ICC should stop practising double standards
Feb 21, 2009
As the International Criminal Court (ICC) decides on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir or postpone it as requested by China, the African Union and the Arab League, it ought to know that Africa is not a laboratory fo
As the International Criminal Court (ICC) decides on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir or postpone it as requested by China, the African Union and the Arab League, it ought to know that Africa is not a laboratory for testing its international law.
Yes, I agree that the culture of impunity should not be given a place in our society, but what beats my understanding is why is Africa always targeted by the ICC as if atrocities are not being committed elsewhere in the world. Just recently, Israel went on a killing spree in broad daylight in what left a lot to be desired, but ICC decided to turn a blind eye.
ICC should stop practicing double standards if it wants to be taken serious. It should also go for those who think they are untouchable — the US and its allies for turning countries like Iraq and Afghanistan the worst places on earth to live in. It should know when it is time for peace and not, before embarking on issuing arrest warrants against any individual and the likely consequences of such a move to the region.
Currently, those who have borne the brunt of the conflicts (the AU, etc) are saying that an indictment of Bashir could destabilise the region, worsen the conflict in Darfur and threaten a troubled peace deal between North Sudan and the semi-autonomous South, but Ocampo and others, who are sitting in air-conditioned offices in The Hague, do not give a damn about it.
Let us emphasise the factors that led to those conflicts rather than the events. ICC, the world is watching!
Umaru M. Kashaka
IUIU, Mbale
Yes, I agree that the culture of impunity should not be given a place in our society, but what beats my understanding is why is Africa always targeted by the ICC as if atrocities are not being committed elsewhere in the world. Just recently, Israel went on a killing spree in broad daylight in what left a lot to be desired, but ICC decided to turn a blind eye.
ICC should stop practicing double standards if it wants to be taken serious. It should also go for those who think they are untouchable — the US and its allies for turning countries like Iraq and Afghanistan the worst places on earth to live in. It should know when it is time for peace and not, before embarking on issuing arrest warrants against any individual and the likely consequences of such a move to the region.
Currently, those who have borne the brunt of the conflicts (the AU, etc) are saying that an indictment of Bashir could destabilise the region, worsen the conflict in Darfur and threaten a troubled peace deal between North Sudan and the semi-autonomous South, but Ocampo and others, who are sitting in air-conditioned offices in The Hague, do not give a damn about it.
Let us emphasise the factors that led to those conflicts rather than the events. ICC, the world is watching!
Umaru M. Kashaka
IUIU, Mbale