Desmond Tutu wrote an opinion piece in today's Times about the threat posed by many African countries' expressed desire to withdraw their participation from the International Criminal Court.
The main purpose of the article was to raise awareness about the mounting support the movement away from the ICC has gathered, of late. Tutu attributes this momentum to allegations of racism, which appear to be sweeping through African politics.
The article, at least for me, was necessary, as I was unaware that the ICC had been losing support amongst African countries. I was unaware, even, that there was mounting political pressure to abandon the court.
Tutu spoke frankly, as he has historically done, about the dangers of abandoning the ICC. Without a regulating body to which violators of international law can be held accountable, Africa runs the risk of slipping farther back into chaos. For Africa, the trend seems to have been two steps forward, one step backward. Tutu, a driving force in the progress of many African countries, is cautious to avoid another pitfall into tribalism and tyranny.
Without the ICC, says Tutu, "a country could and would attack their neighbors, or minorities in their own countries, with impunity." He points out that Africa has suffered too long for lack of international regulations to willfully restore that erra.
What surprised me, and also made me happy, was that Tutu used the opportunity to plug an Avaaz campaign, which he had joined, to support Africa's continued relationship with the ICC. Tutu is remaining relevant in his old age; using modern tools to accomplish the goals of equality and a stronger Africa, to which he dedicated his life in the last century.
The Avaaz homepage features a picture of Tutu with a link to the campaign. This is the epitome of what 21st century social activism should be. By using the internet to gather support, for free, he will, hopefully, be able to demonstrate that public opinion supports the ICC. With this fact documented, governments could not abandon the court without appearing fascist in the world's eye.
The article, itself, was necessary only as a cursory overview of the problem, and as a link to the avaaz campaign where readers can lend their support. It is a very effective technique.
As to allegations of racial bias within the ICC: if Desmond Tutu doesn't think it's racist, then it probably isn't.
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