Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
December 11, 2011 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir was forced to skip the opening ceremony at a conference held in the Arab Gulf State of Qatar after several participants raised objections.
More than 2,000 participants, including political and corporate leaders, civil society activists and faith communities have gathered there to discuss how to improve relations across cultures, combat prejudice and build lasting peace.
The Sudanese leader has routinely visited Qatar in defiance of two arrest warrants issued for him by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2009 and 2010 accusing him of involvement in war crimes allegedly committed in the restive Darfur region.
Qatar is not a signatory to the court’s treaty and is therefore under no obligation to apprehend Bashir.
But on Saturday it appeared that Bashir’s participation in UNAOC would spark controversy as the German president Christian Wulff threatened to boycott the conference if Bashir shows up.
“Participation will be out of the question for me if reports are confirmed that Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir will attend,” Wulff said in Oman’s capital Muscat yesterday during his official visit.
In Doha, diplomatic sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) that several European nations as well as the United Nations Secretariat complained to Qatar about the invitation extended to Bashir.
As a result Bashir was not present at the forum’s opening ceremony which was inaugurated by the wife of the Emir of Qatar instead of him as originally planned.
The Sudanese foreign minister Ali Karti denied that his boss’s absence had anything to do with reservations expressed by other participants.
Karti said that Bashir and the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani were not present due to an “urgent matter” related to dialogue over bilateral issues but did not elaborate.
Qatar’s official news agency (QNA) made no mention of any meeting that took place between the two leaders on Sunday.
Al-Thani met today with several heads of states participating in UNAOC including those of Albania, Mongolia and Macedonia as well as other senior officials from Australia, Spain and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Bashir had to cancel appearances at several regional and international summits for fear of arrest or threats of boycott by Western nations.
(ST)
Peter Marko
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
What a shame. This thug and criminal called Al-Bashier has become a liability to the ruling party, NCP. Thus, ranking member of NCP as well as the military elites must not let this criminal wanted by ICC holds the whole country hostage. What a good this criminal represents after becoming a liability instead of asset to the whole country…
Peter Marko
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
….The ranking member of his party, NCP, should denounce him, and military elites should remove him from the power. He is going down and with him he wants to drag the country. Ali Ossman Taha will make a better president than this thug.
Ambowl Papakayo
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
The most embarassing thing is that, Bashir is making our country inferior to other countries because of the numerous rejections by foreign signatories…What a shameful man on the face of the earth being rejected be others as if he was a stinking human flesh….God help us get ride of this shame from our country
opoka charles otim
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Reality is approaching.
Remember, it’s not easy to lose one’s life than to take others’.The mouth is good for eating, but not good for immaginatives.Bashir is now reflecting on the deaths of his brothers,Saddam hussein in Iraq,Osama Bin-Laden in Pakistan, and Muamar Gadaafi in Libya…while the next is who ??????????.
He has the answer for himself no more care, the world becomes narrow,and narrow
Dhaiya
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Yes the so called president of the republic of Sudan, that is only the begining of your end becuase criminals always will never go free from south Sudan, Darfur, southern Korodufan, Blue Nile and Eastern Sudan. All of those we believed are criminals will be brought to justice and face the law becuase there is no body above the law.
J P Puok
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Qatar should follows Kenya example if they are to be seen as peace conscious as they are doing now. Arest him or do not invited him to partake, his hands tinted with his people’s blood he is very dangerous to say the least
sober
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
We all know the fact that all Arab nations are subject to a dire suppression by the west in order to be their subordinate. West busted and at the brink of collapse, . Sudan breaks the chain. So he should be punished .that is the fact. If Albashir busted. all Sudanese people are Albashir.west don’t know what Sudanese guy can do if he got raged
Citizen Power
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Bashir had to cancel appearances at several regional and international summits for fear of arrest or threats of boycott by Western nations.may be south Sudan be come signatory to the court’s treaty????????????sound good when the say the force him to skip…hahaha
Sudan virus
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Looking miserably!
Sudan virus
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Where are those of Sam.Eto, Jalaby and Adoku?
You three guys! Plz comment!
atak autiak
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Hahaha where are these guys Mohamed ali, sam etoo and abo jalabia?
Xeno
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Hahahaha, he look like somebody farts in his face and he is willing to smell it.
sober
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
TO atak autiak:I think a humble writers with a narrow minded thoughts is not attract (Mohamed ali, sam etoo and abo jalabia)to respond . To Citizen Power: we wait south Sudan become signatory to the court’s treaty in order to admit DIKA thugs to be tried . Dika hands stained with bloods of of Shilluk .and Division-7 shoot randomly on Collo youths…….. etc .
south boy
Diplomatic embarrassment for Sudanese president at Doha conference
Bravo Doda, this man called omer diserve embarrassment because we have No time to bande wast with criminal person like omer,he kill all the people of Darfur and now he turne to the people of Nuba mountaint and blue nile people, this man call omer diserve court.