The United Nations and ICC tackle Darfur
UN and the ICC work together to create case against Darfur
Oct 31, 2008
In the aftermath of the Sudan’s civil war in the Darfur region, the International Criminal Court (ICC) had charged Sudan’s president with ten crimes against humanity. In 2005 the Security Council of the United Nations referred the Situation in Darfur to the ICC for the human rights violations occurring in the region.
On July 4, 2008 the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, had charged President Omar Hassan al-Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity. However the Bashir is yet to appear in front of the court in Hague, Netherlands, because Sudan refuses to recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Another problem that is hindering Bashir from being tried in front of the International Criminal Court is because the Sudanese government is not willing or has an obligation to hand over Bashir to the ICC.
On September 19, 2008 the United Nations General Assembly at the New York headquarters held a press conference about the ICC’s investigations into Darfur. At the briefing Sudanese opposition Member of Parliament Salih Mahmoud Osman said there would be “no peace without justice” in Sudan, if the ICC does not prosecute Bashir.
According to his investigations Ocampo found that there was significant credible information disclosing the commission of grave crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction having taken place in Darfur, including the killing of thousands of civilians and the widespread destruction and looting of villages leading to the displacement of approximately 1.9 million civilians.
The result of crimes committed led to the deaths of tens of thousands from disease and starvation, particularly children, the sick and the elderly. President Bashir said that the charges against him are lies.
By not being a signatory of the Rome Statute, the document that gives the ICC its power, the ICC has no jurisdiction in Sudan, which is a major problem for Moreno-Ocampo’s case.
The Rome Statute signed on April 11, 2002 was created for the purpose trying persons, who committed crimes against humanity, because of the events that took place in Bosnia and Rwanda in the 1990’s.
The civil war in Sudan has been going on since 2005 and has attracted attention from the international community. Also celebrities, like actors George Clooney and Don Cheadle, have been avid advocates to bring peace in the Darfur region.
Thirteen other Sudanese government officials have been charged with crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Ocampo and the ICC struggle to extradite these Sudanese officials and appearing in front if the UN is a clear sign of frustration.
