The strong criticism by African countries and most recently, the United States of America against the International Criminal Court, means the court is on the right track of ensuring justice in the world.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in Hague, Christian Mahr, the ICC director division of external operations, said although it does concern them now that there is so much criticism of the court and threats of sanctioning ICC staff, the court is not in existence to please anybody but rather to ensure justice in the world.
He says previously people said the ICC was biased towards Africans, saying this isn't the case. He says the fact that these concerns are coming out shows that the court is busy ensuring that there is no injustice in the world. He says since other countries are trying to withdraw, they are building momentum and calling on other party states to stand up.
"The purpose of the court is not to please anybody, why do states feel threatened. Now that Burundi has left the ICC, we are going to reassure the states. This concerns us a lot," he said.
Mahr they will continue to make their case valid. "And this is where we should be more clear because we are not political and it is up to the court to decide whether a case can be investigated or not," he said.
Mahr also said they are facing funding challenges and asked other states to come in to support the court. The ICC, established through the Rome statute is an international tribunal and intergovernmental organisation that sits in The Hague in the Netherlands.
It has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is currently trying Dominic Ongwen, the former commander of Sania Brigade under the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) for atrocities committed in Odek, Abok, Pajule and Lukodi.
It is also trying former Ivory Coast president, Laurento Gbagbo for crimes against humanity. The court withdrew charges against Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto after they were accused of crimes resulting from Kenya's election violence in 2007-2008.
The court is also considering looking at cases of American soldiers who committed war crimes in Afghanistan.
Comments
Does Acholi/Uganda not have enough Kony, Ongwen...& ICC lets them have babies while in detention?
ICC even allows tribalist Acholi tribal leader to visit prisoner & celebrate kid's birth!!!
ICC never calls for nor offers remuneration to entice witnesses against terrorists , yet expects to condemn these demons & how?
USA politicians are not payed for turning blind eyes to criminals nor help them continue populating USA while in detention!
When wilI CC to be the body it should: protector-defenser of people?
Is there any valid reason for financing UN, ICC...today when FEAR is the order of the day all over, yet more money is demanded by these useless bodies who work to ensure dictators-demon rulers just go on?
When will Dominic Ongwen make the next baby from ICC prison?
True, USA politicians have not done enough to show/tell ICC it MUST start working for the oppressed, instead of locking up terrorists even knowing there won't be wintesses against them as people are either dead or afraid to testify!
African leaders getting at ICC should SHUT UP as it's thanks to them, the continent is a SHITHOLE, yet its leaders are the most well payed & live like gods!
It's because of bad rule by Museveni, S.Sudan-DRCongo-CARepublic... that Kony, Ongwen...exist - Acholi said NO to them, yet they operate from outside Uganda!...
ICC should be the first to know USA is also bogged down with refugees-good life seekers... running away from shitholes ruled by useless selfish who do not know how to govern/develop & give social services to their people!
It's time ICC differentiates good rule from bad one, if it wants to be the body that protects people from terrorists, war mongers, demon rulers, religious extremists!
As things are in Africa, non of its leader has the right nor decency to criticize ICC as it's because of bad rule in Africa that the continent is at war, confusion while development stops in capital cities & dictatorship, oppression of population is normality!...
It's time ICC starts saying NO to African pathetic rulers who are the last to see +80% of the people they call theirs, are in abject poverty!
Bad rule in Africa drives Africans to die crossing seas to get to Europe - Africans are happy dying trying their way out!
ICC MUST get at UN that continues to tolerate bad rule-dictatorship in Africa while UNHCR is happy & asks for more money for refugees!
Why is Kony squatting foreign land & UN forces have not surrounded & teargased to force them out?
Why is UN letting Kony just go on abusing abducted women, making babies with them & building a world apart?
Why is Ongwen making baby while in ICC prison?
Criticising ICC it's already a red big flag upon their wrong deeds.
Like Tesco always says every little helps.
ICC, has so much to do to prove it works for victimes & not let African despots tell the world it's not them the demons who have created the inhuman conditions that lead to war, tribalism, nepotism, corruption...while the continent is being destroyed!
Africa is +70% under 35 years old, yet, it's today a shithole where so called leaders live so well while the young have nothing to even dream of!
Kenya, Zimbabwe, S. Africa that should today be leaders in what governance is, are more lost than the rest of the continent!
Just Honorary Citizenship to B. Obama & family, would give the PUSH Kenya needs to get help to really kick off, but this seem too much for Kenya & they prefere sinking like the rest of Africa!...
...How can the International Community help Africa as they don't come out to give witness to ICC against demons who terrorise/kill them?
Was a Congolese accued of atrocities against his own people not aquited by ICC due to lack of witnesses, then went back to stand as presidential candidate?
Is there any witness against Ongwen who, by the way, continues to populate world while in ICC prison?
Why has UN forces not surrounded the jungle Kony occipies & liberated the abducted, children born in inhuman condition through rape?
Why is Uganda a land tribalism is accepted as normal & tribalists refugees at armed wars against one another are resettled by UN-EU-Israel?
The truth will come out if ICC calls for witnesses with promise to give them money as USA-Europe do in situations where lives of citizens are in danger!
If Ongwen...can just impregnate his woman while in ICC prison, why should the body not pay witnesses so that Ongwen & the likes of him are in prison for real?
As it is, Ongwen will be released as the Congolese war monger because there are no witnesses & ICC cannot condemn them!
Did Amin not go/die free because Ugandans did not bring him to justice?
Well, terrorist Museveni is ruling Uganda in peace & without opposition, yet what will Ugandans do when he will be no more?