Let's try Bush for the war crimes against Iraq an appeal to establish the International Criminal Tribunal for Iraq　(draft) On March 20th, 2003, the US/UK allied forces bulldozed their way into attacking Iraq, overthrew the Hussein regime, and today, still continues the de facto military occupation of the country. President Bush and Prime Minister Blair schemed to make the UN security council adopt a war resolution, but as soon as they failed to do so, changed their reasons of justification for war one after another, and eventually forced their way into war. On the contrary, France and other nations in the security council clearly pointed out there was no reason for attacking Iraq and blocked the war resolution. Voices and will against Bushﾕs aggression realized huge internationally coordinated anti-war demonstrations unprecedented in the history of human being. Nevertheless, Bush and Blair started Iraqi invasion with the hyper aggressive air raid named 'shock and awe' , massacred thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, and destroyed the cities. After the collapse of the Hussein regime, the US/UK forces have continued their de facto military occupation. Their slogan of 'liberation of Iraqi people' is nothing but fraud; in reality, however, order has not been restored in Iraq, rocket bombs are flying and pipelines are burning, and resistance seems to continue against the US/UK military. Though Bush condemns this resistance as terrorism, and is intensifying the counterinsurgency operations, this resistance by the people of Iraq connotes their opposition against the illegal invasion and occupation by the US/UK military. France and others still continue to claim that the war was an unjust and illegal war waged by Bush, but they will not necessarily strengthen their criticism against Bush any further. The international community seems to engage in the post fact um measures taking the occupation by the US/UK for granted. Some in the anti-war movement are calling for an action to try Bush and Blair in the International Criminal Court. The necessity is recognized to try them for war crimes of the invasion of Iraq and civilian casualties by their air raid. But unfortunately, we cannot try Bush in the ICC, for the US has not ratified the ICC code, neither has Iraq. An action is also proposed to apply the Belgian law to punish violations of the international humanitarian law and indict Bush and Blair for their war crimes at Brussels local court. However, the Belgium government, in complying with the pressure from the US government, vastly restricted the application of the law, and the indictment of Bush turned out not to be impeached. Thus, the institutional courts to try Bush exist neither at an international nor at a national level. Therefore, in order to try Bush, we need to create a war crimes tribunal of our own making. The tribunal, unlike the courts of the national and international institutions, does not have an enforcing device nor such power, so it cannot take the suspect into custody nor imprison the accused. However, if no court of national and international judiciary institution can try Bush for his war crimes and the international community remains silent, then it follows that the Bushﾕs arbitrary invasion and war crimes are connived by us all. In order never to allow invasion and war crimes, and to prevent the next war from happening, we need to collect pieces of evidence of war crimes committed by Bush, pile them up, and analyze them. We need to elucidate in light of the international law that the war by Bush was nothing but an invasion. The tribunal is a stage for those sake. The tribunal movement is an anti-war peace movement to thoroughly accuse Bush for his war crimes based on facts and observing international law. It tends to be thought that international law belongs to the states or the UN. and seems far away from people. But as in the case of International Covenant of Human Rights or Convention of the Rights of the Child, not only the states and the UN but also NGOs and individuals are gaining ground in the field of international law. It is essential for people to speak out and keep an eye on the states to comply with international law, when the states do not comply with it as in the case of war crimes of Bush. International law is not a perfect law system, for it has been created through agreements among nation states. But nevertheless, it is obvious that what Bush did arrogantly is nothing but an invasion and war crimes. It is also necessary to make the states comply with international law that human race has created after so many yearsﾕ efforts, if we want further development of international law.. The global ant-war movement to stop the war before it starts could not unfortunately prevent the eventual outbreak of Bushﾕs war. But we should not get weary nor should we give it up. We must keep the flag of anti-war and peace aloft. Silence before Bushﾕs lawlessness means a defeat of ant-war peace movement. Let's advance the tribunal movement to try Bush for his war crimes, and prevent another war from happening. We call for establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Iraq to try Bush's war crimes in Iraq. 1 August 2003 Advocater(1 October 2003) Mr. ABIKO, Seijin (Editor of Monthly Review for Masscommunication, Japan) Mr. ASANO, Kennichi (Professor of Doshisha University, Japan) Ms. BUFFA, Andrea 　(Global Exchange, USA) Mr. FUJITA, Yukou (Associate Professor of Keio University, Japan) Mr. GALAN, Paul 　(MAPALAD KA, Fillipine) Mr. HIROKAWA, Ryuichi　 (Journalist, Japan) Mr. Honda Katsuichi (Jornalist,Japan) Mr. ITOH, Narihiko 　(Emeritus Professor of Chuo University, Japan) Mr. KAUFMAN, Chuck 　(ANSWER, USA) Ms. KIKUCHI, Yumi 　(Global Peace Campaign, Japan) Ms. KUMAR, Corinne (Asian Women Human Rights Council, India) Ms. KURITA, Yoshiko 　(Associate Professor of Chiba University, Japan) Ms. LEE, Hee-Ja (Korean Council for Redress and Reparations for the Victims of WWII Atrocities, Republic of Korea) Mr. LEE, Song-Min (Labor People Council, Republic of Korea) Ms.LEUREN Moret (Scientists For Indigenous People, US) Mr. MAEDA, Akira 　(Professor of Tokyo Zokei University, Japan) Mr. SATOH, Akio (Emeritus Professor of Waseda University, Japan) Mr. SATOH, Kazuyoshi　 (Movement for Democratic Socialist, Japan) Ms. SANCHO, Nelia (Asian Womens Human Rights Council,Fhilipine) Mr. SAWAFUJI, Toichiro 　(Attorney at law , Japan) Mr. TAKEDA Takao (Priest of Nihonzan Myohoji-Temple,Japan) Ms. TAKAHASHI, Jamira 　(Association of Islamic Japan, Japan) Ms. TAKASATO, Suzuyo (Member of City Counsel) Ms. TOMIYAMA Yoko (Chairperson of Consumers Union of Japan) Ms. TSUCHYA, Noriko (Global Peace Action, Japan) Ms. UTSUMI, Aiko 　( Professor of Keisen University, Japan) Mr. YAMAUCHI Tokushin ( Past The Chief of OKINAWA-Yomitanson Village) The International Action Center(IAC,US) The Stop The War Coalition(SWC,UK) Legal Action Against War(LAAW,UK)