"From Guerilla Warfare to Full Moral Citizenship : The Journey Not Finished"
Philip Dayle is a barrister at No5 Chambers, based in London, UK. He has worked as a lawyer at the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Geneva, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in Washington DC and in his native Jamaica. While at the ICJ as a legal officer, Philip was a chief architect of the Yogyakarta Principles, which is an authoritative statement of principle on sexual orientation and gender identity in international law. He received an LL.B from the University of the West Indies and an LL.M from Essex University, UK, where he attended as a Chevening scholar.
Some words from our keynote scholar as found in The Guardian:
"However Buju's case is decided, it has already cranked up massive tensions. There is the obvious mutual suspicion, if not downright hostility, between communities of urban music–dancehall reggae, in particular–and law enforcement agencies. It may be nigh impossible, to have any credibility within the value system of these communities and simultaneously cooperate with the criminal justice system. It is not clear how that gap can be closed, but these are serious concerns for law and order."
"Jamaica will restore authority to regional jurists on hot human rights issues such as capital punishment. It's a demonstrable vote of confidence in the nation's ability to conduct its own affairs – and a final act for the promise of nationalism. At the same time, Simpson Miller has signalled an understanding of matters related to sexual orientation that are in keeping with existing international human rights law. Her courageous assertion on gay rights, at a time that it might have been politically costly to do so, is a clear and hopeful indication that Jamaica can do the right thing."
