Sudan’s Bashir says offered to suspend warrant if aid groups return

March 7, 2009 (El-FASHER) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir disclosed today that he was offered to freeze his indictment if he reverses decision on expelling aid groups.

Sudan has been witnessing non-stop rallies following the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture.

Bashir speaking at the capital of North Darfur said that he kicked out the aid workers “because they were threatening Sudan’s security”.

“We will expel anyone who goes against Sudanese law, whether they are voluntary organizations, diplomatic missions or security forces” he said,

“Don’t interfere in something that doesn’t concern you,” Al-Bashir said. “Don’t do anything that would harm the country’s security and stability.”

“Whoever deviates, we will kick them out… Every person has limits,” he added

Sudan has justified their decision that these groups were spying for the ICC.

A mounting foreign diplomatic effort has thus far proven ineffective to convince Khartoum to reverse the expulsion order made Wednesday against some of the aid agencies operating in Darfur and North Sudan.

On Friday China blocked a UN Security Council (UNSC) statement to condemn the move by Sudan against aid workers.

The Sudanese head of state said he rejects the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant “even if it is issued ten times”.

“We are against the decision and its suspension. Either they cancel it or immerse it in water and drink it” he added.

Bashir said that Sudanese people “will not surrender or kneel down” and vowed not to extradite any Sudanese citizen to the ICC.

He also lashed out at the US saying they had no “moral standing” because they exterminated the red Indians, enslaved the Africans and dropped nuclear bombs on two Japanese cities during the Second World War.

The Sudanese president further claimed that Sudan has been targeted since implementing Shari’a law in 1983 by former president Ja’afar Nimeiri.

The expulsions on Wednesday and Thursday drew international condemnation and U.N. agencies in Sudan on Saturday said the closures would seriously damage humanitarian operations in northern Sudan

The United Nations said in a statement that the expulsion of high-profile organizations including Oxfam, Save the Children and two branches of Medecins Sans Frontiers, removed 40 per cent of the humanitarian workforce in northern Sudan.

(ST)