Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate crimes in the Central African Republic (CAR), following a request from the country’s interim president, Catherine Samba-Panza.
The call from HRW comes after a coalition of human rights organisations warned that the conditions from genocide were being created in the Central African Republic, as violence spread between religious groups.
Catherine Samba-Panza, CAR’s interim president, had earlier requested the ICC to formally investigate crimes in the country, acknowledging that the country’s courts could not do so.
Daniel Bekele, Africa director at Human Rights Watch said,
“Everyone involved in the horrific crimes in the Central African Republic should know there is a price to pay for committing atrocities… The ICC prosecutor should accept the government’s request, investigate crimes by all parties, and help provide a sense of justice for the victims.”
“The government of the Central African Republic should cooperate with any ICC investigation. The UN and international donors need to provide urgent financial and technical support to assist the interim government in restarting the country’s judicial system and get the special investigative cell up and running.”
Calling for more support so that crimes committed by the Seleka and the anti-Balaka can be investigated, Bekele went on to add,
“There can be no durable peace in the Central African Republic unless law and order are restored.”
“A commitment to accountability will reassure victims that justice will be done, not by lynch mobs on the streets, but under the law.”
“Trials will not happen overnight, but the government and international community need to send a strong signal that ongoing abuses will not be tolerated.”