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WORLD CITIZEN LETTER: 540
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WCL 540 November 2006
A (world) citizens’ complaint
Below is a piece of useful information and model letter for any British world citizens who wish to protest at the war-making habits of their present (and past) rulers.
It is intended that, when signed, it could (and should) be sent, or better, presented to those, such as chief constables and magistrates, whose duties involve the upholding of laws in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Best, perhaps, to choose police in the counties where the practices mentioned are being carried on, although a conscientious chief constable would also need to forward the complaint to a higher authority.
John Roberts
A CITIZENS’ COMPLAINT
We ...........................................................................................................................
Resident at ..............................................................................................................
Hereby make a complaint regarding the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Four Trident nuclear-armed submarines are based at Faslane in Scotland. Each submarine can carry 16 Trident II D-5 missiles, each with eight warheads. One submarine is constantly deployed at sea with its missiles. Since the July 1998 Strategic Defence Review, the single deployed submarine carries 16 missiles with three warheads of 100 kilotons each eight times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.
By this nuclear policy, the UK Government and NATO violate the rules of international humanitarian law. The powerful radiation effects of a Trident II D-5 missile could never be predicted. No one launching it could meet the legal tests of proportionality, discrimination or necessity. These facts are well known and their use, or threat of use, would qualify as crimes against humanity or war crimes.
President Bedjaoui of the International Court of Justice considered that: "Nuclear weapons can be expected - in the present state of scientific development at least - to cause indiscriminate victims among combatants and non-combatants alike as well as unnecessary suffering among both categories- Until scientists are able to develop a ‘clean’ nuclear weapon which would distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, nuclear weapons will clearly have indiscriminate effects and constitute an absolute challenge to humanitarian law."
In addition it is forbidden to use weapons which inflict unnecessary suffering. The death and suffering caused by a launch of a Trident missile could never be justified by any conceivable military advantage. Furthermore, its use, however accurately targeted, would have severe effects on neutral states and future generations.
Any threat to employ a means of force that would be unlawful, if so used, would itself be unlawful. However, nuclear weapons are deployed and are often ready for use at a few days’ notice. The Government of the UK has repeatedly stated that they are willing to use them under certain circumstances. By most people's standards this would qualify as an illegal threat.
The following people are thus guilty of the violations described above:
* Responsible ministers at the political level, and more specifically the Minister for Defence, the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister;
* The Chiefs of Staff at the Ministry of Defence;
* Senior naval officers and Trident submarine commanders.
I wish the following investigations to be carried out with the aim of securing evidence of illegal activity relating to nuclear weapons:
* The Trident naval base at Faslane;
* The facilities at Aldermaston and Burghfield where nuclear warheads are researched, manufactured and maintained;
* The regular nuclear convoys which transport warheads from the south of England to Faslane.
In connection with the location and the preparation of the potential use of nuclear weapons, as well as the preparation and training of nuclear tasks, please note that, within the context of war crimes and crimes against humanity, it is not a defence to state that orders came from a higher authority, that the actions were a governmental or legal responsibility, or that they are condoned by national legal systems.
Date.....................................................................................................................
Signatures..............................................................................................................
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