International Tribunals and the ICC - Essay Example

The court is also not affiliated to the United Nations hence it is not a political instrument. With these views in place, the ICC and other tribunals are in a position to ensure that justice prevails (Maweni, 2011). However, despite these successes, the court is faced with some setbacks.The weakness that tribunals and the ICC face are the facts that given the number and range of crimes that are committed against humanity, it is hard for the ICC to decide on which ones to prosecute and which ones to leave (Russell & Elliot, 2002).

This is under the trigger mechanisms, which are three ways under the Rome Statute through which cases can be taken to the ICC. A state party forwarding a case to the tribunal is the most contentious issue because state decision may have interfered with sovereignty and power of the concerned parties (Russell & Elliot, 2002). Therefore, justice for war crime victims may not be achieved if a country does not forward its case to the ICC.As per discussions in the meeting, to ensure that international bodies ensure justice in cases of war crimes, it is the responsibility of various states to support its initiative.

This is because the courts can only act in areas where they have jurisdiction. Countries such as America do not support it and this and other nations that do not support the tribunal may be impeding the true course of justice that may be provided by an international tribunal and the International Criminal Court.ReferencesRussell, R. & Elliot, H. (2002). The International Criminal Court: Finding Justice for Victims, Ending Impunity for Perpetrators. Chestnut Avenue, California: World Vision International.Maweni, R. (2011).

The ICC’s 10 Year Milestone. Retrieved on 15th May 2012 from http://archive2.globalsolutions.org/node/1126