AU boss hits out at ICC

African Union Commission head Jean Ping has accused the International Criminal Court on Wednesday of practising a “double standard” by targeting only Africans.

Dr Ping, the AU Commission chairman criticised the court's record in response to a question put to him by the Nation during a conference with reporters.

Dr Ping is on a two-day visit to Washington for annual talks between the United States and African Union.

He complained that the ICC's formal cases have so far involved “exclusively Africans, as if nothing is going on in Sri Lanka, nothing in Pakistan, nothing in Georgia...just to mention a few. Why this double standard?”

Kenya voluntarily became a party to the ICC, unlike the United States, which has not signed the treaty establishing the court, Dr Ping noted.

The principle of international justice rests on national sovereignty, he added. And if a country is unable to ensure justice in a particular case, “then you could move it to an international organisation,” Dr Ping said.

But Kenya now says it is committed to judging the Ocampo Six cases in its own tribunal, he continued. It should therefore be given time to take such a step in accordance with Article 16 of the ICC's treaty, the African Union chief said.

Kenya is saying to the ICC “give me 12 months to put in my own tribunal,” Dr Ping noted, adding, “What is wrong with that?”

The six suspects are: Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Civil Service head Francis Muthaura, Postmaster General Hussein Ali and MPs Mr William Ruto, Mr Henry Kosgey and radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.