Statement by Marco Pannella, MEP


Certainly, the recent capture of Saddam Hussein is the victory of those who have been fighting and are still fighting for the achievement and the extension of fundamental human rights worldwide, and particularly in the Middle East.

It is now necessary not to make further mistakes concerning the conduct of this struggle and this victory; a radical change of weapons is needed; also their shape has to be consistent with the great political and human aim of democracy, freedom and peace in the world, for the world.

It is necessary not to inflict an useless and unworthy humiliation on Saddam, namely his belligerent character which has lasted for the last six months and still continues in spite of his arrest.

It is necessary to negotiate with him an “unconditional surrender” according to the international humanitarian law, in order to put victors and defeated into a legal and respectable framework.

We insist: Saddam’s convenience to go into immune, but not without punishment, exile is the way or the initiative that can allow an effective, great international political choice of conversion in structures, laws and democratic administration of Iraq including the people who live not only in Iraq but within the entire region.

I call on the government and the parliamentary opposition so that, in order to allow and make sure immediately to themselves (and Europe as a whole), they make that specific contribution that has been disastrously lacking so far to all: both the American, the British and the United Nations.