This site makes extensive use of JavaScript, for the best browsing experience we recommend you enable JavaScript in your browser.
The Global Citizen: Darfur
South Sudan and Sudan continue to fight for territory. The regime's target is now the people in the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan. More than a 100,000 residents have fled to the south after violence erupted in the contested region of Abyei. The Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has denied international relief for the people, and government military forces continue to move south, encouraged by the lack of response from around the world.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese Defense Minister Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, stemming from the Court's investigation of crimes committed in the Darfur region. This follows the arrest warrant issued previously for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who remains wanted by the ICC.
Hussein is charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. He is a close ally of Bashir and leader of a campaign against rebels in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile southern border states of Sudan.
ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo noted that "Mr. Hussein played a central role in coordinating ...crimes, including in recruiting, mobilizing, funding, arming, training and the deployment of the militia/Janjaweed as part of the government of the Sudan forces, with the knowledge that these forces would commit the crimes."
On Thursday the Sudanese army threatened U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur after a tense couple months in the region. Sudanese soldiers threatened to “burn to the ground” camps for internally displaced person (IDPs). This comes as the United States has called for the United Nations-African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to better protect civilians. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice stated that, “we expect UNAMID, as one of the UN's largest and most costly operations, with one of the most robust mandates passed by the Security Council, to be very active and, when necessary, aggressive... to protect civilians.” Fighting between the Sudanese army and Darfur rebels has caused 43,000 people to flee since December.
Written by Ariela Blätter for Open Democracy
The ICC's decision to reinstate three counts of genocide against President Bashir of Sudan is to be welcomed
Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo's July 2008 announcement seeking the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes was a lightning rod for Court-bashing and panic-mongering. At the time, critics argued that Ocampo’s move would come at the expense of peace in Darfur, the charge of genocide was over-reaching, and that the Prosecutor was on an unchecked wild-goose chase. Monday’s decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reinstate three counts of genocide on Bashir’s arrest warrant may begin to silence those critics.
Their names are Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus and they have both voluntarily surrendered to the International Criminal Court. The two individuals are each charged with three counts of war crimes as a result of attacking African Union peacekeepers in September 2007 in Haskanita, in northern Darfur. Both men are currently staying at an undisclosed location and they will remain there until the close of the legal proceedings. The case against Jerbo and Banda is the fourth case dealing with genocide taking place in Darfur that has been handled by the International Criminal Court.
Facts of the Haskanita Attack
Today (February 3rd 2010) the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court unanimously reversed ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I's decision of March 2009 which excluded the charge of genocide on the arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir. The decision was based on the grounds that the judges had set the standard of proof too high for the Pre-Trial stage. The Appeals Chamber remanded the decision to the Pre-Trial Chamber to decide, based on the correct standard of proof, whether a warrant of arrest should be extended to cover the crime of genocide.
Tomorrow (Wednesday February 3rd) the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will determine whether the standard of proof used by Pre-Trial Chamber I to examine the Prosecutor's evidence on genocide was correct in the case of Sudan's President, Omar al Bashir.
On March 31st, 2005, the United Nations Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the Prosecutor of the ICC. On July 14th, 2008, the prosecution filed an application for an arrest warrant for Bashir. The prosecution, based on the evidence collected, alleged that three types of crimes had been committed: genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Today, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Rosemary A. DiCarlo, made a statement expressing concern over the tragic conflict in Darfur. Significantly, she conveyed the importance of resolving the issue through the lens of the International Criminal Court and its crucial role in ending impunity for heinous crimes such as those committed in Sudan.
The United States has named three Strategic Objectives for Sudan:
A South African Foreign Ministry Official recently confirmed that Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir will be arrested if he sets foot on South African soil. This would be done in compliance with South Africa's obligations to the International Criminal Court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Bashir for seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur. Under the Court's Statute, member states are obliged to arrest individuals on their soil who have had an arrest warrant issued for them by the Court.
Topics
- Arms Control (21)
- Become a Member (8)
- Capitol Hill (180)
- CGS Political Action Committee (PAC) (14)
- Chapters (5)
- Civilian Protection (211)
- Climate Change (81)
- Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) (3)
- Congressional Report Card (9)
- Current Campaigns (8)
- Election News & Analysis (103)
- Fellows (2)
- Gender Based Violence (21)
- Genocide Prevention (172)
- Get Involved (70)
- Home (4)
- Human Rights (274)
- Human Rights Council (50)
- International Criminal Court (312)
- International Criminal Justice (74)
- Law & Justice (319)
- Law of the Sea Treaty (59)
- Nuclear Disarmament (81)
- Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) (3)
- Other (44)
- PAC: 2010 Election Endorsements (3)
- Partners for Global Change (3)
- Peacekeeping (154)
- Prevent War (200)
- Rights of the Child Treaty (11)
- Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) (23)
- Support Us (7)
- Take Action (36)
- Tax Deductible Giving (3)
- UN Funding (118)
- UN Reform & Revitalization (52)
- United Nations (398)
- usaforicc.org (2)
- WFI (2)
- Women's Rights Treaty (CEDAW) (51)
Archive
- May 2012 (20)
- April 2012 (36)
- March 2012 (34)
- February 2012 (24)
- January 2012 (30)
- December 2011 (36)
- November 2011 (64)
- October 2011 (38)
- September 2011 (40)
- August 2011 (36)
- July 2011 (62)
- June 2011 (66)
