Darfur peace partner calls for preserving Sudan sovereignty

March 4, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — A former rebel leader who signed an agreement with the Sudanese government called for implementing national proceedings in response to the indictment of president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week.

Sudan’s senior presidential assistant Minni Arcua Minnawi was quoted by official news agency (SUNA) as saying that he is committed to implementing the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signed over two years ago in Abuja, Nigeria.

Minnawi made his remarks at a gathering at Bashir’s residence with representatives of Sudanese political powers and civil society movements.

The leader of a faction Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) said that despite his reservation on implementation of the DPA, he remains committed to it.

“Our commitment to the DPA does not mean we are satisfied about its progress but we want to avoid any setback to the peace process” Minnawi said.

He said that enforcing national justice is the “ideal solution” for many problems in the context of Darfur conflict.

However Minnawi did not specifically mention the ICC arrest warrant for Bashir.

On Wednesday the ICC judges approved a request by prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to charge Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture. The three-judge panel said it had insufficient grounds for genocide.

In the past Minnawi has expressed support to the ICC investigations in Darfur putting him at odd with the National Congress Party (NCP).

Last December the senior presidential assistant said that “Sudan as member of the UN should respect the ICC and defend its case at the ICC” in an interview with independent Darfur Radio Dabanga.

“The law is above everyone. Anyone not respecting the law has to be punished” he added.

Sudan refuses to recognize the court saying it did not ratify its founding treaty and vowed not to hand over any of citizens to be tried at The Hague based court.

(ST)