Darfur rebels express regret over AU resolution on ICC
July 21, 2008 (LONDON) — The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Movement-Unity regretted a decision by African Union in which they supported deferring indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.
“It was a golden opportunity for the AU to prove that it works for the African people” JEM spokesperson told Sudan Tribune today.
“Whether the indictment will be suspended or not the AU proved that it cares more about satisfying member governments at the expense of victims who were not consulted on the matter” Ahmed added.
On the other side, Mahgoub Hussein the spokesperson of the SLM-Unity said this resolution indicates the failure of the African leaders to move from dictatorship to democratic governance.
“We reject the decision adopted today by AU’s Peace and Security Council. It shows how much African leaders are involved in the protection of dictatorship and human rights violators”
The ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo asked pre-trial judges last week to issue arrest warrants for Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.
Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. Judges are expected to take months to study the evidence before deciding whether to order Al-Bashir’s arrest.
The African Union (AU) today asked the UNSC to invoke article 16 of Rome Statue and suspend any indictment of Sudan’s head of state.
Hussein said that Darfur IDP’s are “disappointed” with the AU decision today.
“We appeal to the international community to lend its support to the ICC and the judicial process of bring perpetrators to justice” the JEM official said.
Mahgoud advised the African Union to pull out from the resolution of Darfur conflict because they demonstrated their lack of the necessary values to assume such mission.
“This resolution proves their failure to play a constructive role to resolve Darfur crisis and we call for the AU withdrawal from mediation and to leave the matter to the United Nations” the SLM Unity spokesperson said.
Sudan has not ratified the Rome Statue, but the UNSC invoked the provisions under the Statue that enables it to refer situations in non-State parties to the world court if it deems that it is a threat to international peace and security.
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Pothwei Apet Bangoshoth
Darfur rebels express regret over AU resolution on ICC
We really need to talk frankly at this point because African Union has proved its failure to solve internal problems. We all witnessed that AU has a hand in Darfur confilict all this time. It is unfaire to support someone who killed millions of people. I urge AU to push their friend Bashir to stop Janjeweed from killing innocent Darfurians and implement the CPA in Sudan, otherwise, let ICC continue with arrest warrant process to bring Bashir to justice. Bashir is not a sample of peace in Sudan. Let assume that Bashir will die tomorrow morning at 9:00 am Sudan local time, will that jeorperdize the CPA? If not, let ICC action takes place as soon as evidence met. Let us see him faces consequences this time.
Daniel Kalaka
Darfur rebels express regret over AU resolution on ICC
It seem to me very ridiculaus to hear that the Darfurian IDPS are disappointment with the AU decision over indictment of Bashir By ICC for crime against humanity while showing during demostration that rejection ICC indictment against their president.The Arab is using Darfurian only in this case to blindful the people.
Therefore,it’s african to protect their own citizen but the faile .What we need in this issue the time for dictatorship AU has to live Bashir to face trail even if how much effort they are trying to put to erode the arrest warrant by ICC he as to.Bashir is not more strong then Saddam Hussein and how much it cost to Iraq in terms of resource still he has been hang up.Dear follow darfurian soon you can enjoy the pleasure of Bashir,Taha,to mention all but few are going to hell.