Trial Justice: The International Criminal Court and the Lord's Resistance Army (African Arguments)

Introduction : ending impunity -- The coming of the Lord's Resistance Army -- Displacement and abduction -- Amnesty, peace talks and prosecution -- Concerns about the court -- Justice and healing -- Conclusion : a learning process -- Postscript : the warrants.;The International Criminal Court has run into serious problems with its first big case - the situation in northern Uganda. There is no doubt that appalling crimes have occurred here. Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army have abducted thousands, many of them children, and have systematically tortured, raped, maimed and killed their victims. Nevertheless, the ICC has confronted outright hostility from a wide range of groups, including traditional leaders, representatives of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and non-governmental organizations. Even the Ugandan government, which invited the ICC to become involved in 2003, has been expressing serious reservations. For many, the Court is spoiling the peace process and is making continued warfare and suffering more likely. This book argues that much of the antipathy to the ICC is based upon ignorance and misconception. Drawing on field research in Uganda, it shows that victims are much more interested in punitive international justice than has been suggested, and that the ICC has made resolution of the war more likely. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has run into serious problems with its first big case -- the situation in northern Uganda. There is no doubt that appalling crimes have occurred here. Over a million people have been forced to live in overcrowded displacement camps under the control of the Ugandan army. Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army has abducted thousands, many of them children and has systematically tortured, raped, maimed and killed. Nevertheless, the ICC has confronted outright hostility from a wide range of groups, including traditional leaders, representatives of the Christian Churches and non-governmental organizations. Even the Ugandan government, which invited the court to become involved, has been expressing serious reservations. Tim Allen assesses the controversy. While recognizing the difficulties involved, he shows that much of the antipathy towards the ICC's intervention is misplaced. He also draws out important wider implications of what has happened. Criminal justice sets limits to compromise and undermines established procedures of negotiation with perpetrators of violence. Events in Uganda have far reaching implications for other war zones - and not only in Africa. Amnesties and peace talks may never be quite the same again. Contents 8 Illustrations 10 Acronyms 12 Preface 14 Map: Districts of northern Uganda affected by the LRA 19 IDP populations receiving relief assistance 20 1 | Introduction: ending impunity 22 International law and the most serious crimes 25 A resurgence of international criminal trials 30 The creation of the ICC 37 2 | The coming of the Lord’s Resistance Army 46 Political upheavals, spirituality and guerrilla war 49 Joseph Kony and the LRA 58 War and counter-insurgency strategies 65 3 | Displacement and abduction 74 Living in IDP camps 74 Living with the LRA 81 Some experiences of abduction 87 4 | Amnesty, peace talks and prosecution 93 The change in political context 93 The Amnesty Act 95 Peace talks 99 Referral to the ICC 103 Reactions to the ICC in Uganda 104 Legal aspects of the ICC intervention 109 5 | Concerns about the court 117 The ICC is biased 117 The ICC exacerbates the violence and endangers vulnerable groups 123 The ICC is spoiling the peace process 138 6 | Justice and healing 149 Institutionalization of ‘mato oput’ 153 A diversity of local views 159 Chiefs, churches and spirits 169 The evidence on healing and justice 181 7 | Conclusion: a learning process 190 8 | Postscript: the warrants 203 Notes 217 Bibliography 239 Index 244 Argues that much of the antipathy to the ICC is based upon ignorance and misconception. Drawing on field research in Uganda, this book shows that victims are much more interested in punitive international justice than has been suggested, and that the ICC has made resolution of the war more likely. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has run into serious problems with its first big case - the situation in northern Uganda. Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army has abducted thousands, many of them children, and has systematically tortured, raped, maimed and killed its victims. Nevertheless, the ICC has confronted outright hostility from a wide range of groups, including traditional leaders, the churches and non-governmental organizations. Even the Ugandan government has expressed serious reservations. This book argues that much of the antipathy to the ICC is based upon ignorance and misconception. Drawing on field research in Uganda, it shows that victims are much more interested in punitive international justice than has been suggested, and that the ICC has made resolution of the war more likely

The International Criminal Court has run into serious problems with its first big case - the situation in northern Uganda. There is no doubt that appalling crimes have occurred here. Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army have abducted thousands, many of them children, and have systematically tortured, raped, maimed and killed their victims. Nevertheless, the ICC has confronted outright hostility from a wide range of groups, including traditional leaders, representatives of the Catholic and Anglican Churches, and non-governmental organizations. Even the Ugandan government, which invited the ICC to become involved in 2003, has been expressing serious reservations. For many, the Court is spoiling the peace process and is making continued warfare and suffering more likely.

This book argues that much of the antipathy to the ICC is based upon ignorance and misconception. Drawing on field research in Uganda, it shows that victims are much more interested in punitive international justice than has been suggested, and that the ICC has made resolution of the war more likely.

"The International Criminal Court (ICC) has run into problems with its first big case - the situation in northern Uganda. There is no doubt that appalling crimes have occurred here. Over a million people have been forced to live in overcrowded displacement camps under the control of the Ugandan army. Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army has abducted thousands, many of them children, and has systematically tortured, raped, maimed and killed. Nevertheless, the ICC has confronted outright hostility from a wide range of groups, including traditional leaders, representatives of the Christian Churches and non-governmental organizations. Even the Ugandan government, which invited the court to become involved, has been expressing serious reservations." "While recognizing the difficulties involved, Tim Allen shows that much of the antipathy towards the ICC's intervention is misplaced. He also draws out important wider implications of what has happened."--Jacket.