INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER
Bay Area: 2489 Mission St., Rm. 28, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 821-6545 m Fax: (415) 821-5782
National: 39 W. 14th St., Ste. 206, New York, N.Y. 10011
(212) 633-6646 m Fax: (212) 633-2889
Web page: www.iacenter.org m Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ramsey Clark, Chairperson
June 28, 2001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
International Action Center Condemns "Illegal, U.S.-Forced
Deportation of ex- Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic
to NATO-Sponsored Court"
"An Enormous Tragedy for Yugoslavia and the Rule of Law,"
says former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark
The International Action Center (IAC), a nationwide anti-war
organization, denounced today's deportation of ex-Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic to the "International Criminal Court for the
Former Yugoslavia" in The Hague, Netherlands.
"It is an enormous tragedy for Yugoslavia, the Serbian people and the
rule of law," said IAC Chaiperson and former U.S. Attorney General
Ramsey Clark. "Serbian Prime Minister Djindjic and other officials
should be investigated for high crimes against the people, and if
found guilty should be sentenced in accordance with the law."
"Demands should be made to the ICCFY," Mr. Clark continued, "which is
itself illegal, to immediately return Mr. Milosevic. The United
Nations must not encourage the illegal seizure of persons, such as
took place in this case.
"The people of Yugoslavia should unite in response to this illegal
seizure and demand the return of Mr. Milosevic, as should people from
all over the world."
"Today's U.S.-engineered deportation of former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic is a gross violation of both legality and
Yugoslavia's national sovereignty," said IAC West Coast Coordinator
Richard Becker. "The ICCFY in The Hague is nothing more than
a 'kangaroo court,' set up by the U.S.-dominated UN Security Council,
and run by the NATO powers.
"The ICCFY's role as an instrument of the United States and other
NATO powers was made apparent during the 1999 NATO war against
Yugoslavia. Despite the fact that the massive bombing of Yugoslavia
constituted grave violations of international law -- including crimes
against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity -- the ICCFY
refused to even consider indicting the NATO powers," Becker
continued. Instead, the ICCFY indicted five Yugoslav leaders, among
them then-President Milosevic. NATO spokesperson Jamie Shea stated in
May 1999, "Of course NATO supports the ICCFY -- NATO created it."
Sara Flounders, National Co-Director of the IAC, pointed out the fact
that "Milosevic's deportation violated Yugoslavia's constitution, and
decisions of its federal president, parliament and Consititutional
Court. The extradition of Milosevic was carried out today under the
orders of the #1 U.S. lapdog politician in Yugoslavia, Zoran
Djindjic, prime minister of Serbia. In the recent election, Djindjic
and his party were the main conduits for U.S. funds. The U.S.
government openly boasts of having spent more than $100 million
fixing the election in Yugoslavia, a country of 10 million people.
The equivalent would be a foreign government spending $2.8 billion to
influence a national election in the U.S.
"Today, Djindjic overrode the federal courts, parliament and
president of Yugoslavia in order to deliver Milosevic to the
imperialist's court one day before the Yugoslavia "donors conference"
(really the creditors conference) opens," Flounders
continued. "Milosevic was sold to the U.S. by their man in Belgrade.
Imagine a governor of state in the U.S. overriding the federal
government and constitution to surrender a U.S. citizen to another
country."
"The objective of this step is not just, or even primarily, Milosevic
himself, said Becker. "The deportation of Milosevic is another
element aimed at terminating Yugoslavia's sovereignty once and for
all. For more than a decade the U.S. and NATO have used war,
blockades, sanctions and other means to re-balkanize the Balkans.
Today, as a result, U.S. military bases dominate the region -- in
Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Hungary, Macedonia, Kosovo (Serbia) --
where there were none 10 years ago. Yugoslavia's real crime was that
it resisted this re-colonization process."
"The IAC stands with those in Yugoslavia today who are resisting the
U.S./NATO takeover of their country," said Flounders, noting that an
IAC delegation is presently en route to Yugoslavia.
For more information, or to interview a spokesperson, call 212 -633-
6646, or 415-821-6545
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