Category: Legal

UNITED NATIONS— UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomes the completion of the first trial of the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic (CAR), hailing it as a milestone in the country’s efforts to bring to justice those committing serious crimes, his spokesperson said on Tuesday.

 

In its judgment issued on Monday, the Special Criminal Court found three accused armed group members guilty of certain crimes against humanity and war crimes following their involvement in the May 2019 massacre of 46 civilians in Lemouna and Koundjili, in the northwest of the country, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson, said in a statement.

 

The three were sentenced to prison terms from 20 years to life, and the judgment is subject to appeal, the statement added.

 

Guterres “notes that this trial is a milestone in the Central African Republic’s efforts to bring to justice those responsible for serious crimes, which is crucial for fighting impunity, breaking cycles of violence and contributing to transitional justice,” the statement said.

 

The secretary-general called on member states to continue to provide support to the Special Criminal Court to ensure continuity of its operations, and on the CAR government to promptly renew the court’s mandate, it said.

 

On Oct 31, the court convicted Issa Sallet Adoum, Ousman Yaouba, and Tahir Mahamat of the 3R rebel group for war crimes and crimes against humanity in May 2019 in the villages of Koundjili and Lemouna, northwest Central African Republic.

“The conviction sends a strong signal that those who commit the worst crimes in the Central African Republic can be held to account, even after so many years of widespread impunity” said Elise Keppler, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch.  “The verdict is a milestone for the victims, including those who bravely testified, some traveling to the country’s capital for the first time in their lives to do so, and communities that have been terrorized during the country’s conflicts.”

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

While Africa is seeing a drop in the rate of rhinoceros poaching, Namibian wildlife authorities say they are seeing a surge in rhino killings in the southern African nation. Conservationists say poachers seeking rhino horns for Asian markets are targeting Namibia’s commercial farms.

Save the Rhino Trust CEO Simson Uri Khob said there are reports that syndicates of rhino poachers from South Africa are operating in Namibia. He said poaching cases are rising, especially in Etosha National Park and commercial farms.

“It’s a problem,” Khob said. “The only thing I can say is we have to take more hands with the communities [that are] in the areas and do more awareness.”

Salmon Vermaak, who heads an anti-poaching group called Namibia Wildlife Protection, said the group has received two rhino poaching reports in the last four months, the first such cases since the organization began operating in the area eight years ago.

“We pick up tracks of prospective poachers on the farms we look after,” Vermaak said. “The figures from the Ministry of Forestry show what the increases are. There are definitely syndicates operating between here and South Africa.”

Vermaak said his group isn’t involved with intelligence or the infiltration of the syndicates, but is primarily involved with the protection of the country’s rhinos.

Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said recent statistics show a surge in poaching, although the latest figures are still being verified. So far this year, Namibia has reported 48 poached rhinos compared to 43 in 2021 and 40 in 2020.

Muyunda also welcomed the recent conviction of preacher Jackson Babi — who is also described as a “self-proclaimed prophet” in documents from the Gobabis Magistrate Court.

“We want to believe that this will deter others that are involved in poaching of rhinos or any other wildlife crime and also those who want to get involved in this illicit activity,” Myunda said.

Namibia is home to the largest black rhino population in the world.

Source: Voice of America

U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II Monday, joining world leaders, the royal family and a small group of invited guests at a somber, pomp-filled funeral ceremony at Westminster Abbey that celebrated her 70 years of service as Britain’s longest-serving monarch.

The Bidens arrived late Saturday for the event and have kept a low profile in the British capital, holding no official diplomatic meetings and keeping their public comments to the topic of the queen’s recent death September 8 at the age of 96.

White House officials told VOA before the funeral that Washington’s strong ties to London will continue after the recent change in leadership — which includes the new king, Charles III, and the recently installed prime minister, Liz Truss. Biden will meet with Truss Wednesday in New York, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

“We are confident that with King Charles and with Prime Minister Truss that the special relationship between the United States and Great Britain will endure, we’re not worried about that at all,” National Security Council director of strategic communications John Kirby told VOA.

On Sunday, Biden and his wife paid their respects as the queen’s body lay in state at Westminster Hall, where tens of thousands lined up for hours to pass by her elaborately draped casket, which also bore the Imperial State Crown, orb and scepter — a priceless and instantly recognizable piece capped by the massive, glittering Star of Africa diamond, a 530-carat stone given to the Crown by then-colony South Africa, in 1907.

On Sunday, the Bidens also signed condolence books, and the president praised the queen for her legacy of selfless duty.

“I think what she gave us is a sense of, maybe above all, the notion of service, that we all owe something,” he said. “There’s something within our capacity to do that can make things — not just the world better, but your neighborhood better, your household better, your workplace better. And that’s what she communicated to me anyway.”

The king also hosted a formal state reception for dignitaries Sunday, which Biden attended.

The British crown has extended a controversial funeral invitation to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is widely believed to be responsible for ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. They did not invite the leaders of Russia, Belarus, Syria, Afghanistan or Venezuela.

Elizabeth was buried privately later on Monday at St. George’s Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle, next to her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip.

Source: Voice of America

LUSAKA, Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango said that the country will not face any food crisis because it has sufficient maize stock.

In remarks delivered during a parliament session, the vice president said that public warning about a hidden food crisis should stop, as the maize reserves were sufficient for consumption until the next farming season.

Nalumango said that the Zambian government purchased 220,000 tons of maize, up from the targeted 170,000 tons, and that there was more in market supply and farmers were free to sell it to any buyers.

However, she admitted that there would be food shortage in some areas of poor harvests, noting that the government would step in to help.

“The situation is not as bad as it is being portrayed. We have done our vulnerability assessment and we know areas that did not produce enough maize. The Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit are ready to move in,” she said.

Early this week, the Zambia Public Procurement Authority canceled the fertilizer tender, raising concerns that the delay in fertilizer supply to farmers would affect the farming season and production of the coming season.

Source: Nam News Network