Nobel Peace Laureates to Human Rights

Watch: Close Your Revolving Door to U.S.

Government
The leading human rights organization's close ties to the U.S. government
call its independence into question.

The following letter was sent today to Human Rights Watch's Kenneth Roth on behalf
of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Adolfo Prez !s"ui#el and $airead $aguire% former
&N Assistant 'ecretary (eneral Hans #on ')onec*% current &N ')ecial Ra))orteur
on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Richard +al*% and o#er ,-- scholars.
/ear Kenneth Roth01a! "#$ #%"&
Human Rights Watch characterizes itself as 2one of the world3s leading inde)endent
organizations dedicated to defending and )rotecting human rights.4 Howe#er0 HRW's
close ties to the &.'. go#ernment call into "uestion its inde)endence.
+or e5am)le0 HRW's Washington ad#ocacy director0 Tom $alinows*i0
)re#iously ser#ed as a s)ecial assistant to President 6ill 7linton and as a s)eechwriter
to 'ecretary of 'tate $adeleine Albright. 8n 9-,:0 he left HRW after
being nominated as Assistant 'ecretary of 'tate for /emocracy0 Human Rights ;
Labor under <ohn Kerry.
8n her HRW.org biogra)hy0 6oard of /irectors' =ice 7hair 'usan
$anilow describes herself as >a longtime friend to 6ill 7linton> who is >highly in#ol#ed>
in his )olitical )arty0 and >has hosted dozens of e#ents> for the /emocratic National
7ommittee.
7urrently0 HRW Americas' ad#isory committee includes $yles +rechette0
a former &.'.ambassador to 7olombia0 and $ichael 'hifter0 one1time Latin America
director for the &.'. go#ernment1financed National !ndowment for /emocracy. $iguel
/?az0 a 7entral 8ntelligence Agency analyst in the ,@@-s0 sat on HRW Americas'
ad#isory committee from 9--:1,,. Now at the 'tate /e)artment0 /?az ser#es as >an
interlocutor between the intelligence community and non1go#ernment e5)erts.>

8n his ca)acity as an HRW ad#ocacy director0 $alinows*i contended in 9--@ that
>under limited circumstances> there was >a legitimate )lace> for 78A renditionsA
the illegal )ractice of *idna))ing and transferring terrorism sus)ects around the )lanet.
$alinows*i was "uoted)ara)hrasing the &.'. go#ernment's argument that designing
an alternati#e to sending sus)ects to >foreign dungeons to be tortured> was >going to
ta*e some time.>
HRW has not e5tended similar consideration to =enezuela. 8n a 9-,9 letter to
President 7hB#ez0 HRW criticized the country's candidacy for the &N Human Rights
7ouncil0 alleging that =enezuela had fallen >far short of acce)table standards> and
"uestioning its >ability to ser#e as a credible #oice on human rights.> At no )oint
has &.'. membershi) in the same council merited censure from HRW0 des)ite
Washington's secret0 global assassination )rogram0 its )reser#ation of renditions0 and
its illegal detention of indi#iduals at (uantBnamo 6ay.
Li*ewise0 in +ebruary 9-,:0 HRW correctly described as > unlawful> 'yria's use of
missiles in its ci#il war. Howe#er0 HRW remained silent on the clear #iolation of
international law constituted by the &.'. threat of missile stri*es on 'yria in August.
The few e5am)les abo#e0 limited to only recent history0 might be forgi#en as
inconsistencies or o#ersights that could naturally occur in any large0 busy organization.
6ut HRW3s close relationshi)s with the &.'. go#ernment suffuse such instances with
the a))earance of a conflict of interest.
We therefore encourage you to institute immediate0 concrete measures to strongly
assert HRW's inde)endence. 7losing what seems to be a re#ol#ing door would be a
reasonable first ste)C 6ar those who ha#e crafted or e5ecuted &.'. foreign )olicy from
ser#ing as HRW staff0 ad#isors or board members. At a bare minimum0 mandate
lengthy 2cooling1off4 )eriods before and after any associate mo#es between HRW and
that arm of the go#ernment.
Dour largest donor0 in#estor (eorge 'oros0 argued in 9-,- that >to be more effecti#e0 8
thin* the organization has to be seen as more international0 less an American
organization.4 We concur. We urge you to im)lement the aforementioned )ro)osal to
ensure a re)utation for genuine inde)endence.
