Sudan rebels welcome U.N. Darfur crimes referral
By Opheera McDoom
KHARTOUM, April 1 (Reuters) – Darfur rebel groups welcomed on Friday a U.N. resolution which would refer those suspected of war crimes in the remote region of Sudan to the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying it would encourage political talks.
The U.N. Security Council late on Thursday voted 11-0 with 4 abstentions to refer a sealed list of 51 accused of crimes against humanity in Darfur to the ICC, after last-minute wrangling to allow exemptions for U.S. citizens. The resolution is the first referral to the ICC by the Council.
“This is a big day for justice in our country,” the leader of the main rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), told Reuters from Asmara.
“I myself personally if my name is on that list or any other member of our movement we are ready to go because we are just fighting for justice,” Abdel Wahed Mohamed al-Nur said.
The list includes senior Sudanese government and army officials, Arab militia leaders and some rebel leaders and foreign army commanders, but has remained sealed in the office of the U.N. secretary-general until the Security Council decided which court they would be referred to.
The other main Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), said it welcomed the resolution, adding it would contribute positively to finding a political resolution to the conflict after a series of failed African Union-sponsored peace talks in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
“We are congratulating the Security Council members and the Sudanese population on this resolution,” said JEM spokesman Tajeddin Nyam. He said JEM would be much more open to returning to talks in Abuja now. He also said JEM would be willing to send any member of its group to the ICC if accused.
The SLA’s Nur said the resolution was encouraging but was not enough. “Our position is clear: justice before peace,” he said, adding that the court needed to start the trials before peace talks resumed, as the groups both declared last month.
Nur also said he did not want African Union (AU) mediation in the talks anymore, but preferred a major U.N. role and a change in venue to either South Africa, Senegal or Eritrea, which hosts the rebels and has sour relations with Sudan.
“The AU has totally lost its credibility,” he said, citing Nigeria’s suggestion to the United Nations that an African court try the Darfur accused rather than the ICC. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo is the AU chairman.
Tens of thousands have died over more than two years of open rebellion in Darfur by non-Arabs who accuse Khartoum of neglect and preferential treatment of Arab tribes in the remote region.
The United Nations says the government retaliated by arming Arab militias, known locally as Janjaweed, who now stand accused of a widespread campaign of rape, killing and burning in non-Arab villages.
Khartoum admits arming some militias to fight the rebels but denies any links to the Janjaweed, calling them outlaws.