The Hill News

In the run-up to the debate in the Dutch Senate about the ban on ritual slaughter several American Congressmen published a letter in the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, calling on the Dutch Parliament to reject an initiative bill banning ritual slaughter in the Netherlands, proposed by Marianne Thieme, member of the House of Representatives for the animal rights party. They argued that the Netherlands would breach international agreements, should Parliament adopt the bill. Notwithstanding the fact that a debate on this issue has to be held, the United States of America themselves ought to take their international responsibility by ratifying the 1998 Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Over the past year, the International Criminal Court has gained credibility. In a relatively short period of time, the UN Security Council managed to adopt far-reaching resolutions with regard to Libya and Ivory Coast. Resolutions 1973 and 1975 provided the inter! national community with "all necessary means" to protect civilians against increasing violence. Moreover, in both cases the Security Council asked the International Criminal Court to investigate into reported acts of violence.

Given this development it is all the more embarrassing that a country such as the United States of America undermines the credibility of resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, by not recognising the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

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