Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 7 July 2017
ICC: South Africa should have arrested al-Bashir Nigerian political

cartoonist pokes

By CHRIS TORCHIA fun at president
Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — By LEKAN OYEKANMI
The International Criminal Associated Press
Court said Thursday that LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) —
South Africa should have Few people think it’s funny
arrested Sudanese Presi- that Nigeria’s president
dent Omar al-Bashir, want- is on extended medical
ed by the ICC for alleged leave in London for the
war crimes, when he visited second time this year. But
the country in 2015. Mike Asukwo sharpens his
However, in a show of le- pencil as he plans his next
niency, the court at The political cartoon. “Most of
Hague, Netherlands, said the cartoons I do have po-
it would not refer South Af- litical themes and so they
rica’s failure to comply with are strong commentaries
its obligations to the court’s on the affairs of the nation
governing body or the Unit- ... some may say they are
ed Nations Security Coun- a bit caustic and some say
cil. It based that decision it’s acerbic, you know,”
partly on South Africa’s ef- he said in his studio in La-
fort to cooperate by seek- gos. “But of course (the
ing a ruling on the case. cartoons are) humorous
South Africa and other sig- whichever way you look at
natory countries have a it.”
legal obligation to arrest In this June 14, 2015 photo, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir smiles during a visit to Johannesburg, Asukwo’s subjects vary from
South Africa. In the Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, July 6, 2017 the International Criminal Court
anyone sought by the ICC has ruled that South Africa should have arrested al-Bashir, who is wanted in connection with war tributes to South Africa’s
under the Rome Statute, crimes, when he entered the country. late Nelson Mandela to
the court’s founding treaty. (AP Photo/Shiraaz Mohamed) characterizations of other
Lawyers for South Africa African and Nigerian lead-
had argued that the treaty was allowed to leave South international justice,” the status of a scumbag nation ers in different situations.
does not oblige authori- Africa even though a local foreign ministry said in a which protects the law- Now he’s tackling the issue
ties to arrest heads of state court ordered authorities to statement. breakers and corruptors of of President Muhammadu
of countries who are not arrest him. South Africa’s main opposi- this world.” Buhari’s ill health and his
members of the court, such The South African govern- tion party, the Democratic Amnesty International extended medical leave.
as Sudan. ment said it will study the Alliance, said the ICC ruling sharply criticized South Af- Buhari, 74, has been in Lon-
Al-Bashir is indicted for war ICC’s ruling on Thursday. showed that South Africa’s rica’s conduct in the al- don for medical treatment
crimes, crimes against hu- “In the meantime, South Af- ruling party, the African Na- Bashir case, saying: “No for two months since May
manity and genocide in rica reiterates its total com- tional Congress, is relegat- state should follow this ex- 7, raising fears of instability
Sudan’s Darfur region. He mitment to the principles of ing South Africa “to the ample. q in Africa’s most populous
nation which is grappling
South Sudan: with an Islamic extremist in-
surgency in the northeast.
Judge demands testimony from army rape survivors Buhari’s wife, Aisha, flew
to London this week to see
her ailing husband. This is
By SAM MEDNICK the gang rapes of five for- been a “complete failure in place to facilitate wit- Buhari’s second extended
Associated Press eign aid workers and the to cooperate” on their part. nesses coming forward,” medical leave this year,
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — murder of one local jour- The prosecution said it has one of the survivors told AP. as he spent seven weeks
The trial for rapes and mur- nalist last July when fight- been waiting for supporting She said she’s been in in London from January
der allegedly committed ing broke out in Juba, the documents from Internews touch with the FBI who is until March. Vice President
by South Sudan army sol- capital. If convicted, the that could help shore up acting as a liaison between Yemi Osinbajo is acting
diers one year ago at the accused could face the the murder charge. the victims and the prose- president in his absence.
Terrain hotel could be jeop- death sentence. To date However Internews said it is cution on the ground. With his sketching pencil,
ardized if the victims don’t however, witness testimo- cooperating with authori- “Most of us are still uncom- Asukwo draws Buhari in the
come forward to testify, ny by four employees of ties. “We are following the fortable about directly driver’s seat with the vice
said a military court Thurs- the hotel, who identified proceedings and continu- communicating with the president shown driving
day. “I demand the names four of the accused, has ing to cooperate with gov- South Sudanese,” she said. from the passenger seat.
and presence of those who only pointed to charges ernment officials and the Amnesty International, In other interpretations, he
were raped to come here,” of looting. “There’s a fear FBI,” said a spokesman for which is following the trial, has drawn an image of a
said Deng Manyiel, one of that the rapes and murder Internews. The lead pros- said the court should give sick map of Nigeria waiting
four judges hearing the trial won’t be proven beyond ecutor told the court that assurances to the survivors. endlessly for the attention
in its fifth day of hearings. a doubt,” said Philips Any- the rape victims are com- “First, the court must take of the doctor or of Presi-
Head judge, Brigadier Gen- ang Ngong, a prosecutor ing “step by step,” yet ad- steps to protect the identity dent Buhari. “I think the ba-
eral Knight Briano, told The hired by Terrain. Ngong mitted that they still weren’t of the victims from becom- sic fear is, the main fear is
Associated Press that if the partially blames the lack “here yet.” Survivors of the ing public, and second, it the fear of being misinter-
victims do not identify the of convincing evidence on assaults say they’re not go- should explore using video preted,” he said. “No mat-
accused, there is no legal Internews, an international ing to testify unless they’re conferencing for testimony ter how hard or how bitter
way they can be convict- organization whose jour- guaranteed protection. and cross-examination,” the issue might be, my ma-
ed of rape or murder. nalist was murdered and “We’ve been given no as- said Joanne mariner, senior jor task will be finding a hu-
Twelve South Sudanese sol- several members of their surances or information on crisis response adviser at morous way of presenting
diers currently stand trial for staff raped. He said there’s the procedures they have Amnesty. q it to the audience. q