CICC-AFRICA Newsletter of the Coalition for the ICC

Transcription

1 COALITION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT In this issue, we feature a number of important developments, of which the most notable is ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo s 14 July 2008 warrant request for Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur, Sudan. The Prosecutor s decision generated strong reactions, particularly from the African Union and the Arab League. Earlier in June, the Prosecutor reminded the UN Security Council that the outstanding warrants issued last year for Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmad Harun and militia rebel Ali Kushayb have yet to be executed and that Sudan was still refusing to cooperate with the Court. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Lubanga case was about to become the first trial of the ICC, however, it was suspended on 16 June for procedural matters related to the non-disclosure of a number of potentially exculpatory documents (which show or tend to show the innocence of the accused, mitigate the guilt of the accused or may affect the credibility of the Prosecution s evidence). As of now, Thomas Lubanga CICC-Africa Editorial Team CICC-AFRICA Newsletter of the Coalition for the ICC Editorial Note Welcome to the 10th issue of CICC-Africa! remains in detention. On 26 September 2008, the ICC confirmed most charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, thereby sending their case to trial. Less then a month following the ICC Prosecutor s request to issue an arrest warrant for President Al Bashir, President of the Central African Republic (CAR), Francois Bozize, sent a letter to the UN requesting the suspension of the ICC investigation in CAR arguing that it could jeopardize the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. As for Jean-Pierre Bemba s case, following his first appearance before the Court, his confirmation of charges hearing, initially set for 4 November 2008 was postponed to 8 December. The work of the Court in Uganda remains stalled as arrest warrants for Joseph Kony and his commanders in the Lord s Resistance Army (LRA) have yet to be executed. According to reports, the peace process for Northern Uganda is not progressing; instead there are a number of reports of increased LRA violence spilling over to other countries in the region. In addition to coverage of these major developments, you will find an overview of the next Assembly of States Parties of the ICC that will be held in The Hague from November 2008; an interview with Marie-Edith Douzima, coordinator of the CAR Coalition for the ICC and an article announcing the launch of the movie Lady ICC. Finally, this tenth issue will feature a report on the CICC s celebration of the 10 th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in Africa with key events in South Africa, Nigeria and Benin; the CICC universal ratification campaign calling for Cameroon to ratify the Rome Statute; and an update by the CICC Africa Section on ratification and implementation developments on the continent. We hope you will enjoy this issue and encourage you to send questions and comments to: Gueye@iccnow.org Sincerely, CICC-Africa Team Editorial For more information on the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), please go to : ISSUE 10 NOVEMBER 2008 CONTENT Assembly of States Parties to the ICC ICC News in Sudan 3 ICC News in DRC 4 ICC News in CAR and Uganda Interview with Marie-Edith Douzima Lady ICC: A Popular Theater Piece about the ICC Cameroon urged to ratify 10th Anniversray of the Rome Statute: A time to renew commitment Photo Gallery Regional Updates Photo Gallery Regional Updates/Photo Gallery Events/Ratification Charts/Transition Contacts 14 The Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is a global network of over 2,500 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocating for a fair, effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC). Linda Gueye CICC Senior French Communications Officer and Coordinator of CICC-Africa Steven Lamony CICC Outreach Liaison for Africa Francis Dako CICC Regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa Benson Chinedu Olugbuo CICC Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa Fátima da Camara CICC Lusophone Campaign Advisor Anaga Dalal CICC Head of Information and Communications Brigitte Suhr CICC Director of Regional Programs

2 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 2 Assembly of States Parties to the ICC Resumed Sixth Session of the ASP From 2 to 6 June 2008, the Sixth Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) resumed at UN Headquarters in New York. Although the crime of aggression was at the center of discussions, the ASP also discussed issues pertaining to the Review Conference, the Oversight Committee as well as budgetary matters. Crime of Aggression The Special Working Group on the Crime of Aggression (SWGCA) held discussions based on the revised discussion paper proposed by the Chairman of the SWGCA, Ambassador Christian Wenaweser. Since progress was achieved on a series of technical aspects of its definition, future discussions will focus on more politically sensitive issues such as the conditions for the exercise of jurisdiction by the Court over the crime of aggression. Review Conference The Assembly requested the Bureau to continue working on the preparation of the Review Conference which will be held during the first semester of A final decision on the venue of the conference should be made during the seventh session of the ASP in November The venue options are the United Nations facilities in New York, The Hague or a third option. Regarding the latter, the governments of Uganda and of Argentina have offered to host the conference in Kampala and Buenos Aires respectively. Fore more information on the resumed Sixth ASP session, please visit CICC Bulletin n 5 Bulletin_no51.pdf or visit the Court s website: Seventh Session of the ASP View of the podium from the plenary hall. Credit: ICC-CPI Eloi Urwhodi, CICC member and coordinator of the Congolese NGO LIPADHO speaking before the ASP. Credit: CICC The Seventh Session will be held in The Hague, The Netherlands, from 14 to 22 November A number of important issues may be addressed during the Assembly: - The consideration of the ICC proposed budget for 2009 of million euros (13.5% increase from 2008) and the recommendations of the Committee on Budget and Finance (CBF) to reduce the proposed budget to million. -The urgent need for cooperation and assistance in executing the warrants of arrest and surrender of suspects and the freezing and seizing of their assets; the protection and assistance to victims and witnesses; and the need to implement the Rome Statute at the national level; -The consideration of the annual report of the Trust Fund for Victims of the ICC and issues such as its regulations and the 2009 budget of the Trust Fund s Secretariat; - An informal presentation by the ICC and its field staff on its outreach activities over the past years; -The CBF recommendation to cut major resources for the implementation of its legal aid scheme; -A policy discussion on options for financing family visits to indigent detainees; -The creation of an independent oversight mechanism; -The preparations for Review Conference; -The crime of aggression; and -The financing options for the construction of new ICC premises. Resumed Seventh ASP From 19 to 23 January 2009, during the first resumed Seventh ASP at UN Headquarters in New York, two elections will take place: the election of 6 ICC judges and 6 members of the Committee on Budget and Finance.

