Originally published on the CGS blog on November 13, 2009.
Pre-trial hearings have begun in the International Criminal Court case investigating alleged crimes committed by Sudanese rebel leader, Bahr Idriss Abu Garda. He is accused of leading about 1,000 men in an attack in 2007 in which 12 peacekeepers were killed. Abu Garda is the leader of the United Resistance Front, a rebel group fighting in Darfur against the Sudanese government. At the end of these hearings, the ICC judges will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to begin a full trial against him.
Abu Garda voluntarily appeared before the ICC and maintains his innocence. Despite his alleged crimes, his example of trying to use the court to prove his innocence is noteworthy. The ICC is the only permanent international body capable of trying heinous crimes such as genocide, and so its systems are indispensable when investigating those who are responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity across the world. Since 2003, the conflict in Sudan has left hundreds of thousands dead (estimates vary), and in taking on cases such as that of Abu Garda, the ICC has demonstrated the it has the mechanisms to research and determine the accountability of leaders behind the violence, on both sides of the conflict.
It is encouraging to see how this relatively young court is proceeding systematically in its investigations against the alleged leaders of some of the worst atrocities of our time. If we believe that crimes such as genocide should not go unpunished, we need an international court with the jurisdiction to hold people accountable. The ICC is the answer to this call.
For more information in Abu Garda, click here
