Can the ICC Bring Peace to Sudan?

Posted by Nicki Alam. The ICC is currently pursuing its fourth case since the Court’s inception, but has yet to enforce justice or foster peace in any of the cases it has taken on. Critics of the ICC have described the Court’s actions as futile and ineffective but, before dismissing the Court’s abilities, it is important to consider the value that the ICC can provide. Payam Akhavan, a former legal advisor to the Yugoslav tribunal in The Hague, has suggested that stigmatizing criminal conduct can promote post-conflict reconstruction and even legitimize the rules of international order. In the case of Sudan, the ICC has stigmatized Ahmad Haroun and Ali Kushayb by indicting these men for war crimes. Akhavan asserts that this stigma from the Court can lead to peace in three ways: by reducing the culture of impunity, marginalizing... [read full story]