Women demonstrate in support of the Sudan government. The central African state, the continent's largest, has become one of the emerging oil-producing countries.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
EDITOR — Before the African Heads of State and Government summit in Uganda, last weekend, we once again watched as the West through the International Criminal Court and their prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo made concerted efforts to dictate to Africa how African affairs should be run.
The ICC is still after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. When he officially visited Chad a few days before the AU summit, the ICC issued a warrant of arrest for him, and they expected the Chadian authorities to execute it. Just like what happened to former Liberian president Charles Taylor.
Why? Because Chad ratified the ICC, and they challenged it to "respect its obligation under international law".
But, ICC and the West were shocked when Chad refused to accede to their demands.
Instead, Chad argued that as a member of the African Union, they would not do that.
Chad also argued that the ICC has been administering the so-called "international justice" selectively and unjustly since they only targeted African leaders.
Ocampo was not satisfied. He maintained that it was not the ICC’s problem that ICC was after African leaders because they were the ones found on the wrong side of international law.
He promised that ICC would eventually get the Sudanese leader. ICC even wanted him arrested in Uganda if he attended the AU summit, since Uganda ratified the law.
As an African I continue to be disturbed by the West’s double standards and obsession with African affairs. Africa is capable of setting up its own courts of law which they can oversee themselves.
Why should the West always think that they can do things for everybody else?
Why do they also ignore what is going on in their backyards? The Gulf of Mexico and areas around it is international space.
The oil spill caused by BP is an issue that should be taken to the ICC. No one as yet knows the extent of the damage to flora and fauna and people.
Maybe Ocampo should also start casting his tentacles wider and beyond Africa and other developing countries. Africans are tired of these mindless games.
Nomagugu M’simang.
Harare
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