[ 2011-12-18 ]

ICC prosecutor warns cash cuts put probes at risk
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - International Criminal
Court chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo warned
on Saturday that proposed budget cuts wanted by
western countries could hit investigations in
Libya and Ivory Coast.

Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Japan -- the
main contributors among the 120 member states --
are pressing for cuts to the prosecutors' budget
in a vote to be held Monday at the ICC annual
meeting in New York.

Moreno-Ocampo said he may have to halt probes into
mass rapes blamed on Moamer Kadhafi's forces in
Libya and mass killings in Ivory Coast, some by
rebel groups linked to the new government.

"If they decide to reduce the budget, there will
be less cases and less investigations,"
Moreno-Ocampo told AFP.

"With no money maybe the court will look less
impartial," he warned while insisting that the ICC
would live with any decision taken Monday.

"We are public servants so we deal with it in
accordance with the rules and the budget."

The main contributors, looking for global spending
cuts because of the financial crisis, want an
effective cut in the overall ICC budget from 111
million euros ($145 million) this year to about
104 million euros.

Moreno-Ocampo had sought an extra 1.5 million
euros for Libya investigations and 1.7 million
euros for Ivory Coast.

Libya is considering challenging ICC jurisdiction
to try Kadhafi's son Seif al-Islam -- now in
detention in Libya -- but former Ivory Coast
president Laurent Gbagbo is now held at the
tribunal in The Hague on crimes against humanity
charges.

"I will focus on Gbagbo but I cannot do the rebel
forces," Moreno-Ocampo said.

"I don't know whether Libya will challenge the
jurisdiction so I am continuing the investigation.
Without this money I don't know whether I can
continue the current investigation of rapes and I
don't know if I can investigate the rebel sides."

The Libya investigation was called for by the UN
Security Council.

Japan hopes to save 1.5 million euros in its ICC
contribution, Germany one million euros, Britain
about 800,000 euros and France 750,000 euros,
according to negotiators.

"This year it is not just a money issue it is a
political issue. How much interest they have in
global justice and the prevention of crime through
justice," said Moreno-Ocampo, who stressed the
ICC's role in deterring conflict.

Policymakers, he said, must "understand that it
should not be in the hands of accountants, it
should be a decision by policy makers."

Moreno-Ocampo was supported by Human Rights
Watch.

"Slashing the budget lines for Libya and Ivory
Coast effectively kneecaps the prosecutor's
investigation in both countries," said Richard
Dicker, international justice specialist for the
rights group.

Western diplomats said negotiations on the ICC
budget were ongoing. They acknowledged the hard
line and insisted it was dictated by harsh
economic conditions.

"There are questions about budget management that
have to be dealt with but this has to be dealt
with so that the tribunal can carry out its
crucial work," one diplomat said on condition of
anonymity.

Source - AFP

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