Sudan’s Bashir refuses to cooperate with the ICC
August 3, 2008 (KHARTOUM) — President Omer al-Bashir repeated today Sudan rejection to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) whose prosecutor indicted him last month of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Sudanese president was speaking in a rally for international solidarity with him attended by trade union leaders from Africa, Arab world and Asia. He criticized western saying they leading a campaign to re-colonize Sudan.
“Sudan firm stance … is not to cooperate with the so-called International Criminal Court based on our legal, political and diplomatic rights,” Bashir said.
This is the second time since the ICC prosecutor requested the issuance of an arrest warrant against him. On July 21, al-Bashir told a delegation from the Arab Lawyers Union, “We will not kneel, will not surrender and will not hand over any Sudanese citizen to any foreign body.”
Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, accused Bashir of orchestrating genocide that has killed 35,000 people outright, at least another 100,000 through “slow death” and forced 2.5 million from their homes.
President Bashir also renewed his confidence in the Sudanese courts to achieve justice in Darfur.
Supporters of ICC suspension argue that any arrest warrant issued by the international tribunal could endanger the hybrid peacekeeping force, complicate peace process in Darfur and jeopardise a 2005 peace agreement between north and south Sudan calling for elections no later than 2009.
Al-Bashir stressed that Darfur Peace Agreement should be considered as the cornerstone for peace in western Sudan adding that the newly proposed the Initiative of Sudan’s People underlies on the 2006 deal.
He further recommitted himself to hold the general elections as scheduled next year. “We shall also go on with the democratic process and start the elections on its date,” Bashir said.
In what can be described as part of the official language in the speech of the Sudanese president, he repeated attacks against Britain, France and the United States. He asked them to apologize to the African peoples for massacre they perpetrated and to return the looted wealth.
On the other hand he hailed the stance of the African Union, Arab League, Islamic Conference Organisation and the Non-Aligned Movement and their support against the ICC.
In a resolution adopted last week to renew the mandate of Darfur peacekeeping force, the U.N. Security Council pledged to discuss the suspension of ICC prosecution and investigation against the Sudanese president.
However the U.S. abstained during the vote speaking about the necessary impunity for Darfur crimes, while Britain and France, which refused the African proposal to include the ICC suspension in the resolution 1828, ask Sudan to do more for peace in western part of the country and to cooperate with the ICC in the first case of Darfur crimes.
(ST)