Sudan’s Bashir heading to Central African Republic on Wednesday: report

November 30, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir will fly to Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday in defiance of the arrest warrant against him, according to a newspaper report.

The pro-government Al-Rayaam newspaper quoting unnamed sources said that Bashir will join the country’s Golden Jubilee Independence Day celebrations during his quick visit. He will return to Khartoum for a meeting of his party later that evening.

If the visit takes place this would be the third to a country that is a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after Kenya and Chad.

Bashir has been indicted by the ICC for war crimes and genocide in Sudan’s Darfur province, a move that has isolated Sudan and confined the movements of the president to visits to friendly countries in the region.

The African Union has instructed its members not to cooperate with ICC in executing the warrant though not all countries have agreed to the directive.

This week the Libyans asked Bashir to stay away from the Africa-EU summit held in Tripoli to avoid a mass walkout by EU members.

The ICC is currently holding trial for Jean-Pierre Bemba described as a Congolese warlord for crimes allegedly committed by his troops in CAR between 2002-2003.

(ST)