Dar es Salaam: ICC verdict greeted with jubilation

THE government has termed as “justice done on Tanzania” the decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to turn down a petition by Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) that wanted the court to investigate the country for alleged extra judicial killings and violation of citizen rights.

The government Sunday’s position comes two days after the ICC rejected the appeal by LHRC filed in September last year, asking The Hague-based institution to consider opening investigation into crimes against humanity and other human rights violations perpetuated by security forces.

The Minister of State in the President’s Office (Social Relations and Co-ordination) Mr Stephen Wassira said in an interview yesterday that he couln’t blame them for petitioning their country at ICC because it is their right to do so but it would be prudent they respect that decision by ICC because just as it was their right to win the day, so it is to lose the petition.

“ICC had done its job as an independent organ that stands for justice. Genocide is a very serious matter and I don’t believe Tanzania has reached such levels,” he added. According to him, countries with such acts are known in Africa, because genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, caste, religious, or national group.

Mr Wassira said LHRC was unnecessarily ashaming and demonizing Tanzania before international community. “I am not saying we have no problem, there are criminal acts. Until now, as a country, we, as a country, have never repealed a law that calls for hanging for those convicted of taking away someone’s life,” he added.

The Minister said there are killings which are associated with beliefs in witchcraft like the albino killings, which are bad and the government has been working to contain them including trying the suspects. He added that aside from albino killings, there have also been cases of violence where people lose their lives and the elderly being killed in rural areas, but the government has been taking stern measures against culprits.

In the letter written to ICC, the LHRC petition had accused the government of complicity and condoning killings by security forces, claiming that at least 237 innocent people have been killed since 2003. But on Wednesday, the Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor at ICC, Mr M.P. Dillon, wrote to LHRC announcing the decision not to open the case.

According to Mr Dillon, the matters raised by the LHRC and evidence available did not meet the threshold for launching local investigations. The claims against Tanzania, he added, did not fall within the court’s jurisdiction as they do not meet the definition of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes as defined in Articles 6 to 8 of the Rome Statute.

In a letter to Dr Helen Kijo- Bisimba who is LHRC Executive Director, Mr Dillon said the prosecutor has determined that there is no basis at this time to proceed with the accusation. “However, the information you have submitted will be maintained in our archives, and the decision not to proceed may be reconsidered in the light of new facts or information,” said Mr Dillon.

The ICC official advised the petitioner to pursue justice with national authorities within Tanzania or raise the same concerns with other appropriate international authorities.

Source: http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/18418-icc-verdict-greeted-with-jubilation