3 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 3 ICC News in Sudan ICC Prosecutor requests arrest of Sudanese President Al-Bashir On 14 July 2008, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo requested Pre-Trial Chamber I to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Al- Bashir based on evidence that, according to Mr. Ocampo, Al Bashir masterminded and implemented a plan to destroy in substantial part the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups, on account of their ethnicity. Three years after the Security Council requested him to investigate Darfur, and based on the evidence collected, the Prosecutor has concluded that there exist reasonable grounds to believe that Omar Al Bashir bears criminal responsibility for 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Reactions: The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization the Sudan Organization against Torture (SOAT) welcome today's announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on the request for an arrest warrant against Omar Hassan Al-Bashir. [ ] This is the first time judicial evidence is presented to prove that the crime of genocide has been perpetrated in Darfur. The Prosecutor's filing confirms that the highest authority of the government has been personally involved in planning the mass campaign of violence against the population of Darfur. We believe that disclosing this evidence and indicting Al-Bashir could contribute to stability in the region - Souhayr Belhassen, President of FIDH. The African Union calls for the adoption of Article 16 in the Darfur case Following the ICC Prosecutor s request for an arrest warrant for President Al Bashir, the African Union and the Arab League expressed concerns that a possible indictment of President Al Bashir could jeopardize the current peace process in Sudan. They requested a suspension of the investigation by invoking Article 16 of the Rome Statute that provides for the deferral of ICC investigations for a period of 12 month. In a statement released on 21 July, the Peace and Security Council of the AU requested the United Nations Security Council to defer the process initiated by the ICC, taking into account the need to ensure that the ongoing peace efforts are not jeopardized, as well as the fact that, [under] the current circumstances, a prosecution may not be in the interest of the victims and justice. In reaction to the call for a suspension of the ICC investigation in Darfur, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated, should the Sudanese authorities radically change their politics, France would not be opposed to the use of Article 16. On 22 September 2008, Human Rights Watch urged the African Union not to trad[e] away justice in Darfur while for International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Amnesty International, the compromise would be the worst step backward in the recent history of international criminal justice. Reactions: Despite the immense magnitude of suffering and unimaginable pain of our people, we have witnessed many governments and international experts condemn Mr. Moreno-Ocampo s decision with some of the same justifications and rationales as President Al Bashir and the Government of Sudan [ ].These criticisms ignore the Darfuri voices that uniformly approve of the ICC s efforts and view the ICC as the only available outlet to secure justice and accountability for the crimes committed in Darfur since Darfuri Leader Network The UN Security Council urges Sudan to cooperate with the ICC On 5 June 2008, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo presented his seventh report on Darfur to the United Nations Security Council. During his briefing, Mr. Moreno-Ocampo denounced the continuing lack of cooperation of the government of Sudan with the Court one year after the arrest warrants for Ahmed Harun and Ali Kushayb were first issued. The Prosecutor also revealed that he would present a second case to ICC judges in July, focusing on government support for the commission of atrocities, and reiterated his call for the Security Council to issue a presidential statement requesting Sudan s compliance. On 16 June, the Council issued a presidential statement urging the government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur to cooperate fully with the Court, consistent with resolution 1593 (2005), in order to put an end to impunity for the crimes committed in Darfur. Reactions: The Darfur Consortium welcomed the adoption by the Security Council [ ] of a Presidential Statement in support of the ICC investigation in Darfur. The Presidential Statement is a victory for the people of Darfur, who have for two long looked on with frustration as the government of Sudan has brazenly flouted the will of the Council. As a statement of the unanimous sentiment of the Council, the Presidential Statement sends a powerful message to Khartoum indicating that its defiance will no longer pass unchallenged" - Dismas Nkunda, Co-Chair of the Darfur Consortium UN Security Council considers situation in Sudan. Credit: UN Photo/Jenny Rockett Sudan should take [the] Presidential Statement as a very serious warning. Sudan no longer has a free pass with the Security Council. That the United States, as the president of the Council, supported this statement shows that even countries that are not members of the ICC have completely lost patience with the government of Sudan. - Betsy Apple, Director of the Crimes against Humanity Program at Human Rights First.

