Khartoum expresses readiness to accept UN information on wanted list

KHARTOUM, April 17, 2005 (KUNA) — The Sudanese Government expressed readiness on Sunday to accept any information from the UN on the 51 wanted people accused of committing crimes in Darfur.

An African Union (AU) peace keeper shows injuries on a former detainee, allegedly inflicted by Sudanese forces, after a prisoners release at a AU compound in el-Fasher in the Darfur region.(AFP).

Sudanese Minister of State Ali Kerti said in a statement that the government will accept any information on those involved in Darfur, noting that the UN kept a list that includes 51 names and demanded Sudan to turn in people that the government does not know about them or their accusations.

The minister noted that the legal committee in charge of responding to UN Security Council’s resolution 1593 began preparing a response based upon the sides the resolution focused on, noting that this aims at proving the capability of the Sudanese justice system to perform the duties of the International Criminal Court.

He added that the government acknowledges the role of the African Union and is providing it with full information to persuade the union and the international society not to hold any court sessions outside the country.

Earlier this month, the Security Council adopted a resolution to refer those who committed violations in Darfor to the International Criminal Court in La Hogue.

The Sudanese Government rejected the resolution, while Sudanese president pledged not to turn in any Sudanese person to the international court.

On April 6th, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Moreno-Ocampo received from the UN a list prepared by the fact-finding committee that includes 51 people accused of committing anti-human crimes in Darfor.

Sources said that the list includes names of Sudanese military and government officials, in addition to leaders of the Janjaweed Militia and some armed groups in the region.