Sudan’s Bashir accuses France of damaging Darfur peace

July 23, 2008 (NYALA) – The Sudanese president accused France, where lives one of the main rebel leaders, of hindering peace process in Darfur.

Addressing a mass rally in Nyala the capital of South Darfur state the homeland of the rebel leader, the Sudanese president accused the French government of preventing the founder of the Sudan Liberation Movement, from joining the peace process to end the five year conflict in western Sudan.

“A country like France is holding Abdel-Wahid and prevented him from joining the peace. It is talking about peace in Sudan, about genocide in Sudan and about war crimes in Sudan, yet it is the one inciting the continuation of war.” He said.

“It is the one that does not want peace in Darfur because it wants to steal Darfur’s resources.” Al-Bashir added.

Abdel Wahid al-Nur is living in France since two year. He has no refugee status but a temporary residence permit renewed every three months. Sudan during last year exerted pressure on France to expel the rebel leader, but Khartoum efforts failed.

However, this frontal attack comes following statements by the French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner who asked Sudan to cooperate with the International Criminal Court following the indictment of the Sudanese president by the prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Monday 14 July.

“It is a decision by the International Criminal Court that President al-Bashir must respect. He must take the court recommendations into account, period,” Kouchner told reporters following talks with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Paris.

Further speaking to Radio France International on July 22 following the capture of the genocide suspect former Bosnian Serb President, Koucner compared Radovan Karadzic with the case of the Sudanese president.

“I am thinking also of Sudan, because Mr Luis Ocampo’s warrant which will perhaps be issued against the Sudanese president, contains the same crimes – crimes against humanity, genocide and mass murder.” The French foreign minister predicted.

“So human rights campaigners take a little courage from this, telling themselves that in this century of globalization human rights are not completely dead, completely forgotten. I think that this is a really major event and it also means that there are no guaranteed hiding place for criminals, no impunity, no possible escape – a life spent in hiding, only to be arrested.” he said.

Last month the Sudanese foreign minister was in Paris where he asked France’s help to end the ongoing armed conflict in Darfur, he also urged France to amend Sudan’s relation with Chad.

The visit was the occasion for the two countries to clear misunderstanding and confusion following the 10 May attack by the Justice and Equality Movement on Khartoum. At that time Sudan accused France of providing satellite photos to the rebels in order to avoid the positions of the Sudanese army.

(ST)