Sudan expels Canadian-Egyptian reporter Heba Aly

February 9, 2009 Reuters report by Andrew Heavens in Khartoum:

SUDAN-MEDIA

Sudan has expelled a foreign journalist for reporting on the country's Darfur crisis and arms industry, U.S. diplomats said on Monday.

Canadian-Egyptian reporter Heba Aly, who wrote for U.S. news agency Bloomberg, the Boston-based Christian Science Monitor newspaper and the United Nations news service IRIN, left the country last week.

She told colleagues that officers from Sudan's security service contacted her and ordered her to leave days after she made enquiries about a Khartoum-based arms manufacturer.

"The U.S. embassy in Khartoum condemns this expulsion and continues to deplore infringements by the Government of Sudan upon freedom of the press and expression," the embassy said in a statement.

No one was immediately available for comment from Sudan's government or security service.

Aly reported on a series of clashes between government forces and rebel fighters in Sudan's Darfur region. Foreign journalists receive permits to visit the remote western region, but have faced restrictions on their movements once they arrive.

Freedom of the press is guaranteed in Sudan's constitution. But local journalists regularly complain about censorship, the detention of reporters and the seizure of newspaper print-runs.

Media rights groups Reporters Without Borders said it was investigating Aly's case.



Photo from Reuters (Editing by Louise Ireland)

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UPDATE FROM SUDAN RADIO SERVICE 9 February 2009 - (Cairo):

The US embassy in Khartoum has condemned the recent expulsion of a foreign journalist from Sudan.

The embassy issued a statement deploring what it says are “infringements by the Government of National Unity upon the freedom of the press.”

Heba Aly, a freelance journalist, was expelled on 2nd February, for reporting on the crisis in Darfur and for attempting to investigate Sudan’s arms industry.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service on the phone from Cairo, Heba describes her experience:

[Heba Aly]: “I have been working in Sudan since June 2008 and I have had a couple of incidents with national security. They stopped me once in Darfur and once in Khartoum and both times they went through all my things, laptop, everything. I got phone calls from national security quite often. So it was a period of harassment, a sort of intimidation, until I was asked to leave.”

Heba says that, as the election nears, the National Security Bill and the Press Bill have to be passed to allow for free and fair elections.

[Heba Aly]: “There will be elections as part of the peace agreement. Part of what many people in Sudan have been pushing for in the lead up to the election is the new press and national security laws so that these elections can proceed freely and fairly. Neither of those new laws has been passed and I think my case is an example of just why they are needed.”

The international press freedom watchdog, Reporters Without Borders and the Canadian government are both to investigate her case.

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Thanks to Eric for posting a link to Heba Aly's blog - Heba's adventures in Senegal ... and beyond! - here in the comments.

From AFP 5 Feb. 2009 - Canada condemns journalist's expulsion from Sudan - excerpt:

Aly told colleagues that she had been questioned by Sudanese authorities in December when she left Khartoum to spend Christmas with her family in Canada.

She returned to the East African nation in January but did not obtain a new press identification card from Sudanese authorities and her application for a work permit was not approved.

Aly worked in the war-battered country throughout January but was given an ultimatum last week to leave.

From Christian Science Monitor 6 Feb. 2009 - Sudan expels a Canadian contributor to the Monitor - excerpt:

In the case of Heba Aly, a Canadian journalist with Egyptian nationality as well, Sudan says it expelled her because of immigration issues, not because of her reporting.

Yet Ms. Aly says it was her investigating of Sudan's arms manufacturing industry that prompted agents from Sudan's national security agency to call her in for a hastily convened meeting this past weekend at a restaurant in Sudan's capital.

UK's Special Representative for Sudan, Michael O'Neill, says Bashir's indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail peace process in Darfur

Listen up America. The following article from Yale on its Darfur conference last Friday, quotes Michael O’Neill, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Sudan as saying that al-Bashir’s indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail the peace process in Darfur.

Take heed I say, the UK has far more experience of Sudan than any American.
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From Yale Daily News
Darfur conference divides
Anna Sophie Creager Contributing Reporter
Published Monday, February 9, 2009

The chief attorney of the International Criminal Court on Friday called for the indictment of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir at a Yale Law School conference on Darfur, sparking heated debate within panels stocked with international law heavyweights.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s keynote address at the all-day conference titled “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur” was followed by panel discussions on peace, justice and progress moderated by Yale Law School Dean Harold Hongju Koh. Over 300 policymakers, students and other guests — including an estimated 60 Darfuris — attended the conference, which conference organizers hoped would bridge the gap between the judicial and peacemaking processes in Darfur.

“The timing could not be better,” Moreno-Ocampo said of the conference. “The time to do something in Darfur is now.”

International officials involved in the Darfur peace process have skirmished over what role — if any — international criminal prosecution should play in curbing Darfur violence since Moreno-Ocampo charged al-Bashir with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in July 2008.

Moreno-Ocampo, elected in April 2003 to a nine-year term as ICC prosecutor, focused his address on the question of whether al-Bashir’s indictment would expedite the peace-making process in Darfur. Moren0-Ocampo argued that an ICC indictment would clearly show all parties in Darfur the repercussions of violating the law.

“Peace and justice have to work hand in hand,” he said. “Mr. Al-Bashir will face justice.”

Akec Achiew Khoc, the Sudanese Ambassador to the U.S., disagreed with Moreno-Ocampo’s assertion that al-Bashir’s indictment would lead to peace. Addressing the conference as a guest after the first panel discussion, Khoc argued the move would exacerbate conflict.

Michael O’Neill, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Sudan, agreed. He said al-Bashir’s indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail the peace process in Darfur.

Audience members were split over whether to indict al-Bashir. Darfuri refugee Abdelbagy Abushanab, a founding member of the Darfur Rehabilitation Project, said the prospect of al-Bashir’s indictment lends hope for justice to millions of Darfuris.

“Without justice, there can be no peace,” Abushanab said in response to Khoc. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Panels following Moreno-Ocampo’s Friday keynote featured Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations; Jerry Fowler, President of the Save Darfur Coalition; John Bellinger, former Legal Adviser for the U.S. Department of State; and Richard Dicker, the director of International Justice Program of Human Rights Watch.

The roster of panelists for the conference did not include any refugees from Darfur, noted Adeeb Yousif, a human rights advocate for Sudan Social Development Organization.

“It is very important to include a Darfuri on the panel,” he said. “Because they have important information about the problems that exist and the solutions that could be possible.”

The audience also included a handful of Yale students, including 26 members of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur.

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Related reports

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
ICC Prosecutor’s keynote address at Yale's conference: “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur”

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC prosecutor tells audience at Yale University decision on Sudan president arrest warrant to be made ‘in a few days’?

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan says UN envoy Qa

Sudan Watch Saturday, February 07, 2009:
Sudan Tribune's shameless political activism masquerading as hard news to whip up a storm when peoples lives are at stake ought to be challenged

Congo Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC trial of Lubanga off to an ‘inauspicious’ start

ICC Prosecutor’s keynote address at Yale's conference: “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur”

Sometime this month, maybe any day between the next few days and 20th Feb, the ICC judges are expected to announce their ruling on Sudan president. I hope the judges rule that there is not enough evidence for the case to hold up in court. Going by the archives of Sudan, I believe Darfur to be counter-insurgency not genocide. If the judges issue an arrest warrant I will feel an injustice will have been done. I think that most of what went on was out of Mr Bashir's control and that he didn't know half of what was going on inside Sudan's forces. I've tracked his movements closely over five years and it's amazing to see what goes on behind his back whenever he is out of the country.

In a Sudan Tribune article today (copied here below in a previous post) ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, in his keynote address on Friday at Yale's conference entitled “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur” is quoted as saying:

“This is not about regime change, it is about the criminal responsibility of individuals. It is about stopping the crimes."

Well if that is the case, and the statement is true and the ICC judges issue an arrest warrant for Sudan's president, then one would expect arrest warrants to be issued simultaneously against the Darfur rebel leaders, first and foremost JEM.

Note that in the following article from Yale, re its conference on Darfur, Michael O’Neill, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Sudan, is quoted as saying that al-Bashir’s indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail the peace process in Darfur. I agree and cannot understand why Mr Ocampo does not see this whilst feeling free to act like a political activist from the savedarfurcrowd. All I can think is maybe he is so clever, he knows his case won't hold up on court and is squeezing as much mileage out of his case to help the warring factions in Sudan to focus and come to the peace talks table. I hope so. After all, there are 51 names of suspected Darfur war criminals in a sealed envelope at the ICC, Mr Bashir is only one name.
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Photo: Luis Moreno-Ocampo, International Criminal Court prosecutor, delivers the keynote address at a conference at the Yale Law School Feb. 6, 2009. (Philip Hu/Staff Photographer)

From Yale Daily News
Darfur conference divides
Anna Sophie Creager Contributing Reporter
Published Monday, February 9, 2009

The chief attorney of the International Criminal Court on Friday called for the indictment of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir at a Yale Law School conference on Darfur, sparking heated debate within panels stocked with international law heavyweights.

ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s keynote address at the all-day conference titled “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur” was followed by panel discussions on peace, justice and progress moderated by Yale Law School Dean Harold Hongju Koh. Over 300 policymakers, students and other guests — including an estimated 60 Darfuris — attended the conference, which conference organizers hoped would bridge the gap between the judicial and peacemaking processes in Darfur.

“The timing could not be better,” Moreno-Ocampo said of the conference. “The time to do something in Darfur is now.”

International officials involved in the Darfur peace process have skirmished over what role — if any — international criminal prosecution should play in curbing Darfur violence since Moreno-Ocampo charged al-Bashir with genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in July 2008.

Moreno-Ocampo, elected in April 2003 to a nine-year term as ICC prosecutor, focused his address on the question of whether al-Bashir’s indictment would expedite the peace-making process in Darfur. Moren0-Ocampo argued that an ICC indictment would clearly show all parties in Darfur the repercussions of violating the law.

“Peace and justice have to work hand in hand,” he said. “Mr. Al-Bashir will face justice.”

Akec Achiew Khoc, the Sudanese Ambassador to the U.S., disagreed with Moreno-Ocampo’s assertion that al-Bashir’s indictment would lead to peace. Addressing the conference as a guest after the first panel discussion, Khoc argued the move would exacerbate conflict.

Michael O’Neill, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Sudan, agreed. He said al-Bashir’s indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail the peace process in Darfur.

Audience members were split over whether to indict al-Bashir. Darfuri refugee Abdelbagy Abushanab, a founding member of the Darfur Rehabilitation Project, said the prospect of al-Bashir’s indictment lends hope for justice to millions of Darfuris.

“Without justice, there can be no peace,” Abushanab said in response to Khoc. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Panels following Moreno-Ocampo’s Friday keynote featured Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations; Jerry Fowler, President of the Save Darfur Coalition; John Bellinger, former Legal Adviser for the U.S. Department of State; and Richard Dicker, the director of International Justice Program of Human Rights Watch.

The roster of panelists for the conference did not include any refugees from Darfur, noted Adeeb Yousif, a human rights advocate for Sudan Social Development Organization.

“It is very important to include a Darfuri on the panel,” he said. “Because they have important information about the problems that exist and the solutions that could be possible.”

The audience also included a handful of Yale students, including 26 members of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur.

- - -

Related reports

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
UK's Special Representative for Sudan, Michael O'Neill, says Bashir's indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail peace process in Darfur

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC prosecutor tells audience at Yale University decision on Sudan president arrest warrant to be made ‘in a few days’?

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan says UN envoy Qa

Sudan Watch Saturday, February 07, 2009:
Sudan Tribune's shameless political activism masquerading as hard news to whip up a storm when peoples lives are at stake ought to be challenged

Congo Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC trial of Lubanga off to an ‘inauspicious’ start

2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan says UN envoy Qazi

Xinhua News Service reports from the African continent

'IT IS CLEAR THAT A POSSIBLE I.C.C. INDICTMENT WILL HAVE FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS NOT ONLY ON SOUTH SUDAN, OR DARFUR, BUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY' - SUDANESE AMBASSADOR

Sudan’s major peace accord reaches 'critical juncture': UN representative

UNITED NATIONS, (Xinhua) -- The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended a long and bitter war in Sudan in 2005, has reached a “critical juncture” marked by daunting challenges including political uncertainty and lack of mutual trust, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-general for Sudan Ashraf Jehangir Qazi said on Thursday.

“The CPA has reached a critical juncture with little over two years of the interim period remaining,” Qazi told the Security Council in an open meeting.

“The environment for these final two years is likely to be difficult and complex.”

The CPA, signed in January 2005 between the government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, ended a long-running north-south civil war in Sudan.

The UN envoy said that the current situation in Sudan was marked by “deepening political uncertainty and insufficient mutual trust among the parties to the CPA,” and that the implementation of outstanding CPA issues will test the parties.

Despite the commitment of relevant parties, the ongoing conflict in Darfur and the awaited decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) have “exacerbated” the situation and left the peace agreement in a “vulnerable” position, he noted.

Last July, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo filed 10 charges against al-Bashir, including three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder, and called for an arrest warrant.

The world court is reviewing the case before deciding on whether to issue such a warrant, which will clear the way for the first indictment of a sitting head of state.

A decision could come as early as this month.

“Should, as a result, the CPA unravel, conflicts and instability in Sudan are likely to escalate dramatically,” the envoy warned.

“The humanitarian implications of a relapse into conflict and chaos throughout Sudan are, to put it mildly, sobering.

“Without any exaggeration, 2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan,” he said.
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U.N. Security Council divided over possible International Criminal Court move on Sudan

UNITED NATIONS, (Xinhua) -- UN officials and diplomats on Thursday raised alarms about the “daunting” challenges in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended a long and bitter war in Sudan in 2005, while the Security Council was split over the prospect of an indictment of the Sudanese leader by the world court.

The Security Council first held a public meeting on Thursday morning to hear a briefing by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan Ashraf Jehangir Qazi on the latest developments in the war-torn country, before heading into informal consultations.

PEACE ACCORD FACES CHALLENGES

Despite progress in the last four years, the CPA has reached “a critical juncture where any action or inaction on its provisions will have a profound impact on the future of the Sudan,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his latest report to the Security Council.

Since its independence in 1956, the Sudanese people have suffered two civil wars between the north and the south, a civil war in the east and an ongoing and possibly intensifying conflict in the west.

The CPA was signed in January, 2005 between the government of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, putting an end to the long-running north-south civil war.

The overall security situation remains fragile and unpredictable as a 2011 referendum looms on whether the South should secede or remain united with the rest of the country, according to the report.

“The parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement are yet to present a convincing case for unity to the people of Southern Sudan.

“I call upon the parties to use the remaining two years to explore all options available to make unity attractive,” Ban said.

The secretary-general stressed that key benchmarks, such as census results, border demarcation, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and referendum preparations now need to be achieved “within a tight time frame with very little flexibility for further delays.”

The UN chief’s view was echoed by Qazi, who told the council that the current situation in Sudan was marked by “deepening political uncertainty and insufficient mutual trust among the parties to the CPA,” and that the implementation of outstanding CPA issues will test the parties.

Emerging from the council meeting, British UN ambassador John Sawers told reporters that the CPA plays “a central role” in building peace in the Sudan.

“It is making good progress over the last four years, but there is a great deal more to do,” Sawers said.

In particular, he urged relevant Sudanese parties to take steps to prepare for the referendum in 2011 on the country’s future.

The council president, Japanese UN Ambassador Yukio Takasu, said council members agreed that the CPA is “a crucial part of stability and peace in entire Sudan.”

They also noted that the successful implementation of the CPA will be hinged upon the situation in many parts of the country, including Darfur, he said.

“Therefore, it is extremely important that CPA is going to be implemented with full commitment from all parties concerned.”

CONCERN OVER POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT MOVE

The United Nations has expressed concern about the ramifications of a possible arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against President Omar al-Bashir, including the impact on the CPA and safety and security of peacekeepers on the ground.

An ICC pre-trial chamber is currently reviewing evidence concerning the case and a decision could come as early as this month.

The ICC’s actions have “a major impact on Sudanese political dynamics and have diverted much attention at a time when outstanding issues related to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement require the parties’ cooperation and renewed commitment,” Ban said.

“While I am encouraged by the assurances of continued support by the government, I am also concerned about remarks by some of its officials that the government may redefine its relationship with UNMIS should an arrest warrant be issued against President al- Bashir,” the secretary-general said.

In the briefing to the council, Qazi also expressed similar concern and urged the 15-member body to discuss the “impact of an ICC decision on the CPA and the Darfur situation.

“The purpose of the CPA is the building and keeping of peace and security in Sudan, without which no justice for its people will be possible,” Qazi said.

“Towards that end, it is incumbent upon the Sudanese parties and leadership, as well as the international community, to remain focused on ensuring the full implementation of the CPA.”

The awaited ICC decision has contributed to exacerbating the situation and leaving the peace agreement in a “vulnerable” position, Qazi noted.

UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL IS STILL DIVIDED

Diplomats said that members of the Security Council were divided over whether to take action to reverse a possible ICC indictment.

Takasu said that during close-door consultations, some members, African countries in particular, mentioned about Article 16 of the ICC statute, which gives the Security Council the right to defer an ICC investigation or prosecution for a period of 12 months.

But many others spoke of the importance of pursuing peace and justice at the same time and the “prevailing view was that ‘let’s wait and see,’” Takasu said, adding that it is premature to predict what will be the council’s response to the ICC decision.

