2006年VOA标准英语-World Court Begins Hearings Against Alleged Con

（单词翻译）

By Lauren Comiteau
Amsterdam
09 November 2006

Judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague began hearing evidence for the first time, as prosecutors² began laying out their case against a Congolese militia³ leader. Thomas Lubanga is accused of recruiting children to fight a brutal⁴ war in the northeast of the country. For VOA, Lauren Comiteau is following the confirmation⁵ proceedings⁶ and has more from Amsterdam.

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Thomas Lubanga, right, at start of hearing at International Criminal Court in The Hague,  Nov. 9, 2006  
  
Dressed in bright blue traditional African clothing, Thomas Lubanga listened intently as deputy prosecutor¹ at the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, told judges that the practice of using children in warfare⁷ is one of the most brutal and morally troubling crimes against one of war's most vulnerable groups - children.

"We hope to send a message that those who use children to fight adult wars will face prosecution⁸ under the full weight of international law," Bensouda said.

Thomas Lubanga is charged with three counts of war crimes for enlisting⁹ and conscripting children under the age of 15 to fight in the Democratic Republic of Congo's northeastern Ituri region between 2002 and 2003.

Human rights groups estimate that more than 60,000 people have been killed during years of inter-ethnic¹⁰ fighting over the region's gold mines and other resources. The purpose of this two-week confirmation hearing is to determine whether there's enough evidence for a full trial of the alleged¹¹ warlord.

Mr. Lubanga denies all the charges against him. His lawyers, who will also present their side, call this a political trial against a Congolese patriot¹² and pacifist who has few resources to fight the charges. 

Judges of the International Criminal Court, November 9, 2006   
  
But prosecutors paint a different picture of their first and only suspect in custody¹³: A man who they say was a key actor in using children as bodyguards¹⁴ and training them to kill rival ethnic groups with no distinction between civilians¹⁵ and soldiers.

"Thomas Lubanga Dyilo made the children get military training, said senior trial attorney Ekkehard Withopf. "TLD made them train to kill. TLD made them kill. And TLD let the children die. He let them die in hostilities¹⁶. Many, many children."

The NGO Human Rights Watch claims that in one incident in 2002, Thomas Lubanga's Union of Congolese Patriots¹⁷ forcibly rounded-up the entire fifth grade of a school, conscripting some 40 children into military service.

The rights group, while hailing the court's first potential case, says the charges should go further to include murder, torture and rape¹⁸.

But prosecutors, seeking to avert¹⁹ the lengthy²⁰ trials that have plagued other international courts, say they've charged Mr. Lubanga with crimes the evidence supports.

Over the coming days, they will call a child victim to testify bolster²¹ their case, and legal representatives of the victims will also make presentations - the first time ever that victims will be legally represented at an international tribunal.

Prosecutors are counting on judges to side in their favor over the coming months, making Thomas Lubanga the first person tried before the world's first permanent international criminal court.