A Voice for the Voiceless

The United Nation’s war crimes court in Sierra Leone has sentenced three militia leaders for war crimes including rape, mutilation, and murder. Alex Tamba Brima and Santigie Borbor Kanu received a fifty year sentence, while Brima Kamara received a forty-five year sentence. Last month, these men were convicted of eleven of fourteen war crimes charges, including terrorism, enslavement, rape and murder.

All three men were senior members of the Armed Forced Revolutionary Concil, a militia that overthrew the Sierra Leone government in 1997. These sentences were the first assigned by the UN backed court since the civil war concluded five years ago. Moreover, these militia leaders are the first to be convicted of recruiting and training child soldiers.

When Judge Julia Sebutinde passed the judgment in the capital, Freetown, he stated, “The men committed “heinous, brutal, atrocious, crimes never recorded in the history of mankind.”

Presently, the defendants have the right to appeal their convictions. However, if they lose the appeal, they will serve their lengthy prison terms in Europe rather than in Sierra Leone due to safety concerns.

The UN backed court has indicted twelve criminals in connection with the Sierra Leone war. Liberian President Charles Taylor is accused of supporting the rebels. Currently, Mr Taylor is on trial in The Hague in order to prevent disruption in West Africa between Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Critics are skeptical of the UN backed court because they believe that the court has been “slow in delivering justice to the people of Sierra Leone.” For example, three indicted criminals in Sierra Leone died before their verdicts were ever delivered.

For more information, please see:

BBC – First S Leone War Crime Sentences – 20 July 2007

BBC – Country Profile: Sierra Leone – 20 June 2007

Jerusalem Post – Sierra Leone War Crimes Court Hands Out Sentences – 20 July 2007

Early Wednesday night, the sky of Mogadishu was lit with explosions. Islamic insurgents carried out a massive attack against Somali troops in the capital’s biggest market, Bakara. The country has had little peace since the arrival of government backed Ethiopian troops. Bombs, attacks on government officials, assassination attempts, and wounded civilian are common situations in Somalia.

Wednesday nights attack began around 1:25 am, local time and lasted for approximately 45 minutes. Families were forced to sleep on the floor due to the heavy fighting and stray bullets. Halima Ahmed, a mother of seven, described it as the worst and most frightening night of her life.

This attack comes a few hours before a peace conference of more more than 1,200 delegates was scheduled to begin in the northern part of the capital. The historic conference has been long awaited. The delegates met to tackle an 11-point agenda aimed at ending Somalia’s violence. The 2009 election, clan arguments, and a new constitution are amongst the topics to be discussed during the conference.

Unfortunately, the conference itself was attacked and has been postponed. Six children, while playing soccer, were killed earlier today, when terrorists mortars exploded near the conference building. Mayor Muhamad Dheere said, “[terrorists] wanted to undermine the peace process and missed their target and killed children.” None of the delegates were injured.

The conference has been postponed several times due to fighting. According to Mohammad Hassad, a writer for the Associated Press, the Shabab, the military wing of the Islamist group, has threatened to disrupt the gathering saying anyone who takes part “is sentenced to death.”

For more information please see:

AllAfrica – Somalia: Heavy Gun Battle Rocks Magodishu Overnight – 19 July 2007

AllAfrica – Somalia: Peace Talks Under Mortar Attacks – 19 July 2007

BBC – Somali Talks Bomb Kills Children – 19 July 2007

Yahoo – 6 Children Killed in Somalia – 16 July 2007

The Special Court for Sierra Leone, based in Freetown, has just handed down the sentences of Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Bazzy Kamara, and Santigie Borbor Kanu.  Brima, thirty-five years old, and Kanu, forty-two years old, have been sentenced to jail for 50 years.  Kamara, thirty-nine years old, has been sentenced to jail for 45 years.

In June, each were found guilty of 11 of the 14 charges against them, including murder, rape, enlisting child soldiers, terrorism, and enslavement.

The men are former leaders of Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) which in 1997 caused a coup d’etat against then President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.  The AFRC allied itself with the rebel group the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and embarked on a terror campaign.  The rebels are believed to have been backed by Charles Taylor in exchange for Sierra Leone diamonds.  The civil war ended in 2001 leaving 120,000 people dead and thousands more mutilated.

During their trial, the men did not cooperate with the prosecution nor did they accept responsibility for their crimes.  However defense lawyer Kojo Graham had urged the court to consider reconciliation in sentencing.

It is believed that the men will serve their sentences in Sweden and Austria.

For more information, please see:

AllAfrica – Sierra Leone: Rebel Leaders Found Guilty in First Verdicts From UN-Backed Court – 20 June 2007

Reuters – Sierra Leone War Crimes Court Jails Militia Chiefs – 19 July 2007

VOA – Convicted Coup Plotters Face Sentencing in Sierra Leone – 19 July 2007

IOL News – Prosecution Seeks 170-Year Jail Terms – 16 July 2007