Sudan’s ambassador to the UN, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, said the council has “a special responsibility” to put the ICC move on hold.

“It is clear that a possible indictment will have far-reaching implications not only on south Sudan, or Darfur, but the entire country,” he said.

On this issue, Mohamad said, Khartoum has the support of the “ overwhelming majority of the international community,” including the Africa Union, the Arab League and the Organization of The Islamic Conference.

Mohamad urged the council to demonstrate its commitment to the safety and security of UN peacekeepers and the Sudanese people by invoking Article 16 in order to arrest the ICCI move.
- - -


Related reports

Sudan Watch Saturday, February 07, 2009:
Sudan Tribune's shameless political activism masquerading as hard news to whip up a storm when peoples lives are at stake ought to be challenged

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
ICC Prosecutor’s keynote address at Yale's conference: “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur”

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
UK's Special Representative for Sudan, Michael O'Neill, says Bashir's indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail peace process in Darfur

Congo Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC trial of Lubanga off to an ‘inauspicious’ start

ICC prosecutor tells audience at Yale University decision on Sudan president arrest warrant to be made ‘in a few days’?

Today, the Sudan Tribune has this one line notice on its home page

Decision on Sudan president arrest warrant to be made ‘in a few days’, ICC prosecutor tells audience at Yale University
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SUDAN WATCH UPDATE
MONDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2009 07:42 GMT UK

The above one line notice at Sudan Tribune's home page has disappeared. Instead, at the top of their news section today is this article:

ICC prosecutor says ruling on Bashir case coming ‘in a few days’

Monday 9 February 2009 07:00.

February 8, 2009 (WASHINGTON) – Three judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will rule “in a few days” on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omer Al-Bashir, the ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said on Friday in New Haven, Connecticut.



The International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo

Sudan Tribune learnt last week that the judges have already come to a decision, still under seal, requiring that an arrest warrant be issued for Al-Bashir, who is charged on ten counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

During his address at Yale, the prosecutor reiterated his allegations against Sudan’s leader: “For the past 5 years massive crimes have been committed in Darfur. For the past 5 years no amount of negotiation has allowed the violence to abate. As of today, 5,000 people are dying each month in Darfur,” he said, referring to alleged mortality figures due to extreme violence and worsened livelihoods.

While the ICC prosecutor omitted to say how the judges will rule, he spoke at length on what will happen if the warrant is issued.

“Should the Judges rule in favor of the request, they will issue an arrest warrant and transmit it to the Government of the Sudan for enforcement. Are the Sudanese willing to arrest the President, now or in a few months?” posed Moreno-Ocampo.

“If not, how will the UN Security Council authority be affected? Do the States parties to the Rome Statute have a particular duty? What will be the reaction of the NGO and academic community? What can students do?”

In March 2005 the ICC was tasked by the UN Security Council, acting under Chapter VII with investigating crimes in Darfur.

Ocampo alleges that since April 2003 the Sudanese Armed Forces and Popular Defense Forces (PDF) systematically conducted joint military operations directed against civilians in towns and villages inhabited mainly by three ethnic groups, the Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit, directly killing 35,000 people while almost 300,000 of those who fled the attacks died of starvation and disease.

Two arrest warrants were already issued in April 2007 for a Sudanese junior minister and a militia leader. They were never enforced.

“Let me be frank: The crimes have continued in Darfur because the international community has diverse interests and was never able to unite to ensure compliance with UN Security Council resolutions. If the world is united, the atrocities and genocide will stop in a day,” said Ocampo.

“The decision of the Court, if confirming the existence of the crimes, should create a momentum to close ranks around one objective, stop the crimes. It will be a unique opportunity for the international community to come together, to establish a new framework to protect the Darfuris.”

Later he added, “This is not about regime change, it is about the criminal responsibility of individuals. It is about stopping the crimes. The Court is not asking for international forces to intervene. No war, no invasions, but also no inaction, no denial. Something between bombing and nothing.”

Sudan has threatened unforeseen consequences for aid workers, diplomats and peacekeepers if a warrant is served. Critics of the ICC move include the ruling party, state-sponsored Sudanese news outlets, the Democratic Unionist Party and the leader of the National Umma Party, while internationally the critics include major regional blocs like the Arab League and African Union, as well certain vocal proponents of deferring the ICC move who make thorough use of Western news outlets.
(ST)

- - -

Related reports

Sudan Watch Saturday, February 07, 2009:
Sudan Tribune's shameless political activism masquerading as hard news to whip up a storm when peoples lives are at stake ought to be challenged

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan says UN envoy Qa

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
ICC Prosecutor’s keynote address at Yale's conference: “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur”

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
UK's Special Representative for Sudan, Michael O'Neill, says Bashir's indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail peace process in Darfur

Congo Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC trial of Lubanga off to an ‘inauspicious’ start
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From Sudan Vision Daily, Khartoum
Monday, February 09 @ 00:15:00 GMT by Staff Writer

Sudan Envoy to UN: UNSC has Nothing Good

Presidential Advisor, Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail stated that the government has no information about the timing of ICC resolution over President Al-Bashir. He added, after a tripartite meeting including Dr. Ismail, DUP Leader Mohammed Osman Al-Mirghani and Baath Party Leader Abdallah Al-Ahmar, that the government is prepared for the decision and all measures were taken to confront it, affirming that all what is said about the issuance of the decision is just guesswork.

On the support of the US Administration to the ICC decision, Dr. Mustafa pointed out that US banned the UNSC to issue a decision to suspend the arrest warrant in previous stages, but he hinted to the AU stance supporting Sudan.

Meanwhile, Sudan Envoy to UN, Abdul Mahmoud Abdul Halim revealed about moves by the mission round the clock with UNSC permanent members to discuss the Darfur issue and the ICC decision. He said that there is uncertainty in some members' stances.

Abdul Mahmoud said that the UNSC is useless and if the arrest warrant is issued or not it will not affect the government as it considers the decision as born dead and represents a political plot against Sudan from Western community.

For its part, OIC announced its support to the AU resolutions in the recent summit calling for deferring the arrest warrant.

OIC Secretary-General, Akmal Addeen Ihsan affirmed that AU resolution coincides with OIC stance endorsed in its emergency meeting last August.

Framework Agreement between Darfur rebels JEM, Sudanese Gov't to be signed tomorrow in Doha

The Sudanese government and the Darfurian Justice and Equality Movement will sign a framework agreement for further talks between them. The agreement expresses commitment to improving the security situation in Darfur, and stipulates the cessation of all military actions, as well as the formation of a three-member committee (representing Sudan, the rebels and Qatar), which will advance the negotiations towards a permanent peace settlement.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, February 8, 2009 (via memri blog)

Job seekers in Jonglei State are accusing local government and NGOs of nepotism and corruption

From Sudan Radio Service (Bor) 6 February 2009:

Job Seekers Accuse Local Authorities of Discrimination
Job seekers in Jonglei state are accusing local government and non-government organizations of nepotism and corruption.

Our correspondent in Jonglei spoke with unemployed youths in Bor, who complained that only relatives of employers are being hired.

Several reported that even when they responded to a position advertised in the media or on a public display, they found that the positions were already filled.

With many employers seeking qualified staff — often asking that applicants have 5 to 10 years of working experience — young people looking for jobs say that because Sudan has emerged from war, almost no one can meet such requirements.

Our correspondent spoke with a director in the state ministry of public works about state government hiring practices.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, this official cited budget constraints and an already-bloated civil service for the lack of hiring.

The director said there would be no new recruitment in most state government offices until at least half of current employees retire or are promoted to new positions.

Southern Eye journalist Peter Kuot was beaten and arrested by Jonglei State police for investigating mass detention of youths by police last month

From Bor (Bor Globe) Jonglei State News by Peter Kuot Ngong 7 February 2009:

Stop harassing journalists – Governor

The Deputy Governor of Jonglei State H.E Hussein Mar Nyot has strongly warned the public against ill treatment of journalists in the State.

“Stop abusing journalists. Stop harassing them. Allow them to get the information that they need.” Mr. Mar told the public in a rally that was conducted here in Bor Town.

Mr. Mar whom also doubles, as Jonglei State Minister for Local Government deserves all the responsibilities to order for execution of any new law that the State devises to improve on her affairs. His (Mar) warning was mainly directed towards the security forces of the Jonglei State especially the Police who on several cases have been caught red-handed in journalists’ abuse.

While speaking to the public in the rally, Mr. Hussein Mar described journalists’ harassment as behaviors of the National Congress Party (NCP) and should not be copied and pasted to the Jonglei State. “Harassing journalists is a behavior of the National Congress Party. Don’t bring here.” He said while adding that “…give journalists the information that they need, but only be careful of what you say. If journalist reports wrong information about you then take him to the court of law and not to beat him. That is unlawful.” Mr. Governor stressed much telling the rally.

