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Momodou
Denmark
11717 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jul 2012 : 15:50:21
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Fatou Bensouda Let Me Down
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
By Sigga Jagne, Kentucky, USA
Dear editor,
I have to say that I am disappointed in Fatou Bensouda’s response to the question, in her recent interview with Al Jazeera, on whether Yahya Jammeh could be regarded as one of the few dictators in Africa.
As someone who is supposed to be a beacon of justice for the entire world, she should have been able to demonstrate her unbiased stance for justice by providing a much more suitable
response, even it had to be a measured one.
But instead, she first stumbles in her response and then when pinned down by the interviewer, nods and shrugs off the question.
Whether out of fear of persecution or fear of political ramifications, she was clearly uncomfortable about voicing an opinion. In that moment, I for one lost a good degree of the respect I held for her. Somehow, the pride and reverence I felt for her - an African woman assuming the ICC Chief Prosecutor, was somewhat dimmed… even if momentarily.
Because I know that there is no way she is not aware of the infringements on human and civil rights of
citizens, etc., under the Jammeh regime.
So even if she wanted to remain objective and not want to explicitly call Jammeh a dictator, I feel that her position, role, experience, intelligence and skills should afford her adequate ability to at a minimum be able to articulate in a diplomatic manner that there are improvements that are called for in the arena of democracy in The Gambia.
But instead she stumbled and then eventually seemed to just completely side step the question with a shrug and barely a word. In my opinion, that is a level of self-gag, self-muzzling in support of Jammeh. Whatever her reasons might be, such action cannot be but at the expense of the true justice that she is supposed to stand for.
Given her past appointment in the Jammeh administration, and her current role in assuring international justice against those who have committed acts against humanity, she definitely should have anticipated that question sooner rather than later and be well prepared to diplomatically, adequately, and articulately tackle it.
I did expect that someone of her statute will be able to handle such a relatively unchallenging line of questioning with grace and diplomacy, while efficiently balancing what expectedly would involve the ingrained internal and external politics of her job against her responsibility as the world’s criminal prosecutor in order to stand on the side of what is simply JUST.
I want to hold on to the hope that this glitch is simply a result of her newness in the position and that as she matures into the public spotlight that it affords her, her skills will be better honed to handle such future situations with ease, grace and with simple truth.
Because I do understand that sometimes when one is new to a position of extreme power that thrusts one into immense public
spotlight and scrutiny, it takes some adjustment time to expand and own the role fully, especially the political aspects.
So I hope above all that in the future she will demonstrate fearless advent against injustice anywhere in the world,
including the Gambia.
I have to be optimistic that she will do better because her historic assumption of this world judicial leadership position is also a great responsibility on her part to African women, women everywhere, and to the world at-large to be a role
model anId to show that we, Africans, and African women in particular, are meritorious of and can adequately fulfill International leadership roles as much as the next European guy.
But I do have to reiterate that my head is a little bowed and I am a little ashamed and let down. Fatou Bensouda, my Gambian sister, my African sister, I am shedding a little tear. But I am holding on to hope that this will serve as a reminder to you. A reminder that this is your moment to put the interest of Justice ahead of all and that this position is bigger than you, or Yahya, or even The Gambia, or any politics.
It is about defending the defenseless, bringing to justice those who would commit atrocious crimes against them, being the hand of justice that would serve as a deterrent to those who would otherwise continue to terrorize human beings at-will and unchecked.
I therefore hope and I pray that as you continue to grow in this position, you will show ALL that you truly are deserving of being the hand of international justice.”
Source: Dailynews |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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