Hello All

Hello all; how is everyone doing? I hope all is fine and well. As for me, let me start by apologizing for taking so long to update my blog. Work has been crazy the past month. Between work and spending time with my family and friends, especially my grandmother who has been sick the past couple of week, I have been very busy. As you all know, spending time with my family is of utmost importance to me, especially since it's been 12 years since I saw most of them last. I'm learning so much about my heritage, history and family than I ever knew before. It is quite an emotional experience which is very important to me.

Also, fpr the past three week, I was attending court (in closed session), but due to the sensitivity of the testimony and safety of the witness, I am unable to discuss my experience.

This past week, I was assigned a new task--Witness Summaries. It is the most tedious but yet most educational task I have ever been assigned since being here. It involves reading the indictment against our client (Morris Kallon who is the second accused in the Revolutionary United Front Trial), reading all the pre-trial briefs, going through transcripts of witness testimony, determining if and how the testimony relates to a charged offense in the indictment, check for inconsistencies during direct and cross examination and then writing a memo/summary about the witness and his/her testimony to the court. This assignment has helped me learn a lot more about the case than I would have otherwise. It is a very important assignment because the attorneys will use it at the end of the trial for closing arguments and may even use it for an appeal if the circumstances so warrant. I feel flattered, humbled and pressured in being entrusted with such an important task. It is by the most legally-based task I have ever been assigned because it requires me to use good legal judgment in determining what's pertinent to a charged offense, how to attack the testimony and whether the witness was helpful or hurtful to our case. I enjoy the work very much. It is a lot of responsiblity, but I relish it.

Last week, I, along with other interns at the Court, were invited to the home of the U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone for a luncheon (Mr. Thomas N. Hull). It was a great way to meet people and socilaize a little. He welcomed all of us and ask us to enjoy ourselves. He walked around the room, introduced himself to everyone and will stand and have a five minute conversation with you. I was happy to learn that he had served in the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone about 38 years ago. He speaks Krio (Sierra Leone's primary language) and so does his wife. He asked me about my work at the Court, law schoool, living in the States compared to living in Sierra Leone etc; he also expressed to me how proud he is that so many Americans come to Sierra Leone to work at the Special Court.

On Thursday, I spent a the afternoon talking to kids at the orphanage about the law and its role in our socieity (I was invited to talk to the kids about law during my last visit). The kids were interested in International Criminal Law, Property, Torts, Criminal Law and Civil Procedure. I explained, in the simplest form, the general concepts of each class and how each is important in today's society. The kids had very interesting and poignant questions which made the experience even more enjoyable and educational for all of us. I will definitely miss these kids but I plan on visiting them again on Monday (it will be very difficult saying goodbye to them). As I indicated in my last blog entry, I look forward to your support in helping these children and so many others just like them in Sierra Leone.

I have a pretty busy week coming up because I will be attending Court again all this week to take notes on a very important witness and help the attorneys prepare for cross examination. I enjoy going to Court and learning the practical part of being an attorney. It is quite interesting and educational.

As many of you know, I have less than two weeks left in Sierra Leone and I plan on enjoying every minute of it with work and spending time with my family and friends. It will be very sad to say goodbye to my family and friends again, but I look forward to seeing and spending time with my family, girlfriend and friends in the states again.

Thank you all very much and I hope to hear from you all soon.

The Pictures include myself, Amb. Hull, Justice Doherty of the Special Court, my grandma (Diaka Waritary), kids from the orphanage (with me in the FSU Law t-shirt) and some friends.

Another Emotional Day

Hello all; Mo here again. How is everyone doing? I hope you are all doing great. As for me, work ane everything else is going great (although hectic and emotional sometimes). I have been going to court everyday the last couple of weeks which has been very educational. Due to the sensitive nature of the testimony and the security of the witness, court has been in closed session; therefore, I cannot discuss anything I saw or heard.

My new assignment is very educational and practical; I get to go to court, listen to testimony, and then draft direct or cross-examination questions for the lead counsel of my defense team (Morris Kallon's Team of the Revolutionary United Front or RUF). I go to court from 9:30am-5:30pm (with breaks), take notes of all the witnesses testimonies, then discuss my observations with the lead counsel. At times we disagree on what questions he should ask, but for the most part, we agree on what he should ask during his cross examination of the prosecution witnesses (prosecution is still presenting its case in the RUF Trials). It is both exciting and flattering to know that some of the question the lead counsel asks during his cross examination of a prosecution witness was drawn up by me.

Also, my knowledge of the Laws of Evidence (Common Law), Public International Law, Human Rights Law and Criminal Law are being tested everyday in court. Everyday, questions and issues relating to these areas of the law are discussed in court. I usually have my outlines in these law classes open on my computer when I take notes (just for reference). The judges and lawyers are quite knowledgeable in these subject which is quite educational. The testimonies can be disturbing, interesting, inciteful and emotional. It is now clear to me that I didn't know as much of the civil war in Sierra Leone as I thought.

The constant battle I face at work is that on one hand, I am spending most of my days working hard in defending the accused persons in this case, while on the other hand, they are accused of doing things that directly affect me so deeply. I came home and learned that some of my childhood friends and extended family members were killed in the civil war. I also learned that my grandma's home in Segbwema (where in grew up as a child) was burnt down by RUF rebels during the civil war. The house had been in my family for generations and my grandma wanted to keep it for future generations, and it's saddens her that she will not be able to do so. I have to explain to her what I do at work which is hard for her to understand given the circumstances. Many have ask the same question--how could you work to defend the very guys who MAY BE responsible for committing atrocities that directly affected you and so many others? I say to them I will feel no better if these men were never tried than I would if their trials were unfair. What I'm doing is ensuring (in my own little way) that justice is done, and it's fair. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so wisely states "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere".