The Deputy Governor strong warning came after the Southern Eye Journalist (Peter Kuot) was beaten and arrested by Police while trying to investigate the reason that led to the mass detention of youth by Police last month in the Jonglei Capital. The police aggression on youth attracted attention of the Human Right activists from the Government of Southern Sudan to investigate the matter. However, the Jonglei State Government wasn’t aware of the police operation that day seriously condemned it and ordered the State Police Commissioner Maj. Gen. Riak Akon to investigate and arrest those who were involved in the operation.

As the first to release such a strong speech in favor of media, Mr. Mar’s statements have seriously impacted Jonglei communities and Government Stakeholders from that moment of the rally and now the journalists are experiencing better treatment in the State.

In his speech published on the Sudan Tribune, Mr. Mar Nyuot also gave “a go-head” to the police to handle misdeeds responsibly, but not the way it was carried out last month.

Jonglei State: 35 people killed, 9 wounded - Attackers in Uror were well-armed, organised and dressed in military uniforms

Government of South Sudan presidential advisor on peace and reconciliation, Ismael Konyi, says disarming civilians in southern Sudan must be speeded up. Uror county commissioner Gatluak Reath Dual is calling for the disarmament process in southern Sudan to be stepped up. From Sudan Radio Service 6 February 2009 - (Nairobi):

Cattle Raiders Kill 35 in Jonglei State

35 people were killed and nine wounded in a series of cattle raids across Jonglei state last Friday.

William Kuol Chuol is the commissioner of Nyirol county, one of 3 counties affected by the raids. Speaking to Sudan Radio Service, he said the raiders were armed, organized, and appear to have come from Pibor county. He alleges the raiders managed to steal over 6000 head of cattle.

Chuol blames the attacks on what he calls ”false assurances” from the GOSS presidential advisor on peace and reconciliation, Ismael Konyi. Kuol charges Konyi and other Murle leaders with promising the Lou-Nuer community that there would be peace and an end to cattle raiding, which led to a false sense of security.

[William Kuol]: “People move to those areas because of the directives from Ismael Konyi, who is the advisor to the presidency for peace in the GOSS. He came to Akobo, Waat and Uror telling people there is peace, and now his word is turning to death. It’s because they were told by Murlei leaders.”

Konyi, who is a Murlei chief, told Sudan Radio Service on Thursday from Khartoum that he is appealing to all Murle to return any stolen cattle.

He said the families of those who have been killed in the raids will be compensated and the raiders will be prosecuted.

[Ismael Konyi]: “I am not happy with Murlei for taking cattle from Lou-Nuer. Those cows should be returned to the Nuer and the people who died should be compensated for. The culprits should face the law. But I have to go to Pibor to solve this problem. Chiefs and the commission of Pibor are working hard to bring back those cattle.”

Konyi also said that the process of disarming civilians in southern Sudan must be speeded up. He was responding to a statement from Uror county commissioner Gatluak Reath Dual, who said the attackers in Uror were well-armed and dressed in military uniforms.

[Gatluak Reath Dual]: “The problem is because disarmament was not done in the whole state here. In 2006, it was done here in Lou [Nuer] areas only. That is why the casualties are more in our side because they don’t have guns to defend themselves. So we cannot blame anybody. The only thing I can say to the government of southern Sudan is to continue with the disarmament program. If they don’t continue, the killing will be worse than before.”

That was Uror county commissioner Gatluak Reath Dual, calling for the disarmament process in southern Sudan to be stepped up.

UN/AU mediator in Darfur Djibril Bassole and JEM preparing for talks with Sudan's government in Qatar on Monday

A U.N. official, who asked not to be named, confirmed a meeting had been organized in Doha on Monday that would be attended by the joint U.N./African Union mediator in Darfur Djibril Bassole.

"(The mediator) is going to Qatar. The government and JEM are also supposed to come," the official told Reuters.

Source: Good news report from Reuters today by Andrew Heavens in Khartoum Sat Feb 7, 2009 10:15am EST:

Sudan government to meet Darfur rebels next week: rebels

Darfur rebels on Saturday said they were preparing for talks with Sudan's government in Qatar on Monday, the first time both sides will have met officially since 2007, possibly paving the way for full peace negotiations.

If the discussions go ahead, they will be seen as a step forward after almost six years of fighting in Darfur that, international experts say, has killed 200,000 and driven 2.7 million from their homes.

But talks between insurgent Justice and Equality Movement group (JEM) and government officials have fallen apart before, and the meeting will not involve other influential rebels who are refusing to talk to Khartoum.

The meeting, which JEM said was scheduled for Monday, would come days after JEM fighters clashed with government troops in south Darfur, and eight months after the organization mounted an unprecedented attack on Khartoum.

"It will be a preliminary consultation. The first aim is to break the ice, to get the two parties sitting together," London-based JEM official Al-Tahir al-Feki told Reuters.

He added the two sides would also discuss possible confidence-building measures, including the release of prisoners and a cessation of hostilities for a set period of time.

"We hope these measures could be part of a framework agreement. That would be a very good first step which could start the next step -- actual negotiations in the presence of international observers," said al-Feki.

A U.N. official, who asked not to be named, confirmed a meeting had been organized in Doha on Monday that would be attended by the joint U.N./African Union mediator in Darfur Djibril Bassole.

"(The mediator) is going to Qatar. The government and JEM are also supposed to come," the official told Reuters.

No one was immediately available for comment from Sudan's government on Saturday, a public holiday in Khartoum.

Sudan's government launched its own Darfur peace initiative in November, offering, among other measures, a ceasefire, compensation for Darfuris and peace talks in Qatar with all rebel movements.

Many observers said the government's initiative was a bid to deflect pressure from the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, who has asked judges to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan's president Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accusing him of orchestrating genocide in Darfur. The global court's judges are expected to rule on his request within weeks.

JEM commanders have threatened to mark the release of an ICC arrest warrant with a military offensive. But Al-Feki said JEM's ultimate aim was a negotiated peace. "We don't want war. No one wants war," he said.

Al-Feki said JEM had expressed an interest in holding consultations with Khartoum weeks before the start of its recent clashes with government forces over the south Darfur town of Muhajiriya.

JEM walked out of negotiations with Sudan's government over the troubled 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement and boycotted efforts to restart negotiations in Libya in 2007.

Abdel Wahed Mohamed Ahmed al-Nur, founder of Darfur's rebel Sudan Liberation Army, this week reiterated his refusal to take part in negotiations with Khartoum ahead of an end to violence on the ground in Darfur.

Mostly non-Arab rebels from Darfur took up arms against the government in 2003, accusing Khartoum of neglecting the region. Khartoum says the western media has exaggerated the conflict and puts the death count at 10,000.

(Editing by Louise Ireland)

Sudan Tribune's shameless political activism masquerading as hard news to whip up a storm when peoples lives are at stake ought to be challenged

This post was drafted for Sudan Watch today, Saturday, 7 February 2009, 10:11 am GMT. Here below is a copy of an article published at Paris based Sudan Tribune Saturday 7 February 2009 04:30. Note the headline they have used: ICC judges issue an arrest warrant for Sudan president.

From what I can gather on the latest news reports, the ICC's judges have not issued an arrest warrant for Sudan president. I am posting the Sudan Tribune's article here today as a mark of outrage at their political activism masquerading as hard news for pro rebel anti-government supporters. It is most irresponsible of them on such a serious issue and sneaky not to reference the source of their claims. For all we know they just make stuff up and stick the word WASHINGTON into their article to make it seem like the news was from elsewhere.

Going by the comments at the article (30 so far) nobody cares to question the veracity of the article's headline. If the headline turns out to be true, does it mean that the Sudan Tribune simply made it up in advance of the event or is information being manipulated and leaked by the ICC to such an extent that it reaches a France based pro-rebel propaganda rag ahead of mainstream media pros who have codes of conduct to abide by? More on this later when the truth emerges.

Meanwhile, if the headline of the article is untrue one would expect the ICC to immediately contact Sudan Tribune and force them to retract the headline and issue a public apology. I shall continue to nitpick at what the Sudan Tribune gets up to because sneaky propaganda can be like a free rolling snowball leading to an uncontrollable avalanche. Whatever, in my view, the Sudan Tribune is guilty of manipulating its readership by whipping up a storm of expectations, emotion and hatred in preparation for the possibility that UN Security Council members may invoke Article 16 to suspend any arrest warrant for twelve months.

ICC judges issue an arrest warrant for Sudan president
February 6, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will soon release a decision in which they agree to issue an arrest warrant for Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir, Sudan Tribune has learnt.



The ruling that could be made public as early as next week will make Bashir the most senior figure to be indicted by The Hague based court.

The Pre-Trial Chamber I which is assigned the Darfur case has been reviewing an application submitted by prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo last July requesting an arrest warrant for Bashir on three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder

There was no confirmation on which counts the warrant was issued for, but one source suggested that it will include the charges of genocide, which is considered the gravest crime in international law.

