[E-rundbrief] Info 881 - Israeli War Criminals - prosecution
Matthias Reichl
info at begegnungszentrum.at
Mi Dez 23 16:29:27 CET 2009
E-Rundbrief - Info 881 - Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP Israel):
99 Israeli and International Feminist Organizations to the British
Government: Enable Prosecution of Israeli War Criminals
Bad Ischl, 23.12.2009
Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
www.begegnungszentrum.at
================================================
- PRESS RELEASE -
99 Israeli and International Feminist Organizations to the British
Government: Enable Prosecution of Israeli War Criminals
99 feminist peace organizations, from 25 countries, among them 20
Israeli and Palestinian organizations, sent a letter this morning
(Tuesday, December 22, 2009) to the British Prime Minister, Gordon
Brown, and to the British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, demanding
that they not restrict the principle of universal jurisdiction in the
UK. Universal Jurisdiction enables national courts to prosecute foreign
war criminals – among them Ehud Olmet, Ehud Barak, Tzipi Livni and other
high ranking Israeli officials – who are responsible for the war in Gaza
last year.
The letter was initiated by the Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP),
an Israeli feminist organization that was founded in 2000 and is a
leading voice in the Israeli anti-occupation movement. The letter was
sent following Gordon and Miliband's recent declarations that they will
restrict universal jurisdiction in the UK – following an arrest warrant
issued last week by a London court against Tzipi Livni, Israeli Minister
of Foreign Affairs during the war in Gaza.
The signatories claim that the Goldstone Report raises serious
suspicions regarding systematic and intentional execution of war crimes
during the war in Gaza (Opearting Cast Lead). The letter asks Brown and
Miliband to "defend and maintain the important principle of universal
jurisdiction, despite political pressures by war criminals and their
allies."
The organizations further claim that restricting universal
jurisdiction sets a dangerous precedent in the prosecution of war
criminals from around the world. They stated: "As feminist
organizations, we regard this as an act of collaboration with violence
against women, since women and girls are particularly susceptible to
poverty, displacement and marginalization in times of war, and are more
frequently subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape.”
Eilat Maoz, CWP General Coordinator, said: "We reach out to the
international community aiming to protect the people of our region,
Palestinians and Israelis alike, from war criminals that still walk
freely among us. As Israelis, we have an important role in supporting
the international pressure on Israel. The vast response to our call
demonstrates that the international community has lost its patience to
the Israeli occupation."
Lana Khaskia, CWP General Coordinator, said: "We all witness the
growing international public pressure, which influences governments
around the world to act. This was the case in the recent decision to
label settlement produce in the UK, and in recent successes of the
global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. We see ourselves as a
part of this international movement, which calls upon Israel to end the
occupation at once."
The letter with the full list of signatories is attached
For further information:
Yoana Gonen, CWP International Relations Coordinator, Tel: +972-50-5809656
yoana at coalitionofwomen.org
Eilat Maoz, CWP General Coordinator, Tel: +972-50-8575729
eilat at coalitionofwomen.org
--------------------------------------------------
December 22, 2009
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Foreign Secretary David Miliband
Re: Maintain Universal Jurisdiction and Enable the Prosecution of War
Criminals
We, international feminist peace and human rights organizations, are
writing to you following recent reports regarding your government's
intention to undermine the principle of universal jurisdiction, a
decision that will diminish the power of the international community to
intervene in situations of severe human rights violations and crimes
against humanity.
Universal jurisdiction is an essential legal device, symbolizing the
responsibility of the global community to prevent crimes against
humanity wherever they occur, to bring justice to the victims and to
protect the citizens of the world from tyranny, persecution and
institutionalized violence. The United Kingdom played an instrumental
role in establishing these principles in the aftermath of the Second
World War, and should commit itself to protecting and maintaining them.
The British government's intent to undermine universal jurisdiction sets
a dangerous precedent in defending criminal government officials rather
than the victims of their crimes.
