March 4, 2009 (New York) - The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan signals that even those at the top may be held to account for mass murder, rape and torture, Human Rights Watch said today. ICC judges granted the warrant for Bashir, its first for a sitting head of state, on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes for his role in orchestrating Sudan’s abusive counterinsurgency campaign in Darfur.
“With this arrest warrant, the International Criminal Court has made Omar al-Bashir a wanted man,” said Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch. “Not even presidents are guaranteed a free pass for horrific crimes. By ruling there is a case for President al-Bashir to answer for the horrors of Darfur, the warrant breaks through Khartoum’s repeated denials of his responsibility.”
The court did not confirm the three counts of genocide that were requested by the ICC prosecutor. Genocide requires evidence that the crimes were committed specifically “with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part,” a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group solely on the basis of its identity.
“Proving genocide charges is always extremely difficult,” said Dicker. “President Bashir is hardly off the hook, as he is sought for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including widespread rape, murder, and torture committed as part of a government plan.”
Under the ICC Statute, the prosecutor is able to request an amendment of the warrant to include genocide if he obtains additional evidence to support the charge.
The ICC prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Bashir on July 14, 2008. Following the prosecutor’s announcement, Sudanese government officials made implicit and explicit threats of retaliation against international peacekeepers and humanitarian workers. On July 25, a Sudanese presidential advisor, Bona Malwal, stated in regard to peacekeeping forces that, “We are telling the world that with the indictment of our President al-Bashir we can’t be responsible for the well-being of foreign forces in Darfur.” President Bashir has also threatened to expel international peacekeeping forces if a warrant is issued.
The Security Council, its individual members, the UN Secretariat, the European Union, and the African Union have a critical role in promptly responding to any government-supported retaliation in Darfur following news of the warrant.
“The Sudanese government is obliged to maintain security in the country and the Security Council should act decisively to hold them to it,” said Dicker. “Khartoum should not be allowed to use the arrest warrant as a pretext for stepping up its obstructionist policies that have hobbled peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts in Darfur.”
The government of Sudan is required by a Security Council resolution to facilitate the deployment of the African Union/UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and to cooperate with the ICC. Under international law, Sudan remains obligated to protect its own civilians and to provide full, safe, and unhindered access by relief personnel to those in need in Darfur. The arrest warrant does not change these obligations, nor does it have any impact on Khartoum’s obligations to carry out the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the government of Southern Sudan.
“The Security Council and concerned governments should impose targeted sanctions against Sudanese officials responsible for any retaliatory violence, and consider other measures such as further banking restrictions or a widening of the arms embargo,” said Dicker.
The ICC is an independent judicial institution. Sudan, though not a party to the Rome Statute creating the court, is subject to ICC jurisdiction through Security Council resolution. Having an official position as head of state does not provide immunity from criminal responsibility before the ICC.
Apart from the warrant against President Bashir, the ICC has issued two other warrants in relation to Darfur. On April 27, 2007, the court issued arrest warrants for State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and a “Janjaweed” militia leader, Ali Kosheib. The prosecutor has also requested arrest warrants for three rebel leaders in connection with attacks on international peacekeepers at Haskanita in October 2007. That request is currently under consideration by the court.
Sudan has so far refused to cooperate with the ICC. All the arrest warrants remain outstanding. Haroun continues in his official position as state minister of humanitarian affairs. On November 24, the Sudanese government arrested and tortured three human rights defenders in Khartoum for allegedly giving information to the ICC.
“Khartoum is required to cooperate with the court,” said Dicker. “Because the ICC has no police force of its own, it needs strong support from governments to ensure that all those charged with crimes are arrested.”
Background
In a March 31, 2005 resolution, the Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC prosecutor for investigation and prosecution. The decision was based on the recommendation of an international commission of inquiry, which found that violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law were continuing in Darfur and that the Sudanese justice system was unwilling and unable to address the crimes. Darfur is the first situation referred by the Security Council to the ICC.
March 4th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I don’t think it means anything, there are many people who tortured and killed innocent people and got an arrest warrant, but they still live a luxury life, to me it is just a talk. As long as I don’t see a series action I don’t believe it.
March 4th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
This is a good news for peace loving people all over the world.
zenawi’the butcher of addis’ also has to be charged for crimes aganist humanity.
March 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Who is next one? All the foreign agents like Melese, bereket ,sebhat and seyum mesfin are on the line for their crimes against innocent ethiopians and somalians. It is the matter of time.Sooner of later these criminals will face justice . They are not beyond the law. The international court can reach every where.
