World Court rules for Congo against Uganda
The court, the UN’s highest judicial body also known as the world court, dismissed Uganda’s claims of self-defence and called its actions an “unlawful military intervention” and interference in Congo’s internal affairs.
It also ruled that the Democratic Republic of Congo was obliged to compensate Uganda for the destruction of its embassy in Kinshasa and for the mistreatment of its diplomats.
The ruling by the court denounced the Ugandan military for deploying child soldiers and inciting ethnic conflict as it rampaged through Ituri province in fighting between August 1998 and July 1999.
“The court concludes that Uganda has violated the sovereignty and also the territorial integrity” of Congo, the ruling said.
The tribunal of international judges said it will settle the amount of damages if the two sides cannot negotiate an agreement.
The court voted 16-1 in favour of Congo on its several claims against Uganda, with only Tanzanian judge James Kateka dissenting.
The court, which sits in The Hague, is the final arena for settling disputes between nations. Its judgments are binding and without appeal.
Yesterday’s judgment said that “the unlawful military intervention by Uganda was of such magnitude and duration that the Court considers it to be a grave violation” of international law. It ruled that Uganda’s seizure of territory amounted to a military occupation, which meant the state must be held accountable for the actions of its troops.
Although Uganda was primarily responsible, all sides were to blame for “the immense suffering of the Congolese population. The court is painfully aware that many atrocities have been committed in the course of the conflict.”
However, the judges dismissed Congo’s claim that Uganda’s violations were continuing and declined to issue an order for Kampala to halt operations and guarantee against future abuse.
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