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| Congo warlord in landmark trial | Congo warlord in landmark trial |
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| Former Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga is due to go on trial shortly at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the use of child soldiers. | Former Congolese militia leader Thomas Lubanga is due to go on trial shortly at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the use of child soldiers. |
| He is expected to plead not guilty to six charges of recruiting and using children to fight in DR Congo's brutal five-year conflict that ended in 2003. | He is expected to plead not guilty to six charges of recruiting and using children to fight in DR Congo's brutal five-year conflict that ended in 2003. |
| Prosecutors say child soldiers were used to kill members of a rival ethnic group, or as Mr Lubanga's bodyguards. | Prosecutors say child soldiers were used to kill members of a rival ethnic group, or as Mr Lubanga's bodyguards. |
| The case is the first to come to trial before the ICC in The Hague. | The case is the first to come to trial before the ICC in The Hague. |
| This follows a seven-month delay, as judges and prosecutors at the world's first permanent war crimes court disputed confidential evidence. | This follows a seven-month delay, as judges and prosecutors at the world's first permanent war crimes court disputed confidential evidence. |
| THOMAS LUBANGA Leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots, an ethnic Hema militiaAccused of recruiting children under 15 as soldiersSays he was trying to bring peace to Congo's eastern Ituri regionArrested in March 2005 in Kinshasa by UN peacekeepersHeld by the ICC at The Hague since 2006 Trial starts road to justiceProfile: Thomas Lubanga | THOMAS LUBANGA Leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots, an ethnic Hema militiaAccused of recruiting children under 15 as soldiersSays he was trying to bring peace to Congo's eastern Ituri regionArrested in March 2005 in Kinshasa by UN peacekeepersHeld by the ICC at The Hague since 2006 Trial starts road to justiceProfile: Thomas Lubanga |
| Prosecutors plan to call 34 witnesses, among them former child soldiers and ex-militia group members, in the course of the trial. | Prosecutors plan to call 34 witnesses, among them former child soldiers and ex-militia group members, in the course of the trial. |
| Mr Lubanga, who is expected to enter not-guilty pleas, insists he was trying to bring peace to Ituri, a region in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo wracked by years of conflict between rival groups seeking to control its vast mineral wealth. | |
| He was the leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and its armed wing at the time of the alleged crimes in 2002-2003, and still has strong support among his Hema community in Ituri. | He was the leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and its armed wing at the time of the alleged crimes in 2002-2003, and still has strong support among his Hema community in Ituri. |
| The proceedings of the ICC trial are being given wide media coverage across the Ituri region. | The proceedings of the ICC trial are being given wide media coverage across the Ituri region. |
| Abuses and atrocities | Abuses and atrocities |
| The prosecution says children had been snatched as they walked to school and forced to fight for Mr Lubanga's Hema militia against their Lendu rivals. | The prosecution says children had been snatched as they walked to school and forced to fight for Mr Lubanga's Hema militia against their Lendu rivals. |
| ICC FACTS Permanent war crimes tribunal Founded in 2002 in The HagueHas issued 12 arrest warrants Supported by 108 states, not including the US or China Q&A: International Criminal Court | ICC FACTS Permanent war crimes tribunal Founded in 2002 in The HagueHas issued 12 arrest warrants Supported by 108 states, not including the US or China Q&A: International Criminal Court |
| Many were plied with marijuana and told they were protected by witchcraft, according to human rights groups. | Many were plied with marijuana and told they were protected by witchcraft, according to human rights groups. |
| More than 30,000 children were recruited during the fighting which saw some 60,000 people lose their lives. | More than 30,000 children were recruited during the fighting which saw some 60,000 people lose their lives. |
| The ICC trial sends a clear signal to rebel leaders and army commanders around the world who have frequently been able to commit atrocities on the battlefield with impunity, says the BBC's Africa analyst Martin Plaut. | The ICC trial sends a clear signal to rebel leaders and army commanders around the world who have frequently been able to commit atrocities on the battlefield with impunity, says the BBC's Africa analyst Martin Plaut. |
| Separately, judges at the court are expected to decide soon whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide in Darfur. | Separately, judges at the court are expected to decide soon whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide in Darfur. |
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| Local communities await justice | Local communities await justice |