via Zimbabwe justice minister floats ICC withdrawal ahead of African summit – The Globe and Mail The Associated Press Oct. 10 2013
Zimbabwe’s justice minister says his country will back any calls for African nations to break ties with the International Criminal Court at the continent-wide African Union summit this weekend in Ethiopia.
Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday accused the ICC of humiliating African leaders by targeting them to answer to charges of crimes against humanity, while letting off Western leaders over conflicts in Iraq and Libya.
He said Zimbabwe wants African countries to “stand up and stamp their authority” against ICC bias.
Zimbabwe has signed the Rome Treaty recognizing the ICC, but has not ratified it under domestic law.
Kenya’s presidency faces allegations of inciting killings after violent and disputed elections in that country in 2008.
Mnangagwa said former U.S. President George W. Bush should be summoned to The Hague.
COMMENTS
Once all African countries pull out of the ICC, the satanic club will collapse since it justifies its existence on prosecting only Africans whilst giving a blind eye to the glaring crimes comitted by European and American leaders. The African Union must also make a resolution to leave the United Nations if the organisation does not accept two permanent African seats in the Security Council with veto powers.
Zimbabwe effectively collapsed the SADC tribunal because it did not like the court ruling that the fast track land reform was illegal. Now Zimbabwe wants to collapse the ICC because our leaders fear that some of their actions are illegal under international law.
The ICC is a major step forwards in terms of global human rights and has began to undermine the culture of impunity that some leaders use to abuse their own citizens. The SADC tribunal was a similar step towards citizen rights for the SADC region.
The demise of the SADC tribunal is an everlasting shame on the SADC nations and a step away from the rule of law in the region. If African nations withdraw from the ICC en masse, this will be a huge set back for global human rights. Regardless of any perceptions of bias, African leaders must reject this highly retrogressive motion.
It would also be a huge step forwards if the USA would ratify the ICC treaty !!
No surprises that the key participant of the Gukurahundi massacres would back Africa’s withdrawal from the ICC. Isn’t it funny that African leaders are sensitive about being humiliated, as they call it while they humiliate their own people on a daily basis.
They murder, rape, maim and plunder national resources. Of course they will fight tooth and nail not to be brought to account.
ICC is good for the helpless general population of Africa because without it all hell will be unleashed on us. If he is clean he must not be worried about who goes there. We can only lobby for big nations to be answerable. Zanu has got a disease of pulling out of any organization that puts it on the spotlight.
Sekuru
I agree with all your comments. However Africa has a very big problem, it’s own people. Governments receive a mandate to govern from the people via an elected system, “Democracy” (not to say the Africa is very democratic, but again here the people of Africa are to blame for not demanding their rights) therefore the people of Africa should be telling their government how they want to be governed and not the other way around.
If the people of Africa on mass demonstrated against pulling out of the ICC, African governments would be shamed into remaining under ICC law. Prosecuting African leader for crimes against humanity must be upheld by the African people as a good thing, and those found guilty must be punished. Such actions would deter brutal and tyrannical leadership across Africa.
We are the masters of our own destiny, but shamefully we have chosen to be ruled by ruthless dictators, caused by apathy and our lethargic and submissive nature. Peaceful demonstration and public disobedience and civic pressure groups should force good governance.
The report is inaccurate in saying “Zimbabwe has…. not ratified it under domestic law.” What Zimbabwe has not done is ratify the treaty under international law, by lodging its acceptance with the United Nations. After that it would follow certain procedures under domestic law to incorporate the terms of the treaty into domestic law. As it hasn’t done the former (ratification) it obviously won’t have done the latter (domestication). I am a little surprised Associated Press doesn’t understand this.
Kana makachena munotyeiko – why are you afraid Emmerson, handiti uri ngwena!!! That there appears to be bias does not make the principle wrong…its also true that most of the abusive governments in the world are in … yes you guessed right… in Africa. Just imagine- Africa needs to free itself from itself!!
ICC prosecutions so far show an imbalance that seems to protect leaders from the West. However the work they do really is commendable considering the kind of horror, doom and death black people suffer at the hands of their own government. The best that Mnangagwa and those in Zanu Pf who have dirty hands is to allow for a reconciliatory platform where they themselves tour Matebeleland and apologies to the Ndebele and Kalanga people. Recognising the many Gukurahundi sites and building some memorial statues will help heal the wounds. Then obviously use the diamond dollars to compensate families of the massacres. Surely there would be no need for any form of prosecution for the Gukurahundi crimes.
The same should also apply to other forms of violence against the MDC.
Scared that he may have to share a cell with Charles Taylor.
While discrimination is present in the ICC.African leaders who are pushing for a withdrawal are working to serve the interests of the elite and in most cases they have committed atriocities against against their citizens.
Mugarbage is terrified that he will be on a fast plane to the Netherlands soon. He, Mnanangagwa and fellow murderers are terrified and obviously want out of the Rome Accord and ICC to have no jurisdiction. They will end their days in prison, wait and see, unless Mugger Mugarbage dies first, which I wait for daily!
I note my comment on this article was not favoured by the moderators. My contibution and opinion was devoid of profanity and racist remarks. Perhaps it was to close to the truth for public ingestion. And I always thoughts this site and it’s forbears favoured outspoken opinion. Seems not to tbe the case. Shame on you. And it make me wonder if the moderators are gearing up towards a personal agengda of their own. Either that or they are playing a cagey game; seeing on which side of the media favouritism they expendiently fall. VERY disappointed – not so much that my anlysis should be unworthy in itself (it was not) BUT for the fact that it was moderated and dismissed – thereby leading to the aforegoing conclusions about impartiality professed to be exercised on this site. At best I can suspect reverse discrimination to be at play.