AU and Arab League support Bashir against ICC
Arabs and Africans denounce ICC indictment of Bashir
Apr 26, 2009
“The ICC decision has become positive for us. We have noticed a firm position taken by regional organizations, namely the Arab League and the African Union.” This was Sudanese President Omar Bashir’s assessment of the impact of the ICC arrest warrant against him. The international criminal court charged Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Since March 2009 when the warrant was issued, international opinion has been divided about the issue.
African Responses to the ICC indictment
Africa has been very clear about its denunciation of the ICC decision. The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union expressed disappointment with the warrant and urged AU Chairperson, Jean Ping, to send a high level delegation to the UN Peace and Security Council in New York to persuade authorities to stop the indictment.
About 30 African countries are signatories of the Rome Statute of the ICC but all have shown solidarity with Bashir whose country is not a member. As he swings from country to country since the warrant was issued, Bashir continues to receive messages of solidarity and comfort. “We are sorry to see this despite our efforts in requesting the suspension of the indictment for one year,” said Bruno Zidouemba, Chairman of the Peace and Security Council of the AU.
Given that Bashir is the first sitting president to be served with an arrest warrant, this complete show of solidarity has been seen as a sign of fear among African leaders. “Africa is together on this because there are powerful African leaders scared that their crimes might be next on the ICC’s agenda,” a western diplomat is quoted to have told Reuters on April 21, 2009.
Responses from the Arab League
Countries of the Arab League count among Bashir’s strongest supporters for reasons that are economic, religious, historical, ideological and strategic. Sudan, with vast and fertile lands is the bread basket of many desert-infested Arab countries. Except for Ethiopia, all of the countries visited by Bashir after his indictment are Arab countries.
Egypt for example, with regional security interests and access to the Nile waters made its position very clear on the ICC warrant. “This is an issue of Egyptian national security and we have our perspective that we won’t change,” said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian academic, “regardless of how Europe and the U.S feel about it.”
Arab League Secretary General, Amr Moussa was no less clear. “We in the presidency of the Arab League have a clear position on this request and we totally reject it.” All other members of the Arab League, even those that are signatories of the Rome Statute of the ICC have sympathized with the embattled Bashir.
Difficult Days ahead for Bashir
The ICC warrant is a litmus test of Bashir’s ability to sustain his defiance of the ICC and go unpunished. It is also a real test of the West’s ability to bring one of Africa’s most notorious dictators to book. As Bashir raves up and down, ICC prosecutor Louis Moreno Ocampo has made it clear that Bashir will face justice. In his foreign trips recently, Bashir has been very watchful where he steps his foot for fear of treading on slippery ground where he can be whisked to the Hague.
One of such slippery grounds, a potential death trap might be in the corner. There are worries in Khartoum about the Sudanese President attending the inauguration ceremony of Jacob Zuma as President of South Africa on May 9, 2009. A signatory of the Rome Statute, South Africa is under obligation to “arrest and surrender” Bashir to the ICC. While Bashir’s presence could be suicidal, his absence will also be seen as a sign of cowardice. Will South Africa invite him? Is Bashir’s end in sight?
