Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
March 4, 2009 (CAIRO) — A number of Arab states have issued formal reactions today “expressing concern” at the decision by International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir
Qatar which hosted recent talks between Khartoum and Darfur Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) said that it regrets the ICC move calling it “a precedent in international relations”.
The Qatari foreign ministry said that the arrest warrant “does not serve security or stability in Darfur region”.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lebanon, Egypt and Algeria issued similar statements that also called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to invoke Article 16 of the Rome Statute that would suspend ICC proceedings against Bashir for a period of 12 months that can be renewed indefinitely.
In the past, Sudanese officials including presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen have quietly expressed some dissatisfaction with Arab reaction to the application by the ICC prosecutor against Bashir last July, saying that “it does not go far enough”.
Khartoum had wanted the Arab League to call for a cancellation of ICC jurisdiction in Darfur conferred by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in 2005. They also wanted the Arab justice ministers to consider the UNSC resolution in that regard as illegal.
However Arab states failed to agree on either requests pressed by the Sudanese government.
Furthermore some Arab governments such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have privately urged Sudan to deal with the ICC issue through legal channels.
Today Egypt have sought to downplay any prospects of convincing the UNSC to agree on a deferral saying “there are no guarantees” for success in lobbying council members.
The Egyptian foreign minister spokesperson Hussam Zaki said that the purpose of an Article 16 resolution is “to give a chance to achieving stability in Sudan and reaching a settlement in Darfur”.
Zaki said that since Sudan asserted it is not concerned with the ICC there was no need for an emergency Arab League summit.
The Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said that his country has previously warned from “irresponsible” dealing with Sudan issue stressing that “comprehensive and just political settlement to Darfur issue”.
The Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said that dealing with the ICC row requires two-fold approach including justice considerations and Sudan stability.
He called for “rational and balanced” handling of Bashir’s indictment.
The Arab League and African Union (AU) will send another delegation to New York for meetings with UNSC to push for a deferral a month after a failed first attempt on the matter.
(ST)
postmortem
Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
Hussam Zaki you are straight to the point. Why do you waste time trying to lobby for Bashir through the UNSC when he is saying not bothered by the ICC warrant of arrest. If you were a blacksmith from Southern Sudan, you would have long advised the Arab League to hit the iron when it was still hot.
It is impossible to straighten a bent pole. The only opportunity for Bashir is to accept the reality and deal with it legally an opportunity he squandered while he was left alone with the goal keeper to score. Now that the defenders have come and all on form, I do not see any chances of winning the final match.
Bashir should not waste time calling for demonstrations and shanting those slogans because at the end of the exams, ICC will be holding its red pen to mark what Bashir wrote in blue. People are just shedding crocodile tears but Sudanese even from the North are happy with the warrant. A wizard though in my culture receive descent burial. So it is not unusual for people to turn up for such rallies pretending to be condemning the ICC. The masses are actually accelerating Bashir’s exit from the Country to the Hague. His voice was feign yesterday and you could tell that he was too worried about his life.
For us believers, there is time for everything. We do not know the hour. For now stay in the Sudan like a bankrupt keeping house until you are apprehended. Give to ceasar what belongs to ceasar and God what belongs to Him. Isn’t it time to account for your project activities in Darfur after such a long period of investment? How else will you know that the project achieved its goals without it been evaluated by an external evaluator (ICC)?
With the ICC still around, African leaders must think about their sujects and to rule according to the principles of rule of law and good governance otherwise the ICC will invoke its might.
Micheal Kerkuei
Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
Who is Zaki!
I am compelled to ask who this man identified as Zaki is because of the comments he has passed to the mass. Unlike his Arab colleagues, Zaki has hit the nail on the head. He does vividly understand that
Sudan’s Bashir is reaping what he has been sowing all along. Zaki also understands that the deicision by the ICC underwent series of examinations and criticisms. Zaki must be the only African or Arab, to be precise who has taken up his position by merit.
The Arab states should understand that Bashir has been spared, for he should have been brought to justice many years back. It is somewhat frustrating to hear that he is being indicted only for the atrocities committed in the Western part of the country when he instigated deathless damages in the South.
Who wil forget about the longest civil war ever fought in the world and in Africa in particular between the Khartoum Arab dominated government and the South Sudanese during 80s and 90s. Which woman and child will not talk about the areial bombardments by the so-called Sudan Armed Forces on innocent civilians particularly in the South.Viewing it at this angle, the ICC is not even just.It should have raised the counts on Bashir. To me, Bashir should have not been indicted had he ruled like other leaders: Nelson Mandela, Malilmu Julius Nyere,Jomo Kenyatta and several others who have treated their subjects like themselves.
I urge the Arab states and other blind supporters of this era to stop confusing the ICC judges. Let them go ahead with their jurisdictions. Bashir is the best candidate for the Hague-based court.
Nakedu Mura
Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
The failure of Iraq by saddam Hussein, the continuous instabilities in the Middle East countries,[ at the moment middel East is boiling up ready to explode at any time],the failure of sudan itself by successive ARab rigems have proved that Arab rigems or Arab governments are irrelevant and incapable of managing the nations they are leading.they have failed the whole world and are hinderance to progress and development in the world.the threats to international peace,justice and stability is posed by them through production of too much Terrorism,Extremism,Fundamentalism and all.in this era therefore,they is need for thorough reforms and flexibility to change by these regimes,otherwise the worl won’t experience any peace at all.the cuurrent arab system need to be replaced with a viable system-DEMOCRACY.
DAVID N.
Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
The Mauritania: Who cares calls themselves a one of Arab North Africa. What they have done for history of entire Arab North Africa & IRAQ, that they have been “RECYCLE” Liberian American slaves to Senegalese from Islands of Goree, then when they relocated into Mauritania, they call ARAB???
BUT Then;
Nobiin will gain relationship with ISRAEL that ever had before! http://www.abcc.org
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1236269361240&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Kuanlualthoun
Arab states reactions fall short of condemning ICC over Bashir warrant
Arab nations(with exception of Libya and Syria) are indeed cowed idiots that can’t defend themselves, forget about others. They didn’t turn up when their only hero(Sadam Hussien of Iraq) were being humilated by the Western countries(North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or NATO)!! they did the same thing when Isreal were killing the Palestinian kids in Palestine a month ago!! Sudan should not leave this usless club and begin to realise the fact that they have nothing to do with Arab club! the only thing that can protect Sudan is the help of African brothers!!