Canada backs Darfur trials at ICC

OTTAWA, April 1 (AFP) — Canada on Friday expressed support for the trials of Darfur crimes before the International Criminal Court, as called for in a new UN Security Council resolution.

“As Canada has said many times, this referral represents the best and most realistic option for ensuring timely accountability for these serious international crimes and deterring further atrocities in Darfur,” Prime Minister Paul Martin said.

“The International Criminal Court was established precisely to fulfill these dual roles,” Martin said in a statement.

The UN Security council ended weeks of deadlock late Thursday and voted 11-0 to refer prosecutions from the two-year-old Darfur conflict to the ICC. The United States abstained along with Algeria, Brazil and China.

The United States has branded the violence in Sudan’s western region, where an estimated 300,000 people have died in the past two years, as “genocide.”

“This is a critical and pivotal step in helping to stop the ongoing violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, including the horrific sexual violence against women and girls in Darfur,” Martin said.

“Canada also welcomes the US decision not to block this ICC referral, despite their stated reservations.

“However, Canada is disappointed that the resolution includes an exemption from the court’s jurisdiction for persons participating in Security Council or African Union authorized missions in Sudan, which Canada considers to be inconsistent with basic legal principles of accountability.

“In Canada’s view, such an exemption must not establish a precedent for future Security Council referrals to the International Criminal Court,” Martin said.