Whether these men are guilty of the charges against them is a question of law and facts to be determined by the court, but there's no doubt or question that they should receive a fair trial. The rule of law must prevail and it will not if these men do not receive fair trials. Working hard to defend these men is my way of ensuring that the law, of which I am a student, is

Today, Saturday, I had the privilege to spend time with some children (in an orphanage) who lost their parents in the civil war. It was quite an emotional, inspiring, educational and motivating experience. I spoke to each child (some of whom are adults now) about their personal experience of the war and asked them, if they felt comfortable, to tell me how they lost their parents in the civil war. Some didn't want to talk about it which is quite understandable and of the few who spoke about the experience, it was quite emotional for them and myself. It is unimaginable to me to have lost my parents at any age much less at the young age most of these kids lost their parents. Some even witnessed their parents being killed which is dehumanizing to me.

These children need our love and support. There's so many things any and all of us can do to help these children. You can be a pen pal, give clothes, shoes, bags, belts, give money to help send them to school and take care of some of the orphanage's other costs, pray for them and anything else you can do to help them; but among all their needs, the most important and visible to me is that of LOVE. These kids want to feel loved. They want to know the world cares about them and love them and that it's not their fault their parents were killed (some of them feel that way because their parents lost their lives trying to protect them).

The orphanage is called the International Dove and you can learn more of them at www.internationaldove.com and their motto is "today's orphans, tomorrow's leaders". The orphanage's administrators are Mr. Phil Nelson, a Canadian Missionary who sold his farm and home in Canada and moved his family to Sierra Leone to open the orphanage for war orphans and Mr. Daniel a Sierra Leonean (an orphan himself who lost his parents at an early age). These men are two of the most courageous people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life. They love and care for these children so much that they gave up their careers to be with and love the children. On behalf of all Sierra Leoneans and citizens of the world, I thank them very much for their good work and love for the children and may God bless them.

The orphanage provides all of the children's needs including school, food, lodging, clothing, counseling, job training and LOVE. I believe it is good to be rich, better to be powerful, but it's best to be loved. Without love, we are all lost.

All of the children have bright futures; some want to be lawyers, doctors, engineers, soldiers, counselors, teachers, missionaries etc. They are very hopeful of their futures and contributing to society. Some will like to study outside Sierra Leone if possible (if they can be sponsored financially). It was quite an experience talking with and spending time with these kids. At times, I was the one who needed consoling because I was very emotionaal and troubled at some of their stories. At the end of my visit, I thanked them very much for allowing me into their lives and sharing their person and painful stories with me. I now have 20 more brothers and sisters in these children which I'm very excited about.

As I stated when I met the war amputees, what happened to these children is a HUMAN TRAGEDY and it should not happen to any child, anywhere. None of us can change what happened to them, but we can all help make their lives better and contribute towards a brighter future for them. Upon my return to the US, I will be asking you all for your support in this very noble venture. I have no doubt that with your help, we can all show these kids that people care which they need in their lives. I ask you to find it in your heart to give your support, say a prayer and show these children LOVE.

I look forward to your ideas, comments, suggestions and support in this venture. Once again, as always, thank you very much and I hope to see you all soon.

Attached are some pictures of the children during my visit today.

Mo

Amputee Soccer Match

Hello all, Mo here again. I hope everyone is doing fine. As for me, work is hectic, but interesting. I spent the past week in Court (closed session due to the sensitivity of the testimony and the identity of the witness) listening to testimony from a witness. The lead counsel for the defense team I'm now assigned to (Morris Kallon) asked me to attend court, take notes and assist him with questions he can use to cross examine the witness. Due to very strict confidentiality rules, I cannot say anything else about my week in court.

On Friday, I was joined by colleagues from the court at a soccer match by some of the war amputees of Sierra Leone. It was quite an experience to see these men play in person; they are very good soccer players, even with their handicap. I had seen them play on a news story on CNN, but it was quite amazing seeing them play live. With help from my colleagues, I collected donations for them, and they were quite appreciative of our efforts. Some of them expressed to us that many people have come by to see them play and promise to help them, but few have kept their word. I was quite flattered and humbled for their words of appreciation and signs of gratitude to me. I was a humbling experience I will forever cherish.

For those of you who have expressed interest in helping me with my venture of assisting these men and their families, I join them in thanking you from the bottom of my heart. As I indicated, I look forward to your ideas, comments, suggestions, donations and any other form of help you can afford for victims of Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. I know education is of utmost importance to you all as it is to me; for this reason, I know you will assist me in ensuring that these men can put their kids through school and that young minds who hold the future of this country do not go uninspired.

Once again, as always, I thank you all very much for your interest and support in this noble cause.

UN Secretary General's Visit

Hello guys, it's Mo here again. How is everyone doing; I hope great. As for me, work is getting hectic but educational as well.

The past week brought about a roller coaster of emotions for me. My grandma was and is still ill which has been very stressful. Due to her age, any ailment (such as cold, back ache, chest pains etc) can be serious. She's the rock in my life and I love her dearly. Spending time with her is of utmost importance to me and everyday God keeps her with my family is a blessing and I look forward to many more years with her.

