A Q&A on a student project assessing the legality of US operations in Somalia

PAX often partners with universities on student assignments: it offers the students an opportunity to apply their skills in a professional setting, while PAX receives high-quality advice or assistance. Earlier this year, students from Rijksuniversiteit Groningen’s (RUG) law faculty set to work on a report for the PAX Protection of Civilians team, researching and assessing the legality of US military operations against Al Shabaab in Somalia. While not a legally focused organization per se, PAX interest in the legal context stemmed from previous reporting on this conflict, where it proved a contentious subject. Erin Bijl sat down with RUG students Cor de Boer, Hannah Griffin, Katya Hailevich, Hannah McSweeney and Judith Weerheim to discuss their experience working with PAX and their main research findings.