"I wanted to widen and expand my knowledge on human rights, especially issues relating to accountability for past human rights abuses and to learn how to teach about human rights. I also see the program as an opportunity to write some scholarly articles on transitional justice in Sierra Leone, for which I do not have time and the research materials to do in my country, as well as to make vital contacts with human rights groups in the U.S."
- Melron Nicol-Wilson, 2001 Teaching Fellow (Sierra Leone)

"I believe my stay at Columbia will greatly benefit my future career in the field of human rights education and research. I hope I can become a good 'tiller in the human rights garden'!"
- Sun Shiyan, 2001 Teaching Fellow (China)

"...I decided to set up a Human Rights Clinic modeled on your clinic. I was astonished with the response from the students. Although the clinic is still in its rudimentary stage, the students have done considerable work on inter alia the proposed Special Court for Sierra Leone. Their most celebrated intervention to date was preparing the necessary documents in the case of two young girls of African/Lebanese parentage who were taken to Lebanon as au pairs but ended up as slaves. The students brought this case to national attention and helped prepare the necessary documentation for court. As a result of this intervention, the matter was settled out of court..[Our] Clinic has received some support from students at Yale University and a number of students from Yale traveled to Sierra Leone earlier this year. As a result of the immense success of the Clinic, the Head of Department of Law has forwarded a proposal for an introductory course on human rights law to be taught to all first year students at the University. It is hoped that this course will commence in October this year..." (from letter dated August 19, 2001)
- Abdul Tejan-Cole, 2000 Teaching Fellow (Sierra Leone)

L.L.M. Fellows

"The general Maori word for leader, rangatira, comprises two distinct words: ranga is a derivative of the word raranga, which means 'to weave'; tira simply means a group of people. Hence, literally translated, a rangatira/leader is a person who is able to weave a group of people together in the pursuit of common objectives. I believe this is where the importance of youth leadership lies-the meshing together of groups of people voluntarily pursuing their goals."
- Tama Potaka, 1999 LL.M. fellow (New Zealand)

"What I tell myself every day is: don't forget your past; try hard to disclose the evil in China; and believe that someday the fortress of the Chinese gulag will collapse."
- Yi Tong, 1999 LL.M. fellow (China)