Photo by Levi Clancy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)How did the landmark Nations International Criminal Tribunal (NICT) come to life? What catalyzing events led to its creation—beyond the growing recognition of the failures of international governance?
We’re pleased to share the next blog post in our series on the Fourth World Journal Special Issue: Nations International Criminal Tribunal (NICT). In the article titled “An Introduction to the Nations International Criminal Tribunal: The Case of the Yezidi People,” journalist Samuel Stoker traces the origins of the NICT to the atrocities committed against the Yezidi people by ISIS in the mid-2010s—and the international community’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable. Incorporating legal evidence and drawing on personal interviews and collaboration with Dr. Rÿser, Stoker explores the tribunal’s development and its potential to uplift Indigenous cultural and customary law as a foundation for global justice and human rights.
Hear directly from Stoker as he shares the personal experiences and insights that shaped his contribution to this special issue.
By Samuel Stoker, M.A
Outlines the mechanisms of the Nations’ International Criminal Tribunal and the Yezidi nations’ case from which it emerged as a legal framework. It underlines the channels created by the NICT and their potential to alter global approaches to justice by providing localized and culturally appropriate legal processes. Beginning with a critique of current international governance systems, the piece uses the ISIS genocide of the Yezidi peoples to articulate the necessity of a system that foregrounds Indigenous sovereignty in achieving justice. Incorporating legal evidence and highlights from his personal interviews and correspondence with Dr. Rÿser, the author explores the NICT’s charter and the intentions behind its design. Ultimately, the NICT is a comprehensive organizational model for promoting Indigenous rights locally and globally.
Sam Stoker is a journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Mexico City. His articles have appeared in In These Times, Indian Country Today, Intercontinental Cry, Navajo-Hopi Observer, Fourth World Journal, and other publications. He is currently working on the documentary series Pathfinder: The Untold Story of the Indian Business with the Center for World Indigenous Studies. He holds an MA in Social Documentation from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Read this article and the Special Issue for free.
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