Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
July 12, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir could be arrested upon his arrival in Kampala, a Ugandan official said today.
“An arrest warrant for Bashir has been deposited at the office of the Solicitor General,” Oryem said.
“It’s up to [Inspector General of Police] Gen. Kale Kayihura to arrest him,” he added.
Al-Bashir is wanted by the ICC on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC prosecutor filed an appeal for the inclusion of genocide charges that were dropped by the judges for lack of evidence.
Uganda is one of 30 African countries that ratified the Rome Statute making it legally obligated to execute arrest warrants for wanted individuals on its territory.
But an African Union (AU) summit in Sirte, Libya held earlier this month decided that no country in the continent shall cooperate with the ICC in apprehending the Sudanese president.
So far only Botswana publicly announced that they will not abide by the AU resolution and alleged that Libya forced the AU members to accept it without debate.
The Ugandan minister said that his government had an “unwavering” commitment to the ICC statute.
However, he added that arresting Bashir is a big step to be taken by Kampala.
“He [Bashir] is not a chicken thief whom you start arresting in an unceremonial manner so let’s wait for Bashir to arrive and see what the government of Uganda would do,” he said.
Ocampo sitting next to Oryem stressed that Uganda has a legal obligation to cooperate with the court.
“It’s a legal obligation not a political decision, it’s a court decision and Uganda, South Africa and the 30 African (member) state parties have this legal obligation, it’s clear” he said.
“South Africa informed Bashir that he could be invited to President Zuma’s inauguration, but if he is there he could be arrested,” the ICC prosecutor added.
Last week, the independent Sudanese Al-Sahafa newspaper reported that Bashir is scheduled to visit Uganda on July 26 to take part in the Ugandan-Turkish forum.
A Ugandan official said that Bashir will not be arrested since he was invited by his country.
There was no official confirmation from Khartoum on the visit.
An unidentified Sudanese official warned Uganda last week against any attempts to violate the AU resolution on non-cooperation with the ICC.
The official said that all African countries must adhere to AU decisions and any state that doesn’t do that is breaking the African consensus.
The warning came after Uganda issued a statement last Friday reiterating its commitment to the ICC.
Uganda’s stance on Bashir’s arrest warrant has been ambiguous despite backing AU decision criticizing it.
The Ugandan president Yoweri Musievini said last March that he wants neither to “condemn Bashir” nor “condone his actions”.
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oshay
Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
I don’t know why President Bashir wants to go to Uganda anyway. We never had good relations with Musevini. It is also funny the constant hypocrisy perpetuated by Kampala. For decades it has massacred the Acholi people of the North and now it wants to care about justice.
I urge president Bashir to send a swift response to Kampala by giving Kony all he wants to fight the Ugandan Army since cleary Musevini doesn’t want peace.
Kur
Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
Thieves and war criminals don’t travel because they are red tagged. There is nobody above the law and Uganda and other signatories to the Rome Statute have legal obligiations to arrest all red-tagged criminals. Bashir is not different from Joseph Kony because they are both perprators of genocide and crimes against humanity.
I love Ocampo because he is the facilator of justice for those who will otherwise get no justice anywhere in the Sudan. If I were one of Mr. Bashir’s advisors, I would tell him to surrender to the court to depend himself in a dignified way. It is shameful for someone who calls himself president to be on the run. It does not make sense to me.
One final point, it was reported the other day that women were flocked in public in Khartoum for violating the dress code imposed on them by Bashir, but he is afraid to face the judge. Coward. Judge not, and you will not be judged. But when you humiliate the innocents, you will also face the same fate.
Kur
Samson Shawel Ambaye
Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
God be with ICC for arresting Bashir.
Father Critic
Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
Bhashir must be arrested whether he wishes or not.There are some people in Southern Sudan who are also in the waiting list but they do not know:Lam Akol and his friend in the Government of Southern Sudan are in our brackets.I would like to inform them early so that they should change before 2011.
Critic Ngueny from Bor town.
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy
Sudanese president could be arrested in Uganda
Mr Famous Big-Logic-Boy < Fraud
Mr Famous Big_Logic_Boy < original
Mr Museveni never panic about the rockets they import from China. South and Uganda are always together in time of trouble. If they want to fire your country we Southerners are behind to stand with you. My Equatorians alone with do much better than mixing with those junglese. No panic only showing the truth and doing your best is the key to be a hero. Arabs are nothing but terrorits who always like to see death and horribel things, those rockets were bought to terrorise with Africa as whole. I would suggest that East Africa is behind attack, because it had happened in Kenya before this time it will be general but East Africa and South will show their horns and prove their knowledge by crooking Bashir and his missiles to zero level. Those of Libya, Egypt and other arabs countries are the encourager, who pressure Bashir to buy such weapons to let him be tolerated to move freely, but this must not happend here in the land of BLACKs (Africa) . Criminals whether black or white deserv punishment. Think back to Liberia history what had happened to their crminal president and see now how is the country without him.
Logic is the chairman and founder of Equatorian Resistant Movement (ERM) after achieving its objectives and goals it will reverse to Sudanese Revolution Movement for Democratic (SRMD)