As feminist organizations, we regard your attempt to undermine
universal jurisdiction as an act of collaboration with violence against
women. Socially disadvantaged groups, such as women and ethnic
minorities, are more severely affected in situations of war and
conflict. Women and girls are particularly susceptible to poverty,
displacement and marginalization in times of war, and are more
frequently subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape.
As Palestinian, Israeli and international women, we call on the
international community to pressure Israel to follow the recommendations
of the Goldstone Report. Today, one year after the Israeli assault on
Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, Israel has yet to conduct a thorough,
independent and reliable investigation of the war crimes it has
committed. The international community is obligated to act in order to
ensure that Israel will comply with international human rights and
humanitarian law. Issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials
responsible for war crimes against the Palestinian people, among them
Ehud Olmert, Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni, is an important means to this end.
The right of national courts to prosecute foreign war criminals for
atrocities committed abroad is a central enforcement mechanism in
international law. Undermining their ability to do so will be a
devastating blow to international human rights and will hinder attempts
to bring just peace to the Middle East and to other conflict regions
around the world.
We urge you to maintain and secure the important principle of
universal jurisdiction, despite political pressures by war criminals and
their allies.
99 Signatories:
Palestine/Israel
Coalition of Women for Peace (CWP) - Israel
http://coalitionofwomen.org
Addameer - Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association - Ramallah,
Palestine
http://www.addameer.org
AlDeer Association, Palestinian Women of Wadi Ara - Israel
Al-Haq - Ramallah, Palestine
http://www.alhaq.org
Assiwar - Arab Feminist Movement in Support of Victims of Sexual Abuse -
Israel
http://new.assiwar.org
BOYCOTT! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within - Israel
http://boycottisrael.info
International Women's Peace Service (IWPS) - Palestine
http://www.iwps-pal.org
Movement of Democratic Women in Israel (TANDI) - Israel
http://www.mdwii.com
New Profile - Israel
http://www.newprofile.org
Palestinian Center for Peace and Democracy - Ramallah, Palestine
http://www.pcpd.org
Palestinian Union of Progressive Women, Balad (National Democratic
Assembly) - Israel
Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development – Ramallah, Palestine
http://www.pwwsd.org
Social TV - Israel
http://www.TV.social.org.il
The Israeli Committee for a Middle East Free of Atomic, Biological and
Chemical Weapons - Israel
The Raging Grannies - Israel
Women in Black - Israel
Women in Black of Tel Aviv - Israel
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Israel
Section - Israel
Yesh Gvul - Israeli Support Group for Refuseniks of the Occupation and
War Crimes - Israel
http://www.yeshgvul.org.il
Zochrot ("Remembering") - Israel
http://www.zochrot.org
International
Ain o Salish kendra (ASK) - Bangladesh
http://www.askbd.org
Association pour la Reconnaissance des Droits et Libertés à la Femme
Musulmane (ARDLFM) - France
http://ardlfm.centerblog.net
Associazione federativa femminista internazionale - Casa internazionale
delle donne - Rome, Italy
Autonomous Women's Center - Belgrade, Serbia
http://www.womenngo.org.rs
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace - Toronto, Canada
http://home.ca.inter.net/~vow
Casa Baltimore/Limay, Baltimore Committee - Maryland, USA
http://www.casabaltimorelimay.org
CODEPINK Women for Peace - USA
http://www.codepinkalert.org
CODEPINK Greater Boston - Massachusetts, USA
Collectif des féministes pour l'égalité (CFPE) - France
Collectif Judéo Arabe et Citoyen pour la Paix - Strasbourg, France
Djazairouna - des Familles Victimes du Terrorisme Islamiste - Alegeria
European Feminist Initiative (IFE-EFI) - International Network
http://www.ife-efi.org
Fairchance Consultancy - UK
French Jewish Union for Peace (UJFP) - France
http://www.ujfp.org
Global Sisterhood Network - International Network
http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org
Global Women's Strike - International Network
