UN Security Council votes for Darfur trials in International Criminal Court
Sudan-UN, Politics, 4/1/2005

Washington had asked the UN Security Council to postpone voting on a French draft resolution over trying accused persons of committing crimes in Darfur, amid the escalation of conflicts around it.

France wanted their trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, while the US prefers a special court with the city of Arousha in Tanzania as a headquarters, to avoid the US recognition of the ICC.

This came at a time when the Sudanese government intensified contacts with member states at the UN Security Council to prevent the issuance of this resolution. This reaction was preceded by the Sudanese government announcing it is bringing 15 members who committed these crimes, including government officials, to a Sudanese court, refusing any Sudanese citizen to be brought before a court outside the country.

The Sudanese government angrily responded to the UN Security Council resolution which was issued on Tuesday on Darfur and stated to punish persons who committed crimes in Darfur and imposing an embargo on selling weapons to the Sudanese government. The Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Othman Ismael said that the resolution will obstruct the efforts to reaching a political solution for Darfur.

In a statement, the Sudanese foreign ministry described the decision as unbalanced and that it ignored the efforts carried out by the government in the political, security and humanitarian levels in dealing with Darfur crisis.

The statement added that the resolution held equal, unfairly, between the rights and duties of both the state and the rebels, noting that its timing is not positive, as it comes at a time when both the UN and the African Union admitted efforts made by the government to improve conditions in Darfur.

The New York Times reported today that the resolution, to refer Sudan government officials or rebels who violate certain standards of conduct to the International Criminal Court, passed last night without facing a US veto after the sponsorship of the resolution changed from France to the UK and providing for protection of US soldiers.

Previous Stories:
  Khartoum criticizes UN resolution; US recognition of International Criminal Court jurisdiction   (3/31/2005)
  UN Security Council imposes sanctions on Sudan   (3/30/2005)
  Al-Mahdi warns of people's demonstration to topple the government of Sudan   (3/26/2005)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search