Supporter of International Criminal Court speaks in Des Moines

A leading activist in creating an International Criminal Court is speaking about the effort in Iowa today. Heather Hamilton is director of programs for the Washington D-C-based World Federalist Association. She says the International Criminal Court will come into being in six to eight weeks.She says the court will be an important new weapon in fighting people like Osama bin Laden. It will be a permanent tribunal capable of ending impunity for individuals who commit the world’s worst crimes. Hamilton says those crimes may include everything from genocide to war crimes and other crimes against humanity.She says states won’t be held accountable, only individuals. It will be based in the Hague in the Netherlands. Hamilton says this is an international story, but she’s in Des Moines today to spread the word, saying it -does- have significant impact in the Hawkeye State.It’s an Iowa story because we’re all affected by these crimes which create refuges who now live in our communities, and we’re all victims of the crimes terrorists commit. Iowa has seen an influx of refugees in recent years from Bosnia, Vietnam, several African nations and even a trickle of people fleeing Afghanistan. Hamilton is scheduled to speak at Drake University at 12:30 p-m.