Sir, May I briefly clarify those points of my letter of June 1 which were commented upon by Dr. Michael Barr (NW, June 15). 1. Australian and international law invariably reflect the accepted morality of the times. While the word has clear definitions in dictionaries, individual morality varies. Ultimately, morality is best served by strict…
The official transfer of power from United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, to Jose “Xanana” Gusmao, the new President of an independent East Timor (Timor Leste), took place in a lavish ceremony outside Dili at midnight on May 20. After 450 years of Portuguese rule, followed by 24 years of Indonesian occupation and 30 months of UN Administration, East Timor begins life as a free nation with great optimism, fuelled by the people’s enormous courage. Significantly, the independence celebrations commenced with an open-air Mass, attended by perhaps 100,000 people. This fact, hardly mentioned in Western media reports of the event,…
The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties’ Report on the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been tabled in Federal Parliament. The Report, while fairly noting objections to the ICC, is dismissive of these objections. It prefers the view advanced by the Attorney General, Daryl Williams; the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer; their respective Departments…
Sir, We are told in the media about some of the attacks on white farmers in Zimbabwe and the murders that have occurred. What we are not told is that the situation in South Africa is, if anything, worse. Since the end of apartheid, there have been at least 1,320 people – mainly whites –…
Abortion services and comprehensive non-judgmental sex education for children dominated discussions at this month’s United Nations Special Session on Children. Rita Joseph reports that the international community was deeply divided on whether provision of either would improve children’s well-being. At the May 8-10 UN Special Session on Children, more than 60 world leaders and 6,000…
The unexpectedly quick collapse of the Taliban tended to silence critics worried about the way the United States might pursue its global war against terrorism. Then suddenly the situation changed. Recent developments in Afghanistan and in the Middle East resurrected those early forebodings even more strongly. Many started to worry again over the Bush administration’s…