Originally published on the CGS blog on July 20, 2009.
Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese President who is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, has cancelled his planned trip to Uganda. Previously, Bashir had intended to attend a Smart Partnership Conference in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. However, Uganda, having ratified the ICC treaty, is legally obligated to arrest Bashir should he enter the nation. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has now reached an agreement with Bashir, calling off the visit by the Sudanese President for fear of causing a harsh diplomatic incident.
The initial announcement that Bashir would be visiting the ICC State Party had created outrage from various organizations, and a reminder from the ICC that Uganda had an obligation to arrest al-Bashir. Joseph Were of the Ugandan newspaper, The Independent, wrote that if Uganda did not arrest Bashir upon his arrival, it “might leave Uganda tied in hypocritical tinsel.”
Omar al-Bashir had previously stated that the ICC arrest warrant would not affect his life in any way. It is now apparent that Bashir has been proven wrong.
