Statement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, regarding the situation in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo
I am deeply concerned by the numerous reports of an escalation in serious violence over the past several months in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo ("DRC"), particularly in the territories of Djugu and Mahagi.
Credible information indicates there have been many armed attacks on the civilian population. In recent months, these attacks have intensified in several territories in Ituri. There are also reports from the same source of repeated attacks on camps for internally displaced persons and on targeted communities. Moreover, these reports indicate the killing and maiming of many civilians, many of whom are children; abductions and summary or extrajudicial executions; sexual and gender-based crimes against women, under-age girls, and men; systematic pillaging; and the burning and destruction of homes, private property and public buildings.
These acts could constitute crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court ("ICC").
I would remind all groups and parties concerned that we opened an investigation in the DRC in 2004, and my Office continues to monitor with the utmost attention the situation throughout the territory of the DRC, including the current situation in the territories of Ituri.
I call on all groups and all parties to cease all attacks without delay, especially those against the civilian population, and to refrain from the use of all criminal violence contrary to the Rome Statute of the ICC.
In accordance with the principle of complementarity, which is at the heart of the Rome Statute, and which gives States Parties primary responsibility for prosecuting and trying crimes, I encourage the competent authorities of the DRC to redouble their efforts to ensure a proper investigation is carried out. This will serve to shed light on the alleged crimes, and to bring to justice all the perpetrators and accomplices involved in the commission of the criminal acts recorded in the region of Ituri.
I also encourage the Congolese authorities to continue their determined efforts, with the support of their partners, to protect and ensure the safety of the civilian population and their property, as well as to take appropriate measures to prevent the commission of such acts in the future.
My Office will intensify its contact with the Congolese authorities to reinforce the work already initiated so as to map the incidents which are potentially within the ICC's jurisdiction, and to exchange experience and information with the authorities on the urgent steps which need to be taken, particularly in connection with the processing of priority cases by the Congolese justice system.
My Office will deploy a mission to the DRC as soon as conditions related to the current COVID-19 health crisis allow.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations in multiple situations within the ICC's jurisdiction, namely Burundi; Côte d'Ivoire; Darfur (Sudan); Georgia; Kenya; Libya; Mali; Uganda; the Central African Republic (two distinct situations); the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and the People's Republic of Bangladesh/Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and Afghanistan. The Office is also currently conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Colombia; Guinea; Iraq/UK; Nigeria; the Philippines; Ukraine; and Venezuela; whilst the situation in Palestine is pending a judicial ruling.
For further details on "preliminary examinations" and "situations and cases" before the Court, click here, and here.
Contact:
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Natungisami mingi mpenza na barapports ebele oyo ezali koloba ete mobulu makasi mpenza ya kobomana ezali kosalema uta basanza ebele na Ituri, na mboka République Démocratique ya Congo (RDC), mingi mingi na bituka ya Djugu na Mahagi.
Basango ya tina mpenza ezali kolakisa ete bana mboka bacivils bazali kobundisama na minduki. Bitumba wana ezali se kokoba na basanza oyo ewuti koleka na bituka ebele na etando ya Ituri. Kaka basango wana ezali koloba lisusu ete, bato oyo balongwaki na bisika na bango mpona kokende kofanda bisika mosusu na kati na mboka, bazali mpe kobundisama, mpe bazali kolanda bato ya monoko songolo. Lisusu, basango wana ezali kolobela bobomani, mpe kokata bitendi ya nzoto ya bacivils ebele, na kati na bango bana ebele; kolimwisa, kokanga bato mpe koboma bato pambapamba oyo basambisemi kutu te; mbeba ya kolala bato, mpe ya kolandela kaka basi, na bilenge ya basi na mibali; koyiba biloko ya bato ezali kosalema makasi, kotumba bandako ya bato, mpe kobebisa bandako ya bato mpe ya mbula matali.
Makambo oyo ekoki kozala mbeba oyo ezali na nse ya bokonzi ya Cour Pénale Internationale, CPI.
Esengeli nayebisa lisusu na masanga nyonso oyo ezali na kati ya makambo oyo ete tobanda boluki bilembo na mboka RDC na mbula 2004, banda wana Bureau na ngai ezali kokoba na kosenzela na bokebi bwonso lolenge makambo mazali koleka na etando mobimba ya mboka Congo, mpe na kati na yango maye mazali kosalema na bituka ya Ituri.
