U.S. threatens Bolivia in effort to secure criminal court immunity

[Minstrel Boy]

U.S. threatens Bolivia in effort to secure criminal court immunity

2005-04-04
By Luis Bredow and Jim Schultz
The Athens News (Ohio)

COCHABAMBA, Bolivia -- The U.S. government is demanding that the Bolivian Congress approve an agreement that would grant immunity to U.S. troops and officials accused of human-rights violations, exempting them from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. That effort, which includes a threat to withhold financial aid and access to free trade, seems to be backfiring.

Bolivia is one of 139 nations that have signed the Treaty of Rome, which set up the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998. A respected Bolivian judge, Renee Blattmann, also sits as a member of the court. The treaty's goal, according to its Preamble, "is to establish an independent permanent International Criminal Court with jurisdiction over the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole."

...

Evo Morales, the leader of the Socialist Party, who came in second by just 2 percent in the last presidential election and is a front-runner for 2007, has declared the U.S. sanctions "blackmail" and has threatened nationwide protests. President Carlos Mesa has said that the government would only approve an agreement for U.S. immunity if it were supported by the majority of the Bolivian people, something highly unlikely here.

"Bolivia would be the only country in the world to agree to such a pact that also has a judge on the court," says Sacha Llorenti, president of Bolivia's National Human Rights Assembly. "We believe in the fundamental principles of international law. Honestly, we're not especially worried about what will be the pressure coming from the U.S."
http://www.athensnews.com/issue/article.php3?story_id=20238

[jukes]

1. sounds

just like blackmail to me.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Completely consistant with Bush's filthy behavior from the first day.

The primary threat by the United States to countries like Bolivia has been to withhold military assistance, including discount prices on used military hardware such as tanks. Gary Fuller, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, described the government's position as, "If countries aren't willing to protect our soldiers, why should we sell them equipment?"

But the United States has just upped the ante, by adding the threat of withholding economic aid, a sanction included in an amendment approved by the U.S. Congress late last year. Human Rights Watch reports that U.S. diplomats have informally threatened economic sanctions for some time. The group says that an assistant secretary of state informed foreign ministers of Caribbean states that they would lose the benefits for hurricane relief if their governments did not sign immunity accords.

"U.S. ambassadors have been acting like schoolyard bullies," wrote Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice program at Human Rights Watch, in a letter to then-U.S. Secretary of State Collin Powell.

Some within the Bolivian government have pressed hard for the country to cede to the United States' request. The Bolivian minister of government, responding to charges that such a resolution was an affront to the nation's dignity, was quoted as saying, "You can't eat dignity." Last year the Bolivian Senate approved an immunity pact, creating a political uproar. The lower house has steadfastly refused.
(snip)

So _Bush heads a government in a big, wealthy country, but acts small, ugly, spiteful. Damned odd, isn't it?

The entire world must be so damned worn out indulging this mutant and his collection of freaks. Disappointed, too, expecting to work with human beings and discovering they are simple defectives. They can't be trusted at any level.

[patdem]

6. Based on the deficit, isn't AID simply borrowing from China to give to

Bolivia? Shouldn't Bolivia simply get their money directly from China and not pay the interest WE have to pay to China to give AID to Bolivia? Or am I confused? :shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

7. Oh, YEAH! We're operating in a whole new zone now, aren't we?

Bolivia would be doing U.S. taxpayers a favor by doing bidness directly with China.

"Borrowing money from Peter to bully Paul!" Nice work if you can get it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. This bullying is likely to backfire.

If Bolivia stands up to it, so might other countries. With so much of our economy in foreign hands, we need them a lot more than they need us. I'm sure the Bolivian, and many others, would be just as happy with Czech and Russian and Chinese weapons, if they really want weapons.

[sui generis]

4. awesome -

so if little Bolivia can stand up to us, then certainly the EU should sit up and take note.

[Robbien]

5. Mesa is already between a rock and a hard place with oil companies

and the people of Bolivia. I cannot see him taking on another battle.

Bush needs Bolivia more than Bolivia needs Bush right now.

[saltpoint]

8. What better way to promote good will and understanding --

-- than to threaten smaller, weaker countries with our bombastic unilateral bullying?

George W. Bush needs to grow the hell up.