Sudan says ICC decision against Bashir will boost drug trade
March 14, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — A Sudanese official warned of the negative impact of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on efforts to crack down on drug trafficking in the country.
Drugs now threaten peace and security in Sudan as a result of exploitation by criminal groups and drug traders of security conditions” the Sudanese deputy police chief Lieutenant General Al-Adil Yacoub said in prepared remarks before the 52nd session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna.
The remarks published in the independent Al-Sahafa newspaper quoted Yacoub as saying that the international community must ensure the security and stability of his country.
He also said that the ICC arrest warrant issued against Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir “is the biggest threat to peace and security”
“This will negatively impact Sudan’s contribution in combating drug trade as part of the international mechanisms” the police official said.
Yacoub said that the ICC decision may turn Sudan into a spot “where drug trade flourishes”.
Last year Sudan seized large amounts of drugs on their way to the capital allegedly from the war ravaged region of Darfur.
(ST)
thomas
Sudan says ICC decision against Bashir will boost drug trade
The first thought that comes to mind whenever anything comes out of Khartoum is lies, lies, lies, so I was initially skeptical of this deputy police chief Lieutenant General Al-Adil Yacoub. However it’s possible that he could genuinely care about drug trafficking and is simply stating things as a matter-of-fact. He doesn’t explain how and why the ICC warrant should have any effect at all on his operations. The only conclusion is that the government itself is the one that will stop fighting drug trafficking? What kind of insane threats are these that this government is making to make even police concerned? Just like with the so-called “humanitarian crisis” that they threatened would happen after the indictment, they never elaborate because they themselves were going to create it.