Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Raila: We can run but not hide

By Nicholas Anyuor
Kenya’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute will not stop the trial of the post-election violence suspects at The Hague, Prime Minister Raila Odinga has said.
Speaking in Dholuo, Raila said the withdrawal will not deter the International Criminal Court from trying the six suspects presented to it by prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
"Ochalo joma goyo koko e tie yien ka otenga odich chamo gweno e wi yien (It is like those yelling under a tree when a hawk is busy feasting on a chicken above)," he said.
The PM, however, expressed a possibility of forming a local tribunal that could try the six, but
said pulling out of the Rome Statute and the ICC is not a remedy for those who were named by Moreno-Ocampo.
He asked for the formation of the local tribunal that could be used by Kenyans to influence the prosecutor to surrender the suspects to be tried locally.
"The Hague is not one’s own house where he can go in and come out at will. We must give one-year notice and still it won’t help the suspects," said Raila.
The PM said after the formation of a local tribunal, Kenya will invite the ICC to inspect the credibility of the tribunal before it accepts to hand over the six suspects to be tried locally.
"Whether we pull out of the ICC or not, Moreno-Ocampo will still have them. But after the inspection, if things will be fine then they will try our people locally," he said.
Speaking during the coronation of the eighth Luo Council of Elders chairperson Willis Opiyo Otondi, Raila said those who participated in fuelling the violence should not go unpunished.
"We want the tribunal to work and try the perpetrators because we saw innocent Kenyans being killed. Something has to be done," he said.
This comes a week after Parliament approved that Kenya would withdraw from the Rome Statute.
‘We need ICC’on Monday, ministers James Orengo (Lands), Otieno Kajwang’ (Immigration) and Education Assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny challenged the approval, arguing Kenya should not withdraw from the ICC.
"We signed the protocol because of its benefits and we shall protect it because we need it," said Kajwang’.
Orengo urged Kenyans to give ICC unwavering support.
"Those implicated should carry their own cross," he added.
Ayiecho said it is unfortunate for Kenya to sacrifice the benefits of being signatories of the Rome Statute just to save six individuals.
"It is unfortunate for Kenya to pull out of the ICC because of the list of the six suspects," he said.
Last week religious leaders at the Coast urged President Kibaki and Raila not to side with MPs in their efforts to scuttle the International Criminal Court process. They said majority of Kenyans supported the process and the principals should reject the move by MPs.

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