Böhler - L'Afrique en chemin

PR OF. BR ITTA BÖHLER
MARQ WIJ NGAAR OEN
VIC TOR I< OPPE
MIC HIEL PESTMAN
FLI P SC HULtE R
PR OF. LI ESBETH l EGVEL O
PR OF. TIES PRAKKEN
OR. BART ST APE RT
MAR IEKE VAN EIK
CO RRIEN UllERSMA
WIL EIKELBOOM
OR . CHANNA SAM KA LOEN
AHNE SC HElTE MA BED UI N
TAMARA BURUMA
PR OF. GÖ RAN SLUI TER
EOWARO VAN KEMPEN
MAR l NA DEN HOU DIJK ER
URSU LA WE ITl El
BRECHTJ E VOS SENBERG
AOVtSC IJ R
PROF, HANS ULR ICH JESSUR UN O'OLIVEIRA
Böhler
ADVOCATEN
KEIZERSGRACHT 560- 562, 1017 EM AM STER DAM
TELEF OO N +31 (0)20.34462 00, TEL EFAX + 31 (0)20.3446201
E- MAIL: info@bohler. eu I www. bo hler.eu
Re: Mouvement Nation al de Libération de I' Azawad
Dear Ms Bensouda,
lntemational Crimina! Court
Ms F. Bensouda
Prosecutor
Po Box 19519
2500 CM The Hague
Also by fax: 070-515 8555
Amsterdam.
Our ref.
Direct tel.nr:
Direct faxnr:
12 October 2012
20120526.VK
020 3446248
020 3446201
My colleague Ric ard Rogers and I have been retained by the Mouvement National
de Libération de l 'Azaward (MNLA) to represent its members in relation
to:
a. · he preli minary examination, investigations, and all other action undertaken
by, or related to, the International Crimina! Court;
b. Any other relevant international humanitarian law issues relating to the ongoing
armed conflict in Mali.
Please fi nd the signed Power of Attorney (in French) and an English translation
attached herewith.
The MNLA is deeply concemed that innocent civilians may have been subjeered
to attacks and that religious or historie monuments may have been destroyed
by parties engaged in the current armed confl ict in Mali. For these
reasons, the MNLA welcomes the ICCs preliminary exami natien into the
events in Mali and would like to cooperate with any fair and balanced investigation
into human rights abuses committed in Mal i since the Rome Statute
came into force in .luly 2002. l n this regard, we will submit evidence and information
to the ree in due course.
IED ERE AAH SPRAKEl JKHEIO IS BEPERKT TOT HET BE ORA G DAT IN HET DES BETREFFE NDE GEVA L ONDER ONZE BEROEP SAAN SPRAKEliJKHEI DSV ERZEKE RING WORDT UI TBETAA LD
AHY liABiliTY SHA LL BE U MITE O TO THE AMOUNT WHICH IS PAIO UNDE R THE FIR M'S PROFESS IONA L UAS U UTY PO U CY IN THE MATTER CON CE RN( O

Böhler
To discuss this cooperation further, we request a meeting with you during the
coming week .
Please find attached a copy of our letter to the cmTent President of the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Please let us know if you would like to meet with us and, if so, what date(s)
would be convenient for you.
Yours sincerely,
CC:
Mr Judge Sang-Hyun Song, President
Ms Silvana Arbia Registrar
Attachments:
Power of Attorney - French
Power of Attorney - English version
Copy ofietter to President ofthe UNSC

--
Parties contr actantes :
Böh\er
Mandat d'avocat
Ce mandat d'avocat résulte d'un accord entre :
Les Avocats : Mr Victor Koppe, habilité à exercer aux Pays-Bas, ct Mr Richard
Rogers, habihté à exercer en Angleterre et en Californie (Etats-Unis), tous deux du
cabinet Böhler Advocaten, Keizersgracht560, Amsterdam, Pays-Bas.
t,
Le Client : Mouvement .Nationai pour Ia Libérat10n de l'Azawad (MNLA).
actuellement basé à Nouakchott, en Mauritanie.
Tennes d u Mandat :
Ce mandat d'avocat est accordé par Ie Chent aux Avocats afin qu'ils agissent au nom
du Client au sujet des questions suivant s :
a. L'examen préliminaire, Ie enquê et toute autre action entreprise
par, ou en rappon a vee, la Cour pénale internationale:
b. Toute autre quesuon de droit intemauonal humanitaire pertmente ayam
trait au conflit anné en cours au Mali.
Les Avocats agiront à tout moment suivant les instructions du Clicnt et dans l'intérêt
supérieur du Client.
Ce mandat d'avocat entreen vigueur au 1 .. octobre 2012, jusqu'à ce que Ie Client y
mette un terme.
Fait Ie 1 ... octobre 20I2
Avocats: Victor Koppe Richard J Rogers
:

