And the Wind Cries Jeffrey: Biohacking Humans with DNA, Nanotechnology, IoT and 5G

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And the Wind Cries Jeffrey: Biohacking Humans with DNA, Nanotechnology, IoT and 5G

In the picture Domagoj Nikolic, courtesy RIT Cro.

By Domagoj Nikolić

Could it be that the “vaccines” they want to push on us, using the corona pandemic as a pretext, are connected to some kind of a deranged transhumanistic scenario? Apparently, Jeffrey Epstein had a maniacal goal to seed the entire human race with his DNA. If I read between the lines correctly, the fulfilment of this “deed” would take injecting his genetic code into the DNA of every human. 

However, spreading his genetic footprint on the whole of humanity by impregnating a bunch of rape victims or prostitutes, as was indicated by his loose talk, did not seem realistic.

It is well known that he used to hang out with prominent scientists from Harvard, MIT, etc. So, why did he so lavishly fund synthetic biology and genetic engineering?

Jeffrey Epstein and biotech research 

Epstein not only donated his own funds, but also served as “an intermediary (with) other wealthy donors, soliciting millions of dollars in donations from individuals and organizations, including the technologist and philanthropist Bill Gates and the investor Leon Black.” By and large, the beneficiaries of his largesse had a deeper fund-raising relationshipwith him than they were willing to admit, and did their best to conceal the extents of their contacts.

Numerous Harvard geneticists, including George Church, have accepted Epstein donations. He has since then, like many others, issued an apology. However, knowing what we know today, we should not take either their judgement or motives as valid. We should also make note of the fact that the same George Church appeared as a member of the anti-corona genetics team. 

In another example, a Harvard scientist named Charles Lieber took “generous” donations from Epstein. The same Charles Lieber was arrested for the undisclosed Wuhan – Harvard connection, i.e. for setting up a secret biotech lab in China, allegedly to bypass the US regulations on biowarfare research. 

His funding included more than $15M from donors such as DoD and National Institutes of Health (NIH). He “specialized in the area of nanoscience” and “became a ‘Strategic Scientist’ at Wuhan University of Technology (WUT)” that “awarded him more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at WUT”.

An interesting article elaborating those connections was published on Joseph P. Farrell’s website, which reaffirmed that Lieber’s specialized research was nanotechnology aimed “to detect small viral particles in humans”. 

What if Epstein’s reason for taking an interest in genetic science was precisely the plan to seed his genes throughout humanity through worldwide inoculation? A worldwide mandatory vaccination would certainly require a global pandemic as a pretext. That plan, although a gargantuan undertaking, would be certainly more feasible than seeding his DNA by impregnating a few dozens or hundreds of rape victims. And what if the plan included biohacking humans worldwide with nanotechnology devices? 

In other words, what if the endgame is not just creating an Epsteinian chimera out of every human being, but also controlling the genetically modified humans with injected nanoparticles networked by the AI and IoT, just like it is already done on GMO animals? Is this the reason why we “need” the superfast and efficient 5G network? We know that major IT corporations, such as IBM and Microsoft, developed systems for biotechnology analytics, and with 5G they will finally have the technical infrastructure to connect practically an infinite number of nanodevices super-efficiently and control them in real time. For this reason we must always keep an eye on Epstein’s fellow “philanthropist” Bill Gates who was (is) a long time Jeffrey’s chum and made donations to MIT through Epstein and is now at the forefront of the global vaccination agenda.

There were numerous other top scientists involved in this network of global pedophile and underage sex organizations, human trafficking enterprises, biotech and bioweapons industry, AI revolution and vaccination depopulation cartel, one of them being another frequent flyer on Epstein airlines, also accused of sexual abuse which went hand in hand with scientific events at the Epstein’s private island. His name is Marvin Minsky, the renowned Harvard-educated AI pioneer, inventor of modern VR and augmented reality systems, founder of MIT’s Artificial Intelligence Lab, and a friend of the geneticist George Church. 

Interstate biotech network, creepy organizations and their opposition 

In 2017, Bill Gates co-founded the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with the governments of Norway, India, Japan, and Germany along with the Wellcome Trust UK. The goal of the organization is to “accelerate the development of vaccines we’ll need to contain outbreaks” of future epidemics by, in Gate’s words, “using advances in genomics to map the DNA and RNA of pathogens and make vaccines.” Now the CEPI are scrambling to develop the corona vaccine.

Bill Gates in also one of the larger donors of Lucis Trust, a super-creepy “philanthropic” organization founded by esotericists Alice and Foster Bailey in the beginning of 1920s who at that time owned “Lucifer Publishing Company”. The name Lucis, according to the organization’s official website, is an esoteric version of the name Lucifer in whose “honor”, following the footsteps of theosophist Helena Blavatska who “sought to elicit a deeper understanding of the sacrifice made by Lucifer”, it was named. The goal of the Lucis Trust is “to implement the Plan”. Although the contents of the Plan have not been disclosed, we can further read that we are dealing with “Men of goodwill who co-operate (to) form part of the New Group of World Servers which is working to implement the Plan”. These people are “attempting to salvage the world, to bring order out of chaos and to defend the right as they see it”, and we can further learn that “the New Group of World Servers (…) are the people who are building the new world order”.

Another great donor of the Lucis Trust was George Soros who also invested around USD 3.86M to become a shareholder of  the Wu Xi AppTec Group, a Chinese-American joint venture biotech holding company from Shanghai, allegedly connected with the corona virus leak and now scrambling to develop the antibodies and vaccines through one of its subsidiaries, and which recently inked a USD 3B deal for vaccines manufacturing. Although the official Facebook censors, Orwellian “fact-checking” services (in reality propaganda pushers and spinners) would like us to believe that the Wuhan labs had nothing to do with the invention of the covid virus, that Wu Xi AppTec Group does not have those capacities, and that Soros was not involved with those labs, just reading critically their texts shows evidence to the contrary. President Trump has repeatedly stated his belief that we are dealing with a manufactured virus originating from a Chinese lab, although his military and civilian intelligence services apparently disagree along with numerous others heads of states. However, according to the semi-official expose of the GRU – Russian military intelligence, they do agree with President Trump and Mike Pompeo. This kind of dissonance in the US state apparatus should not be surprising, if we recall that one of the main donors of the US-China biowarfare connection was the DoD and other similar linkages.  

Hackable nanoparticles in digital software-like mRNA vaccines

George Soros is a major agenda contributor for the World Economic Forum, which launched CEPI at their annual meeting in Davos in 2017. Gates foundation and CEPI are both donors of a biotech company based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts called Moderna Inc., which is part of the MIT Biotechnology Group, affiliated also to Harvard and is “now racing to coronavirus vaccine” by pioneering a new type of gene-based vaccine. 