4 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 4 ICC News in DRC Lubanga Trial Suspended The case against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, which was on track to become the first case of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reach trial suffered a setback. On 13 June the Trial Chamber I imposed a stay of proceedings in the Lubanga case. According to the Chamber, the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) had withheld more than 200 potentially exculpatory documents provided by the United Nations (UN) and NGOs that raised concerns that Lubanga could be denied his right to a fair trial if the Defense could not access such evidence. The OTP argued that the condition of confidentiality (under article 54(3)(e) of the Rome Statute) prevented it from disclosing such documents to the Trial Chamber and the Defense since the information providers would first have had to consent to its release. On 23 June, the OTP appealed the decision to stay the proceedings. Although the UN eventually agreed to disclose Child soldiers operating in the Ituri district, DRC. Credit: Katsuo/Yusuke Takagi some of the documents, the Trial Chamber felt that there were still too many restrictions on the potentially exculpatory evidence to ensure a fair trial and ruled to reject the OTP s appeal. Subsequently, on 2 July Trial Chamber I ordered the unconditional release of Thomas Lubanga. The OTP appealed the decision and Lubanga has remained in detention pending a resolution of the matter. On 21 October, the Appeals Chamber confirmed the Trial Chamber s decision to suspend the Lubanga trial but rejected its order to release Thomas Lubanga. While the Appeals Chamber s was considering whether the initial decision to stay the proceedings and release Mr Lubanga was correct, the Prosecutor has achieved some progress with regards to the information providers, resulting in increased possibility to share documents with the relevant Chambers. Once the Trial Chamber is convinced that a fair trial is possible, it can lift the stay and move forward to trial. Meanwhile, as decided by the Appeals chamber, it will also reconsider whether the conditions for keeping Lubanga in detention are met. Reactions: We really regret the decision of the ICC Trial Chamber to suspend the proceedings in the Lubanga case. Although the rights of the accused must be respected, the interest of victims should not be forgotten. Today we live in a context of renewed recruitment of child soldiers and increased perpetration of rape in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since this decision, which gives the impression that the Court is incapable of prosecuting criminals even when they are behind bars. [ ] In addition, children and human rights advocates have become increasingly victims of threats. Bukeni T. Waruzi, Witness (Former Director and Founder of (AJEDI-Ka/PES Youth Development and Integration/Child Soldiers Project)) The suspension of the Lubanga case is related to a procedural matter. The ICC Appeals Chamber confirmed that Lubanga would remain in detention which is an important decision because if Thomas Lubanga was to be released, the ICC would need to ensure that he does not return to Ituri but be transferred to another region in DRC where his safety will be guaranteed. In either case, the ICC needs to make sure that the population in eastern DRC clearly understands what is going on by intensifying its outreach work in the region (through local radio, television ). Bernadette Ntumba, Association of Christian Mothers for the Assistance of the Vulnerable (AMCAV) ICC sends case against Katanga and Ngudjolo to trial On 26 September 2008, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed all but three of the alleged charges in the case against Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, sending the case against them to trial. Pre-trial judges found sufficient evidence to try Katanga and Ngudjolo for seven counts of war crimes and three counts of crimes against humanity. They found insufficient evidence to try Katanga and Ngudjolo for inhuman treatment, outrages upon personal dignity and inhumane acts. The alleged crimes were committed in the village of Bogoro in the Ituri district of eastern DRC from January to March The trial is expected to start in The CICC will not take a position on potential or current situations before the Court. The Coalition, however, will continue to provide the most up-to-date information about the ICC.

5 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 5 ICC News in CAR CAR President Francois Bozize. Credit: UNDP/ hdptcar.net CAR Government calls the UN Security Council to suspend ICC investigation In an official letter dated 1 August 2008 François Bozizé, President of the Central African Republic (CAR), wrote the UN Secretary-General to express his concerns over a letter he received from Luis Moreno- Ocampo, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He explained that sustained attention needed to be paid to the acts of violence committed in the north of the Central African Republic [ ]. The ICC initially indicated that it was focusing on crimes allegedly committed in CAR during the period 25 October 2002 to 15 March Arguing that a potential investigation by the ICC into crimes committed after this period would jeopardize the Comprehensive Peace Agreement were any of the combatants to be arrested and that CAR tribunals are competent to try cases involving acts committed during the periods covered by amnesty laws, Bozizé requested the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution suspending the investigation of the Court in CAR in accordance with Article 16 of the Rome Statute. Bemba s first appearance before the ICC Following his arrest in Belgium on 24 May 2008, Jean Pierre Bemba, former vice-president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and president of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC) accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Central African Republic (CAR) in , remained in detention until his transfer to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 3 July. On 4 July, Bemba appeared for the first time before the judges of Pre-Trial Chamber III with his Duty Counsels who raised issues related to the procedure of the arrest and transfer of Jean-Pierre Bemba to the Court. The confirmation of charges hearing which was initially set for 4 November 2008 was postponed to 8 November. Meanwhile, the Portuguese authorities reportedly seized Bemba s property at the behest of the Court. Jean-Pierre Bemba before the ICC. Credit: ICC-CPI ICC News in Uganda ICC, UN and EU reassert need to bring LRA rebels to trial On 6 October 2008, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC publicly called for renewed efforts to arrest top LRA commanders Joseph Kony, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen in the light of serious and converging information on attacks by the LRA against civilians in the DRC. On 21 October 2008, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II requested the DRC provide information on the measures taken for the execution of the same arrest warrants. The same day, the UN Security Council issued a Presidential Statement recalling outstanding warrants of arrest for LRA leaders, while the European parliament adopted a resolution on the indictment and bringing to trial of Joseph Kony. Chamber looks into admissibility of LRA case On 21 October 2008, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II issued a decision initiating proceedings under article 19(1) of the Rome Statute, meaning that the Chamber decided on its own initiative to look into the admissibility of the case against Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen. The move came in light of 2 submissions made by Uganda on the Status of Execution of the Warrants of Arrest in March and July These submissions refer in particular to the creation of the Special Division of the High Court of Uganda and the jurisdiction of the ICC over the Case. The Republic of Uganda and participants in the case were invited to submit their observations on this issue by 10 November The CICC will not take a position on potential or current situations before the Court. The Coalition, however, will continue to provide the most up-to-date information about the ICC.