Last week the ICC prosecutor sent an urgent notification to the Judges after which they met with him on Tuesday in a closed session along with the court’s Registrar Silvana Arbia along with representatives from the Victims and Witnesses Unit (VWU).

The meeting likely discussed measures taken to discuss risks associated with unsealing the warrant.

The decision, which remains under seal, will be transmitted to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon shortly according to multiple sources. The ICC prosecutor is currently present in New York.

This week Ban who was present at the African Union summit warned that Bashir must adhere to any decision made by the ICC.

“He [Bashir] should fully cooperate with the decision of the ICC” Ban told a press conference on the sidelines of the summit.

Arab, Islamic and African countries have called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to defer the indictment to so as not to jeopardize the peace process.

The warrant may make it difficult and even embarassing for world officials to meet with Al-Bashir or to receive him on their territories.

European Union (EU) laws prohibit their officials from meeting with individuals charged by the ICC.

The UN and many other Western embassies in the Sudanese capital have created security plans aimed at protecting their staff from any possible backlash following the decision.

Sudanese officials have pledged to ensure safety of Western missions and UN staff but cautioned that they may not be able to control any outlaws.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) issued resolution 1593 under chapter VII in March 2005 referring the situation in Darfur to the ICC following recommendation a UN commission of inquiry into abuses committed in the war ravaged region.

- - -
SUDAN WATCH UPDATE
MONDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2009

Related reports

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009
UK's Special Representative for Sudan, Michael O'Neill, says Bashir's indictment could destroy Sudanese unity and derail peace process in Darfur

Sudan Watch Monday, February 09, 2009:
ICC Prosecutor’s keynote address at Yale's conference: “The Pursuit of International Criminal Justice: The Case of Darfur”

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
ICC prosecutor tells audience at Yale University decision on Sudan president arrest warrant to be made ‘in a few days’?

Sudan Watch Sunday, February 08, 2009:
2009 could be a make or break year for the CPA and for the prospect of peace in Sudan says UN envoy Qa`i

UNSC members China, Russia, Libya, Uganda and Burkina Faso support invoking Article 16 to suspend Sudan's Bashir indictment

Diplomats warned of a renewal of civil war in southern Sudan and the region’s attempted secession from the country. A Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, vowed last month to invade the capital Khartoum, capture Bashir and hand him over to the court in the event he is indicted.

Source: Bloomberg
UN Ready for Attacks in Sudan After Bashir Indictment (Update1)
By Bill Varner February 5, 2009

United Nations peacekeepers in Sudan are preparing for attacks following the likely indictment this month of President Umar al-Bashir for war crimes in Darfur by the International Criminal Court, a UN envoy to the nation said.

“We have received assurances of protection and cooperation from Sudanese authorities at the highest levels,” Ashraf Qazi told the UN Security Council today. “But these assurances have been qualified by warnings about public outrage. There have also been public threats and incitements to violence.”

The UN said an ICC decision is expected this month on prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo’s request for an arrest warrant for Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He said in July that Bashir masterminded a plan to wipe out three African tribes as part of a counter-insurgency against a rebellion there.

The UN estimates that as many as 300,000 people have died in Darfur since February 2003. The Security Council decided in March 2005 to refer crimes committed in Darfur to the ICC, which is based on The Hague.

“We cannot predict what the public outrage would be,” Sudanese Ambassador Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem said. “This would be a crazy move, an insult to the country. It would be like a dead rat, smelling but having no use at all. It would die a natural death.”

Renewed Civil War

Diplomats warned of a renewal of civil war in southern Sudan and the region’s attempted secession from the country. A Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement, vowed last month to invade the capital Khartoum, capture Bashir and hand him over to the court in the event he is indicted.

“No one is interested in having things destabilized, but it is unpredictable,” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said.

The Security Council is divided over a British proposal to condemn the Sudanese army’s recent attack on the South Darfur town of Mahajiriya, and on a possible response to Bashir’s indictment. Council members China, Russia, Libya, Uganda and Burkina Faso have expressed support for adoption of a resolution to suspend an indictment.

“We must allow the work of the ICC to go ahead,” U.K. Ambassador John Sawers said. “We do not believe there is any conflict between peace and justice. They both need to be pursued.”

U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice told reporters on Feb. 3 that she didn’t know whether the attack on Mahajiriya was linked to a possible indictment of Bashir, or what would happen if an arrest warrant is issued.

“I certainly wouldn’t want to speculate about what will transpire,” Rice said. “The use of aerial bombardments, the movement of rebel forces, clashes on the ground and deliberate targeting of civilians is not something that has transpired only in the potential anticipation of an arrest warrant; it’s something that’s characterized the conflict for many years.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Varner at the United Nations atwvarner@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 5, 2009 15:01 EST

Sudan’s UN Ambassador urged the United Nations to set peace as a priority in Sudan and "to protect its own people"

Source: Sapa-dpa
Sudan warning over Bashir
Feb 06, 2009

Sudan warned on Thursday that it would use "all options" available if the International Criminal Court (ICC) were to issue an international arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir, who was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in the ethnic war in Darfur.

The ICC at The Hague was scheduled to decide this month whether to issue the arrest warrant requested by its prosecutor, Luis Moreno Ocampo.

The African Union and Islamic leaders oppose the warrant saying it would complicate the peace process in Sudan.

In New York, the UN Security Council discussed the situation in Sudan and the possibility that the ICC would move to seek the arrest of al-Bashir.

Some council members said the UN could find itself in a dilemma between working for peace in Sudan and upholding justice at the same time.

Some members, including France, believe that a warrant to arrest al-Bashir would impede the peace process in Darfur and other UN programmes in that country, arguing that the Sudanese leader would be needed to settle the conflicts.

"We weigh all options to deal with this situation, but I am sure that this possible verdict ... would have no use at all and we are not concerned about it all," said Sudan’s UN Ambassador Abdalmahmoud Mohamad.

Mohamad warned of "ramifications" if the warrant were to be issued against al-Bashir. He urged the United Nations to set peace as a priority in Sudan and "to protect its own people."

Mohamad turned against council member Jorge Urdina, Costa Rica’s UN ambassador, for demanding that peace and justice be carried out simultaneously in Darfur and criticising other council members for saying that the issue could be a dilemma for the UN.

"It’s a false dilemma," Urdina said.

"The UN Security Council sent the case of Sudan to the ICC and it supports peace and justice," Urdina said. "We hope that the Security Council will be able to discuss the possible consequences of an indictment in Darfur."

Mohamad replied, "We need no lessons from people from Costa Rica. It’s totally unacceptable."

Mohamad called Ocampo a "crazy prosecutor" and said the possibility of the ICC issuing a warrant to arrest al-Bashir was a "crazy move."

France had suggested that the ICC should withhold the arrest warrant if al-Bashir would surrender two senior Sudanese officials charged with the killings in Darfur. The ethnic war in Darfur has killed more than 300,000 people since 2005.

Ashraf Jahangir Qazi, the UN special envoy for Sudan, told the Security Council on Thursday that implementing the peace agreement between north and south Sudan remains "fundamental" for peace in the entire country.

"It is in this context that the impact of an ICC decision on the CPA and the Darfur situation will need to be discussed," Qazi said.

"The purpose of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (the north-south peace pact) is the building and keeping of peace and security in Sudan, without which no justice for its people will be possible," Qazir said.

The UN has warned that the 2005 peace agreement could unravel because several provisions in the pact remained unimplemented, including border demarcation between north and south Sudan and issues of disarmament and a government of unity.

There are now about 13,000 international peacekeepers in Darfur and another 10,000 monitoring the peace agreement between Khartoum and southern Sudan.

British Ambassador John Sawers does not believe support for Article 16 deferment currently exists within the Security Council

Sudan has been pressing member states to call for a deferment of the case under what is known as Article 16. That would require at least nine of the 15 Security Council members voting in favor of the deferment, with none of the five veto-wielding members voting against it. The African Union and the League of Arab States have thrown their support behind that request.

Following closed-door consultations on Thursday, British Ambassador John Sawers said he does not believe the support for an Article 16 deferment currently exists within the Security Council.

"There certainly were not nine voices this morning," he said.

Source: Voice of America
Sudan Envoy: UN Peacekeepers Will Be Safe if ICC Issues Warrant Against Bashir
By Margaret Besheer
United Nations
05 February 2009

A senior Sudanese diplomat says the safety of United Nations' peacekeepers in his country will not be in jeopardy, if the International Criminal Court, or ICC, grants a request for an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. A decision from the pre-trial judges at The Hague is expected later this month.

Sudan's U.N. Ambassador, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem, said Thursday that Khartoum would abide by its international obligations.

