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Sudan Tribune

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Sudan president denies Darfur crimes

May 12, 2009 (KHARTOUM) — The President of Sudan denied crimes committed by forces under his command, saying that the army has merely been on the sidelines of a ‘tribal struggle’ in Darfur.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir talks to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, not pictured, during their meeting at the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 (AP)
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir talks to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, not pictured, during their meeting at the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 (AP)
War between multiple insurgencies and the Government of Sudan has raged in Darfur since 2003. According to a panel of three judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Netherlands, President Omer Al-Bashir should face trial for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during this struggle.

The court’s chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo further is urging the court to charge Bashir with genocide for attempting to wipe out three ethnic groups that the government associated with the insurgencies. Roughly three million people are refugees from the conflict in Darfur and eastern Chad, according to figures from UN agencies.

In an interview in the Sudanese capital with the BBC’s HARDtalk television show, the indicted leader of Sudan raged at international media for distorting casualty figures and denied the crimes imputed to him.

“To talk about crimes committed inside Darfur, this is just a hostile and concerted media propaganda to tarnish the reputation of the government – and it is part of the declared war against our government,” he said.

Bashir has refused to go to the ICC to defend himself, instead rejecting the jurisdiction of the court and labelling it part of a conspiracy to overthrow his government, which came to power in a coup in 1989.

Bashir went so far as to claim that the government was hardly even party to the conflict, saying it was on the sidelines of a “tribal struggle.”

“The source of the violence in Darfur is caused by a tribal struggle, that’s the nature of the struggle there. The government is playing the role of intervention to help stop this struggle. I challenge anybody to bring me evidence which proves the Sudanese armed forces attacked and killed citizens in Darfur.”

But the president contradicted himself by also explaining “What happened in Darfur was an insurgency,” adding that “The state has the responsibility to fight the rebels. Any state in the world and any responsible government would fight those who raise arms against it.”

“The army was never involved in attacking civilians in Darfur” claimed Bashir, saying casualty figures were less than one tenth of what has been reported.

He added: “We have never fought against our citizens, we have not killed our citizens.”

But then he also said: “If a citizen rebels against the state, the government has the right to fight him.”

(ST)

14 Comments

  • Lokang
    Lokang

    Sudan president denies Darfur crimes
    Stop snitching!!!!

    It’s all full of shits!
    The human predator is always on defense no matter what other people say. I guess if the government intervene since the immanicipation of conflict, then believe me you there could be be no genocide, massaccre and what have you. If he is Mr. clean as he said, should it make hard for him to face the court to prove himself innocent? By rallying behind the scene in condemning the indictment, how is he gonna win the favor of his declared innocenness?

    Not long ago that he fire one of his Most wanted criminal, is that a sign that he wanna eliminate those that he command to commit crime against Darfurian? If he bring judgement to his employees, who will bring judgment on him?
    Surely Mr. Bashir, you should enjoy the hay while the sunshine. Otherwise the arrest will take you by surprise.
    Just stop wishy-whacky ululation about how innocent you while thousands of eyes witness and seeing you thumbing-up the cleansing of Darfur by your millitarily supported Jajaweed.

    Just stop shading crocodile tears as though you expecting Lucifer angels of hell to empower you as always. The clock is ticking out Mr while the gullery is awaiting you to face the court.

    Remember, you should always treat people the way you expect them to treat you. Not long ago that Dictator Saddam, just like you was hung in his own capital Bagdad, so expect the same to be done to you in the nick of time.

    Reply
  • Juba Lira
    Juba Lira

    Sudan president denies Darfur crimes
    Bashier, you must go to court.

    Reply
  • paul baak anyaar
    paul baak anyaar

    Sudan president denies Darfur crimes
    I am not surprised that Bashir continues to deny crimes committed in Darfur. He will never admit this whatsoever. Again, one will be flogging a dead horse in trying to persuade him to say ‘yes I admit’.

    The only hope is that the wave is carrying him away despite his relentless attempt to go against it. Does it make any sense to continue denying what has already caused the world to serve you with an arrest warrant? I mean, everyone is fully aware that Bashir is one of the most wanted criminals in the world. Ask little children in the streets and they will tell you that.

    Bashir has for quite a long time now been unleashing his ruthless army on the innocents in Darfur to carry out rapes, looting, arson, torture, just to mention a few.

    This injustice must stop immediately.
    I call on the ICC to implement the decision.

    By Paul Baak Anyaar
    South Sudan, Warrap State

    Reply
  • gutabov
    gutabov

    Sudan president denies Darfur crimes

    dear Bashir, if you think that you are gonna denied crimes that your government committed in region of Darfur, then tell ICC that you are inoccent of that by aproved yourself in the ICC court so that the may reversed your warranty on your charges, otherwise you will face charges.Mr Omar your time is now limited and you are going to vomiting all your bloody oil that you have drunk since you acquire power by cuop in 1989. dear Omar, we are sick of your mess since you were created being a liar creature. dictator like Bashir, never accepted mistakes that he has made, otherwise he has to be capture by force. He is tyran dumper animal.

    Reply
  • Garang Arok
    Garang Arok

    Sudan president denies Darfur crimes
    MR.BASHIR defenses are all right and logical I think,but it will be of more bravity to say these well framed points at the Hague,a mission that will take him only a day and back to khartoum freely having won the case.

    Be a man enough mr.president to challenge the court,we all know you will win the case,and only this way will you see the dawn of your relief.

    Reply
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