Karen Parker - Selected Writings & Speeches

Karen Parker is a San Francisco-based attorney who specializes in human rights and humanitarian law. She has helped evolve international law in such areas as economic sanctions, weaponry, the environment, and the rights of persons with disabilities. She also consults with parties to armed conflicts, other States, and UN officials on the application of armed conflict law. In 1982, she co-founded the Association of Humanitarian Lawyers (originally incorporated as International Disability Law), and has served as its president for over twenty years. In addition, she is the chief delegate for International Educational Development - Humanitarian Law Project, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 2007 marked her twenty-fifth year representing human rights and humanitarian law concerns at the U.N. Human Rights Forums. Ms. Parker has facilitated extensive discussions with the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam about their obligations under the Geneva Conventions and human rights law, with the goal of bringing the conflict to an equitable resolution. [see also Biography of Karen Parker, J.D. by Rosemary Regello]
12 May 2008	On Tamil Self Determination - Video Presentation
22 September 2007	The Application of Humanitarian Law and Ways Forward
15 August 2007	Re: Children affected by the war in Sri Lanka - legal problems with the age of combatants
28 June 2007	Letter to High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Sri Lanka Re: Speech at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies
7 April 2007	Tamils have a De Jure State
10 November 2006	On Sri Lanka's Violations of International Humanitarian Law
9 April 2006	Re-envisioning Sri Lanka - Lessons-learned & Challenges and Opportunities
August 2000	Understanding Self Determination - Presentation to First International Conference on the Right to Self-Determination, United Nations, Geneva
21 May 1999	Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and the Tamil National Struggle: Evolving the Law of Self Determination
22 May 1999	Why the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is not a Terrorist Organisation
	LTTE not a terrorist organisation
1997	LTTE are a combat force - Memorandum submitted to US State Department
27 June 1996	Humanitarian Law & the Tamil National Struggle
22 July 1991	Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and the Tamil National Struggle: Evolving the Law of Self Determination
1 October 1987	"India's actions. . . uncharacteristically confused and precipitous " Open Letter to Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi
12 March 1987	Statement at US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asian and Pacific Affairs Hearing on Sri Lanka