People's Democracy

Sharon’s War Crimes in 1982

Petition For UN Human Rights Body

THESE days a petition is doing rounds of the globe and more than seven lakh people have already signed it. The petition is to be submitted to Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, calling for an international committee to investigate Ariel Sharon’s crimes against humanity. The aim is to collect at least 10,00,000 signatures. The petition is intended to help the lawyers in Belgium who are suing Ariel Sharon, who is now the prime minister of Israel.

The petition begins with a quotation from Judge Claude Jorda, “History teaches that as long as the duty of justice has not been discharged, the spectre of war can re-emerge.” Then it calls on Mrs Mary Robinson to urgently set up --- under the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the General Assembly resolutions 260, 2391, 3074 and Security Council resolution 1296 of United Nations --- a committee to investigate Ariel Sharon’s involvement in war crimes. The demand is on behalf of the victims of 1982 massacre of Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon.

The petition says, “UN’s resolutions have made it clear that the perpetrators of genocide crimes against humanity and war crimes should be prosecuted and duly punished. It is also made clear that the total protection of civilians in an occupied country is in the hands of occupying army.”

Then it reminds that in 1982, the Israeli army was an occupying force in Beirut (Lebanon) and, therefore, according to the international law, it had the responsibility of protecting all civilians under their control. At that time the Israeli army was under the control of Ariel Sharon as the defence minister.

The petition recalls how Sharon “visited Beirut and pledged total support for the Israeli-allied Lebanese Christian Militia.” He also gave the latter the green light “to enter the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in west Beirut, which consequently resulted in the massacre, torture and rape of hundreds of unarmed civilians, mainly women and children.”

At the same time, the petition reminds, “The Israeli army was not only monitoring the camps and did nothing to stop the massacre, but as the matter of fact, they paved the path for the Militia to enter the camps. They had their direct and clear order from the Israeli defence ministry not to interfere and give free hands and assistance to the Labanese Christian Militia.”

After the news of the massacre in Sabra and Shatila refugee camps broke out, Israeli people were outraged, staged demonstrations and demanded Sharon’s resignation and an inquiry into the matter. The Knesset (Israeli parliament) had to set up a parliamentary committee to investigate Ariel Sharon’s involvement in this inhumane act of atrocity.

As Ariel Sharon was found responsible for the massacre, he was forced to resign from his post as defence minister. “But of course, as he is an Israeli and these crimes were not committed against Israeli nationals, he was never charged and never appeared in any court of justice in Israel,” the petition adds.

But now when all the necessary evidences and documents have been collected, it is high time for the UN High Commission for Human Rights to set up an investigation committee in order to bring those responsible ones to justice beyond their social or political status.

Those wishing to sign the petition may download its copies from http://www.petitionon-line.com/warcrime/petition.html.