6 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 6 Interview with Marie-Edith Douzima CICC-Africa sat down with Marie-Edith Douzima, coordinator of the Central African Coalition for the ICC to get her reaction to President Bozize s request to suspend ICC investigation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the latest adoption of the amnesty law. Marie-Edith Douzima also provides an update on the status of the draft implementation law and ICC outreach activities in CAR. CICC-Africa: The President of the Central African Republic (CAR), François Bozizé, sent a letter to the UN Security Council requesting the International Criminal Court (ICC) s investigation in CAR be suspended because according to him, the ICC investigation could jeopardize the Peace Agreement. He also added that CAR national tribunals are capable of prosecuting crimes committed during the period covered by the amnesty laws (beginning 15 March 2003 until now). What is your reaction? Marie-Edith Douzima: His decision to call for the suspension of the ICC investigation is quite a paradox. The CAR government was the one that referred the situation to the ICC because our national jurisdiction was unable to prosecute the alleged crimes. All parties to the armed conflict in CAR had unanimously agreed that perpetrators of Rebel camp in the north-eastern Central Africa Republic. Credit: hdptcar crimes in the Rome Statute of the ICC would still be held accountable for their acts, regardless of their signature of the peace agreement. They had even agreed that the amnesty law should not cover such crimes. Given these particulars, how could the ICC investigation jeopardize the peace agreement? In addition, the Cour de Cassation (the highest criminal court in CAR) declared two years ago that national tribunals were not capable of prosecuting crimes covered by the Rome Statute. How can national tribunals do so today, particularly when the Rome Statute has yet to be implemented into CAR legislation? CICC-Africa: What is the status of the draft implementation law? Marie-Edith Douzima: The draft implementation law was sent to the Ministry of Justice last year. The committee in charge of reviewing the draft law lacks the financial and material capacity to finalize the process. One of the recommendations made in April 2008 by the organizing committee for Inclusive Political Dialogue (a committee made up of members of the present Government, politico-military groups and civil society) was that the National Assembly should adopt the draft implementation law in early CICC-Africa: The President promulgated an amnesty law which does not cover crimes included in the Rome Statute. However, CAR human rights organizations and opposition parties rejected it. Can you tell us why? Marie-Edith Douzima: While the peace agreement refers to a single amnesty law, the government proposed three draft amnesty laws to the National Assembly which benefited some parties involved in the conflict more than others. Opposition parties and rebel groups rightfully denounced this move. Deputies invited human rights organizations to propose a single draft amnesty law that these same deputies ended up approving. However, last minute changes were made before the draft law was adopted. For instance, while the law is supposed to refrain from mentioning individuals, amendments were adopted which named Ange Félix Patassé (former CAR President), Jean Jacques Demafouth (leader of APRD rebel group) and Martin Koumtamadji alias Abdoulaye Miskine (leader of FDPC rebel group) as beneficiaries of the amnesty law. In addition, the amnesty law provides a deadline of 60 days from the date of its promulgation to cease violence, disarm, and demobilize or risk losing the benefits of the amnesty. However, this provision applies only to rebel groups. Therefore, this new amnesty law effectively undermines efforts to reach a consensus. CICC-Africa: Are there any new developments regarding ICC outreach activities towards victims in CAR? Marie-Edith Douzima: We have not seen much progress in the Court s outreach activities towards victims. Before the opening of the ICC investigation in CAR, the CAR Coalition for the ICC had begun some outreach activities towards the population. The CAR Coalition developed a common outreach strategy with the Court in February 2008, but nothing has been achieved since then. In July 2008, during the first visit of the ICC Registrar, Silvana Arbia, to CAR, we raised our concerns about the lack of advancement of ICC outreach activities in CAR. We are still hoping that the ICC will increase its outreach towards victims soon.

7 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 7 Cover of the Lady-ICC DVD Lady ICC : A Popular Theater Piece about the ICC By Linda Gueye The Ivorian Coalition for the ICC (CI-CPI) recently intensified its outreach efforts to raise awareness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) among the Ivorian population and government by launching a film entitled Lady ICC (Dame CPI) on 13 August This is a DVD version of the original play produced by the CI-CPI that successfully debuted in Abidjan in January Lady ICC tells the story of ordinary people who are victims of serious crimes committed by high-level government and military officials benefiting from impunity. The victims have nowhere to turn to seek justice until Lady ICC arrives. The arrival of Lady ICC marks the end of immunity for the untouchable and impunity for grave human rights violations Just peace and justice at last. An armed conflict has been ragging in Côte d Ivoire since 2002 between the rebel group Les Forces Nouvelles and the Ivorian armed forces. The conflict has resulted in serious human rights abuses. Although Côte d Ivoire is not a State Party to the Rome Statute, it did accept the ICC s jurisdiction in September 2003 and is currently a situation under analysis by the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC. According to the Coordinator of the Ivorian Coalition for the ICC, Ali Ouattara, the aim of the film, Lady ICC, is to create a better understanding of the role of the Court among the population and to urge the government to join the International Criminal Court by ratifying the Rome Statute. The CI-CPI is calling on the government of Côte d Ivoire to ratify as soon as possible the Rome Statute of the ICC so that crimes committed do not remain unpunished and victims finally receive justice. Linda Gueye is CICC Senior French Communications Officer and CICC-Africa Coordinator: gueye@iccnow.org For more information on the film, contact the Ivorian Coalition for the ICC at: coalivoicpi@yahoo.fr The CICC urges Cameroon to Ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court The Coalition for the International Criminal Court and its members are calling on Cameroon to take the necessary steps to move forward and ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Increased ratifications of the Statute in the sub-region will help strengthen the African voice at the Court and result in a more robust and meaningful participation in the global struggle to establish a truly fair, effective and independent ICC. To date 30 States in Africa have already become States Parties to the Treaty. Cameroon signed the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998 but has yet to complete the process of ratification. Dieudonne Zognong, coordinator of the Cameroonian Coalition for the ICC (far left) during a panel discussion on the ratification of the Rome Statute in Cameroon. Credit: Cameroonian Coalition for the ICC. The Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is a global network of over 2,500 non-governmental organizations advocating for a fair, effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC).