March 4th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
DEAR MELES:
I got busted! Never in my wildest dream_this would happen to me. I know you have the same thinking too! The untouchable feeling of bravado. It doesn’t work. Do something before it is too late. Releasing Birtukan will be a good start.
OMAR
March 4th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
African leaders are schizophrenic to protect each of their own evils ….It is a pity that they opposed the ICC decision as they know that they will be accountable for similar crimes. Meles a friend of Al Bashir and is one of the main actors in the crime against humanity in Africa.
March 4th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Who will be next? The one to the left of Bashir. Esu new.
March 4th, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Hear we go this will send tigray mafias alesson to be learnd ogaden is ethiopias darfure woyane is shitting in their pants
March 4th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Good news
Its a good singnal that nobody, even presidents, is shielded from the rule of law. This action should ring a warning bell at 4-kilo palace if they don’t turn their deaf ear once again!
If the enslaved woyanes fail to wake up and start to undo thier incalculable crimes that they have committed against the people of ethiopia for the last two decades, meles and co. are next in line.
March 4th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
ምን ያለበት ዝላይ አይችልም ነው የሚባለው አይደል? የንጹሃንን ደም ለረዥም ዓመታት በከንቱ ሲያፈሱ የኖሩ የአፍሪካ መሪዎች ከወዲያ ወዲህ ተንጫጩ እኮ:: ከድፍረታቸው ብዛት ግፋቸውን እውነት አስመስለው ሊጋፈጡ መሞከራቸው አስገርሞኛል:: የፈለገ ቢፍጨረጨሩ እውነት ትዘገያለች እንጂ ማሸነፏ ግን አይቀርም::
ነገ ደግሞ መለስ ዜናዊ ተረኛ እንደሚሆን ሙሉ እምነቴ ነው::
March 4th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
It is very nice for the rest of African leaders,We can imagine the next candidate is ??? It is meles zenawi.AT LIST WE HAVE HOPE NOW .
March 4th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
መለስ
ማነው ባለ ሳምንት?
እግዚአብሄር ቶሎ ቶሎ ያድርስልህ
ለነገሩ አንተን ማሰር ሳይሆን በቁም ማቃጠል ነው የሚገባው
March 4th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Now,arrest warranty has been issued to Bashir;will Meles Naziawi and members of the crimefamily be captured and arrest? The answer is yes.
Sadam Housane was arrested hiding in a spider hole,he then was captured and was brought to justice and was put to eternal spleep. Well, opportunity was lost;members of the crimefamily should have been captured while they were in Nakfa cave.Well, they could run but never be able to escape to where they came from.
Of course, Bashir and Meles Naziawi are partners in crime and have similar fate for the crime that they committed on the citizens of both country.Yes,both have accumelated enormous wealth and have murdered citizens in thousands and thousands.Clerly,Meles is in a state of shock and deep anxiety for the fact that his partner in crime is close to be arrested and face the ultimate justice.
Well, here partners is your sour punishment;you deserve to meet Sadam Housane in hell.
March 4th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Who is next? Undoubtedly MELES ZENAWI and his cohorts. A new international relations is unfolding. It is the u turn of the US that was constantly rejecting such a move that encourages all peace lovers to hope for a new era coming. The US fully supported the move and argued that all violaters will be asked. So the decision is knocking Ethiopia’s door too. Gobez, we must push the same to happen against Zenawi. Let’s accelerate our pressure.
March 4th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
As you speak, Melese got 250 million from the same people who order arrest warrant for Al-bashier. Mugabe and Albashir got into trouble for questioning European dominance. Melese did 100 times more crimes than Mugabe. If you are not able to see this naked hypocrisy, you must be handicapped by your own illusion.
The solution for our problem is at our hand. Let us stand up and get our own freedom…
March 4th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
You all seem helpless…
Stop self congratulation.
Melese got 250 million as you speak from the same people who order arrest warrant for Al-bashier. Mugabe and Albashir got into trouble for questioning European dominance. Melese did 100 times more crime than Mugabe. If you are not able to see this naked hypocrisy, you must be handicapped by your own illusion.
