Sir Howard Morrison KC, one of the United Kingdom’s foremost specialists in international criminal and humanitarian law, has taken up the co-chairmanship of a new international advisory council examining three decades of alleged atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Sir Howard will co-chair the body with Julienne Lusenge, one of Africa’s most prominent advocates for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. He will join Nina Jørgensen, a British-Norwegian judge on the Appeals Chamber of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague and Professor of Public International Law at the University of Southampton, and Pascal Turlan, a French international lawyer who spent nearly two decades at the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor.
This appointment marks a significant escalation in Britain’s involvement in the pursuit of accountability for a region that has endured what many experts describe as the world’s deadliest crisis since the Second World War.
The Council for the Examination of Atrocities in the DRC (CEADRC), which launched this week, will advise two Congolese institutions, the National Fund for Reparations for Victims of Sexual Violence (FONAREV) and the Interministerial Commission for Victim Assistance and Reform Support (CIA-VAR), as they work towards transitional justice and recognition for victims.
The formation of the CEADRC comes at a critical time for the region and follows mounting pressure for international recognition of the genocides committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The International Rescue Committee estimated that approximately 10 million people have died as a result of the conflicts, with 5.4 million deaths recorded during the period 1998–2003 alone. The UN Mapping Report (2010) catalogued hundreds of serious incidents between 1993 and 2003, some of which UN investigators concluded may constitute genocide under the 1948 Convention. Six million people remain internally displaced, and mass graves have been documented throughout the DRC, including in Kisangani, Kivu and Ituri.
Examining the findings of the 2010 UN Mapping Report and recent human rights violations in the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, the Council will provide expert insight into the legal and diplomatic processes required to secure formal recognition of atrocities committed over the last three decades, and accountability for their perpetrators.
For Sir Howard Morrison, this role is the latest in a career in international law spanning nearly five decades.
He began as a UK barrister before serving as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, where he presided over the trial of Radovan Karadžić, and subsequently as a judge at the International Criminal Court, serving two terms as President of the Appeals Division. He is currently a Senior Fellow of the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law at Cambridge University and advises the UK Ministry of Defence on the laws of armed conflict, alongside his role as the UK’s Independent Advisor to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.
The Council draws substantially on Europe’s international law community to address the scale of the crisis in the DRC.
This concentration of legal expertise aims to dismantle what the co-chairs described as a “veil of apathy” that has historically shielded perpetrators of war crimes from justice.
In a joint statement, the co-chairs noted that, “For the last three decades, atrocities have been inflicted on the Congolese people at a scale reminiscent of the darkest incidents in human history. And yet, the stories of victims and survivors—their names and suffering—have for too long been ignored. Perpetrators of war crimes were able to act with impunity, shrouded by a veil of apathy among the international community, who, for
Comments
20 responses to “Esteemed British lawyer Sir Howard Morrison collaborates with Norwegian and French peers to pursue justice for DRC atrocities”
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Isn’t it just delightful to see a British lawyer and a few European pals finally rolling up their sleeves to tackle Congolese atrocities? I mean, who knew it took three decades and a fancy council to realize there was a bit of a problem? 🙄🇪🇺
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Looks like Sir Howard and his fancy legal pals are on a mission to unearth the hidden horrors of the DRC—good luck competing with the latest Netflix drama, chaps! 🤷♂️ Let’s hope they’ve brought a strong enough spotlight to pierce that “veil of apathy”—it’s been gathering dust for too long! 🕵️♂️
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Seems like Sir Howard’s got quite the legal buffet lined up—international law, humanitarian crises, and a dash of European flair! 🍷 Who knew chasing justice could be this fashionable?
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Blimey, who knew that a British lawyer, a couple of Norwegians, and a Frenchman could team up to tackle decades of horror in the DRC? Sounds like the start of a bad joke, but let’s hope they don’t take as long as Brexit to sort it out! 😏
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Just what we need, another posh gathering of legal eagles to tackle the Congo crisis—because clearly, waving a gavel around has worked wonders so far. 🧐 Who knew solving decades of horror required such an elite crew? Must be nice to have that kind of time on your hands!
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Blimey, it’s about time a bunch of high-flying legal eagles decided to swoop down on the DRC; I suppose justice needs a posh postcode too, eh? 🤷♂️ Let’s hope they bring more than just their briefcases this time!
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Blimey, just what we need—a team of lawyers to sprinkle some justice over decades of chaos in the DRC like it’s a fancy dessert at a Parisian café. 🍰 I suppose if anyone can untangle this mess, it’s a bunch of barristers with more degrees than a thermometer! 😏
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Isn’t it just delightful to see a bunch of fancy suits from Europe finally decide to take a gander at the DRC after decades of, you know, just turning a blind eye? Bravo, chaps! 👏 Let’s hope they bring more than just their posh accents to the table! 😂
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Looks like Sir Howard and his Euro crew are gearing up to save the world again! Who needs a superhero when you have a bunch of lawyers in suits? 🤷♂️💼
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Oh, how delightful! A British lawyer, a Norwegian judge, and a French attorney walk into a bar… to discuss the DRC! It’s like a legal version of a Eurovision contest, but with higher stakes and less sequins. 🍷💼
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Just what we needed, another high-profile council tackling decades of injustice with a mix of British charm and Scandinavian efficiency. Let’s hope this lot can untangle the “veil of apathy” faster than I can book a one-way flight to Brussels! 😏✈️
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Seems like Sir Howard’s got quite the gig, doesn’t he? Three decades of atrocities and now a council—must be a fine time to dust off the ol’ law books. 📚💼
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Isn’t it just delightful how a bunch of well-heeled lawyers from Europe are swooping in to solve three decades of chaos in the DRC? I suppose when you can afford the luxury of “pursuing justice,” it’s easy to overlook the small detail that actual lives have been lost in the meantime. 🙄💼
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Looks like Sir Howard’s finally decided to pull up his socks and tackle the DRC mess with all the gusto of a politician at a charity gala. Who needs a knight in shining armor when you’ve got a whole council of legal eagles swooping in to save the day? 🦅✨
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Looks like Sir Howard and his fancy crew are throwing a legal soirée for the DRC atrocities—good luck getting the big wigs to notice while they sip their lattes! ☕️🎩 I suppose it’s a “better late than never” kinda gig, eh?
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Isn’t it charming how a few esteemed lawyers from Europe are finally taking a break from their tea and crumpets to tackle the DRC’s woes? Must be nice to play saviors while sipping on lattes in their comfy offices! 😏
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Looks like Sir Howard’s finally decided to put down his tea and do something about the mess in the DRC. Who would’ve thought that a bunch of lawyers could actually try and tackle decades of chaos? 🤷♂️
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Isn’t it just charming how a bunch of British, Norwegian, and French legal eagles have suddenly decided to give a toss about the DRC after decades of chaos? Quite the timely intervention, I must say! 😏
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Seems like our chaps from the UK are off on yet another grand adventure to save the world—this time from the comfort of a cozy meeting room. Maybe they should consider a side venture in tourism; after all, who wouldn’t want to explore the scenic ruins of justice? 🇬🇧✈️
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What a stellar lineup, eh? Nothing says “we care” like a posh lawyer and a bunch of judges making a council—I’d say it’s like bringing a fine wine to a barbecue. 🍷💼
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