Moderna makes “mRNA vaccines” by embedding the genetic instructions for a component of a virus into a nanoparticle, which can then be injected into a person. The company adds the genetic codes for the membrane protein the virus uses to invade human cells. If injected into a person, such nanoparticles could cause the body to immunize itself against the real contagion by disallowing the corona virus to fuse its receptors with membrane proteins. The volunteers in this genetic vaccine trial were asked to use birth control allegedly because the DNA could end up in the germline, in other words, in human reproductive cells, i.e. sperm and egg cells. It seems that someone wanted to guard against the possibility of mRNA-vaccine children being born. Could they have become the new Epsteins?

Since mRNA technology has a software, digital-like nature that functions very much like an operating system on a computer, a weblog entry of a military industrial complex contracting firm called Alpine Security deserves a very, very careful analysis.

A few important highlights:

“(…) Some nanotechnology ideas include a tiny device that gets injected into the body as a sensor or medical delivery device. (…)

(…) Some digital security experts posit that a single nanoparticle in the body with its own processor could be hacked, but they also say that if someone had more than one particle in the body, which many treatments would require, a hacker could theoretically turn them into a network in the body, using the body’s own systems to communicate and do their bidding. (…)

(…) If a hacker took over your inner nanotechnology devices, they could demand a ransom with fatal consequences. If you’re unable or unwilling to pay, they could easily turn your body against you and at the very least make you suffer or get sick, if not kill you. (…)

(…) One of the most exciting applications of nanotechnology is inhalable particulate powders developed to directly treat the lungs. These particles can work together to form an artificial cell to do a certain job. Some worry this tech could be an easily weaponized delivery method for bioter-rorism efforts, beyond the hacking dangers. Getting infected with something could be as simple as breathing the air, taking a shower or getting a regular vaccination from your doctor. (…)”

The possibility that someone could literally manage our bodies through the IoT network of nanoparticles controllable by the AI operated through a 5G system is, to put it mildly, shockingly disturbing. The potential consequences of misusing this technology are horrendous. Apart from the potential (and likely dubious) benefits, there are also risks associated with the unknown long-term consequences of manipulating human DNA. I also advise everyone to read the whole entry, because it does read like a transhumanist manifesto.

Are these people evil?

To sum it all up, there is a serious possibility that we may be dealing with a ramified network of business opportunists, tunnel-vision scientists, IT nerds, Beltway bandits, greedy financiers, corporate drones, media yes men, debauched sexual predators, human traffickers, ransomists, hijackers and a wide range of ordinary people or useful idiots, all puppeteered by a hidden transhumanist cabal who know very well what the end game is. This could indeed be a private network hacking nation states and, more importantly, biohacking humanity’s genetic code and maybe, just maybe, they use not only nanotechnology, but also Jeffrey’s (and God knows who else’s) DNA. I think that to dismiss this hypothesis flat out could be very, VERY naive.

Do I think that these people are all conspiring to depopulate the world sitting in darkened rooms around walnut tables? As Dean W. Arnold wrote here:

“I doubt it. (Well, Bill maybe.) Somebody is probably doing that, but my guess is that Bill and Melinda are admirable proponents of an ideology that believes they are helping the world. And when they run into facts that challenge their ideology, they do what many of us do at times. They block it out.

But somebody out there is cooking up evil.”

Epstein’s compartmentalized underground

Let us explore additional connections of this network with Epstein, which actually make our hypothesis of biohacking humanity quite credible. It is important to keep in mind that the modus operandi of this giant complex is compartmentalization. The network operates on a need to know basis and, in most cases, operatives do not see the whole picture but are guided by their simple goals.

Epstein had an executive assistant named Cimberly Espinosa with whom the Alpine Security founder (the nanotech – IoT – 5G blogger from above) shares the same last name. It could be just a coincidence, since that last name is quite common in the USA, but maybe there are connections. 

Alpine Security is focused on ransomware and health care security, namely “protecting medical devices from profit, terror assassination and enemy advancement”. 

The founder of the company originates, without a shadow of a doubt, from the military industrial complex. Before starting his own company, he worked as a senior consultant for a cyber technology firm called TechGuard specializing, again, in anti-ransom technology. Their government clients include DHS, DoD, DOL, DISA, MARFORCYBER, USCYBERCOM, FLYCYBERCOM, etc., etc.

Whitney Webb wrote of Epstein’s connections with CyberReason, another shadowy tech firm, deeply connected to the obscure Unit 8200 of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). CyberReason was founded by an extremely suspicious person named Lior Div, a former Israeli military hacker who regards his company as “the continuation of the six years of training and service he spent working with the Israeli army’s 8200 Unit.” After he left the IDF, he “worked for the Israeli government as a private contractor reverse-engineering hacking operations”.

Their portfolio includes, similarly, anti-ransom and health care. Such products can obviously be easily weaponized and, once developed, whoever has such capabilities is only a step away (with a simple reversal) from being in the position to blackmail just about anyone on the planet. CyberReason’s management roster reads like a who-is-who of an Israeli techspook yearbook including a lady who “commanded 24/7 operational team of 20 Intelligence specialists on mission‐critical sensitive tasks” in IDF. I am reluctant to imagine what those “mission-critical sensitive tasks” could have been.

It is also interesting that Cimberly Espinosa was formerly part of a tech firm called M86 Security a military contractor provably connected to Microsoft and Israel through connections with another tech firm called Finjan and Trustwave Holdings, another military contractor, inter alia. The Trustwave website indicates intelligence agencies and the military as their clients, but the list remains undisclosed, as is the norm in the military contracting underworld. Trustwave has been very closely affiliated with, not surprisingly, Microsoft for over a decade. And, also not surprisingly, to Israel.

Cimberly Espinosa is now part of Thales Avionics focusing on avionic cyber security which, curiously, is also in the focus of Alpine Security founder. If we take a look at his personal presentation page on Maryville University’s website where he used to teach, we will find interesting passages, such as this one “some of the notable projects I’ve worked on have included  penetration testing for commercial aircraft – to help make aircraft “hackproof” while in flight and on ground”. Similar technologies could have been misused in hijacking of the planes during any dubious disaster, such as 9-11 or the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.

Again, so typical of the military industrial complex, the portfolio of clients is not available on his company website, but we can guess that Thales Avionics is part of the network, since it would appear that they often rub elbows on industry fairs.

The same Cimberly Espinosa also appears on the web as a Californian realtor, which is most probably a red herring put out there to give a regular civil identity to an important operator. 

And here we come close to almost closing the circle. Who is Trustwave closely affiliated to? (Drumroll…)  CyberReason, of course! It’s a small world, indeed.

The following passages also require a close examination: 

“Cybereason’s proprietary AI-powered data analytics engine and built-in forensic capabilities to correlate data attributes and behavior with potential threats. The heightened correlation will assist in rapidly pinpointing suspicious activities that may require further investigation or annihilation of attacks already in progress.”

