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Download the Speeches of all Hon'ble Chief Justices & Judges in ...

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5 th International Conference <strong>of</strong> <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Justices</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> WorldAddress byHon’ble Mr Justice S.A. Brobbey<strong>Chief</strong> Justice <strong>of</strong> GambiaThis <strong>the</strong>me ‘Enforceable International Law is <strong>the</strong> idea whose time has come’ is to beconsidered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g outrageously frighten<strong>in</strong>g publication on <strong>the</strong> stockpile<strong>of</strong> nuclear warheads conta<strong>in</strong>ed at page four <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>vitation to <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Justices</strong>. It reads asfollows:“Our Heritage — a Legacy <strong>of</strong> Our Elders!We, <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world, are receiv<strong>in</strong>g as a legacy from our elders, a massivenuclear stockpile <strong>of</strong> nearly 36,000 warheads.USA has 12,070 warheads, range anywhere <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world; Russia has 22,500 warheads,range 11,000 kms.; France has 500, warheads, range 5,300 kms.; Ch<strong>in</strong>a has 450, range11,000 kms.; UK has 380, range 12,000 kms.; India has 65, range 2,500 kms. and Pakistan has 25 range 1,500 kms.In addition, about 80 countries have developed and stockpiled deadly chemical and biological weapons. No nation has<strong>the</strong> technical know-how nor enough money <strong>of</strong> destroy<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se weapons <strong>of</strong> mass destruction. Experts say thattwenty times more money will be required to destroy a bomb than was spent <strong>in</strong> its manufacture and that just one percent <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g nuclear stockpile is sufficient to obliterate <strong>all</strong> life on earth.”The children have <strong>the</strong> right to ask, and will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to ask: What are we do<strong>in</strong>g to ourselves and cont<strong>in</strong>ue to do for ourselvesby hoard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>se warheads fully conscious <strong>of</strong> how lethal <strong>the</strong>y are and can be?This publication is sufficient demonstration that <strong>the</strong> whole world is liv<strong>in</strong>g on borrowed times or sitt<strong>in</strong>g on time bombs. Thesole reason why we are <strong>all</strong> alive and are here today is that those <strong>in</strong> control <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bombs have not decided that it is time for<strong>the</strong>m to use <strong>the</strong> bombs. When <strong>the</strong>y decide that <strong>the</strong> time is up, one bomb is sufficient to annihilate <strong>all</strong> <strong>of</strong> us. If one per centis enough to obliterate life on earth, <strong>the</strong>n it is obvious that mank<strong>in</strong>d has very little or no chance <strong>of</strong> survival when any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>seis unleashed onto <strong>the</strong> world.The significant po<strong>in</strong>t that needs to be drummed <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> head <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> heads <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se nuclear powers is that when <strong>the</strong>re isnuclear warfare <strong>the</strong>y, as much as those without nuclear arms, are doomed to perish.What salvation is <strong>the</strong>re for mank<strong>in</strong>d and our children? It is <strong>the</strong> world community where<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se arms are harboredand controlled that can provide <strong>the</strong> salvation and sanctuary for mank<strong>in</strong>d and <strong>the</strong> children we have by our actions brought<strong>in</strong>to this world. That community can function only by <strong>in</strong>ternational law that is enforceable by <strong>the</strong> members with<strong>in</strong> thatcommunity for those members and aga<strong>in</strong>st those members who prove to be recalcitrant.It has to be emphasized that <strong>the</strong> issue is not <strong>the</strong> existence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> law or <strong>in</strong>ternational law. We already have <strong>in</strong> existence aplethora <strong>of</strong> laws and <strong>in</strong>ternational laws. What we need is <strong>in</strong>ternational law that can be enforced, i.e. <strong>the</strong> law that is enforceableby <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational community <strong>the</strong>mselves and at <strong>the</strong> same time capable <strong>of</strong> be<strong>in</strong>genforced aga<strong>in</strong>st non-conformist members <strong>of</strong> that <strong>in</strong>ternational community. That is why itshould be said and said aga<strong>in</strong> and aga<strong>in</strong> that enforceable <strong>in</strong>ternational law is <strong>the</strong> idea whosetime has come.Hon’ble Mr Justice S.A. Brobbey, <strong>Chief</strong>Justice <strong>of</strong> Gambia at <strong>the</strong> Conference(extreme left)Hon’ble Mr Justice S.A. Brobbey, <strong>Chief</strong>Justice <strong>of</strong> Gambia address<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ConferenceThe only solution-Reciprocal respect and protection. What <strong>the</strong>n is <strong>the</strong> salvation for mank<strong>in</strong>dand our children born and unborn? Because those <strong>in</strong> possession <strong>of</strong> nuclear arms areas much at risk as those without <strong>the</strong>m, we <strong>all</strong> must accept to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>, respect and protectenforceable <strong>in</strong>ternational law.It is <strong>the</strong> desire <strong>of</strong> every one <strong>of</strong> us <strong>in</strong> this world to survive any nuclear holocaust. If weaccept that our only survival lies <strong>in</strong> enforceable <strong>in</strong>ternational law <strong>the</strong>n we <strong>all</strong> have <strong>the</strong> bounden--27--

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