Sudan going after ICC witnesses in Europe, rebels say

September 13, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Sudanese government is dispatching agents in Europe to track down witnesses for the International Criminal Court (ICC), a Darfur rebel group said today.

The development comes in light of the establishment of the ‘Group to Correct the Course of Darfur Crisis (NGCCDC)’ whose founders include individuals claiming to be former translators and witnesses who worked with the ICC and other organizations including Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

NGCCDC, at a press conference in the Ethiopian capital, said that they were lured by international organizations to exaggerate the numbers of victims and killings that occurred in the region.

The spokesperson of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) Ahmed Hussein accused the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) of standing behind the group.

“This is a conspiracy to undermine the mandate of the ICC and prosecutions of Darfur war crimes suspects,” Hussein told Sudan Tribune.

“They were offered $50,000 each and a house in Khartoum. Once they get there [Khartoum] they will not be allowed to leave to prevent them from testifying if they were to ever change their minds,” he added.

Hussein named a man Ga’afar Abdel-Hakam, the former governor of West Darfur, of standing behind the effort adding that he is nicknamed “the butcher” and Sharif Siyam Adam one of the alleged witnesses.

“The Sudanese government was able to gather all these journalists at to fly to Addis Ababa at such a short notice to attend their press conference. This is all a play created out of their [Khartoum] desperation,” he added.

Hussein called on the ICC to “strengthen its witness protection program” stressing that the Sudanese government is working hard to identify any potential witnesses.

The development come as the Darfur panel headed by the former South African president Thabo Mbeki prepares to submit its recommendations to the African Union on ways to achieve justice in Darfur.

Sudanese hopeful are optimistic that the panel will advise against ICC prosecutions in the war ravaged region of Darfur.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir and former Sudanese state minister for humanitarian affairs and governor of South Kordofan Ahmed Haroun and militia leader Ali Kushayb.

(ST)