'incerely0
,. Adolfo Prez !s"ui#el0 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
9. $airead $aguire0 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
:. <oel Andreas0 Professor of 'ociology0 <ohns Ho)*ins &ni#ersity
E. Antony Anghie0 Professor of Law0 '.<. Fuinney 7ollege of Law0 &ni#ersity of
&tah
G. <ohn $. Archer0 Professor of !nglish0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
H. Asma 6arlas0 Professor of Politics0 /irector of the 7enter for the 'tudy of
7ulture0 Race0 and !thnicity0 8thaca 7ollege
I. Rosalyn 6a5andall0 Professor !meritus of American 'tudies0 'tate &ni#ersity of
New Dor*1Jld Westbury
K. $arc 6ec*er0 Professor of Latin American History0 Truman 'tate &ni#ersity
@. <ason A. 6ec*ett0 Professor of Law0 American &ni#ersity in 7airo
,-.Anglica 6ernal0 Professor of Political 'cience0 &ni#ersity of $assachusetts1
Amherst
,,.Keane 6hatt0 acti#ist0 writer
,9.William 6lum0 author0 Killing Ho)eC &.'. $ilitary and 78A 8nter#entions 'ince
World War 88
,:.Audrey 6omse0 7o1chair0 National Lawyers (uild Palestine 'ubcommittee
,E.Patric* 6ond0 Professor of /e#elo)ment 'tudies0 /irector of the 7entre for 7i#il
'ociety0 &ni#ersity of KwaLulu1Natal0 /urban
,G.$ichael 6renner0 Professor !meritus of 8nternational Affairs0 &ni#ersity of
Pittsburgh
,H.<ean 6ricmont0 Professor of Theoretical Physics0 &ni#ersity of Lou#ain% author0
Humanitarian 8m)erialism
,I.Renate 6ridenthal0 Professor !merita of History0 6roo*lyn 7ollege0 7&ND
,K.+ernando 6uen Abad /om?nguez0 Ph./.0 author
,@.Paul 6uhle0 Professor !meritus of American 7i#ilization0 6rown &ni#ersity
9-./a#id 7amfield0 Professor of Labour 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of $anitoba
9,.Leonard L. 7a#ise0 Professor of Law0 /ePaul 7ollege of Law
99.Robert 7hernomas0 Professor of !conomics0 &ni#ersity of $anitoba
9:.A#i#a 7homs*y0 Professor of History0 'alem 'tate &ni#ersity
9E.(eorge 7iccariello1$aher0 Professor of Political 'cience0 /re5el &ni#ersity
9G.<eff 7ohen0 Associate Professor of <ournalism0 8thaca 7ollege
9H.$arMorie 7ohn0 Professor of Law0 Thomas <efferson 'chool of Law
9I.Lisa /uggan0 Professor of 'ocial and 7ultural Analysis0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
9K.7arolyn !isenberg0 Professor of History0 Hofstra &ni#ersity
9@.$atthew !#angelista0 Professor of History and Political 'cience0 7ornell
&ni#ersity
:-.Richard +al*0 Professor !meritus of 8nternational Law0 Princeton &ni#ersity
:,.'uMatha +ernandes0 Professor of 'ociology0 Fueens 7ollege0 7&ND (raduate
7enter
:9.$ara +ridell0 Professor of 'ociology0 &ni#ersity of $anitoba
::.+rances (eteles0 Professor !meritus0 /e)artment of ')ecial Programs0 7&ND
7ity 7ollege
:E.Lesley (ill0 Professor of Anthro)ology0 =anderbilt &ni#ersity
:G.Piero (leiMeses0 Professor of American +oreign Policy and Latin American
'tudies0 'chool of Ad#anced 8nternational 'tudies0 <ohns Ho)*ins &ni#ersity
:H.<eff (oodwin0 Professor of 'ociology0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
:I.Katherine (ordy0 Professor of Political 'cience0 'an +rancisco 'tate &ni#ersity
:K.$anu (oswami0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
:@.(reg (randin0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
E-.'imon (rano#s*y1Larsen0 Professor of Latin American 'tudies0 7entennial
7ollege0 Toronto
E,.<ames N. (reen0 Professor of Latin American History0 6rown &ni#ersity
E9.A. Tom (runfeld0 Professor of History0 '&ND !m)ire 'tate 7ollege
E:.<ulie (uard0 Professor of Labor 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of $anitoba
