Hariri Endless Investigation and Pending Justice
The eleventh and final report of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC), established by the United Nations to investigate Hariri assassination and other related political assassinations and terrorist attacks in Lebanon, has been introduced to the Security Council.
As usual in this three-year investigation, the report is talking about some progress has been achieved in the investigation through the latest months. However, this report unveiled that there is new information reached by the Commission can lead to identify more individuals in the terrorist network responsible for the Hariri assassination. This is actually not a breakthrough or a precedent in this investigation as there was a series of identifying new individuals connected with this crime, but this is a progress for sure.
This late or, in fact, very late progress in this international investigation poses some serious questions about the slow process of investigation and achieving information by the Commission to reach conclusions. It is like an investigation in slow motion given the huge unprecedented international resources provided to this Commission in addition to also unprecedented international legal framework provided to this Commission by the Security Council binding resolutions under the seventh chapter of the charter of the United Nations.
Another serious question is posed about this series of discovered suspects that why they are not arrested or detained yet? Why, in this regard, there was not any application of the related provisions of the Security Council binding resolution 1636?
In addition, although this report is the final one of the IIIC, it neither concludes the investigation nor setting a timeline for this conclusion. Then, this leads, in principle, to an endless investigation. Also in this regard, it was remarkable, the commissioner's indication in this final report that the indictments or the charges sheets would not be ready soon after the Special Tribunal for Lebanon starts functioning in March 2009.
Hence, there are obviously many elements in the United Nations' approach in general, and in the Commission's approach in particular, are not understandable or conclusive posing some significant questions in this regard. Therefore, we still wait for justice, which needs to be assured by some required relevant actions.
Finally, we do not care about the various parties' various considerations, especially political considerations. We only care about justice and achieving this justice in accordance with international law and Security Council resolutions, that denying this justice would have for sure serious consequences.
As usual in this three-year investigation, the report is talking about some progress has been achieved in the investigation through the latest months. However, this report unveiled that there is new information reached by the Commission can lead to identify more individuals in the terrorist network responsible for the Hariri assassination. This is actually not a breakthrough or a precedent in this investigation as there was a series of identifying new individuals connected with this crime, but this is a progress for sure.
This late or, in fact, very late progress in this international investigation poses some serious questions about the slow process of investigation and achieving information by the Commission to reach conclusions. It is like an investigation in slow motion given the huge unprecedented international resources provided to this Commission in addition to also unprecedented international legal framework provided to this Commission by the Security Council binding resolutions under the seventh chapter of the charter of the United Nations.
Another serious question is posed about this series of discovered suspects that why they are not arrested or detained yet? Why, in this regard, there was not any application of the related provisions of the Security Council binding resolution 1636?
In addition, although this report is the final one of the IIIC, it neither concludes the investigation nor setting a timeline for this conclusion. Then, this leads, in principle, to an endless investigation. Also in this regard, it was remarkable, the commissioner's indication in this final report that the indictments or the charges sheets would not be ready soon after the Special Tribunal for Lebanon starts functioning in March 2009.
Hence, there are obviously many elements in the United Nations' approach in general, and in the Commission's approach in particular, are not understandable or conclusive posing some significant questions in this regard. Therefore, we still wait for justice, which needs to be assured by some required relevant actions.
Finally, we do not care about the various parties' various considerations, especially political considerations. We only care about justice and achieving this justice in accordance with international law and Security Council resolutions, that denying this justice would have for sure serious consequences.
