Africans Have Duty To Promote Justice

By William Y. Owusu

Monday, 04 December 2006
Every African has an important role to play in the continent’s efforts to check impunity and restore justice, peace and security, says Professor Akua Kuenyehia, First Vice-President of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

She has therefore called on the civil society and non-governmental organizations as well as religious bodies to give effective support to the court so that, “African leaders, who for selfish reasons are reluctant to co-operate with the ICC will be compelled to work with us.”


Professor Kuenyehia made the call in Accra on Thursday, when delivering a lecture on the topic “The International Criminal Court: Ending impunity-restoring peace and justice in Africa.”


It was organised by Africa Legal Aid (AFLA), an independent Pan-African human rights organisation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.


Prof. Kuenyehia noted that more NGOs, CSOs and other groups were needed to concentrate on “shattering the myths and misconceptions that many people in Africa have about the work of the ICC”.


When this is achieved, it will take Africa a notch higher in the preservation of its peace, security and ultimately sustainable development.”


She said apart from the NGOs and other organisations, the ICC needs the total co-operation of the already existing regional and international bodies such as the AU, ECOWAS, SADC and EAC that are working hard to promote and maintain peace in Africa.


The ICC, Prof. Kuenyehia observed, was undoubtedly one of the most ambitious additions to the efforts by the international community to deal with the problem of conflicts and impunity with the resultant disruption and pain caused to whole communities.


“Obviously as a new institution, the ICC faces a number of challenges in discharging its mandate as spelt out by the Rome Statute and its other additional documents,” she said.


“What is important is that it is an institution that has something to contribute to the search for peace, security and the rule of law, not only in Africa but in all parts of the world where conflicts have ravaged societies,” she added.


Africa, she noted, happened to be the current focus of the court because of the referrals of specific cases by sovereign states for investigation and possible prosecutions.


The lecture attracted a large number of people from the civil society and non-governmental organisations, the media and some judges and lawyers.


The ICC is an independent permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.