8 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 8 10th Anniversary of the Rome Statute: A time to renew commitment to the ICC 17 July 2008 marked the 10 th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The occasion was celebrated around the world. In commemoration of the anniversary, the Coalition for the ICC (CICC) and its national members organized major events in Johannesburg, South Africa; Abuja, Nigeria; and Cotonou, Benin. These events that convened government officials, diplomats, donors, national members of the judiciary, NGO, lawyers, journalists and academicians offered participants the opportunity to evaluate the prospects for and challenges facing the ICC. They include determining the status of the implementation of the Rome Statute in Africa, encouraging more African States to ratify or accede to the Statute, and calling for renewed commitment and support for the Court. In Johannesburg, during a highly attended symposium addressing the successes and challenges of the ICC, key panelists including ICC Deputy Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda; South African Ambassador to The Netherlands, M. Hlengiwe Mkhize; Judge Navanethem Pillay (former judge at the ICC Appeals Chamber); and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu raised among other issues the role of the Victims Trust Fund of the ICC, state cooperation, and the importance of Rome Statute implementation with respect for the concept of complementarity. South Africa was the first African state to fully implement the Rome Statute of the ICC. Given South Africa s historic role leading and its ongoing leadership in the Assembly of States Parties of the ICC, the event also served to remind the South African government that fulfilling its obligation to cooperate with the Court and to continue to provide leadership on international justice in the region is paramount. While in Abuja, the Nigerian Coalition for the ICC held a similar event that among other matters raised the issue of implementing the Rome Statute in the Nigerian legislative context. The implementation process had stalled for some time: the 2006 Rome Statute (Ratification and Jurisdiction) Bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate, was not harmonized in time for President Obasanjo to sign it. Since the tenure of legislators has expired, the bill needs to be resubmitted. At the end of the event, the Nigerian Ministry of Justice made a commitment to resubmit the bill to the National Assembly for passage into law. Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre, a Steering Committee member of the CICC also organized a training program for lawyers and a judicial colloquium for judges on the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Similarly, in Cotonou, a well-attended conference co-organized with the Benin Coalition for the ICC, the governments of Benin and Germany, and the ICC brought together representatives of West African governments, with the participation of ICC Registrar Silvana Arbia. The conference focused on issues of cooperation, ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute. At the end of the event, all African countries still having to join the ICC were encouraged to do so. The celebration of the 10 th anniversary of the Rome Statute was an opportunity for all to assess the work of the ICC, share experiences and develop synergies of cooperation on ICC campaigns in Africa. African countries have demonstrated their strong support for the Court by being the most represented nations within the ICC. The Coalition for the ICC encourages them to continue their participation in order to ensure that grave human rights violations do not elude justice. OTHER EVENTS CELEBRATING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE REGION Democratic Republic of Congo The ICC Field Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) organized a special event celebrating the 10 th anniversary of the Rome Statute of the ICC, with the participation among others of Christian Hemedi, coordinator of the DRC Coalition for the ICC (CN-CPI) and Paul Madidi, ICC Field Public Information and Outreach coordinator. The event included a debate during which participants assessed the Court s work and discussed among others issues of cooperation and implementation. Highlights included the screening of a film chronicling the confirmation of charges hearing in the Katanga and Ngudjolo case; a theater piece on the ICC played by La Troupe de Bodo ; and an ICC photo exhibition. The South Kivu Focal Point of the DRC Coalition for the ICC (CN-CPI) organized a press conference in commemoration of the 10 th anniversary of the Rome Statute. Before starting the press conference, the coordinator of the South Kivu Focal Point, Descarte Mponge Malasi, requested that a minute of silence be observed in memory of the victims of serious human rights violations in South Kivu. The conference tackled issues related to the work of the ICC over the last 5 years and presented an update of the Lubanga, Katanga and Ngudjolo, and Bemba cases. The press conference was also an opportunity to clarify a number of public misperceptions about the ICC, especially with respect to the situation in Darfur. Côte d Ivoire The Ivorian Coalition for the ICC (CI-CPI) organized a press conference on the occasion of the 10 th anniversary of the Rome Statute. The coordinator of the Ivorian Coalition, Ali Ouattara, announced the launch of a new outreach campaign in the international fight against impunity and the ICC. The campaign, which will employ the use of theater pieces, debates, radio and TV programs and other means of communication will be targeting various towns in Côte d Ivoire, starting with Duekoue and Seguela. The campaign s objective is to better inform the population and the Ivorian government about the ICC s activities and to encourage the ratification of the Rome Statute by Côte d Ivoire. The press conference was very successful and widely reported in the national media.

