Sudan to endorse Mbeki’s panel recommendations: report

June 13, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese government intends to implement recommendations to be drafted by the African Union (AU) panel on balancing accountability with peace in Darfur, according to a news report.

The London based Al-Hayat newspaper were told by unidentified Sudanese officials that the panel has understood the realities of the Darfur conflict and the violations that took place.

The eight-member panel was established by the AU last February in response to the imminent issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir.

The panel is comprised of three former African heads of state including South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki, Burundi’s Pierre Buyoya and Nigeria’s General Abu Salam Abu-Bakr.

The AU expressed support to Bashir criticizing the ICC and accusing the latter of unfairly targeting Africans.

The commission has been tasked with looking into ways to balance accountability with bringing peace into Darfur and will submit a report to the summit next July.

African diplomats speaking to Al-Hayat said that their report “will be objective and realistic” containing ideas on political resolution to Darfur conflict, justice and compensating victims.

They also said that it is likely that the panel will propose a South African style “Truth and Reconciliation” commission.

Sudanese officials told the newspaper that they will abide by Mbeki’s recommendations adding that it will allow it to avoid international pressure on non-cooperation with the ICC.

Furthermore, they pointed out that Khartoum has promised the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa to implement a series of steps on Darfur justice and political track but did not carry them out until an arrest warrant was issued for Bashir.

Mbeki is scheduled to arrive in Khartoum today on a weeklong visit for talks with Sudanese officials, NGO’s and political parties.

It is not clear what the impact of Mbeki’s report will be on the ICC outstanding arrest warrant for three Sudanese individuals including Bashir.

The ICC prosecutor implied last March that Mbeki’s panel will have the task of seeking accountability measure for suspects other than Bashir or the two others wanted by the ICC on the Darfur case.

The prosecutor has no power under the Rome Statute to scrap arrest warrant that has been approved by the judges.

Darfuri refugees at the camps in Chad told the panel that they want the arrest warrant against Bashir executed.

(ST)