Bashir angered by the arrest warrant - will fight against it
March 8th, 2009
Khartoum (Sudan) - In what is just the start of many more protests to come, thousands of enraged Sudanese took to the streets of the capital Khartoum moments after the announcement that The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) has decided to issue an arrest warrant for President Omar Hassan al-Bashir over killings in Darfur.
But, that was just a taste of the real action. Much bigger demonstrations are planned on Thursday and President al-Bashir himself will appear and address the massive crowds that are expected on the streets of Khartoum.
While the city was very calm last night and this morning, the verdict of most Sudanese on the streets of Khartoum is that this was a 'biased decision'' by a court their country is not party to. Sudan is not signatory to the treaty that created the court and as such does not recognise the ICC or any of its decisions.
Just after the ruling on Wednesday, the Sudanese government was very restrained in its comments, leaving it all to the Second Vice-President, Mr Ali Osman Taha who addressed a Press conference at which he reiterated Sudan's position that it does not recognise the court.
In the South, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement through its leader Salva Kiir called for calm. He said before the ICC ruling: “This episode should not be viewed as a crisis but as an opportunity to consolidate peace, justice and stability in our country.” Mr Kiir, who is the Sudan's Vice President advised that there should be consistent engagement with ICC because the warrant is a legal matter that must be addressed legally.
Mr Kiir is chairman of a committee that the Sudan has created to address the effects of the ICC warrant.
The UN estimates that the death toll in Darfur at 300,000 but Khartoum says the figure is much lower. In the indictment, the court said: "There are reasonable grounds to believe that Omar al-Bashir is criminally responsible under article 25 (3) (a) of the statute as an indirect perpetrator or as an indirect co-perpetartor for war crimes and crimes against humanity and that his arrest appears to be necessary under the Rome Statute.''
The ruling was based on a request by Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo. The court accepted Mr Ocampo's claims that President al-Bashir "intentionally directed attacks against a civilian population and was engaged in pillage, murder, extermination and forcible transfer as a crime against humanity.''
Now that the warrant has been issued, Sudan needs the support of its allies if there was to be any suspension of the order, a request that can only be issued by the UN Security Council. Already, the African Union at its summit in Addis Ababa last month, called for suspension of the ICC warrant for 12 months. The AU is meeting again on Thursday in Addis Ababa to respond to the warrant.
China, which is a close ally of Sudan has also urged the UN Security Council to "respect calls by the African Union, Arab League and Non-Aligned Movement ... and call on the International Criminal Court not to hear this case for the time being".
In a statement by Mr Qin Gang, the foreign ministry spokesman, China said it "expresses its regret and worry over the arrest warrant for the Sudan president."
China added that it is ''opposed to any action that could interfere with the peaceful situation in Darfur and Sudan."
In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit called for the suspension of the warrant. The minister urged the UN Security Council to "hold an urgent and emergency meeting" to defer the warrant against President al-Bashir.
Sudan has already given clear signs that it will not be cowed by the ICC ruling and President al-Bashir will maintain his normal schedule. The president plans to attend an Arab summit set for this month in Qatar. Mr Mutrif Siddiq, under-secretary of foreign affairs said: "We have received the invitation and accepted it." He added: ''President Bashir will attend all Arab summits and all African summits.'' In July this year, the African Union holds its heads of state summit in Antananarivo, the Madagascar capital and the Sudanese Foreign Ministry's position is that President Bashir will attend.
But the UN delegation in Khartoum is very worried by the decision taken by the court and views it as making their work more difficult. Before the ruling, there were fears that would be attacks on foreigners but no such event has taken place. But, as the demonstrations pick up today, tensions could rise. The UN delegation here is on high alert.
source.The Nation (Kenya), by Henry Owuor - March 5, 2009.