9 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 9 Photo Gallery Panel at the symposium on the ICC in Johannesburg, South Africa, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute. Credit: CICC Gbenga Arulaba (Africa Independence Television), Fatou Bensouda (ICC), Oby Nwankwo (Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre) and Benson Olugbuo (CICC) during a live broadcast to celebrate the 10 th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the ICC in Abuja, Nigeria. Credit: CICC Participants to the CICC sponsored South Africa event in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Rome Statute included ICC officials and CICC NGO members. Credit: CICC The Ambassador of The Netherlands to Nigeria (second from the right) speaking during the 10 th anniversary celebration of the adoption of the Rome Statute organized by the Nigerian Coalition for the ICC. Credit: CICC The Ivorian Coalition for the ICC (CN-CPI) organized a seminar on the ICC at the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in Abidjan, Côte d Ivoire. Credit: CN-CPI Fatou Bensounda, ICC Deputy Prosecutor speaking during the Judicial Colloquium organized by Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre in commemoration of the 10 th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in Abuja, Nigeria. Credit: CCPI

10 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 10 Regional Updates By CICC Africa Section Benin: At the occasion of the celebration of the 10 th Anniversary of the Rome Statute, the Beninese and German Governments, in collaboration with the ICC and the CICC jointly organized a sub-regional conference on the ICC held in Cotonou, Benin, from July 17-19, The conference which brought together representatives of all West-African states (Lusophone, Francophone and Anglophone) for an informative seminar on the ICC, focused primarily on the current status of implementation of the Rome Statute. The main objective of this gathering was to encourage ratification amongst nations that have not yet done so, and to promote effective implementation by those that already have. Burkina Faso: Francophone Africa Regional Coordinator, Francis Dako, led a mission to Burkina Faso in August? to meet with important Burkina government officials including the Prime Minister to advocate its views on the ICC s work in Darfur and in particular on the importance that we attach to ICC states parties in African continuing to support the Court. The mission also presented us the opportunity to assess the implementation process, identify the problems on the ground, and develop strategies necessary to overcome obstacles that could possibly delay the completion of the Rome Statute implementation legislation. Cape Verde: On 3 and 4 June 2008 the International Committee of the Red Cross in partnership with the Red Cross of Cape Verde and the government of Cape Verde held a seminar on implementation of international humanitarian law (IHL) in Lusophone countries. It was attended by representatives of all African Portuguese-speaking countries, Brazil, Portugal and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). Discussions focused among other things on principles of implementation of IHL, successes and challenges of the ICC, complementarity and universal jurisdiction, implementation of the Rome Statute and establishment of action plans. The final declaration of the seminar included suggestions to the participating states to intensify their efforts regarding ratification and implementation of IHL and the Rome Statute, to integrate in their national legislation serious violations of IHL, as well as the crimes defined in the Rome Statute, and consult and coordinate with civil society in the ratification and implementation processes at the earliest possible stage, among others. Cameroon: On 11 July 2008, the Cameroon Coalition for the ICC launched a six-week media campaign on the ratification of the RS that garnered wide-ranging media coverage. The campaign targeted the Government of Cameroon to take concrete steps towards acceding to the Rome Statute. To this effect, CICC members mobilized key players (civil society groups, academia, media and international organizations) who strategized on how to get Cameroon early ratifying the RS. Gabon: The CICC regional coordinator for Francophone Africa, Francis Dako, led an advocacy mission in Libreville, Gabon where he met with government officials, civil society organizations and local media. The objective of the mission was to get an update on the Rome Statute implementation process and to encourage Gabon s accession to the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the Court (APIC). The mission was successful, was widely reported in local media and government officials made a commitment to complete the implementation process and accede quickly to the APIC. Kenya: In August, the Kenya Section of the International Commission of the Jurists and the Institute for Security Studies issued a communiqué during the annual jurists conference in Mombasa calling on the Kenyan Government to pass the International Crimes Bill 2008 into law and to ratify the Agreement on Immunities and Privileges of the Court. The Bill is currently with the Kenya parliament. Nigeria: During a workshop to mark the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the Ministry of Justice promised to resubmit the Rome Statute (Ratification and Jurisdiction) Bill 2006 to the National Assembly for passage into Law. The Nigerian Coalition for the ICC has pledged to follow up with the process. Uganda: The Uganda International Crimes Bill 2006 is currently before the Parliament and is expected to be considered for passage into law during the current parliamentary session. In furtherance of this, the Ugandan Coalition for the ICC (UCICC) is organizing series of workshops and stakeholders meetings to ensure that the Bill is passed into law in the shortest time possible. From September 8-11, Steven Lamony, CICC Outreach Liaison for Africa, and Benson Olugbuo, CICC regional coordinator for Anglophone Africa, went on an assessment mission to northern Uganda where they visited the Ugandan Coalition for the ICC (UCICC) and CICC members in Gulu, Soroti and Adjumani districts. Mr. Lamony also participated in public information sessions organized by the Public Information and Documentation Section (PIDS) of the ICC in Adjumani district. These sessions which gathered around 40 participants (mainly villagers) aimed at raising awareness about the role and relevance of the ICC in Uganda and elsewhere. Questions raised covered various subjects including the ICC s role in the Juba peace process, the Kony case and victims protection issues. At the conclusion of these information sessions, participants recommended that there should be more public information sessions on the ICC at the grass roots level and that all groups, including male, female, youth, the elderly, politicians, should attend. They were also willing to spread the information obtained about the ICC to other villagers. The CICC Africa Section include Francophone Africa Coordinator, Francis Dako; Anglophone Africa Coordinator, Benson Olugbuo; Lusophone Campaign Advisor, Fatima da Camara and Africa Outreach Liaison, Stephen Lamony. For more information, please contact Francis Dako: dako@iccnow.org ; Benson Olugbuo: olugbuo@iccnow.org ; Fatima da Camara: fcamara@amnesty.org ; and Stephen Lamony: lamony@iccnow.org

