The Malian military junta has been pressing the International Criminal Court to move forward with probes of “war crimes” charges among the various rebel factions holding the northern two-thirds of Mali. Yet it is finding itself under scrutiny as well as junta soldiers are being accused of mass detentions without charges and summary executions.
That was the word today from reports by several human rights groups, which confirmed misdeeds by the rebels, including the use of child soldiers by some of the factions, but expressed major concerns about the disappearances of people stopped at Malian military checkpoints.
Mali’s junta has been criticized repeatedly for the behavior of its soldiers, including a September incident in which 16 clerics were captured in Diabaly, en route to a religious conference, and executed by the military. The junta expressed “regret” for the massacre, but insisted it wasn’t their fault because they hadn’t explicitly ordered the troops to massacre the clerics.
The Mali probe is the eighth investigation by the ICC, all of them in Africa, and though junta officials express hope that the probe will focus solely on rebels, officials say they plan an “impartial” investigation across the board.
And the difference between their summary executions and those of the President of the United States so called ability to kill without trial. A little Hypocracy!
Detentions, just who are those men sitting in Gitmo, held in detention without trial for HOW MANY YEARS!
The reality is that such matters are illegal but they are illegal when the United States does it or any other group!
Want war crimes trials start with the so called "country of law" it might have a little meaning if the people in America Australia or Britain are held accountable for their War Crimes in Iraq! I am sure Bush Howard and Blair deserve a little time squirming in the dock in the Hague!