Aboubacar Dakuyo has been concentrating his research for the past five years on war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. This Canadian born in Burkina Faso is scrutinizing for his Ph. D. at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa the implementation of transitional justice based on local norms. He is analyzing the community norms applied by the Dinka and the Nuer of South Soudan, the most important ethnic groups that are faring war since the country gained its sovereignty in 2011.
His thesis is supervised by Professor Pacifique Manirakiza, the best person to accompany him during his research, according to him.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find better. Not only is he teaching international criminal law, but he has also written on penal law and transitional law in Africa. He is well versed on the issue and he has been a member of the African Union Inquiry Commission on South Soudan and has been sitting on the African Commission of Human and Peoples鈥 Rights.鈥
The fighting in South Soudan between ethnic groups have killed at least 50 000 people and displaced 2 million according to International Crisis Group. Aboubacar is trying to determine if local approach of transitional justice can be an effective mediation tool between protagonists that respects the legal obligations of the state with regard to international law.
The South Soudan Interim Constitution adopted after the ind茅pendance recognizes the legitimacy of customary tribunals which are taking care of 90% of disputes. T