To see the daily struggle my immediate family goes through just to eat, pay bills and send my siblings to school is depressing. I help as much as I can (which isn't enough) and it's emotional to realize that I can't solve all the problems I see around me. I see the struggle and suffering in the eyes of people I come across on the street and I wish I can help everyone, but I can't and I hate that about myself. The only way I can gain some solace in the carnage around me is to help those that are less fortunate than myself, and I plan on doing that upon my return to the US.

On another note, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan paid a visit to the Special Court today. I was very excited to meet him and hear what he had to say about the Court and it's work in International Humanitarian Law. He toured the courtrooms, met with the Court's Registrar, Judges, Prosecutor, Principal Defender and he also toured the detention facility. His entourage was quite large and elaborate. He's very well protected.

I was excited about his trip but not the speech he gave. His speech from a legal stand point was somewhat inappropriate and disappointing. He referred to the accused (defendants) as criminals who killed, raped and amputated civilians, destroyed the economy of Sierra Leone and must now pay for their actions. From a legal stand point, his speech in my opinion, was inappropriate. I believe he should have been advised that the defendants stand accused of those crimes but none has been found guilty. Each accused is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. As a career diplomat and the UN Secretary General, he should be mindful of his words and their impact. Colleagues in the Defense Office voiced the same disappointment in his speech, and some even elude to the fact that if the UN Secretary General already believe the accused are all guilty, why have a trial, or would the trials even be fair. His speech assumes each defendant has already been found guilty which is not the case; and to make such a speech in the presence of the judges who are supposed to be impartial arbitrators is even more dissapointing and troubling.

As for work, it continues to be hectic, educational, emotional and rewarding. I continue to learn so much about the law and about myself. The hectic part of my job keeps my mind focused on my tasks, the educational part of my job gets me prepared for a career in this area of the law (human rights and international humanitarian law), the emotional part of my job keeps me grounded and its rewarding because I'm learning a lot about myself.

I live in a city where drinking water is scarce, electricity is almost non-existent, roads are bad, school isn't free to anyone (even grade, middle or high school), jobs are hard to come by and if you can find one, it doesn't pay enough to take care of bare necessities. For example, I haven't had government issued electricity for over a month; I have to buy petrol everyday at over $4 a gallon to run a generato for four hours a night so that I can do some work, charge my phone and use a fan to sleep, but I rather be nowhere else this summer than HOME. More than ever, I appreciate the life of luxury I live in the US and I thank God, my family, the US Government and all those who played a role in giving me that life.

More than ever, I am now sure how I want to use my legal education and the rest of my life to make a difference in the lives of others and in my own little way to society at large. I plan on using my law degree to speak for those that can't speak for themselves and those that can't fight for themselves. As a people, we all belong to one race-- and that's the human race. Human Rights in my opinion is not a government issued right, instead, it is a right from God to all humans which is to be protected and ensured by all governments. I would consider my life a success, if I can make a difference in a child's life and that child can say he/she is a better person because of me; because society will have one more contributing member.

Impunity for human right violation must cease. If the rights of all humans is to be ensured, the right of each human must be ensured. After each genocide or atrocity (WWI, WWII, The Armenian Massacre, Cambodia, Kosovo, Holocaust, Japan, Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and now Darfur, just to name a few), the world has said no more; but each time such atrocities and genocide are repeated and often with impunity for the perpetrators. THIS MUST STOP. How many people have to die before the UN or the rest of the world can classify a conflict as genocide or war crimes? One life lost to an atrocity is one too many. The life of none is worth more than that of any, and until all of us recognize this fact, human right abuses will continue around the world.

I ask you all reading this blog to send me your comments, ideas and suggestions about your personal ideas on how the world and its leaders can ensure and protect the human rights of us all. Once again as always, I thank you all for your comments, ideas, support and suggestions and I hope to hear from you all.

Sincerely
Mo

Pictures: Attached are pictures of the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan's visit and a picture of me and a collegue, Selwyn Nicol. As you can tell, it was a hot day today.

hello all

Hello all, Mo again. Let me start off by thanking all those who have shown interest in assisting me in my venture of helping the less fortunate people of Sierra Leone. I appreciate you all very much and I look forward to your ideas, comments and support in the very near future.

I hope everyone is doing just fine. As for me, I have been sick with Malaria the past week. At first, I thought it was a case of food poisoning, but after a few days of feeling weak and a decrease in my apetite, I decided to go to the hospital and get tested. After the test was conducted, I was informed by the doctor that I had contracted Malaria.

He prescribed some medications, advised me to get some rest and to be sure to drink a lot of fluids to combat the dehydration I was already experiencing. After a couple of days, I feel a lot better and I hope to return to work tomorrow (I missed a few days of work last week due to my illness).

I thank you all for your continued help and support and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Mo

An Emotional Day

Hello all, Mo here again. Last week Sunday was one of the most emotional day in my life. I had the privilege and opportunity of spending time with amputees (victims of Sierra Leone's Civil War) at Lumley Beach. It was quite a moving and emotional experience. I asked each of them(although reluctantly) if they could share personal stories of how they lost their leg or arms (or both) in the arms of rebels or other warring factions. For almost two hours, I heard stories of people doing bad things to others. Each story was personal and unique and I will never forget the time I spent with these courageous men, whose only crime in life (if you can call it that) is that they were victims to the brutal war that ravaged Sierra Leone for over 11 yers. The stories made me angry, sad, motivated, and resolute to do something to help their plight. I plan on showing you all the videos and pictures on my return to the US.