Nazali koyebisa lisusu na masanga nyonso mpe na ba oyo nyonso bazali na kati ya makambo oyo, banda lelo batika mobulu wana ya bobomi, mingi mingi koboma bana mboka bacivils, mpe batika mpenza kokota na oyo nyonso ezali mobulu ya bobomi oyo ezali contraire na moboko ya Statut ya Roma ya CPI.
Nazali kosenga bakonzi oyo bazali na makoki na kati ya mboka RDC, engebene na mobeko mwa kosungana oyo ezali na moboko mwa Statut ya Roma – oyo ezali kopesa na Bikolo bokonzi ya liboso ya kolandela mpona kokanga mpe kopesa etumbu, bakoba na kosala makasi nyonso mpo ete boluki bilembo bwa solo bosalema. Lolenge wana mpo ete mwinda emonana na kati ya ba mbeba oyo ezali kolobama, mpe kofunda na bosembo ba oyo nyonso bazali kosala mpe bazali na kati ya makambo wana ya kosala mbeba ya bobomi bato, oyo ezali kosalema na etando ya Ituri.
Nazali kosenga mpe na bakonzi ya mboka Congo, na lisungi ya ba partenaires na bango, balandela na molende makasi na bango, mpona na kokengela mpe kobatela bana mboka bacivils na biloko na bango, mpe kozua makoki maye masengeli mpona kopekisa makambo ya ndenge wana esalema lisusu te na mikolo mizali koya.
Bureau na ngai ezali kokoba na masolo na bakonzi ya Congo mpona kolendisa mosala oyo esiebanda, mpona na kolakisa bisika nini makambo wana ezali kosalema oyo ekoki kozala na nse ya bokonzi ya CPI, mpe kosolala na bakonzi mpona makoki nini oyo ekoki kozuama na lombangu, mingi mingi na oyo etali makambo oyo ekoki kosimbama liboso na bosembo ya mboka Congo.
Bato ya Bureau na ngai bakotindama na mission na mboka RDC tango kaka banzela ekofongwama likolo na mikakatano oyo ezali na bokolongono bwa nzoto.
Bureau ya Procureur ya CPI esalaka mosala ya kotala liboso, ya koluka bilembo na ya kofunda mpona mbeba ya génocide, mbeba ya bobomi bato ebele na mbeba ya bobomi bato na kati ya bitumba na mbeba ya kobundisa mboka mosusu, na kokotela moto moko te mpe na lipanda lionso. Uta mbula 2003, Bureau ya Procureur ezali koluka bilembo na makambo ebele oyo ezali na nse ya bokonzi ya CPI, mingi mingi na mboka Burundi, na Côte d'Ivoire, na Darfour (Soudan), na Géorgie, na Kenya, na Libye, na Mali, na Ouganda, ne République Centrafricaine (na makambo mibale makeseni), na République Démocratique ya Congo na République populaire ya Bangladesh/République ya Union ya Myanmar, mpe na mboka Afghanistan. Bureau ezali mpe kosala misala ya kotalisa bilembo liboso na makambo etali mboka Colombie, na Guinée, na Iraq/Royaume-Uni, na Nigéria, na Philippines, na Ukraine, mpe na Venezuela, kasi na oyo etali Palestine, esengeli bajuges bakata likambo yango.
Soki olingi koyeba mingi likolo na "boluki bilembo ya liboso" na oyo etali "makambo mpe bosambisami" oyo ezali liboso na CPI, fina awa na awa.
Contact:
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Niko na mahangaiko mingi yenye kutokea ku marapports tele yenye kusema kama matendo mabaya sana iko inafanyiwa tangu miezi mingi mu Ituri, katika Jamuhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo (RDC), sana sana mu territoires za Djugu na Mahagi.
