13 Jan 2011

Gimmie shelter, the Hague court of justice

It is widely expected that the tribunal, based at the former headquarters of the Dutch security services in The Hague, will indict several members of the Shia paramilitary group Hizbollah for the assassination in 2005 of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
 It is also widely expected that the Hariri tribunal which does not have its own police force to arrest suspects will create tensions between Shia and Sunni Lebanese citizens. It would suit some Western powers if Hezbollah were to engage in an internal dogfight with other Muslims. However it will also destroy credibility in the Hague (Den Haag) as a force for justice as it might be seen as a political tool for these powers.
 If the Hague wants to become a centre for credible justice is must also be seen to be pursuing all war criminals and not just those declared as enemies of Western interests.