Government urged to approve International Criminal Court

The Burundi human rights organisation, Ligue Iteka, has called on the government to ratify the statute of a proposed International Criminal Court (ICC). “This would prove that the government really wants to put an end to impunity,” the organisation said, according to the Net Press news agency. “This court would further develop the ad hoc international criminal tribunals such as those for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.” The organisation noted that the competencies of these tribunals were limited to specific events, whereas an international court could judge all crimes against humanity, all war crimes or genocide crimes committed by any individual in any country.

Ligue Iteka said it could not understand why Burundian politicians wanted an international tribunal for Burundi, but refused to ratify the Rome statute for the ICC. “Those who reject the ICC in the belief that they will stay in power are fooling themselves,” Ligue Iteka warned. “Tomorrow, they could be the victims and will regret that they are not protected from war crimes and genocide crimes by a strong international judiciary.”