US&UK War Crimes Wil Be Tried

An international group of jurists, scholars and anti-war activists convene in Istanbul in preparation of setting up an independent international tribunal in order to bring United States of America and United Kingdom of Britain for their crimes of war emanating from the occupation of Iraq.

The group, during the five day meeting is expected to finalize the details of the founding process of the court and the prospects of seating it in Istanbul, with their Turkish colleagues The meeting closes 30 October.

Comprising activists from the US, UK, The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, Japan, India, Palestine, Philippines and Iraq the group has been working out the methodology of prosecution, the alternative ways and means for the citizens of the world to combat against war crimes in the face of the helplessness of international mechanisms.

Among the workgroup for an International War Tribunal are Prof. Christian P. Scherrer (Japan/Netherlands- Professor at Hiroshima Peace Institute), Gloria Bletter (USA-Woman’s International League for Peace and Freedom), Jan Lonn (Sweden-Swedish Network Against War), Herbert Docena (Philippines-Focus on Global South), Jo Cottenier (Belgium-Stop The United States of Aggression) Prof. Lieven Decauter (Belçika-Brussells Tribunal), John Roberts (UK, Attorney at Law) Nikolas Kollestrom (UK- University College), Leuren Moret (US-Scientists for Indigenous People) Prof. Paola Manduca (Italy-University of Genoa-Via Campesina), Marinella Correggia (Italy-author), Susanne Thorbek (Denmark-Danish Aouthors for Peace), Daizo Kutsuzawa (Japan-International Criminal Tribunal for Iraq) Seishi Hinada (Japan - International Criminal Tribunal for Iraq) Eman Ahmed Khammas (Iraq-Occupation Watch Center), Corrine Kumar (India/Tunusia-El Taller International), Sahar Francis (Palestine-Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association)

The idea of forming an international tribunal was born during anti-war meetings in Berlin, Jakarta and Geneva. Asked for framing a proposal, participants from Turkey proposed an action plan starting with sessions of commissions of investigation in many countries and culminating in a tribunal in Istanbul Turkey. (EK)