• • •

Böhler
l,ower of Attorney
This Power of Attorney is an agreement made between:
Lawyers: Mr Victor Koppe, licensed to practice in Netherlands, and Mr Richard
Roger , licensed to practice in England and Wales. of Böhler Advocaten,
Keizersgracht 560, Amsterdam. Netherlands.
Client: Mouvement National de Libération de I'Azawad (National Movement for the
Liberation of Azawad), hereafter referred to as the MNLA, currently based in
Nouakchott. Mauritania.
Terms:
This is a power of attorney given from the Client to the Lawyers for tbem to ac on
behalf ofthe elient in relation to the following matters:
a. The preliminary examination, investigations, and all other action
unde11aken by, or related to. the International Crimina! Com1;
b. Any other relevant international humanitarian law issues relating to the
ongoing armed conflict in Mali.
The Lawyers will at all times act under the instructions of, and inthebest interests ot:
the Client.
This power of attorney shall commence on 1 October 2012 until withdrawn by the
Cl i ent.
Done: 1 October 2012
Lawyer: Mr Yictor Koppe Client: Mr HammaAg Mahmoud
Head of External Affairs and Cooperation
Mr Moussa Ag Assarid
Head of Infonn ati on and Communication

ROf BR ITTA BÖHLER
MARQ WIJ NGAAR DEN
VICTOR KO PPE
MIC HIEL PESTMAN
FLI P SCHÜ LL ER
PR OF. LIESBETH ZEGVELO
PR OF. TIES PRA KKE N
OR. BART STAPERT
MAR IEKE VAN EI K
CORR I EN U LLERSMA
WIL EIKE LB OOM
OR. CHANNA SAMKALOEN
ANNE SC HELlEMA BE OUI N
TAMAR A BURUMA
PR OF. û ÖRAN SLUI TER
EDWARO VAN KE MPEN
MAR l NA OEN HOU DIJK ER
URSULA WE ITZEL
BRECHTJ E VOSS ENB ERG
A D V I S: CIIn
PROF. HANS ULR ICH JESSU RUN O'OLIVE IRA
Böhler
ADVOCATEN
KEIZERSGR ACHT 560-562, 1017 EM AMSTER DAM
TELEF OO N +31 (0 )2 0.3446200, TELEFAX + 31 (0)20.3446201
E- MAI L: info@bo hler.eu I www.bo h ler.eu
His Excel ency
Ambassador Gert Rosenthal
Permanent Representative of the
Mission of Guatamala
United Nations
New York US
By fax: +l 212 6858741
Amsterdam,
Our ref.
Direct tel.nr:
Direct faxnr:
Re: Action J)lan: Respecting tbe Laws of tbe War
submitted by the Mouvement Natiollal de Libération de l'Azawad
to the United Nations Security Council
Your Excellency.
12 October 20 12
20120526.VK
020 3446248
020 3446201
I write to you in your current capacity as President of the United Nations Security
Cotmcil (UNSC).
My colleague Richard Rogers and 1 act on behalf of the Mourement National
de Libération de l 'Azawad (MNLA). which has been cited by the UNSC m
Resolution 2056, dated 5 July 2012.
The MNLA is deeply concerned that innocent civil ians may have been subjected
to attacks and protected monuments may have been destroyed in the
course of the current armed confl ict in Mali. Furthermore, the MNLA is determined
to take aH necessary and reasonable measures to ensure that its
memhers continue to respect the relevant laws and customs of war.
In order to keep the UNSC informed of the measures that the MNLA are
dopting to ensure its continuing respect for the relevant laws and customs of
war. the MNLA hereby submits its Action Plan: Respecting the L m t'S of the
War.
lEDE Rf AAN SPRAKELIJK HEID IS BEPERKT TOT HET BED RA G DAT IN HET ESS ETREFFENDE GEVAL OND ER ON ZE BE ROEPS AA NSP RA KELI JKHE IDS VERZEKERI NG WOR DT UITBETAALD
ANY LIABiliTY SHAL L BE LIMITE D TO TH E AMOU NT WHICH IS PAIO UNO ER THE FIR M'S PROFES SIONAL LIABLIII TY PO LI CY IN THE MATTE R CON CE RN EO

Böhler
In your current capacity as President of the UNSC, we would be grateful if
you could forward the attached Action Plan to other Members of the UNSC.
Please be assured of our cooperation in the matter.
CC:
Assistant Secretary-General fo r Human Rights, Mr Ivan Simonovié
Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights
A ttachmen ts:
Action Plan - French (signed original)
Action P an - English version

