11 Jan 2017 - NPWJ News Digest on International Criminal Justice

Articles

Lack of justice over war crimes fuels spiraling violence in Central African Republic: Amnesty
By Reuters, 10 Jan 2017

DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Perpetrators of war crimes including murder and rape in Central African Republic are going unpunished and fuelling worsening violence in the country, Amnesty International said on Wednesday as it called for funds to rebuild the national justice system. Dozens of people suspected of committing war crimes and other rights abuses have avoided investigation and arrest, and some are living alongside their victims in a nation divided along ethnic and religious lines, the human rights group said. "The national justice system is on its knees. It was weak prior to the conflict and collapsed in 2013," Amnesty researcher Ilaria Allegrozzi told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. "Thousands of victims of human rights abuses are still waiting for justice to be served, while individuals who have committed horrific crimes like murder and rape roam free." Central African Republic has been plagued by conflict since March 2013, when mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power, sparking a backlash from Christian anti-balaka militias. Despite a February election seen as a step toward reconciliation, Amnesty said a lack of justice had contributed to an increase in violent clashes in recent months.

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Uganda: Kasese Killings - ICC, Museveni in Showdown?
By All Africa, 09 Jan 2017

Uganda's frosty relations with the International Criminal Court could take a turn for the worse after The Hague court said it would consider a petition by five legislators to open crimes against humanity investigations against the government following the attack in November on the Rwenzururu kingdom palace in Kasese, west of the country. ICC confirmed last week that it had entered the communication in its to-do-list. "This does not mean an investigation has been opened or that one will be opened. We will give consideration to the communication as appropriate," said Mark Dillon, the head of information and evidence unit at the Office of the Prosecutor. According to the Rome Statute that set up the ICC, the OTP has to ask the government of Uganda whether it has capacity or interest to prosecute the issues complained about. Once the ICC is satisfied that the government is not in a position to do so, it can investigate the veracity of the claims to determine if the evidence supports a trial. This could take up to two years, going by the timelines of the Kenyan case arising from the post-election violence of 2007/8.

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Africa's Human Rights Court and the Limits of Justice
By All Africa, 07 Jan 2017

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights is a tribunal established to ensure the protection of human rights across the continent. The court recently celebrated its 10th anniversary - a decade that has been filled with challenges. It was originally set up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2006, but, in August 2007, its headquarters moved to Arusha, Tanzania. Out of the 54 member states of the African Union, only 30 recognise the court. And an even fewer, seven member states, allow NGOs and individuals to file cases. But perhaps, the biggest challenge is that most Africans don't seem to know the court even exists. So, has it failed? What has the court accomplished so far? And how will it move forward to guarantee human rights are protected across Africa? To find out, we sit down with the president and vice president of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Justice Sylvain Ore and Justice Ben Kioko, as they talk to Al Jazeera. Asked about the effectiveness of the court and whether there was any concrete evidence as to what it has achieved for member states, Justice Sylvain Ore believes one of the biggest accomplishments of the court thus far is in favour of freedom of speech.

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Namibian tribes sue Germany alleging colonial genocide
By Al Jazeera, 06 Jan 2017

Two indigenous groups in Namibia have filed a lawsuit against Germany accusing it of genocide committed by colonial rulers more than a century ago. The suit was filed in New York on Thursday by the Ovaherero and Nama people who seek compensation for what their ancestors suffered. They also want to be included in talks between Germany and Namibia on the issue.  The two countries have been in discussions about a joint declaration on massacres carried out by German settlers during the 1900s, although Berlin has repeatedly refused to acknowledge that genocide occurred or to pay compensation. The dispute goes back to the late 19th and early 20th century when then South West Africa, now known as Namibia, was a German colony. 
 
 

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