APPEAL
of non-governmental organizations in Bosnia and
Herzegovina related to the establishment of the
International Criminal Court at the Diplomatic
Conference in Rome, 15 June-17 July 1998
The
Honorable John Porter
U.S. Congress
At the end of the
twentieth century characterized by numerous cases
of violence, wars and unseen endangering of human
rights and freedoms, the international community
has unique occasion to make additional effort in
preventing such cases and in punishing those
individuals accountable for committed crimes by
establishing the International Criminal Court.
We, the representatives of NGOs in Bosnia and
Herzegovina as witnesses and victims of war
crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide,
appeal to all participants of the Diplomatic
Conference in Rome, especially to the major world
powers, the United States, Russia, Chine and
France, by their decisions to enable the creation
of such a court which will be based on the
principles of independent judiciary and which
will be able to confront to violence that has
characterized our century. We are convinced that
the establishment of such a court would
positively contribute to the strengthening of
judiciary system and rule of law in our country.
Therefore we support,
- a court with a prosecutor empowered to initiate
investigations based on information from any
source, - including from victims and
non-governmental organizations;
- a court independent of political interference,
including the Security Council;
- a court that can decide on its own authority,
without additional consent from any country;
- a court empowered to prosecute war crimes
committed in internal armed conflicts, including
sexual and gender violence.
We appeal to the governments in Bosnia and
Herzegovina actively to support the establishment
of a fair, impartial, independent and effective
court based on the principles of the highest
world standards through their delegation at the
Rome Conference.
Sarajevo, Tuzla, 21 May 1998
Encl: Signatories of the Appeal
- SIGNATORIES OF
THE APPEAL
- Citizens'
Alternative Assembly - Tuzla
- Helsinki
Committee for Human Rights in BH - Sarajevo
- Forum of
Citizens - Tuzla
- Association
of Independent Intellectuals Circle 99 - Sarajevo
- Helsinki
Board for Protection of Human Rights in RS -
Bijeljina
- Center for
Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy - Mostar
- Citizens'
Forum - Banja Luka
- Democratic
Circle - Bihac
- Association
of Women - Tuzla
- Forum of
People of Zenica - Zenica
- Independent
- Zenica
- Center for
Cooperation of Citizens - Livno
- Center for
Cooperation of Citizens - Travnik
- Association
of Mixed Marriages - Zenica
- Forum of
Intellectuals - Breza
- Croatian
People's Council - Sarajevo
- Serb Civil
Council - Sarajevo
- Democratic
Initiative of Sarajevo Serbs - Ilidza
- Center for
Protection of Minorities - Sarajevo
- Helsinki
Citizens' Assembly - Sarajevo
- NGOs
Support and Information center - Sarajevo
- PEN Center
- Sarajevo
-Independent
Union of Professional Journalists - Sarajevo
No. 12-05/98