Diplomatic storm over Sudan genocide claim
Tuesday, 15 Jul 2008 09:12
Sudan's president faces genocide accusation from ICC
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Sudan's government has reacted angrily after its president was accused of genocide by the International Criminal Court.
Chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said yesterday Omar al-Bashir had "mobilised the entire state apparatus" to bring about the annihilation of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups in Darfur.
"It is a very irresponsible move, it will affect negatively the peace process in the country," Sudan's ambassador to the UN, Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, told the BBC.
"It will have ramifications in the entire region. Our priority is peace in the country. Stopping bloodshed, making peace."
Rallies have taken place supporting Mr al-Bashir in Khartoum while, the AFP news agency reports, Mr al-Bashir appeared in defiant mood, punching his walking stick in the air at a ceremony to confirm a new electoral law.
Anger at the ICC move has prompted concern for the security of westerners in the east African country. The UN has announced it is withdrawing non-essential staff from Darfur because, it says, of the "recent deteriorating security situation across Darfur".
Seven peacekeepers were killed and 19 injured in an attack by militia in North Darfur, the worst in the UN Mission in Sudan's (Unamid) history.
Unamid commander General Martin Luther Agwai has pledged to continue working on all the issues in its mandate, including patrols and security, protection of UN personnel and facilities and aiding humanitarian organisations.
The US, meanwhile, has announced it will be strengthening security at its embassy in Khartoum.
State department spokesperson Scott McCormack told reporters the US is not a signatory of the ICC but explained it would be acting on the development nonetheless.
"The US has been at the forefront of holding those responsible for genocide accountable, whether that's… those individuals from the government or from rebel groups or other groups," he said.