Sudan leader makes fifth foreign trip despite arrest warrant
Bashir faces war crimes charges from the International Criminal Court
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Wednesday, 01, Apr 2009 01:18
The president of Sudan has travelled out of the country to make a pilgrimage to Islamic holy site Mecca despite being the subject of an international arrest warrant.
Omar al-Bashir was indicted on March 4th by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes in Darfur, but arrived in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah earlier today and was welcomed by Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal bin Abdul Aziz.
This is the Sudanese leader's fifth foreign trip since the arrest warrant was issued, all of which have been to countries which are not under ICC rule.
Bashir was warmly received at an Arab League summit in Qatar earlier this week, where leaders of the Arab world condemned the ICC's indictment and offered Beshir their support. He has also made trips to Libya, Egypt and Eritrea.
Bashir would face arrest if he tried to enter any country bound by ICC jurisdiction.
In a statement from the Arab League summit, leaders said: "We stress our solidarity with Sudan and our rejection of the ICC decision against President Omar al-Bashir."
Following the first arrest warrant issued against a head of state, the ICC wishes to investigate Bashir's role in alleged atrocities in Darfur where his Arab government has been fighting black African rebels since 2003.
While the Sudanese government put the number of dead at 10,000, international bodies estimate as many as 300,000 have been killed and 2.7 million have become refugees.
Bashir expelled 13 aid agencies from the country following the ICC's indictment, but is being urged by the international community to allow them back in to do their work.
UN general secretary Ban Ki-Moon said: "I remain extremely concerned by the government's decision to expel key international non-governmental organisations, and suspend the work of three national NGOs that provide life-sustaining services for more than one million people."
The new US envoy to Sudan Scott Gration is due to arrive in the capital Khartoum for the first time later this evening, and is also expected to urge Bashir to allow aid agencies back into the country.