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Posted on May 6, 2009 by marcy/مارسي newman/نيومان
more on the zionist too ban ki-moon. in an interview with al jazeera’s ghida fakhry below richard falk makes a couple of points clear:
1. there will still be a united nations full investigation led by richard goldstone, which as falk makes clear is necessary because the ban report released yesterday only covers the violations in relation to the united nations itself in gaza and not the hundreds of savage violations of international humanitarian law against palestinian people in gaza.
2. fakhry points falk to the important question of ban’s statement about not calling for a further investigation as is the norm in the united nations (she names the former yugoslavia, lebanon, sierra leone as a few such examples). falk exposes ban’s zionist misleading statement (see he’s a good zionist tool–he knows how to deceive the public).
my problem remains that it is not only an investigation that is needed, but an investigation that leads to full criminal prosecution of the israeli terrorist war criminals. though there is not a punishment in the world that would be sufficient for them or any of their predecessors.
the demand for a real investigation–that would hopefully lead to such prosecution–that fakhry mentions is in relation to a letter authored in march by goldstone and a number of other leading experts in the field of international humanitarian law. here is part of that letter and the signatories from amnesty international (of course the notion that crimes against civilians occurred on both sides i have serious problems with as i wrote about last week):
We urge world leaders to send an unfaltering signal that the targeting of civilians during conflict is unacceptable by any party on any count. We call on them to support the establishment of a United Nations commission of inquiry into the Gaza conflict. The commission should have the greatest possible expertise and authority and:
• a mandate to carry out a prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation of all allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to the conflict; it should not be limited only to attacks on UN facilities;
• act in accordance with the strictest international standards governing such investigations;
• if it finds sufficient evidence, it should provide recommendations as to the appropriate prosecution of those responsible for gross violations of the law by the relevant authorities.The events in Gaza have shocked us to the core. Relief and reconstruction are desperately needed but, for the real wounds to heal, we must also establish the truth about crimes perpetuated against civilians on both sides.
List of signatories:
Prof. Dr. M. Cherif Bassiouni (USA) - Chairman of the UN Commission of Experts to Investigate Violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Former Yugoslavia (1992-1994) and Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the UN Diplomatic Conference on the International Criminal Court (1998). He is currently Professor of International Law and President Emeritus of the International Human Rights Law Institute.
Prof. Dr. Alex Boraine (South Africa) - Vice-chairman of the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-1998). He is currently Chairman of the International Center for Transitional Justice and Professor of Law at the New York University.
Prof. Dr. Antonio Cassese (Italy) - First President (1993-1997) and Judge (1993-2000) of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993-1997) and Head of the UN International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur (2004). He is currently Professor of International Law at the University of Florence.
Mr. Luc Côté (Canada) - Former Executive Director of the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste (2006) and Director of Prosecutions of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (2003-2005). Currently Director of a Justice Mapping Project in the DRC.
Justice Richard J. Goldstone (South Africa) - Chairman of the South Africa Standing Commission of Inquiry Regarding Public Violence and Intimidation (1991-1994), Chief Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda (1994-1996), Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa (1996-2003) and Chairman of the UN Independent Inquiry Commission on Kosovo (1999). He is currently a visiting professor of international law.
Ms. Hina Jilani (Pakistan) - Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Human Rights Defenders (2000-2008) and Member of the Darfur Commission of Inquiry (2006).
Prof. Dr. Salomón Lerner Febres (Peru) - Chairman of the Peru Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2001-2003). He is currently Rector Emeritus of the Catholic University of Peru and President of the Institute for Democracy and Human Rights.
Mr. Dumisa Ntsebeza (South Africa) - Member of the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-1998) and of the UN International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur (2004).
Prof. Dr. Stelios Perrakis (Greece) - Member of the UN Commission of Inquiry to Lebanon (2006). He is currently Professor of International and European Institutions at the Pantheion University and Member of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission.
Prof. Dr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (Brazil) - UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burundi (1995-1998) and in Myanmar (2000-2008) and Chairman of the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor-Leste (2006). He is currently Commissioner and Rapporteur on Children at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
Ms. Mary Robinson (Ireland) - President of Ireland (1990-1997) and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002). She is currently Chancellor of the University of Dublin.
Prof. William A. Schabas (Canada) - Member of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2002-2004). He is currently Professor of Human Rights Law at the National University of Ireland and Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights.
Ms. Yasmin Sooka (South Africa) - Member of the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-1998) and of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2002-2007). She is currently Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights.
Mr. Desmond Travers (Ireland) - Former Colonel of the Army of the Irish Defence Forces, he is currently Director at the Institute for International Criminal Investigations.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (South Africa) - Chairman of the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1995-1998) and Noble Peace Prize winner (1984).
Mr. Ralph Zacklin (United Kingdom) - United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs (1998-2005), Member of the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor Leste (2006), Chairman of the United Nations Independent Panel on Accountability (2008).
Ban Ki Whaaa??
06 May 2009 by الفلسطينية
not that i ever had any faith in him anyway:
and the icing on cake? shimon perez himself tipping his hat to ban-ki moon!
but if we were to assume for a second that these recommendations actually were legally binding, would that change anything? absolutely not. i mean, when has israel ever cared for the un or any of its recommendations or even resolutions? i expect nothing else from this sad excuse that has become the untied nations. and i'm equally unimpressed with hrw- but more on that later.
so its been close to five months since ban-ki moon visited the gaza strip. just how are the people of gaza faring today?
This was written by Sherine Tadros back in March. It is now May. Perhaps the only thing that has changed in gaza is the weather.
One thing that is new are the tents ... tents, tents everywhere - every size, every colour and they have one thing in common ... none are withstanding the terrible weather.
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