Fr. Shay Cullen » The International Criminal Court

By Fr. Shay Cullen

It may sound a macabre and a strange New Years present for children and their defenders everywhere. It is the good news that The International Criminal Court (ICC) in De Hague has put several high level political and military suspects on trial for the abuse and exploitation and torture of children. This is a very new and welcome development for victims of violence, abduction, exploitation, abuse and trafficking. “Child offenders beware, your days are numbered” is the slogan of the children rights defenders. Investigations still secret, are targeting Filipino officials and eventually international arrest warrants could be issued according to Human rights campaigners.

The ICC prosecutors are after but the masterminds and the political and police enablers. It is unprecedented but welcomes that child abusers, exploiters and tortures to be put on trial at the ICC. It will be putting the Philippine Government on trial too so they will resist it to be sure but only until the international pressure builds and business interests face sanctions. The court targets and investigates the people with the command responsibility and who violate their obligations to protect and prevent child abuse of all kinds.

The immunity from investigation and prosecution in the Philippines that the big time politicians who support the sex industry that exploits child sex slaves on a huge scale (as many as 100,000) and military and police who violate children by putting them in prisons will be torn away. The children in police stations and in a child prison in Bicutan called Cradle is in violation of international conventions and legal protocols on child rights. They have banned Filipino NGO social workers and foreign visitors from visiting the children and bringing help and care to the kids behind bars. What are they hiding and covering up?

Many children released by court order have given testimony of their suffering. One youth described to investigators how he was beaten, hazed, and forced by guards to drink the phlegm and spittle of other inmates. A direct endangerment of his health as TB and HIV-Aids is likely to be prevalent. The children released to NGOs have made testimonies that show torture and serious sexual and physical torture and abuse.

Nothing and no one can stop an International Criminal Court investigation, not even a president or powerful politicians, no matter how corrupt. The UN Security Council has frozen all bank accounts and assets of suspects, ordered a ban on them traveling abroad, and ordered an investigation of their family interests for ill-gotten gains that may have come from their abusive activities against children. Martin Kouakuo Fofie of the Ivory Coast is one example.

The ICC uses the evidence from victims to build a case before issuing an international arrest warrant. Thomas Lubanga of Ivory Coast is charged and is on trial for child abduction, recruiting child soldiers and child abuse so are several others one time feared and powerful commandeers.

The UN action can also be used against suspects if they thwart, block or obstruct the ICC investigators and against high government officials if co-operation is not forthcoming. No matter where the masterminds hide the court prosecutors are relentless in pursuit. The present trial ongoing at the ICC has the African abusers and torturers facing lifelong prison sentences. The ICC in the Hague is bringing more and more such criminals to justice and no matter where they hide reward money gets informers to reveal their whereabouts.

Former all powerful Ivory Coast president Charles Taylor and Germain Katanga have been arrested and brought to De Hague to answer for their crimes against children. The world is changing in favour of the children who are speaking out and their voices are being listened to and heard around the world.

Many Filipino officials and military personnel have property abroad and their children are in exclusive schools in the USA and the EU. All that will be in jeopardy if they are listed as responsible by command responsibility for allowing the sexual exploitation or torture or abuse of children. Lets hope there is a final ending of the dirty sex industry that is destroying children and the nation. The ICC is the hope of abused children and we must give it all the support it deserves. END

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Contact Fr. Shay Cullen at the Preda Center, Upper Kalaklan, Olongapo City, Philippines.
e-mail: preda@info.com.ph
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PREDA Information Office
PREDA Foundation, Inc.
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