new anti war ideas? or the same old pathetic small marches

Thursday January 09, 2003 12:07

by john

interesting ideas on war criminals etc from the australian broad left movement

I'm passing this on as it's a particularly important. I ask you all to go to
http://www.petitiononline.com/Refugees/petition.html and sign this petition.
It's directed at the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal, requesting charges
be bought against John Howard and a number of members of his cabinet for
violations of international law and crimes against peace and humanity.

It's important, and I urge you all to put your names on it, and get everyone
you know to do likewise.

cheers

John

----------

20030107_war_crimes_petition
Petition to United Nations War Crimes Tribunal
Marilyn Shepherd
Online Petition, 2003
http://www.petitiononline.com/Refugees/petition.html

To: United Nations War Crimes Tribunal

INDICTMENT OF JOHN WINSTON HOWARD -- (Prime Minister of Australia)

INDICTMENT OF ROBERT HILL -- (Defence Minister of Australia)

INDICTMENT OF ALEXANDER DOWNER -- (Foreign Minister of Australia)

INDICTMENT OF PHILLIP RUDDOCK -- (Immigration, Aboriginal Affairs and
Reconciliation Minister of Australia)

INDICTMENT OF DARYL WILLIAMS -- (Attorney-General of Australia)

INDICTMENT OF PETER REITH -- (Former Defence Minister of Australia)

Under Article six (6) of the Charter of the International Military Tribunal
(also known as the Nuremburg Principles) the following signatories including
Australian citizens [of their respective addresses], call upon the United
Nations War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague to prosecute the above mentioned
current and former Ministers of the Crown of Australia, both jointly and
severally in the first degree, and jointly and severally as accomplices,
with the following crimes against peace and humanity:

1. Participation in a common plan with the Administration of the United
States of America for the accomplishment of war against Iraq in violation of
international treaties, agreements and assurances, including the United
Nations Charter; and,

2. Participation in a conspiracy for the accomplishment of the planning,
preparation and waging of a war of aggression in violation of international
treaties, agreements and assurances, including the United Nations Charter;
and,

3. Inhuman acts committed against the civilian population of asylum seekers,
refugees and the Indigenous people of Australia before, and for the purpose
of, effecting a common plan or conspiracy to commence hostilities against
Iraq; and,

4. Persecution of asylum seekers, refugees and Australian Indigenous people
on racial, political and religious grounds in execution of and connection
with the above crimes, herewith cited as being against peace and humanity
that are within the jurisdiction of the tribunal, and in respect of which
these high officials of Australia claim they are immune from prosecution
under domestic law.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

save preference

Comments (5 of 5)

That's 'new'

by Andrew

Thu Jan 09, 2003 13:42

Appeals to the UN to stop imperialist wars are as old as the organisation itself and have always been unsuccesful because the imperialist powers all have a seat on the security council. With 'new ideas' like this give me a good old fashoned march around town any day.

War Crimes Tribunal?

by MG

Thu Jan 09, 2003 15:05

I'm open to correction on this point, but doesn't the Hague court's jurisdiction only apply to the former Yugoslavia? I was under the impression that its official title was the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

I don't think the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been established yet. Even so, Australia's declaration when ratifying the Rome Statute stated:

"To enable Australia to exercise its jurisdiction effectively, and fully adhering to its obligations under the Statute of the Court, no person will be surrendered to the Court by Australia until it has had the full opportunity to investigate or prosecute any alleged crimes. For this purpose, the procedure under Australian law implementing the Statute of the Court provides that no person can be surrendered to the Court unless the Australian Attorney-General issues a certificate allowing surrender. Australian law also provides that no person can be arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the Court without a certificate from the Attorney-General."

I C See

by Daithi

Thu Jan 09, 2003 15:36

MG..you're right, the Hague tribunal has no connection to the ICC (though the court, when it begins to function, will be based there)..but what do you expect from someone doing not even a petition but an electronic petition - way to go, I can see the holders of power in this world trembling already at a collection of email addresses that may or may not exist. It doesn't matter if you're calling on the wrong tribunal or on Tinky-Winky-Teletubby to prosecute, if you're doing it in this fashion no-one's going to listen anyway. As regards the ICC itself it reached the necessary 60 ratifications during the summer and the statute entered into effect on July 1st. Crimes since then can be prosecuted but the prep work is still going on - because the court is more separate from the UN than the tribunals apparently there is a lot of admin work to be done - I know that some of the judges have been nominated but I'm not sure how far along that process is. The biggest problem, IMHO, is the declarations that the US is obtaining from various states parties to grant a certain immunity to their forces (the US, of course, showing their usual commitment to international law by signing and withdrawing from the statute). The last time I posted on this (in July) I was told that it didn't really matter because socialism would eliminate war anyway...I prefer to wait and see but it's not looking v. optimistic; then again if the US are outside it they (hopefully) can hardly dominate it.

by Shane

Thu Jan 09, 2003 17:01

There is no such thing as the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal.

Is this one of those collect as many e-mails as we can petitions?

Thu Jan 09, 2003 17:33

You better believe it..check out www.petitiononline.com (the site where this is hosted) for more petitions than you have ever seen. They probably cancel each other out though.

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new anti war ideas? or the same old pathetic small marches

Comments (5 of 5)