press release
New York — The International Criminal Court's decision to issue an arrest warrant against President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan is a major step toward justice for the victims of Darfur and in the development of international justice, the International Center for Transitional Justice said today.
"The court made clear that heads of state are not beyond the reach of the law," said Juan E. Méndez, president of ICTJ. "It is telling the world that government leaders can and should be held accountable for their actions."
A three-judge panel issued the warrants at the request of the court's prosecutor, charging President Bashir with crimes against humanity and war crimes, for actions in Sudan's Darfur region. The United Nations Security Council in 2005 referred the Darfur situation to the court's prosecutor for investigation. In July 2008, the prosecutor requested an arrest warrant against President Bashir. The judges, rejecting one part of the prosecutor's request, decided against charging President Bashir with genocide.
"The first, necessary step toward peace in Darfur is to pay attention to victims' need for justice," Méndez said. "The arrest warrant -- and taking Bashir into custody and then bringing him to trial -- will show that Sudan's government cannot evade responsibility for its actions."
Sudan's government has wrongly argued in the past that actions by the ICC would undermine the Darfur peace process of put victims in greater jeopardy. "The reality about the peace process for Darfur is that no serious peace process exists," Méndez said. "We know from history that silence in the face of atrocities does not prevent further crimes. The warrant could be an opportunity for the first real progress in Darfur."
The government of Sudan must cooperate with the international community by protecting civilians, allowing humanitarian assistance as well as by entering into serious peace talks, ICTJ said.
Sudan's government should also fulfill its obligations to respect the life and liberty of Sudanese citizens who have cooperated with the ICC or believe the ICC should act in their country
No comments:
Post a Comment