“…deeper analysis of dubious events can be initiated and cross referenced using up-to-the-second threat intelligence obtained from the Trustwave global network of Advanced Security Operation Centers (ASOCs) and the Trustwave SpiderLabs Fusion Center, a state-of-the-art cyber-command center, to help ensure effective measures against threats are immediately taken.”

“…threat hunters and digital forensic teams will add to their arsenal a new level of behavioral analytics to extend and magnify their abilities for quickly finding those proverbial needles in the haystack.”

Biohacking humanity is a real possibility

With only a little bit of educated imagination, this cyber technology, if/when combined with biotechnology, could lead to a total military-style takeover of humanity. It seems that we are only a step away from developing search-and-destroy capabilities powered by AI, 5G, “state-of-the-art cyber-command centers” and “vaccine” – injected hackable nanotechnology devices, weaponized as a form of bioterrorism, and one step removed from whom? From the famous “philanthropist” Jeffrey Epstein through his own connections with CyberReason and many of the mentioned research organizations and technologies providers.

Also initiatives such as digital ID implants combined with vaccines pushed by Bill Gates and the Rockefeller Foundationcould only make the process of search and destroy (and, on the flip side, search and rescue) faster and easier to manage. We should add that the Gates Foundation funded an MIT and Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing study of a tattoo-like vaccine combining nanoparticles or “near-infrared quantum dots” encoding information for “decentralized data storage and bio-sensing” combining in vivo smartphone imaging and machine learning algorithms. If we combine that technology with implants wirelessly tracking and transmitting real-time data from nerves, organs and muscles, the bio-hybrid DNA creepy crawlers-nanobots, 5G and “state-of-the-art cyber-command centers”,the hackable network for remote controlling humanity is all in place.

The brief research only scratches the surface of the transhumanistic-underground-network hacking governments and there are many leads to be investigated in this massively ramified secret tech-cult. Again, this is not to say that every agent in the network knows the endgame. On the contrary, the success of such operations hinges on compartmentalization and secrecy.  However, it is quite apparent that those in command are hellbent on biohacking humanity in order to establish a transhumanist tyranny and who knows what else (chimerical experiments, anyone?), probably a fully-fledged GMO Orwellian Animal Farm, and much, much unimaginable more.

Another spider in the world-wide web

For further research, another spider in the web to be investigated is Boris Nikolic, “an immunologist and biotech entrepreneur who formerly served as Gates’ chief scientific adviser until 2014” who “served as an intermediary between Epstein and Gates” but now “deeply regret(s) ever meeting Mr. Epstein” and  “was ‘shocked’ to see he was named alternate (will) executor by Epstein.”  

Nikolic should owe a lot to Epstein and I don’t think regrets the event in which he “was excited about advice Epstein — who was fascinated with genetic research — had given to bankers about the public offering of a gene company that Nikolic had a $42 million stake in, Bloomberg reported at the time.”

Call me again whatever, but I don’t think Jeffrey Epstein is dead. It just does not add up. The possibility that he was replaced with a double and extracted sounds more plausible than ever. And it could be that the corona mess in New York is somehow connected with his “demise”. 

Maybe he will reemerge from the realm of shadows in some sort of a sick triumphal “reincarnation”? In any case, even if he is dead, his spirit is not and his DNA certainly isn’t.

And the wind cries Jeffrey…

About Author:

Domagoj Nikolić is a Croatia-based thinker researcher and book author. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author; they do not reflect the author’s employer or any entity whatsoever with which he has been, is now, or will be affiliated.

Policy beyond Politics

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Policy beyond Politics

The UN Security Council should urgently address Covid-19 – addendum

In the picture Mr. Tan Sri Hasmy Agam.

By Tan Sri Hasmy Agam and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic.

Further to the points of view undersigned authors expressed nearly two months ago (see: https://www.neweurope.eu/article/the-un-security-council-should-urgently-address-covid-19/), it is to a deep regret that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) still misses to adopt the much-needed Council Resolution to address the COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic event. This paralysis is largely due to the tensions between two of its five permanent members (P5) — the US and China, with Washington wanting to apportion blame or responsibility to China relating to the pandemic, and Beijing rejecting any discussion or reference to it. Additionally, the two keep opposite views on the role and conduct of the UN Specialised Agency for health matters, Geneva-based World Health organisation (WHO).   

This kind of approach is totally misplaced, short-sighted, and uncalled for. It clearly lacks the maturity and wisdom that the international community expects from the principal or Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. Tellingly, petty bilateral differences (and silence of other members) had created an unnecessary wedge between the parties, instead of subduing their differences in the larger scope and broader interests of the international community in the wake of the devastating global event.

Ought to (no-)vote 

Interestingly, the very history of voting in the SC indicates that the ratio between adopted and vetoed resolutions is roughly 10 to 1 (2518 adopted SC resolutions, since 1945 until April 2020 vs. 293 vetoed ones for the same period). This shows that other parties, notably the non-permanent members of the UNSC, have usually played a vigilant, persistent, even pivotal role, in ensuring that the Council acts responsibly and timely on matters flagrant to the Charter and of concern to the international community at large. 

Arguably, the P-5 states – along with their Big Power concerns, and their frequent mutual deterrence – have often been self-entrenching instead of reaching a consensus in the Council. Conversely, the non-permanent members, with their consensus-building approach, have generally been in a better position to contribute towards ensuring the much-desired and all-embracing stewardship of the Council. This has been the traditional role of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for decades – ever since Bandung of 1955 and Belgrade of 1961 – with laudable support of neutral countries of the North (so-called N+N group). 

Attempts by the Group of 20 (G-20) and the European Union (EU) to bridge the gaps on the C-19 issue have failed to bring the desired result thus far. Given this impasse, it seems better and more efficacious for the NAM/G-77, along with other key regional groupings of huge membership and wide outreach, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the African Union (AU) – to add to the EU, G-20 and others – by taking a more prominent role in forging the much-needed consensus at the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies – directly or via the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

It is amply clear from the C-19 event that the right to health is an issue for all. The search for a reliable cure for pandemics control is not a matter of private business, but of fundamental individual rights situated on high levels of sociableness, as embedded in the UN Charter, and being obligatory for each of the UN Specialized Agencies to comply with. Binarization of debate onto a pro-and-con vaccine is also a dangerous reductionism and waste of planetary energy critically needed for a holistic and novel approach. There is no silver bullet for the planetary problems. Consequently, there is no one-directional medical research in response to any pandemic, and no single-blended (or centrally manufactured) and mandated medication for all. (Dogma is based on a blind belief; science necessitates constant multidimensional exploration. Science, especially a medical one, holds no single or absolute truth: The closest it can get is the least wrong answer – which must be contested constantly, literally every day.) 

