| Last night, we were invited to an evening with Ken | | | | Habré to justice, and should lead to his |
| Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. | | | | extradition from Senegal to Belgium to stand trial. |
| Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the | | | | This man, in his days, killed tens of thousands of |
| human rights of people around the world. We stand | | | | people, until Souleymane Guengueng, a modest and |
| with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to | | | | deeply religious civil servant who watched hundreds |
| uphold political freedom, to protect people from | | | | of his cellmates perish from torture and disease |
| inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders | | | | during two years in Habrés prisons, took an |
| to justice. We investigate and expose human rights | | | | oath before God that if he ever got out of jail alive, |
| violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge | | | | he would bring his tormentors to justice. |
| governments and those who hold power to end | | | | But it was the methods that he described that were |
| abusive practices and respect international human | | | | the most compelling. |
| rights law. We enlist the public and the international | | | | In a nutshell, HRW uses strategic blackmail to |
| community to support the cause of human rights for | | | | arm-twist governments and powers to get them to |
| all. | | | | cooperate, and to put a stop to unacceptable ways. |
| Ken Roth is a former litigator and federal prosecuter, | | | | No government wants to be publicly accused as a |
| who has dedicated his energy to the Human Rights | | | | human rights violator. HRW has tremendous credibility |
| cause over the last two decades. | | | | with the world media for telling it as it is. Their |
| He explained HRW's mission, methods, and results in | | | | reports are authentic, generated by researchers on |
| an engaging talk. A recent victory was described | | | | the field, at considerable personal risk. They have the |
| eloquently. | | | | ability to create front page headlines in all major |
| A Belgian judge has issued an international arrest | | | | newspapers worldwide. |
| warrant charging Chads exiled former president, | | | | I was impressed by the combination of ruthlessness |
| Hissène Habré, with human rights | | | | and killer instinct and getting the job done focus, set |
| crimes committed during his 1982-1990 rule. | | | | in the context of immense kindness. |
| Habré lives in exile in Senegal, where he was | | | | It was still a rare, warm San Francisco night when we |
| indicted over five years ago before courts ruled that | | | | came out. With a sigh I thought to myself: Such, I |
| he could not be tried there. The Belgian warrant | | | | hope, would be the anatomy of leadership in the |
| marks a turning point in the long effort to bring | | | | years to come. |