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Sudan Tribune

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Two Darfur rebel commanders expected to appear before ICC next week: sources

January 30, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – The remaining two Darfur rebel commanders charged with masterminding an attack on African Union (AU) peacekeepers will appear voluntarily before the judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) next week, Sudan Tribune has learned.

FILE - Troops stand behind the coffins of Nigerian peacekeepers killed in Darfur during a funeral ceremony in Abuja October 5, 2007 (Reuters)
FILE – Troops stand behind the coffins of Nigerian peacekeepers killed in Darfur during a funeral ceremony in Abuja October 5, 2007 (Reuters)
The leader of the Darfur United Resistance Front (URF) Bahr Idriss Abu Garda is the only one of the three rebel commanders who appeared so far in connection with the AU peacekeepers assault in 2007 that left 12 soldiers dead and wounded eight others according to court documents.

The victims of the attack on the peacekeepers came from Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Botswana.

The confirmation of charges of Abu Garda took place last October and a decision is expected to be made shortly on whether the evidence present warrants that he should stand trial. The URF chief denied that he ordered the attack on the AU troops.

The names of the two other rebels have not been disclosed but they are believed to be Abdallah Banda, a former JEM army general who now leads a JEM splinter group and Saleh Jarbo from Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM)-Unity faction.

The sources refused to say whether Banda and Jarbo have arrived in the Hague or whether they are en route.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) requested a summons to appear against the three but in order for the judges to approve of it, he has to prove that the individuals are willing to appear voluntarily and that this will not pose any risks to victims or witnesses, otherwise a warrant of arrest is issued.

The Kuwait based Al-Jarida newspaper quoted Labeed Abdal today who is a Kuwaiti attorney revealed that he has been picked by the ICC judges to represent the defense in the rebel cases though he did not specify which of the two he has been asked to represent.

Abdal added that he will travel to The Hague on Tuesday to attend the first session which is likely to be a procedural hearing in which the date for the confirmation of charges will be set.

In a related development Sudan dismissed the upcoming ruling by the ICC appeal chamber on the genocide charges against Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir next Wednesday saying that Khartoum does not recognize the court.

Bashir has been charged on five of crimes against humanity and two of murder but the majority of the judges (2 out of the 3 judges) decided that the evidence presented by the prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo does not meet the threshold required by Genocide convention and Rome Statue to establish that the gravest crime has been committed in Darfur.

(ST)

6 Comments

  • Nuer and Equatoria Dominated SAF & Malitias
    Nuer and Equatoria Dominated SAF & Malitias

    Two Darfur rebel commanders expected to appear before ICC next week: sources
    They are supposed to be killed, what type of peace they are keeping besides bringing their sex presitution looking for only ladies for sex and comsuming alcohol.

    Soon more will be killed.

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    Two Darfur rebel commanders expected to appear before ICC next week: sources
    The Darfur rebels are ready to clear their name and they have nothing to hide, however Omer bashir should also be brave and appear in c ourt to clear his name, if he thinks he is really innocent then he should have nothing to be afraid of.but Omer bashir clearly knows that he is a war criminal that is why he does not want to stand trail.

    Reply
  • Time1
    Time1

    Two Darfur rebel commanders expected to appear before ICC next week: sources
    There is no law and order in the north Sudan? look at the mismanagement in Darfur? or in the east? the political crisis and intimidation of opposition in Khartoum and centre? or in the occupation of Halayeeb? First of all there is no freedom for opposition in north Sudan, no freedom of press, frequent arrests of oppositions and killing of darfurians.

    This are the main point obstructing peace in Sudan:

    1-Omer bashir committed war crimes in Darfur, muslims massacring muslims in Darfur, you Arabs discriminate against black africans of Darfur even when they are muslims, war still in Darfur and central Sudan, where is the peace in the north, are you dreaming to make you feel better?

    2-The president of north Sudan is the only serving president in the whole continent who has been charge with war crimes and genocide, he is wanted by ICC and is a fugitive of international justice, does that show a good image of the Arabs in north Sudan?

    2-you are already int he US lists of Terrorists states,you sponsor bin ladin, you support LRA in terrorist rebels, you support al shabab in Somali and islamic rebels in ethiopia, i do not see north sudan coming off that lists very soon.

    4-What oil does north sudan have, currently? let not talk about oil that north will have in the future, because everyone will have oil in the future, but currently north sudan depends 90 of its budget on oil which is 50% of oil from south sudan, everybody know Sudans oil is in the south, in uppernile and unity states the major oil producing states in Sudan, north sudan has no oil, when south sudan seperates we will see that big mouth of having oil in north sudan, the fact is north Sudan is dependent on south Sudans oil currently.

    5- North is a dictatorial system, one party states run by NCP since 1989, everybody knows north Sudan is run by a dictator and an ICC war crimnal, there is no democracy in north sudan, the Hardline Islamic cultuure mixed with Hardline Arab culture does not allow for democratic and sercular systems of governance in north Sudan.

    Until north Sudan change its culture of hardline islamic believe mixed with hardline Arabic culture, they will not move forward.

    Reply
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