Botswana, a European puppet-ICC Watch

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Friday March 26, 2010 00:00

The report by the ICC Watch says there is growing concern about Botswana's position regarding the attempts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to indict, arrest and extradite Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir with regard to the conflict in Darfur.

The report goes on to say the ICC, established in 2002, has increasingly come to be seen as a European Court.'The ICC is overwhelmingly dominated and funded by Germany, Britain, France and Italy, Africa's old colonial masters,' the report says.  The report accuses President Ian Khama for being party to decisions fundamentally undermining African independence and re-establishing European domination of African affairs. 'Sir Seretse was a leading figure in fighting for and asserting African independence. It comes as a great surprise therefore that his son, a subsequent President of Botswana, Ian Khama, has been party to decisions fundamentally undermining African independence and re-establishing European domination of African affairs', the report reads.

ICC watch director Marc Glendening has been quoted as saying  'the ICC has picked on African countries such as Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Chad, Guinea and Kenya. If and when Europe wants a bigger share of Botswana's diamonds or other resources, or if it suits a new western strategic plan, Botswana could be next.' Glendening further stressed that ICC watch has been approached by individuals, groups and political parties in Botswana who are opposed to the supine position of their government in relation to the ICC.  The report went on to say in a landmark demonstration and re-statement of African independence from its European ex-colonial masters, the July 2009 African Union summit in Libya decided not to co-operate with the International Criminal Court's attempt to arrest Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir.

The report says the declaration urged African leaders to refuse to arrest any African indicted by the ICC. 

'Botswana, however, has stated that it would not support the African Union decision. The Botswana Government spokesman, Jeff Ramsey, stated that Botswana will cooperate fully with the court' the report revealed. Botswana's decision has been viewed by the overwhelming majority of Africans as an act of gross disloyalty on the part of the Botswana government. 

The report says while the ICC claims to be an international court, it has studiously ignored any white, western involvement in alleged war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere and has focused exclusively on Africa. 'It has only ever taken action on African situations. The ICC position appears to be that only black Africans commit international crimes and it has only ever sought to indict and arrest black Africans', the report says.