Victor’s Justice
Good riddance. But…
(Nairobi) – The transfer of former President Laurent Gbagbo to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for his alleged role in international crimes during Côte d’Ivoire’s devastating post-election violence is a major step toward ensuring justice, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the ICC prosecutor to move swiftly on investigations for grave crimes committed by forces allied with the current president, Alassane Ouattara.
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Efforts by both the ICC and the Ivorian government to ensure accountability for the post-election crimes are important in returning the rule of law to Côte d’Ivoire, Human Rights Watch said. However, investigations with a view to prosecutions are needed without delay for individuals implicated in grave crimes who fought in the forces allied with Ouattara.
Since Gbagbo’s arrest by pro-Ouattara forces on April 11, Ivorian civilian and military prosecutors have charged more than 120 people linked to the Gbagbo camp with post-election crimes. No one from the pro-Ouattara forces has been charged with post-election crimes. This creates a perception of victor’s justice and risks stoking further communal tensions, Human Rights Watch said.
“While the Gbagbo camp fueled the violence through its refusal to relinquish power and its incitement, forces on both sides have been repeatedly implicated in grave crimes,” Keppler said. “The many victims of abuse meted out by forces loyal to President Ouattara also deserve to see justice done.”
While this is an Important day for Cote D’Ivoire, much work is still to be done to find peace. While Gbagbo is undoubtedly responsible for heinous crimes against Ivorians, many Ouattara loyalists who committed crimes of their own during last year’s post election violence can’t slip through the cracks. If they do, I fear that somewhere down the line the cycle of retribution will continue.