"The safety of the peacekeepers is not at all an issue here. The issue is the safety and security of the entire people of Sudan," he said. "So the people should not look to the issue like isolated islands or separate islands. We know, as I said before, the obligations of Sudan towards the U.N. presence in Sudan. But equally, the U.N. should demonstrate its commitment to safeguard their own personnel as well as the lives of the Sudanese."

Later this month, the International Criminal Court is expected to decide whether to grant its chief prosecutor's request for an arrest warrant for President Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed in Sudan's Darfur region during the past five years.

Sudan has been pressing member states to call for a deferment of the case under what is known as Article 16. That would require at least nine of the 15 Security Council members voting in favor of the deferment, with none of the five veto-wielding members voting against it. The African Union and the League of Arab States have thrown their support behind that request.

Following closed-door consultations on Thursday, British Ambassador John Sawers said he does not believe the support for an Article 16 deferment currently exists within the Security Council.

"There certainly were not nine voices this morning," he said.

The U.N. Security Council referred the case to the International Criminal Court in March 2005. Costa Rican Ambassador Jorge Urbina, whose country has been very vocal on issues of impunity on the Security Council, said there should be no dilemma between peace and justice in Sudan.

"It is our belief that since the council referred the case of Sudan to the ICC, the council took the decision that justice was part of peace in Sudan," he said. "We believe that it is the duty of the council to help and promote durable peace in Sudan. And we believe that durable peace can only be the result of the reconciliation of peace and justice."

The Costa Rican ambassador pointed to the Dayton Process in the former Yugoslavia,saying that when it began in 2005, many politicians, diplomats and analysts argued that justice would interfere with the path to peace. But, he said, they have been proven wrong.

Ambassador Urbina's words angered Sudan's Ambassador Abdalhaleem.

"It is very ironic that countries far from our region, like the country of the former ambassador who spoke to you, are now giving lectures about justice and peace," he said. "We need no lessons and lectures from ambassadors like the Costa Rican one. His statements here in front of you are totally unacceptable and they reflect in no uncertain terms his defeat because they have no logic and they have no consideration for priorities of peace in the Sudan."

The Sudanese ambassador also referred to the court's chief prosecutor as "crazy" and said that if the ICC granted the request for the arrest warrant, it would be like "giving birth to a dead rat that is smelling and of no use at all". He said Sudanese authorities are not worried about it and he predicted it would "die a natural death".

But United Nations officials are concerned about the ramifications a possible arrest warrant could have on their peacekeeping missions in Sudan, one in Darfur and the other in the south. A senior U.N. official said contingency planning has been underway at several levels within the organization.

Earlier, the Security Council had a briefing from the U.N.'s top envoy in Sudan, Ashraf Qazi, on the state of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended a long and bloody civil war between north and south Sudan.

He said the agreement has achieved much in the past four years, but that it has a great deal more to accomplish in the remaining two years before a scheduled referendum on whether the country will remain unified. The U.N. envoy warned that the agreement is vulnerable and that if it unravels, conflicts and instability in Sudan are likely to escalate dramatically.

ICC judges might issue the ruling on Sudan's President Bashir Feb. 20 - JEM won’t deal with “indicted war criminals”

Ottawa is expected to declare its support if a three-judge panel of the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir on charges of committing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in western Sudan’s Darfur region.

February 20th has been quietly fed to concerned governments, the UN and aid groups operating in Darfur to give them a chance to take precautions they deem necessary, say people familiar with the court.

However, ICC spokeswoman Nicola Fletcher said only the judges know when they will make their decision public, and “no date has been announced.”

JEM has said it won’t deal with “indicted war criminals,” thereby threatening behind-the-scenes efforts to create a peace-process road map.

Source: the following report.

Sudan backlash expected if leader indicted: UN
By Steven Edwards
Canwest News Service February 5, 2009

UNITED NATIONS — Canada is among western countries bracing for possible retaliation against its embassy in Sudan ahead of the likely war-crimes indictment this month of the North African country’s leader.

Ottawa is expected to declare its support if a three-judge panel of the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir on charges of committing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in western Sudan’s Darfur region.

But such a declaration could make Canadian officials in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, a target of backlash.

There is a wider concern that an indictment will provoke a spike in violence in Darfur, where the UN estimates as many as 300,000 people have died since unrest resumed in February 2003.

“We have received assurances of protection and co-operation from Sudanese authorities at the highest levels,” Ashraf Qazi, the UN envoy to Sudan, told the UN Security Council Thursday.

“But these assurances have been qualified by warnings about public outrage. There have also been public threats and incitements to violence.”

Potentially making the problem worse is word the judges will issue the ruling Feb. 20 — a Friday when large numbers of Khartoum’s almost exclusively Muslim population will be in the streets after attending mosques.

The date has been quietly fed to concerned governments, the UN and aid groups operating in Darfur to give them a chance to take precautions they deem necessary, say people familiar with the court.

However, ICC spokeswoman Nicola Fletcher said only the judges know when they will make their decision public, and “no date has been announced.”

ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo applied last July for the arrest warrant, accusing Bashir of being behind an alleged bid by the Arab-led government to wipe out three black-African tribes in Darfur after rebels there rose up over poor living conditions.

An arrest warrant would be the first issued by the court — established in 2002 to pursue authors of the world’s worst human rights atrocities — against a sitting head of state.

“We cannot predict what the public outrage would be,” said Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem, Sudan’s ambassador to the UN.

“This would be a crazy move, an insult to the country. It would be like a dead rat, smelling, but having no use at all. It would die a natural death.”

It emerged this week that U.S. President Barack Obama will support implementing the war crimes indictment, while Canada Thursday reinforced its advisory that Canadians should stay away from Sudan.

“It would be premature to comment on this specific case, but Canada is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court and its investigations in Sudan,” said Catherine Loubier, spokeswoman for Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.

Among four Canadian officials serving at the Canadian Embassy in Khartoum is a representative of the Canadian International Development Agency to help oversee Canadian aid in the country, currently budgeted at $191 million.

One thought is any backlash may be limited to asking pro-ICC Western governments to withdraw some or all of their diplomats.

There is concern, however, a response could see the Sudanese government claim it is unable to control angry mobs in the streets, leading to attacks on westerners.

Under such circumstances, it would be very difficult to evacuate officials, planners say.

The latest fighting in Darfur has taken place in and around the region’s southern town of Muhajiriya, which had been seized by the rebel group known as the Justice and Equality Movement.

A small contingent of the joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping force had been trying to protect some 20,000 civilians trapped in the area as Sudanese forces bombed the town in what Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the UN, said Tuesday was “in anticipation of an arrest warrant.”

The UN persuaded JEM to withdraw, and proceeded to try to declare the area a “no-fire” zone.

Even JEM, however, may be spoiling for more fighting. According to some internal reports, its leadership has said it won’t deal with “indicted war criminals,” thereby threatening behind-the-scenes efforts to create a peace-process road map.

Multiple job vacancies announcement: local Sudanese needed in Southern Sudan's Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, and Warrap States

Email received a few minutes ago 13:58 GMT UK:

Hi, would you be so kind as to place this vacancy announcement. The BRIDGE Program is looking to hire a number of local Sudanese (first preference) in Southern Sudan.

Thank you very much,

Marty D. George
Executive Officer, BRIDGE Sudan
Winrock International
Cell: +256 (0) 477 252 953
mgeorge@winrockbridge.org

MULTIPLE VACANCIES ANNOUNCEMENT

Winrock International is now recruiting for the USAID-funded BRIDGE Program (Building Responsibility for the Delivery of Government Services), a 3-year program focused on 1) strengthening local government capacity, 2) community development, 3) agriculture development, 4) water and sanitation, and 5) education.  Winrock is seeking staff for the following positions in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, and Warrap States:

Logistics Project Officer (all three states)
Junior Accountant (all three states)
Agriculture and community development specialists (all three states)
Office Manager (all three states)

To apply email a completed CV with the position you seek in the subject line (e.g., Logistics Project Officer or Junior Accountant) to:

Northern Bahr el Ghazal (Aweil)
BRIDGE_NBEG@hotmail.co.uk

Unity (Bentiu)
BRIDGE_Unity@hotmail.com

Warrap (Kuajok)
BRIDGE_Warrap@hotmail.com

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Winrock reserves the right to fill this position prior to the closing date.

UNAMID chief Rodolphe Adada in Chad talking with JEM chief Khalil Ibrahim

Good news from Sudan Tribune today:

UNAMID, JEM to establish joint mechanism to protect Darfur civilians

February 5, 2009 (NDJAMENA) – The head of the hybrid peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID held talks in the Chadian capital with the chairman of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) on ways to enhance joint cooperation to protect civilians in Darfur.



Photo: The head of UNAMID, Rodolphe Adada, (L) speaks during a meeting with the leader of the rebel JEM Khalil Ibrahim (R) held in the Chadian capital Ndjamena on Feb 5, 2009 (photo provided by the UNAMID)

UNAMID’s Rodolphe Adada, was in the Chadian capital in a two day visit for talks with JEM’s Khalil Ibrahim. Adada had decided to meet the rebel leader after eruption of hostilities since mid January between JEM and the Sudanese government, in southern and northern Darfur.

