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| Justice Emile Short, Fmr. Commissioner for CHRAJ |
This came to the lime
light during a discussion commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the
International Criminal Court (ICC) which also coincided with the 20th
Anniversary of the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) in a
debate held at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, Accra.
The debate was on the theme, Twenty years of the ICC: The Hits, Misses and Prospects for Pursuing Justice for Victims of Atrocity Crimes.
The debate was on the theme, Twenty years of the ICC: The Hits, Misses and Prospects for Pursuing Justice for Victims of Atrocity Crimes.
A member of the experts
panel, Justice Emile Short, who is also a former judge for the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, stated it is important the society puts pressure
on the government to pass the International Criminal Court Bill to satisfy the
provision of the Rome Statute.
He noted that it is eminent because the cases that sent some countries into war and conflicts arose from electoral disputes
He noted that it is eminent because the cases that sent some countries into war and conflicts arose from electoral disputes
“It is important the
society puts pressure on government to pass the legislation of the International
Criminal Court Bill and to take steps to reciprocate the Rome Statute and also
develop our national criminal justice system to be prepared to deal with such
cases”, Justice Short said.
He further mentioned
that it is imperative to be proactive rather than being reactive in dealing
with criminal matters in the sense that the issues that sent countries like
Kenya and Ivory Coast into conflicts arose from electoral disputes.
He mentioned that such cases can also occur in the country.
He mentioned that such cases can also occur in the country.
“We must never think
that it [electoral conflicts] would not happen in Ghana. Nobody thought it
could occur in Ivory Coast and Kenya. In Kenya and Ivory Coast, conflicts arose
from elections. So it is a remote possibility that conflicts that occurred in
Kenya and Ivory Coast, which gave rise to commissions of atrocities can apply
and occur in Ghana”, the former judge mentioned.
Justice Short stressed
it is not surprising that the ICC is dealing with cases relating to Africa
because the African continent is a host to so many conflicts that affect many
lives and properties and it is vital that Africa supports the ICC in giving
justice to victims of criminal atrocities.
The Africa Centre for
International Law and Accountability (ACILA) also shared similar views during
the debate.
Its Executive Director, Mr. William Nyarko mentioned that Ghana was one of the first to adopt the Rome Statute in 1999 and under the statute, once there is ratification, there should be domestication of the international law.
Its Executive Director, Mr. William Nyarko mentioned that Ghana was one of the first to adopt the Rome Statute in 1999 and under the statute, once there is ratification, there should be domestication of the international law.
“Under the Rome
Statute, once there is ratification, the state must have a local law to back
its implementation. When a crime [one that the national court is unable or
unwilling to handle] happens in Ghana that the ICC wants to prosecute, we do
not have to send a Ghanaian to The Hague. The ICC can sit here and deal with
the matter”, ACILA Boss stated.
Asked why Ghana has since not ratified the Rome Statute, the Executive Director insisted that there has not been the demand for it's implementation by the populace and that politicians are only focusing on what they feel the people want.
In the opening remarks
by the Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Mr. Henry Prempeh, shared same
sentiment and echoed for the state to take immediate steps in passing the bill
19 years after Ghana ratified.
He stressed that Ghana must align its national laws with the Rome Statute by passing the International Criminal Court Bill.
He stressed that Ghana must align its national laws with the Rome Statute by passing the International Criminal Court Bill.
The Rome Statute is a
treaty that established the ICC. It was adopted in Rome, Italy on July 17th,
1998 and entered into force on July 1, 2002.
The Chairperson for the occasion was H.E. Akua Kuenyehia, former judge and first Vice President of the ICC. Among the expert panelists were Ms. Evelyn Ankumah, Executive Director, Africa Legal Aid at The Hague, H.E. Kabral Blay-Amihere, Former Ambassador TO Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast and Prof. Anne Pieter Van Der Mei, Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Maastricht University,
The Chairperson for the occasion was H.E. Akua Kuenyehia, former judge and first Vice President of the ICC. Among the expert panelists were Ms. Evelyn Ankumah, Executive Director, Africa Legal Aid at The Hague, H.E. Kabral Blay-Amihere, Former Ambassador TO Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast and Prof. Anne Pieter Van Der Mei, Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Maastricht University,
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