The pledge was made at the opening of the three days Colloquium of Prosecutors of the international criminal tribunals, in Kigali.
Prosecutors of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) are also attending the event, as well as Stephen Rapp, the American Ambassador for war crimes and a former prosecutor at the SCSL and the ICTR.
« Whilst much of the success of the tribunals has been facilitated by cooperation of member states, such cooperation needs to be intensified", Jallow said in his speech. The ICTR prosecutor, who is organizing the colloquium, added : "Top level fugitives continue to evade justice, presenting a serious challenge to the mandates of the tribunals".
July this year, the UN Security Council extended ICTR's mandate to December 31, 2010 to conclude its first instance cases. Eleven suspects, amongst whom the businessman Felicien Kabuga, are still on the run.
The ICTY is still trying to capture two accused, one of them being the former military chief of Bosnian Serbs, Ratko Mladic.
However, Serge Brammertz highlighted that the closure of the ad hoc tribunals would not grant the fugitives impunity:" No matter when and where they are arrested, there will be a trial and they will be accountable for their actions".
ER/GF
© Hirondelle News Agency