11 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 11 Photo Gallery Mr. Tertius Zongo, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso (right) receives from Francis Dako, CICC Francophone Africa coordinator (left) a file containing CICC views and concerns on Darfur. Credit: CICC Francis Dako, CICC regional coordinator for Francophone Africa (third from left) with MP Assoumani Youssouf Mondoha (far left) and representatives of the Ministry of Justice in Comoros. Credit: CICC Benson Olugbuo, CICC Anglophone Africa coordinator, speaking about the ICC to students of the Makerere University, Kampala (Uganda) during an outreach session organized by the Ugandan Coalition for the ICC. Credit: UCICC. Steven Lamony, CICC Africa Outreach liaison (right) answers questions on the ICC during PIDS session information in Adjumani, Northern Uganda. Credit: CICC. Dr David Donat-Cattin, (Parliamentarians for Global Action),;Godfrey Musila, (Institute for Security Studies), Steven Lamony and Benson Olugbuo (CICC) following a symposium organized by the Ugandan Coalition for the ICC. Credit: CICC A participant asks a question during a discussion session on the ratification of the Rome Statute in Cameroon. Credit: Cameroonian Coalition for the ICC.

12 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 12 REPORT OF PAST EVENTS Calendar of Events EVENT OF THE MONTH November 2008 Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC Seventh Session The Hague, The Netherlands For more information, go to CICC s website: July - Training Session on sexual violence Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo The American Bar Association organized a training session on sexual violence for judicial police officers in Goma (North Kivu region). The training session aimed to strengthen the capacity of judicial police officers working directly with victims of sexual violence. The event gathered nearly 40 participants and addressed issues such as the role of judicial police officers in the protection of victims and witnesses of sexual violence, crime investigation techniques and best practices for the collection of evidence. 26 September Moot Competition on the ICC Makerere, Uganda The Uganda Coalition for the ICC and Uganda Law Students Association of Makerere University co-organized a moot competition (simulation of a judicial case) in which law students applied what they had learned from a public seminar on the ICC held earlier that day. The competition involved students simulating a case in which the Office of the Prosecutor was seeking the withdrawal of the ICC arrest warrants against Joseph Kony of the Lord s Resistance Army (LRA) and his commanders based on developments to a peace deal for LRA commanders willing to face prosecution by a Ugandan tribunal September Symposium The domestication of the Rome Statute in Africa: Prospects and Challenge Entebbe, Uganda The Uganda Coalition for the ICC, the Uganda Judicial Officers Association and Human Rights Network-Uganda coorganized a symposium for judicial officers on the relevance of international criminal law in Africa. The meeting which gathered judicial officers, ICC officials, NGOs and parliamentarians addressed various issues including victims participation and reparation. Participants also discussed the mandate of the Special Division of the High Court of Uganda and the principle of complementarity. At the end of the meeting, participants called for the adoption of the draft law implementing the Rome Statute into law in Uganda. ICC Job Openings Field Operations Coordinator (G-6) Deadline for Applications: 27 November 2008 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Duty Station: DRC Under the supervision of the Field Operations Officer in the relevant Field Office, working to the Operations Support Unit at ICC Headquarters, the incumbent will: Provide operational and some administrative support to staff of the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) in the Field Office, including visiting investigators and other personnel Gather and analyse information relevant to investigations from a wide variety of sources Develop links with local communities and follow the socio-political situation in the areas of operations Develop and maintain the maximum level of security awareness of the local situation Contribute to reports for ICC Headquarters and submit them in the absence of the Field Operations Officer Understand and take into account the needs of witnesses when planning with other Court officials Arrange meetings/appointments with witnesses and government, embassy and other officials, as directed Coordinate travel arrangements and logistic support for OTP staff Assist the coordination of security arrangements with relevant sections Coordinate the movement of witnesses as required Assist with effective communication between the Field Office and the OTP Assist in formulating OTP procurement requests to support field operations Maintain financial records of expenditure Perform other, routine office functions as required Deputise for the Field Operations Officer in his/her absence. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Completion of higher secondary education At least 8 years work experience, preferably in a busy or operational environment Knowledge of the geographic area in which the Court is investigating is essential Initiative, flexibility and ability to work independently with minimal supervision Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with all ICC staff, national and international contacts and witnesses Experience of investigative or police work would be useful Experience in a multinational environment experience would be an advantage Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity Professional and personal integrity, tact, sensitivity to other views, loyalty, judgment Clean current driving licence is essential Basic skills in standard Microsoft applications: Word, Power Point, Outlook Basic knowledge of For more information, please visit the ICC s website:

