Omar al-Bashir apparently enjoys tremendous popular support from his countrymen. Of course, these do not logically include the three Darfuri tribes that he performed ethnic cleansing on and wants to obliterate off the face of the earth. al-Bashir’s ethnic cleansing campaign targeted the Fur, Massaleet, and Zagawa tribes in the Darfur region.
After the issuance of the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague which al-Bashir ceremoniously ignored, he promptly gave a speech in front of thousands of Sudanese supporters in Khartoum, calling the latest move on him as a ploy of ‘neocolonialism.’ The indicted head-of-state called for the creation of an international front to resist ‘neocolonialism.’ He pompously declared, “On behalf of all of you, I call for the formation of a united front to oppose any kind of hegemony and humiliation.”
Religious phrases and slogans were waved at the support rally. As the head of the tyrannical state waves the stick in his right hand, people shout cries of “No to the traitors! We are prepared to defend the religion.” The indicted president then proceeded to dance to the rhythm of songs played at the indignation rally. Sudanese people see al-Bashir’s arrest as insult to a religious leader. More specifically, they see the recent turn of events involving their president as oppression to their religion.
Peace negotiators in Sudan see the arrest warrant as the surest and fastest means to ruin any peace efforts and lead the country to nationwide unrest.
Omar al-Bashir is the first serving head-of-state to be indicted by the ICC on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the armed conflict in Darfur in western Sudan which has caused the death of more than 300,000 people and displacement of nearly 3 million citizens. al-Bashir came into power through a coup d’etat on June 30, 1989.
The Chinese government has come to al-Bashir’s defense, calling for the invalidation of his arrest warrant. This comes as no surprise because the Khartoum government has been one of the most dependable and lucrative markets for Chinese ammunition and fighter jets.
The most immediate consequence of the arrest warrant from the ICC is the expulsion of several international NGOs working in Darfur. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged al-Bashir to restore their status so they can continue to operate.
al-Bashir said the ICC is not morally empowered to issue an arrest warrant against him. Unfortunately for him, the arrest warrant is valid and the ICC promulgates universal jurisdiction. This means that al-Bashir cannot seek refuge or political asylum anywhere on the planet.
Via Spiegel/cbcnews.ca
