Problems from Hell, Solution in the Heavens?: Identifying Obstacles and Opportunities for Employing Geospatial Technologies to Document and Mitigate Mass Atrocities

Ben Yunmo Wang; Nathaniel Raymond; Gabrielle Gould; Isaac Baker

doi:10.5334/sta.cn

Problems from Hell, Solution in the Heavens?: Identifying Obstacles and Opportunities for Employing Geospatial Technologies to Document and Mitigate Mass Atrocities

Stability: International Journal of Security and Development

Volume 2 (2013): Issue 3

By: Ben Yunmo Wang, Nathaniel Raymond, Gabrielle Gould and Isaac Baker

Open Access

|Oct 2013

Abstract

At the evolving frontier of modern humanitarianism, non-governmental organizations are using satellite technology to monitor mass atrocities. As a documentation tool, satellites have the potential to collect important real-time evidence for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, the field remains experimental and ill-defined, while useful court evidence cannot be produced without a standard methodology and code of ethics. Members of the groundbreaking Satellite Sentinel Project review the historical development of satellite documentation and some of its landmark projects, and propose necessary measures to advance the field forward.

References

104^th US Congress National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997 Congress Public Law 1997 Available at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104publ201/html/PLAW-104publ201.htm [Last accessed September 9, 2013]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
AAAS Ethiopian Occupation of the Border Region of Eritrea: Case Study Summary Advancing Science, Serving Society 2007 September 25 Available at: http://srhrl.aaas.org/geotech/eritrea/eritrea.shtml [Last accessed July 29, 2013]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Baker J O’Connell K M Williamson R Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA RAND 2001
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Baker J New Users and Established Experts: Bridging the Knowledge Gap in Interpreting Commercial Satellite Imagery Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA RAND 2001 533 58
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Benjamin M George Clooney’s Satellites Build a Case Against an Alleged War Criminal TIME 2011 December 3 Available at: www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2101425,00.html [Last accessed April 9, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bjorgo E Supporting Humanitarian Relief Operations. Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA RAND 2001 403 432
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bromley L Conversation about Eyes on Darfur E-mail interview 2012 Apr. 18
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Estellés-Arolas E González-Ladrón-de-Guevara F Towards an Integrated Crowdsourcing Definition Journal of Information Science 2012 38 189 189 200 Available at: http://jis.sagepub.com/content/38/2/189
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hettling J Satellite Imagery for Verification and Enforcement of Public International Law Köln Carl Heymanns 2008
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ICC Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Georgia v. Russian Federation) CR 2008/25 2008 23 Available at: www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/140/14719.pdf#view=FitH&pagemode=none&search=%22satellite%22 [Last accessed December 2, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ICC Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui ICC-01/04–01/07-T-90-ENG ET WT 26–01–2010 28/59 NB T 2010 27 Available at: www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/doc/doc813182.pdf [Last accessed December 2, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
ICTY Rules of Procedure and Evidence ICTY - TPIY Available at: www.icty.org/sid/136 [Last accessed April 5, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ito A Legal Aspects of Satellite Remote Sensing Leiden, The Netherlands Martinus Nijhoff Publishers 2011
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kreps S Rotberg Robert I. Social Networks and Technology in the Prevention of Crimes against Humanity Mass Atrocity Crimes. ; Preventing Future Outrages Brookings Institution 2010 175 91
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Litfin K Baker John C. O’Connell Kevin M. Williamson Ray A. The Globalization of Transparency: The Use of Commercial Satellite Imagery by Nongovernmental Organizations Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA RAND 2001 463 84
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Meier P Syria: Crowdsourcing Satellite Imagery: Analysis to Identify Mass Human Rights Violations iRevolution 2011 September 9 Available at: http://irevolution.net/2011/09/09/crowdsourcing-satellite-imagery-analysis-syria
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Parks L Digging into Google Earth: An Analysis of ‘Crisis in Darfur’ Geoforum 2009 40 4 535 45 10.1016/j.geoforum.2009.04.004
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Raymond N Ghomeshi Jian The Ethical Quandaries around George Clooney’s Satellites over Sudan Q. CBC Radio Toronto, Canada 2012 April 4 Available at: www.cbc.ca/q/episodes [Last accessed July 29, 2013]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court United Nations 1998 Available at: http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/statute/romefra.htm
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) Special Report: Evident of Burial of Human Remains in Kadugli, South Kordofan 2011a August 23 Available at: http://satsentinel.org/report/special-report-evidence-burial-human-remains-kadugli-south-kordofan [Last accessed April 29, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) Cover-Up: New Evidence of Three Mass Graves in South Kordofan 2011b August 17 Available at: http://satsentinel.org/report/cover-new-evidence-three-mass-graves-south-kordofan [Last accessed April 8, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Satellite Sentinel Project (SSP) In Close Proximity: Alleged Abduction, Detention and Extra-Judicial Killings by Abu Tira 2011c October 13 Available at: http://www.satsentinel.org/report/close-proximity-alleged-abduction-detention-and-extra-judicial-killings-abu-tira [Last accessed September 9, 2013]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schabas W An Introduction to the International Criminal Court Cambridge, UK Cambridge UP 2007
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schabas W The International Criminal Court: A Commentary on the Rome Statute Oxford, UK Oxford UP 2010
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schimmer R The Syrian War Crowdsourcing Experiment Yale University Genocide Studies Program 2008 Available at: www.yale.edu/gsp/gis-files/darfur/Tracking-Genocide-in-Darfur-by-Remote-Sensing_No.36.pdf [Last accessed September 9, 2013]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sourbès-Verger I Pasco X Baker John C. O’Connell Kevin M Williamson Ray A. French Pioneering Approach to Global Transparency Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA Rand 2001The 187 204
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
The Standby Task Force Introducing the Standby Task Force 2012 Available at: http://blog.standbytaskforce.com/about/introducing-the-standby-task-force [Last accessed April 29, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ungerleider N The Syrian War Crowdsourcing Experiment FastCompany 2011 September 21 Available at: www.fastcompany.com/1781570/how-amnesty-international-crowdsources-the-syrian-crisis [Last accessed April 9, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
UN Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of the States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty) United Nations Treaty Series 205 (1973) 1967 Signed in Moscow, London, and Washington on January 27 (No.8843)
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
UN General Assembly (UNGA) 41st Session, Principles Relating to Remote Sensing of the Earth from Outer Space. December 3. Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly at its 41st Session (A/41/65) 1986
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
UN News Center ICC Conviction of Congolese Warlord Vital Step to Fight Impunity 2012 March 16 Available at: www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41569 [Last accessed April 29, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ward L The Evolution of the US Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy Acronym Magazine 2010 11 Available at: http://acronymonline.org/evolution-commercial-remote-sensing-space-policy [Last accessed April 7, 2012]
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Williamson R Baker John C. O’Connell Kevin M. Williamson Ray A. Remote Sensing Policy and the Development of Commercial Remote Sensing Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency Santa Monica, CA RAND 2001 37 52
Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/sta.cn | Journal eISSN: 2165-2627

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Published on: Oct 22, 2013

Published by: Department of Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

Commercial Satellites,

International Criminal Court

© 2013 Ben Yunmo Wang, Nathaniel Raymond, Gabrielle Gould, Isaac Baker, published by Department of Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 2 (2013): Issue 3