Pacifica Commentary for August 1, 2003

Hello, this is Blase Bonpane with a comment. While the Bush administration continues to

relive the colonial history of the 19th century, the world is moving on without him and

without us. The long sought and much needed International Criminal Court is

now in session.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo is the first Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

Elected by the ratifying countries in April of this year, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo has tried

criminal and human rights cases involving the extradition of a former Nazi officer from

Argentina, political bribery, journalists' protection, and the crimes of the military junta

during Argentina's "dirty war." Moreno-Ocampo has also been a visiting

professor at Stanford University and Harvard University in the United States.

Kenneth Roth, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch says, "Too many atrocities

have been committed by ruthless leaders who calculated that they could get away with

mass murder…the International Criminal Court will help break that deadly logic."

The United States played a central role in the precursors to the International Criminal

Court in the Nuremberg trials, the international tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and

for Rwanda, and the Sierra Leone court. Yet the U.S. government always demanded a

high degree of control over the Court and resisted its authority to prosecute U.S. military

and government officials. President Clinton authorized signing -- but not ratifying -- the

Rome Statute on December 31, 2000, just before leaving office and on the deadline set by

the statute.

In May 2002, a new position emerged as the Bush administration nullified the United

States' signature on the Rome Statute. In so doing, the administration withdrew U.S.

support for the creation of the International Criminal Court and asserted the exclusion of

U.S. citizens from the Court's jurisdiction.

After unsigning the Rome Statutes, the U.S. government passed domestic legislation

withholding military aid from countries that ratify the ICC unless they agree not to turn

over U.S. citizens or employees to the Court. The legislation also authorizes

the U.S. President to use "all means necessary and appropriate" to free U.S. personnel

detained by the ICC. In June of this year, the U.S. insisted that the UN Security Council

extend immunity from ICC prosecution for its peacekeeping forces.

The Court can consider genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes which occurred

after this date and which are not being tried in a national court. The ICC is independent of

the United Nations and is funded by the ratifying states. The Court is housed at The

Hague in the Netherlands.

For more details on this new and long overdue court check out: www.moveon.org/

Let us join our brothers and sisters throughout the world and demand that the United

States participate in a 21st century legal system.

For a free copy of this commentary call 323/852-9808…323/852-9808.

This is Blase Bonpane.