ABSTRACT: Contrary to all expectations, the Fifth Commission of the United Nations, which is prolonging its session until March 31st, has taken no decision on the question of the budget of the ad hoc Tribunal; despite the optimism shown by its president on the occasion of a meeting with Marino Busdachin of the Radical Party, there is the risk that the members of the Commission will never take this fundamental decision; that is why Dupuis, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 17 days, sent a third letter to Mr. Rabah Hadid, President of the United Nations Fifth Commission.

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To the attention of Mr. M. Rabah Hadid

President of the Fifth Commission

of the United Nations

Rome, 29 March 1994

Mr. President,

I have learnt that contrary to what you told our colleague Marino Busdachin during the meeting you had last week, the Commission you are president of has unfortunately not been able to tackle the question of the budget of the ad hoc tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia.

Moreover, it seems that the remaining time could prove insufficient to allow the question to be finally settled from here to the next week.

I am deeply suprised by this information, which completely contradicts your statements of last week. Above all, I am seriously concerned that this could mean that the question of the budget of the ad hoc tribunal for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia could once again be delayed.

Considering the precedents, this new delay could appear as the explicit sign of a lack of political will and as the expression of a deliberate intention to prevent the actual functioning of the tribunal and, as a consequence, the occurrence of a first segment of international justice and law.

At this point, in the hope of being contradicted by the facts, i.e. by the decision - positive or negative but a decision in any case - of the Commission, I cannot but continue my hunger strike which I started last 13 March, a non-violent action of dialogue and confidence towards you and the members of the Fifth Commission.

In the hope that your Commission can overcome the obstacles that could prevent a decision from being taken, I am

Sincerely yours,

Olivier Dupuis

(President of the Radical Party's Federal Council)

(*) DUPUIS OLIVIER. (1958). Belgian conscientious objector, surrendered himself to the Belgian justice system and served an 11-month sentence in the prison of Saint Gilles. Worked at the French-speaking edition of "Radical News". Organized and participated in nonviolent and antitotalitarian demonstrations in the countries of Eastern Europe, and was for this reason expelled from Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Currently coordinates the party's activities in Rumania and Hungary. He is now working on the the project on the "New Party".