Apathy Towards Charles Taylor's Trial

Glenna Gordon has written an interesting article on the apathy amongst Sierra Leoneans towards Charles Taylor's trial on the Foreign Policy blog: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/07/28/war_criminal_charles_taylor_clears_the_courtroom

Taylor is being tried by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, not under the ICC, although the trial is being held on the premise of the ICC in The Hague. From the principle of complementarity to the option of mixed criminal courts, the emphasis seems to be that whenever possible the national courts should bring justice to its own community. A mixed tribunal allows countries whose judicial system may have partially collapsed, to still hold a trial in their own courts with a number of judges from that state. Holding a trial at the national court can help aid the post-conflict peace-building process and bring some relief from to the victims and their families. However, due to security concerns, Taylor's trial had to be moved to the Hague.

Around the world, all eyes are focused on Taylor, the first African president to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, as he takes the witness stand. However, in Sierra Leone, few are watching the trial. The overarching reasons for the lack of public interest in Taylor's trial seem to be not only that the trial is happening 3,200 miles away and that some are even unaware of the trial resuming, but also that many are yearning to forget the horrid past and move on...