Böhler
PLAN D'ACTION :
RESPECTER LE DROIT DE LA GUERRE
PRÉSENTÉ AU CONSEIL DE SÉCURITÉ DES NATIONS UNIES
PAR LE MOUVEMENT NATIONAL DE LIBÉRATION DE Li1ZAWAD
Prenant acte de la Résolution 2056 du Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies
(CSN U) dans laquelle Ie CSNU exprime sa préoccupation à propos de crimes
présumés commis au Mali dans Ie cadre de l'actuel conflit armé ;
Partageant la préoccupation du CSNU au sujet des attaques qui auraient pu être
perpétrées contre des civils ·nnocents et des destructions possibles de
monuments religieux ou historiques par des parties au confli t armé et par des
groupes terroristes ;
Prenant acte que la Cour pénale internationale (CP!) mène un examen
préli minaire de la situation au Mali et exprimant Ie désir de coopérer à toute
enquête équi table et équilibrée sur les violations massives des droits de l'homme
cammises au Mali depuis l'entrée en vigueur du Statut de Rome, en juillet 2002 ;
Notant que Ie peuple du nord du Mali, victime de violations massives des dro "ts
de l'homme depuis 1963, mérite que soit mis fin à l'impunité ;
Déterminé à assurer que les membres du Mouvement National de Libération de
L 'Azawad ("MN LA") respectent Ie droit international humanitaire ainsi que les
autres résolutions ayant trait aux femmes et à la paix et à la sécurité, aux enfa nts
dans les conflits armés et à la proteetion des civils en période de confl it armé ;
Le MNLA s'engage, par la présente, à mettre en ceuvre les actions suivantes :
1. Coopérer avec la CPl, par l'intermédiaire de nos avocats au cabinet
Böhler Advocaten (Pays-Bas). dans Ie cadre de son examen
préli minaire des allégations de crimes commis au Mali ;
2. Discuter avec !'Appel de Genève, proposer une Charte d'engagements
et inviter !'Appel de Genève à en observer et suivre l'application ;
3. Fournir des instructio ns écrites et orales à ses co mmandants
mi litaires afin de s'assurer que toutes les troupes du MN LA se
conforment au droit international humanitaire ;

•
Böhler
4. Apporter form tion et conseil aux commandants militaires du MNLA
pour garantir que ces demiers mesurent pleinement ce qu'est Ie droit
international humanitaire.
5. Enquêter sur toute allégation crédible de vialation massive des droits
de l'homme cammise par des troupes du MNLA et prendre les
mesures appropriées ;
Ainsi soumis au Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies, Ie DATE]
CONSEJL TRANSITOIRE
DE L'8"AT OE L'KlAWA!J
1!3 n , J-.4.- b-
[FONCTION ] ('I
Mouvement National de de L'Aza ad CL lfir'WV TY"·-- -
[DATE] ÁQ AZ
[CACHET OFFICIEL]

Böhler
ACTION PLAN:
RESPECTING THE LA WS OF WAR
SUBMITTED BY THE MOUVEMENT NATJONAL DE LIBÉRATION DE
L'AZAWAD
TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
Noting the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2056 in which the
UNSC expressed concern about the alleged crimes committed in Mali as part of the
on-going armed conflict;
the concern of the UNSC that innocent ei ilians may have been subjected to
attacks and religious or historie monuments may have been destroyed hy parties to the
armed conflict and terrorist groups;
Noting that the International Crimina! Court (ICC) is conducting a preliminary
examination in Mali and expressing a desire to cooperate with any fair and halanced
investigation into mass human rights abuses cot 1mitted in Mali since the Rome
Statute came into force in July 2002;
Observing that the people of northern Mali , who have been victims of mass human
rights abuses since 1963. deserve to see an end to impunity;
Determined to ensure that the memhers of the MouJ •emenl National de Libération de
L 'Azawad ("MNLA") respect international humanitarian law and other relevant
resolutions on women and peace and security, o children and armed confl ict, and on
the proteetion of civilians in armed confl icts;
The MNLA hereby undertakes to imptement the fol owing actions:
Cooperate with the JCC in its preliminary examination into alleged cri mes
com11itted in Mali, though our lawyers at Böh er Advocaten
(Netherlands );
2. Engage with Geneva Call, suhmit Deeds of Commitments, and invite
Geneva Call to monitor their implementation.
3. Provide written and/or oral instructions to its mil itary cammanders to
ensure that all MNLA troops abide by international humanitarian ]aw:
4. Provide training and/or advice to MNLA military cammanders to ensure
that cammanders fully appreciate internati onal humanitarian law:

Böhler
5. lnvestigate any credible allegation of mass human rights abuses committed
by MNLA troops and take the appropriate action;
Submitted to t e United Nation Security Council
Moussa Ag Assarid
Head of Information and Communication
Mouvement National de Libération de L'Azawad
October lOth 2012