Sudan hints at investigating government minister wanted by ICC
March 12, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The special prosecutor for Darfur announced today that he has shortlisted 176 suspects and arrested two including a militia leader wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Saudi owned Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted the Darfur prosecutor Nimr Ibrahim Mohamed as saying that they have compiled 257 witness statements and will examine corpses for forensic evidence.
Last August Sudan named Mohamed as a special prosecutor to look into rights abuses committed in war ravaged region of Darfur since 2003 along with three assistants.
The development came weeks three weeks after the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that he is seeking an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al-Bashir.
The ICC judges approved the prosecutor’s request on March 4th and issued the warrant for Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, which include murder, rape and torture.
Mohamed said that he is “paying careful attention” to the ICC case against Ahmed Haroun, state minister for humanitarian affairs and against militia commander Ali Mohamed Ali Abdel Rahman, also know as Ali Kushayb.
The Darfur prosecutor described the allegations brought by the Hague-based court against the two men as “serious because it is related to the ICC”.
However he fell short of saying whether Haroun will be investigated.
In March 2007 the Sudanese president blocked an attempt by the prosecutor general to investigate his role in Darfur crimes.
Mohamed’s statements may signal a change in position with regard to Haroun’s status. Bashir has previously said that he will not prosecute the minister or remove him as requested by some Western countries like France.
The Darfur prosecutor said that Kushayb is in detention and another member of the commission Kamal Mahjoub said that there is “preliminary evidence” to prosecute him.
Sudan has previously detained the militia leader and sent him to court but was later released for lack of incriminating evidence. Last year Khartoum said it will re-prosecute Kushayb on unspecified charges.
Yesterday the UN chief Ban Ki-moon and the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu urged Sudan to prosecute Darfur war crimes suspects internally in order to resolve row with the ICC.
Arab and African countries want the UN Security Council (UNSC) to suspend the arrest warrant against Bashir. But some countries including Egypt have suggested that Sudan needs to demonstrate seriousness in judicial aspects of Darfur to convince the UNSC on invoking Article 16 of the Rome Statute.
(ST)
agetm4real
Sudan hints at investigating government minister wanted by ICC
This canarving Government of ours, is playing games with the international community. All they want to do is to make it seem like they are working towards justice, which in return may get them some sympathy from western nations and the ICC.
Its a damn shame that the Government does not want to realise that their time is over, and that its time for change in Sudan, its time for a Government that treats all citizens equal.
If this Develish/Murderous Government of ours gets aquinted for their criminality, i will never in my life go side by side with the international so called ‘fair trials’.
Look at what happened in Kosovo, the people their eventually got justice, the criminals were brought to the table to be tried… The same thing needs to happened for Sudan, if not.. Count me out of the UN.
May Justice and Peace be Brought upon Sudan
ngeugak de amaayaar
Sudan hints at investigating government minister wanted by ICC
Did I hear that Khartoum is to investigate the Darfur atrocities, how a shame on those in power, it is when they feel pressurize they resort to tactics of investigating the Darfur crimes. Mr. investigator or the prosecutor of Darfur crimes don’t let yourself be fool, why is Bashire keeping an indicted criminal like Ahmed Haroun in his government.
This is another tactics of Bashire to skip ICC indictment against him. We Sudanese never believe in the Justice of those puppets sponsored by the NCP in Sudan. There will be no fair trial because of interference from the Sudanese government side. Why investigating this time? I prefer President Bashire to first sack Ahmed Haroun from his ministerial post before even investigation. If not then that could be levelled as a cover up of the atrocities committed in Darfur. How can a sitting government minister be investigated while having his powers as a minister.
Shame on you Mr. Bashire for confusing the Sudanese as you pretend to be doing something while on the contrary doing the opposite.