Deputy Secretary-General tells Security Council Sierra Leone court

 

important milestone in fight against impunity

 

Following is Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s statement at the debate of the Security Council on the Special Court for Sierra Leone in New York, 8 June:

It gives me great pleasure to be here today as a witness of the significant achievements of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.  After listening to both the President and the Prosecutor on the work and goals of the Special Court, I feel humbled, but at the same time encouraged.  It is only five years ago that an 11-year conflict, characterised by indescribable brutality and systematic use of mutilation, abduction, sexual violence, and the murder of civilians, came to an end in Sierra Leone.

As the first of its kind, the Special Court was established on the basis of an agreement between the United Nations and a Member State, Sierra Leone, at the request of the Security Council and the Government of Sierra Leone.  This new hybrid model of international justice sits on the territory where the crimes were committed and, therefore, has the unique advantage of benefiting from both international and Sierra Leonean personnel.

The Special Court has faced numerous difficulties and challenges since it was established.  However, it is clear that tremendous efforts have been made by both dedicated staff members and the people of Sierra Leone to prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibility for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Sierra Leone since 30 November 1996.

Like the ad hocTribunals currently in existence, the Special Court prosecutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.  Uniquely, however, this Court has also prosecuted all its indictees for the enlisting of children under the age of 15 to participate in hostilities.  Notably, building on the jurisprudence of the ad hoc Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the Special Court has confronted the tradition of impunity for gender-based crimes, prosecuting offences such as forced marriage, recognizing the unique nature of the sexual crimes perpetrated primarily against women and girl children during this conflict.  For the first time, sexual slavery as a crime against humanity is being expressly prosecuted under international law.

Today, the Special Court has demonstrated how it has discharged the heavy responsibility it assumed in 2002, to ensure that perpetrators of crimes are brought to justice.  In so doing, this Court has contributed to the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in Sierra Leone.  It is often mentioned that one of the Special Court’s greatest accomplishments is its Outreach Unit.  It is truly remarkable how this Unit has enlisted the support of the general public in Sierra Leone and the neighbouring region.  This Unit effectively disseminates information about the trials before the Special Court at a grass-roots level, providing accessible information on the application of the basic values of the rule of law in the restoration of peace.

The Special Court has joined other international tribunals in offering hope to future generations -- a hope that, in the affairs of men and women of all nations, the rule of law may prevail and that those whose deeds offend the conscience of mankind shall not go unpunished.  On the day of the opening of the Charles Taylor trial, the Secretary-General encouraged all Member States to continue in their support and contributions to the Special Court.  Today, the Special Court has specifically sought the assistance of the international community with financial support.  However, the Court also requires the cooperation of Member States with the enforcement of sentences, the relocation of witnesses, and the subsequent residual and legacy issues that will naturally arise from its activities.  I strongly reiterate these requests.  It is imperative that the international community continues to generously support the Special Court, ensuring that it has both the human and financial resources to conclude its mandate.

This Court is an important milestone in the fight against impunity, marking the considerable achievement of those who have worked selflessly to ensure a lasting legacy of justice and of the rule of law of which the Sierra Leonean people, Africa, and the international community at large can be proud.

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For information media • not an official record