------------------

To: Mrs. Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
“History teaches that as long as the duty of justice has not been discharged, the spectre of war can re-emerge”, Judge Claude Jorda.

WE, the undersigned, as the people of this planet, call urgently on Mrs. Mary Robinson to set up a committee to investigate the involvement of Ariel Sharon in war crimes against humanity according to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the General Assembly resolutions 260, 2391, 3074 and Security Council resolution 1296 of United Nations, on behalf of the victims of 1982 massacre of Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon. UN’s resolutions have made it clear that the perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and War Crimes should be prosecuted and duly punished. It is also made clear that the total protection of civilians in an occupied country is in the hands of occupying army.

In 1982, Israeli Army was an occupying force in Beirut (Lebanon); according to the international laws they had the responsibility of protection of all civilians under their control. At that time the Israeli Army was under total control of Israeli Defence Ministry, and Ariel Sharon was the Defence Minister. He visited Beirut and pledged total support for the Israeli allied Lebanese Christian Militia. Ariel Sharon himself gave the green light to Lebanese Christian Militia to enter the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in west Beirut, which consequently resulted in the massacre, torture and rape of hundreds of unarmed civilians, mainly women and children.
The Israeli Army was not only monitoring the camps and did nothing to stop the massacre, but as a matter of fact, they paved the path for Militias to enter the camps. They had their direct and clear orders from the Israeli Defence Ministry not to interfere and give free hands and assistance to the Lebanese Christian Militia.

“There was a clear obligation on political and military leaders to take reasonable steps to protect civilians when they made their orders. In a situation where civilians' lives were clearly at risk, the person giving orders was even more responsible than the ones carrying them out”, Judge Richard Goldstone.

With the outbreak of news of massacre in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila, Israeli public was outraged and went on demonstration, and demanded the resignation of Ariel Sharon and an inquiry to the matter. Israeli Knesset took action and sat up a parliamentary committee to investigate Ariel Sharon’s involvement in this inhumane act of atrocity. As result of that inquiry, Ariel Sharon was found responsible for the actions of Lebanese Christian Militia, and consequently forced him to resign from his post as Defence Minister. But of course, as he is an Israeli and these crimes were not committed against Israeli nationals, he was never charged and never appeared in any court of justice in Israel.

Now the time has come, all evidences and documents are gathered and ready to set up an investigation committee in order to bring those responsible ones to justice beyond their social or political status.

May justice prevails and heals the wounds of survived victims.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned