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July 2, 2001
Canadian Communist Leader
Denounces Illegal Extradition of Milosevic
Press Release
Communist Party of Canada
Miguel Figueroa, leader of the Communist Party of
Canada, has strongly condemned the unlawful extradition of former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic to face “war crime” charges before the
International Tribunal at The Hague.
The
illegal abduction of Milosevic violated not only the Constitution of the
Federal Republic, the decisions of its Parliament, and the ruling of its
Constitutional Court; it has also been condemned by the current Yugoslav
President Kostunica himself," Mr. Figueroa said.
This act, taken under immense and unprecedented economic and
political pressure from the U.S. government, constitutes a shameful denial
of elementary democratic rights and due process. It also reveals the true
character of the International War Crimes Tribunal as an instrument of
political vengeance and the imposition of a winners’ ‘justice,” the
Communist leader added.
The trial of
Milosevic will be nothing more than a ‘show trial’ to further demonize and
punish all Yugoslavs who resisted NATO aggression, and who continue to
oppose the trampling of their sovereignty and the imposition of a ‘New
World Order’ as dictated from Washington.”
Why is it that this nominally U.N. ‘court’ continues to target
those who resist U.S. imperialism and aggression, while real war criminals
like Arial Sharon -- who was directly responsible for 1982 massacre of
thousands of Palestinian refugees in Sabra and Chatilla camps -- and Henry
Kissinger -- who as National Security Adviser to the U.S. government
oversaw the slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians in Vietnam,
Cambodia, East Timor and Chile -- have never been brought to account for
their ‘crimes against humanity’?”
It is
certain that President Milosevic will never receive a fair trial at The
Hague tribunal, which is under the financial and political control of the
NATO countries and private corporations. The pending ‘trial’ of Milosevic,
by all counts illegal and illegitimate, can only worsen the situation in
Yugoslavia and dangerously destabilize the Balkan region as a
whole.”
Mr. Figueroa demanded that the
Hague Tribunal immediately release President Milosevic, and that no other
Yugoslav nationals be sent to The Hague. Instead, he called for the
establishment of a truly impartial committee of investigation into all
allegations of murder and genocide in the Balkans.
The CPC leader also called on the Yugoslav and Serbian
authorities to end the arbitrary kidnapping, arrest, harassment and
persecution of former Yugoslav leaders, soldiers, and working people and
for the immediate release of the 250 members of the Socialist Party of
Serbia and United Left who have been arrested on trumped up political
charges.
Instead of applauding this
vengeful and illegal abduction, Canada should demand that all war
criminals responsible for the Balkan calamity be brought to justice,
including the NATO leaders themselves who launched a flagrant and
murderous aggression against the people of Yugoslavia, and who continue
those crimes today in Macedonia, using Albanian mercenaries and other
proxy forces.
Communist Party of Canada
290A Danforth Ave.,
Toronto,
Ont. M4K 1N6
416-469-2446 (voice)
416-469-4063 (fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
© 2001 Communist Party of
Canada
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