新浪首页 > 新浪教育 > Chalabi works on Saddam tribunal

Chalabi works on Saddam tribunal
http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/06/09 15:14  Shanghai Daily

  Fearing for his life, an American-educated Iraqi assigned to set up the court to try Saddam Hussein works from a secret office and rarely sleeps in the same bed twice.

  Salem chalabi's daily routine illustrates the atmosphere of fear and intimidation that shadows the 6-month-old Iraqi Special Tribunal as it struggles to its feet.

  War crimes experts say that as long as violence prevails in Iraq, the trial of Saddam and at least 100 of his cohorts suspected of committing atrocities against the Iraqi people will have to wait - unless a foreign venue can be found.

  "It's a monumental task, especially in light of the security situation," said Chalabi, 41, a nephew of former Iraqi Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi, who recently had a falling out with Washington.

  Judges are refusing to work for the tribunal after five potential candidates were killed since Saddam was toppled from power last year. At least half of the court's first budget - tens of millions of dollars - will go to security alone, Chalabi said in an interview.

  "Due to the poor security situation, the assassinations and assaults - judges mostly have fears about that - they are refusing to be members of the court," said Dara Nor al-Din, a Kurdish judge and former member of Iraq's Governing Council.

  Richard goldstone, the first prosecutor at the UN tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, said it will take one year to 18 months to set up a new tribunal, at best.

  The yugoslav tribunal was established in the Netherlands in 1993 while the Balkan wars were still going on. In Iraq, fighting between insurgents and the occupying coalition troops claims lives each day, making it virtually impossible to send investigators into the field.

  Although iraq insists on trying Saddam itself, Goldstone recommended a court with international judges and prosecutors working alongside Iraqis, a formula used successfully by the UN tribunal for Sierra Leone. He suggested an alternate location in the Arab world, such as the United Arab Emirates.

  "After 38 years under Saddam Hussein it is unlikely there is really a system of prosecutors and judges that could run it alone," Goldstone said.

  But chalabi, who has visited The Hague to see other tribunals operate, is convinced that Iraqi judges and prosecutors can be trained for the task - which could include the death penalty.

  The baghdad-born Chalabi studied at Yale, Columbia and Northwestern University in the United States and holds degrees in law and international affairs. He said the court doesn't expect to hold trials anytime soon.

  The former Iraq dictator has been held in an undisclosed location since he was seized last December.

  (The Associated Press)




   更多精彩内容尽在:新浪网英语频道

   在线英语交流:[ E文杂谈 ] [ 午夜英文剧场 ] [ 翻译热线 ]



英语学习论坛】【评论】【 】【打印】【关闭
Annotation


新闻查询帮助

热 点 专 题
北京传递雅典奥运火炬
伊问题新决议获通过
美国前总统里根逝世
八国首脑会议8日召开
纪念诺曼底登陆60周年
中国残疾人艺术团赴美
2004北京国际车展
《后天》 孙燕姿巡演
2004欧锦赛 NBA总决赛



教育频道意见反馈留言板 电话:010-62630930-5178 欢迎批评指正

新浪简介 | About Sina | 广告服务 | 联系我们 | 招聘信息 | 网站律师 | SINA English | 会员注册 | 产品答疑

Copyright © 1996 - 2004 SINA Inc. All Rights Reserved

版权所有 新浪网
北京市通信公司提供网络带宽