The Sovereign Voice ITNJ Commemorative Issue | Page 22
THE ITNJ: NATURAL JUSTICE UNCHAINED
Article by Justice Dr. Christopher John Cleverly
The mission of the ITNJ is clearly stated: A world in Sometimes defined as ‘to do unto others as you would
which the Earth is honoured; Truth is spoken; Love have them do unto you.’ And there is no reason why
is the basis of all action; and Justice is an organic, this cannot be extended to all sentience: do not pigs
self-fulfilling function of respect for natural law. cry when their piglets are taken from them.
Honour. Truth. Love. Simple words that should It is with this definition as our totem for our tribunal
describe all our interactions. Honour thy mother. that we have sought a way to Natural Justice that is
Truth will set you free. Love thy neighbour. To achieve decentralized and not dictatorial, that intends to be
this mission we must construct a pathway that can authoritative but not the authority. Has there ever
lead humanity to these goals, not down to the lowest been a civilization where more law resulted in more
common denominator but high to that which is our justice? So with this in mind, we have sought these
own personal sovereign. steps as a new type of judicial remedy, the ITNJ and
which is proposed in this review.
The definition of the International Tribunal of Natural
Justice, is clear within its words – what it says on WHAT IS A DECENTRALIZED COURT
the tin is what it is! It is without borders, a system Its not about taking humans (and humanity) out of
of adjudication to enshrine the right of all things to the process with an algorithm swallowing our finest
Natural Justice. instincts and spitting them out in binary. But rather
about putting the greatest amount of humanity into
SO WHAT IS ‘NATURAL JUSTICE’? the process and democratizing what has been for a
Historically, it has been inadequately defined as simply long time (at least in the Anglo Saxon system) an
the rule against bias and the right to a fair hearing. aggressive adversarial system where Might has been
Although laudable aims, these have never been the equated with Right and in other Western systems
whole story viz Natural Justice but rather merely which have aimed to pursue truth through inquiry but
procedural pre-conditions which may facilitate one to where the lack of jeopardy in the process has created
experience Natural Justice in the face of an unnatural an open door for corruption.
wrong. The words ‘Natural’ and ‘Justice’ are not terms
of art, they mean having done to you that which is Critics of the concept of decentralized courts have
your inalienable right. complained that without a State there can be no
enforcement to ensure restitution of damage or
This mission therefore has a goal of what Zulus call, punishment of wrongdoers. These views are largely
Ubuntu. This is variously defined as ‘I am because we a reflection of the modern dream which propagates
are’ or ‘the belief in a universal bond of sharing that the myth that the State is immanent, omniscient and
connects all humanity.’ It is defined by the Golden permanent. It is not. In every sense, it is transient.
Rule, a maxim found in many religions and cultures. If there is any force in the State at all, it is at the will
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