I took pictures of and with them, interviewed them, and ask them how I could (even though i'm only one person) help them upon my return to the United States. Many of these men have families that were either lost in the war or that they could no longer take care of because they can't work to earn a living. Even those without disabilities can't find work. Sierra Leone does not provide employment for the disable, therefore, most of these men have to beg for change so that they can eat or feed their children. I spoke to men who can't afford to send their kids to school, can't afford a place to live or basic daily necessities.

More than anything, what these men need is love and support. Remember them in your prayers and I ask each and everyone of you to join me in helping to better the lives of these victims of Sierra Leone's Civil War. I know i'm one person, but it takes one person with an idea to create a cause. More than ever, I believe it is not only my responsibility, but my duty as a native Sierra Leonean and a citizen of the world to give back to those that are so less fortunate than myself. But for God's blessings, the hard work and love of my family, the US Government and all those (including all of you) who played a role (no matter how little or how large it could have been) in helping me become the person I am today, I could have been a victim of the war myself; maybe an amputee or worse. I see myself in each and everyone of them because what happened to them, could have happened to me.

I feel so blessed for the life I have in the US. I feel both fortunate and guilty for the luxurious life I live in the US. With the blessing of having our lives in the US, I believe there are responsibilities, including that of helping those less fortunate than ourselves. I have come across people in Sierra Leone, especially some of the amputees, who have it worse than any of us will probably ever do. As I indicated above, the only thing these victims of the war are guilty of is that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time (most of them were farmers in the provinces) and are from a lesser privileged society than myself and you all.

I plan on establishing a scholarship fund to assist in sending these men and their children to school; and to also provide basic needs for them and their families. I ask and look forward to any ideas that you all have in making this a idea a reality. Also, please save clothes, shoes, books, and other items that you or your family members or friends no longer need or feel free to purchase new items if you can so that we can send it to these men and other less fortunate people. As you all can tell, this is a cause that i'm very passionate about. Although it is a lot to undertake, I have no doubt that with your help, and that of anyone who is willing to listen, we can make it happen.

It hurts me to see kids in the street instead of in classrooms. Ten dollars can send a kid to school for a term (about $30 for a year). I ask each and everyone of you reading this blog to find it in your hearts to join me in this noble cause. As citizens of the world, we owe it to ourselves to make it a better place for generations to come. What happens in Sierra Leone and to these men and other victims of the war is not a Sierra Leonean or African tragedy, simply put, it's a HUMAN TRAGEDY and it should not happen anywhere. None of us can change what happened; but we can all do something to contribute towards the recovery and betterment of the lives of these men and other victims of the war.

It breaks my heart standing next to these courageous men with both my arms and legs while they walk around on crutches playing soccer with a smile on their face. The few times I broke down in tear, they had to console me which was very surreal.

In conclusion, I have no doubt that I will have your support in this very noble cause. I believe it's better to give than to receive, and that those who give without expecting back, are usually those who receive unexpectedly. I ask you all to come join me in making this country a better place (in our own little way) by bettering the lives of those who fell victims to its brutal civil war. I thank you all in advance for your support and I look forward to your ideas, comments and support. May God bless you and your loved ones.

Mo

Possible New Assignment/

Hello again, it's Mo here. I hope everyone is doing fine. As for me, work is going well but a few family and personal issues the past few days were quite stressful. My younger sister was ill with a serious form of Malaria and was admitted at a local hospital for about a week. I got a call at work that she was ill and I left for the hospital to see her. It was quite scary and sad to see her in that condition. With prayers, good doctors and nurses and love, she was able to pull through. She was discharged from the hospital on Friday and is now doing better resting at home.

As for work, my supervisor (the Deputy Principal Defende) and I decided it will be a great idea to assign me to one of the teams representing indictees from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF; which was the main rebel faction during Sierra Leone's 11 year civil war). I'm very excited at this opportunity to work on another team. As you all know, until last week, I was working on Mr. Taylor's diclosure which is now complete. His lead counsel is currently out of the country and will return later this month. I'm not sure whether I will be assign to work with him again upon his return, but I hope so.

This week, I worked on two responses to appeals made by defense teams against both the Principal Defender (PD) and Deputy Principal Defender (DPD). It was the first time I got to work directly with the Principal Defender. He called me into his office, handed me the appeal by one of the defense teams, asked me to read it and draft a response for his review (I cannot specify more than that due to confidentiality rules). To complete the draft, I had to do some research, go over some contracts, and discuss the issues with him. I drafted a response for him on Thursday, he reviewed it and we discussed possible changes in format and substance. It was quite a flattering and humbling experience to be trusted with such a important appeal.

On Friday, the DPD called me into her office, handed me a request/application (by one of the defense teams) and other supporting documents and asked me to analyze it, do the relevant research and write an opinion memo on whether she should approve or deny the application/request. I did the relevant research, read the relevant documents and evaluated the arguments for and against granting the request. After my research and evaluation were complete, I wrote the memo.

The exchange of ideas on both a legal and administrative stand point was quite educational. We initially disagreed on whether she should grant or deny the request, but after additional discussions and some compromises, we both reached a decision we thougth was the best under the circumstances.

