- As diplomatic corridors are still experiencing peak taffic lobbying for or against indictment of Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, pre-trial chamber of International Criminal Court (ICC) has given prosecutors one month to submit additional materials related to their request for an arrest warrant.
Mr al-Bashir has still not escaped possibly arrest and trail for alleged war crimes, including genocide, in the strife-torn Darfur region.
In July, prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo presented evidence against Mr al-Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide allegedly committed by him through members of state apparatus, army and militiamen known as Janjaweed.
Some 300,000 people are estimated to have been killed across Darfur region of western Sudan, as a result of direct combat, disease or malnutrition since 2003. Another 2.7 million people have been displaced because of fighting among rebels, government forces and Janjaweed, according to UN.
This is the second case arising from the situation in Darfur, which was referred to The Hague-based Court by Security Council in 2005.
According to UN report, on Tuesday this week, ICC pre-trial chamber issued a decision requesting prosecutors submit additional supporting material relating to arrest warrant by 17 November.
Pre-trial chamber had issued arrest warrants in May 2007 for Ahmad Harun, former Sudanese minister of state for interior and now minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and Ali Kushayb, a Janjaweed leader.
Last month, Mr Moreno-Ocampo urged international leaders to protect civilians in Darfur and allow ICC to successfully prosecute crimes committed in war-torn Sudanese region.
“We presented a solid case. The evidence shows that crimes against Darfurians continue today,” Mr Moreno-Ocampo had said.
Sudan’s president “has complete control of his forces, and they are raping women today, they are promoting conditions in the camps to destroy complete communities and they are still bombing schools,” he added.
According to a report from UN, in a related development, head of UN-African Union (AU) hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID), yesterday attended opening session of Initiative of People of Sudan for Solving Darfur issue in capital Khartoum.
Along with UNAMID Joint Special Representative Rodolphe Adada, others in attendance at the gathering included Amr Musa, Secretary-General of League of Arab States; and Jean Ping, AU Chairperson.
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afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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