UNITED NATIONS — In a new and major escalation, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is mulling legal action against Sudanese officials denying war crimes in the troubled Darfur province. "My office is considering the criminal responsibility of Sudanese officials who actively deny and dissimulate crimes," ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told the UN Security Council late Friday, December 4, reported Reuters.
The Hague-based tribunal issued in March an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Khartoum denies Bashir or any other Sudanese official committed war crimes in Darfur, refusing any cooperation with the court.
Inside Darfur
Darfur in Focus
“Al-Bashir, instead of stopping the crimes, is stopping the information about the crimes,” said Moreno-Ocampo. He claimed that Darfur crimes “are continuing."
"Bashir used the state apparatus not only to commit massive crimes but also to dissimulate them, and therefore facilitate their continuation."
The Darfur conflict broke out in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Khartoum regime accusing it of discrimination.
The UN says that 300,000 have died as a result of war, disease and malnutrition, but the Sudanese government has put the number at nearly 10,000.
No independent field-research accounts are available to date.
Illusions
The ICC prosecutor told the 15-nation Security Council that the international court was taking steps to protect its witnesses.
"Individuals falsely suspected of providing evidence to the ICC have been arrested and tortured in Khartoum," he said.
"There are public threats by the Sudanese authorities against anybody who cooperates with the court."
But Khartoum denied the ICC prosecutor’s claims, saying he was spreading “illusions” and “catastrophic vision” about Darfur.
"This is a big lie," said Sudanese Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad.
"The war in Darfur is over."
The Sudanese envoy said that Moreno-Ocampo’s claims show his bankruptcy.
"This exposes his bankruptcy," he told Reuters, accusing the ICC chief prosecutor of fanning the flames of conflict in Darfur.
"(He) would like to prolong the suffering of our people," Mohamad said.
"We will charge him with political prostitution."
Source: IslamOnline
The Hague-based tribunal issued in March an arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur.
Khartoum denies Bashir or any other Sudanese official committed war crimes in Darfur, refusing any cooperation with the court.
Inside Darfur
Darfur in Focus
“Al-Bashir, instead of stopping the crimes, is stopping the information about the crimes,” said Moreno-Ocampo. He claimed that Darfur crimes “are continuing."
"Bashir used the state apparatus not only to commit massive crimes but also to dissimulate them, and therefore facilitate their continuation."
The Darfur conflict broke out in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Khartoum regime accusing it of discrimination.
The UN says that 300,000 have died as a result of war, disease and malnutrition, but the Sudanese government has put the number at nearly 10,000.
No independent field-research accounts are available to date.
Illusions
The ICC prosecutor told the 15-nation Security Council that the international court was taking steps to protect its witnesses.
"Individuals falsely suspected of providing evidence to the ICC have been arrested and tortured in Khartoum," he said.
"There are public threats by the Sudanese authorities against anybody who cooperates with the court."
But Khartoum denied the ICC prosecutor’s claims, saying he was spreading “illusions” and “catastrophic vision” about Darfur.
"This is a big lie," said Sudanese Ambassador to the UN Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad.
"The war in Darfur is over."
The Sudanese envoy said that Moreno-Ocampo’s claims show his bankruptcy.
"This exposes his bankruptcy," he told Reuters, accusing the ICC chief prosecutor of fanning the flames of conflict in Darfur.
"(He) would like to prolong the suffering of our people," Mohamad said.
"We will charge him with political prostitution."
Source: IslamOnline
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