Arman downplays Sudan’s request for Interpol arrest warrant against him

January 3, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – The Secretary General of the Sudan people Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) Yasir Arman downplayed announcement by Khartoum that it will seek an Interpol red Notice for him among other figures.

The government sponsored Sudanese Media Center (SMC) said that request with Interpol has also been made for SPLM-N chairman Malik Agar. The decisions were made by a committee investigating the events in the Blue Nile state.

The military wing of the SPLM-N clashed with Sudan Armed Farces (SAF) last September in the Blue Nile state which had Agar as governor. The two sides exchanged blame over who started it.

Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir declared emergency rule in the state and sacked Agar. Later SAF managed to drive Agar and his forces out of al-Kurmuk which was SPLM-N stronghold.

Agar and Arman are accused of rebelling against the state and disturbing peace, SMC reported.

Arman told Sudan Tribune that the arrest warrant for him is issued by partisan bodies whose leaders are wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

He was referring to ICC warrants issued since 2007 for Bashir and South Kordofan governor Ahmed Haroun. Last December, the ICC prosecutor also requested the judges to approve a warrant for defense minister Abdel-Rahim Mohamed Hussein.

“If all the regimes used the Interpol for getting rid of its political opponents then Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak and Gaddafi would have done it too since they were smarter” Arman added.

Arman said the move by the government is an evidence on the absence of conditions for local justice in Sudan.

“There is no fair or independent judiciary in Sudan,” he said.

The SPLM-N Secretary General called on Sudan’s attorney general to board the plane with Bashir, Haroun and Hussein to The Hague. Afterwards he said, the SPLM-N wanted figures could accompany him back on the same plane back to Khartoum.

(ST)