Why Interpol must keep up the pressure in the case of its missing ex-president Meng Hongwei
- Billy Huang says China’s announcement that it has detained Meng raises more questions than answers and Interpol must not let the matter rest
- The case shakes faith in the international policing organisation and is reminiscent of its murky past during the second world war, he says
The statement also said: “The Interpol general secretariat, under the leadership of Secretary General Jürgen Stock, and its National Central Bureaus around the world remain focused on their mission: to help law enforcement officers across the world secure their borders, protect their citizens, prevent and investigate crime, and enhance global police cooperation.”
If Interpol means what it says, it needs to address the world’s concerns before its 87th general assembly session in Dubai in November, at which a new president will be elected for the remaining two years of the current mandate (until 2020).
Watch: Former Interpol chief Meng Hongwei detained in China
Interpol may also need to join hands with other international organisations like the United Nations to ensure China fulfils its obligations to the international community.
In an interview with the French newspaper Courrier international on October 16, Grace Meng revealed that when Interpol inquired about Meng Hongwei’s disappearance with China’s Ministry of Public Security, the head of its international cooperation apparatus said he was merely on holiday.
Apparently, there was a plot behind Meng’s disappearance that warrants further investigation independent of the Chinese government.
Meng’s case casts a pall over Interpol’s image, posing an unprecedented challenge to its reputation and public trust in the organisation. This incident is reminiscent of Interpol’s shady past during the second world war when it shared its headquarters with the Gestapo.
Two war criminals, Reinhard Heydrich, one of the main architects of the Holocaust, and Ernst Kalternburner, chief of the Reich Main Security Office, worked as Interpol presidents.
The Nazi affiliation went on after the war when Interpol elected Paul Dickopf as its president in 1968, a position he held until 1972. Dickopf had been a Schutzstaffel (SS) officer during the war. Are there no checks and balances within Interpol?
In a speech at an Interpol conference in Dublin on May 16, Meng Hongwei pledged to “adhere to neutral and apolitical position on major issues” and admitted objectivity and fairness are very serious issues faced by Interpol.
He even quoted the great Chinese philosopher Mencius as saying, “A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little”. Let’s pursue justice and fairness for Meng himself first. Interpol should not shy away from the cause.
Billy Huang is a media veteran who served leading media outlets in Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and America for more than 20 years. [email protected]