Metro

Chad hands over anti-balaka militia leader, Maxime Mokom to ICC

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2022

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday confirmed that the leader of an anti-balaka armed group, Maxime Mokom, has been handed over to it by The Republic of Chad.

The Hague Court made the confirmation in a statement retrieved from its official Twitter handle. “Today, 14 March 2022, Mr Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka (“Mr Mokom”), was surrendered to the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or “the Court”) by the authorities of the Republic of Chad on account of an ICC warrant of arrest issued under seal on 10 December 2018. Mr Mokom is suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Bangui and other locations in the Central African Republic (“CAR”) in 2013 and 2014”

Situation in #CentralAfricanRepublic II: Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka surrendered to the #ICC for crimes against humanity and war crimes https://t.co/RbDZab6lL6

— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) March 14, 2022

Maxime Jeoffroy Eli Mokom Gawaka is suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The alleged crimes were committed in 2013 and 2014 “in Bangui and other locations in the Central African Republic.”

The Anti-balaka is an alliance of militia groups based in the Central African Republic in the early 21st century said to be composed primarily of Christians. This militia formed in the Central African Republic after the rise to power of Michel Djotodia in 2013. Amnesty International reported in 2015 that some members of anti-balaka groups have forcibly converted Muslims to Christianity.

Anti-balaka groups have also kidnapped, burnt and buried alive in public ceremonies women accused of being ‘witches’.

Despite a 2019 peace deal, militia groups that emerged during the conflict were recently in control of around two-thirds of the country, and Touadera depends heavily on UN forces, as well as military personnel sent by Russia and Rwanda.

A counter-offensive has seen pro-government forces retake a series of towns from the rebels in recent days.

Touadera won a presidential election in December from which Bozize was banned but barely a third of the potential ballots were cast.

Related Topics:#CHAD Featured Maxime Mokom

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Metro

Sign language interpreter, Kunda, seeks inclusivity in media rights agenda

Published

13 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

An inclusive society is crucial for a nation’s human and economic development in the modern era.

In this edition of Project Aliyense, we feature Paul Kunda, widely recognized as the face of sign language interpretation on national television, serving the deaf community.

Kunda, a dedicated sign language interpreter and educator with over four years of experience, sheds light on the significance of media freedom.

“As a sign language interpreter at Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and a teacher by profession, I advocate for media freedom,” he said.

Kunda emphasised the importance of the Access to Information (ATI) Act, recently assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema, which empowered citizens to demand information freely.

He stressed the need for unhindered access to information to foster a civil and prosperous society.

Regarding digital rights, Kunda highlighted their critical role for the deaf community, given the transformative impact of digital platforms, especially when mainstream media access is limited.

“As a representative of the deaf community, I believe digital rights should be inclusive. Everyone, including persons with disabilities, should enjoy these rights through various devices to express themselves and participate in national discourse,” he asserted.

He also called for the recognition of sign language as the eighth national language, aligning with United Nations conventions that mandate sign language interpreters at all events to promote inclusivity.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

Metro

Sign language interpreter, Kunda, seeks inclusivity in media rights agenda (video)

Published

14 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

An inclusive society is crucial for a nation’s human and economic development in the modern era.

In this edition of Project Aliyense, we feature Paul Kunda, widely recognized as the face of sign language interpretation on national television, serving the deaf community.

Kunda, a dedicated sign language interpreter and educator with over four years of experience, sheds light on the significance of media freedom.

“As a sign language interpreter at Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) and a teacher by profession, I advocate for media freedom,” he said.

Kunda emphasised the importance of the Access to Information (ATI) Act, recently assented to by President Hakainde Hichilema, which empowered citizens to demand information freely.

He stressed the need for unhindered access to information to foster a civil and prosperous society.

Regarding digital rights, Kunda highlighted their critical role for the deaf community, given the transformative impact of digital platforms, especially when mainstream media access is limited.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.