators. He candidly discusses how these separate interests contributed to the challenges faced by the LTTE and the eventual collapse of the peace process. The episode also touches on the importance of diaspora involvement, the dynamics between local communities and the diaspora, and the pursuit of justice through international mechanisms.

Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the Sri Lankan peace talks, the role of lawyers in representing non-state actors, and the impact of international third-party mediators in peace processes.

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, Dr. Paul Williams engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Professor Meg deGuzman, Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Institute for International Law and Public Policy at Temple University. Professor de Guzman, a distinguished judge at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and Senior Peace Fellow at PILPG, shares her expansive view on the role of justice mechanisms in building durable peace.

Throughout the interview, they explore the complexities and nuances of international justice and the evolution of accountability. Professor deGuzman highlights the potential of non-judicial accountability mechanisms, such as truth commissions and reparations. While the proliferation of judicial mechanisms like the International Criminal Court has been significant, she points out that these non-judicial approaches are not receiving the same attention but hold substantial promise for contributing to justice and durable peace. Reflecting on her experiences from the Rome negotiations for the International Criminal Court to her work at the Yugoslavia Tribunal, Professor de Guzman provides a candid assessment of the impact of justice on peace processes.

Join us for a compelling discussion on the evolving landscape of international justice, the successes and limitations of current mechanisms, and the critical role that diverse accountability mechanisms can play in fostering lasting peace.