Proportionality of our (current and future) responses is another key issue. Hence, what presents itself as an imperative is universal participation through intergovernmental mechanisms. That very approach has been clearly demonstrated by UN member states, as shown by the active roles played by Indonesia (in the SC, along with another ASEAN and NAM member, VietNam; and on behalf of the general membership of the UN General Assembly), Azerbaijan (on behalf of NAM) and France (on behalf of the P5 and the EU) reaching out to Tunisia – a member of the Arab League (LAS), AU, OIC and NAM. Same line has been also endorsed by the UN Members States on 18 May 2020 in relation to the independent inquiry request over the WHO conduct.  

After all, this is well recognised by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres himself, who recently stated that “With two thirds of UN Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement has a critical role to play in forging global solidarity”.

Storm, yet no Reform

It is rather disappointing that despite widely held expectations, the (French-Tunisian sponsored) draft SC Resolution did not address the C-19 issue per se and on ways of tackling its rapid spread. Instead, it focused on the need to effect a global ceasefire in existing conflicts in specific member states, as called for by SecGen Guterres, much to his credit, so as to facilitate distribution of much-needed food and medicines to the people in these conflict-torn countries. 

This inaction by the UNSC contrasts sharply with what this leading world body did in 1984, when it addressed the EBOLA pandemic in Africa and unanimously adopted a far-reaching Security Council Resolution (UNSC 2439 (2018) — containing 18 preambular paragraphs and 17 operative ones, on specific instructions to, or demands, on a number of African states in conflict, to take effective steps to control or impede the spread of the EBOLA virus.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic

Nevertheless, even with the limitations of the latest French-Tunisian draft Resolution, it would have resulted, if adopted, in a humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days crucial for the delivery of aid to the hardest-hit communities, and giving time to the international community to focus on combatting the C-19. But this was not to be, due to the bad dynamics in the UNSC, and the consequent results will be continued conflicts and unimpeded spread of the secondary effects of C-19 event in those countries in conflict, much to the disappointment and chagrin of the international community.

To an extent, the problem lies in the unwillingness of the international community to do the needful to stop, mitigate, shorten, localise or avoid, the spread of the pandemic and its grave lasting, and expectedly asymmetric, secondary effects. However, it is far more the failure of the UNSC – the most influential and authoritative organ of the world body – to live up to international expectations and to deal decisively with this global calamity that has repercussions to international peace and security, as it did during the EBOLA pandemic.

The lack of unity within the UNSC in addressing the current challenge raises that never-ending question of the urgent reform of the Council with its inherently undemocratic decision-making process. It is largely due to the outdated power of the Veto that stultifies and blocks architecture of consensus, vital to the UN as it grapples with the many grave problems confronting the increasingly globalised and inter-connected international community.

The failure of the UNSC to reach a consensus is due to the inherent weakness of its decision-making mechanism, as well as paucity of unity among its non-permanent members. It is also to the lack of stronger involvement – on the very work of the UNSC – by the larger UN membership, as represented by the NAM/G-77, but also at other principal organs of the OUN– primarily in the UN General Assembly (GA) and ECOSOC. Thus, the UNSC in times of critical conjunctures – as this event and its yet not fully anticipated secondary effects are – appears as still stuck in a kind of a time warp, oblivious of the changes that have taken place, and are unfolding all over the world. 

It goes without saying that exceedingly sluggish, lackadaisical and endless consultative/negotiation process on the Council reform and restructuring that has been going on for over two decades, needs to be urgently expedited. It is a sine qua non if we are any serious with the times, demands and expectations of the Member States’ present and future populations, and with consolidation of international and cross-generational solidarity.

Clearly, complex world demands smooth fast and multifaceted coordination and collaboration among the various agencies of the UN system, under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General. It must be dynamic, socially responsible, innovative and holistic, so as to enable our Universal Organisation and all other intergovernmental FORAs – that architecture our world – to anticipate and speedily deal with the challenges that will surely emerge periodically in the future.

A restored trust necessitates a proactive, transparent, and timely response but also energetically calls for an enlarged, not reduced, participatory base. 

Kuala Lumpur/Vienna/ 28 May 2020

About authors:

Amb. Hasmy Agam – Formerly Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations, and President of the UN Security Council (July 1999 and August 2000); Head of the Diplomatic Academy; Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) – retired.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic – Chairperson and professor in intl law and global political studies, Austria; authored 7 books and numerous articles on, mainly, geopolitics energy and technology; Per-Rep to the UN Vienna and UN Geneva.

Why we are “not at war” in the era of covid 19

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Why we are “not at war” in the era of covid 19

By Marco Pizzorno.

In these particular days of pandemic, from various national and international sources, the quote “We are at War” has been frequently heard and read on average, this phenomenon, in this first phase of the Covid-19, “seemed” a media distortion, at least for those who deal with humanitarian law. In fact, although it has also been carried out by authoritative sources, it should be clarified that the state of war indicates the extent that the order, both internal and international, assumes as a result of the manifestation of a will for war and determined by the suspension of certain rules and the application of others.

it is necessary to specify that during the “state of war”, when this is expressly declared or implicitly constituted, the law of war -Jus in bello- applies. It, as the legal literature explains, indicates the regulation of the conduct of hostilities, in coexistence and complementarity with international human rights law, (IRHL), and international humanitarian law. It specifically refers to: –The Hague Convention (1907, 1954) and Geneva Convention (1949, Additional Protocols 1977). This use, de facto indicates, is also the suspension of international peace law.

When does the Law of Armed Conflict apply?

The official doctrine on the subject quotes textually and in detail that International Humanitarian Law  applies only in situations of armed conflict. It offers two systems of protection: one for international armed conflict and another for non-international armed conflict. The rules applicable in a specific situation will therefore depend on the classification of the armed conflict.

International armed conflict  

IAC occur when one or more States resort to the use of armed force against another State. An armed conflict between a State and an international organization is also classified as an IAC. Wars of national liberation, in which peoples are fighting against colonial domination and alien occupation and against racist regimes in the exercise of their right of self-determination, are classified as IACs under certain conditions 

 Non-international armed conflic

Many armed conflicts today are non-international in nature. An NIAC is an armed conflict in which hostilities are taking place between the armed forces of a State and organized non-State armed groups, or between such groups. For hostilities to be considered an NIAC, they must reach a certain level of intensity and the groups involved must be sufficiently organized. IHL treaty law establishes a distinction between NIACs within the meaning of common Article 3 and NIACs falling within the definition provided in Article 1 of Additional Protocol II.

Common Article 3 applies to “armed conflicts not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties.” These include armed conflicts in which one or more organized non-State armed groups are involved. NIACs may occur between State armed forces and organized non-State armed groups or only between such groups.

The Purposes of the United Nations are to maintain international peace in conformity with international law,for this reason, would it be preferable to have a different media expression, up to evident proof of guilt?

