Interview with Dr. Carlos Argüello, Representative of Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice in The Hague
with Journalist Juan Cortez of Multinoticias, Channel 4
April 30th 2024
Juan Cortez
The Focus of Sandinista Dignity. Now, we have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Carlos Argüello, who is Nicaragua's Representative at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Greetings Dr. Carlos Argüello.
Dr. Carlos Argüello
A very good morning. Greetings.
Juan Cortez
Doctor, Nicaragua filed an important lawsuit over violation of the Genocide Convention, this for Germany’s open support, political, financial and military support to Israel, against Palestine. Can you explain to us, what the Court ruled today?
Dr. Carlos Argüello
Well, today’s was a Preliminary Ruling, speaking in, let’s say, more intelligible terms. That is, right now what we had requested is a kind of Preventive Embargo. We filed the Lawsuit and at the same time asked for a kind of preventive measure, speaking in perhaps more understandable terms, in the sense of guaranteeing the outcome of our lawsuit. And what we have asked right now is that, while the lawsuit is being processed, Germany stop sending weapons to Israel, and that it continues financing the Refugee Organization, the UNRWA as it is called, which Germany had stopped since January.
So, the court now decided that Germany had basically already complied with that, because it had already resumed financing, and it offered to and demonstrated that it was no longer sending armaments to Israel. So the Court said that as long as that didn't change, it wasn't necessary to give an order banning something that wasn't happening anymore.
Now, what does that mean? The trial is actually just starting, so right now what we are going to is already the part where the evidence is going to be presented and we will get to the bottom of the case.
It is very clear that what the Court was saying or what it has ruled now, they simply were not (...) in violation at this time, but Germany had said that indeed in October it had been funding Israel, but that now it had decreased and the funding had practically ceased.
So what the Court's Order says is that if circumstances change, that is, if Germany starts financing again, then we simply resort to the Court again, this at the same time that the Trial is continuing, because these are incidental moves within the Trial; so, it is not the main Trial, the main Trial is taking its course right now.
The important thing in this case is that the Court emphasized that it did not give the order right now to desist, because it had already ceased, but it reminded again of the obligation that Germany has, like all countries that have been helping Israel, the obligation that they have to respect the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions on Humanitarian Law.
Because the position is not only that Israel is violating the Genocide Convention, which it is obviously doing, but it is violating all the Laws of War, because to be dropping one-ton bombs on the population is nothing more than a violation of the Laws of War that have existed for possibly centuries, it is not even a matter of recent times.
The Court recalled all this and reminded them again of the obligation they have to respect. So, in conclusion, the Trial is continuing, the Court itself reaffirmed, because Germany, to cap it all, had asked the Court to say that it should not continue the Trial; obviously, the Court said that the Trial is continuing, since the Trial is just starting.
So, that's pretty much the situation right now. For us it is satisfactory, because first, the Court said that we are right to say that Germany, like all Countries that are helping Israel, have the obligation to cease doing so and to respect the Conventions that order the cessation of aid to a Country that is committing genocide and violating the Laws of War. So, at that point is where we are more or less so far.
Juan Cortez
As we talk, Doctor Arguello, the genocide against Palestine is continuing at this very moment. Do you consider that these efforts like Nicaragua's, with the Lawsuit against Germany, are important to stop, to influence in some way against this barbarism that is being committed against the Palestinian People?
Dr. Carlos Argüello
That is actually what we think. The Nicaraguan Presidency had ordered that we use all means by which we could contribute to seek to put an end to this genocide and this massacre being carried out against the Palestinian People.
We consider that what happened just now is a warning, not only for Germany obviously, because the Court did it in a generalized way; that is, reminding everyone of the obligation they have to respect these laws. So, for us it is a wake-up call and it is a bid to say “watch out” to what they are doing, to all countries, not only to Germany.
Germany is the second largest contributor to Israel, after the United States, but there are also others, such as the United Kingdom, such as Canada, all these countries have to be clear about what the Court said right now and what it is remembering.
Of course, Nicaragua's intention is to try to stop this collaboration, because if it did not exist, things would probably have been worked out by now and the situation would be completely different.
As we have said on other occasions and it has been pointed out in other Forums, what happened in South Africa when Apartheid was in place was that, while all countries continued to collaborate with the racist regime, the racist regime continued to prevail. When the decision was taken and collaboration ceased internationally, the racist regime fell and disappeared. So we consider that once the support for Israel stops, that may well happen.
Juan Cortez
Doctor, thank you, and do you have any closing comments.
Dr. Carlos Argüello
No. Rather, thank you for your attention.
Interview with Dr. Carlos Argüello, Representative of Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice in The Hague
with Journalist Juan Cortez of Multinoticias, Channel 4
April 30th 2024
Juan Cortez
The Focus of Sandinista Dignity. Now, we have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Carlos Argüello, who is Nicaragua's Representative at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Greetings Dr. Carlos Argüello.
