THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A WARTIME PROSECUTOR
It was with much gusto that at our combined meeting on Wednesday February 10th at our old stomping ground, the Hyde Park Tavern, we gathered to listen with intense interest to our guest speaker Dr Grant Niemann.
Dr Niemann was a senior lecturer in the law faculty of Flinders University. His primary areas of interest include International Law, International Criminal Law, International Humanitarian Law, Criminal Practice, Advocacy and Evidence.
At present he holds the position of Adjunct Professor at the University of New Hampshire NH USA, where he teaches International Criminal Law courts and Special Tribunals. Dr Niemann was also the chair of the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Committee in South Australia where he was awarded the Distinguished Humanitarian Law Service Award Citation for his contributions to Humanitarian Law programs.
As we eagerly absorbed each word that came from his mouth regarding the atrocities committed by man to fellow man, it became increasingly obvious that we are very lucky to be living in safety and in a country of fairness and hope. This is not afforded to many millions of people throughout the world we share, and listening to Dr Niemanns account of his dealings with the United Nations Court proceedings, the atrocities committed throughout World war 2, and the Serbian - Croation War, it simply highlighted the injustices of how ones place of birth is a like a never ending lottery of luck and privilege.
It is easy to bury ones head in the sand regarding atrocities on foreign shores but it is comforting to know that there are people out there like Dr Niemann, fighting for the rights of the downtrodden and advocating change.
It was a solemn subject but one we needed to hear and I am sure it reinforced to us as Rotarians that one way we can make a difference is our continuing service to communities in the best way we know. Fighting polio, aiding the less fortunate, training youth and extolling fellowship and hope.
Dr. Grant Niemann The President and the First Lady