Alfred-Maurice de Zayas Quotes

In the light of continued warmongering by some States, it is apparent that resolutions of the General Assembly, including its resolution 68/28, have not succeeded in reducing tensions.

The existence of zero nuclear weapons may sound utopian, but the effort is required in the name of humanity.

Disarmament is not just an idle promise; it is also a commitment under article 26 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Frequently, military expenditures are “secret” or concealed, thus frustrating the right of citizens to know how their taxes are being spent.

Democracy and self-determination serve the overall goal of enabling human security and human rights.

Representative democracy deserves the predicate “democratic” only if and when parliamentarians genuinely represent their constituents.

The ideal of direct democracy, including the power of legislative initiative of citizens and control of issues through genuine consultation and referenda has been partially achieved only in few countries.

Budget and fiscal transparency are necessary tools to prevent the hijacking of the international order by the international military-industrial complex.

Downsizing military budgets will enable sustainable development, the eradication of extreme poverty, the tackling of global challenges including pandemics and climate change, educating and socializing youth towards peace, cooperation and international solidarity.

I am especially worried about the impact that investor-state-arbitrations (ISDS) have already had and foreseeably will have on human rights, in particular the provision which allows investors to challenge domestic legislation and administrative decisions if these can potentially reduce their profits.

I am concerned about the secrecy surrounding negotiations for trade treaties, which have excluded key stakeholder groups from the process, including labour unions, environmental protection groups, food-safety movements and health professionals.

Article 103 of the UN charter says that if there is a conflict between the provisions of the charter and any other treaty, it is the charter that prevails.

Most worrisome are the ISDS arbitrations, which constitute an attempt to escape the jurisdiction of national courts and bypass the obligation of all states to ensure that all legal cases are tried before independent tribunals that are public, transparent, accountable and appealable.

The bottom line is that these agreements must be revised, modified or terminated.

We don’t want a dystopian future in which corporations and not democratically elected governments call the shots. We don’t want an international order akin to post-democracy or post-law.