Also on Friday, I visited my Alma Mater, Prince of Wales Secondary School. Unfortunately, I was unaware that there was another activity planned for that day. I was able to take some pictures and talk to some students. I plan on visting again on Monday or Tuesday and I will share that experience with you all. I also got to play soccer on the beach with some of the guys around my neighborhood; i enjoyed it very much.

Once again, as always, thank you all for your continued love and support; I miss you all and I look forward to seeing you all upon my return to the US in August.

Sincerely
Mo

Hello All

Hello everyone; again, sorry it's taken so long since I last wrote. Work, problems with my internet access and other issues hindered my ability to update my blog as much as I will like to. I hope each and everyone of you are doing fine.

As I indicated in my last update, work has really been hectic lately (but i'm loving it). I am learning so much about the law and myself; more than I had expected to. It seem like every week, my responsibilities are increasing. I'm being challenged by my supervisors and colleagues. Just this past week, the Deputy Principal Defender called me into her office to discuss matter relating to the qualification of the lawyers representing some of the accused. As you may know, the office of the Principal Defender is synonymous to that of the Public Defender in the US. The office is responsible for ensuring that each accused gets a fair trial and that each attorney representing an accused is best qualified and presents that accused the best opportunity to defend himself. It was quite interesting and very education discussing those matters with her. We also discussed how to draft a memo relating to that issue.

On Wednesday, some students from the high school I attended while living in Sierra Leone visited the court. I participated in giving them a tour of the court and explaining the role each of its sections play. It was quite humbling and flattering to see how happy they wre to meet me. They asked me questions about myself, my stay in the US and my legal education. I was invited to visit the school this Friday to speak to the students about the importance of education, hardwork and their future plans. The education of children is of utmost importance to me, and I plan on using my time here (and my that in the US) to help as many children as possible to attend and stay in school.

Also this week, we finally finished the disclosure on Mr. Taylor's case on Monday. It was an experience unlike any other I have ever experienced. The work was hectic, tedious, exhausting, emotional, but also very educational. We were finally able to provide him all documents pertaining to the prosecutor's evidence against him. On Tuesday, after work, myself and other staffs from the Outreach section of the court attended a debate on the possible transfer of Mr. Taylot to the Hague at Fourah Bay College (three of my siblings attend school there). The students were quite passionate and knowledgeable about the issue. They were also quite intelligent and they made some very strong arguments in favor of and against the transfer of Mr. Taylor. The main argument in favor of his transfer is that of security and the main argument against his transfer is that of ensuring he gets a fair trial.

Also, a decision was reached in Mr. Taylor's motion challenging any possible change of venue. Three Judges ruled that the decision of whether to transfer Mr. Taylor to the Hagues is purely administrative and not legal; and since such decision has not yet been made by the President of the Court, his motion is premature. I believe that given the statute of the court (signed by both the UN and the govt. of Sierra Leone), it was the right decision. The statute's change of venue provision is administrative in nature, but does provide an avenue of appeal after such a decision.

Also, I met some interns this week and we all agreed to go out and get to know one another. The makeup of the court is quite international. I have met people from every continent and from over 20 countries. I met with an intern from the US (Crissy, who attends Brown University), Canada (Andrea who attends law school in London, Canada), Divya who is from India, but received her LLM from Columbia University, Charles from Pace University Law school in the US, Selwyn from Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone, Prudence from Uganda, Shautel from the UK, Liza from Australia, Michael from Austria and so on. It is really quite an experience meeting people from such diverse background and sharing and learning each other's cultures. It was quite educational. We all went to dinner on Friday, had nice conversations and then dancing at a club.

I drove us all (7 of us) in my uncle's 1983 BMW 3 series (stick shift which i'm not used to driving). It was quite an experience. We had a great time; and we plan on hanging out once in a while as a way to get away from the realities we face at work.

Today, Sunday, I went to Church with some of my family members, spent time with my grandma and the rest of my family and spent some time on the beach. My upcoming week will be filled with things to do. I'm suppose to be starting a new project this week. I'm sure it will be interesting. As you all know, I have a lot of work to do; but I do apologize for not updating my blog more frequently. I promise to do my best to better update my blog in the future.

I thank you all for your continued interest and I hope to hear from you all soon.

PICS: The first two pics are of me and some colleagues from work, the third is of me and students from my alma mater (Prince of Wales Secondary School) in front of the court building, the fourth is of children in my neighborhood and the last is of myself and some members of the congregation at the church I went to today. Thank you all and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Mo

Hello Again, I finally met Charles Taylor

Hello everyone, it's Mo here again. Let me start by apologizing for taking so long to update my blog; work has been hectic lately. I have been working a lot lately and i'm enjoying every minute of it. I even have to work on Saturday and Sunday in order to meet a Monday 5pm deadline.

As I indicated in my last entry, I am currently (along with other interns) assisting Mr. Charles Taylor's Counsel in the disclosure stage of his upcoming trial. It's a lot of work (over 35,000 pages of documents), but it has to be done. Mr. Taylor requested all copies of the disclosure documents.

On Wednesday, I finally met Mr. Charles Taylor (former President of Liberia). We had to deliver some of the documents we'd been copying for him. He was quite polite, charismatic and intelligent. Shaking his hands (after I was introduced to him), I forgot for a second that this is the man who currently stand accused of some of the worst atrocities known to man.

