Lynch Mob or Law?

The British Presidency of the UNSC starts its month in power with extreme prejudice and oodles of propaganda as expected.

The UN Security Council Emergency Session on ‘Bucha’

April 5 (EIRNS)—Simply put, the 3.5-hour emergency meeting of the UN Security Council today divided into two groups—those who thought it the responsibility of the Security Council to investigate the allegations of war crimes in Ukraine, including those in Bucha, Mariupol, and the Donbas, and those who close down any such investigation.

The latter, led by Britain’s Ambassador Barbara Woodward, serving this month’s president of the Security Council in her capacity as U.K. Permanent Representative, loudly proclaimed that they already know the Russians are guilty, they are the real Nazis, and they must be thrown out of any civilized body. By shutting down the UN Security Council’s proper role, the side arrangement made the previous day by the European Union and Kyiv to handle any “investigation” would be able to manufacture the narrative.

Hence, the bizarre situation arises where Woodward, as acting president of the Security Council—besides calling for an investigation whose the result has already been pronounced—calls for one that bypasses the UN. Rather, it is to be done by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General along with “other national prosecutors.” That was her expression for the EU arrangement made yesterday, while she prevented the Security Council from holding its “emergency” session.

China’s position was the most clearly stated. The Security Council had the job of deescalating tension and working for an early end to the fighting. Russia and Ukraine should stick to negotiations, and the international community should create space for, not roadblocks against, negotiations. They should certainly not add more fuel to the fire. Both parties need to minimize civilian casualties. Humanitarian issues should not be politicized. Neutrality and impartiality are key.

The Bucha reports are certainly disturbing and serious enough to require verification, because the Security Council must base matters on facts before conclusions are drawn. Unfounded accusations and the rush to sanctions create more spill-over problems. Sanctions are instrumentalising and weaponising the world economy, and especially harm the developing countries. It is more than 30 years since the end of the Cold War, so maybe it is time for some profound reflection. The small and medium-size countries of the world should not be forced to take sides; and the security of one cannot be achieved at the expense of others. Rather, the accumulated differences over the years must be addressed in order for an effective security arrangement. The constructive and responsible role is to promote the peace talks.

It is worth noting that six other countries stood up in their own way, all choosing not to join a lynch mob. Brazil called for a thorough investigation of all reports, without pre-judging either side. They had a responsibility to address the situation in an effective manner, but that is exactly what the Security Council is not doing. That is not the discussion being had. There must be no politicization of humanitarian efforts, no one-sided accusations.

Gabon said that there must be a “UN-led,” free and independent inquiry for Bucha, as “mud-slinging” will not achieve peace. We must remember our mission, which is to work for peace. The Istanbul diplomacy begun on March 29 must achieve a ceasefire soon.

Kenya posed that a continued abuse of the UN Charter over the past years by the major powers has led to the situation they are now in. The UN is losing prestige and needs to reform. Certain urgent steps are needed, beginning with a UN investigation, neutral and prompt, in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine. Both parties must make clear to their military personnel that they will be held responsible. And the UN needs to restore its credibility by also paying attention to the crises in Afghanistan, Haiti, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, etc.

India made a carefully worded statement for an independent investigation of the Bucha allegations, based upon international law. Neutrality, impartiality, and independence must prevail.

Ghana urged for an independent and impartial investigation into the reports of gross violations in Bucha, but also Mariupol, Kharkiv, and elsewhere. All violators must be held responsible. Also, since there was progress at the March 29 session with Russia and Ukraine, the Security Council should make sure to support confidence-building measures in that process. It is the only way to have unified actions.

Finally, the United Arab Emirates, which had held the UNSC chair in March before the U.K. took over, emphasized that the Security Council must establish what actually has happened, and not get caught up in a war of narratives. They must allow the existing institutions to examine the facts on the ground. False narratives and disinformation are the danger, especially when digital information can so easily amplify hate. Technology increases the speed with which such harmful narratives affect the situation on the ground, and that is a real danger.

NATO Foreign Ministers and Guests Meet on Ukraine Support, as Does G7

April 5 (EIRNS)—NATO’s foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels April 6-7 to, as Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference today, “address President Putin’s war against Ukraine.” A meeting of the G7 is expected as well.

NATO members, Stoltenberg said, will be discussing what more military support the Alliance can give to Ukraine, to include anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, cybersecurity assistance, and chemical and biological defense equipment. Stoltenberg said that he also expects that the Alliance will decide how to step up its support to its other partners, including Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. On April 7, the meeting will be addressed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Besides the 30 official members, guest nations at the meeting will include the foreign ministers of Finland, Sweden, Georgia, and the European Union, and NATO’s Asia-Pacific partners, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Stoltenberg said they will be there, because this crisis has global implications, which concerns us all,” meaning that it will also be aimed at China. “At a time when authoritarian powers are pushing back on the rules-based international order, it is even more important for democracies to stand together, and protect our values, “Stoltenberg said. “So I expect we will agree to deepen NATO’s cooperation with our Asia-Pacific partners.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the press today before taking off for Europe. He held forth grandiloquently, “We’re heading off to Brussels now for a meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, for a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, the leading democratic economies in the world, all of which will go to supporting the efforts that—accountability and support for Ukraine, increase pressure on Russia.”

When asked whether there was evidence Moscow knows about crimes committed in Ukraine, Blinken said, “We’re working, as are others, to put the evidence together to support the efforts of the Ukrainian prosecutor general, to support the efforts of the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry that we helped establish, marshalling all of this, putting all of this together. We said before the aggression that we anticipated that if it went forward, there would be atrocities committed. Information that we’ve seen going into the aggression suggested that this would be part of the Russian campaign. Horrifically, tragically, what we’re seeing in Bucha and in other places supports that. But in all of these instances, there’s a very important effort to put the evidence together, to compile it, to document it, to support the different investigations that are going on. That’s what we’re doing. That’s what others are doing. This will play out over time.

“Meanwhile, what’s vital is to sustain and build on the support for Ukraine, to sustain and build on the pressure against Russia to bring this war to an end, to stop the death and destruction that Russia’s perpetrating in Ukraine.”

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Ew - what a tedious little propaganda wielding warmonger that Blinkin is…..
I cannot type my opinion of the very masculine Ms Barbara Woodward (UK UNSC President), there are insufficient expletives in my vocabulary.
Needless to say that I am utterly disgusted by the NATO nobs who are busy polishing their ballistic missiles and sharpening their spiteful rhetoric.
Looks like WW3 is on, wouldn’t you say?