Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
February 19, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir today received the Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade who arrived on a previously unannounced visit that lasted a few hours.
Sudan official news agency (SUNA) said that Wade and Bashir discussed bilateral ties and developments related to the Darfur conflict in a closed meeting.
The Senegalese president told reporters afterwards that Sudan’s relation with Chad was on the agenda disclosing that he held a recent meeting with Chadian president Idriss Deby. He also noted that relations between the two countries are witnessing “some difficulties”.
Last month Al-Bashir met with Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi along with Wade where he accused Chad of supporting the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) in its latest attack on Muhajriya location in southern Darfur.
Ndjamena denied the Sudanese accusations and charged Khartoum of brokering the creation of a new alliance between the Chadian rebels to topple Deby’s government.
Chad and Sudan have long accused each other of supporting opposing rebel groups. Despite several regional attempts to reconcile both countries sour relations remained prevalent.
Senegal and Libya have brokered reconciliation agreement between the two neighboring countries, Tripoli agreement in Feb 2006 and Dakar agreement in March 2008.
Wade’s stop in the Sudan came as the expectations ran high in Khartoum that the International Criminal Court (ICC) was set to formally issue an arrest warrant for Bashir on Friday.
However a source at the Hague-based court told Sudan Tribune that it is unlikely that judges will rule on Bashir’s case this week. UN diplomats have reportedly said that a decision will be forthcoming before the end of February.
Last July the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo requested that the judges issue an arrest warrant for Bashir on three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder.
Ocampo accused Al-Bashir of masterminding a campaign to get rid of the African tribes in Darfur; Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa.
The Senegalese head of state said he discussed the ICC row with his Sudanese counterpart but declined to comment on reports of an imminent arrest warrant.
Last year Wade told his Sudanese counterpart during a phone conversation that he will not be able to offer him refuge if there is an arrest warrant for him.
Wade speaking from Chicago told Senegal News Agency (APS) that he informed Al-Bashir that they are party to the ICC and they cannot “make an exception”. However he raised the possibility of suspending the ICC indictment through the UN Security Council (UNSC).
The African Union (AU) and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) presided over by Wade, have both criticized the ICC prosecution of Bashir.
Today the Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that peacekeepers throughout Sudan are on high alert fearing a backlash in the event of an arrest warrant widely expected on Friday.
The African Union-United Nations mission in Darfur (UNAMID) reportedly raised security to Phase Four, the highest level on the UN’s planning below large-scale evacuation
In Phase Four, programs are suspended and personnel not directly concerned with emergency or humanitarian relief operations or security matters are relocated.
“You shouldn’t underestimate any outburst” UNAMID spokesman Noureddine Mezni told AFP.
But Mezni later told Sudan Tribune that UNAMID security has been upgraded to phase four since a deadly attack last July that killed seven of its Rwandan peacekeepers.
Sudanese officials have often said they will do everything possible to ensure security of UN staff but warned that they will not be able to control outlaws.
Earlier this month the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged Khartoum to take all necessary measures to protect peacekeepers and other UN staff in the country against possible backlash by the population.
“It will be very important for president Bashir and the Sudanese government to act responsibly to ensure safety and security of UN peacekeepers and protect human rights of all the population there and faithfully implement the CPA.” the UN Secretary General said.
The Saudi owned Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported today that Al-Bashir will fly to Cairo on Sunday to discuss the ICC issue with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The newspaper also said that the Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani is due to arrive in Cairo on Friday following a Qatari brokered agreement between Khartoum and rebel JEM. However it reported that there is no confirmation on whether the visit will actually take place.
Both Egypt and Qatar have joined voices calling for suspending ICC move against Bashir to prevent a breakdown of the Darfur peace process.
This week Khartoum and JEM signed a declaration of goodwill expressing their willingness to engage in peace process, three years following the rebel group’s rejection of the Abuja deal in May 2006.
UN experts estimate some 300,000 people have died and 2.5 million driven from their homes. Sudan blames the Western media for exaggerating the conflict and puts the death toll at 10,000.
(ST)
manis
Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
The ICC arrest warrant against criminal al Bashir is the most likely in the end of this weekend or the earlly of the next week, and visiting of the great African prisident Abdoulye Wade is a message for genociders and murderiuos regime in khartoum that the time is runing out for them and their days are numbering,after he said that, he will not give refuge the criminal al Bashir after arrest warrant because they are members of ICC. Who wiser this prisident? Why other African and Arab leaders runing for empty impunity for this criminal who has wholesalely distroyed his own people? to African and Arab leaders with you or without the ICC is going and you will change nothing please do not waste your time and money
Chol Manyiel
Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
That is great, ICC should act quickly without any further delay. The atrocities Basir have committed are enough and enough.
Lual Garang De Lual
Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
The time is running against Al Bashire because the visit of those high profile presidents and diplomats to Khartoum shows something behind the curtain, hence beaware Mr. Bashire that your visit abroad may trigger the issuance of arrest warrant while on the airspace of the countries that have signed ICC treaties. You like it or not ICC has succeeded because there is no country at the UNSC that favour the deferral under article 16 of the UNSC Charter.
Therefore, don’t be surprised when you will be running back to Sudan abruptly when the arrest warrant is issued against you on a foreign trip like former president of Liberia Mr. Charles Taylor on his tour to Ghana.
Your regular visits abroad and your diplomats have failed to pursuade the world because of your past track of lying on the world stage and doing different issues on the ground, hence your government has lost world confidentialilty. Moreover, we the Sudanese societies are frustrated for the continue killing, raping,abduction and harrassment of the innocent people in our country from since you came to power. The visit to Egypt will not change the world position towards your brutal government which deprived its people from Justice. Mind you that your tour may not succeed for the reason that Egypt is a party to the ICC Rome statute and may resort to arresting you rather than a visit if the ICC issue the warrant while you are on the land or airspace of their territory. Also here we are talking about Justice not peace, peace could have been achieved since ever then if you were serious about the flight of your fellow Sudanese, but with your Islamic ideology and oppression, the marginalised people decided to liberate themselves. This is evident by the defaction of some of your closest ideologies like Dr. Turabi and Dr. Khalil Ibrahim which nurtured your regime at all cost. The whole Sudanese population is fedup with you even within your NCP wants you go to the ICC.
History of the Sudan will be your witness and we leave that to the historians to scrutinise your regime. Can you imagine yourself and ask how sudan was from independent then rate it with fifty years after and ask what is the issue here at the stake. We will leave to see how your trial can be at the Hague.
Nyaopun Aban Aban
Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
Ashamed on you, even through you are lobbtying each others at the world face. President Omer al Hasan Bashir must give up, and must surrender.
Called it a holy place to rest and free the republic of Sudan from ashs. You have made Life like a Puzzle. Sometimes you have to come across such that you know pieces just doesn’t fit, “go to hague”!!! Do you know who is in the highest position in the World?
It doesn’t mean a big deal but, to gives up and walk away to ICC smartly.
Kur
Diplomatic flurry in Sudan as ICC draws closer to deciding on Bashir case
Whom do the government refer to as outlaws? This regime itself is run by outlaws. They must know that whoever commits a crime against the peacekeepers or other UN staff is part of the government becuase the Sudanese people have nothing to lose in order to protect a tyrant who has carriedout genocide in Darfur and South Sudan. And you must know this justice will never be derailed for nonsense.
Kur