Warlord 'forced kids into army'

2006-11-15 08:47

The Hague - The prosecutor of the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal presented evidence on Tuesday that a Congolese warlord forced children into his army, and kept them there with promises of wealth and weapons.

Prosecutor Florence Darques Lane said Thomas Lubanga, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had "final power on all questions" whether they were military, political or judicial - even after his imprisonment in Kinshasa, last year.

Lubanga was the first - and so far only - suspect in custody at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

Darques Lane cited testimony from a 14-year-old boy, allegedly recruited by force in February 2003. She said the boy "was taken to a car, where Lubanga and other soldiers were sitting".

Lane added: "Other children were caught. Lubanga told them they would go as far as Beni (in northeastern DRC) and they would become rich."

Lubanga up for abducting kids

Tuesday's testimony was part of a pre-trial hearing to determine whether Lubanga would eventually stand trial before the court.

Lubanga, 45, was charged with abducting children under the age of 15 and forcing them to participate in attacks by the armed wing of his political Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) during wars that ravaged the DRC.

He had denied the accusations.

Lane cited a report by Radio Okapi, of the UN's peacekeeping mission in DRC, in which Lubanga allegedly invited families "to participate in the war effort by either giving a cow, or money or a child to join the ranks of the Patriotic Liberation Forces of Congo".

Considered the armed wing of Lubanga's UPC, the group was suspected of a long series of crimes against humanity in the Ituri region of northeastern DRC.

She also presented several videos, including one showing Lubanga encouraging young recruits at a training camp.

Lubanga said: "You'll receive weapons, you'll protect residents. It's a work of great importance, before men and before God."

According to humanitarian groups, inter-ethnic clashes in Ituri, and violence between militias seeking control of gold mines and other natural resources, had left 60 000 dead since 1999.

The confirmation hearing was scheduled to run through November 28, after which the judges must determine whether Lubanga would become the first person to stand trial before the ICC. Their decision was expected late January.

- AFP