S. Sudan minister claims joining ICC unnecessary
April 1, 2015 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s justice minister has maintained the country’s courts are competent to try war crimes and human rights abuses, saying joining the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) was unnecessary.
The UN Human Right’s Council (UNHRC) questioned South Sudan’s commitment to international values at the conference in light of reports that children are being recruited to the army (SPLA).
However, Wanawilla has insisted that the local justice system is capable of ensuring people’s rights despite calls from the international community for South Sudan to join the ICC.
“To sign [the] Rome Statute does not add [an] extra thin,” Wanawilla told reporters at Juba airport on Tuesday.
“You don’t need to sign [the] Rome Statute in order to prosecute people for the offences that have been alleged under the Rome statute like genocide, crimes against humanity, and other crimes,” he added.
Human Rights advocacy groups have repeatedly called on the South Sudanese government to sign the Rome statute, which would see it become the newest member of the ICC.
Wanawilla admitted that his government came under heavy scrutiny during the Geneva conference over what is being done to address alleged violations of human rights since the country’s current conflict erupted in December 2013.
The recruitment of child soldiers, sexual conflict in South Sudan and the stalled peace process were among the issues discussed by the UNHRC at the conference, he said.
South Sudan also faced questions as to why nobody had been tried for alleged violations during the conflict.
However, the minister said no formal complaints had been received by authorities in relation to abuses.
“In our system, if there is a case, a case will start from somebody against somebody or a group of people,” he said.
“So if nobody comes forward and makes a complaint you cannot go and start looking for someone to prosecute based on no complaint,” he added.
The ICC court tries people accused of grave violations of human rights, including matters such as genocide and war crimes that local courts are unable to deal with.
(ST)