It is my understanding that the ICC Rome statute came into effect for specifically crimes committed against humanity with impunity. And that once a state party like Ugnada has signed and ratified the Rome statute, the ICC overrides the law of that country in respect to crimes committed against humanity with impunity such as the Amnesty law 2000 that was passed by Uganda parliament, but exlcuded Joseph Kony and his top commanders. If it was ammended before the ICC came in, then Museveni would have a legal basis for giving amnesty to Joseph Kony. But once ICC stepped in, invited by Museveni, and investigated LRA and issued arrest warrant, it is my understanding that the ICC overrides the Uganda's Amnesty law. In other words, under the ICC statute, Museveni, the complainant, does not have any option and cannot withdraw his complaint against Kony from the ICC. It is my understanding also that the ICC cannot rescind the complaint that Museveni brought against the LRA. ICC has to investigate, try and punish or acquit the LRA according to the ICC statute. ICC cannot decide to drop the case.
Museveni rhetoric about asking ICC to withdraw charges and arrest warrant against Kony and his top commander is for public consumption becuase it cannot be done!
For Museveni to turn around now to say that they will amend the amnsety law to give amnesty to Kony, to my mind it is a bluff and blatant mockery to the Acholi people. It is just a very cruel unsympathetic joke about all our people who have died in and outside the IDP camps? Lets remember that the camps have killed more Acholis people than the LRA and UPDF combined in 20 years. But this is a secret that Southerners ar enot suppose to know. And whose responsobility is it to protect and provide for the innocent and law abiding citizens of Uganda in the IDP Camps if not the Government of President Museveni? I am grieved.
Museveni, has worked hard to convince Ugandans to blame the suffering of the people in the North in the camps on the LRA. Well, the war is winding down and I wonder what is going through Museveni's mind each day. Does he ever think about the
state of Uganda when these camp dwellers whose faces reference decaying corpses, dying at 1500/week in camps, finally learn the truth? Does Museveni believe that he will keep Acholis in bottles and kill them like tsenene (sp) forever as he promised back in 1986? Well 20 years has passed and I hope that he has realized that he was also wrapping an anaconda around his own neck because northern Ugandans have reached a stage where their will to die over powers the will to live and this a dangerous state of mind.
Are there any expert in international law here, with specialized knowledge of ICC
statute? Please help!
An Acholi feminist. Anyo
UNAA-SF 2007 -- STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OF UGANDA
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