South Sudan’s Kiir constitutes ICC Preparedness Committee
By James Gatdet Dak
January 30, 2009 (JUBA) – President of the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), General Salva Kiir Mayardit, has announced his Government’s formation of a Ministerial Committee to deal with the expected decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants on the President of the Republic, Omer Hassan el-Bashir.
About 7-member ministerial committee to be chaired by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Luka Tombekana Monoja, is charged with the responsibility to workout preparedness plans for the semi-autonomous Government should the ICC issue the arrest warrant.
President el-Bashir was indicted last year by the ICC on ten charges for crimes that included genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur region.
ICC’s Pre-Trial judges are expected to announce within weeks the issuance of the arrest warrant on the Sudanese President.
The GoSS preparedness plans are expected to include Government’s response to a number of expected post-arrest warrant scenarios in the country.
The Committee shall be reporting to the GoSS President “regularly”.
In the Council of Ministers meeting on Friday, President Kiir also briefed the Council on his recent visit to Washington, DC, where he met with a number of senior American officials including former President, George W. Bush at the White House.
Kiir also met with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and President of the World Bank, Robert Zoelleck, among other senior officials.
According to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and official Spokesperson of the Government, Gabriel Changson Chang, the visit which took place between 5th – 7th January this year came as an invitation from President Bush to celebrate with President Kiir on the 5th January, in the White House, the 4th Anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).
Chang added that the visit was also to extend GoSS profound appreciation for the role played by the former US President and his administration in the conclusion of CPA and its implementation.
The visit gave President Kiir and his team the opportunity to update President Bush and his administration about the status of the CPA implementation and to ensure the continuity of the US commitment to CPA implementation in their handing over report to the new administration.
Kiir told the meeting that Bush’s administration identified Government of Southern Sudan as its strategic ally in Sudan and the region and reassured that such policy will continue even with the new administration.
He said the American government is committed to making Southern Sudan stronger politically, economically and militarily.
The Washington respective meetings discussed a number of issues within the context of implementation of the CPA, Darfur peace process and the ICC’s indictment on President el-Bashir.
The Council of Ministers commended the outcome of President Kiir’s visit to Washington DC.
Kiir said his team was not able to meet with any member of the new President Barrack Obama’s team “as they decided not to have any official meeting till they assumed their offices.”
The new administration’s officials however indicated that they would be ready to meet with GoSS officials after the inauguration of President Obama.
(ST)