The Diplomatic Spouses Association: Worldwide (DSAW)

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The Diplomatic Spouses Association: Worldwide (DSAW)

I’m Cécile Atta-Van Peteghem, Belgian wife of a Belgian diplomat on his first posting abroad; Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). I left my career as an economist in Brussels to come here to raise my two kids. We have been in Abu Dhabi for almost two years now and, as I entered this diplomatic world, I saw an exciting opportunity: misconceptions.

Indeed, people don’t have the right image of diplomats, and even more so, of their partners. People see us as boring followers with a life made of champagne nights.

To kill some myths but also tell our adventures (because let’s face it, it’s a crazy life), I started a blog: www.desperatediplowife.com and created this Desperate Diplo Wife character on Instagram.

In a short time, I started building a community of diplomatic spouses and trailing spouses in general (although I wouldn’t say I like this term, it pictures us like caravans tied up to the strong moving vehicle that is our partner). As it grew bigger, I felt understood and supported in ways that I never was with my friends and family for whom it’s difficult to understand our lifestyle and challenges. I started getting messages from Diplomatic spouses around the world, seeking advice or looking for a friendly ear. Came to me this little idea that maybe, just maybe, some other diplomatic spouses were looking to connect too. They would benefit from shared info, or only from an openminded spouse who lived the same challenges in the past.

So, on May 13th, I launched a Facebook group of Diplomatic spouses. Can it be so simple? We all have Facebook; we know how it works. I didn’t want something complicated or expensive; I just wanted people to be able to connect on a private platform.

Cécile Atta-Van Peteghem. Photography by Kelly Acs.

As I was launching the Diplomatic Spouses Association: Worldwide (DSAW) I was sure it was going to be a failure with only six members. Several days later, we are 1300 members, and others are waiting to join.

We post from 100 countries in the world. Diplomatic partners exchange views about this lifestyle, concerns about the current situation and advice for new postings.

You can find Diplomatic spouses’ groups in different cities, though often for Head of Mission spouses only. This group allows a mix between all levels of experience in our lifestyle, which turns out to be very useful for everyone. Although it’s much more demanding for me than I thought it was going to be, I’m delighted to see all of them exchanging.

I quickly realised that in this Covis-19 crisis, the need to build virtual connections between people was enormous. Imagine you are moving this summer to a new posting, I don’t think you will get the usual warm welcome of the diplomatic community! You are filled with stress, and coffees with strangers aren’t going to happen soon! Now, we can still communicate and feel less lonely thanks to this platform.

So Desperate Diplo Wife isn’t so desperate anymore!

The Portuguese Language: A Pinnacle of Diversity and Unity across the Oceans

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The Portuguese Language: A Pinnacle of Diversity and Unity across the Oceans

By   Capitão Pedro Bala.

The influence of the Portuguese language today, does not limit itself to the distribution of Padrões around the newly discovered shores and corners of the seven seas. Nowadays, the Portuguese language sings throughout the globe as a manifestation of the spirit that it has become.

A romantic language that captivates the imagination of the foreigner who, at first encounters it through the sound of a poetic melody.

Examples of this can be found in an ordinary sentence said in a sublime and simplistic beauty by a fisherman in the island of Santo Antão in Cabo Verde or through a catholic mass murmur in Goa, India or even a scream for independence out of the hills of Dili in East Timor.

The Portuguese language hides beyond the tongue, a culture and an attractive mystery in every country in which it is spoken around the five continents. The 5th of May is designated as the international day of the Portuguese language and this is the first year celebrated by UNESCO. A language that today represents more than a desire to build an empire, but also reflects the ability to withstand the extreme diversity that stretches from Rio Branco to Bissau, from Ponta Delgada to Lobito, via São Tomé and Xai Xai to Macau. 

The wide spread of the Portuguese language in a recent study done by the Instituto Camões in Lisbon mentioned that around the globe, 300 million people have Portuguese as a their first language, and in countries such as Malaysia, India, China, Japan, Equatorial Guinea or Uruguay adding it as their second language which is also a legacy from the former Portuguese Empire. The philological influence of Portuguese today is also felt in other languages such as Swahili, Saramaccan, Papiamento, Fá D’ambô or Malay. In fact, the language owes a great part of its geographical distribution around the globe to the Portuguese Empire.

In the 21st century, migration is also contributing to the enlargement of Portuguese. In Europe, Paris has become the second largest city with more Portuguese speakers after Lisbon.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, now considered to be the second country after Portugal with Portuguese speakers in Europe.

Some sociologists has even dared to postulate that Portuguese is a De facto language in Luxemburg, spoken by more than 150 thousand Cabo Verde and Portuguese migrants and their descendants. However, nowadays it is rather the appeal of the Portuguese speaking countries and above all, its people that attracts more and more enthusiasts to the language of Cesária Evora, Elis Regina, Mia Couto and Pepetela.

In modern times, Brazil has definitely led to the contribution of the expansion of Portuguese in the world in a somewhat unconscious way, in a manner of speaking. This country counts for 210 million of Portuguese speakers. At the same time, its soap-operas, literature, dance, music and football has enchanted the hearts of millions across the globe. Who can say that they have never felt the drama of a couple of lovers trying the overcome social barriers in order be close to each other during the 08:00 pm soap-opera, or has not become lost in the culture in the streets of Salvador da Bahia in Jorge Amado’s adventures or even dancing and crying while listening the sambas of Bezera da Silva and Carlota. 

Portugal on the other hand, promotes the Portuguese language in a much more active and focused manner.

The Iberian country is keenly aware of its linguistic legacy and has established a network of language centres through its diplomatic missions, where the Portuguese is taught to students all over the world. The institute entrusted with the responsibility in spearheading the export the Portuguese language today, bears the name of the great Portuguese writer Luís Vaz de Camões, the author of Os Lusíadas, and the epic journey of Vasco da Gama to India.  

Politically speaking, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP – in its Portuguese acronym) headquartered in Lisbon, is an international governmental organization that has grown in its mandate and purpose since its creation in 1996. The CPLP today coordinates a diverse range of issues among the Member States from security and defence, investments, education, health and mobility. The CPLP is made up of 9 Member States and 19 Associated Observers.

The coordinated action of the CPLP member States, representing 300 million citizens is also help the Portuguese language in becoming recognized as a United Nations official language, not only due to the number of speakers but also the importance of the function it serves in a key region for the UN, such as Africa.

As a result of forecasting the potential of the language, many countries, universities and business schools around the world today are offering Portuguese in their language curricula. Some of these analysts have realised the great potential and niche markets that cities such as Luanda, Maputo, Praia, São Paulo, Pemba or Fortaleza can bring to financial exchanges and entrepreneurship. Not much yet has been explored by the foreign investors. The number of students reported to be studying Portuguese as a second language in 2019 were around 200 thousand worldwide, with indications showing the potential to grow every year.   

