Justice and Peace in Times of Conflict

On July 14, 2008, the ICC's Prosecutor requested a warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al Bashir, alleging that Bashir bears criminal responsibility for 10 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Darfur.

In response to the Prosecutor's announcement, AIUSA's international justice team has asked leading international justice experts to discuss the importance of pursuing justice in conflict and post-conflict situations. We asked one question in particular:

How does international justice (and in particular the ICC) contribute to peacemaking and to the larger human rights movement?

Below are the responses that we have received from leading experts in the field:

Ariela Blätter: "Holding Bashir accountable for his acts may be the only way to achieve real and substantive peace in Darfur. That is why the United States, which says it wants the ICC work on Darfur to succeed, as well as its fellow Security Council members, must not suspend the prosecution of Bashir ..." | More »

Priscilla Hayner: "The situation in Sudan is delicate, and it is impossible to know the full impact of the ICC's actions. But it would be wrong to suggest that pragmatism always trumps principle in matters of life and death ..." | More »

Richard Goldstone: "The prosecutor's message might make some people uncomfortable, but that does not mean we should shoot the messenger. This crisis should galvanize the Security Council to take serious action." | More »

Betty Bigombe: "In my view, justice is a key element in that equation, which is why the ultimate success of the ICC is so important." | More »

Sara Darehshori: "Accountability also has the additional benefit of strengthening the rule of law. The pursuit of justice in international courts has encouraged national authorities to take up prosecutions themselves where they otherwise may not have. " | More »