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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 16h

Together, bit by bit, & day by day, we can make human rights a reality for all - not some; everywhere - not just some places; and always - not just when it is convenient.

Thank you @alexneve.bsky.social for this critical conversation on universalizing the promise of human rights @goufv.bsky.social!

Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 17h

Whether in Ukraine, Canada, Gaza, Myanmar, or elsewhere, a key strategy of denialists is to claim that calling out genocide "dilutes" or "weakens" the term.

The claim is wrong in law & fact, and always & purposefully ignores legal obligations to *prevent* genocide.

Case in point:

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 19h

"Inertia and lack of urgency from successive governments on the history of residential schools and denialism also leave room for the distortion of history."

What’s Canada Doing about Residential School Denialism? thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

What’s Canada Doing about Residential School Denialism? | The Tyee

The problem is growing, experts say, and the government needs to act fast to address it.

thetyee.ca

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Reposted by Mark Kersten

Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) @msf.ca · 19h

“There's been a responsibility for world leaders including Canada to uphold International Humanitarian Law and that doesn't simply go away at the flip of a switch or the announcement of a peace agreement,” says @sana.msf.ca, Executive Director of MSF.

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 19h

"There has to be more human rights oversight…. We are seeing Canadian weapons being misused."

Canadian tech helped U.S. strike alleged Venezuelan drug boats: @ploughshares_ca report ici.radio-canada.ca/rci/en/news/... #cdnfp #cdnpoli

Canadian tech helped U.S. strike alleged Venezuelan drug boats: report | RCI

Global Affairs Canada says it’s ‘aware of the U.S. operation and is monitoring the situation’

ici.radio-canada.ca

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 1d

“We stand here today with good news, but to me, the battle still carries on. A lot of survivors lost their culture, the language, way of life, our identity."

Saskatchewan apologized, agreed to pay $40m settlement to Survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse School: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #saskatchewan

Sask. apologizes, agrees to pay $40M to survivors of Île-à-la-Crosse residential school | CBC News

The Saskatchewan government is apologizing to former students of the Île-à-la-Crosse Boarding School and has agreed to pay $40.2 million in restitution to them and their families.

www.cbc.ca

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Reposted by Mark Kersten

Betcy Jose @betcy.bsky.social · 2d

#KeepEyesOnSudan

Global Voices @globalvoices.org · 2d

The armed conflict in Sudan seems to be one of the world's most forgotten civil wars. The reigning silence surrounding this conflict plunges the population into daily turmoil.

Sudan is bleeding in silence: A humanitarian crisis the world cannot ignore

The armed conflict in Sudan seems to be one of the world's most forgotten civil wars. The reigning silence surrounding this conflict plunges the population into daily turmoil.

globalvoices.org

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 2d

“Putin should be in The Hague to face the charges against him, not attending summits hosted by an ICC member,” @hrw.org says as Putin visits Tajikistan: www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...

Tajikistan: Arrest Putin

Tajikistan should deny entry to Russian President Vladimir Putin or arrest him if he enters the country, based on an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant for him.

www.hrw.org

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 2d

“Israel’s generals and soldiers are aware they are killing large numbers of children. The former head of military intelligence for much of the war said “it did not matter now” if children were among the dead.”

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 2d

“Far from comprehensive, the list does not include the thousands still buried under the rubble of destroyed buildings, as well as the war’s many indirect victims”

The list of 18,457 children killed in Gaza: a poignant, humanizing, & heart-breaking investigation👇 www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Young lives cut short on an unimaginable scale: the 18,457 children on Gaza’s list of war dead

Every name on a list compiled by health authorities in Gaza of the child victims of Israel’s offensive

www.theguardian.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

And today as much as every day, I hope that the hostages and those taken from their loved ones and homes are returned to their families. The anguish and pain of not knowing if or when you will be reunited with loved ones is relentless. Let us hope their wait ends very very soon.

Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

The meeting, at least the public bits, was alarming:

✅ Jokes about annexing Canada met w laughs & no serious pushback
✅ Carney calling Trump a "transformational" leader
✅ No tariff relief or deals
✅ No mention of human rights issues, like sanctions against ICC staff or Canadians in ICE detention

Anita Anand @anitaoakvilleeast.bsky.social · 3d

Joined the Eurasia Group’s Canada-U.S. Summit from Washington to discuss Canada’s foreign policy priorities and the importance of today’s meeting between Prime Minister Carney and President Trump.

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

"A lot of them are malnourished and they are facing executions on the road, some gunshots."

Sudan's civil war has faded from headlines, but monitors say it's the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, writes Margaret Evans: www.cbc.ca/news/world/e... #KeepEyesonSudan #Darfur

Sudan's civil war has faded from headlines, but monitors say it's the largest humanitarian crisis in the world | CBC News

The UN says more than 12 million Sudanese have been displaced since its civil war began in spring 2023, making it the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. Aid agencies, including Medecins Sans Fr...

www.cbc.ca

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

“My number was 66. They didn’t call us by our names. They called us by our numbers.” - Residential School Survivor Beverly Albrecht.

We wrote about this in the Final Report of the OSI. Erasing identities is a key method of dehumanization and atrocity: osi-bis.ca/wp-content/u...

osi-bis.ca

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

Transforming places of atrocity into places of truth, knowledge and healing is an act of justice.

A former Ontario residential school, the Mohawk Institute Residential School, reopens as a museum: www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

A former Ontario residential school reopens as a museum

Once part of a system notorious for abuse, the institution is now a place for learning and reflection

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

"Immunities are back in vogue."

Pinochet, Bashir, Putin, Netanyahu, Gallant, Herzog: Immunities for High Officials – the Importance of Getting State Practice Right: www.ejiltalk.org/pinochet-bas...

Pinochet, Bashir, Putin, Netanyahu, Gallant, Herzog: Immunities for High Officials – the Importance of Getting State Practice Right

Immunities are back in vogue. And the debate about them – their relevance, and whether they can shield wanted war criminals from investigation, prosecution or issued arrest warrants – is again front ...

www.ejiltalk.org

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

📢 For anyone working on the #ICC’s investigation in the Philippines and the prosecution of former President Rodrigo Duterte over crimes against humanity committed during his so-called drug war, this special issue is looking for folks to write on just that! 👇

Adam Kochanski @adamkochanski.bsky.social · 10d

📢 Hun Joon Kim (Korea University) and I are co-editing a special of JCEAS on "Norm Contestation and the Politics of #TransitionalJustice in East and Southeast Asia." Please send us your 250-word abstract by Oct 15. Link to full CfP below 👇 www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7v61o... #IRtheory #IRnorms

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 3d

My thoughts are w the victims of the ongoing horrors in the Middle East. They didnt choose this fight. They are treated like pawns in a war marked by atrocities, hate, & a disregard for our common humanity.

It’s by caring for each other -for all & not just some - that we can forge a better future.

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 4d

"There has to be more human rights oversight…. We are seeing Canadian weapons being misused." - @kelgallagh.bsky.social

A high-tech Canadian-made camera system was used as part of controversial U.S. strikes against alleged Venezuelan drug boats: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnpoli

Canadian tech helped U.S. strike alleged Venezuelan drug boats: report | CBC News

Canadian technology was used by the U.S. military in operations that blew up at least two alleged Venezuelan drug boats in the Caribbean in September, according to a report by Project Ploughshares.

www.cbc.ca

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 4d

"Denialism is not an Indigenous problem; confronting it is a Canadian responsibility...Truth & reconciliation cannot survive if the truth is minimized, downplayed or disavowed."

Critically important piece by @seancarleton.bsky.social & @truthinthesoil.bsky.social theconversation.com/confronting-...

Confronting residential schools denialism is an ethical and shared Canadian responsibility

Residential schools denialism is harmful on many levels, and jeopardizes Canada’s ability to work with Indigenous Peoples to create a stronger future.

theconversation.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 4d

“With the current conflict in Sudan producing new generations of victims and compounding the suffering of those targeted in the past, the verdict should spur action by governments to advance justice by all possible means.” www.hrw.org/news/2025/10... #KeepEyesOnSudan #Darfur #ICC

Darfur: ICC Convicts Former Janjaweed Militia Leader

The first International Criminal Court (ICC) conviction of a former leader of the “Janjaweed,” militias for serious crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region spotlights the need for international action to ensu...

www.hrw.org

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 4d

“The accused was not only giving orders…but was personally involved in the beatings & later was physically present & giving orders for the execution of those detained.”

🚨‼️🚨‼️

The first senior perpetrator of atrocities in Darfur is convicted at the ICC! www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

ICC convicts former Sudan militia leader for war crimes in Darfur

Janjaweed commander Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, found guilty over atrocities

www.theguardian.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 5d

"Carney’s Liberal government...has yet to push back against the U.S. attacks on the ICC. Foreign Affairs Minister Anand did note that she has'“utmost confidence' in Prost and praised the court, but made no reference to the American sanctions against her." theconversation.com/why-is-canad...

Why is Canada quiet on the International Criminal Court while recognizing Palestine?

Despite Canada’s historic support for the International Criminal Court, Mark Carney’s government has yet to defend it against attacks by the U.S. Why?

theconversation.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 6d

"Today, most of Sudan’s hospitals and clinics are in ruins or closed, hundreds of schools are shut down, aid supplies are largely blocked and mass hunger is growing."

What to know about the war in Sudan, by @geoffreyyork.bsky.social: www.theglobeandmail.com/world/articl... #KeepEyesonSudan #Darfur

The war in Sudan is the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis. Here’s how it started and the toll so far

The conflict is in its third year, with the latest ceasefire talks going nowhere. Meanwhile, aid is falling far short of what’s needed

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Mark Kersten @markkersten.bsky.social · 7d

“Trump warned "innocent Palestinians" to leave for safe areas of Gaza without specifying where that would be.” www.cbc.ca/news/world/t...

Trump gives Hamas until Sunday to agree to Gaza deal, or 'all hell ... will break out' | CBC News

U.S. President Donald Trump gave Hamas until Sunday evening to reach an agreement on his plan for Gaza's future, calling it a last chance for the Palestinian militant group.

www.cbc.ca

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