The heterogeneity of the Portuguese language is as a result of transcending miles and miles of oceans, to bind together in a breeze of understanding of different cultures, different accents, different people, five continents and one language. The contradiction in of all of this is that I write to you in English instead of using o belo português.  I am certain that in the next edition you will ask me to read about the Portuguese world in Portuguese.

Nevertheless, I leave you with a magnificent quartet from the poem Padrão, in Mensagem, by Fernando Pessoa:

E ao imenso e possível oceano

Ensinam estas Quinas, que aqui vês,

Que o mar com fim será grego ou romano:

O mar sem fim é português.

_________________

Main image’s designer: Lucas Barros Correia.

When diplomacy and fine arts meet

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When diplomacy and fine arts meet

By Alexandra Paucescu.

The first thing you notice at Paloma is her warm smile. She is kind and full of life, with a graceful attitude and colourful clothes. She has that air of a fulfilled woman, confident in herself and who knows well who she is and how much she is worth.

I’ve met her first at a farewell party for a fellow diplomatic spouse, as we are all called, placed into a category that  tends to uniform us under a generic name, often lacking any deep personal identity enquiry.

Born in beautiful Spanish town of Salamanca, Paloma Muñoz de la Fuente is so much more than just a diplomatic spouse. 

She studied Economics in Zaragoza, taught at the University of Toledo, she then perfected herself in the art of protocol, which was useful later in her career and also accompanying her husband in diplomatic missions in United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. 

Paloma Muñoz de la Fuente / Paloma Ferrari.

Later in life (year 2000) she discovered her talent and love for painting, changed her public name to Paloma Ferrari (a tribute to her late Italian grandfather), fulfilled her artistic dreams and achieved high performance and recognition (many exhibitions four art awards), all these while travelling around the world with her husband. 

Alexandra: I know you are from Spain, but what is HOME to you, Paloma?

Paloma: Every place we have lived in so far was home to me, because I made it. Home is a place where I feel peaceful together with my family and surrounded by my favourite books and some other few things that I carry with me everywhere. But I have to admit Tuscany in Italy is a place very dear to my heart.

Alexandra: What triggered your professional reconversion, tell me how did it actually happen?

Paloma: It all came quite naturally, I admit. Art lives inside me, in my head and heart, it always has been.

Alexandra: Was it hard? I know from my own experience that pursuing a career while being constantly on the move can be difficult, if not almost impossible…

Paloma: To me it just happened. In 2000 we moved to Florence, Italy and by a happy coincidence I had the privilege to study Arts with two of the best art teachers. I learned new techniques: Antique (Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo style) and Japanese drawing art. Both of them became complementary for my future art work, for the next 20 years. I had my first collection in Florence in 2002 at Palazzo di Parte Guelfa, and from there a whole world of opportunities opened. My art work took me to Venice, Madrid, Toledo, Mexico and Berlin, just to name a few places where I exhibited over the years. In 2004 I also started studying contemporary art and collaborated with interior designers and architects for various projects. Later I had the idea to hand paint scarves in unique styles, and this project is still going on, my scarves are ‘flying’ all over the world now. 

Alexandra: Tell me of your proudest moments in your professional career…

Paloma: All my exhibitions were pieces of my heart and very dear to me. Each had a special theme and title and reflected different interests (‘The silk way’, ‘Itaca’). They were expressions of my constant evolution as an artist. But my most important exhibition was in Toledo (Spain), in the old monastery of San Clemente. Imagine, that beautiful, huge historical building…just for me and my art works. The theme was ‘Opera Mundi’ and it was a triumphant success also in media.

Alexandra: Which do you think are some of the most common misconceptions that people usually have about us, the diplomatic spouses?

Paloma: People always expect to see us elegant, cultivated, open and easy to adapt to new postings and situations, which is not always true…

Alexandra: Could you name what are, in your opinion, some ‘MUST Dos’ and ‘Don’ts’ for a diplomatic spouse?

Paloma: As a diplomatic spouse I think it is important to speak as many languages as you can, to have empathy and a little sense of serendipity.  On the other hand, I would say that impatience, indiscretion and clumsiness could be your greatest enemies in the diplomatic circles.

Alexandra: Do you have a life motto to live by?

Paloma: Always live life with optimism, see the best in everything! ***

Indeed, optimism is a great attitude! World of diplomacy is full of highly trained, intellectual, talented women, diplomatic spouses that not only follow their husbands around the world, but they also represent with great honour their countries, often using their natural cultural diplomatic skills, from which the Foreign Service can only benefit.

______________

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu.

Alexandra Paucescu- Romanian, Management graduate with a Master in Business,  studied Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations.

She speaks Romanian,  English,  French,  German and Italian. Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, she published a book about diplomatic life, writes articles and also gives lectures on intercultural communication.

Contributing to a Safer, Healthier and Prosperous World: OIC and its Rapid Reaction Capacitation

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Contributing to a Safer, Healthier and Prosperous World: OIC and its Rapid Reaction Capacitation

In times of new type/s of asymmetric challenges

By Ambassador  Ali Goutali and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic.

All throughout its history, our world witnessed either abrupt, radical changes or gradual shifts and adjustments of the World Oder. Such recalibrations usually followed major crises, be it devastating wars or geopolitical transformations such as the end of Cold War.

Past the agricultural and industrial revolutions, numerous advances in knowledge, science and technology, as well as groundbreaking inventions opened up new avenues for progress and prosperity of mankind. Subsequent scientific and technological revolution of our age, coupled with the relaxation of ideological confrontation and longing for cooperation and integration, led to the emergence of a politically and economically globalized World.

However, our current World Order of fully interconnected planet has revealed some weaknesses and vulnerabilities, particularly in time of crises.

In the Era of Globalization, the worldwide interconnected financial and economic system can cause a financial crisis spill-over effect very rapidly – as we witnessed it decade ago. Similarly, a health crisis in one country can, owing to the same business interconnection and swift human mobility, spread at light speed to other countries and continents, engulfing the whole World.

Currently, COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic is wreaking havoc across the Globe, causing most countries to be primarily focused on solving the crisis and limiting its damage.

L’avenir est comme le reste:  Global opportunity – global exposure

Though some breakthroughs have been achieved such as finding the genetic sequence of the virus and developing diagnostic tests, no confirmed vaccines or efficient treatments have been found yet. Moreover, much more clues remain to be gathered and understood, including the virus transmission and mutation dynamics, its potential re-emergence in waves, where did it come from and whether environmental or seasonal factors impact its spread and severity.

In search for rapid and efficient solutions, countries (particularly developed ones) have been working restlessly but individually almost to no avail. This could be explained by an impulse of an ‘old spirit’; of geopolitical competition in the past – times when the narrow national interest was the main and only driver of any international conduct. 

The same lack of coordination among individual countries in dealing with this unprecedented crisis that encompasses almost every dimension including health, economic and financial aspects of life, has also been noticed at the level of political international organizations. 

