OSTRACISE WAR ARCHITECTS, SAYS DR MAHATHIR

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Former prime minister Dr Mahathir
Mohamad today urged the international community to ostracise those who create
war as a way to punish them.

"These people who have created war and killed so many people should be
regarded as criminals, the people should not associate with them and should
avoid them. Countries should take the same step," he told reporters after
delivering a keynote address at the "Criminalise War Conference and War Crimes
Tribunal 2009" here.

He said as an example, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who visited
Sabah on August, should not be allowed to come to Malaysia because he could also
be regarded a war criminal.

"We know he was in Sabah for holiday but he was actually invited to give a
talk on justice, what does he know about justice? It is disgraceful that we
should allow such a person to come to Malaysia and to talk about justice, it is
ridiculous," he said.

Dr Mahathir had called Blair a war criminal for his role in supporting the
United States in the invasion of Iraq.

The outspoken Dr Mahathir, who is also chairman of the Perdana Global Peace
Organisation, said people including the leaders who launched wars should to be
held accountable for the deaths and destruction resulting from their decision.

"It does not matter whether the aggressors win or not, they must be regarded
as guilty and their leaders must be tried and punished, punished severely. Only
this would deter the aggressive from resorting to war," he said

When asked on why he focused on the U.S as the main target, Dr Mahathir said
the country was the major player in launching the war in Iraq.

"In Iraq, the Americans are the principal players, they are the ones who are
arresting people and detaining them for years and years, torturing them," he
said.

Dr Mahathir said the media can play a big role in making people realise that
war was a crime and to tell the truth about war and killings.


"But the international media will not do so because for them, war is
interesting. The war is nice because you can have a lots of picture, even can
become a brave reporter to go into the war zone.

"War is much more interesting to the media, but I hope good sense will
prevail in the media especially the eastern media not the western media," he
said.

Earlier in his speech, Mahathir said the quest for the most powerful weapon
should really be over as war should no longer be an option in the settlement of
disputes between nations.

"Unfortunately, these great nuclear powers are still developing, testing and
producing more nuclear weapons. They talk of safe nuclear bombs, of small
nuclear bombs and tactical nuclear bombs.

"Already they are using depleted uranium in their bombs and missiles which
are causing diseases like cancer to spread among hundreds of thousands who had
survived their attacks," he said.

--BERNAMA