[Raman]

At first I thought, wasn’t Milosevic indicted? But it turns out that his case was prosecuted in the months running up to the arrival of the ICC. It was seen by some ‘as a prelude to the permanent International Criminal Court, the most important new human rights institution in more than half a century’. [http://www.hrw.org/news/2002/02/11/milosevic-and-icc] The subsequent track record mentioned above may bring into question the full motivation for establishing the court.
Several countries (notably US, Israel, China, Pakistan & India) expressed reservations about it’s ‘proprio motu’ power of the Prosecutor to initiate investigations leaving the court open to political influence. PRC, India & China refused to sign up, whereas the US & Israel signed up but then either ‘unsigned’ (Israel) or failed to ratify it (US) so failing to become state parties (in effect helping create jurisdiction for others but not agreeing to adhere to it themselves). Furthermore, the UNSC can extend jurisdiction as mentioned above by referring cases to the ICC.
Many African countries have had and still have ‘development’ distorted by colonialism, debt, unequal trade and conflict. Maybe the ICC could adopt a more restorative approach in it’s investigation, adjudication & sentencing taking this into account?

[Raman]

I am pleased to read on & see that the norm in Africa is to be multi-lingual – the educational and perceptual and foucauldian (conceptual) strength it encourages should be the norm everywhere – I know it is in the Indian subcontinent.  Europe’s insecurity over, and obsession with, nationhood means it often manages to throw the baby out with the bathwater when it should retain both.

‘that gives those of us who have grown up in africa a sense of authenticity in what it tries to depict’ – could you start one from your locality and invite others to expand it on the internet? I think this should be mapped globally possibly collectively…like other collective research projects that are run across the net.

Just thoughts.

[Raman]

Haha – fantastic! & I used to marvel at India’s size compared to the uk!

over 13 times bigger: India’s total area is 3,287,240 sq km comparing to UK 244820 sq km

(don’t think he’s used the Peter’s projection btw)

Africa is 30,370,000 sq km 124 times bigger! again I don’t think he’s used the Peter’s projection – Uk is too big

I would love to know what Murdock’s identity criteria were for the reasons you state but I love the complexity of the ‘peoples’ map (never been keen on term ethnicity as it is born out of Race) – the sheer rich diversity of the continent (& that’s AFTER the sociocide of european expansions! – imagine how diverse it might have been) – untold potential.

At first I excitedly thought it was some sort of map of global influence across the continent – esp in light of China’s investment programs.

I think something that would be v useful for conflicts would be current ‘interests’ maps – of who exerts how much influence over the continent – perhaps in terms of trade – then alliances? from outside but also internally?

Also- then water distribution or mineral resources mapped out to overlay with these? then overlay with the Environment II map above?

Languages (not defined by country boundaries), religions likewise (I only have a secular vs Islamic)

oh to have the time – someone must have done them – they just need to share!

If the maps were produced periodically then we’d just need a clever computer wizard to overlay each map and animate so we could watch a ‘film’ of the social & economic factors over  the 4 dimension: time

[Author]

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