The solution for your problem is at your hand. Stand up and get your own freedom…
March 4th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
…….የአፍሪካ መሪዎች እንደዚህ ሳይዋረዱ ስልጣን መች ይለቃሉ?….ቀጣዩ ደግሞ አጠገባቸው ያሉት ወንድማቸው ናቸው:: አሁን ይህን ዜና ሲያዩ መቼም:ዸማቸው ተንተክትኮ :እንደሚዘረሩ ጥርጥር የለኝም::…..ፓርቲዬ ከፈቀደ እቆያለሁኝ ብለው ያሽምዋጠጡብን ብጻይ መለስ ሃሰታዊ…ከወንበራቸው የሚያስለቅቃቸው የንደዚህ አይነቱ ክስ:አልያም እላያቸው ላይ የሰፈረው ደዌ ብቻ ነው::…..ለአልበሽር ጉቦ ያስጡና እስቲ ነጻ ያስብሉልን::ወይም ደግሞ ችሎቱ ላይ የሚሰየሙትን ዳኞች እነ ልኡልን ጠበቃ ደግሞ እርሶ መለስ ዜናዊ::ለድንበራችን የነሱ ነው ብለው ሽንጥዎትን ይዘው ተሙዋግተው የለ?…..ብልጥ ከሆኑ ይባስ መዘዝ ሳይከተል በጊዜ ሾልኮ :ከደሃ ላይ የቀሙትን ለቀሪው እድሜዬ እያሉ መኖር….አለበለዚያ ግን…የዘፈን ዳርዳሩ ይሆንና ነገሩ..ቀጣዩ አልበሽር :አቶ መለስ ዜናዊ ይባላሉ!!! ለዚያ ያብቃን::
March 4th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Meles Zenawi is ready to rule Ethiopia for the next two term rather.
Fools
March 4th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
No, Meles the squirrel if untouchable as long he remains an obedient servant of the West!
March 4th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Eseye…Elele…butcher of sudan will be hunted down. It is Zenawis turn now. Thug leader! crimninal! the West paid this killer…Zenawi or Legese the Eretrian banda to kill us indirectly. they are paying him to kill us or destroy Ethiopia. esesye albashir..killer go to hell! children rapist. nigaa arab
March 4th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
It is absolutly rediculous for any African to accept this rediculos and racist decision by the ICC. African are the worst enemies of their own. Why would any one be sent to jail from africa when you have blair and bush sitting pretty after all the crimes they have commited. Why would the annihilation of millions of palestinians and lebanese by the israeli leaders be different. Why would all the attrocities by the french in many parts of africa go unpunished! The crimes the west is commiting in africa has been criminal is criminal and need to be adressed before they can bring justice to the world.
There is no justice in this.
March 5th, 2009 at 2:17 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvD255LpbRU
March 5th, 2009 at 2:37 am
I don’t think our ruthless leaders will be intimidated by this. The only formidable force they are afraid is an organized and cohesive opposition in Ethiopia. We should work towards that patiently. I see some sign of that, I hope that it will trun to be the right one. I am sure we will claim back our country from these thugs.
March 5th, 2009 at 3:23 am
Now it is upto the responsibility of Ethiopian high-level scholars and law experts to assemble legal documents against the Meles Zenawi crimes and bring the case to ICC. Unless he is a CIA agent, there are more than enough elements to charge him.
Relevant charges:
1-the gambela genocide
2-the ogaden genocide
3-the massacre in addis ababa, awassa, ambo, bahirdar, and many other parts of the country
4-the unjustified war against Eritrea and the loss of more than 70 000 lives
5-boundless business and political corruptions
6-boundless suppression of civil rights
7-purposeful design for civil war through ethnic federalism
8-purposeful intention for interhamwe (cf. mass murder at the street of addis ababa by loyal group of solely tigrean origin)
9-betrayal of the territorial integrity of Ethiopia and selling of Ethiopian lands
10-mass murder (massacre, even genocide) in somalia to destabilize the region
March 5th, 2009 at 3:27 am
I wish crime meles and his buchelas are next….Oh Meles is already stock in arat killo miskin i forgat that . Dedebit…and Azeb lebawa.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Don’t fool yourselves, this is not about justice. This is about politics, about the interest of the West, mainly USA. The politicians in the West don’t realy care whether people in Africa are abused or suffered from dictatorial leaders. Some of the ordinary citizens could have some compassion, that is all. Otherwise the world wide pressure against Mugabe, Al Bashir, previously Sadam Hussein, are all political gestures, not about human rights, justice, or freedom.
