Sudanese President al-Bashir continues committing crimes in Darfur

[News_Editor]

Sudanese President al-Bashir continues committing crimes in Darfur

2011-06-09 06:02:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, on Wednesday told the United Nations Security Council that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir continues committing crimes against humanity in Darfur.

Moreno-Ocampo added that the Sudanese leader also continues carrying out genocide against the residents of Darfur in defiance of the authority of the UN Security Council, and ignoring Resolution 1593.

"Bashir and his supporters continue denying the crimes, attributing them to other factors (such as inter-tribal clashes), diverting attention by publicizing ceasefire agreements that are violated as soon as they are announced, and finally proposing the creation of special courts to conduct investigations that will never start," the ICC prosecutor added.

Moreno-Ocampo remarked that the Fur, Massalit and Zaghawa tribes are being exterminated as well as an other deemed disloyal to the regime of al-Bashir. He urged the Council to use the information exposed by the ICC to stop the crimes in Darfur.

"It is calculated to ensure that the armed forces, their associated militia and other security bodies will continue committing new crimes, with the same modus operandi, wherever and whenever they are instructed to do so," added the prosecutor.

President al-Bashir has also threatened the international community with retaliation and more crimes after the ICC issued arrest warrants for against him on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, making him the incumbent president to be indicted by the court.

"Arrest warrants are not going away. Bashir is destined to face justice. The problem is the time it will take for the victims," said Moreno-Ocampo. "The prosecution, fulfilling its mandate, is willing to assist."

Darfur has been severely affected by the armed conflict between rebels and government forces. In February 2003, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebelled against the Sudanese government due to the oppression of non-Arab people in Darfur.

After years of fighting, the Sudanese government and the JEM agreed on a ceasefire in February 2010. An estimated 300,000 people have been killed and 2.7 million others displaced so far.

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