Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
CONAKRY, Guinea – An International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation has revealed that Guinea’s military junta committed crimes against humanity during last year’s massacre of more than 150 opposition supporters.
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda went on a three-day mission to Conakry.
“As the Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC, I end this visit with the feeling that crimes of the order of crimes against humanity were committed,” she said. “On the basis of the information that we have received from this visit, we will pursue our preliminary investigation.”
Bensouda spoke of “atrocious crimes” that had been committed, adding “men in full uniform attacked civilians, they killed and wounded. In full daylight they mistreated, violated and submitted women to unprecedented sexual violence.”
Guinea security forces attacked the protestors, shooting, stabbing, and beating them, and publicly raping women at a protest rally opposing the military junta at Conakry Stadium on September 28.
On Thursday, Bensouda promised families of the victims that they would have justice.
The UN has found that Captain Moussa Dadis Camara had “direct criminal responsibility” for what happened. He was the junta chief at the time of the attack.
The Guinean people have high hopes that the ICC will bring justice, but the ICC has no police power to arrest those who are responsible for the attacks. It must rely on the police in each individual country.
According to Bensouda, however, “If the Guinean authorities are not seen to be doing something… [then] the ICC will do it. The bottom line is that there will not be impunity. The victims of these crimes will have justice one way or another.”
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara is now in exile in Burkina Faso. Prime Minister Jean Marie Dore is the transitional authority overseeing the country’s movement from a military government to democratic elections.
“The judiciary is a problem in Guinea, the way it is organized, the training of the magistrates and some of their behavior presents problems between the Guinean authorities and their internal and external partners,” said the Prime Minister. “If we are honest, there are difficulties to overcome so that Guinea is up to the job of properly judging those responsible for what happened on 28 September.”
Guinea could set an example if it is willing to bring the main perpetrators to justice.
“These few days working in Guinea confirmed that Guinean institutions and the ICC can work in a complementary way: either Guinean authorities can prosecute the main people in charge themselves, or they will turn to the court to do it,” Bensouda said.
For more information, please see:
AFP – Guinea Massacre a Crime Against Humanity: ICC – 20 February 2010
Al Jazeera – ICC Outrage Over Guinea Massacre – 20 February 2010
Reuters – ICC Finds Crimes Against Humanity in Guinea – 20 February 2010
BBC – Guinea PM Says Judiciary Incapable of Judging Killers – 19 February 2010
BBC – No Impunity for Guinea Massacre, Says ICC – 18 February 2010
Impunity Watch – Guinea to Probe Violence Against Protestors – 10 October 2009
