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Decision on Habre's case 'OK'
26/01/2006 21:12 - (SA)
Dakar - African rights groups have welcomed a decision by the continent's heads of state to set up a commission to examine the case of exiled former dictator of Chad, Hissene Habre, faced with an extradition request.
Habre was wanted in Belgium for alleged atrocities committed during his 1982-1990 reign, but a court in Senegal where he had lived since he was ousted, had refused to rule on the request.
African heads of state and government ended a two-day summit in Sudan on Tuesday with the creation of a commission of legal experts and gave it six months to examine "all aspects of the case" and made "concrete recommendations".
Fight against impunity
Habre's fate would be taken up for discussion again at the next African Union summit to be held in July in Banjul, Gambia.
Sidiki Kaba, president of the International Federation of Human Rights, which represented 141 rights groups worldwide, said: "This is the first time that the heads of state have strongly affirmed that it is necessary to fight against impunity ... that appears to me to be helpful."
Kaba said: "However, it is hoped that this is not a diplomatic flippancy to circumvent the international obligations imposed on these states under the international convention against torture", which compelled countries sheltering perpetrators of torture to either try them or extradite them.
Legal systems
Alioune Tine, secretary-general of the Dakar-based African Assembly for Human Rights, said: "It is a very positive action for us, which goes even beyond our expectations. It is a good resolution."
Maina Kiai, president of the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights, said: "It is necessary to make an effort to reinforce the legal systems in Africa in an effort to end impunity. It is a true challenge."
African human rights and civil society organisations had appealed to the AU to either extradite Habre to Belgium for trial on human rights abuses or set up a court to try him itself.
Mass murder, torture
Habre, 63, known as "Africa's Pinochet", had been wanted for trial in Belgium after three nationals of Chadian origin filed suit in a Belgian court in 2000 for arbitrary arrest, mass murder and torture.
An official truth commission report in 1992 accused Habre's regime of committing some 40 000 political murders - among whom only 4 000 victims had been officially named.
Georges-Henri Beauthie, the Belgian lawyer representing the plaintiffs, believed that the commission "will decide in favour of lawsuit in Belgium".
Kaba said it was important that the commission ensured the right to justice and reparation for the victims and guaranteed fair trial for Habre.
- AFP
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