China urges African UNSC members to request ICC deferral for Bashir
January 7, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – African nations sitting on the UN Security Council (UNSC) should introduce a resolution to defer the indictment of Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court (ICC), a senior Chinese official said today.
Yesterday Guijin started a four day visit to the East African nation for talks with Sudanese official on the Darfur crisis amid a widely expected decision by the ICC judges to issue an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir in the coming weeks.
In mid-July the ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno- Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder and accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
The Chinese envoy warned that an arrest warrant will have dire consequences on peace prospects throughout the country.
“If finally the ICC issued the arrest warrant against the president … the president will become a kind of criminal suspect” Liu said.
“How can the international community consider the criminal suspect as a credible partner to implement the CPA? How could you rely on a criminal suspect to be a responsible partner for the Darfur political process” he added.
The African Union (AU), Arab League, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) have called on the UNSC to invoke Article 16 of the ICC Statute which allows the council to suspend the ICC prosecutions in any case for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.
But so far no such country in the UNSC has introduced any such resolution owing to threats by the Western veto wielding members such as US & France that they would block it.
Guijin said his government lobbied Britain, France, the United States and Russia to support such a resolution.
“[An Article 16] still remains as one of the options” he said.
Ali Al-Sadiq, the Sudanese foreign ministry spokesperson said that the Chinese official informed them that Russia and Britain agreed that the arrest warrant will have “grave repercussions”.
The Sudanese diplomat further said that Guijin submitted suggestions on dealing with the ICC row but did not elaborate.
However the Chinese envoy told reporters that his government does not intend to table an Article 16 resolution but would support one.
Guijin did not explain why Beijing was taking such a position but said it would be more appropriate if one of the Council’s three current African members — Burkina Faso, Libya and Uganda — invoked the article.
Sudanese officials have been hoping that its Chinese ally would introduce the Article 16 motion given the strong economic relations between the two countries.
China is considered as close ally to Khartoum. Beijing had been blamed for preventing the UN UNSC from taking concrete measures against Khartoum. It is also accused of providing weapons to the Sudanese army. China has important oil investments in Sudan.
However China abstained from voting on resolution 1593 referring crimes in Darfur to the world court in March 2005 angering Sudanese officials who wanted the permanent UNSC member to veto it.
Last week some media reports quoting Sudanese diplomats have indicated that Khartoum plants to undertake certain measures following the issuance of an arrest warrant, some of which would effectively suspend implementation of the North-South peace agreement signed in 2005.
Other measures would include restricting movements of aid organizations, diplomats and UN Darfur peacekeepers as well as monitoring planes.
But Liu also said China hoped Sudan would take a responsible path.
“Even if in the worst case that the warrant be issued, we hope and we believe that the government of Sudan will continue to exert constraint, and to cooperate with the international community” he added.
(ST)
John Deng
China urges African UNSC members to request ICC deferral for Bashir
For this once China is right. Let us have our elections, our referendum, our freedom and our peace and then deal with Bashir later. Even if delays allowed he never can escape from court for what he did in Darfur.
But right now nothing more important than peace in Sudan and Ocampo does not help that. It is bad time for foreigners to arrest warrant the president, even if he is responsible for big crimes in Darfur (and worse in South but never mentioned). If Sudan go back to fighting then there be lot more of serious bad crimes because war always brings worst crimes in Sudan. Now the president is at least trying to do something about Darfur situation – let see if he is serious before attacking him. If he is not serious then attack him, but now there is some hope for improvement in Darfur. But that can stop if Bashir arrest warrant comes and bad crack down on heads of Darfur people and westeners will happen.
The articles says Britain thinks arrest warrant will have “grave repercussions” – so why they do nothing and just waiting for Sudan to explode? When Britain had peace process in Ireland they let convicted murder terrorists out of prison to get peace – so they canot lecture Sudan about the law. It just because we are Africans – our blood and pain does not matter in London and they politicians care about only images and looking like big tough guys with Bashir.
My brothers and sisters, you know that 2009 will be hard year for Sudan to survive and arrest warrant make more difficult for peace. I hope comrades in Uganda or Burkina Faso will make a resolution to delay the arrest warrant.
In peace – JD
ARAMANACAANI Junuba
China urges African UNSC members to request ICC deferral for Bashir
GUjin,
More than 5 years was great enough for khartoum to solve the issue of Darfur if they so wish but this has only escalated the issue and expanding it further.
so,more time allowed is NOT time to bring solution but time to REARM and create more problems,as you benefit from shipping sudan OIL as you also do your best to supply the bloody weapons as much and as quickly as possible.
Gujin,where is justice????????
thnx
Pollontino
China urges African UNSC members to request ICC deferral for Bashir
We Want to remind the world that China should act as part of the international community which can bring peace, stability, equality, and tranquility for all. However, where was China when Bashir was killing Darfurians? Was it not China supplying the Sudan Government with arms in order to dril this Sudanese blood-oil for their benefits?
It is too late now to convince the ICC not issue arrest warrant to the man Bashir who must stand before the court.He must face the consiquances of war crimes against his own country men and women.
The message for you African UNSC members, don’t listen to China, we can not support dictators, valtures and murderers. He would have been prevented when it was clear that he is behind malitias Janjaweed.That was the right time to advice/support him wisely before it got worst.Hence, not after hundreds of lives have been lost that today we want to stop him from facing the law.
Pollon and Adikdik