Campaigners are pushing for the General Assembly of the United Nations to hold an international inquiry into the Lockerbie bombing.
Professor Robert Black, one of the original architects of the trial at Camp Zeist, and Hans Koechler, the UN observer at the original trial, are [amongst those] putting together a list of signatories to persuade the General Assembly to establish a commission to investigate.
Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the tragedy, and Father Patrick Keegans, the priest in Lockerbie at the time of the bombing, have already backed the move.
Only one country would be required to endorse such a commission and, unlike in the case of the Security Council, there is no right to veto such a project. The hope is to get an inquiry established once Libya takes over presidency of the General Assembly later next week.
Such a commission could not compel other countries to co- operate but could publicly name and shame them. (...)
Professor Hans Koechler, Professor of the University of Innsbruck, said the General Assembly had set up such a commission in 1968 to look at Gaza.
He said: “As the General Assembly is a deliberative body it has only moral authority and no coercive powers. It could however raise international awareness of the different issues involved and name and shame certain countries enough to ensure they do something about it. It could pressure Britain into holding an inquiry.”
While Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary who made the decision to free Megrahi last month, has said he would support a UK inquiry into the Lockerbie bombing, Westminster has consistently refused.
The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee is investigating the circumstances surrounding the decision to free Megrahi but many of the relatives and those involved strongly believe the whole case – from beginning to end – needs to be scrutinised.
Dr Swire, said: “We are preparing something to send to the UN General Assembly and looking to get people to sign up to it.”
A petition is also being prepared to persuade the Prime Minister to back an inquiry in Westminster.
Other relatives of the victims have suggested there could also potentially be an application to, and another reference from, the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) to refer the case back for a third appeal.
Professor Black, who is supporting the application to the UN, said: “Theoretically, there could also be another application to the SCCRC – particularly as the commission has already said this may have been a miscarriage of justice on six separate grounds.”
[Libya] takes over the rotating presidency of the UN General Assembly later this month.
[The above are excerpts from an article by Lucy Adams in today's edition of The Herald.
This story has now been picked up by many other news outlets. The BBC News report can be read here.]
MISSION LOCKERBIE:
ReplyDeleteCongratulation to Professor Robert Black, Professor, Dr. Hans Koechler and Dr. Jim Swire for your activities.
SECRET LOCKERBIE PAPERS COULD SOON BE RELEASED
Kenny MacAskill said a Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission report could be made public if those who gave evidence granted their permission.
The independent commission concluded Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi may have been the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
MEBO and its owner Edwin Bollier, approved that the Secretary of
justice, Mr. MacAskill, can publish all exoneration of proofs
delivered from MEBO to the SCCRC
more news incl. evidences, on: www.lockerbie.ch
by Edwin and Mahnaz Bollier, MEBO Ltd., Switzerland
On 10 September 2009, I submitted the following petition to Prime Minister, Gordon Brown:
ReplyDelete"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to endorse calls for a United Nations Inquiry into the murder of UN Commissioner for Namibia, Bernt Carlsson, in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
"Sweden's UN Commissioner for Namibia, Bernt Carlsson, was the most prominent of the 270 Lockerbie bombing victims murdered on 21 December 1988.
"In investigating Carlsson's murder, Scottish police detective John Crawford stated in his book (The Lockerbie Incident: A Detective's Tale): 'We even went as far as consulting a very helpful lady librarian in Newcastle who contacted us with information she had on Bernt Carlsson. She provided much of the background on the political moves made by Carlsson on behalf of the United Nations. He had survived a previous attack on an aircraft he had been travelling on in Africa. It is unlikely that he was a target as the political scene in Southern Africa was moving inexorably towards its present state....I discounted the theory as being almost totally beyond the realms of feasibility.'
"A United Nations Inquiry can be expected to find a different - and much better - explanation for Bernt Carlsson's murder."
The petition is awaiting approval by Number 10. Once approved, British citizens can sign the petition at this URL: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BerntCarlsson/. The closing date for signature is 10 January 2010.
Patrick,
ReplyDeleteI have signed your petition. Thanks for signing mine. I've decided, after not hearing back from Dr. Swire, to pursue writing letters to the (current and former) broadsheets (as well as Private Eye) encouraging people to sign my petition. If anyone would like to be involved within that process, please contact me via michaelglendinning@googlemail.com.
Thanks,
Michael Glendinning.
Dear Michael,
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to click on the link at Number 10's email for your signature to appear on the petition http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BerntCarlsson/!
Regards,
Patrick H.