Wednesday, 25 November 1998 -- HONG KONG -- Oh joy! There is justice! The British Law Lords have come to a conclusion that the rest of us reached ages ago. Position and absolute power isn't a license to kill. They took their sweet time over it -- debating the ramifications -- but they did come to the right decision.

Happy birthday Augusto! You ain't going home in a hurry. By a three-to-two majority they decided that former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet does not have immunity from prosecution for crimes against humanity simply because he was the head of state.

Okay, so the ruling and possible extradition to Spain on charges of murder, torture and genocide has set something of a precedent -- so what? I guess some of today's dictators will be checking their travel itinerary a little more carefully in future! I suppose what troubled the Law Lords most was that fact that even some of the world's alleged squeaky-clean politicos have a few skellies lurking in their cupboards -- and who knows who knows about them? Heck, in this cyber-age leaders can have summits on the net anyway, who needs to run the risk of detention and extradition?

I guess there is the chance of some loony-tune nation filing extradition requests against any and all political leaders when they travel abroad. To be fair, I suppose their requests would have to be treated in the same way as Spain's claim on Pinochet. Oh boy, looks like fun times ahead for the correspondents who follow PMs and Prezzies around the world!! Better pack for more than a few days, just in case.

This is a landmark ruling -- if future leaders feel they are effectively under 'house arrest' in their own countries and cyperspace -- perhaps they may be encouraged to clean up their act and begin to behave in a manner more in line with international agreements on human and political rights. Most are too smart to allow themselves to be directly linked to atrocities -- but the arrogance of those who don't seem to care has been challenged by the be-wigged Lords who sit in a House that Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair wants to cut off at the knees and fill with political appointees.

I bet members of the ruling military junta in Burma are checking Britain off their list of holiday and shopping destinations! Well, at least for the time being. Reality check. You and I know that this Pinochet thing will prompt changes in international law that will 'guarantee' free passage to any and all thugs who seize power, murder their own citizens and carry fat cheque books to buy military hardware. Or whose country has strategic or economic important to the host. Something like a diplomatic super-pre-nuptual.

Ah well, it was fun while it lasted. Happy 83rd General.

--Chris Gelken