Email to Bush urging that US should stop acting  like a rogue state, disrupting international peace-keeping efforts and undermining the integrity of the international system of justice by  demanding for ICC  immunity from genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

(Petaling Jaya,  Wednesday):  I have today sent an email to President Bush of the United States, copy  to the United States Ambassador to Malaysia, Marie T. Huhtala, urging that the United States should stop acting like a rogue state, disrupting international peace-keeping efforts and undermining the integrity of the international system of justice by demanding immunity from genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity from the jurisdiction of the  International Criminal Court. 

My email to Bush called on the United States administration to reconsider its position to seek immunity for American citizens from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court and to immediately revoke its veto in the Security Council on Sunday against the unanimous support of the other 14 member countries to extend the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. 

It is indeed a great shame for the United States and tragedy for humanity  if the world’s first permanent war crimes tribunal to prevent future Hitlers, Pol Pots and Saddam Husseins should be sabotaged by the United States’ intransigence and recalcitrance in refusing to accept the universal applicability of one of the most fundamental principles of international justice - no immunity for crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. 

It is very disappointing and a matter for dismay that for the past three days, the Malaysian government has kept its silence on the United States veto in the Security Council on Sunday to wreck the 1998 Rome Treaty and the International Court of Justice, which came into existence at the Hague  on Monday. 

Malaysia is set  to become the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Conference as well as Chairman of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) from next year. 

The Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar should safeguard  Malaysia’s reputation as the voice of the Third World to courageously speak up for truth and justice especially when other countries dare not speak their minds.  He must break his silence on such an important international issue in the cause of humanity.

If the Malaysian government continues to abdicate from its national and international responsibility to speak up on this issue, DAP will seriously consider convening an  an all-party roundtable conference to condemn US opposition to the International Criminal Court and veto in the Security Council to extend the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia as it is a threat to all UN peacekeeping forces.

(3/7/2002)


*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman