Arrest warrant requested against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir

© afrol / Frédéric de La Mure / Gouvt. française

afrol News, 14 July - Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir today was accused of war crimes and planning genocide in Darfur by the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose prosecutor is seeking his arrest. The prosecution presented heavy accusations against Mr al-Bashir, detailing his plans to exterminate the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa people.

The Sudanese leader is held responsible for allowing systematic attacks on civilians in the Darfur region since 2003, which has left an estimated 300,000 people dead while 2.5 million were displaced. It is well documented that the Khartoum government has mobilised and armed "Arab" militias to attack the Darfuri populations.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo today presented evidence showing that Sudanese President al-Bashir "committed the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur," according to the court.

The prosecution evidence showed that Mr al-Bashir had "masterminded and implemented a plan to destroy in substantial part the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups, on account of their ethnicity." Members of the three groups, historically influential in Darfur, were challenging the marginalisation of the province; they engaged in a rebellion. The Sudanese President failed to defeat the armed movements, so he went after the people. "His motives were largely political. His alibi was a 'counterinsurgency'. His intent was genocide," the prosecutor said.

According to Mr Moreno-Ocampo, millions of Darfuri civilians had been uprooted from lands they occupied for centuries, all their means of survival destroyed, their land spoliated and inhabited by new settlers. "In the camps al-Bashir's forces kill the men and rape the women. He wants to end the history of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa people," said the prosecutor. "I don't have the luxury to look away. I have evidence."

"Al-Bashir is the President. He is the Commander in Chief. Those are not just formal words. He used the whole state apparatus, he used the army, he enrolled the militia/Janjaweed. They all report to him, they all obey him. His control is absolute." added Mr Moreno-Ocampo.

Based on these accusations, and the detailed evidence that the ICC's pre-trial chamber now will review, prosecutor Moreno-Ocampo thus requested an arrest warrant against President al-Bashir.

Sudan does not recognise the authority of the ICC, and it therefore has refused to hand over two suspects that were charged last year, Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Harun and militia leader Ali Kushayb. But the charges against them mean they cannot travel abroad without risking being arrested and sent to The Hague.

Now, also President al-Bashir will have to be more careful when travelling abroad. In theory, every country recognising the ICC is obliged to arrest the Sudanese leader if on its territory, even when on an official state visit.

The mood in Khartoum is tense as the ruling party has organised protests against the ICC, where however only a few hundreds turned up. The angry protesters claimed the fragile peace process in Darfur would collapse due to the arrest order. The statements can be interpreted as a warning by the ruling party that warfare in Darfur will be stepped up as a consequence of the ICC decision.

Human rights groups, meanwhile, are welcoming the arrest warrant request. The Sudan Organisation against Torture (SOAT) and the Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) today celebrated the decision. FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen said that world leaders now must follow up by "intensifying their efforts to reach a political and legal solution" to the Darfur crisis.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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