ICC prosecutor informs judges of possible visit by Sudan’s Bashir to Senegal & Zambia
December 10, 2010 (WASHINGTON) – The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo officially notified the Pre-Trial Chamber I that the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir may attempt to travel to two states that are signatories of the treaty that founded the tribunal.
“Public statements and publications have suggested that Omar Al Bashir intends to visit the Republic of Senegal in the period between 10 – 31 December 2010 and the Republic of Zambia on 15 December 2010” Ocampo said in his filing dated December 8th.
“The Prosecution believes, in line with earlier submissions to the Chamber that this information may be of interest to the Chamber. The Prosecution will submit any additional confirmation it receives of Omar Al Bashir’s planned visits to the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of Zambia”.
Last Sunday, Sudan official news agency (SUNA) said that Bashir received an invitation from his Zambian counterpart Rupiah Banda to participate in the Special Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGR) which is scheduled to take place in Lusaka on December 15.
The Zambian presidency said later that it is premature to talk about arresting Bashir since he did not confirm attendance at the summit. SUNA had reported that Zambian envoy who met Bashir as saying that the latter “responded positively” to the invitation.
Senegal, another ICC member, has also invited Bashir last August for the 3rd festival of Negro Arts that will take place in Dakar starting this Friday. Sudan has said at the time it will participate but did not specify at what level.
Last week, the Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade sent another letter through his personal envoy to Bashir related to the event that was received by Sudanese culture minister.
The Sudanese official, who did not disclose the content of the message, was quoted afterwards as saying that the Senegalese envoy expressed happiness that Sudan has agreed to take part in the event that started today.
Estimates for the festival’s cost range from around estimated at around $70-$80 million with contributions other African countries including Sudan, South Africa and Nigeria.
Fellow ICC treaty signatories Chad and Kenya passed on previous opportunities to arrest Bashir. Kenya in particular faced heavy international criticism for failing to arrest al-Bashir in August, including from U.S. President Barack Obama. Kenya then ducked out of hosting an event Bashir was to attend in October.
Nonetheless, the ICC judges reported failure of both countries to arrest Bashir to the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the ICC Assembly of State Parties (ASP).
Last week Bashir was forced to cancel appearance at independence celebrations in the Central African Republic (CAR), an ICC member, after diplomatic pressure from France.
The Pre-Trial Chamber I after being made aware of the CAR visit requested that it “take all necessary measures” to arrest al-Bashir and effect his transfer to the custody of the Court, in the event that he arrives on the territory of the CAR. The Chamber noted that as a State Party to the Rome Statute the CAR is under an obligation to execute warrants of arrest issued by the Court.
(ST)