March 5th, 2009 at 5:08 am
Ogaden dwarfs Darfur. Meles committed and is committing Darfur style crimes in Ogaden. His indiscriminate massacre in Somalia will haunt history books if ICC doesn’t hold this thug accountable. All these crimes are on top of the 18 years of rampant crime against humanity in Ethiopia. Meles has to be next.
March 5th, 2009 at 5:37 am
I love Creedence clearwater’s “Bad moon rising” song. Here is some of the lyrics.
I see the bad moon rising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin.
I see bad times today.
Don’t go around tonight,
Well,it is bound to take your life,
There is a bad moon on the rise.
There is a bad moon rising in Africa that is bound to take some of our dictators lives. President Vierra who dominated Guinea-Bissau for 23 years of the last 29 years was assassinated last week by his own soldiers. An arrest warrant was issued by the international criminal court for the butcher of Darfur Omar Hassan al-Bashir. It goes to show you that the consequences of harsh treatment of your own citizens is like a body blow that knocks you down to the floor never to rise up. You can’t commit crimes against humanity and live happily ever after. The clock is ticking to some of the living dead dictators like Meles and Afeworki. Our job is to gather and document their crimes and list the name of their collaborators. We will let the evidence speak for itself a la Nuremberg trials. Some will be hanged. Some will spend the rest of their lives incarcerated. And of course,some will run. Fortunately, they can not hide.
March 5th, 2009 at 5:58 am
We are expecting that from the International criminal court(ICC), next should be the Weyane Stalinist Melese Zenawi and his folowers.
March 5th, 2009 at 6:27 am
today Sudan’s president ‘Omar al-Bashir’, tomorrow ‘Meles Zenawi’, EPPF are coming for you, OLF are coming for you, ONLF, are coming from for you, TPDM are coming for you, and we all Ethiopians are coming for you, with burning guns, from all direcations. The international community are coming for you with pan and paper, you have nowhere to go and nowhere to hide, your time is up
For further info please go to www.eppfonlie.com
Long Leave EPPF
UINTY IS POWER
March 5th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Politics is working not justice. A western for justice of Africa? Give me a brake. One should ask, does it help to stabilize the country? NO. When are we going to learn? They want to create chaos nothing more nothing less. We will do our justice by ourselves for Ethiopia, if you expect the WEST to do it for you, you will be protesting in the street of US and EU for the rest of your lives. Tighten your belt fox. GoG7
Cheers!!!!
March 5th, 2009 at 9:01 am
ይህ ውሳኔ የሚያስደስት ነው ። ትክክል እና ወሳኝ ውሳኝ ነው። እስከመቸ እኛ አፍሪካኖች ምንም ብቃት ሳይኖራቸ ህብረተስብ እናስተዳድራለን ብለው እራሳቸውን መርጠው ቆጭ ብለው ልክ እንደመዥገር ዓንዱን ብሔር ከአንዱ እያጋጩ መኖር ከዐሁን በሃላ የለም በጣም እናዝናለን ለወያኔው መለስ እና ለሻቢያው ኢሳያስ አዲዎስ ጔዞ ወደ እስር ቤት ነው ሃገን ሆላን ሆሉም በየተራ እዛው ይከማቻል
ድል ለመላው አፍሪካ ህዝብ
March 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Ethiopia do not have no oil, thus what ever happen in sudan may not even be the case in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia the case the problem is not civil war or other hidden oil interest like in sudanes case rather it is the lack of mature political opposition political party who can challenge the rulling party (EPRDF) in logical manner and convince ethiopias silent majority(Non Amhara Ethiopians).
March 5th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
If Meles messes with America, he will be the next person before the ICC on the war crimes that he committed against the people of Ethiopia in Ogaden.
March 5th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I heard Bashir saying his arrest warrant is a “consipiracy”. Does not he know that he masscare the Darfurs consipricing with the Militias? “Leba lamelu Dabo…”.This is one of the norm of African Leaders, especially the East African leaders. Bashir has been cosipiracing with Meles! We love to see Bashir in the trials
Bravo ICC next destination is Ethiopia!
March 5th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
BIRTU/CAN
I LOVE YOUR SONG I AM SINGING WITH YOU LOL
March 5th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
SOLOMON YOUR POLIT CIRCUS IS COMING TO AN END BUSH HAS DONE MORE HARM TO ETHIOPIA NOT LESS THAN WOYANNE THUGS
March 5th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
በእውነቱ ይሄን ዜና እኛ አልሰማንም፡ ይሄ የዲያስፖራ ፕሮፖጋንዳ ነው።
March 5th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
VOA is reporting child killing activity of Woyane bulls and kills intimidates, physical abuses, …in Gedo, West Shoa….when will this child killers get similar questions of crime against humanity? School boys, oromo, Amhara and Southern children are killed and women are raped by woyane slaves and woyane actors.
