Philippines Ex President’s Questionable Arrest : Should BRICS/ India Initiate An International Treaty On Non Arrest Of Heads of State Or Government On Sovereign Decisions, By Any International Body Without UNGA And Security Council Approval .
Rajiv Upadhyay
The recent arrest of Philippines ex President Rodrigo Duterte on arrest warrants issued by International Criminal Court, on parallel jurisdiction basis , for harsh suppression of drug smugglers, is a very damaging and unfortunate development for developing countries , which needs not only to be condemned but also fought by all nations for sovereignty violation by culturally different bodies with suspicious motives.
Drugs menace is acknowledged world wide . But drug cartels are too powerful and in countries like Colombia have their own air force and army ! Can we fight them with peaceful means or police action ? Will anyone be a witness in trial of drug lords like Pablo Escobar of Colombia when even a liberal presidential candidate Jorge Eli Gaitan was shot . An elected president like Duterte had the full backing of population . It was his duty to protect his people from drug cartels and drug lords . He alone could decide his methods to combat this menace . Any war has collateral civilian damage . Any country who has fought terrorism will certify it . Even USA killed many civilians in Pakistan in a mistaken drone attack in Waziristan in 2011 in Salala.
UN Bodies are also not beyond doubt now . WHO’s conduct during COVID was highly suspicious and was influenced by China by possibly doubtful means . President Trump withdrew from WHO in protest . International Criminal Court’s warrant against President Putin was possibly engineered on behalf of powerful countries against him . Before this ICC wanted to issue warrant against Sudan’s acting president Omar Al Bashir but was restrained by OIC .
But a warrant for fighting Drug Menace is really the new assault on sovereignty of smaller nations as any UN Body is manipulable as discussed . Even Intelligence agencies like ISI are deeply involved in it .
Philippines Ex President Duterte, was more courageous and took China to International Court of Justice on 9 dash line and won the case . He bought Brahmos missiles from India . But most important he ordered US forces out of his country . This could even be the real reason for his Warrant like one of Putin or there could be local politics in it !
Many world leaders along with even Indian leaders are in danger zone too . No one will dare do it against ex president George Bush for attacking Iraq without any proof of WMDs or Chinese leaders for say Tianamen Square episode but gladly pick say Sheikh Hasina or Godhra , Pannu/ Nijjar etc .
There is a silent anger against arrest of Duterte as even cautiously voiced by China . India should take a lead to form an alliance of like minded countries in BRICS against prosecution of sitting or ex heads of state or government with sanction of both the UN General Assembly as well as the security council . In a year or two it will be widely supported by a large number of countries.
Suffering injustice silently will only encourage bullies for doing more.
