Editor,Please allow me to comment on the editorial, “It’s time Africa’s voice is heard at the UN”, that ran in the Sunday Times on November 17.Did you forget that it was Africa’s Kofi Annan who negotiated with the Kenyan government that the charges for inciting mass murder would go to the ICC only if the Kenyan judiciary would not do anything about it?You have a point about double (if not quadruple) standards, and Tony Blair and George Bush will never appear before the ICC. But ask the people in Europe…the vast majority believes that they are guilty of human rights violations.I would rather say that one should also listen to the voices of all victims.However, this does not mean any suspected criminals should be left off the hook.After half a century of independence, it is time for Africa to reflect on whether there is some responsibility of its own if something goes wrong.Olaf, Spain***************************** Editor,I wish to directly respond to Olaf:We don’t buy the argument that ICC cares for African victims more than we do. And demanding fairness should not be confused with promoting impunity.In particular, Rwanda doesn’t need any lectures about justice from anyone.We tried two million Genocide cases in 10 years via our very own Gacaca system (see RwandaPedia.org) and in the process promoted not only justice but truth-telling, reconciliation and social cohesion.So spare us the rhetoric – this is reality for us. And as for Kofi Annan, he should be standing trial himself for not lifting a finger to try to prevent the very preventable 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed more than a million innocent lives. He has zero credibility.Yasmine Malika, Kigali
