On the death of Harold Pinter: A Giant Has Died

By Musafir and Dirk Adriaensens

http://brusselstribunal.org/

Sarah Meyer* sent us this essay on Harold Pinter from the Brussells Tribunal of which she is a member:

We are sad to learn that Harold Pinter, honorary member of the BRussells Tribunal, died today, Christmas day 2008, at the age of 78.

The last thing he wrote was a contribution for the 95 Statements commemorating five years of war in Iraq (10 March 2008) - Brussells Tribunal

“The invasion of Iraq was a criminal act.
The occupation of Iraq remains a criminal act.
The British government under Blair and the United States administration are war criminals.
It’s as simple as that.”

The BRussells Tribunal is very sad to lose one of its most outspoken and courageous members. Harold Pinter could have joined the “silent choir” of politicians, journalists, artists, writers who did nothing to prevent the US invasions in Afghanistan, Iraq….. But he did speak, and his Nobel Lecture when he received the Nobel Prize in 2005 , shows a great writer with a conscience, a human being with an aspiration to justice seldom seen.

“The invasion of Iraq was a bandit act, an act of blatant state terrorism, demonstrating absolute contempt for the concept of international law. The invasion was an arbitrary military action inspired by a series of lies upon lies and gross manipulation of the media and therefore of the public; an act intended to consolidate American military and economic control of the Middle East masquerading – as a last resort – all other justifications having failed to justify themselves – as liberation. A formidable assertion of military force responsible for the death and mutilation of thousands and thousands of innocent people. We have brought torture, cluster bombs, depleted uranium, innumerable acts of random murder, misery, degradation and death to the Iraqi people and call it ‘bringing freedom and democracy to the Middle East’.

Harold Pinter, honorary member of the
BRussells Tribunal – Nobel Lecture
07 Dec 2005

It couldn’t be clearer. The Iraqi people, the peace movement worldwide and every honest man who wants to see justice prevail, will remember Harold Pinter not only as one of the greatest authors of his generation, but also as a beacon of wisdom and sanity. Harold Pinter did what every intellectual ought to do: stand against the imperial aspirations of the USA and part of Europe.
 
We will always remember him, and so will the Iraqi people. 
 
For the BRussells Tribunal committee
Dirk Adriaensens

Submitted by Sarah Meyer, correspondent to Axis of Logic. She is also the UK researcher who edits and publishes Index Research