Darfur atrocities

[tiggerblue10]

Do you think the ICC are correct in issuing a warrant for Omar al-Bashir's arrest? Warrants have never been issued for other African leaders who have been responsible for mass atrocities. Was Mugabe issued with one when human rights were violated last year?

Has al-Bashir committed worse crimes against humanity than others?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/792310 2.stm

[Whickerman]

Yes, they are correct.

And in the case of, say Rwanda, international trials (in, for example, tanzania), were carried out at least 400 times.

Mugabe hasn't received one, personally I feel he should, but nor has Tony Blair (but that's a different story).

al-Bashir and people under his command have been responsible for genocide and for the systematic rape of tens of thousands. Just google Darfur and see whats actually been going on - and still going on.

[Whickerman]

This is interesting too - a story from a Sudanese soldier.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7921311.stm

[tiggerblue10]

I totally agree Wickerman. The sudanese government are brushing the warrant off as if it doesn't exist.

[brionon]

tiger by your logic if one murderer ain't arrested we should let 'm All go.

[tiggerblue10]

Why do you say that Brionon?

[jake-the-peg]

It may not have been wise

A sitting head of state has no prospect of being arrested and still has considerable power to retaliate against his own people.

See the withdrawal of licences for aid agencies such as Oxfam and Medecine Sans Frontiers to operate in Sudan.


Yes he is particularly bad. His forces have been responsible for a systematic campaign of murder and rapes in the country. This includes infants and children. Even new borns

read amnesty on them here
http://www.amnesty.ca/themes/sudan_overview.ph p

I'd say the situation in Darfur is worse than in Zimbabwe, but this warrent is a veiled threat to Mugabe.

It comes with a "guess who's next" tag on the bottom of it.

[Julnar]

Since the trials of criminals involved in the genocide in Rwanda, these type of warrants do at least warn the perpetrators of such horrors that the courts may have to wait a long time, but they will act when able. Unfortunately, these warrants are seldom backed by anything more than good intentions and the people of Darfur will have to wait many years to receive any kind of justice. At least the warrants show they are not forgotten if nothing else.

[jake-the-peg]

Just good intentions?

Or do you say that just because the prosecutions don't make the papers


Yugoslavia

Slobodan Milo�ević, died during prosecution
Radovan Karad�ić to be tried this year.
Miodrag Nikačević sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment
�eljko Lelek sentenced to 16 years of imprisonment

Congo

Thomas Lubanga Dyilo trial started January
Germain Katanga awaiting trial
Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui awaiting trial

Central African Republic
Jean-Pierre Bemba in custody awaiting charges

Rwanda
Emmanuel Rukundo 25 years imprisonment
Th�oneste Bagosora, Life
Aloys Ntabakuze Life
Anatole Nsengiyumva Life

and many many others

[Julnar]

No Jake, I said just good intentions because the only time the criminals make it to court is when someone has taken military action against them and defeated them. In Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Congo, it was only after military intervention by more powerful forces occurred that the warrants of the court had any effect. I don't foresee any military action dislodging the status quo in Sudan.