Kirby’s out for justice
WHEN US President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong- un in June, former High Court judge Michael Kirby was paying close attention, torn about the summit.
“On the one hand, the issue of human rights has to be on the table if it is to be factored into the settlement with North Korea,” he said.
“This is the problem – neither President Trump nor ( South Korean) President Moon Jae- in have openly indicated that human rights has to be addressed in order to make North Korea into a country that can be trusted.
“If it continues to be a country that greatly disrespects its citizens, that commits crimes against humanity, that has no secure supply of food for its population, then it’s not going to be a stable country likely to adhere to its promises on nuclear weapons.”
Mr Kirby spoke about the issue while in Townsville to deliver James Cook University’s annual Mayo Lecture, sharing his insights into the spread of nuclear weapons and June’s Singapore summit between the United States and North Korea.
In 2014, Mr Kirby chaired a commission of inquiry established by the United Nations Human Rights Council on human rights violations in North Korea and its report detailed “unspeakable atrocities” committed in political prison camps.
He said the North Korean situ- ation threw up important international legal issues, in particular the International Court of Justice’s 1996 ruling that countries with nuclear weapons must reduce the stockpile.
“This is much more important than virtually any other area of the law,” he said.
“Unless we get this area properly regulated, the risks are accidents, mistakes or deliberate release of nuclear weapons ... that will destroy all of humanity and all living creatures.
“That is what can be done with nuclear weapons – and North Korea has 20 of them.”
This week’s visit was not the first time Mr Kirby has been on the Townsville campus, having been conferred with a honorary doctorate of letters by JCU and times over the years.
He first delivered the Mayo Lecture in 2000, speaking about the international law of human rights.
“I’m going to warn Justice ( Kerry) Cullinane, who delivered the lecture previously, that he better watch out because they might recycle him as well,” he said.
“In fact, I’m expecting that I will be recycled for a third time in years to come because I love coming up here.
“If I deliver the next lecture at a similar interval I’ll only be 98.
“I’m ready, I’m equipped and have a new issue to deal with.
“The world moves on but unless we solve nuclear weapons, the world may not move on.” visiting many I’ll