Editor, I wish to respond to Mr Arthur Asiimwe’s opinion, titled, “ICC indictments cannot bring peace to Eastern DR Congo”, which ran in yesterday’s issue of The New Times.Allow me to disagree with the policy of seeking peace at the expense of justice. I think both should go hand in hand. Protecting and sheltering well internationally known humanitarian criminals likes of Gen. Laurent Nkunda or Col. Mutebutsi, and giving amnesty to the likes of Gen. Bosco Ntaganda is wrong. It’s like slapping in the face of the tens of thousands of their Congolese victims.I can feel a hint of exaggeration in the opinion piece, that a “good number (of FDLR commanders) has crossed over (back to Rwanda) have been received like kings, re-integrated into the army and given senior positions”, but if it is true, then it is wrong too.I think all criminals should be brought to justice, regardless of the circumstances at hand! If they need to be somehow pardoned because of this or that, this should be decided by judges, not politicians! I think bringing those people to justice would do more good, as it would send even stronger message to all those who still roam the forests of Eastern Congo, insisting on use of violence.Edouard BahatiEditor,I agree with Arthur’s argument. Indeed, it’s unacceptable and counterproductive for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue indictments against a former rebel when it is clear that such a move would cause more problems instead. I am not suggesting that impunity should be promoted for fear of war, but indictments or whatever move designed to help ensure justice should not be insensitive to the present realities, especially the need to uphold peace and to protect lives, at whatever cost.It’s obvious that DRC has been in a fragile situation for some years. The ICC indictments against Gen. Bosco Ntaganda came at a time when he and his former rebel group were in the process to integrate into the national army, and to end all the offensives for the sake of peace and unity of all the Congolese.That’s why the Congolese government actually refused to enforce the arrest warrant, which I think was a good move. Kinshasa knows – better that the ICC – the sensitivities attached to such an action. I urge the court to back off and to respect DRC’s decision to handle the matter itself. Peace is as important as justice and none of the two should be ignored.But the approach and timing certainly matters a lot.Peter NkusiKabeza
