For years, human rights organizations are calling for the processing of war crimes in the Central African Republic. In October, the special Tribunal should begin its work.
“The special criminal court is for us a great hope. Long, agonizing years of impunity will finally come to an end,” says Flavien Mbata, the Minister of justice of the Central African Republic, in an exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle.
In fact, most serious people rights abuses, such as forced displacement, looting and massacre from the time of the ethnic and religious clashes between 2003 and 2013, so far, unpunished. “Most of the killers and their leader are still in Bangui and other cities, free or live unmolested in neighbouring countries or in Europe,” says the human rights activist Fernand Mande-Djapou, and adds: “Ex-President François Bozizé, under whose reign most of the human rights abuses committed, and currently lives in Uganda.”
Bangui, capital of the ZAR: Here and in ten other cities the special Tribunal is days
Start-up difficulties of the Tribunal
After repeated postponement of the special Tribunal is to commence officially in October of his work. Compared to the DW, the Minister of justice, Flavien Mbata called for the first time, the 19. October as a concrete date. The establishment of the special criminal court had already been 2015 by the government in Bangui decided. The Minister of justice speaks to a difficult start.
It was previously, especially with preparation and construction work have been busy. In the past few months had been big steps made: “The judges and investigators of the new Tribunal are available now at the respective places of use,” says Mbata. Two foreign judges would still missing – one from Togo and one from Benin, but were soon to Bangui. “For the initial state, the Tribunal sufficient lawyers, as well as local and International judges.” Nevertheless, there is a Problem: “It’s a big financial gap,” the Minister of justice. The financing of the Tribunal is supported by the United Nations development programme UNDP.
Education with street theatres
For weeks, a large-scale awareness campaign is running. In the capital, Bangui, and in ten provincial cities, the population should be informed about the functions of the special tribunals, for example in street theatre performances. “We are trying to get people to motivate, with the special court to cooperate. We will distribute forms that can fill the people, if you want to report crime or possible offenders,” says Fernand Sylvio Mande-Djapou, coordinator of the non-governmental organization “Coalition pour la Cour Pénale Spéciale” (CCPS), one of eight organizations that were charged with the awareness campaign. “We also want to dispel doubt, skepticism and distrust among the people.” The one is the Victims of human rights violations and their families anywhere in the country, guilty, stressed Mande-Djapou.
Victims of Seleka-rebels: Serious human rights violations between 2003 and 2013 on the agenda
Can the work of the special Tribunal’s trust?
“The Tribunal will be independent. It is the policy of no interference in the work of the special criminal court. Judges and all other employees of the Tribunal will be fully independent, you will know no limitations, of whatever kind, in its work”, stressed Minister of justice, Flavien Mbata. In the investigation, no one would be spared, neither the Wealthy nor the politically Powerful: “The court has the task of any serious crimes against humanity committed in the Central African Republic, to work on. There will be no exceptions.”
Somewhat sceptical, it looks to be a human rights activist Fernand Mande-Djapou: In the case of the people of the Central African Republic, there is a lot of skepticism about the special dishes. “Many citizens have noticed what is to come at the International criminal court in The Hague in the Case of Jean-Pierre Bemba, namely an acquittal. And many are asking themselves: Will happen here in ZAR the same? The killer here is also without a conviction?”
Staff: Jeff Murphy Barès, Eric Topona