Meeting Mr. Taylor for the first time is an experience I will never forget. I was excited but also somewhat anxious or apprehensive about meeting him. He entered the room well dressed, introduced himself, asked who I was, and proceeded to say Liberians and Sierra Leoneans all look alike. Being in the presence gave me a feeling I cannot describe but will also never forget.

On Thursday and today, we (myself and other interns) continued the job of copying all of the disclosure documents for Mr. Taylor to review. I got home on Thursday only to realize that my internet connection at home was malfunctioning. I called customer service for help, but they were unable to help. So I had to take my laptop and the wireless phone I use to connect online to the office for some help.

I had a disagreement with the technicians about configuring my laptop behind closed doors, to which I didn't agree. They finally got my internet connection working again, but on my way home, I lost my keys to my apartment. I had to get my doors and locks replaced this morning due to the damage I caused trying to gain entry into my apartment.

Today, I was busy at work all day copying documents and performing other disclosure tasks for Mr. Taylor's attorney (due to court order and very strict confidentiality rules, I cannot elaborate on this matter). It is tedious, but very important work. I left the office at around 7pm, got home, can't gain entry to the aparment because someone left with the keys and got a call from my youger sister reminding me that it was her birthday today (my sister Florence turned 22 today, i'm so proud of her).

I went to my sister's birthday party, spent time with my dad, step-mom, brothers and sisters, cousins, nephew, niece and other friends of the family. We all embarassed her by singing her a happy birtday song. It was the best way to have spent the rest of my day. As you all may imagine, after a 12 year absence, spending time with and getting to know my family all over again has been very emotional and is of utmost importance to me. I took some pictures of the party which are attached to this entry (I hope you enjoy them).

Once again, as always, I thank you all for your continued interest in my work and I welcome all your questions/concerns/comments. Thank you all, I miss you all and I look forward to seeing you all again soon. Also, thanks for coming on the experience with me and I look forward to sharing more with you in the upcoming months.

The first picture is of some of the food at the party, the second is of some of my sisters, brothers, and my step-mom is in the white dress and the third picture is of me and my sister Florence whose birtday it is today and the last picture is of me, my cousin and my niece and nephew (who was asleep and we had to wake him up to take the picture, I hope he forgives me).

Happy Birthday and I love you sis.

Sincerely
Mo

Hello

Hello everyone, it's Mo here again; sorry it has taken me so long to update my blog. Work has been crazy lately. As I indicated, I'm now working on Mr. Charles Taylor's defense. Just late last week, he requested copies of all the prosecution witness testimony (over 35,000 pages of documents) . We are currently going through disclosures between the defense and prosecution teams.

Since Thursday, most of the interns including myself have been busy printing out copies of these documents for his review. Most likely than not, I will get to meet him tomorrow (May 24th). I look forward to out encounter even thought i'm not sure what to expect.

As I indicated in my earlier emails, I look forward to sharing this experience with you all (without breaking any of the confidentiality rules to which i'm obligated) and I invite you all to come join me. Next week, I will be visiting an orphanage for children who lost their parents in the war, whose arms and/or legs were amputated as a result of the civil war and who just need some love in their lives. I hope to spend time with them and just share some happy stories, and share my love with them. I hope to learn a lot from these kids, but i'm not sure what impact meeting them will have on me emotionally and physically.

I will share that experience with you all after my visit. Upon my return to the U.S, I hope to start a fund to assist in sending these unfortunate and disadvantaged kids to school. I look forward to all of your support in making this happen. As the saying goes, "a mind is terrible thing to waste". Once again, thank you all and I look forward to your comments and/or questions.

Mohamed C. Haidara
Defense Intern
U.N. Special Court for Sierra Leone
Jomo Kenyatta Road, New England
Freetown, Sierra Leone
West Africa

Tel. from the U.S: 212-963-9915 ext178-7259
Directly to the SL: 001-232-22-297259
or 011-232-33-485574

New Project

Yesterday and today have been very busy days for me at work. I was asked by my supervisor to directly assist Charles Taylor's Counsel. This is very exciting for me, but also means more work and challenge which I look forward to. I'm very tired right now, so I have to go to sleep now. Take care and I'll talk to you all later.

Mo

Tuesday May 16

Hello everyone, it's Mo here again; I hope everyone is doing great. Work is getting a bit hectic now. Things are picking up and I have a lot of work to do. For this reason, my journal entry for today will be short.

I spent part of the day talking to my supervisor about the rules and procedures of my internship and what projects I will be working on during my time with the court. I was also a little sad that he is going on leave at the end of the week. He's traveling to Canada where his family lives to spend time with them and then he's off to Oxford University to defend his dissertation for his Ph.D in International Humanitarian Law. He is a very intelligent, educated, and caring man and I will be forever thankful for all his help during my stay at the Court.

I now have a new supervisor who is a defense counsel in the CDF trial. I had a chance to meet with and speak with him today and I look forward to working with him towards the overall betterment of the defense team. I did some research today on the Rwandan genocide and its causes for my outgoing supevisor which was also quite interesting.

I took some pictures with my new supervisor in the traditional robe used by international lawyers. I hope you enjoy the pictures and have some comments and questions. Take care everyone and I look forward to hearing from everyone soon.

Mo

First Monday at Work

Hello everyone, it's Mo here again. I hope everyone is doing great. Today was my first Monday at work and I have to say it was an interesting one. I finally got my U.N. email address (haidaram@un.org), and some internal mail from other sections of the court.

