Posted on 03/04/2009 10:26:03 AM PST by Patriotic1
Just hours ago, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC, having never before issued an arrest warrent (sic) against a sitting head of state, sent a powerful message that no one, regardless of his or her status - including a head of state - has immunity from crimes under international law. However, some organizations and United Nations member states are quickly moving to defer the case against the Sudanese president.
These international groups and countries are urging the UN Security Council to invoke Article 16 of the Rome Statute, in order to defer Bashir's case for one year. The Rome Statute was the treaty that established the ICC and according Article 16, cases are not only subject to a deferral for one year, but any deferral can be renewed annually.
Invoking this provision of the Rome Statute would be like opening Pandora's Box. It could mean that the case against Bashir is put on the back burner indefinitely. Depending on the scope of the Article 16 request, the deferral could even be applied to other Darfur-related cases being investigated by the ICC.
Proponents of Article 16 claim that if they are given one more year, they will be closer to securing the peace that has been absent in Darfur for more than six years. They have already wasted too much time in bringing justice to Darfur, and we can't wait any longer.
We can't allow a false choice to be set up between justice and peace in Darfur - the people of Darfur must to have both. Justice is essential to ensuring meaningful and lasting peace where serious human rights violations have been committed. By urging Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Rice to continue to lead the charge for justice, we can send a strong message to the UN Security Council - the final decision makers - that the people responsible for the crimes in Darfur must be held accountable for their actions
Amnesty activists responded in force beginning last summer when these same groups tried to block all charges from even being brought against Bashir in the first place. But thanks to the thousands of emails we sent to key UN and U.S. officials and the overwhelming support for justice in Darfur we displayed at our rally outside UN headquarters in September, we saw to it that justice was served. That same response is needed once again to ensure that justice will not be delayed any longer in Darfur.
No one should have to decide between peace and justice. If we remain vigilant on human rights, then the people of Darfur will never have to choose.
Sincerely,
Denise Bell Darfur Campaign Amnesty International USA
This is critical because this means that the ICC can issue arrest warrants for a head of state if this goes unchallenged. While I agree with the sentiment (that this guy should pay), this can be used politically by those who control the ICC.
It’s one thing to issue an warrant.
I’ll believe they’re serious when they actually have him arrested.
“Well the ICC is checking on down the line
I’m a little overweight and my log books are way behind
But nothing bothers me tonight, I can dodge all the scales all right
Six days on the road and I’m gonna make it home tonight”
This cannot be good....
By the time they actually are able to arrest someone, it will be too late to stop.
Liberals go for the incremental approach. The frog boils slowly - here is where we see the pot filled with water. It’s a shame that no one in the gov’t is considering killing this before it gets out of control.
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