Newly Formed R2P Coalition Celebrates First Anniversary of Adoption of ''Responsibility to Protect'' and Launches American Assault Against Atrocity Crimes

Business Wire, Sept 12, 2006

CHICAGO -- Chicago Businessman Leads Blue-Ribbon Group of Philanthropic, Human Rights, Academic and Religious Leaders to Abolish Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes

An organized effort to convince America's citizens and leaders to reestablish their country's moral authority in the world by abolishing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as called for in the Responsibility to Protect doctrine, was launched today in Chicago. Businessman and entrepreneur Richard Cooper unveiled the formation of the R2P Coalition composed of internationally recognized human rights, academic, philanthropic and religious leaders, who will help lead this effort.

The R2P Coalition calls attention to an amazing doctrine passed by the UN General Assembly one year ago that lays the foundation for ending atrocity crimes. The Coalition encourages American citizens to demand that their political leaders - on local, state and national scales - commit themselves to leading this effort worldwide by adopting a strong moral stance and by making this issue a major consideration in the upcoming 2008 elections.

"Most Americans are not aware of the historical Resolution adopted by the United Nations which lays the ground for the abolition of the most outrageous crimes on earth," Cooper said. On September 16, 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a declaration - the World Summit Outcome - whereby each and every State in the world accepted its responsibility to protect populations from genocide, crimes against humanity - including ethnic cleansing - and war crimes. "The declaration also emphasizes that if a State relinquishes its responsibility to protect - whether by will or lack of capacity - then this responsibility must be borne by the international community that can decide to intervene as a last resort," Cooper explained.

The UN Security Council reaffirmed the R2P doctrine on April 28, 2006. "These are huge steps forward, but most Americans aren't even aware of them. We need to recognize and act on our moral obligation to stop the monstrous injustice of atrocity crimes," Cooper said, adding that these crimes must be "abolished forever and the UN has given us a founding principle upon which to develop tools so that this simple, yet profound, principle can truly be implemented. As Americans, we must reestablish our moral authority in the world to make sure that this resolution becomes more than words and that the revolution in human and world affairs that has been called for becomes reality" Cooper stressed.

The goals of the R2P Coalition are unique in the sense that the Coalition does not limit itself to genocide and that, in accordance with what the international community committed itself to, it calls for a comprehensive approach to dealing with these crimes: from prevention, to reaction, to rebuilding. "It is important to convince the American public and our leadership to embrace R2P as a domestic and foreign policy priority. This is a long term effort, and it requires a shift in our vision of the world and of our responsibilities as human beings. And we all know that this is the right thing to do," Cooper said. He believes that the Coalition will be instrumental in raising awareness of the issue. The R2P Coalition is organizing an Illinois university student essay contest this fall to help define the theological, philosophical, domestic and international legal as well as policy sources and implications of R2P. The R2P Coalition has also partnered with The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (formerly Chicago Council on Foreign Relations) and is sponsoring a November 15-17 Conference entitled "The Responsibility to Protect: Engaging America". This conference will be the first major event of this kind and will develop a strategy to make R2P work. The Coalition is further encouraging city and state legislatures as well as religious and community leaders to adopt resolutions in support of R2P. "This is a most unusual effort and one that transcends politics," Cooper explained. "It's a moral issue and one that we cannot ignore. How can we continue to work for the end of diseases and the end of destructive weapons, yet continue to ignore atrocity crimes?" Cooper asks. "We simply cannot."

He noted that in the face of mass atrocities, every nation and every people on earth "have pledged to be each others' keepers. This tremendously important and moral issue has gone unnoticed by most of the world. Without fanfare and with little notice, the obsolete principles underlying the Westphalian ordering of world affairs have been dramatically rewritten, and we can no longer hide behind State sovereignty, a 400-year old shield, to excuse our former practice of remaining passive as outrageous behaviors are carried out," Cooper said.

As a result of his passionate belief, Cooper, a highly successful entrepreneur and businessman, has dedicated himself to abolishing atrocity crimes during his lifetime. "I was born at the height of the genocide in World War II and I am hopeful that I can see the demise of it during my lifetime." Cooper is using his personal resources, both in terms of funding and a passion to create tangible action, to bring about this end.