Habari za kuaminiwa zinasema kama bakaaji balivamiwa na batu benye silaha fasi mingi. Mashambulio ile iliongezeka sana mu hii miezi katika territoires mingi za Ituri. Habari zile zile zinasema pia kama batu benye silaha balishambulia mara mingi macamps ya batu benye balikimbia sehemu zingine, na batu ba makabila fulani fulani. Zile habari zinasema pia kama bakaaji mingi balikufa mu ile mashambulio, bengine bakakatwa sehemu za mwili yabo, na kati ya bale batu kulikua batoto mingi. Kuna batu benye balipelekwa fasi isiojulikana, bengine baliuawa bila kusambishwa mbele ya tribunal, banamuke, basika benye habayakomala, na banaume balitendewa mambo mabaya pamoja na maviols, bitu mingi ilinyanganyiwa na kuibiwa, manyumba ya batu na ya leta ililunguzwa, na ingine ikabomolewa.
Ile matendo inaweza kukamatiwa kama macrimes yenye CPI (Cour pénale internationale) iko na uwezo ya kustakia.
Ni lazima nikumbushe makundi yote na batu bote benye ile mambo inaangalia kama tulianza kazi ya upelelezi ndani ya RDC mu 2004, na kama Bureau yangu inaendelea kuchungulia na kuangalia vizuri kabisa mambo yenye kufanyiwa popote katika inchi ya Congo, na kati ya ile, kuko mambo yenye iko inatendewa sasa mu territoires za Ituri.
Ninaomba ile makundi yote na pande zote kuacha mashamulio yote sasa hivi, hasa kwa bakaaiji, na kuachana kabisa na matendo yoyote ya macrimes yenye kuazibiwa na Sheria ya Roma ya CPI.
Ninaomba baongozi ya RDC benye hii maneno inaangalia, kufuatana na ile nia ya kusaidiana yenye iko ndani ya moyo ya Sheria ya Roma — na yenye kupatia inchi zenye ziko ndani ya ile Sheria mapashwa ya kwanza ya kustaki na kusambisha batu —bafanye juhudi kabisa upelelezi ya kweli ifanyiwe. Ile itasaidia kwa kuleta mwangaza juu ya macrimes yenye inasemekana kama ilifanyiwa, na kwa kupeleka ku tribunal batenda maovu bote, pamoja na benye biko banabasaidia katika ile matendo mabaya sana yenye iko inafanyiwa ndani ya Ituri.
Ninaomba pia baongozi ya Congo, pamoja na basaidizi babo ba kawaida, baendelee kabisa kufanya nguvu, balinde vizuri bakaaji na mali zabo, na pia bakamate mipango inayofaa kusudi matendo kama ile isifanyiwe tena wakati utakaokuja.
Bureau yangu itaendelesha maongezi yake na baongozi ya Congo kwa ajili ya kutia nguvu zaidi ndani ya kazi yenye tuliisha anza, kusudi tuweze kuhesabu matendo yenye inawezekana kama CPI iko na uwezo wa kustakia, na kufanya maongezi na baongozi juu ya hatua zenye zinapashwa kukamatwa bila kukawia, sana sana juu ya mambo yenye bajuges ya Congo banapashwa kusambisha mbele ya ingine yote.
Bureau yangu itatuma batu mu mission ku RDC wakati magumu makali ya hii ugonjwa itaturuhusu kufanya ile.
Bureau ya Procureur wa CPI inafanya uchunguzi wa mwanzo, upelelezi na mastaki kuelekea macrimes ya génocide, macrimes juu ya binadamu, macrimes ya vita na crime ya shambulio, bila kupengamia upande fulani na katika uhuru ya kweli. Tangu 2003, hii Bureau iko inafanya upelelezi juu ya mambo mingi yenye CPI iko na uwezo ya kustakia, katika inchi kama Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire, Darfour (Soudan), Géorgie, Kenya, Libye, Mali, Ouganda, République centrafricaine (mambo mbili tafauti), Jamuhuri ya kidemokrasia ya Congo (RDC) na République populaire du Bangladesh/République de l'Union du Myanmar, na Afghanistan. Hii Bureau iko inafanya pia uchunguzi ya mwanzo kuelekeana na mambo ya Colombie, ya Guinée, ya Iraq/Royaume-Uni, ya Nigéria, ya Philippines, ya Ukraine na ya Venezuela, lakini mambo ya Palestine ingali inangoya sheria yenye itakamatiwa na bajuges.
Kama unataka kujua zaidi juu ya « uchunguzi wa mwanzo » na « mambo na maaffaires » yenye ilipelekwa mbele ya CPI, ufungue hapa na hapa.
Mawasiliano :
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