In fact, while the international economic and financial institutions seem to be well globalized and functioning efficiently, the political structure of the World looks like the one still based on the Nation-States competition and rivalry. The existing political international FORAs, made up of these States, seem to be too bureaucratic to react swiftly and efficiently in times of imminent crises.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic

The post-C-19 World Order will most likely remain the same, Westphalian and globalized Order. However, in light of the aforementioned shortfalls and given the future daunting challenges, this World Order needs to be updated and enriched.

International violence has overtime dropped significantly. Full-scale conventional wars do not exist anymore whereas small-scale ones have come to an all-time low.

It is true that there are still nuclear weapons in the World enough to wipe out the entire Humankind multiple times over. However, the Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) doctrine coupled with Wisdom, have been and will most likely remain as a powerful deterrent to any nuclear war attempts.

Not so long ago, our World was on a brink of nuclear self-annihilation, but found enough wisdom to avoid it.

The same wisdom can be used in the face of the current and future threats of annihilation by terrifying viruses similar to or more dangerous than C-19, which is heralding a new age of threats to Humankind’s  existence, disruptions and partial or total lockdowns never seen or tested before.

To meet such challenges, the World should be more united and cooperative, set aside geostrategic competition, give way to humane-oriented and servant leadership, avoid narrow national interest-oriented approach, put more focus on science and new technologies – of course all under democratic control. This includes decisive investments in innovative technologies, particularly frontier technologies.

To meet those, specific global and regional instruments, and mechanisms to endorse and facilitate exchange for better joint political action and all-out scientific cooperation in time of crises, should be also created. 

OIC and the need for its RRC mechanism

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – the second largest intergovernmental multilateral mechanism to the one of OUN, places high value on Science and Technology in its daily works, and keenly promotes cooperation among its member States in this area. It was almost 40 years ago that the OIC set up its Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH of 1981). 

This functional entity of the OIC has been headquartered in Islamabad, with the President of Pakistan as its Chair. It has as objective to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states and enhance their capabilities in emerging technologies.

COMSTECH collaborates with numerous Specialised international bodies (of technical mandates), including World Health Organization (WHO), International Foundation for Science in Stockholm and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), to name but few.

In 2006, a new Institution was created within COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, namely the Science, Technology and Innovation Centre (STI). This Center serves as a Think-tank to provide all-advisory services to OIC member states on science-technology-innovation, to conduct its own indigenous researches and ensure capacity building in this area for OIC members.

In 2017, a further step was taken towards fostering cooperation in Science and Technology among OIC States and making headway in this area, as the first Summit on Science and Technology was held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

In view of looming C-19 crisis and its devastating aftermath, OIC – currently pursuing a comprehensive reform Agenda – would benefit from considering even bolder new steps, such as setting up an Instrument for policy coordination in times of crisis. Certainly, every crisis is a hardship, but it also brings opportunity and novel openings. Hence, it might be a Rapid Reaction Capacitation (RRC) in the event of new type/s of asymmetric challenges. 

Such RRC will be embodied in a platform for the exchange of expertise among leading scientists in Islamic countries – notably, a Center for Epidemics Prevention and Management (EPM). Part of that RRC-capacitated EPM Center would be also a division for vaccines research and production, supported by one for the applied AI (Artificial Intelligence). Since the capacity of early warning and rapid reaction would be essential, this Center and its divisions ought to be preferably situated physically closer to the OIC HQ.

By doing so, OIC would strengthen ties of cooperation in various fields, including scientific research within and among its Member States, but also with the variety of international and regional organizations and the Specialized Agencies. Thus, the EPM Center would serve as a liaison between the OIC world and similar regional or national Epidemic Prevention and Vaccination centres. As the grand wiz of early European integrations, Jean Monnet, used to say: “Crises are the great unifier!”   

Geographic, demographic and geo-economic centrality of the OIC world makes it focally important for any planetary issue. OIC also represents an important voting block within the United Nations system (Bretton Woods institutions and the G-20, too). Therefore, the faster and better crisis responsive OIC clearly translates into the safer and brighter, sustainable world for our common future.  

_____________________

Jeddah/Vienna, 08 MAY 2020

Authors:

Ambassador Ali Goutali, Tunisian top diplomat, serving numerous key posts on four continents, former Head of the national diplomatic institute. Author of several publications including a book on decision making in foreign policy. Current Director at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, KSA.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, professor and chair for international law and global pol. studies, Vienna, Austria. Author of 7 books on geopolitics, energy and technology. 

Human life is non-negotiable

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Human life is non-negotiable

The Triage and the false prophet of choice on life expectancy?

By Marco Pizzorno.

In order to analyse a certain type of concern, it is necessary to reflect on what are the manoeuvres to deal with the Covid-19. As well highlighted by many international newspapers, the problem of discretion, cited by some guidelines, by virtue of life expectancy, comorbity and factors due to the caress of goods useful to care for all, has created not a few international reactions. 

 How does admission to treatments in the Covid-19 era work?

Admission is made through the Triage’s “war” health mechanism.  Civil protection indicates that this term French meaning “choice”, and that the latter outlines the process of dividing patients into classes of severity, based on injuries reported and treatment and/or evacuation priorities.

The story of the triage refers to the military physician French Jean Dominique de Larrey (born 8 July 1766), who at the command of the rhine army’s surgical team, during the Franco-Austrian War, faced the problems of transporting the wounded with the care and means available on the battlefield. In order to prevent the war wounded from being the victims of the delays of the rescue vehicles due mainly to hostile conditions, he devised the first system of flying ambulances. In this way, military doctors were able to track the movements of the troops and rescue the wounded in real time, being able to organize the necessary health activities on the ground. It is precisely from this historical event that the first system of the so-called triage is attributed to the birth. 

Triage Vs life expectancy

The Civil Protection in Italy is very clear on the dynamics of triage and quotes textually: “in situations of major emergency or major event, taking into account that such situations are characterized by an initial transient limited resources, it is defined as ‘triage’ the process of dividing patients into classes of severity according to injuries reported and priorities of treatment and/or evacuation. Criteria for the organization of disaster relief.

Triage is, therefore, a dynamic health procedure that allows to manage the limited resources available in order to minimize the mortality and morbidity of the people involved in the event, orienting, as mentioned above, the health treatment and transfer of patients according to the priority resulting from their health assessment.

The Declaration of Human Rights is clear, “every individual” has the right to life, to the safety of his or her person even in the event of illness, old age or other loss of livelihoods for circumstances independent of his will. Human life is non-negotiable and it is precisely the recognition of dignity that forms the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world; Discretion about human life or its “probable” life expectancy is not acceptable, in fact there are many casesof people over the age of ninety who have recovered from Covid-19. Is the compulsion to choose on life expectancy is an induction to mortality ?                                                                     Is there anything that should be changed?