EE.Peter Hallward0 Professor of Philoso)hy0 Kingston &ni#ersity% author0 /amming
the +lood
EG.<ohn L. Hammond0 Professor of 'ociology0 Hunter 7ollege0 7&ND (raduate
7enter
EH.6eth Harris0 Professor of Politics0 8thaca 7ollege
EI.$artin Hart1Landsberg0 Professor !conomics0 Lewis and 7lar* 7ollege
EK.7hris Hedges0 Mournalist% author0 War 8s a +orce That (i#es &s $eaning
E@./oug Henwood0 Mournalist% author0 Wall 'treet
G-.!dward Herman0 Professor !meritus of +inance0 &ni#ersity of Pennsyl#ania%
co1author0 The Political !conomy of Human Rights
G,.'usan Heuman0 Ph./.0 inde)endent scholar of history
G9.+orrest Hylton0 Lecturer in History ; Literature0 Har#ard &ni#ersity
G:.$atthew +rye <acobson0 Professor of American 'tudies and History0 Dale
&ni#ersity
GE.<ennifer <olly0 7o1coordinator of Latin American 'tudies0 8thaca 7ollege
GG.Rebecca !. Karl0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
GH.<. Kehaulani Kauanui0 Professor of Anthro)ology and American 'tudies0
Wesleyan &ni#ersity
,. Ari Kelman0 Professor of History0 &ni#ersity of 7alifornia0 /a#is
9. Arang Kesha#arzian0 Professor of $iddle !astern and 8slamic 'tudies0
New Dor* &ni#ersity
:. Laleh Khalili0 Professor of $iddle !ast Politics0 'chool of Jriental and
African 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of London
E. /aniel Ko#ali*0 Professor of 8nternational Human Rights0 &ni#ersity of
Pittsburgh 'chool of Law
G. Rob Kroes0 Professor !meritus of American 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of
Amsterdam
H. Peter Kuznic*0 Professor of History0 American &ni#ersity
I. /eborah T. Le#enson0 Professor of History0 6oston 7ollege
K. /a#id Ludden0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
@. 7atherine Lutz0 Professor of Anthro)ology and 8nternational 'tudies0
6rown &ni#ersity
,-.Arthur $ac!wan0 Professor !meritus of !conomics0 &ni#ersity of
$assachusetts16oston
,,.=i#iana $ac$anus0 Professor of Women's and (ender 'tudies0
&ni#ersity of $aryland0 6altimore 7ounty
,9.7hase $adar0 ci#il rights attorney% author0 The Passion of N7helseaO
$anning
,:.Alfred W. $c7oy0 Professor of History0 &ni#ersity of Wisconsin1$adison
,E.Teresa $eade0 Professor of History0 &nion 7ollege
,G.Thomas $ur)hy0 Professor of History and (o#ernment0 &ni#ersity of
$aryland0 &ni#ersity 7ollege !uro)e
,H.Allan Nairn0 inde)endent in#estigati#e Mournalist
,I.&sha NataraMan0 Professor of 8nternational Law0 American &ni#ersity in
7airo
,K./iane $. Nelson0 Professor of 7ultural Anthro)ology0 /u*e &ni#ersity
,@.<ose)h Ne#ins0 Professor of (eogra)hy0 =assar 7ollege
9-.$ary Nolan0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
9,.Anthony J36rien0 Professor !meritus of !nglish0 Fueens 7ollege0 7&ND
99.Paul J'7onnell0 Reader in Law0 'chool of Law0 'chool of Jriental and
African 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of London
9:.7hristian Parenti0 Professor of 'ustainable /e#elo)ment0 'chool for
8nternational Training (raduate 8nstitute
9E./a#id Peterson0 inde)endent writer and researcher
9G.Adrienne Pine0 Professor of Anthro)ology0 American &ni#ersity
9H.7laire Potter0 Professor of History0 The New 'chool
9I.$argaret Power0 Professor of History0 8llinois 8nstitute of Technology
9K.Pablo Pozzi0 Professor of History0 &ni#ersidad de 6uenos Aires
9@.(yan Pra*ash0 Professor of History0 Princeton &ni#ersity
:-.=iMay Prashad0 !dward 'aid 7hair of American 'tudies0 American
&ni#ersity of 6eirut
:,.Peter Ranis0 Professor !meritus of Political 'cience0 7&ND (raduate
7enter
:9.$ichael Ratner0 human rights attorney% author0 The Prosecution of
/onald Rumsfeld