Dr. Carlos Argüello
A very good morning. Greetings.
Juan Cortez
Doctor, Nicaragua filed an important lawsuit over violation of the Genocide Convention, this for Germany’s open support, political, financial and military support to Israel, against Palestine. Can you explain to us, what the Court ruled today?
Dr. Carlos Argüello
Well, today’s was a Preliminary Ruling, speaking in, let’s say, more intelligible terms. That is, right now what we had requested is a kind of Preventive Embargo. We filed the Lawsuit and at the same time asked for a kind of preventive measure, speaking in perhaps more understandable terms, in the sense of guaranteeing the outcome of our lawsuit. And what we have asked right now is that, while the lawsuit is being processed, Germany stop sending weapons to Israel, and that it continues financing the Refugee Organization, the UNRWA as it is called, which Germany had stopped since January.
So, the court now decided that Germany had basically already complied with that, because it had already resumed financing, and it offered to and demonstrated that it was no longer sending armaments to Israel. So the Court said that as long as that didn't change, it wasn't necessary to give an order banning something that wasn't happening anymore.
Now, what does that mean? The trial is actually just starting, so right now what we are going to is already the part where the evidence is going to be presented and we will get to the bottom of the case.
It is very clear that what the Court was saying or what it has ruled now, they simply were not (...) in violation at this time, but Germany had said that indeed in October it had been funding Israel, but that now it had decreased and the funding had practically ceased.
So what the Court's Order says is that if circumstances change, that is, if Germany starts financing again, then we simply resort to the Court again, this at the same time that the Trial is continuing, because these are incidental moves within the Trial; so, it is not the main Trial, the main Trial is taking its course right now.
The important thing in this case is that the Court emphasized that it did not give the order right now to desist, because it had already ceased, but it reminded again of the obligation that Germany has, like all countries that have been helping Israel, the obligation that they have to respect the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions on Humanitarian Law.
Because the position is not only that Israel is violating the Genocide Convention, which it is obviously doing, but it is violating all the Laws of War, because to be dropping one-ton bombs on the population is nothing more than a violation of the Laws of War that have existed for possibly centuries, it is not even a matter of recent times.
The Court recalled all this and reminded them again of the obligation they have to respect. So, in conclusion, the Trial is continuing, the Court itself reaffirmed, because Germany, to cap it all, had asked the Court to say that it should not continue the Trial; obviously, the Court said that the Trial is continuing, since the Trial is starting.
So, that's pretty much the situation right now. For us it is satisfactory, because first, the Court said that we are right to say that Germany, like all Countries that are helping Israel, have the obligation to cease doing so and to respect the Conventions that order the cessation of aid to a Country that is committing genocide and violating the Laws of War. So, at that point is where we are more or less so far.
Juan Cortez
As we talk, Doctor Arguello, the genocide against Palestine is continuing at this very moment. Do you consider that these efforts like Nicaragua's, with the Lawsuit against Germany, are important to stop, to influence in some way against this barbarism that is being committed against the Palestinian People?
Dr. Carlos Argüello
That is actually what we think. The Nicaraguan Presidency had ordered that to use all means by which we could contribute to seek to put an end to this genocide and this massacre being carried out against the Palestinian People.
We consider that what happened just now is a warning, not only for Germany obviously, because the Court did it in a generalized way; that is, reminding everyone of the obligation they have to respect these laws. So, for us it is a wake-up call and it is a bid to say “watch out” to what they are doing, to all countries, not only to Germany.
Germany is the second largest contributor to Israel, after the United States, but there are also others, such as the United Kingdom, such as Canada, all these countries have to be clear about what the Court said right now and what it is remembering.
Of course, Nicaragua's intention is to try to stop this collaboration, because if it did not exist, thinss would probably have been worked out by now and the situation would be completely different.
As we have said on other occasions and it has been pointed out in other Forums, what happened in South Africa when Apartheid was in place was that, while all countries continued to collaborate with the racist regime, the racist regime continued to prevail. When the decision was taken and collaboration ceased internationally, the racist regime fell and disappeared. So we consider that once the support for Israel stops, that may well happen.
Juan Cortez
Doctor, thank you, and do you have any closing comments.
Dr. Carlos Argüello
No. Rather, thank you for your attention. Here we are in the struggle, contributing in whatever way we can for our Palestinian Brothers, who have been such a long-suffering People, that, frankly, they need every support from all of us and everything we can do. Thank you very much, and a greeting to everyone.
Juan Cortez
Thank you very much, Dr. Carlos Argüello, and we will be watching the development of this Lawsuit by Nicaragua against Germany, for crimes, for genocide.
. Thank you very much, and a greeting to everyone.
Juan Cortez
Thank you very much, Dr. Carlos Argüello, and we will be watching the development of this Lawsuit by Nicaragua against Germany, for crimes, for genocide.