Withdrawing from the ICC?
So the last blog I wrote centred around the International Criminal Court (ICC) and how many people on the African continent feel that the ICC targets mostly African leaders as though human rights abuse only happens on this continent.
As you know by now Kenya’s new president, Uhuru Kenyatta as well as his deputy William Ruto and subjects of a court case. In the meantime, African leaders who met in Ethiopia have called for the ICC to defer its trials for Kenya’s leaders.
At an African Union (AU) summit on Saturday some heads of state expressed concerns that the world court is biased against African nations.
Speculation has been rife that the summit has called on all 34 African members to pull out of the ICC, due to what they consider to be the courts bias.It’s been reported that the African Union (AU) is heavily divided over the ICC.
There is also a fundamental divide between African leaders and African people. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan has however warned leaders against the withdrawal. He said it will be a badge of shame for each and every one of them and for their countries if they do that.International lawyers have argued that the whole point of the ICC is to prevent national leaders from using the “shield” of immunity to escape prosecution for the atrocities which some have been accused of carrying out.
The ICC is the world’s first and only global court to adjudicate crimes against humanity and it seems the only way that justice can be done especially for those who have suffered at the hands of dictatorial leaders.It seems to me the call to withdraw from the International Criminal Court is for these leaders and perpetrators of atrocities on the continent to protect their own kind.
Do you think there is any other way that those responsible for crimes against humanity will ever be brought to book without the ICC? Post your comments below.