::.'anMay Reddy0 Professor of !conomics0 New 'chool for 'ocial Research
:E.Adol)h Reed0 <r.0 Professor of Political 'cience0 &ni#ersity of
Pennsyl#ania
:G.Nazih Richani0 /irector of Latin American 'tudies0 Kean &ni#ersity
:H.$oss Roberts0 Professor of 7hinese0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
:I.7orey Robin0 Professor of Political 'cience0 6roo*lyn 7ollege0 7&ND
(raduate 7enter
:K.William 8. Robinson0 Professor of 'ociology0 &ni#ersity of 7alifornia0
'anta 6arbara
:@.Patricia Rodriguez0 Professor of Politics0 8thaca 7ollege
E-.Andrew Ross0 Professor of 'ocial and 7ultural Analysis0 New Dor*
&ni#ersity
E,.!lizabeth 'anders0 Professor of (o#ernment0 7ornell &ni#ersity
E9./ean 'aranillio0 Professor of 'ocial and 7ultural Analysis0 New Dor*
&ni#ersity
E:.T.$. 'cruggs0 Professor !meritus of $usic0 &ni#ersity of 8owa
EE.8an <. 'eda18rizarry0 Professor of Political !conomy0 <ohn <ay 7ollege of
7riminal <ustice
EG./enise A. 'egura0 Professor of 'ociology% 7hair0 /e)artment of 7hicana
and 7hicano 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of 7alifornia0 'anta 6arbara
EH.$ar* 'elden0 'enior Research Associate0 !ast Asia Program0 7ornell
&ni#ersity
EI.+alguni A. 'heth0 Professor of Philoso)hy and Political Theory0
Ham)shire 7ollege
EK.Nao*o 'hibusawa0 Professor of History0 6rown &ni#ersity
E@./ina $. 'iddi"i0 Professor of Anthro)ology0 6RA7 &ni#ersity0 /ha*a0
6angladesh
G-.+rancisco 'ierra 7aballero0 /irector of the 7enter for 7ommunication0
Politics and 'ocial 7hange0 &ni#ersity of 'e#ille
G,.6rad 'im)son0 Professor of History0 &ni#ersity of 7onnecticut
G9.Ni*hil Pal 'ingh0 Professor of 'ocial and 7ultural Analysis and History0
New Dor* &ni#ersity
G:.Leslie '*lair0 Professor !meritus of 'ociology0 London 'chool of
!conomics
GE.Norman 'olomon0 author0 War $ade !asy
GG.<udy 'omberg0 7hair0 National Lawyers (uild Tas* +orce on the
Americas
,. <eb ')rague0 author0 Paramilitarism and the Assault on /emocracy
in Haiti
9. Jli#er 'tone0 filmma*er% co1author0 The &ntold History of the &nited
'tates
:. 'te#e 'triffler0 Professor of Anthro)ology0 7hair of Latin American
'tudies0 &ni#ersity of New Jrleans
E. 'inclair Thomson0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
G. $iguel Tin*er 'alas0 Professor of History and Latin American
'tudies0 Pomona 7ollege
H. <ames '. &leman0 Professor of Psychology0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
I. AleMandro =elasco0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
K. Robert =italis0 Professor of Political 'cience0 &ni#ersity of
Pennsyl#ania
@. Hans 7hristof #on ')onec*0 former &nited Nations Assistant
'ecretary (eneral P,@@K19---Q
,-.Hilbourne Watson0 Professor !meritus of 8nternational Relations0
6uc*nell &ni#ersity
,,.6arbara Weinstein0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
,9.$ar* Weisbrot0 Ph./.0 7o1director0 7enter for !conomic and Policy
Research
,:.Kirsten Weld0 Professor of History0 Har#ard &ni#ersity
,E.(regory Wil)ert0 Ph./0 author0 7hanging =enezuela by Ta*ing
Power
,G.<ohn Womac*0 <r.0 Professor !meritus of Latin American History
and !conomics0 Har#ard &ni#ersity
,H.$ichael Dates0 Professor !meritus of !conomics0 &ni#ersity of
Pittsburgh at <ohnstown
,I.Ke#in Doung0 Ph./.0 Latin American History0 'tate &ni#ersity of
New Dor*1'tony 6roo*
,K.$arilyn 6. Doung0 Professor of History0 New Dor* &ni#ersity
,@.=azira +azila1Dacoobali Lamindar0 Professor of History% 7o1
/irector0 'outh Asian 'tudies0 6rown &ni#ersity
9-.'te)hen Lunes0 Professor of Politics and 7oordinator of $iddle
!astern 'tudies0 &ni#ersity of 'an +rancisco