13 CICC-AFRICA PAGE 13 Signatures and Ratifications of the ICC Rome Statute in Africa (As of 14 March 2008: 30 States Parties, 12 Signatory States and 23 Non-States Parties) States Parties / Date of Ratification Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Central Africa Rep Chad Comoros Congo (Brazzaville) Dem. Rep of Congo Djibouti Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Mauritius Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Madagascar Mali 22 Jan Sep Apr Sep Oct Nov Aug May Apr Nov Sep Jun Dec Jul Mar Mar Sep Sep Sep Mar Aug 2000 Namibia Niger Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone South Africa Tanzania Uganda Zambia 25 Jun Apr Sep Feb Sep Nov Aug Jun Nov 2002 Signatory States / Date of Signature Angola Cameroon Cape Verde Côte D Ivoire Egypt Eritrea Guinea Bissau Morocco Mozambique Seychelles Sudan 07 Oct Jul Dec Nov Dec Oct Sep Sep Dec Dec Sep 2000 Zimbabwe 17 Jul 1998 Non-States Parties Algeria Angola Cameroon Cape Verde Côte d Ivoire Eritrea Ethiopia Egypt Equatorial Guinea Guinea Bissau Libya Morocco Mauritania Mozambique Rwanda Sao Tome and Principe Seychelles Somalia Sudan Swaziland Togo Tunisia Zimbabwe Rome Statute in the world Signatures: 139 Ratifications: 108 Last Ratification: Cook Island Signatures and Ratifications of the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities in Africa (As of 1 April 2008: 8 States Parties, 7 Signatory States) States Parties / Date of Ratification Benin Burkina Faso Central African Rep. Dem Rep of Congo 24 Jan Oct Oct Jul 2007 Liberia Mali Namibia 16 Sep Jul Jan 2004 Signatory States / Date of Signature Ghana 12 Sep 2003 Guinea Madagascar Sierra Leone Senegal Tanzania Uganda 01 Apr Sep Sep Sep Jan Jun 2004 APIC in the world Signatures: 62 Ratifications: 55 Last ratification: The Netherlands Status of the Rome Statute Implementation in Africa State Parties that have fully enacted implementing Legislation: South Africa; Senegal. State Parties that have draft implementing legislation: Benin, Botswana; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Central African Republic; Comoros; Congo Brazzaville; Democratic Republic of Congo; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Mali; Niger; Nigeria; Sierra Leone; Tanzania; Uganda. State Parties that have neither draft nor enacted implementing legislation: Djibouti; Gambia; Guinea; Liberia; Madagascar; Mauritius; Namibia; Zambia. Transition Stephen Arthur Lamony, new CICC Outreach Liaison for Africa: Stephen Arthur Lamony has recently joined the Coalition for the ICC (CICC) as its Outreach Liaison for Africa. Prior to M. Lamony s arrival at the CICC, Stephen was the national coordinator of the Ugandan Coalition for the International Criminal Court (UCICC) and interim co-coordinator of the Uganda Victims Rights Working Group. Stephen received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Makerere University, Uganda, and his Cross Border master's degree in law, with a focus on human rights and criminal justice from Queens University, Belfast and the National University of Ireland Galway. Joseph Akwenyu Manoba, new UCICC Coordinator: Joseph Akwenyu Manoba, an advocate of the Uganda High Court, has joined the Ugandan Coalition for the ICC (UCICC) as its new coordinator. Mr. Manoba was former legal Advisor of the Uganda Victims Foundation and the interim co-coordinator of the Uganda Victims Rights Working Group. He holds a Bachelor s degree in Law from Makerere University, Uganda.

14 CICC-AFRICA Contacts COALITION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT CICC Secretariat in New York Linda Gueye Senior French Communications Officer/ Coordinator of CICC-Africa Stephen Lamony Outreach Liaison for Africa Ata Hindi Outreach Liason for North Africa and Middle East Brigitte Suhr Director of Regional Programs Anaga Dalal Head of Information and Communications Tanya Karanasios Program Director William R. Pace Convenor CICC Secretariat / Regional Coordination Francis Dako Regional Coordinator for Francophone Africa (based in Cotonou, Benin) dako@iccnow.org What is the Coalition for the International Criminal Court? The Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is a global network of more than 2,500 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 150 countries advocating for a fair, effective and independent International Criminal Court (ICC). Our objectives : Ensuring the universal ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC Ensuring the full implementation of the Rome Statute in the national legislations Monitoring ICC developments and supporting its work Strengthening CICC national and regional networks for our ICC campaigns Join Our Information Lists! In order to receive the latest ICC developments, join our lists by sending an empty to : Icc-africa-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For the regional list Icc-info-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For the English language list reseau-cpi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For the French language list tpi-port-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For the Portuguese language list noticias-cpi-subscribe@yahoogroups.com For the Spanish language list Benson Chinedu Olugbuo Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa (based in Abuja, Nigeria) olugbuo@iccnow.org Fátima da Camara Lusophone Campaign Advisor (based in London, UK) fcamara@amnesty.org Address: For any comments, suggestions or questions on c/o WFM - IGP ICC-Africa, please contact 708 Third Avenue, 24th Fl Linda Gueye: New York NY gueye@iccnow.org Fax: Tel: cicc@iccnow.org Website: For more information on how to become a CICC member, please contact: cicc@iccnow.org