"The hybrid mission and JEM agreed to create a joint mechanism allowing them to cooperate together to protect the civilians and the IDPs in Darfur and to enhance the humanitarian situation there," the spokesman of the rebel movement, Ahmed Hussein Adam told Sudan Tribune.

He added that an ad hoc committee from the two sides is working out an understanding allowing them to cooperate together despite the lack of ceasefire agreement.

Adada delegation included UNAMID Deputy Force Commander General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, UNAMID spokesperson Noureddine Mezni, and political, humanitarian and security Mission officials while Khalil Ibrahim was accompanied by Jibril Ibrahim, Economic Advisor; Ahmed Hussein Adam, JEM Spokesperson; Bushara Suleiman, Secretary of Foreign Affairs; and Ezzedin Youssif Baggi, Secretary of Financial Affairs.

"The meeting was called as part of UNAMID’s continued efforts to establish a good working relationship with all parties involved in the Darfur conflict," said Mezni in a press statement released today evening.

Adada reiterated that UNAMID is absolutely neutral in dealing with all parties involved in the conflict, as this neutrality is the only way for the Mission to achieve its mandate, he added.

Also UNAMID spokesperson confirmed that both parties agreed to the necessity of a mechanism for better coordination on the ground. Adam told Sudan Tribune that the cooperation includes combating banditry, carjacking, protection of humanitarian convoys.

Sudanese army earlier this week asked the hybrid peacekeeping mission to withdraw a 196-strong force from Muhageriya ahead of the planned assault. But the UNAMID insisted to stay in the town to protect civilians who had take shelter around its base.

During the meeting JEM praised UNAMID commitment to protect civilians as it is defined in its mandate. The rebel group cited "the Mission’s refusal to evacuate Muhageriya in order to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population."

According to the spokesperson of the peacekeeping mission, Khalil Ibrahim agreed with the necessity of avoiding situations similar to that of Muhageriya in the future.

The rebel leader further added he decided to withdraw from the flashpoint town due to UNAMID’s decision to remain there and appeals by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, AU Commission Chairperson Jean Ping and the United Sates. [...]

Arab League meetings in Doha headed by Qatar to discuss ICC arrest warrant against Sudan's Bashir & Qatari peace bid - Obama backs Bashir indictment

Sudanese Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah Fakiri told Gulf Times on Tuesday that a solution to the Darfur crisis would include providing water and pastures for its people and launching a development process. Great. Bring it on. See report from Gulf Times by Ourouba Hussein February 4, 2009:

Doha to host conference as Darfur diplomacy gathers pace

AN ARAB League committee headed by Qatar will meet in Doha soon to discuss the aspects of a potential world court arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Sudanese Ambassador Ibrahim Abdullah Fakiri told Gulf Times yesterday.

Fakiri said this meeting would be followed by a conference in Doha to discuss the Qatari efforts to solve the Darfur crisis, particularly the outcome of the parleys by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs HE Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud and UN and African Union mediator for Darfur Djibrill Bassole.

“The Arab League committee, which had met in Doha on January 17, decided to send a delegation to New York to request the cancellation or postponement of the International Criminal Court’s proceedings against Bashir,” the envoy said, adding that Khartoum would continue its non-co-operation with the International Tribunal looking into the alleged atrocities committed against the people of Darfur.

“This move is against the provision of immunity to heads of state.” No president had been brought to justice while in power, he pointed out.

Maintaining that the Darfur conflict was the result of an international conspiracy against Sudan, the envoy stressed that the strife was not ethnic, as circulated by a section of the media.

“It did not start in 2002, but began before 1900 between shepherds and farmers. However, the Darfur tribes fused afterwards and they now have one language, religion and common interests.”

Fakiri said foreigners exploited conflicts between the Darfur tribes and with the proliferation of weapons, the dispute widened. “It was all the result of a plan hatched to create instability and divide Sudan.”

According to him, some foreigners feared that Sudan, which is rich in natural resources, would emerge as a strong nation after the implementation of the Naivasha, South, East and Abuja peace agreements and “they whipped up the Darfur crisis within one year to make it an international issue”.

Talking about his country’s natural resources, he said it comprised 200mn acres of arable land, 42mn acres of forests, water, minerals, livestock and oil.

“The conspiracy was aimed at tapping the wealth of Sudan, especially that is strategically located in Africa.”

Fakiri maintained that the international tribunal’s move against President Bashir was part of the external plot aimed at destroying all efforts to solve the Darfur crisis and a threat to the security and stability of Sudan. “It also sends the wrong message to the armed factions in Darfur.”

The ambassador said the plot was aimed at creating chaos in Sudan. “Another president could cancel the peace agreements signed by Bashir.”

Fakiri said that after the president declared a ceasefire in Darfur, the army was able to maintain peace and check the activities of the armed factions.

According to him, a solution to the Darfur crisis would include providing water and pastures for its people and launching a development process.

He said that many committees, recently formed by the people of Darfur, have been meeting to study a solution, “a solution, acceptable to the people of Darfur, and compatible with Sudan’s unity”.

Related reports

Nov. 29, 2008 Sudan Watch: Launch of joint Arab-African peace initiative for Darfur - Qatari Peace Bid: UN, EU, AU, AL, UK, US & France support the joint Arab-African peace initiative for Darfur led by Qatar & Sudan People's Forum (SPF) - Qatar have proposed to host peace talks to end the five year war in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.



Photo: Djibril Bassole arrived in El-Fasher the capital of North Darfur August 28, 2008 to take up his new post as the Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur. Mr.Bassole was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General and the African Union Chairperson in June to conduct full-time mediation between Darfur rebels and the government. The top diplomat of Burkina Faso is expected to use his wealth of experience to re-energize the stalled Darfur peace process. (UN Radio/Sudan Watch archives)
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Nov. 20, 2008 Sudan Watch: Joint chief mediator Djibril Bassolé meets Bahar Idriss Abu Garda, leader of JEM & SLM splinter group URF, in El Fasher N. Darfur, W. Sudan
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Feb. 03, 2009 Sudan Watch: UN/AU chief mediator Djibril Bassole says Darfur rebels should speak with one voice
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Feb. 4, 2009 report published at Sudan Tribune Feb. 5 - excerpt:

JEM rebels and peace mediator discuss confidence building measures

The Justice and Equality Movement and the joint peace mediator today held a meeting in the Chadian capital, Ndjamena to discuss a roadmap for the peace process particularly confidence building measures.

The meeting comes hours after the withdrawal of JEM troops from South Darfur flashpoint town while the Sudanese army celebrated the capture of Muhageriya pledging to defeat JEM troops in other battles.

A rebel delegation led by JEM leader Khalil Ibrahim discussed with Djibril Bassolé measures to create a conducive environment with the Sudanese government before to begin peace talks under the Qatari sponsorship.

Speaking from Ndjamena where the meeting was held, Ahmed Hussein Adam, the official spokesperson of the rebel movement said today’s meeting indicates JEM commitment to the political solution of Darfur crisis despite the ongoing tension in southern Darfur.

"The meeting discussed the necessary confidence building measures that Khartoum should implement before to negotiate in good faith," Adam said.

He also added that a meeting could be take place in Doha very soon with a delegation from the government of national unity to discuss these measures.

Last December, JEM handed over to the Qatari government a roadmap to the peace talks. The rebel plan included some measures to be implemented by the government of Sudan before the talks.

These confidence building measures include the release of JEM fighters detained or sentenced after a raid on Khartoum last May, the IDPs protection, the halt forced repatriation of the displaced, and cessation of air strikes on civilians.

The Arab League last September has authorized Qatar to spearhead efforts to bring Darfur warring parties to the negotiating table. Since, Qatari officials and the joint mediator held a series of talks with the main rebel groups in order to prepare for the talks.

The former rebel group of Minni Minnawi that signed a peace deal with Khartoum in May 2006 asks to join the process as independent party but Sudanese government vetoes the demand and says they can be part of government delegation.

Darfur rebel groups still show some reserve toward the Arab League and the African Union efforts to end the six year war in western Sudan. Rebels believe that the peace process should not lead to suspend the indictment of the Sudanese president by the International Criminal Court.

"Dr Khalil Ibrahim clearly underscored during the meeting that peace process should not affect the ICC jurisdiction on Darfur crimes," said JEM spokesperson. He also reiterated their condemnation to any attempt to prevent the ICC from issuing an arrest warrant for the Sudanese president.

"The leadership of the movement stressed that the ICC is part of the equitable peace process" Adam said.[...]



Photo: Khalil Ibrahim, rebel leader of the JEM, during a meeting with AU envoy to Darfur Salim Ahmed Salim in the area of Kariarii, near the Chadian border July 8, 2007.

