Saturday, May 19, 2012

ICC's Ocampo Slow on Majer NATO Deaths, Duekoue in Cote d'Ivoire, 2 Stage Justice?

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, May 16 -- The International Criminal Court under Luis Moreno Ocampo has seemed engaged in two-stage justice, if that. 
 
  In Libya it issued indictments of the Gaddafi side, but on Wednesday Ocampo told Inner City Press that even in the case of NATO's bombing of Majer, which reportedly killed rescue workers, he is merely seeking more information. He declined to say much about immunity offered by the new Libyan government to its own fighters.

  Inner City Press asked about Law 37, which threatens life in prison for praising Gaddafi. Couldn't that hinder defense lawyers? Ocampo shrugged.

  Turning to Cote d'Ivoire, where Ocampo indicted Laurent Gbagbo but has yet to finish investigating the Ouattara side massacres at Duekoue, Inner City Press asked for an update. Ocampo said his office is working, and it will continue under Fatou Bensouda. But why does this side take so long?

  And now, Cote d'Ivoire is talking about sending soldiers to Mali. Could it be the same units that were in Duekoue?

  Inner City Press asked if Ocampo and Bensouda, on what's billed as his farewell to Africa tour, will visit Kenya, where some officials are trying to move the trial of the so-called Ocampo Four back to the East African Court of Justice in Arusha. Why can't they?

Ocampo said there is a lot of work these days -- reportedly they'll go to Kampala and not Kenya, to avoid controversy -- and did not explain why cases can't be transferred to regional courts. Or, he said, creating new courts is not enough. But it is enough in Libya?

Ocampo was asked about the proposal, since withdrawn, by the so call Small Five states to recommend that the Security Council's Permanent Member not use the veto in cases of ICC specified crimes. Ocampo declined to comment. 
 
Ocampo was asked if this was his "last press conference." He in turn asked, tellingly, "my last as prosecutor?" So what will be his next move? Watch this site.