India Supports Continuation of International Mechanism for Accountability in War Crimes
India backs the ongoing international mechanism to ensure accountability for war crimes and genocide, as highlighted at the UN General Assembly.
United Nations, October 22 (Daily Kiran) : India has expressed its support for the continuation of an international mechanism established to complete the unfinished work of two international criminal tribunals. This initiative aims to uphold accountability for serious crimes such as war crimes and genocide.
During a session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Congress MP Manish Tewari emphasized the importance of this mechanism. He stated that it should continue its essential tasks, which include protecting victims and witnesses, assisting national courts, and managing and securing tribunal records.
Tewari remarked, “These tasks are crucial. They help preserve the legacy of temporary tribunals and aid in maintaining accountability.” He was addressing the assembly session focused on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), which was established by the UN Security Council in 2010 to complete the remaining work of the tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.
The Rwandan tribunal prosecuted individuals responsible for the genocide against the Tutsi community during the civil war. Meanwhile, the Yugoslav tribunal addressed cases related to war crimes. The Yugoslav tribunal heard 111 cases and convicted 90 individuals, with one case still pending appeal at the IRMCT.
The Rwandan tribunal brought charges against 86 individuals connected to the massacre of nearly 800,000 Tutsi and some moderate Hutu, perpetrated by extremist Hutu factions controlling the Rwandan government at the time.
After taking over some cases from these tribunals, the IRMCT has convicted 61 individuals. Tewari acknowledged the mechanism’s role in combating impunity, reiterating that it must operate according to principles of justice, fairness, equality, and due process. Protecting victims’ interests and ensuring justice is of utmost importance.
As the IRMCT approaches the end of its mandate, Tewari expressed India’s desire for a smooth, effective, and timely transition of its responsibilities. However, he stressed that this process should not compromise judicial independence and must fully honor the remaining obligations.
