International Criminal Court

TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 29 Jun 2020

Alberto Portugheis – TRANSCEND Media Service

28 Jun 2020 – First of all, I would like to thank Richard Falk for his erudite and intelligent analysis of the workings of the International Criminal Court [Editorial TMS 22 Jun 2020]. Personally, I am not as surprised by the workings and politics of the ICC, because I usually give a different interpretation to ‘words’ used by politicians. For instance, to me, Defence Forces mean ‘War’. If politicians don’t organise wars, they cannot justify the obscene expenditure that Armed Forces represent, which bankrupt all national economies while fattening politicians’ bank accounts.

Politicians ‘must’ create enemies, so that the Minister of Defence has a country to defend. Without enemies, the whole apparatus and its costs would be unacceptable.

Take the case of Costa Rica. Since abolishing the armed forces, in 1948, they live in peace whilst so many of its neighbouring countries have war after war. And, most importantly, the funds previously dedicated to the military budget, were automatically transferred to security – a better policing service – education and culture, as well as the eradication of hunger, building of social housing, protection of the environment and much more.

Switzerland, having decided not to fight wars but to make money out of foreigners killing each other, declared itself a ‘neutral’ country. They sell weapons to ‘enemy’ countries, without appearing to favour anyone. Their defence ministry incorporates civil protection and sports, as wars for Swiss politicians (as for most politicians involved in wars) are a sport, a very competitive sport, a money-making sport. This is why the Swiss Ministry of Defence incorporates “Armasuisse” (the Swiss military export business) and the Federal Secret Services.

Armasuisse, based in Bern, employs no less than 750 people, to procure juicy military contracts, the world over. This is the Swiss contribution to ‘PEACE’ in the world.

Not to digress much longer from the original reason for this message, the ICC, I would like to remind that I call the UN United Necrologists or ‘creators of death’, as 80% of wars are concocted and negotiated at this infamous club of belligerent nations, replacing only in name the club that concocted and negotiated World War II, the League of Nations.

As to the brunches of the UN, the High Commission for Human Rights have made sure human rights are abused in the world, starting with our right to live in peace. What about article 3 in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, the right to life? Government orders to eject missiles from Apache helicopters, tanks, mortars, F-16 air-fighters, rocket launchers, torpedoes to be ejected from ships, how are they respecting our ‘right to life’?

The UN High Commission for Refugees has that exactly the same: increased many fold the number of refugees in the world, the refugee agency being a multi-billion business for all those involved in the establishment of refugee camps. By the way, there is an article in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights that reads: ‘Everyone has the right to live in the country of their choice’. If this right were respected by governments, the refugee crisis wouldn’t exist.

Coming to ICC, same as the mission of the ‘peace’ envoy to the Middle East was to organise wars in the Middle East (remember the arms trade spring re-named ‘Arab’ spring by politicians and their accomplices in the media?) ICC is a court for the ‘protection’ of criminals. Unless of course the ‘criminal’ did not share the benefits of his crimes with the ICC.

Otherwise, the former Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh, would not be living in luxury in Equatorial Guinea, Paul Biya wouldn’t be the president of Cameroon, (he’s in his 45^th year of Presidency!) running the country from the third floor of the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva, almost next door to the UN building.

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Bukari would have been called to ICC and in prison now, had it not been for his compatriot Chile Eboe-Osuji, President of the International Criminal Court.

The above and many other examples, explain why ICC is for me OCCI, or International Criminal Court of Injustice.

And I promise you, whilst we continue to ‘force’ our politicians to organise and promote wars, by accepting they spend trillions of dollars, Euros or Pounds sterling in buying warships and fighter jets, nothing will change.

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Alberto Portugheis is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment. By profession a concert pianist and pedagogue, he is an active peace campaigner, whose anti-military stance earned him a nomination for the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize. As a result, Portugheis wrote Dear Ahed…..The Game of War and a Path to Peace – a book that has received critical acclaim.  Another successful book followed: $$$$$s In Their Hearts. In 2015 he founded the Movement HUFUD-Humanity United For Universal Demilitarisation, which has many followers worldwide.  In 2018 HUFUD Latin America was born, based in Bogotá, Colombia. In Portugheis’ writings, speeches, thoughts, ideas and reflections transpire his desire “to make people think” and not take for granted what they read or hear, “no matter where.”

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 29 Jun 2020.

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