ACP Group calls to defer indictment of Sudanese president

October 3, 2008 (ACCRA) – The Sixth Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) has called for the deferral of the International Criminal Court (ICC) indictment of the Sudanese President in order to allow political solution for Darfur crisis.

In a statement released Friday at the end of the summit, by the 79 state members body urged to allow political and diplomatic efforts to address the situation in Darfur. They further condemned what they described as the use of unilateral coercive measures such as illegal sanction against certain countries with a view to preventing these countries from the exercise of their right to determine their own political, economic and social system.

On July 14, the ICC Chief prosecutor asked the ICC to issue an arrest warrant for President Omer Hassan Al-Bashir. Luis Moreno-Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder.

In a speech before Accra summit yesterday, Sudanese President stigmatized the ICC prosecutor’s efforts for justice in Darfur crimes, saying Ocampo’s move was politically motivated and “not for humanitarian or legal reasons.” He further urged the 79 member states “to not allow the instrumentalization of international justice to achieve political ends.”

He further said it will hinder efforts to settle Darfur conflict peacefully stressing it sends negative signals to Darfur rebel movement.

Speaking to reporters the Ghanaian President, John Kufuor, who chairs the bloc for the next two years, said the ACP summit decided that that it was better to use diplomatic rather than legal initiatives.

“We believe there should be room for more diplomatic efforts” to resolve the crisis in Darfur, he said.

The ACP foreign ministers renewed two days ago their support to the Sudanese President against his indictment by the ICC Prosecutor. The ACP Group had already since July rejected any move to sue Bashir over Darfur crimes.

A number of regional organizations including the African Union (AU), Arab League, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) condemned Ocampo’s request and called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution deferring Al-Bashir’s indictment.

However, the Security Council declined a request filed by Libya and South Africa on July 31, invoked the article 16 of Rome Statue to defer the jurisdiction of the world criminal court for one year.

Sudan has not ratified the Rome Statute, but the UNSC triggered the provisions under the Statute that enables it to refer situations in non-State parties to the world court if it deems that it is a threat to international peace and security.

(ST)