Read my PJM piece about the latest drama here.
According to the Washington Post, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is now seeking an arrest warrant for the Sudanese dictator, Omar al-Bashir, charging him with crimes against humanity for his role in the mass killings that engulfed Darfur during the last five years.
The real dimwits here are the guys in the UN who coordinated things so badly with the ICC, that the ICC is now causing them trouble and forcing them to tighten security.
Meanwhile, Sudan Watch’s Ingrid Jones is back after a long, long absence with a blog post about this dumb, imprudent move, and some dirty revelations involving beloved China.
UPDATE: Okay, so the news is out already. It’s official everyone, let the “entertainment” begin.
PARIS — The prosecutor at the International Criminal Court on Monday formally requested an arrest warrant for Sudan’s president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the last five years of bloodshed in his country’s Darfur region.
Too Huge World, a Western aid worker in Sudan, has this to say:
So far today we have not seen attacks against international staff or facilities. The only reaction so far seems to be some large orchestrated protests in downtown Khartoum, another one in El Geneina (West Darfur), a small, half-hearted one in El Fasher (North Darfur), and none at all in Nyala (South Darfur).
… In the mean time, the UN mission in Darfur has raised its security level. This means that all but the most “critical” UN staff are being relocated. This has important effects for NGOs as well since they rely on the UN system for emergency evacuation capabilities. In the long term, however, if the UN does not return with full capacity soon, the independent humanitarians may just have to find another way to operate - ways that are less dependent on their unwieldy and super-cautious big brother.
… I write about these things not as abstract newsworthy items but, rather, as events which directly impact my life and work. I have done little else in the past four very busy days except deal with their consequences.
Oh well. (hat-tip: Nairobi Notebook)
You know what? If you’re still unconvinced that this is garbage which won’t help, read what the former special US envoy to Sudan, Andrew Natsios himself has to say about it:
… Some forms of pressure may force the Sudanese government to negotiate a political settlement, some will only make their leaders more intransigent: an indictment is clearly in the later category.
See? Now please give me a reason for me to be supportive of the ICC’s move. Those Sudanese who support it are thinking sentimentally.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t agree much with the author. Of course it is primarily a symbolic gesture and no the prosecutor is not going to handcuff Bashir any time soon.
But it can re-ignite attention to the area and the problem. It can cause embarassment for folks like Bashir and others, like Ponder, who would rather ignore the problem and focus on things like how awful Israel is.
Once again…I cannot see how the Muslim world, especially the Arab world, is not, as a whole, utterly ashamed of themselves in this regard.
I still remember watching Mohamed Yahya speak at UCLA. Somebody in the audience asked what the Muslim world was doing to alleivate the problem. He said “Jews and Christians have been trying to help, the Muslims have done nothing”. There was a girl sitting next to her friend that was wearing a hajib. When she heard the answer, she hung her head. I wonder if she did anything after that…I wonder.
But good…good the light is being shined right on Bahsir’s head. Yes I realize the rebels are no angels…but that does not change the fact that this has been probably the most vicious, murderous crime of the 21st century.
Interesting thought…
In wars in places like Israel, Iraq, Afganistan, Chechya, even the Serbia thing…there have always been brave volunteers from around the Muslim world showing up to fight among there brothers. Is it just that these types show up when it comes to killing Jews or Christians? I have yet to here about one such person fighting in Darfur to protect the lives and honor of his brothers and sisters.
Why might that be?
Any ideas Drima?
Figuring out the enemy would be too much of a headache for them. Plus Jihad is more of a thrill and is more “genuine” for these guys when it’s waged against the infidels. As far as they’re concerned, there’s no infidel blood to spill in Darfur, so there’s no fun.
Oh, no… WAIT!
*smacks forehead*
Stupid me, how could I forget? There’s no violence occuring in Darfur. Evil Jews exaggerated the story
The move is largely symbolic. No one is likely to haul Bashir before any court soon. But the die is cast and the long arm of the law will get him one day, unless of course he dies in office. Ask Charles Taylor, and Slobodan Milosevic.
If we have a regime change in Sudan, one can never tell how the new rulers will treat Bashir. They might hand him over.
Whether symbolic or not, I believe the point is now clear for Bashir: sort out Darfur quickly or you end up in court. If that arrest warrant is issued, he will have to be a prisoner in his own country.
Let us see where it ends. This is just the premier, the show is yet to begin.
Sure people are dying, but is a potential resolution to the Darfur conflict that has been brought on through a little arm twisting sustainable!
To me…this situation is indicative of many of the African problems…How many Sudanese really see themselves as Sudanese, patriotic, loyal to a central government?
It seems that without a federation concept…there is not much hope in many places in Africa.
I was thinking about this too, though the thing about federalism is it’s the first step towards break-up. Bashir for example can offer some sort of federalism to Darfurian rebels and they will of course demand a lot of autonomy and pulling the army out. But there is no guarantee that they won’t use this arrangement as an intermediary step of establishing control over the province before going on for full scale cessation. I think federalism requires readiness to accept full self determination. Otherwise it’s too risky a step.
Howie :
This is a government that attained power by force, provides sub-standard services to its citizens, regularly abuses its own citizens with extreme prejudice, taxes it citizens up the wazoo and lets not talk about the long list of freedoms “not” bestowed upon the Sudanese peoples.
Yup being Sudanese certainly sucks these days, personally i wished I lived in Khartoum in the 60’s, the liquor was flowing, the clubs were full and people were way more liberal
Digital…
And I wasted the 60’s in Laguna Beach, Hollywood and San Francisco
SHIT!!!!
Oh…and I have read the history of Sudan…I am by far not an expert…but it how many Sudanese identify as Sudanese as opposed to Nubian, Fur, Masalit or whatever? Where is the first alligance? Would a Fur join a national police force and be OK with, say, putting down an anti-government riot in his own district?
Sudan not afraid of ICC?
I don’t think so.
If Sudan is not afraid of the ICC, then why is it making all this noise (News, TV programs showing citizens’ patriotism, Facebook groups, internal meetings between al-Bashir and government officials, including the parliament and so many more), in addition to calling for help from the AU and Arab League by asking for emergency meetings to be held?
I think that Sudan is over-reacting, which clearly shows that Sudan is NOT afraid of the ICC decision. In fact, it IS afraid of it.
I don’t think Sudan should have made all this noise. Regardless of my agreement or disagreement of the ICC’s decision, I think the ICC cannot do anything anyways, and Sudan should not have given this decision any importance or attention. They’re seriously over-reacting… making a lot of noise.
Whops, my bad Amjad. I didn’t even pay attention to the title that much.
The title of the article was edited. The one I had was “the ICC Vs al-Bashir.”
wow, Drima, thanks for the great links and the heads up on Ingrid’s update. I have been out of the loop with the baby and all and not had time to look around on this but have desperately wanted to. Such a ridiculous move by the ICC! Thanks again.
icc is always unfair.
above person up to some extent you are right man.
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