In response to the dissenting opinion expressed by Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the panel’s ruling on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, Uganda has officially distanced itself from the judge’s stance. Sebutinde was the sole dissenting voice among the 17-member ICJ panel that issued a ruling directing Israel to take preventive measures against acts of genocide in the context of its conflict with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
The Ugandan government clarified that Judge Sebutinde’s position is her individual and independent opinion and does not represent the stance of the Republic of Uganda.
In a statement released late on Saturday, Uganda emphasized that it upholds the position articulated by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during its recent summit in the Ugandan capital.
The NAM’s position, documented at the conclusion of the summit, explicitly condemned Israel’s military campaign, denounced civilian casualties, and called for an immediate ceasefire, as well as unimpeded humanitarian access.
Uganda, as an East African nation, aligns itself with the collective standpoint of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was officially established in 1961 by countries rejecting alignment with the major Cold War-era military and political blocs, many of which had recently gained independence from colonial rule.
In the ICJ ruling, Sebutinde and another judge were the only dissenting voices, with 15 judges endorsing emergency measures that broadly covered the requests presented by South Africa in the case.
The Ugandan government’s statement seeks to underscore its alignment with the Non-Aligned Movement’s consensus position on the Israel-Hamas conflict, reaffirming its commitment to the collective stance adopted by the movement at its recent summit.
By xamse
January 29, 2024
