President of Sudan unmoved by Kalma IDP camp massacre

By Mahmoud A. Suleiman

August 30, 2008 — Marshal Omer al-Bashir, the president of the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) has been quoted, during the cabinet meeting, by the official news agency (SUNA), in the aftermath of the massacre and the genocide killing of Kalma Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Nyala, South Darfur, as saying, shamelessly, heartlessly, unapologetically and stressing “the importance of disarming the refugee camps particularly the Kalama camp for its negative impact on civilians living there”. This position of Omer al-Bashir though appalling, is not surprising given his recent insensitivity towards the plight of the people of Sudan who live under the giant evils of poverty, hunger and disease, to name a few, while he awards an Egyptian soccer team players 35 vehicles. Ironically, the Champions of the 2008 African Cup of Nations held in Ghana lost 4-0 to their Sudanese counterparts in the warm-up match held in Khartoum recently. Sports analysts said this was Egypt’s first defeat by their southern neighbour in 33 years. However, some cynics wondered whether there was an element of a Match-fixing in the Egyptian squad defeat by their Sudanese counterparts in Khartoum! This overgenerous extravagant award by Marshal Omer Ahmed al-Bashir to the Egyptian football team is considered by skeptics and many reasonable others as a gift from the one who does not have to those ones who do not deserve at all!

Following the ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s presentation of evidence on the 14th July 2008 showing that Sudanese President, Omer Hassan Ahmad AL- Bashir has committed the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur, the National Congress Party (NCP) clique tried hard but without success to divert attention away from the predicaments of his indictment. To that end, the regime’s president affirmed his government’s seriousness to continue efforts for reaching peace in Darfur through the Initiative of the People of Sudan in which all the political forces and armed movements in Darfur will participate. He reiterated his regime’s rejection to handing over any Sudanese national for trial abroad, claiming the efficiency and the good repute of the Sudanese Judiciary at the international and regional levels and its capability to hold trial for any accused whoever are. Furthermore, Sudanese justice minister Abdel-Basit Sabdarat said his country does not accept “a regional court in Sudan or any foreign trials”. However Sabdarat appointed Nimir Ibrahim Mohamed as a special prosecutor to look into abuses committed in the region of Darfur since 2003.

It’s not uncommon for criminals to go back to the place where they committed their evil offence, Forensic experts tell!. Similarly, the National Congress Party (NCP) regime planned a carefully orchestrated trip seemed designed to portray the president as being deeply concerned about the region’s people as his government tries to persuade the U.N. Security Council to block the ICC case against him. The Marshal did not dare to visit Kalma IDPs Camp when he was in Nyala! While addressing the National Congress Party supporters who gathered to listen to him in the South Darfur capital of Nyala, the indicted Omer al-Bashir pledged to issue a decree pardoning all the children who have been accused of involvement in the attack on Omdurman on May 10. He also promised to concentrate on children’s health and educational services while calling upon all the Darfur rebel groups to start peace initiatives! Moreover, the regime’s three Kangaroo courts convicted 50 Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels accused of terrorism offences for attacking the Sudanese capital and sentenced 30 accused them to death by hanging.

Professor Eric Reeves says” the regime in Khartoum appears to have outwaited the international community. The men who have orchestrated ethnic destruction in Darfur now believe that by threatening the massive UN humanitarian and peacekeeping presence in the region, they can have their way with the fate of international justice and determine fully the fate of Darfur’s millions of conflict-affected civilians. Mr. Reeves has said this in reference to the ultimatum made by Major General Salah Abdallah Gosh, the head of Sudan’s National Security and Intelligence Services (NSIS) that he is prepared to kick out any humanitarian organization “if they exceed their mandate”.

The Kalma massacre which left 50 dead, 350 injured, 50 of them serious stands out as another clear evidence added to the indictment of Omer Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor who has already filed 10 charges against him for alleged three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder and masterminding a campaign of extermination and rape targeting certain ethnic tribal groups of Darfur as part of the government’s campaign to quell a rebellion.

Kalma IDP Camp raid and the massacre that followed has been condemned by humanity globally and declared it to be an act of genocide. Will the National Congress Party (NCP) regime’s president who presided over this atrocity has the guts to admit that serious ” violations” have occurred during raid by soldiers and security officers on Kalma IDP camp and bring the perpetrators into justice? That question is likely to remain without an answer for a while!

Dr. Mahmoud A. Suleiman is the Deputy Chairman of the General Congress for Justice and Equality Movement (JEM). He can be reached at [email protected]