3.31.2006

Taylor in Town?

Apparently, the worlds of international justice and confusion get along well. The Hague is already home to the ICTY, the ICC, the ICJ, the US-Iran Claims Tribunal, and the PCA. Which of the previously-mentioned court(s)/tribunal(s) was/were established by the UN? And in which one was Milosevic tried? The confusion in the public arena is completely understandable considering all of these lovely abbreviations. And now, another acronym-the SCSL (Special Court for Sierra Leone)-wants to send its most high-profile client to The Netherlands. I have no problem with Charles Taylor heading to The Hague (while in custody, of course!), but I worry that having the ICC physically host the SCSL will simply lead to more mix-ups and misinformation regarding jurisdiction and responsibility.

However, I am willing to disregard all of this if his transfer up into central Europe would increase security and stability in the sub-region of Africa. The question is: Will it? Or is the strength and success of the SCSL attributed to the fact that it is located in the country of those which it intends to aid and inform?

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