I have been invited to speak at the Victims Empowerment Conference in Pretoria this weekend. The conference will bring together personal narratives from around the world: all these narratives have one common element – how the use of DNA Forensics has changed that individual’s life in the deepest and most positive manner. The stories to be told are going to be varied and will bear testimony to the transformative power of Forensic DNA.

Chris Asplen

I am most excited about the participation of one particular speaker, and that is Chris Asplen from the USA. I have been waiting to meet this man for many years as he carries with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise in DNA Forensics – just google his name, and you will see what I mean. Chris Asplen is recognized internationally as one of the foremost experts in the application of DNA to solve crime and prosecute criminals. He has testified before numerous state and legislative bodies throughout the world, has presented at over 100 national and international conferences and is an activist who is involved in numerous projects worldwide. If there is only one talk that you can attend, let it be his presentation, as it promises to be fascinating. The title of the talk that he will be presenting is “Law Matters: a Prospective on the Necessity for DNA Legislation in South Africa” – now if that isn’t music to my ears, then I don’t know what is!!!

I have copied below the programme for the conference – entry is free and it is being held at Freedom Park in Pretoria. For further information contact Rafia at rafia.akram@inqabiotec.co.za or visit http://www.inqabiotiec.co.za

I look forward to seeing you there!

Vanessa
PROGRAMME: VICTIMS EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE: DNA NARRATIVES

13h15-13h45: Welcome: Ed Huffine (Bode Technologies) &  Dr. O Preisig (Inqaba biotec)

Session 2: Round Table Discussion

13h45-14h30: Centre For Human Rights (University of Pretoria) – Prof Frans Viljoen:“Truth and reconciliation: A Human Rights Perspective on DNA.”

14h30-15h00: Dr Mehmed Salkic: Bosnia – “In search of answers: DNA as a barometer of truth.”

15h00-15h30: Dr Majorie Jobson (Khulumani)

15h30-16h00:  Debbie and Rob Smith (United States of America) – “DNA: A Chain of Change”

16h00-16h30: Kennedy Gihana – “Rwanda- the past present and the possibility of the future”

16h30- 17h00: Questions and Answers

17h00-17h45: Chris Asplen (United States of America) – “Laws matter: A perspective on the necessity of DNA legislation for South Africa.”

17h45-18h00: Question and Answers

Day 2
Session 1

9am – 09h45am: Prof Raj Ramesar (UCT) – “DNA-The Story”

09h45-10h30:  Ed Huffine (Bodetec) – “Development of a State-of-the-Art Forensic DNA System:  Requirements and Impact”

10h30-10h45:  Question and Answers

10h45-11h15: TEA

Session 2

11h15-11h45: DNA project (Vanessa Lynch) – “The DNA bill -A Solution”

11h45-12h15: South African Human Rights Commission – “The right to be identified as a fundamental human right.”

12h15-12h45: National Prosecuting Authority (Claudia Bisso) – “A post-Apartheid analysis of grave sites and the identification of victims of atrocities comparisons with Argentina.”

12h45-13h00: Questions and Answers

13h00-14h00: Lunch

Session 3

14h00-14h30: Susana Ferriera(LDH) – “Shattering the Myth: Trafficking in body parts in Mozambique and South Africa”

14h30-15h00: Superintendant Michelle Thompson (SAPS) -“Organised Crime and Human Trafficking”

15h00-15h15: Questions and answers

15h15-15h45: Tea

Session 4

15h45-16h15: Dr Majorie Jobson (Khulumani) – “Searching for the Lost for the living”

16h15-17h00: Dr Damir Marjanovic – “The Anatomy of Mass Murder: The case of Bosnia.

17h00-17h15: Question and Answers

17h15-17h30: Closing – Dr Mustaqeem de Gama

This entry was posted on Thu, Mar 18th, 2010 at 2:34 pm and is filed under DNA Project, Events, Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.