For most of the day, I was going through the live feed of the on-going defense case in the CDF trial. The proceedings are very interesting and exciting. They are quite different from the Common Law system. For example, unlike the common law system, the proceedings are a combination of the common and civil law systems. A lot more hearsay evidence are admissible as truth without much corroboration (it will be hard to otherwise prosecute these cases without allowing some hearsay evidence).

I have a meeting with my boss tomorrow to discuss a plan for the remainder of my time with the court. I am really interested in working with a particular defense team, but my supervisor advised me to wait until I have gotten acclimated to the office first. I have a lot to do tomorrow including going over some trial transcripts and maybe some research and writing. Once again, thank you all and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Mo

Weekend

Hello again guys, I hope everyone is doing great. My first weekend at work was fill with things to do. I worked on my journal, spent time with friends and family members, worked on my paper and started my research on the African Court on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR). The subject matter of the research is very interesting and quite different from my current internship position.

I was told by my supervisor that he had some important work for me to do this week; I'm very excited about what it might be but also somewhat apprehensive. As I indicated in Friday's posting, I had the opportunity to meet four of the accused currently in the Court's custody. Due to confidentiality rules, I can only say it's an experience I will never forget. I was excited and very interested in seeing them in person.

I'm ready for my second week at work and I look forward to you all joining me.

Sincerely
Mo

First Friday at Work

My day was adventurous at work today as I got to meet some of the defendants in person and speak with them. It is an experience that I will never forget. I was scared but at the same time interested in meeting them. We dropped by to give them transcript of their trials. They each took tiime to ask me my name, where I was from and how I liked the job. I was very intimidated to be around people accused of such atrocities.

Attached to today's posting is a picture of me at work today (we're allowed to wear jeans on Fridays) and a picture of my ID card.

Today was an especially difficult day for me emotionally because two of my friends (one in New York and the other here in Freetown) lost their dads to cancer. I was really emotional and devastated at the news of both deaths. I paid my respects at the home of my friend (in Freetown) after work, and it was very sad to see him without his father. I have known him and his family since our childhood. As for my friend in New York, the passing of her dad was more difficult because I couldn't be there for her during this very difficult time. I really feel like a bad friend, but I called her and she made me feel better. We both cried on the phone and I expressed my deepest condolence to her entire family. May both their dad's souls rest in peace.

Once again, thank you all. I hope that you all will have my friends, their dads and their families in your prayers. Thank you very much and I look forward to your comments.

Mo

Second day at work

Hello all, it's Mo here again. Today was my second day or work and I will have to say it was an experience. I finally got a computer on my desk, my phone with an extension assigned and the opportunity to view an international criminal law proceeding in person. I will have to say it was an experience and a legal education that I will never forget.

The proceeding was starkly different from what I'm used to in the U.S. (Common Law System). The court uses both common and civil law. The judges could directly ask the witnesses questions, there are minimal objections (even when the testimony is clearly hearsay or a prior inconsistent statement). Also, there are no rules of limited admissibility (evidence against one defendant can be used against the other as long as there is any relevancy without any consideration of its prejudicial value). This was really interesting and educational to me.

I will post more comments about my first court appearance sometime this weekend. I have a project I will be starting on tomorrow. I have not been told yet what it is, but I believe it will be interesting and will require lengthy research. I was also advised that I may have the opportunity to meet Charles Taylor which I look forward to.

I welcome your comment, questions and concerns; please feel free to come with me on this experience. I thank you all and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Mo

First day at work.

Hello everyone, it's finally here; my first day at work was today. I met with my supervisor and the entire defense team. They were very happy to meet me as I was to meet them. I was given a tour of the entire facility, met the heads of all the various departments of the court, assigned a U.N. email, a desk and a security I.D. I'm very excited at the opportunity to work on such an exiting court.

I met other interns from around the world including South Africa, U.K, Uganda, Sierra Leone and the U.S. They were all very nice and helpful to me. The dress code at work is either suit or business casual from M-T and on Fridays, it's casual and you can wear jeans which helps because it's so hot here right now.

The security at the court is very very intense and intimidating. I'm not used to seeing guns everywhere; but that's exactly what you see around the court especially since the arrival of Charles Taylor. I was advised by my supervisor that I may have the opportunity to actually participate in Court proceedings and meet the detainees including Charles Taylor (I'm not sure what impact that will have on me). The internship is going to be mentally, physically and emotionally exausting, I was made aware of that today, but I believe I'm ready for the challenge. Finally today, I had the opportunity to participate in a tour of the Special Court with grade school students and explaining to them the responsibilities of the defense and prosecution sections of the court.

I will like to take this opportunity to thank you all for coming with me on this experience. I hope to hear from you all soon and I look forward to your comments, questions and concerns.

Mo

I'm finally here, I start work tomorrow (May 10th)

Hello everyone, it's Mo here again. I'm very sorry if anyone has been worried about the fact that I had not updated my blog. Due to the internet access in the city, I was not able to check my email for almost 4 days since arriving.

When I landed at Lungi (Freetown International Airport), my first act was to kiss the ground. I was happy to be back home. I went through immigration and customs (they took $30 from me, for what I'm not sure) with no problems. I've been in the country for four days now and there has been no electricity. I found a place to stay on Monday which is very close to the Special Court (less than 1/3 mile from the court; walking distance) but I will still need a generator, freezer, television, internet and running water. I finally bought a generator today for about Le. 1million (about $350), paid for my internet subscription which costs (including equipment) about $150 a month (only about 6 hour access per day).

