South Africa maintains stance against ICC warrant for Sudan’s Bashir
May 14, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir should not be hauled to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges related to alleged war crimes committed in Darfur, the top diplomat in South Africa said today.
South Africa newly appointed foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that Bashir’s arrest would not solve problems in Sudan and also hinted at double standards by the ICC.
“We know of many other not so democratic leaders around the world who are not being taken to The Hague. We don’t think that will solve Sudan’s problems, taking him there” she said in an interview with SABC television.
The South African foreign minister’s remarks come more than a week after news report indicated that Bashir was advised not to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Jacob Zuma to avoid being apprehended.
Zuma was sworn in last Saturday as the fourth president of South Africa since the fall of apartheid system, with almost 100 foreign delegations — including nearly 30 heads of state.
South African media reported that Al-Bashir has been formally invited to attend but despite that, the Sudanese envoy in Cape Town was warned that his president will face arrest if he comes.
South Africa is a member of the Rome Statute which forms the basis of the ICC and is therefore obliged to arrest the Sudanese head of state,
Nkoana-Mashabane said that pursuit of Bashir by ICC would not be “constructive”.
Under the administration of former president Thabo Mbeki, South Africa came under fire for being one of the main backers of Bashir as well as the Zimbabwean regime.
Some observers have said they expect a different foreign policy direction under Zuma.
In an open letter to Zuma, Human Rights Watch (HRW) Africa director Georgette Gagnon said it was a chance for him to “take the high road and restore credibility and balance to South Africa’s foreign policy”.
“South Africans and their supporters all over the world who had such high hopes for this country’s leadership on human rights felt betrayed by the previous government” Gagnon said.
She urged the new government to support the principles of international justice and urge Sudan to reverse a decision expelling humanitarian agencies from Darfur which was taken after the ICC warrant for Bashir.
(ST)