I call on you please to open the case for the Prosecution.
Mr. President.
Your Honors.
The Prosecution
will present
evidence proving beyond
any reasonable doubt
that Thomas Lubanga Dyilo committed
crimes
under the Rome Statute.
He committed some of the most serious crimes of concern
for the international community.
Crimes against children.
The evidence will prove
that between 1 September 2002
and 13 August 2003
Thomas Lubanga
systematically
recruited children
under the age
of 15
as soldiers.
Lubanga armed group recruit,
train
and use
hundreds of young childrens to kill,
pillage and rape. Some of them
enlisted, I quote,
"voluntarily"
unquote. Were transported 0:03:26.159,0:03:29.449 by Lubanga militia to more
than 10 different
training camps in
and around Ituri. There,
Lubanga men
used beating and killings
to force the
children to follow orders.
These two are girls.
These two are under 15. The Prosecutor will prove that.
And see, this now is the bar.
Start to see the others.
Start to see
who are under 15. These ones. This one,
way under 15.
Way below.
This one, this one, this one.
We highlight this, because he's behind.
Girl soldiers,
some aged
12 years,
were used as cooks and
fighters. Cleaners and spies.
Scouts, and sexual slaves.
One minute they will carry a gun,
the next minute they will serve meals to the commanders,
the next minute the commanders will rape them.
The children still suffer
the consequences
of Lubanga crimes.
They cannot forget
what they suffered.
What they saw.
What they did.
I should indicate, because I didn't
say this yesterday,
when I was introducing
those who are present
in court
on this side of the glass divide
that of course the accused is
himself present in court attending his trial.
And that ought to be on the
public record.