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5th International Conference of Chief Justices of the WorldAddress byHon’ble Mr Justice Jacobus P. Annandale,Acting Chief Justice of SwazilandThe world as we have come to know it, sometimes referred to as “mother earth” or“planet earth”, has been in existence for millions of years. Modern mankind, as we knowit, has been in existence for only about six thousand years.Our planet has survived the ravages of natural and man-made disasters and though itmight be crippled and wounded, it still provides us with an environment in which we canlive. Were it not for the adverse interference with mother nature, the pollution, waste andexploitation of resources, the world would have been a safer and friendlier place to livein. We do not know for sure how much longer this trend can continue before globalwarming and other consequences of abuse will bring about the ultimate destruction, butit cannot be for much longer.Hon’ble Mr Justice Jacobus P. Annandale,Acting Chief Justice of Swazilandaddressing the ConferenceThe destruction of nations, ethnic groups and cultures has been with us for many generations and civilisations. Throughoutthe carnage and pillage, it has always been the innocent and defenceless who have suffered the most. Terrorism and themeasures to counter it causes untold misery and death.As judges in the courts of the countries of the world, we have noted that greed, selfishness and the lack of consideration forothers have been the recurring theme in countless cases brought before us. As citizens of the world, the same appliesbetween the nations - greed, selfishness and a lack of consideration and respect. History repeats itself in vicious cycles,never ending.The aim of this conference, as those before it, is to seek a solution that goes beyond rhetoric. Not many years ago, we weretold that there are three billion people. Today, the United Nations predict a world population of nine billion people in lessthan one generation ahead. Most of us who are today’s adults will not live to see the inheritance of our children, more thansome two billion at present. It is the children of the world who have no choice but to depend on us for their future. It is ourduty and obligation to bequeath unto them what we would have wanted for ourselves.If the picture that I painted above seems to be tainted with a sense of despair and bleakness, it is because it is the truereality. Today, the future is darker than at anytime in the past. The world’s resources are depleted. The wars betweennations are escalating. The dismantling of the iron curtain was not a magical solution. Religions are abused to justify localand international atrocities and terror. Indeed, objectively and realistically mankind is on the brink of its own self destruction.To permit this conference being termed as useful and successful, we all need to exert ourselves by leaving the comfort zonesof our Judges’ Chambers and ivory towers, entering the battlefield. As St. Paul wrotetwo centuries ago, our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers ofdarkness. How can we do this?Hon’ble Mr Justice Jacobus P. Annandale,Acting Chief Justice of Swazilandreceiving the Conference MementoWithout commenting on the merits of the situation but merely to indicate a clear illustrationof the powerlessness of the biggest international organisation on earth, we need look nofurther than the United Nations. Using all its influence and power, it was unable to enforceits decision regarding the war on Iraq. Right or wrong, the powerful nations defied allresolutions against the war. Under the present order, there is no possibility to enforceUN resolutions against powerful nations, nor to compel them to subject to a body likethe U.N.--31--