{UAH} PAN AFRICAN FORUM DECLINES INVITATION TO ATTEND ICC'S ASSEMBLY OF STATE PARTIES

Pan African Forum declines invitation to attend ICC’s Assembly of State Parties

November 16, 2016 Editorial Team 0 Comment

 

 

PAF calls for immediate resignation of ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda

By Jessica A Badebye

The Pan African Forum (PAF) has declined an invitation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) Assembly of State Parties (ASP) meeting slated for 16th -24th November in The Hague, citing prudishness and mockery.

In a statement a copy of which was passed on to The London Evening Post, PAF Chairman Dr David Nyekorach Matsanga explained that it is unthinkable to attend a meeting with an ‘illegal’ Chief Prosecutor whose country has its credentials against her and once again called for ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s resignation to allow a smooth transition at the ICC. This comes after Gambia, the country from where ICC prosecutor Bensouda originates from, officially indicated its withdrawal from the international tribunal and branded it an “International Caucasian Court” for the persecution and humiliation of people of colour especially Africans.

The Gambia has gone further to notify the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon who has officially confirmed receipt of the notification in a statement signed and dated 11th November 2016. “The Secretary General of the United Nations, acting in his capacity as depositary, communicates the following: The action for The Gambia shall take effect 10 November 2017 in accordance with article 127 (I), the statement read. Article 127 (I) of the Rome Statute that established ICC states that a state party may, by written notification to the Secretary General of the United Nations, withdraw from the Statute. The withdrawal shall take effect one year after the date of receipt after notification unless the notification specifies a later date.

Dr Matsanga also explained that his organization declined ASP invitation due to ICC’s failure to resolve the matter implicating the court’s president, Judge Silvia Fernandez, in a US$ 17 million corruption scandal. In the month of June this year, PAF submitted evidence which established that between 2004 and 2015, the Argentinian-born ICC judge received into her private bank accounts at Banco Popular in the Virgin Islands, the First Caribbean Bank in the Bahamas and the Congregation B’nai Israel, mysterious funds mounting to over US$17million, that were allegedly used to coach and bribe witnesses to ensure the ICC indictment of the Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir to the international tribunal but no formal response on the same has been to date. He explained that the same information was forwarded to ASP president Sidiki Kaba who had invited the forum but in vain.

He however revealed that 3GG, a partner organization with PAF, will audaciously carry on with previously planned activities on behalf of the forum at The Hague. “Our sister organization 3GG based in Europe will hold the fort and distribute anti-ICC documents that we have prepared and airlifted to The Hague,” he confirmed. Dr. Matsanga disclosed that 3GG will counter all Kenyan NGOs that have prepared lengthy documents against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto. It should be remembered that Prosecutor Bensouda referred “situation Kenya” to ASP, the 124 member legislative and oversight body of the court for failing to take all reasonable steps to execute a request for cooperation from the court, by not providing clear, relevant and timely responses or taking any meaningful steps to compel production of requested information, 19th September 2016.This means that Kenya will be discussed at an open plenary session with a possibility of the body making a resolution against the country as it may deem fit.

Meanwhile, Kenya has given ICC a cold shoulder by not sending a delegation to the ongoing ASP sitting. The country’s Attorney General Githu Muigai told the media that Kenya will be represented by its ambassador to the Netherlands Makena Muchiri. This is the first time Kenya has not sending a high powered delegation to the ASP meeting.

EM

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