Jeune Street

Folegandros, Greece

The International Criminal Court is hearing its first case. I can't believe that I read about this on a blog, rather than the mainstream media. The New York Times buried the story headline on their website in fine print, right below 'More News' on the World page. Here's the press release from the ICC:

The trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, which opens on Monday 26 January 2009 before Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court, will not only be the first in the history of the Court, but will also be the first one in the history of international law which will see victims participate fully in the proceedings.

In total, the judges have recognised 93 persons as victims for the purpose of participating in the case and the interests of these persons will be defended by eight legal representatives (lawyers).

Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, the first person to have been surrendered to the Court since its inception, is accused of having committed, as co-perpetrator, war crimes consisting of enlisting and conscripting of children under the age of 15 years into the Forces patriotiques pour la libération du Congo [Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo] (FPLC), and using them to participate actively in hostilities in Ituri, a district of the Eastern Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), between September 2002 and August 2003.

The perspicacious folks at Wronging Rights note that contrary to the fears of some American commentators, "ICC Begins First Trial, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Inexplicably Fail to Appear." Despite the lack of support from the US government, the ICC has taken its mandate from 108 member countries to create a functioning system of international criminal justice. Bill Clinton signed the Rome Statute in his last days in office, but after the signature was subsequently withdrawn the US became the only Western power outside of the Statute. Let us hope that the Obama Administration renews American support for the ICC.