http://www.globalwomenstrike.net
Global Women's Strike - Ireland
Global Women's Strike - USA
Gramya Resource Center for Women - Hyderabad, India
http://www.gramya.org
Institute for Feminism and Religion - Dublin, Ireland
http://instituteforfeminismandreligion.org
International Civilian Missions to Palestine (CCIPP) - France
http://protection-palestine.org
International Prostitutes Collective - International Network
http://www.prostitutescollective.net
International Wages Due Lesbians - International Network
http://www.allwomencount.net/EWC LesbianBi/IWDL.htm
International Wages for Housework Campaign - International Network
Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East - Austria
Jewish Voice for Peace - USA
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
Jüdische Stimme für Gerechten Frieden in Nahost (Jewish Voice for a Just
Peace in the Middle East - EJJP) - Germany
http://www.juedische-stimme.de/js-ejjp.html
l'Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS) Paris Centre - Paris,
France
Legal Action for Women - UK and USA
http://www.allwomencount.net/EWC LAW/womenagainstlaw.htm
Marea - Feminist Quarterly - Italy
http://www.mareaonline.it
Mersinia Art Center - Ayia Napa, Cyprus
MRAP - Movement Against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples - Paris,
France
http://www.mrap.fr
News from Nowhere Co-operative - Liverpool, UK
http://www.newsfromnowhere.org.uk
Nijera Kori ("We Do It Ourselves") - Bangladesh
http://www.nijerakori.org
Office of the Americas, Los Angeles, California - USA
http://www.officeoftheamericas.org
Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) - UK
http://palestinecampaign.org
Rural Women's Movement (RWM) in the province of KwaZulu Natal - South Africa
http://www.ruralwomensmovement.org
Saheli Women's Resource Centre - New Delhi, India
Scottish Women Against Pornography - Scotland, UK
Secularism Is A Women's Issue (SIAWI) - International network
http://www.siawi.org
Sheffield Palestine Women's Scholarship Fund - Sheffield, UK
Senza Paura - Restiamo Umani - Genova, Italy
Single Mothers Self Defence - UK
South Asians for Human Rights - Colombo, Sri Lanka
http://www.southasianrights.org
Southall Black Sisters - UK
http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk
The Kolo: Women's Cross Cultural Collaboration - Olympia, Washington, USA
http://www.kolocollaboration.org
The Network Against Honour-Related Violence - Sweden
http://www.minheder.nu
Women Against Fundamentalism (WAF) - UK
http://www.womenagainstfundamentalism.org.uk
Women for Justice - Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Women for Palestine - Australia
http://www.womenforpalestine.org
Women for Peace - Switzerland
http://www.frauenfuerdenfrieden.ch
Women in Black of Caen - France
Women in Black of Lyon - France
Women in Black (Les femmes en noir) of Paris - France
Women in Black of Strasbourg - France
Women in Black - Italy
Women in Black of Rome - Italy
Women in Black of Turin - Italy
Women in Black of Venice - Italy
Women in Black of Belgrade - Serbia
http://www.zeneucrnom.org
Women in Black of Mallorca - Spain
Women in Black (Vrouwen in het zwart) of Maastricht - The Netherlands
http://vrouweninhetzwart.nl
Women in Black of London - UK
Women in Black of Sheffield - UK
Bay Area Women in Black - California, USA
http://www.bayareawomeninblack.org
Women in Black of Amherst - Massachusetts, USA
Women in Black of Union Square, New York City - New York, USA
Women in Black of Seattle - Washington, USA
Women in Solidarity with Palestine (WSP) - Toronto, Canada
Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) - International Network
http://www.wluml.org
Women of Colour in the Global Women's Strike - Guyana
Women of Colour in the Global Women's Strike – USA
Women Solidarity for an Independent and Unified Iraq - UK
http://solidarityiraq.blogspot.com
Women Will Association (WWA) - Baghdad, Iraq
http://iraqiwomenswill.blogspot.com
Women's Commission of the Socialist Party - USA
Women's Initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights (WICUR) - Paris,
France
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) -
International Network
http://www.wilpf.ch
Women's Welfare Center - Pune, India
World March of Women, International Secretariat - International Network
http://www.worldmarchofwomen.org
--
Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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