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Feb 4. 2009 report at Sudan Tribune - excerpt:

Sudan 2nd VP holds talks with Turkish officials amid local criticisms:

Sudan's 2nd VP Taha was accompanied in his visit to Turkey by presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen, Foreign ministry Undersecretary Mutrif Sideeq and security and intelligence Chief Salah Gosh.

The Sudanese Vice president earlier met with Turkish Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan at the parliament. Afterwards Taha told reporters that his meeting with Koksal tackled “bilateral issues and current issues of common interest to both countries…Darfur definitely on the agenda”.



Photo: TV footage showing Sudanese 2nd Vice president Ali Osman Taha upon his arrival in Turkey February 3, 2009 when he met with the Turkish Prime minister Recep Erdogan.

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Feb. 4, 2009 report from APA-Kampala (Uganda) JM/pm re Museveni-Bashir-ICC:

Sudan President accuses Europe of a re-colonization plot

APA-Kampala (Uganda) Sudanese President Omar al Bashir on Tuesday said his indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a wider plot by European countries to target African leaders and warned that if African leaders allow it to succeed they will be targeted one by one.

Bashir said this when he met Uganda President Yoweri Museveni on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa.

According to a State House release from Kampala, Bashir briefed Museveni on the situation in Darfur, which he described as a re-colonization plot by the European countries.

“This ICC indictment is political. Europeans are targeting African leaders. If we allow it to succeed, they will target other heads of state,” he warned.

Museveni said African leaders should institute a committee to investigate the allegations leveled against Bashir by the ICC before they pronounce themselves over the matter.

A committee, headed by former South African President Thabo Mbeki along with other prominent African personalities, has been proposed to investigate the matter.

Bashir dismissed allegations by the ICC that the Sudanese government is carrying out genocide in Darfur.

Contrary to these accusations, his government has done a lot to pacify the region, he said.

He said Sudan was not a member of the ICC and therefore the Sudanese judicial system should handle cases from Darfur, not the ICC.

He said that the ICC indictment is an impediment to a peaceful solution in Darfur.

Museveni agreed with his Sudanese counterpart that the indictment be delayed until independent investigations by the AU committee.

He, however, advised Bashir to ensure that laws of war are respected, such as protection of innocent civilians and punishing leaders of militias who are accused of terrorizing and killing innocent people.

“The ICC indictment means that the government of Sudan is accused of failure to respect war rules,” he said.

He also advised Bashir to use both legal and tradition means to reconcile the Sudanese people affected by war and criticized the practice of Arabising the African tribes in the Sudan.

Photo source: Eric Reeves' blog post at The New Republic: Another Bloodbath in Darfur?
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Feb. 3, 2009 report from CNS News by Patrick Goodenough, International Editor - excerpt:

Gaddafi, Newly Elected African Union Head, Strongly Opposes Darfur Indictment

The Libyan, a former international pariah whose leadership aspirations include founding a “United States of Africa,” has strongly opposed attempts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges relating to the conflict in western Sudan’s Darfur region.

Shortly after prosecutors in The Hague last July accused Bashir of involvement in genocide, crimes against humanity and murder and asked judges to issue an arrest warrant, Gaddafi discussed with Sudanese leaders ways to block what he described as the “false” charges.

Apart from their A.U. connection, Libya and Sudan are both members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), which has closed ranks around Bashir while accusing the ICC of “double standards” for focusing on Sudan rather than other countries, notably Israel.

At the A.U. summit, the president of the body’s administrative Commission, Jean Ping, told the leaders that the bloc was seeking international support for a 12-month postponement in ICC judges’ consideration of the Bashir indictment request, so as “to give a greater chance to the peace process.”

At an A.U. summit in Addis Ababa on Monday, Gaddafi was elected as chairman for the next year. A group of traditional leaders accompanying his delegation hailed him as the “king of kings.”

Photo: Col Gaddafi was elected as the African Union's new head this week. (BBC Feb. 4, 2009: AU summit extended amid divisions)

Feb. 4, 2009 report from Reuters' Africa Blog by Daniel Wallis:

Gaddafi keeps African leaders talking



Despite the extremely tight security at this week’s African Union summit in Ethiopia, one brief lapse gave some journalists covering the meeting a very rare glimpse behind the scenes.

Reporters at the annual meeting in Addis Ababa are normally kept well away from the heads of state, except for the occasional carefully managed press conference, or a brief word thrown in our direction as they sweep past in the middle of a phalanx of sharp-elbowed, scowling bodyguards.

As the talks dragged well past midnight on Tuesday, long after the summit was scheduled to end, a European diplomat approached me and a colleague: “Want to see something interesting?”

Leading us down an outside staircase, we were suddenly confronted with the sight of dozens of African leaders consulting in private.

The curtains in the meeting room had been left open a little, and we had a perfect view of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi holding forth. Gaddafi, who was elected AU chairman at the summit, appeared to be particularly animated — although we couldn’t hear what he was saying.

But as the discussions neared 2 a.m., the other presidents became visibly more and more tired.

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe, sitting just a couple of metres away, looked particularly dejected, often holding his head in his hands. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni stared stonily ahead. AU Commission chairman Jean Ping, sitting next to Gaddafi, stifled a few yawns.

But still Gaddafi, who is urging the leaders to agree to his long-held dream of a United States of Africa, pushed on.

I ran to tell colleagues and soon a couple of photographers were snapping away through the glass. It was bright inside, and pitch black outside, so the presidents couldn’t see us.

“Nobody use flash: security will be here in a split second if they see it,” one Kenyan cameraman warned.

And still the talks went on.

Several leaders kept checking their watches, and others began surreptitiously packing their attaché cases, perhaps in the hope of heading back to their hotels to sleep or to enjoy the last few hours of Addis Ababa nightlife.

Then an aide brought the gold-robed Gaddafi another steaming pot of tea.

Would anybody be able to leave before dawn?

Moments later, Museveni decided to act.

Leaving his seat, he walked the length of the hall and whispered something in the Libyan leader’s ear. Gaddafi looked up at him, laughed, and moments later the meeting broke up.

We quit our unprecedented vantage point on the stairs and raced with scores of other journalists, bodyguards and officials to the entrance to the hall. Maybe we would get the press conference we’d been waiting for after all.

But no such luck.

A large posse of burly bodyguards suddenly swept past, Gaddafi at its centre. He was going back to his tent, set up in the gardens of a palatial hotel.

“Go home and sleep,” he told the throngs of reporters thrusting microphones at him and hurling questions. “Come back tomorrow.”

Heh. Great style. He makes me laugh.



Photo: Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf denied Col Gaddafi had stormed out. (BBC Feb. 4, 2009: AU summit extended amid divisions)
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Feb. 5, 2009 report from the Washington Times by Jon Ward and Betsy Pisik - excerpt:

EXCLUSIVE: Obama backs indictment of Sudan leader

"We support the ICC and its pursuit of those who've perpetrated war crimes. We see no reason to support deferral [of the indictment] at this time," said Ben Chang, a spokesman for Mr. Obama's national security adviser, retired Marine Gen. James L. Jones.



Photo: Billboards bearing messages backing Sudanese President Omar Bashir line the road leading to the airport in Khartoum. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images.

UN chief: ICC action diverts attention from implementing peace accord in Sudan

The ICC actions have "a major impact on Sudanese political dynamics and have diverted much attention at a time when outstanding issues related to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) require the parties' cooperation and renewed commitment," UN chief Ban Ki-moon said in his latest report to the UN Security Council on the Sudan.

UN chief: ICC action diverts attention from implementing peace accord in Sudan
February 4, 2009 report by Xinhua editor Zhang Xiang published Feb. 5:

The International Criminal Court (ICC)'s actions against Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir have distracted attention away from implementing a major peace accord, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday.

The ICC actions have "a major impact on Sudanese political dynamics and have diverted much attention at a time when outstanding issues related to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) require the parties' cooperation and renewed commitment," Ban said in his latest report to the UN Security Council on the Sudan.

The CPA, signed in January, 2005 between the government of the Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement, ended a long-running north-south civil war in Sudan.

Ban said that while he is encouraged by the assurances of continued support by the government, he is also concerned about remarks by some of its officials that the government may redefine its relationship with the UN mission in Sudan (UNMIS) should an arrest warrant be issued against al-Bashir.

UNMIS was established in March, 2005 by the UN Security Council with a mandate to support the implementation of the CPA.

The secretary-general called upon the government to fulfil its obligations to ensure the safety of United Nations staff and of nationals of the state members of the United Nations in the Sudan.

Last July, ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo filed 10 charges against al-Bashir, including three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder, called for an arrest warrant.

The world court is reviewing the case before deciding on whether to issue such a warrant, which will clear the way for the first indictment of a sitting head of state. A decision could come as early as this month.