Aegis Trust

Wanted for War Crimes

The Aegis Trust campaigns against crimes against humanity and genocide. Aegis runs the Kigali Memorial Centre in Rwanda (with Kigali City Council) and the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Centre in the UK. It provides research and advocacy support to the All Party Parliamentary Groups on the Prevention of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity in the UK and Canada.  Aegis also runs 'Wanted for War Crimes' a new project designed to bring suspected war criminals to justice, and campaigns for a sustainable peace in the Sudan.

Aegis was established in 2000. The word Aegis means 'Shield' or 'Protection', reflecting the need to protect vulnerable people against genocide and crimes against humanity. Aegis activities include: research, policy, education, remembrance, media work, campaigns and humanitarian support for victims.

Aegis Research, Policy and Campaigns

 

	The Dr James Smith, Aegis CEO; Jacqueline Parlevliet, Deputy Representative UNHCR in the UK; and Rt. Hon David Miliband, Secretary of State for Foreign Affarirs.

Aegis undertakes policy-based research on the prevention of genocide and crimes against humanity and campaigns for the protection of groups under threat. In 2001, Aegis convened the first ever international conference on genocide prevention, in partnership with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As a special advisor to the Swedish Prime Minister's Office on genocide issues, Aegis co-founder, Dr Stephen Smith, was closely involved in the organisation of the Stockholm International Forum Conference series on Genocide Prevention (2001-4). Today, Aegis continues to works closely with a wide range of partners, including governmental and non-governmental, educational and academic institutions around the world.

Aegis led the campaign for civilian protection in Darfur and was among the first organisations in 2004 to call for a referral of Darfur to the International Criminal Court. Our current campaigns are: Justice for Darfur; Strengthening UK law on international crimes; and Support for Darfuri Asylum Seekers in the UK. Current research and policy programmes include: enforcement of international law, Sudan and the future of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), Wanted for War Crimes and the Lubanga Chronicles Project.

In 2005, Aegis set up the All Party Parliamentary Group on Genocide Prevention in the United Kingdom Parliament. Two years later it helped set up a counterpart in the Canadian Parliament. This is a first step in developing an international parliamentary network on genocide prevention through which to build political support for ideas that prevent or mitigate genocidal violence.