ICC Prosecutor Under Fire as African Union Backs Kenya-英语课

时间：2019-01-09 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2011年(二月)

英语课

International Criminal Court Prosecutor 1 Luis Moreno-Ocampo is under fire as the African Union backs Kenya in its bid to stall trials aimed at the country's election violence.

Once viewed in Kenya as a hero, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is now under fire in Africa, as the country moves forward with plans to forgo 2 its own proceedings 3 at the international court.

The prosecutor was, just months prior, seen as Kenya's only hope for justice. After naming surprise suspects in his two cases probing Kenya's violence, however, he has been accused of being "drunk with power" by Kenyan politicians.

The African Union is now jumping into the fire. Speaking at the A.U. Summit in Addis Ababa over the weekend, Chairman Jean Ping assured the Court of African support, but accused Moreno-Ocampo of bias 4. Ping highlighted the lack of court action in Gaza, Iraq and Burma (Myanmar) as evidence of a double-standard against African states.

On Sunday, the Executive Council of the African Union endorsed 5 Kenya's request for deferral 7. The Summit will close Monday with a final session involving Africa's leaders. If the session produces support for Kenya, the continental 8 body could then submit a formal request to the U.N. Security Council. Last week, the leader of the International Criminal Court's member states, President of the Assembly of States Parties Christian 9 Wenaweser, warned against such a course of action.

"I have made it quite clear that from the perspective of the States Parties this would be a far more problematic course of action that has a number of legal and political pitfalls," said Wenaweser. "First of all, it would not be an expression of continued cooperation with the court by the Kenyan government. It would also implicitly 10 be a statement that the situation here poses a threat to international peace and security."

In its bid to defer 6 the Kenyan trial, leaders in Nairobi are arguing for a local mechanism 11 to deal with the violence.

Wenaweser expressed support for the local efforts, but urged Kenya to work with the court, rather than around it. The Liechtensteiner diplomat 12 told reporters the ICC judges also could grant Kenya a deferral if evidence of substantial efforts made towards a local mechanism were presented.

Kenya attempted to address the 2007-2008 post-election chaos 13 through the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation 14 Commission, established in 2009. Despite many hopes, an ethics 15 scandal engulfed 16 its chairman and the commission never began work.

Many politicians believe the judicial 17 reforms envisioned in the new constitution will help address the violence.

1 prosecutor

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

2 forgo

v.放弃，抛弃

Time to prepare was a luxuary he would have to forgo.因为时间不够，他不得不放弃做准备工作。
She would willingly forgo a birthday treat if only her warring parents would declare a truce.只要她的父母停止争吵，她愿意放弃生日宴请。

3 proceedings

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

4 bias

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

5 endorsed

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品