The Denver Post
January 5, 1998
[editorial]
Heed call for world court
A recent court action underscores why the world needs a permanent
international court to handle cases of genocide and other crimes against
humanity.
Last week, a magistrate in Texas freed a suspected accomplice in
the Rwandan genocide, based on the judge's novel interpretation of
international law. The ruling embarrassed the United States, because
Washington has urged other nations to surrender alleged war criminals and
now can't do so with one inside its own borders.
The episode highlights the difficulties of the current, complex
system of finding and trying war criminals.
Under existing treaties, the international community relies on ad
hoc tribunals to see that justice is served in the worst criminal cases:
Genocide. "Ethnic cleansings." Torture. Soldiers slaughtering civilians.
There have been a few occasions when humanity attempted to seek
justice for such unspeakable crimes, including the post-World War II
tribunals in Nuremberg and Tokyo, and the current tribunals of Rwanda and
the former Yugoslavia. But each time, many nations had to summon the
political will to put together such a tribunal - and then the court had to
decide what rules of law applied. The process always has been cumbersome,
slow and uncertain, but worst of all, it has allowed culprits to escape
trial.
Now, scores of nations are backing the creation of a permanent
international criminal court, whose judges could be called up on short
notice and whose rules of law would be clear and well-known in advance.
Most importantly, the existence of such a court would put war criminals on
notice that their actions won't go unpunished.
The permanent international court wouldn't delve into national
matters, but instead would deal only with transgressions so grave that they
offend humanity or threaten peace. Most of these misdeeds already are
considered crimes under international agreements, but there hasn't been any
effective way to enforce the law.
A conclave to write a final treaty is scheduled for this summer.
So far, though, U.S. support for a permanent international court
has been lukewarm, because Washington fears political enemies might use the
forum for spurious charges against the major powers. However, the latest
proposals include several checks and balances that address Washington's
legitimate concerns.
The United States thus should support the development of a
permanent international court to handle genocide, war crimes, and other
crimes against humanity.
Such a court could be the last, great international institution
created in this century. Given the truly horrific crimes that people have
inflicted on each other during the past nine decades, the need for such a
worldwide body of justice is clear, immediate and urgent.
106, 23-Gen-98, 01:56, cdil@igc.apc.org, Trans.Rad.Ny, *, 3124,
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From cdil@igc.apc.org Fri Jan 23 01:56:21 1998
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Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 16:48:31 -0800 (PST)
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To: chall@amnesty.gn.apc.org, dickerr@hrw.org, elsa@nic.inbe.net,
trans.rad.ny@agora.stm.it, ai-un-ny@amnesty.org, cicc@igc.apc.org,
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cicc@igc.apc.org (NGO Coalition for an ICC), fidh@hol.fr
From: "William R. Pace" Subject: NGO forum of Dakar
Sender: cdil@igc.org
Following is an email from Alioune Tine in Dakar. I hope all SC members who
are going to Senegal or who have national representatives attending the
meeting will encourage them to attend the NGO meeting as well.
Bill Pace
Convenor
>>From cicc Thu Jan 22 07:47:27 1998
>Return-Path: >X-Sender: cicc@pop.igc.apc.org
>Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 09:31:58 -0500
>To: cdil@igc.apc.org
>From: NGO Coalition for an ICC >Subject: NGO forum of Dakar
>Sender: wfm@igc.org
>X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by igc3.igc.apc.org id
HAA02215
>
>>From: raddho@telecomplus.sn
>>Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 10:41:47 GMT
>>X-Sender: raddho@telecomplus.sn
>>Mime-Version: 1.0
>>To: cicc@igc.apc.org
>>Subject: NGO forum of Dakar
>>X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by igcb.igc.org id
>>CAA18329
>>
>>Bill Pace,
>>
>>
>>I have juste received your E-mail regarding CICC steering Committee.
>>
>>The NGO forum of Dakar is going forward. Naumann accepted to pay the
>>location of conference room, the pause-caf=E9 and the lunch for the 3 and=
4
>>february.
>>It will be very good ik the meeting of the steering committee will take
>>place at Dakar.
>>
>>Please we want to know very kukly the persons of th INGOS experts which=
can
>>make statements at Dakar NGO forum watch, WFM, etc.
>>
>>We want to make a good program.
>>
>>Best regards.
>>
>>Alioune TINE
>>
>
> =3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=
=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D
>C NGO Coalition for an International Criminal Court
>I 777 UN Plaza 12th Floor
>C New York New York 10017
>C USA
>
> Telephone +1 212 687 2176 Faxsimile +1 599 1332
> Email cicc@igc.org Web http://www.igc.org/icc
> =3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=
=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D+=3D
>
>
>
>
>
