Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity – UN rights advisor

Published on Tuesday, 05 March 2013 09:39

http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf-liberty/13012-martin-kobler-should-be-charged-with-crimes-against-humanity-un-rights-advisor.html

NCRI - The United Nation's representative in Iraq Martin Kobler should be charged with crimes against humanity over the deadly attack on Camp Liberty, the UN's deputy on its Human Rights Advisory Committee Jean Ziegler has declared.
And Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner - Germany's ambassador in Baghdad - are both guilty of the 'murderous politics of politeness' for their complicity with 'Iranian lackey' Nouri Al-Maliki, he told an international conference in Geneva.
Mr Zeigler also said he was 'sickened' by the 'indifference, indolence, and the hypocrisy' of the UN that has failed to prevent repeated human rights around the world, culminating in the Camp Libery missile attack on February 9 that left seven dead and more than 100 injured.
He told delegates in his speech on February 27: "For nearly 15 years now I have been part of the special procedures of the Council of Human Rights. We lived through the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, 95 the Srebrenica massacre, 2009 massacre of 70,000 people, civilians, men, women and children in Sri Lanka.
"It was under the watch of three different Secretaries Boutros Ghali, Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon. Each of the Secretaries afterwards reported on what happened, and each testified to his shame and apologized.
"In two days on Friday Ban Ki-moon will testify before the board in Geneva. The Board will discuss reports of massacres in Sri Lanka in 2009. And I guarantee you that Mr. Ban Ki-moon will apologize, will be moved, will say 'I did not know, excuse me'.
"The 3100 members of the Iranian resistance residents in Liberty, and Ashraf should not suffer the same fate and be massacred, and a few years later be the subject of international excuses and receive homage from a Secretary General."
He also launched a scathing attack on Mr Kobler and his wife Brita Wagner, adding: "It is obvious that when you are an ambassador in a country, you must have the best possible relations with the local government.
So, of course, Ms Wagner did everything not to anger Maliki, to be most accommodating as possible. And her husband, not to hinder the career of his wife, was complicit in murderous politics of politeness with a Prime Minister who is no other than an outright mullahs lackey of Tehran."
"Talking as a lawyer, it is worth examining if Mr Kobler could be charged for complicity in crimes against humanity."
Mr Zeigler cited Kobler's 'intentional lies' against the President of NCRI in the transfer of residents from Ashraf to Loberty, then refusal of protection in Liberty, blindness to the conditions of life in this prison camp, and finally refused to meet with the survivors of the attack.
He added: "All this can form a heavy case against him. Or facing German courts that have a very strong, criminal court for crimes against humanity, or open a procedure for complicity in genocide against Martin Kobler before an international court at The Hague."
The 3,100 Iranians in Liberty all qualified as refugees under the UN's charters and should by recognised as such, Mr Zeigler said.
He added: "There must be a public statement, clear, indisputable by the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations affirming the principle of protection for the Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil.

The High Commissioner in the United Nations must contact each of the Member States of the Board of Directors of the High Commissioner and confront his responsibility. Because if there's one more death at Camp Liberty or Ashraf, these states will be directly responsible, as well as the High Commissioner."
But by remaining silence on Camp Liberty and Ashraf, by not putting in place the mechanisms of protection for asylum seekers, the UN loses more of their credibility and their honor.
"We are here to prevent another massacre as announced by Maliki. The mullahs have publicly declared, and the documents show that they will start shooting missiles again very soon at the paper thin trailers and they will not stop until everyone is dead. We have to prevent this.
"On a personal note, I want to express my deep gratitude and admiration for the strong Iranian resistance on Iraqi soil. They are the custodians of the dignity of all humanity. They must live for tomorrow and lead the victorious revolution in Iran."