By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 23 -- In the wake of this morning's International Criminal Court confirmation of charges against four of six Kenyan officials for crimes against humanity during the post-election violence, much of the focus in Kenya has been on how the indictments impact upcoming presidential elections.
But with indictee Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta being not only a presidential candidate but also the country's sitting finance minister, Inner City Press has asked the International Monetary Fund's spokespeople to "state how this ICC indictment changes the ways in which the ICC will engage with this finance minister."
The IMF is, at least formally, part of the United Nations system. The UN has propounded a policy of only dealing with ICC indictees when absolutely necessary (although, as Inner City Press reported on January 20, joint UN - African Union envoy to Darfur Ibrahim Gambari greeted Sudanese president and ICC indictee Omar al Bashir at the Khartoum wedding reception of Chad's president Idriss Deby and the daughter of janjaweed militia leader Musa Hilal, click here for that story.)
So what are the IMF's policies for dealing with finance ministers against whom the ICC judges have confirmed charges of crimes against humanity? This is a question the IMF should answer, this morning, as Inner City Press has asked. Watch this site.
Footnote: Inner City Press has also re-posed another human rights and finance question to the IMF, about Sri Lanka: "in light of this week's visit to Sri Lanka by Brian Atkins, will the IMF consider in any way issues of human rights and "accountability" in considering Sri Lanka? And please answer this question left unanswered and unacknowledged from your January 13 briefing (as well as the other questions below, which I was told would be answered bilaterally but none were"
On Sri Lanka, what is the IMF's response to Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivad Cabraal statement on January 3 that Sri Lanka will seek a fresh “follow up or surveillance program” with the IMF as the $2.6 billion loan obtained in 2009 is reportedly due to expire early this year? What is the IMF's thinking on Sri Lanka's failure to fully meet the budget deficit targets and its refusal to devalue the rupee?
On Ukraine, what if the relation between that country's negotiations with Russia on gas prices and the IMF resuming talks, after Ukraine passed the bankruptcy legislation it said the IMF wanted? Etc.
Watch this site.
