ICC exit: Top US diplomat under fire for accusing Burundi of 'official impunity'

Burundians have been responding to the United States (US) envoy to the United Nations (UN), for accusing their government of ‘attachment to impunity.’

Burundi’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Albert Shingiro, had tweeted a picture of the foreign affairs minister presenting the country’s exit resolution from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the Chief of staff of the UN secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Samantha Power, the US ambassador to the UN responded to the tweet saying, ‘‘Burundian government makes official its deep attachment to impunity.’‘

Burundian government makes official its deep attachment to impunity. https://t.co/1Kf8wq3hcj

— Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) October 27, 2016

Afterwards the Burundian envoy hit back asking Power whether other countries that were not party to the ICC statutes could also be accused of promoting impunity. Several other people joined to lambaste the UN diplomat.

AmbassadorPower you mean that the big countries who aren't parties to #ICC are also promoting impunity? Burundi decision is a sovereign act

— Amb. Albert SHINGIRO (AShingiro) October 27, 2016

AmbassadorPower shame to you what about #USA that is not member of #ICC #CPI???

— SHAKUVYEMERE Nivyo (BURUNDIPATRIOTE) October 27, 2016

AmbassadorPower "Deep attachment to impunity"? You are not any better....USA never joined ICC, so? Fear of "punishment" ? AShingiro

— Landry Sibomana (@landrysibo) October 27, 2016

Could AmbassadorPower tell me why USA didn't joint ICC?

— Claudine ININAHAZWE (divineclaudine0) October 27, 2016

AmbassadorPower United States has not joined #ICC nor have Russia and China, all P-5 should join

— Shazia Rafi (ShaziaZRafi) October 27, 2016

AmbassadorPower Maybe u could talk about the impunity that reigns in ur country. Like black people being killed and killers never judged!!

— Majambere (EmeMajambere) October 28, 2016

Burundi said on Wednesday that it had officially notified the United Nations (UN) of its decision to quit the ICC. They are the second African country behind South Africa to present their withdrawal notice to the UN.

Gambia have also hinted of plans to leave the Hague based court accusing it of being biased towards Africans. Incidentally the current chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, was a former justice minister of the Gambia.