La Préservation de l’héritage des Archives du Tribunal de Nuremberg

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La Préservation de l’héritage des Archives du Tribunal de Nuremberg

Par S. Exc. M. Antônio Augusto Cançado Trindade, Juge à la Cour internationale de Justice et Président de son Comité de la Bibliothèque.

         La cérémonie du 10 octobre 2019 au Mémorial de la Shoah à Paris a marqué la réalisation du projet lancé à la Cour Internationale de Justice (CIJ) – à travers son Comité de la Bibliothèque – à La Haye en 2015, en vue de parachever la préservation des archives de Nuremberg dans les meilleures conditions. Le projet, approuvé par la CIJ au mois de juillet 2017, a bénéficié du soutien du Mémorial de la Shoah (France) et du Musée de l’Holocauste (États-Unis), qui en ont été vivement remerciés lors d’une rencontre organisée au siège de la CIJ, au  Palais de la Paix, à La Haye, le 1er février 2018. 

         Le procès devant le Tribunal de Nuremberg s’est ouvert le 20 novembre 1945, quand l’Europe cherchait à se reconstruire en se fondant sur l’état de droit, consciente de la nécessité de perpétuer la mémoire de la tragédie et des horreurs de la deuxième guerre mondiale. À la fin du procès (qui comporta 403 séances, réparties sur 216 jours), le Tribunal a rendu son verdict condamnant les responsables le 1er octobre 1946, et a en outre conclu au caractère criminel du corps des chefs politiques du parti nazi, de la Gestapo, de la SS et du SD. 

         Le procès de Nuremberg était destiné à engendrer une nouvelle ère, dans laquelle tant les gouvernements que leurs représentants seraient tenus pour responsables de leurs actes. Le procès de Nuremberg, suivi par celui de Tokyo, en est ainsi venu à représenter dans la mémoire collective les origines du droit pénal international (tel que connu aujourd’hui), contribuant du même coup à l’évolution du droit international contemporain lui-même.

         Le temps s’est écoulé, et c’est quelque cinq décennies plus tard (pendant les années 1990) que devaient naître ses épigones: tribunaux pénaux internationaux ad hoc; tribunaux «internationalisés» «hybrides» ou «mixtes»; et enfin Cour  pénale Internationale. L’un des aspects les plus importants de cette évolution réside dans l’affirmation et la reconnaissance de la personnalité et de la capacité juridiques internationales de l’être humain en tant que sujet de droit international, – une expansion  s’accompagnant d’une juridiction et d’une responsabilité internationales élargies, dans toutes leurs dimensions. 

         La consolidation des principes de Nuremberg, et la préservation et numérisation des archives de Nuremberg (dont la garde avait été confiée en 1950 à la CIJ), garantissent la préservation de la mémoire elle-même, si nécessaire au processus historique en cours d’ humanisation du droit international. La commémoration de l’heureux aboutissement de notre projet constitue une contribution importante à la cause de la primauté de la mémoire sur la cruauté humaine. Les valeurs humaines fondamentales doivent prévaloir et il est impératif de continuer à cultiver la mémoire des millions de victimes d’atrocités et de la cruauté humaine. 

Les victimes occupent à cet égard une place centrale; la reconnaissance de leur souffrance fait elle-même partie de l’accomplissement de ce noble objectif qu’est la réalisation de la justice. Le souvenir de leur souffrance montre que la tragique vulnérabilité de la condition humaine ne doit pas mener au désespoir, mais bien au contraire, nourrir l’espoir. En ce monde si dangereux dans lequel nous vivons – ou survivons – aujourd’hui, il est essentiel de continuer à cultiver la mémoire, la justice et l’espoir.

___________________

Photographe: Mme. Ossa Henao.

Dream Malta now….. visit later…..

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Dream Malta now….. visit later…..

By H.E. Ms. Marlene Bonnichi, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta.

Malta  is well known in  many countries as a  prime tourist destination.   The Netherlands is no exception. Tens of thousands of Dutch people continue to flock to our Islands to get a slice of the Mediterranean life, food and culture.   I have yet to meet a Dutch person who has been on holiday to Malta and that has not enjoyed  the stay.   Right now is not an ideal time for tourism …….but we can still dream…… and travel  soon……….. hopefully……..

Tourism is one of the pillars of the Maltese economy and we are very proud of the Malta product which, despite the many Islands and tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, is actually quite distinctive.  First of all Malta is an all year destination – many Mediterranean Islands are not.  Malta is a country where most people will be able to communicate in at least three languages (Maltese, English and Italian)  from three totally different families of language, so tourists, whether from Europe, the wider Mediterranean region and the Gulf or further afar, feel comfortable visiting our Islands, and some even making the archipelago their home.  Today, Malta’s population of almost half a million people has about 14% of expatriates, around half of which come from EU Member States.  

The Republic of Malta sits right in the middle  of the Mediterranean so our  language, culture, food …. are a real mix of our European and Christian heritage  and  our proximity to  North Africa and Arab  Neighbours.   

Our geography makes us a very special and eclectic bunch of people, having been destined to be at the cross roads of European and Arab civilisations.   In this sense the Malta experience  is very unique to the visitor which belies its size.

The density of cultural heritage –  three  UNESCO world heritage sites (one of which consists of 7 individual sites) in 316 square kilometres,  a monument at every corner and a church for every day of the year –   as well as  mild weather throughout the year  with hardly a day without sunshine;  topped with the surrounding azure Mediterranean  sea, sets these Islands apart from any other.   

Traditional Maltese hospitality for which we have been renowned for many centuries will continue to be the highlight of this experience.    

Rabbit is our national dish but of course fish and citrus fruits are favourites too. Expect to be invited to people’s homes where you will not be allowed to leave before you have sampled all the food set before you (and it is a lot😊).  

Over 2.6 million tourists visit Malta every year, largely as a result of the  excellent work being done by the Malta Tourism Authority and their representatives around the world, including  here in the Netherlands;  as well as the good air and sea connections between Malta and its main tourist destinations, including from the Netherlands –  from Schiphol but also from other parts of the country including Eindhoven and Maastricht.

Tourism is only but one of the  industries that underpin this largely “small”  service oriented economy of ours.   In the last 25 years or so our country has been slowly putting together the building blocks for a sound and diversified economy.   Traditional industries such as the hospitality sector,  the maritime services  sector, as well as a  relatively sizeable manufacturing sector  continue to grow alongside more innovative and modern industries such as financial services and fintech, i-Gaming,  aviation maintenance and the creative sector.   Several of these sectors also attract a steady flow of Dutch workers and young people seeking internships.   

My tour of  duty in The Netherlands is soon coming to an end.  I have felt very welcome here  and made so many new friends, Dutch friends but also  from within the diplomatic community and beyond.  I will always treasure this time in my heart and I hope I have planted a seed of curiosity in your hearts too and who knows- maybe I shall meet some of you on one of the promenades along the Maltese coast……

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