Sirte - The executive board of the International Committee for the Fair Trial of former Chadian President Hissene Habre has asked the African Union (AU) to ensure that Senegal puts the former dictator on trial.
In a statement made public in Sirte, Libya, they urged the Heads of State and government of the AU, who met in Sirte from 1-3 July, to "remind Senegal of its commitment to try Mr Habre and to support Senegal in concrete terms in this affair, in accordance with their decision".
Different human rights organisations including the Association of Victims of Political Crimes and Suppression in Chad, the Chadian League for Human Rights, the African Rally for the Defence of Human Rights and the Senegalese National Organisation for Human rights signed the declaration.
In their declaration, they noted that the AU on 2 July 2006 agreed to provide the needed aid to Senegal for a successful trial, however, since then, Senegal has not taken any significant action to open the trial and the AU has not made available any tangible aid.
The statement adds that in view of this situation, 14 victims lodged complaints at the office of the Public Prosecutor in Dakar, accusing Mr Habre of crime against humanity and torture.
However, the complaint was not followed up because the Senegalese authorities felt that they would not take any action until the entire budget needed for the trial, which is estimated at 27.4 million euros, is given.
According to the declaration, the European Union has already released two million euros for the preliminary phase of the preparation of the case for eventual judgement, but is waiting for a budget proposal from Senegal.
Chad also announced it would give three million euros, while other European countries are willing to aid Senegal, the declaration noted saying that "only the AU did not respond to the appeal made by Senegal".
The declaration said claims by Senegal that there was no money for the trial "are nothing but excuses with a political intention behind".
Mr Habre fled Chad in 1990 after being ousted by current President Idris Deby. He lived in Senegal since then, but as of November 2005 he has been in custody.
Two months earlier, a judge in Belgium indicted Mr Habre for causing more than 1 200 deaths (a truth commission in Chad put estimates at up to 40 000 deaths) and torturing more than 12 000 victims during his rule that began in 1982.
It was the 2005 Belgian indictment under that country's universal jurisdiction law that prompted Senegal to arrest Mr Habre; however Senegalese officials continue to show reluctance to arrange a trial despite winning encouragement from European and African countries.
