Sudan offers to try Darfur war criminals

KHARTOUM, Sudan, Feb 24, 2005 (UPI) — The Sudanese government Thursday offered to prosecute suspected war criminals involved in Darfur atrocities and allow international monitors.

A special judge, sits in court in Nyala Sept 30, 2004 to try six Sudanese men accused of belonging to the Janjaweed, who killed 24 people in the southern Darfur region in Oct 2003.(Reuters).

A foreign ministry statement said Director General Mutraf Sadik made the offer to the Swedish ambassador in Khartoum telling him, “Sudan agrees to prosecute any one who proves to be involved in human rights violations in Darfur on condition the trial is held at home under international monitoring.

Sudanese Deputy President Othman Taha earlier rejected the prosecution of any Sudanese national abroad in line with a recommendation made by an international investigation commission, which proposed the trial to take place at the International Criminal Court.

The commission called for the prosecution of 51 suspects, including senior government officials.