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NEWS Headlines BELOW [updated Friday 20th June 2003]

GBP has neither the obligation, nor the expertise, to elaborate on any of the ICC articles appearing here. We offer them purely for readers interest.

"... there are small defects in these articles as there are in all the others that I've sent. They need to be read with that in mind. Usually the author of an article wants to push a point of view or a position and through zeal or malicious intent tends to mislead here and there. On balance, though, these are fine articles, you just need to be a little cautious. The more you read, the broader your understanding and the more discriminating you become."
S.R. - GBP correspondent, Mexico.

 NEWS HEADLINES

Belgium not getting Rumsfeld's message
  on war crimes law

The Sun Times article by John O'Sullivan cynically reports on June 17, 2003 that "brave little Belgium briefly defied the Pentagon" when Rumsfeld threatened to withdraw Washington's funding for a new NATO headquarters unless Belgium repealed its 1993 law allowing Belgian courts to put on trial citizens of foreign countries for war crimes and "crimes against humanity" wherever committed. O'Sullivan's opinion piece draws comparison to ICC and why the US are justified in not supporting it's existence.

  EU Strengthens ICC Support

BBSNews article -- 16th June 2003.

The ICC, sworn in its first 18 judges in March this year, officially begins operations today when the first ICC Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina, is to be sworn in. The EU has adopted a revised Common Position on the ICC in response to recent efforts by the Bush administration to weaken the court.

The Common Position is the legally binding instrument of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. It expresses all EU Member States' willingness to support the ICC and cooperate to increase its effectiveness. Meanwhile the Bush administration steps up its efforts to exempt American citizens from the court's jurisdiction.

For more information on ICC, please visit: Human Rights Watch

 First day of justice

Full story by Lauren Comiteau, 17 June 2003

The first prosecutor of the ICC, lawyer Luis Moreno Ocampo, promised to do his unprecedented job honourably, faithfully and impartially. The experienced Argentinean prosecutor, who made a name for himself pursuing leaders of Argentina's former military dictatorship, has already begun sorting hundreds of referrals sent to the court for possible action.

Human Rights Watch says the Bush Administration, who oppose the court, are threatening countries with everything from the loss of NATO membership to the end of hurricane disaster relief if they don't sign agreements exempting Americans from the court. The US have already successfully sought a term of exemption, and secured agreements to deals with up to six nations, in addition to the 39 countries already openly cooperating with the US in side-stepping ICC jurisdiction.

 About The International Criminal Court (ICC)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an independent international organisation. established by the Rome Statute (ICC) in 1998, when 120 States participating in a "United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court" adopted the Statute. The ICC is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court that will have jurisdiction over genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The establishment of the court ensures that the gravest international crimes do not go unpunished. The ICC will intervene to investigate and prosecute such crimes only in the event state parties are "unwilling or unable" to do so.

The Statute set out the Court's jurisdiction, structure and functions. On 11 April 2002 10 countries simultaneously deposited their instruments of ratification with the Secretary General. Accordingly, the Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002 and the Advance Team for the ICC began work at this time. Its mandate ceased at the end of October. The Advance Team consisted of eight technical experts who performed preparatory ground work and acted as a custodian for all information addressed to the Court.

The seat of the Court is The Hague in The Netherlands. The ICC's relationship with the United Nations system is governed by an agreement that has been approved by the Assembly of States Parties (in accordance with article 2 of the Rome Statute) and will be concluded by the President of the Court on its behalf.

To date, 90 countries have ratified the Rome Statute. The court was inaugurated on March 11, 2003 when its first 18 judges were sworn in. The court officially began its operations on the 16th June when the first ICC Chief Prosecutor, Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo of Argentina, was sworn in.

 Send a message to US Congress

Isn't it time we stop letting war criminals get away with murder?

The Twentieth Century was the bloodiest in recorded history. 174 million people were killed in genocides and mass murders. Too often the victims' cries for justice went unanswered by an indifferent world.

In 1998, the nations of the world agreed to create the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold accountable and bring to justice individuals responsible for mass murder, genocide, and war crimes.

Building American support for the International Criminal Court is the primary mission of USAforICC.org. The International Criminal Court will bring the perpetrators of the most heinous crimes to justice when nations will not or cannot.

Tell Congress and the President it's time to support the ICC, because without justice - there is no peace.

"He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done."
Leonardo da Vinci