ICC Prosecutor Opens Investigation in the Central African Republic

By Jernej Letnar

Following to what Derek wrote on Central African Republic in his last post, the Prosecutor of International Criminal Court just today announced the decision to open an investigation concerning crimes committed in the Central African Republic. This is what he had to say earlier today:

“My Office has carefully reviewed information from a range of sources. We believe that grave crimes falling within the jurisdiction of the Court were committed in the Central African Republic. We will conduct our own independent investigation, gather evidence, and prosecute the individuals who are most responsible.”

The opening of investigation is primarily based on alleged crimes against humanity committed against women, which occurred in the context of an armed conflict between the government and rebel forces in the Central African Republic. According to the ICC Prosecutor, the alleged sexual crimes against civilians first timed far outnumber alleged killings of civilians.

»The Office has analysed allegations of serious crimes perpetrated in CAR, in particular during the armed conflict of 2002-03. Some of the worst allegations relating to killing, looting and rape, occurred during intense fighting in October ­November 2002 and in February/March 2003. Attacks against civilians followed a failed coup attempt; there emerged a pattern of massive rapes and other acts of sexual violence perpetrated by armed individuals. Sexual violence appears to have been a central feature of the conflict.

A distinctive feature of the CAR situation is this high reported number of victims of rape­ at least 600 victims identified in a very short period of 5 months. The real numbers are likely higher as such acts are customarily underreported.

Credible reports indicate that rape has been committed against civilians, including instances of rape of elderly women, young girls and men. There were often aggravating aspects of cruelty such as rapes committed by multiple perpetrators, in front of third persons, with sometimes relatives forced to participate. The social impact appears devastating, with many victims stigmatized and, reportedly for a number of them, infected with the HIV virus.

The Prosecutor determined that, according to all the information available to the OTP, the alleged crimes, notably killings and large scale sexual crimes, were of sufficient gravity to warrant an investigation.

The crimes appear to have been largely committed in and around the capital city of Bangui, but also occurred in areas considerably beyond the capital.«

It would be interesting to know what role has France played in the civil war in Central African Republic, and for that matter in any of Great Lakes countries and whether any of the crimes committed in CAR can be indirectly or directly ascribed to the activities of French paramilitary forces. ICC’s decision remains salient on that aspect of the issues. It is clear that conflict in CAR was hardly virgin from any foreign involvement. Libyan troops and different rebel groups from neighboring DR of Congo were instrumental in the conflict. Maybe over suspicious but where is smoke there must be also fire. It appears highly unlikely that all the conflicts and civil wars in Central Africa (from DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Chad, to Central African Republic) were orchestrated by respective African nations and tribes. Center of African continent is extremely rich in any kind of natural resources. Where there is a slightest possibility to easily gain profit on African territory, there always foreign (European) individuals and corporation ready to assist developing nation in their quest for progress.

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