Bar Council calls on International Lawyers to counter Global Threats to Rule of Law
2 October 2007
Speaking at a dinner to mark the Opening of the Legal Year on Monday evening, Chairman of the Bar, Geoffrey Vos QC has spoken out about the threats to the rule of law around the world. Vos said that promoting the rule of law is a fundamental instrument for forcing change in undemocratic regimes.
He particularly spoke out about abuses to the rule of law in Zimbabwe and Burma, and called on the international legal community to condemn them.
Welcoming international guests, including the President of the American Bar Association, Bill Neukom, to the annual gathering, Vos spoke of the opportunity to promote the rule of law internationally, particularly through the World Justice Project:
"We have so many threats to the rule of law in the world today, that this project is assuming increasing importance.
"We are, perhaps, most immediately concerned by the events in Fiji, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Burma.
"The Zimbabwean regime seems intent on stopping at nothing to suppress the ability of its lawyers to provide legal advice and representation to all members of Society, including members of the opposition. They have been prepared to use violence to prevent peaceful protest, and to use delegated legislation to prevent lawyers earning a living. We need to work with the Zimbabwean lawyers to ensure that they are in the best possible position to ensure the reinstatement of the rule of law should there be a change of regime."
Vos went on to outline the Bar's worries about recent developments in Burma:
"As far as Burma is concerned, the world has witnessed appalling scenes over the last days, with innocent citizens and monks being gunned down and murdered in cold blood. We are issuing a statement condemning the ruthless actions of the Burmese junta. We must all work to persuade the Chinese Government to withdraw is support from the repressive regime.
"These are rule of law abuses that we can I think, all join together in condemning."
Calling on lawyers to play their role, Vos said:
"The more serious point that I want to make tonight, however, is that I feel that we, as lawyers, from many parts of the world, can do more than just preach adherence to the Rule of Law.
"We lawyers can lead by example. We can acknowledge that no country adheres fully to the rule of law. We must acknowledge and understand the different cultural backdrops against which the rule of law comes to be judged in different countries and different continents. We must not judge everyone by our own – or even the same – standards.
"We will only persuade other countries to aspire to adherence to the Rule of Law if we approach our task with humility and the ability to learn from one another. In reality, the rule of law is not a universal concept. It means different things to different nations and we must not assume that we are advocating a universal standard. We will only succeed, as lawyers, in gaining converts to the promotion of the rule of law, if we understand these realities and make allowances for them in the way we advance our cause."
