“Unjust” Leading Article On Russell Tribunal

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31381, 29 May 1967, Page 12

“ Unjust” Leading Article On Russell Tribunal

The leading article in “The Press” on May 15 which criticised the International War Crimes Tribunal in Stockholm was unjust, in the opinion of the chairman of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation of Australia and New Zealand (Mr L. F. J. Ross).

“The editorial has nothing to say about the deaths of civilians from United States bombing in North Vietnam,

but only criticises the tribunal which condemns the killings,” he said. “The newspaper has not made known all the facts against the war in Vietnam. However, it has been said many times that the United States started the war in the first place, when it took over the French colonial role in Indo-China; that the United States began the violations of the 1954 Geneva Convention and would not allow the free elections in 1956, which would have united the country. “Because of these facts the tribunal prepared an indictment of United States policy. To say they had no moral validity is wrong. Jean-Paul Sartre and Lord Russell, two members of the panel, are leaders of thought in the Western world, and as such their findings have great moral validity. “Lord Russell does not discredit himself by the trials, and there is little doubt that the tribunal will rank as a great contribution to mankind,” Mr Ross said. “The tribunal is his effort to dramatise the killing of men, women and children and stop a third world war. The tribunal itself was dispassionate. The facts were gathered and presented dispassionately, but the facts are such that in themselves they arouse passionate feelings. “To say the legitimacy of the tribunal is based on an arrogant assumption of rights ignores the calibre of the panel members. “Rather than be considered *political invective which inspire only contempt,’ as The Press’ claims, the findings of the tribunal will rank historically with the Nuremburg War Crimes Tribunal,” Mr Ross said.

Back For Birthday.—Ratna Dewi, the fourth wife of the former President Sukarno, is planning to return to Djakarta from Tokyo on June 2 for her husband's 66th birthday on June 6. Antara news agency said.—Djakarta, May 28.