March 6th, 2009 at 12:07 am
መስሎሃል በኦጋደን የተገኝኣው ነዳጅ ይሄው ሌላ ዳርፉር ነው::መለስ በኦጋዴን የሚያደርገው አፍና እና ጭፍጬፋ አንድ ነው::ስለዝ ቀኑን እየቆጤረነው::
March 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Al Bashir should be brought to justice. Sadam Hussein was more human than Al-Bashir and his henchmen.
Al-Bashir is responsible for the death of 200 000 negros. To Al-Bashir these gentle black men and women were animals. Al- Bashir is one person and has one life, but destroyed and helped the murder of 200 000 unarmed citizens.
The Sudanese people should not side with Al-Bashir. We need a democratic Sudan for peace and development. Murderers like Al-Bashir, Issayas Afewerki, Meles Zenawi should be put behind bars.
Let us learn from Rwanda. The sudenese fascist is worse than Rwanda, because he is still threatening to kill the Darfur people. There will be no peace with a murderer.
Meles Zenawi and Issayas Afewerki should also be brought to justice. They have created the precondition for genocide in Ethiopia and “Eretra”. It is irresponsible to wait until thse mad men kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:20 am
we do not need to talk abot sudan we need to focs on our own problem. How to get read of woyane who are worst than albashir of sudan.
March 7th, 2009 at 6:55 am
Tola!
You are right. But we have to know about our neighbours because they affect the course of our struggle.
I appeal to alll ethiopians irrespective of ethnie to stand together for a united Ethiopia. “Eretras” should not accept the secession. It is done for power of individuals. “Eretra” has always been part of Ethiopia.
My dream is to bring Meles and Issayas to the national courts. They are criminals and slaves of neocolonialism.
March 7th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
sudan has abig problem which the west and us recognized.imean the northern sudanis who claim the arab and the south sudan as we know sufferd alot under this arab rulling of the northern sudan.The western or the darfurians are black african dessent.so the strugle is between arab and black sudan.sudan will be divided in to three countries soon where the south is already autonomus.next darfure will be another autonomus state.take my word the west do not like an african country in arab league.dictating black people.
March 8th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
The gas chamber Hitler,the gulag Staline,and the spiderman Sadam, the genocide-man Bashir,and the murderer Meles Naziawi were not silent men;the worst men were always behaving worst.There were demons in them and all were devils.
In fact, Bashir and Meles Naziawi,many,many months ago were having private meetings and were sitting around the table just consuming wine .No leftover on the plates because they ate the food quickly without chewing properly;they were rubbing their belly and burbing,and were smiling and talking about the deal;the deal that would make one richer and the other property owner.Meles Naziawi closed the sell;Ethiopia lost.
When Sadam Housen was put to eternal spleep,both Bashir and Naziawi went into silence,at first;then took a quick glance at eachother and painfully smiled then roared into a bursting laugh.”whatever happens will happen,” One said, and the other showed a gloomy face.
Fate has many faces as both Bashir and Naziawi have multiple faces.All murderers look humans on the surface because they resemble humans,but all are insanely killers.Naziawi will soon meet similar fate as Bashir the killer did.Murderers who stand above the law would do so because they have guns and bullets.
When the invaders came into Ethiopia,they were broke and barefoot but had a lot of guns and bullets to loot and murder the citizens of the land that they invaded;today,they are the richest crimefamily in the history of robbery and killing.
Years ago,at one time Isaias Afework and Legesse Zinawi honored Bashir for his unlimited support to the anti-Ethiopia elements and their distructive organizations to harm Ethiopia;in fact, at this moment, Isaias Aftwork and Legges Zinawi are losing their partner-in-crime to a life imprisonment,which Bashir,the murderer is facing. Here, the lesson is twofold.Meles Naziawi will never get far with crime he and member of his crimefamily committed for the last twenty years.Members of the crimefamily are in a state of shock and are burning themselves from the genuine worry of the fate that they soon will face.
March 8th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
If you have OIL,GOLD or other raw material the WEST needs to its manufacturing or to sustain its economics, then you will never be no free.