Warrant issued for the President of Sudan

By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for the President of Sudan, Omar Hassen al-Bashir, for five years of violence in Darfur. In a Global press conference call on the International Criminal Court’s decision, John Norris, executive director of The Enough Project, stated that, “I think this is a very good day for international justice; I think it is a very good day for improved prospects for peace in Sudan.”

Norris explained that although there is no obvious vehicle to deliver al-Bashir to the Court immediately, that people just need to look at examples such as Charles Taylor and Slobodan Milosevic to realize that justice does find its way. “It is the first time that Bashir has ever been held accountable for any of his actions, and it’s the first time that he faced the significant cost from the international community for his divisive and deadly divide and conquer style politics both in Darfur and in the earlier civil war with the south,” stated Norris. 

Norris said that,“This really does give a clear stamp from the international community that the crimes, the heinous crimes, that have occurred in Darfur can be traced in a bright and direct line back to the Presidential palace in Khartoum” and as a result these actions, Norris anticipates that peace will be much more possible and likely.