African Search for Peace Throws Court into Crisis

The International Criminal Court’s first indictment was against the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) of Uganda, Joseph Kony and four other commanders. The Ugandan government requested that the ICC investigate the matter, expecting that neighboring governments would withdraw support of the LRA. But the Ugandan government has reversed itself, now asking the ICC to drop the indictments if Kony signs a peace agreement. Without such an agreement, the government fears ongoing civil war and uses South Africa as a regional example of local justice ending conflict and creating peace. However, ICC officials do not want the international court to become a mere pawn in managing regional disputes and, with support from the UK, urge countries to follow through on the system of international justice. – YaleGlobal