-Caveat Lector-
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 07:40:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Party of Citizens <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
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Subject: [UNIVERSALHUMANRIGHTS] Re: Harvard Law Professors Urge Congress to
Review Interrogation Policy and Hold Executive Branch Accountable
While you are at it, what about US foreign policy in general? Isn't the
policy in Iraq and Afghanistan now going to be a violation of their right
to self determination for the indefinite future? Will it not be
essentially: Do as we say or your people will suffer collective torture by
being deprived of the essentials to sustain life and health (ie food,
shelter, clothing and medical care)?
And isn't that the post 9/11 'human resources' policy in Canada? Are we to
believe that this recent "do as we say or die" policy in Canadian social
services has nothing to do with a global attack on liberty and justice
coming from south of the 49th?
After all, "You are either for us or against us" and self-identification
as the quintessential "good doers" of the world provides a powerful
mandate to apply a global policy of mass torture and murder.
Anyway, our formal complaint (below) reaches UNHCHR today by postal mail
so we'll find out what Judge Arbour et al have to say.
Z
The Governments of BC and Canada believe they have the right to torture
and kill innocent citizens. The UDHR says otherwise.
<http://www.geocities.com/universalhumanrightscanada>
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004, DDN wrote:
>
> Harvard Law School
>
> http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/2004/06/16_congressletter.php
> Harvard Law Professors Urge Congress to Review Interrogation Policy and Hold
> Executive Branch Accountable
> Post Date: June 16, 2004
>
> A group of more than 450 professors of law, international relations, and public
> policy--led by Harvard Law School faculty members--today sent a letter calling on
> Congress to hold accountable, through impeachment and removal if appropriate,
> civilian officials from the top of the Executive Branch on down for policies
> developed at high levels that have facilitated the recent abuses at Abu Ghraib. The
> letter also calls on Congress to take primary responsibility for any policy on
> coercive interrogation employed by the United States.
>
> In asking Congress to assess Executive Branch accountability, the letter says: "a
> growing body of evidence indicates that the abuses practiced on detainees under
> American control are the consequence of policies developed at the highest levels in
> the months and years immediately preceding the scandal." It argues that prosecution
> of lower level personnel "while necessary, is clearly insufficient."
>
> In asking Congress to take responsibility for reviewing coercive interrogation
> policies and practices, the letter notes that "official U.S. policy now involves use
> of coercive methods that are morally questionable and that may violate international
> and domestic law." It further states: "....any decision to adopt a coercive
> interrogation policy and the definition of any such policy, if adopted, should be
> made within the strict confines of a democratic process.... [B]asic principles and
> policies regarding human rights must be defined by a representative and accountable
> body acting in transparent and deliberative fashion."
>
> Elizabeth Bartholet, one of the Harvard Law professors organizing the letter effort,
> stated: "The letter arose out of our concern that some of the most fundamental
> issues raised by these abuses were getting lost in the debate. The use of torture
> and related extreme coercive techniques goes to the heart of our understanding of
> our nation, its culture and values. If we take seriously our democratic system, any
> decision to use such techniques must be made by Congress as the representative body,
> rather than by Executive Branch officials working in secrecy."
>
> Christine Desan, another organizer, stated: "As the letter emphasizes, there can be
> no doubt that the acts of abuse in Abu Ghraib prison constitute violations of both
> the domestic and international legal obligations of the U.S. and its agents.
> Executive Branch officials have admitted as much."
>
> Henry Steiner, director of Harvard Law School's Human Rights Program, said: "The
> policies adopted and the abuses to which they led have hurt not only the immediate
> victims in terrible ways but also the credibility and effectiveness of our country's
> efforts in Iraq and elsewhere."
>
> U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy will hold a press conference in Washington, D.C.
> today to demonstrate his support for its demands.
>
> "The soldiers responsible for these atrocities need to be held accountable. But they
> were not responsible for setting the policy," said Kennedy. "We need to know what
> orders and guidelines they were given, and where those policies originated. No one
> should be immune to questions, including the President."
>
> The letter has been signed by 56 law teachers at Harvard Law School, including
> former Dean Robert C. Clark, and Professors Laurence Tribe, Alan Dershowitz, Lani
> Guinier, Detlev Vagts and Frank Michelman. It has also been signed by leading
> experts on international relations, public policy and constitutional law across the
> nation, including Yale University Professor Bruce Ackerman; Professor Philip Alston,
> director of NYU's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice; Jose Alvarez, director
> of the Center on Global Legal Problems at Columbia Law School; Duke Law School
> Professor Paul Carrington; Georgetown Law School Professor David Cole; Princeton
> Professor Richard Falk; Columbia Law School Professor Jack Greenberg; Kennedy School
> of Government Professor Christopher Jencks; UCLA Law School Professor Kenneth Karst;
> Juliette Kayyem of the Kennedy School of Government; University of Texas Law School
> Professor Sanford Levinson; David Scheffer, former U.S. ambassador at large for war
> crimes issues; and Harvard University Professor William Julius Wilson.
>
> The letter has also been signed by members of the Faculty of the Tufts University
> Fletcher School. It has been signed by a total of 481 members of university
> faculties across the nation, from more than 110 schools in 40 different states. It
> has been sent to all members of Congress and of the relevant Congressional
> committees.
>
> The letter and the list of signers as of June 14 is available at www.iraq-letter.com.
>
> For additional information please contact Harvard Law School Professors Christine
> Desan (617-495-4613 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]), Henry Steiner (617-495-3107 or [EMAIL
> PROTECTED]), Martha Minow ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or Elizabeth Bartholet (617-495-3128
> or [EMAIL PROTECTED]). Please note: Professor Bartholet will be unavailable from
> June 15-20.
>
>
> Page last updated: Wed, Jun 16, 2004, 09:36:38 EDT. HLS Contact Information
>
> ==================================================================================
>
>
>
>
>
>
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*** What human rights code should guide homo sapiens off-planet? Will the Universal
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