By Alhagie Jobe
The government of The Gambia announced on Tuesday that it is withdrawing from the Hague-Based International Criminal Court (ICC), effective, Tuesday, October 25th, 2016, accusing the struggling court of seeking only to prosecute Africans.
The announcement was made in a statement read on national television (GRTS) by Information Minister Sheriff Bojang.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia hereby informs all and sundry, the withdrawal of the Islamic Republic of The Gambia’s Membership of the International Criminal Court,” Information Minister Sheriff Bojang said on state television.
The information minister calls The ICC an ‘international caucasian court’ which he said is only interested in prosecuting and humiliation of people of color especially Africans and their leaders.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDYRYAmPtG8
The Gambia’s withdrawal makes it the third African country to withdraw from the Hague-based court with its Chief Prosecutor a Gambian.
The international criminal court (ICC), which opened in July 2002 and has 124 member states, is the first legal body with permanent international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Several African countries have since threatened a withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC, accusing the court of disproportionately targeting the continent. The treaty had 124 member states.
Two weeks ago, Burundi quitted the ICC after its president signed a decree to that effect after parliament voted overwhelmingly in support of the move. Burundi’s decision to quit the ICC follows a bitter dispute with the international community over the human rights situation in the East African country.
Second country to withdraw was South Africa who’s minister of international relations and cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane signed the withdrawal notice last week saying the war crimes court’s view on conflict resolution is ‘incompatible’ with South Africa’s.
