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POPSICC set to charge al-Bashir over Darfur
Last year, chief ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo asked the court's judges to charge Bashir for orchestrating what he described as a campaign of genocide in Sudan's western Darfur region that killed 35,000 people in 2003 and at least 100,000 more through starvation and disease. Khartoum rejects the term genocide and says 10,000 people died in the conflict. UN officials say at least 2.5 million were left homeless and put the death toll as high as 300,000. Sudan has ruled out handing over Bashir or two other Sudanese citizens previously charged by the court for suspected war crimes in Darfur. But Bashir's ability to travel outside Sudan will likely become difficult once an international arrest warrant is issued. An ICC spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the decision was in the hands of the judges. It was not immediately clear whether Bashir had been charged on all 10 counts of genocide and other war crimes listed by the prosecutor or just some of them. UN Secretary-Gene
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POPSArab states mulling safe haven for Sudan president al-Bashir Bashir is the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) candidate for the upcoming presidential elections that are due to be held this year. Khartoum and a number of regional organizations including the African Union (AU) are racing against time to secure a suspension of the ICC move before an arrest warrant. However, it now appears unlikely that the UNSC would back a deferral given threats by the US & France to use their veto power to block such a move.
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POPSUn chief warns Sudan govt over ICC indictment Ban’s warning was made as members of Sudanese civil society argued over whether the handing down of an indictment would threaten peace in the country. The ICC prosecutor’s request for an indictment has dramatically changed the Sudanese political scene
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POPSMan faces death for co-operating with ICC on Darfur war crimes The ICC has already issued arrest warrants for Haroun and a Darfur militia leader. Sudan, which is not a signed-up member of the international court, has refused to hand them over. In July, the ICC’s chief prosecutor also asked judges to issue a warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of orchestrating genocide in the region.
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POPSDarfur activists pitch tents in Washington Former U.S. Special Representative to Sudan Roger Winter said that he urged activists to widen their advocacy from Darfur to Sudan as a whole. Winter noted, “Sudan can get much worse. Note that I did not say Darfur can get much worse; I said Sudan can get much worse.”
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POPSOver 30 countries exporting arms to Sudan According to UN report of 10-21-08. The embargo was imposed in 2004 and extended in 2005, requiring nations to "...take the necessary measures to prevent the sale or supply" to all the warring parties in Darfur. Since that time, Sudan, by its own reports, has acquired: * At least 45 new military aircraft, including combat aircraft, fighter jets and parts provided by Belarus and Russia. * More than $25 million worth of tanks and armored combat vehicles, which Sudan claims were provided by China, Switzerland, Iran, Germany, India and Syria. * A total of $29.5 million in small arms and light weapons (excluding ammunition and parts). * $600,000 worth of ammunition, though a range of countries report selling Sudan nearly $10 million in ammunition. * $270,000 worth of swords, cutlasses and bayonets, the same weapons reportedly used by the Janjaweed in attacks on civilians. Sudan's import figures and worldwide export figures "seriously underestimate the arms sal
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POPSSudan welcomes Obama expresses hope for change "We would hope that the slogan of president Obama – ‘change’ - would be reflected in the foreign policy in the United States, especially towards Sudan and oppressed countries, the Palestinians, the Iraqis and the Somalis, said foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq. He called the elected president to engage dialogue with the Sudanese government in order to normalise bilateral relations. "We want to exchange interests and to work together, "Sadiq said.
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POPSUN vehicle seized in Darfur The driver was robbed of his personal possessions, his UN identity card and a hand-held radio. UNAMID reported the incident to the Government of Sudan police and National Intelligence for Safety and Security. The peacekeeping mission in Darfur is working with Sudanese police forces to try to improve their respect for human rights and their ability to enforce the law. UNAMID police in West Darfur are currently preparing to conduct a training course designed for Sudanese Movement Police. The Sudanese forces will be trained in law enforcement, human rights, community policing, child protection and protection of women. The course will be held from November 9 to November 27 and is expected to be attended by 90 local police officers.
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POPSSomali govt troops seize town held by Islamist rebels Somalia is the most pressing humanitarian emergency in the world — even worse than Darfur — the country representative for the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said in 2008. Aid workers say Somalia has more than 1 million internally displaced people and their numbers are swelled by an exodus of thousands of civilians each month from the capital, Mogadishu, under attack from Islamists fighting to take control of it. Relief agencies say that the 15km between the capital and the town of Afgoye is probably the largest concentration of displaced people on the planet. In March 2008 an estimated 250,000 people were camped along the side of the road.
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POPSSudanese govt forces,rebels clash in north Darfur Abdullah and Jamous said government forces overtook a rebel base in the Helf area in north Darfur on Thursday night. “There will be retaliation,” Abdullah told Reuters. International experts estimate that 200,000 have died and 2.5 million fled their homes since mostly African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in 2003, charging it with neglect. The government says 10,000 have lost their lives and accuses the international media of exaggerating the crisis.
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POPSIran looking to invest and assist in Sudan Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, in a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Deng Alor, said a number of dilemmas that the African continent is facing stems from foreign interference. He also said that the ongoing stalemate in Sudan's Darfur region could be solved in the same way as the crisis in southern Sudan was resolved.
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POPSSudan pol Kiir on Darfur peace conference The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the North and South does not cover a separate conflict in the western region of Darfur, where tens of thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes since rebels took up arms in early 2003.
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POPSPeace conference on Darfur opens in Sudan Speaking in the opening session today, Bashir also said a political solution should be founded on the basis of the federal system and the signed agreements. How ever he added that the negative aspects should be handled during the peace talks. During his tour to the Darfur states last July, the Sudanese President said he would invite the rebel groups and all the political forces should be associated. However, today conference was attended by the political parties member of the ruling coalition while the opposition parties were divided.
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POPSArab League to meet over Sudan ICC issue Sudan’s appointment of a special prosecutor was seen as concession that would provide leverage to the Arab League and African Union (AU) when requesting a resolution from the UN Security Council (UNSC) deferring Al-Bashir’s indictment under Article 16 of the ICC Statute. Sabdarat said today that the prosecutions have made some progress with some suspects in detention and being investigated. He also lashed out at Ocampo saying that he crossed his limits as a prosecutor by discussing his case on “satellite TV’s”. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I headed held a closed meeting with Ocampo this week regarding his application for the first time. It is expected that they may take up to three months to issue a decision. Sudan has not ratified the Rome Statute, but the UNSC triggered the provisions under the Statute that enables it to refer situations in non-State parties to the world court if it deems that it is a threat to international peace and security.
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POPSSudan establishes more committees for Darfur Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. It was only this week that the ICC judges began consideration of the evidence submitted before making a decision which may take from a few weeks to several months. Sabdarat said in the new decree that the mandate of the additional committees will include “receiving citizens complaints, facilitate meetings of victims and witnesses with the prosecutor, preliminary assessment of material damages, foster national reconciliation, blood money”. Moreover the committees can utilize the expertise of additional advisers after consultation with the Justice Minister. The special prosecutor is supposed to report monthly on the progress of his work. However nothing has emerged yet on the findings of his mission.
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POPSSudan Army accused of attacking two Darfur towns The five-year conflict in Darfur has led to the deaths of more than 300,000 people and the displacement of two million others, according to UN estimates. The violence began in 2003 when rebel groups complaining of discrimination against black Africans began attacking government targets.
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