As many of you know, it's been over 11 days since I last saw my family here in Sierra Leone. The emotion of once again seeing my grandma, dad, step-mom, brothers and sister, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, friends, and all my other family members was overwhelming. I didn't sleep for about two days because I had so many people who came by to see me. Everyone had stories to tell about how they survived the civil war in the country. The stories were sad, amazing, frightening, depressing, astonishing and downright scary. I had nightmares for two days. I couldn't sleep and I will wake up in the middle of the night yelling or sweating. It has been a struggle.

The economic situation in this country is deemer than I thought. To see the sufferings in the eyes of men, women and children has given me a greater appreciation of my life and privileges in the Unites States. I have no doubt that my internship and visit to my home country will have a lasting effect on my life. I already feel very confused, disappointed and at the same time happy and excited about the status of the country. There are good things, but there are also not so good things. I can't understand some of the things I've seen and heard with my own ears and eyes.

My first day of work is tomorrow (May 10th) at 9am. I'm very excited to finally meet my boss and the rest of the defense team. I'm not sure what awaits me but I feel as ready as I can possibly be under the circumstances. As I indicated, I hope that you all will come on this journey and go through this experience with me. I have no doubt that this internship will forever change my focus on the world and life itself. I will update this blog as much as possible; but due to my internet access and speed, I may only be able to update this blog on a weekly basis. Please forgive me and I look forward to all your comments, questions and concerns. Thank you very much and I hope to hear from you all very soon.


As for all those of you who were unable to post on my blog due to technical difficulties (such as requests to register), that problem should now be fixed. Please email me if you're not able to post a comment or suggestions at mch4434@fsu.edu.


Sincerely Mo

Countdown

Hello everyone, it's Mo here. I want to thank you all who have taken the time to log onto my blog and add comments and ask questions. I will be traveling to Africa tomorrow (May 1st) for the start of my Summer internship. I look forward to hearing from all of you. I promise to try and keep the blog updated as much as possible (preferably on a daily basis based on my internet access in Africa).

I hope to provide you all with information about the internship (without breaking any confidentiality rules) that will help further your understanding of International Criminal Law. Over the past few months, I have mentally, physically, intellectually and emotionally prepared for this trip and the internship as best as I can. I have no doubt that this trip and the internship will have a lasting effect on my life (hopefully a positive one). This is the first time I can say I'm going to be part of something I believe is greater than myself; because I have the opportunity to contribute in the rebuilding process of my native country, and for this reason, more than anything else, I will forever cherish my participation in, and the knowledge I will gain from the internship.

As a student of the law, a native Sierra Leoenean and a citizen of the world, I believe the work being carried on by the Special Court in Sierra Leone and other similar courts (ICTY, ICTR, ICC, ACHPR etc) is important in the furtherance of the rule of law around the world. Whether any or all the accuseds are innocent or guilty is a matter of law or fact; but the fact that in Sierra Leone, people suspected of carrying out the most-egregious atrocities in violation of Customary Human Right Law are being tried is a victory in itself for the rule of law. In my personal and humble opinion, a society without the rule of law is doomed and will fail. For this reason, each and everytime we as humans have the choice of choosing between furthering the rule of law or looking the other way, I hope we choose the rule of law.

Working for the Defense Section of the court will be interesting, challenging and educational for various reasons. As a native Sierra Leonean, I personally lost extended family members and childhood friends in the civil war. I have been asked by many people: why work for the defense team, why work on defending Charles Taylor and the other defendants indicted by the court? My answer to each and everyone that has asked me this question has been consistent: it's not only Charles Taylor and the other indictees you're defending, but our very system of criminal justice which affords all accuseds the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This is a right provided to all defendants and is one of the most fundamental right in the criminal justice system of most nations around the world. Further, I believe that if Charles Taylor and the other defendants, who are accused of these egregious atrocities, can be defended, so can all of us if we are ever accused of a crime. I believe that as a defense intern, I not only get to (possibly) help in the defense of Charles Taylor and the other defendants, but I get to help defend our very system of criminal justice which is a greater cause than defending any one individual defendant.

I will like to take this opportunity to thank all those that help make this internship and experience possible. I extend my gratitude and appreciation to the the following people and entities
1. God because without him, nothing is possible; and also my parents and family for all their love and support.
2. The FSU College of Law Administration including Prof. D'alemberte, Professor Sally Gertz, Dean Benavides, Prof. Christie, Ms. Lynn Peacock, Prof. Teson, Hunter Hughes, John Bembry, Prof. Coonan and Vania (at the CAHR).
3. The FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights
4. Edward Wilton
5. Loren and Nancy Brelsford
6. Mr. John Paterakis
7. Ed and Marie Wilton
8. Ben and Natalie Tuttle
9. Mr. Juan Sanchez
10. Donna and Joe Portlock
11. Carlos and Ryane Cruz
12. Jack Capra and Nina Karezooni
13. Mr. and Mrs. Brian Berkowitz
14. All my friends and colleagues at the college of law.

I thank you all for your support and continued encouragement. It means more to me than you all know. I will be forever grateful to you all.

In conclusion, I invite you all to come on this journey and experience with me. I look forward to your comments, question and advice during this summer. I hope you all are having a wonderful summer, good luck with all your personal summer endeavors and I look forward to seeing you all when I return to the United States in August. Thanks, take care and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Sincerely
Mo