RECENT NEWS ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE

UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide Welcomed

NGOs Applaud Increased Attention to Halting Worst Human Rights Crimes

New York - April 7, 2004

The NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court( CICC) welcomed the creation of the post of UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, as announced during a meeting of the UN General Assembly today, designated as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. As announced by UN DeputySecretary- General Louise Fréchette, the Special Advisor’s mandate will refer to genocide, mass murder and other large scale human rights violations, such as ethnic cleansing. The Advisor will work closely with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in examining existing and potential threats of genocide, and their links to international security.

" We welcome the appointment of a UN advisor on genocide as the tragedies of preventable genocides and mass crimes against humanity continue to plague our world," said Mr. William R. Pace, convenor of the more than 2,000 member CICC." We will urge the UN Member States to provide this new post with the resources and authority needed for this crucial work," he said."The truth is that the main problem is not early warning, but early action to prevent genocide. Hopefully," he added," this new institution and the new International Criminal Court will work together to ensure that the UN Security Council, General Assembly and other organs of the international community respond more effectively to deter and prevent genocides.

From the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UNSecretary- General Kofi Annan announced an Action Plan to Prevent Genocide, which includes the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide. In his description, theSecretary- General called for greater efforts to achieve wide ratification of the Rome Statute, so that the new International Criminal Court can deal effectively with crimes against humanity, whenever national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.

As described during this morning’s ceremony in New York, the Special Advisor’s reporting to the UN Commission on Human Rights will act as an early warning mechanism to the Security Council and other parts of the UN system. The Advisor will report through the UNSecretary- General, and will make recommendations on actions to prevent genocide.

In the words of UN DeputySecretary- General Louise Fréchette, while the role of the Advisor will be a crucial component of a rapid response mechanism, it will be the action or inaction of the Council that will be decisive[ and UN] Member States must summon the political will to act when a warning is received.

Annan pledges UN commitment to inclusive society for persons with disabilities

Beijing - 8 September 2003

Noting that more than 600 million people - roughly one in every 10 people - suffer some mental, physical or sensory impairment, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today pledged dedication by the United Nations to making societies truly accessible, caring and inclusive for all people, regardless of disability.
"The commitment of the United Nations to advance the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities is deeply rooted in the founding ideals of the Organization and in fundamental international human rights instruments," Mr. Annan said in a message to the 60 million-member China Disabled Persons' Federation, currently holding its fourth national congress in Beijing.
"The United Nations and the China Disabled Persons' Federation have a constructive record of cooperation," the message said. "You are strongly supporting the elaboration of an international convention on the rights of persons with disabilities."
Mr. Annan also stressed the need to involve persons with disabilities in all aspects of disability programmes, from policy-making to the implementation and evaluation of projects.
He said disabled persons "face discrimination and marginalization, and are found disproportionately among the poorest strata of society. This is a challenge that should be a leading concern for all of us, since it affects not only disabled persons and their families, but also the economic and social development of entire societies."

The Solemn Undertaking of the Prosecutor

The Hague, 13 June 2003

The swearing in of the first Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo will take place during a public session of the Court. The Ceremony, to be held at the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace on 16 June 2003, will be presided by Judge Philippe Kirsch and witnessed by the other judges of the Court.
The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, will administer the solemn undertaking by the Prosecutor.
The President of the ICC, the Prosecutor, the President of the Assembly of States Parties, and a representative of the defence will deliver statements.
Other keynote speakers will be Professor Benjamin Ferencz, Prosecutor of the Nuremberg Tribunal;
Mr. William R. Pace Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court; and Mrs. Billon
Ung Boun-Hor, Secretary General of the Comité des victimes des Khmers rouges.
The programme including activities involving the media, is the following:
11:30 - 12:00 Registration of media representatives in the Academy Building of the Peace Palace.
12:00 - 13:00 Press briefing conducted by the Coalition for the International Criminal Court.
Who is the Prosecutor of the ICC and what is the importance of his role?
What are the next steps in the development of the ICC?
What are the key challenges facing the ICC?
William R. Pace, Convenor NGO Coalition for the ICC
Richard Dicker, Director International Justice Program, Human Rights Watch
Jeanne Sulzer, International Justice Programme Officer, Fédération internationale
des droits de l’Homme
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 Beginning of the Ceremony
The significance of the ceremony
14:15 Entrance of the Judges of the International Criminal Court
14:20 Opening of the session of the International Criminal Court by President Philippe Kirsch
Report on the election of the Prosecutor
Mr. Bruno Cathala
Director of Common Services
Statement by H.R.H. Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan
President of the Assembly of States Parties to the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Statement by H.E. Judge Philippe Kirsch
President of the International Criminal Court
Solemn undertaking of Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo
Statement by a representative of the defence
Statement by Professor Benjamin Ferencz
Former prosecutor
Statement by Mr. William R. Pace
Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court
Statement by Mrs. Billon Ung Boun-Hor
Secretary General of the Comité des victimes des Khmers rouges
Statement by Mr. Luis Moreno-Ocampo
16:00 Closing of the session of the International Criminal Court
17:00 ICC Press Conference
President of the ICC, Judge Philippe Kirsch;
Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo;
President of the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC Statute, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein
The International Criminal Court is the first permanent institution of international criminal justice, with jurisdiction to try individuals for the most serious crimes known to humanity as a whole genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Belgium Gets Cold Feet in War Crimes Cases Against Bush, Blair

BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters June 19, 2003) - Belgium said on Thursday it had received lawsuits against President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair under a controversial war crimes law granting its courts universal jurisdiction.

But it had forwarded the cases, alleging violations of international law during the war in Iraq, to the defendants' home countries, greatly reducing their chances of ever coming to a court.

Britain immediately said it would discard the Belgian lawsuit and take no further action on it.

In Washington, a State Department official said that although the cases were referred to the U.S. judicial system, the Belgian law gives rise to legal complications.

"It would be much preferable if people were not subject to this law, period, instead of having the cases referred and then dismissed," a State Department official said.

Belgium has been harshly criticized, especially by the United States, for the law, which empowers its courts to try foreigners for serious war and human rights crimes no matter where they were committed.

In an effort to discourage so-called "propaganda" cases, it reformed the law to allow a lawsuit to be sent to a defendant's country if that country were democratic with a legal system that could handle it properly.

Belgium's justice ministry said legal authorities had received lawsuits against Bush, Blair and a host of senior U.S. officials for crimes against humanity in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ministry was able to send the lawsuits to Britain and the United States Thursday under the recent change to the genocide law, ministry spokesman Joannes Thuy told Reuters.

"The renewed law makes its possible to send a lawsuit to a country if it has a legal system which can deal with this kind of complaint," he said.

One lawsuit accused Bush, Blair, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Tommy Franks of crimes against humanity in the Iraq war, a ministry statement said.

A second lawsuit was against Powell, also regarding the Iraq war.

A third was against Bush, Rumsfeld, Attorney General John Ashcroft, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz for crimes against humanity in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Belgian authorities declined to say when or by whom the lawsuits were filed.

In Greece, where Blair was attending a European Union summit with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the British leader's official spokesman told reporters: "That is referred back to the UK. There will be no further action." (Additional reporting by Katherine Baldwin in Greece)