Hi, my name is Shaun and I am kinda camera shy and also constantly on the move and not sure of when I would get enough bandwith to actually up load a video given the actual electricity supply here in rural Mindanao. I am currently working with the Regional Human Rights Commission as a consultant human rights expert supporting the consolidation of the impressive gains they have made in the last two years since the regional assembly of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, ARMM, approved their mandate. Previous to that I was living and working in Nepal. I still continue to call Nepal a home and maintain very close ties to those involved in the peace process there.
I am not going to go into the whys but my main interest in participating in this course is a deep-rooted mistrust of the use of ADR in resolving human rights cases particularly in contexts where tremendous disparities exist between the power holders and the majority of victims of human rights violations. Here in Mindanao however I decided to put this mistrust to bed one way or another and coincidentally I then stumbled on this course. After some time debating whether or not to apply I decided I should. Having lived in Nepal for nearly 9 years I have picked up on some of the main Buddhist teachings and often its not wise to ignore what life offers you. The scientists amongst us would perhaps prefer to call it laws of attraction I think maybe its karma. In short I think I am looking forward to having my cynicisms questioned and perhaps even being able to apply new knowledge here in Mindanao as the transitional justice process ramps up.