Global Action Hosts UNEPS Panel following Showing of
“Lemkin's House”

On Friday, September 29th, Global Action to Prevent War hosted a panel on the UN Emergency Peace Service (UNEPS) following a showing of the highly acclaimed play, “Lemkin's House.” Written by Catherine Filloux and directed by Jean Randich, “Lemkin's House” tells the story of Raphael Lemkin, who by coining the term “genocide” tirelessly worked to have the perpetrators of crimes against humanity brought to justice. Confronting genocides from various perspectives ranging from Rwanda to Bosnia , the play instills feelings of both desperation and hope within the audience. Its powerful ending poses the inevitable question: How would Raphael Lemkin react to the international community's inaction and inability to halt genocides--even today? Most importantly, how can we, as members of the global polity work to prevent crimes against humanity occurring right before our eyes?

Complementing the strong feelings generated by the powerful and well-acted play, Global Action's Development and Outreach Director Robert Zuber, who acted as the panel moderator, jumpstarted the discussion by asking Don Kraus of the DC-based NGO Citizens for Global Solutions, to trace the history of the UNEPS initiative and discuss its prospects for galvanizing the global community into action. Delineating the inability of the international community to efficiently deploy peacekeeping forces at the outbreak of a conflict, Kraus described UNEPS as a rapidly deployable force comparable to an “international 911.” Rather than being subjected to the bureaucracy and questionable political will of member states in contributing troops and funding to a mission, Kraus stated, UNEPS would have mobile field headquarters that would facilitate deployment within 48 hours following the UN's approval. Waverly de Bruijn, Global Action's International Coordinator, followed Kraus' statement by describing the uniqueness of the initiative and the growing support it is galvanizing from people of all realms--from policy makers and lobbyists to members of the UN sphere and civil society. If implemented, UNEPS will be a powerful and effective tool in preventing future genocides, de Bruijn added.

Closing the panel with a call for action, panelist Lois Barber, the Executive Director of EarthAction incited feelings of optimism and hope within the audience. Just as genocide starts with a small group of people with a plan, Barber explained, stopping genocide also starts the same way. “And we, with this initiative,” she added, “have that power in our hands.”