By Elizabeth Costner
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The trial of former Liberian President Charles Taylor finished its third week with continued testimony from Father Chema, a Senior Researcher for Human Rights Watch, and a linkage witness.   

Father Chema continued his testimony regarding his work with child soldiers in Sierra Leone.  He detailed the rehabilitation programs and the progress the social workers have been able to make with the children.  While approximately 95 percent of the children have been rehabilitated, some were unable to overcome their addiction to drugs or would run away to rejoin their commanders.  Many of the girls had problems as well and would turn to prostitution. 

On a brief cross-examination, Defense Counsel Andrew Cayley worked to establish that child soldiers are used throughout many countries and that it is not a strictly African or Sierra Leonean or RUF practice. 

The next witness for the prosecution was Corrine Dufka, a Senior Researcher for the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch specializing in West Africa.  After the defense counsel strongly objected to the qualification of Ms. Dufka as an expert witness, and the Court ruled that any decision regarding her qualifications were premature, the prosecution began their examination.   

Ms. Dufka presented a report she prepared for the trial, which covers the period of 1998 to 2003/2004 and consists of first-hand victim and witness accounts.    The various documents and studies cited in her report cover the history of the conflict, abuses during armed conflict, war crimes by the Liberian government, and evidence of atrocities in Sierra Leone.   The Prosecution continued the direct examination with questions regarding sexual violence in Sierra Leone and Liberia. 

On cross-examination, Defense Counsel attempted to discredit Ms. Dufka as an expert witness and vigorously questioned her impartiality.   Following her testimony, the Prosecution asked the court to introduce her report into evidence, to which the Defense again objected.  The Court granted the Defense’s request for written submissions regarding her expert status, and the issue will be decided next week.

The Prosecution next called linkage witness Abu Keita.  Keita joined the AFL (Armed Forces of Liberia) in 1990.  When the Sierra Leonean army disarmed the AFL, Keita joined the LUDF (Liberia United Defense Force) in Sierra Leone.  The LUDF was founded to fight the RUF and received weapons from the Sierra Leonean government.   When the LUDF split Keita was a General with one of the branches until it was disarmed in 1996.  Keita testified as to Taylor’s involvement in RUF abuses.   He detailed the RUF activities outside of Sierra Leone, abuses against the peacekeeping forces, the use of diamond mines and child soldiers, the practice of performing amputations, and combatant deaths.

The defense counsel cross-examined Keita, attacking inconsistencies in his statements and his credibility. 
The Prosecution then called witness TF1-371, a protected witness who will give testimony in a closed session.

Yesterday Vamba Sherif, whose brother testified last week, told BBC that his family had received repeated death threats. 

For more information, please see:

Trial of Charles Taylor blog

BBC – ‘Death threats’ over Taylor trial – 25 January 2008

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Yesterday, President Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga met for the first time since the December 27 election that has triggered political and ethnic clashes. The talk was mediated by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in hopes of coming to a peaceful resolution to the dispute. Unfortunately, a solution was not resolved at the meeting.

In fact, Odinga claims he was offended by Kibaki’s comment that he was Kenya’s “duly elected” president. Today, Odinga informed the press that he would not take a prime minister position under Kibaki and the only acceptable options were Kibaki’s resignation, a vote re-run, or a power-sharing leading to constitutional reform then a new election.

The post-election violence was another issue discussed at the meeting. Both sides expressed concerns and commitments to end the violence and yet each side accused the other of genocide.

Meanwhile, at least, twelve people were killed in Rift Valley after violence erupted in the town of Nakuru. Hundreds of people were taken to the hospital after members of President Kibaki’s Kikuyu tribe and Luos and Kalenjins, who backed Odinga, fought in the street, burned homes and looted businesses. A curfew has been imposed.

As the inter-ethnic violence continues, fear of genocide increase. According to Reverend Cornelius Korir, the catholic bishop of Eldoret, near western Kenya, the attacks targeted specific ethnic groups and were thoroughly prepared and organized. The Human Rights Watch has also claimed that they have evidence “that ODM politicians and local leaders actively fomented some post-election violence.”

The incessant violence has caught the attention of the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The ICC was organized to exercise jurisdiction and prosecute incidents of serious crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. As the number of deaths rise within Kenya’s two largest ethnic groups, the ICC has taken the initiative to closely monitor the crisis. 

Kenya, a state party of the ICC, signed the Statute in August 1999. Despite Kenya’s membership, the ICC can only intervene if the case is not the subject of an investigation by national jurisdiction or the State is unwilling or incapable of prosecuting.

For more information please see:

Reuters: Africa- Worried Kenyans Fear More Rift Valley Bloodshed – 25 January 2008

AllAfrica.com – Kenya: Violence, Death and Justice – 23 January 2008

BBC- Kenya Ethnic Attack ‘Planned’ – 24 January 2008