The transitional federal parliament of Somalia has called on the international community to help form a special criminal court for war crimes committed in Somalia.
The Chairmen of the 18th sub committees of Somali parliament issued a joint statement saying that it was time to form a war crimes court to complete the Djibouti accord which recommended a court be established in Somalia.
The statement was distributed to local media on Saturday evening and also international and regional organizations interested in Somalia including: UN, AU, EU, Arab league, IGAD, Somali parliamentary speaker, president and the country’s Supreme Court.
“We are demanding the organizations to which this statement is being sent to work towards the formation of an international criminal court for Somalia as soon as possible” the statement said.
As well as war crimes in Somalia, the court will be responsible for other crimes including money laundering by the Somali authorities.
“It is common in Somalia that the leaders of every government steal national property, so the court must be formed to try the irresponsible authorities in the country” the statement added.
Somalia fell into anarchy in 1991 and from that time there were 15 international attempts to establish a functioning government in Somalia, but every attempt ended in smoke.
Fighting has been raging in the country since the fall of Somalia and as the result more than half a million people, mainly civilians, have been kiiled in the lawless horn of African country since then.
