Allegedly leaders of a predominantly Christian rebel group in the Central African Republic, two men pleaded not guilty to several counts of war crimes and offenses against humanity. The two allegedly were the major players in a campaign of atrocities against Muslim civilians in 2013 and 2014. During the period, the two lead an armed group in a government coup they intended would restore power to CAR’s recently ousted president.
Ngaissona and Yekatom
When their trial opened this week, the two men, one a former soccer official Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom, an insurgent leader recognized as Rambo, read their accusations. The court accused the two of involvement in crimes including torture, attacking civilians, and murder. The charges were formulated from their participation as senior leaders in a predominantly Christian militia known as the anti-Balaka. The anti-Balaka engaged in bitter fighting with mainly Muslim Seleka rebel groups and all others who supported the group in 2013 and 2014.
When the interreligious violence began in the Central African Republic, thousands of civilians ended up dead, and hundreds of thousands got displaced. Additionally, shops, homes, and Mosques got destroyed and looted during the fighting. The international court trial was the first ever to focus its attention on the violence that erupted in 2013. The court seeks to find out and hold the parties involved accountable for all that occurred when the Seleka seized power in the CAR, forcing President Francois Bozize into exile.
Prosecution lawyer Kweku Vanderpuye
Prosecution lawyer Kweku Vanderpuye intends to have both Ngaissona and Yaketom put behind bars by proving the allegations put against them. Vanderpuye, present in court when the trial opened, told a three-judge panel that 150 prosecution witnesses, including experts, victims, and insiders, would testify at the trial and prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. According to Vanderpuye, Ngaissona helped mobilize, finance, and arm diverse groups willing to join the anti-Balaka movement intended to restore Bozize to power. By doing this, Ngaissona gave people targeting the Muslim population of the western Central African Republic a means to wipe them out and mete out payback.
Vanderpuye, on the other hand, told the court that Yekatom knew the vengeance within the anti-Balaka, and he knew that they aimed to and would execute multiple acts and crimes. With this in mind, Yekatom planned, prepared, and led the anti-Balaka in crimes as a vital part of their widespread attacks.
The Central African Republic Working with the ICC
Political Experts in the Central African Republic believe that a justice void in the country has caused its repeated attacks. Just recently, a new wave of attacks hit the CAR after two months of peace. Experts have said that for CAR to break the cycle of violence, the country has to undertake fair, credible trials for atrocities caused in the past.
In 2018 November, the Central African Republic surrendered Yekatom to the ICC after authorities arrested him for firing a gun in parliament. Authorities, on the other hand, detained Ngaissona in France a month later after arresting Yekatom. The Central African Republic government has asked the ICC to investigate the crimes allegedly committed by both. Furthermore, the government asked the ICC to investigate the Seleka and the anti-Balaka crimes. So far, the ICC has managed to bring to trial a Seleka rebel arrested on an ICC warrant.
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