ICC and what the world expects

Sir: Judge Silvia Fernandez, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), delivered a speech at the opening of the permanent headquarters of the ICC, in Hague, with the title: The International Criminal Court is here to stay. This speech was published in The Guardian of Tuesday, April 19, 2016, as International Criminal Court of last resort.

The idea of the ICC seems one of the good things to happen to the world after the establishment of the police and the construction of prisons, ever since money was invented. Man is destructive without control and reproach. Human beings, by their nature, especially the powerful and the influential people, are generally oppressive which sometimes lead to callousness. Man’s inhumanity to man, world over, is greater than man’s wickedness to animals and the environment combined. No other animals can match this record.

It is heartwarming that as at today, 124 states have ratified the Rome Statute on ICC and subscribed to the tenets of this judicial body.  All rational states should be involved in this laudable project.

Yes, a permanent international court that could prosecute individuals irrespective of their former or current official position is a revolutionary idea. ICC needs more advocacy, efficiency and effectiveness in order to impact the world and to be seen as a revolutionary idea.

The court needs more advocacies to embrace those States, that due to stubbornness and lack of vision of their leaders, have not signed the Rome Statute. This is the way we can best ensure together that the new building of the Court becomes a true icon of justice for future generations.

Most national courts are weak and ineffective because of corruption and impunity of the leaders. Recent development in developing nations is the emergence of cabals in judiciary, legislative and executive arms which have decided to coltishly protect each other against crimes. They forget that an injustice to one, is an injustice to all.

The ICC, on the feat of commissioning of its permanent site in The Netherlands, should show it has come to stay as a court of last resort in criminal justice administration. It will need more than its present routine to impact the world. In the area of re-orientation, education, campaign against tribal, racial, greed and hatred and policy statements. The court needs to do more in order to impress the world.

Olufemi Oyedele,
Lagos.