Page 5 - AHATA

A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 3 april 2024

Ukrainians file online compensation claims as register opens of

damage to homes caused by war

By MIKE CORDER Court does not currently
Associated Press have jurisdiction to pros-
THE HAGUE, Netherlands ecute the crime of aggres-
(AP) — A register for Ukrai- sion in the Russia-Ukraine
nians to seek compensation war.
for damage to their homes The ICC, however, has is-
as a result of Russia's inva- sued arrest warrants for
sion opened Tuesday and Russian President Vladimir
more than 100 people filed Putin and the country's
online claims, ministers at- commissioner for children's
tending a conference on rights charging them with
justice for Ukraine said. personal responsibility for
"It's a sign of how high the the abductions of children
demand is, but it's also a from Ukraine.
sign of how thirsty people The court also has issued
are for justice," Ukrainian For- warrants for two senior Rus-
eign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sian military officers for al-
told reporters. leged responsibility for at-
The Hague-based Register tacks on critical infrastruc-
of Damage Caused by the ture in Ukraine.
Aggression of the Russian "Let the real peace be re-
Federation against Ukraine, stored faster. And let every-
also known as RD4U, was es- one who destroys peace be
tablished by the Council of Woman cares on the grave of a relative killed in combat at the cemetery in Bucha, outskirts of truly afraid of facing trial in
Europe last year. Kyiv, Saturday March 30, 2024. The Hague," Zelenskyy said
The dozens of compensa- Associated Press in a video message.
tion applications filed Tues- with the devastating war for the investigation and for months on the form such Ukraine's prosecutor gen-
day are the tip of an ice- sparked by Russia's invasion prosecution of the crime of a tribunal could take in or- eral, Andriy Kostin, told the
berg. The Council of Europe in its third year, Ukrainian aggression against Ukraine der to ensure Russian lead- meeting that his country has
expects between 300,000 President Volodymyr Zelen- where Russian leaders could ers cannot claim immunity. identified 551 war crimes
and 600,000 claims. RD4U skyy used a video message be prosecuted. Kuleba said there were suspects, indicted 374 and
aims to allow further claims to urge delegates to con- "We welcome significant ways to move past the issue has already prosecuted 104
soon, including those relat- tinue efforts to tackle impu- progress made in this re- of immunity. people. Opening the con-
ed to damage or destruc- nity for war crimes in order to gard, and we encourage "These countries who put ference, Dutch Foreign Min-
tion of Ukrainian critical in- "provide real strength to our interested States and inter- forward this reservation can ister Hanke Bruins Slot said
frastructure. common security — security national organisations to simply withdraw. Second ... the devastating toll of Rus-
The register will not pay out from aggressions and terror." strengthen their efforts to this issue can be left to the sian attacks underscored
any claims, but is a stepping In a closing declaration, secure a sound legal ba- tribunal itself - there is an in- the need to support Ukraine.
stone toward an internation- 44 countries, including the sis and broad international ternational legal practice "Because if we don't, the
al compensation mecha- United States, United King- support for the completion that the tribunal itself de- country's justice system will
nism that has not yet been dom, Germany and France, of this process," the declara- cides on the jurisdiction it eventually collapse under
established. pledged to work toward es- tion said. possesses." the weight of these atroci-
As the conference opened tablishing a special tribunal Talks have been going on The International Criminal ties," she said.q

Haiti’s surge in gang violence has led more than
53,000 to flee the capital in less than three weeks

day. International Organization U.N.
More than 60% are headed for Migration. Among the rare travel-
to Haiti's rural southern re- The exodus from the capi- ers trying to head north
gion, which worries U.N. of- tal of some 3 million people instead of south from the
ficials. began shortly after power- capital were Marjorie Mi-
"Our humanitarian col- ful gangs launched a series chelle-Jean, a 42-year-old
leagues emphasized that of attacks on government street vendor, and her two
these departments do not institutions at the end of children, ages 4 and 7.
have sufficient infrastruc- February. Gunmen have "I want to see them alive,"
ture, and host communi- burned police stations, she said, explaining that
ties do not have sufficient opened fire on the main stray bullets keep hitting
People look for salvageable pieces from burned cars at a resources, to cope with the international airport that re- the tin roof of their home.
mechanic shop that was set on fire during violence by armed large number of people mains closed and stormed Last week, they tried twice
gangs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, March 25, 2024. fleeing Port-au-Prince," said Haiti's two biggest prisons, to travel to her hometown
Associated Press U.N. spokesman Stephane releasing more than 4,000 of Mirebalais in central Haiti
Dujarric. inmates. but were forced to turn
By EVENS SANON in less than three weeks, The southern region already More than 1,500 people back because of road-
Associated Press the vast majority to escape hosts more than 116,000 have been reported killed blocks.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) unrelenting gang violence, Haitians who previously left up to March 22, and an- "I will definitely try again,"
— More than 53,000 peo- according to a United Na- Port-au-Prince, according other 17,000 have been left she said. "It's absolutely not
ple have fled Haiti's capital tions report released Tues- to the report by the U.N.'s homeless, according to the safe in Port-au-Prince."q