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If indicted, Al-Bashir destined to face justice before UN court

Dec 3, 2008, 19:32 GMT

New York - The United Nations' top prosecutor said Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir was destined to face justice if he is indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) later this month for his role in the deadly Darfur conflict. ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo earlier this year requested an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on seven counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. Moreno-Ocampo said he expects the ICC's judges to rule on his request some time in December. The ethnic conflict in Darfur has pitted Khartoum-backed Arab militias against African rebel groups, resulting in more than 300,000 deaths since 2005 and more than 2.5 million refugees. The US has labelled the militants' campaign genocide. Moreno-Ocampo, briefing the UN Security Council in New York on his investigation, accused al-Bashir of 'inciting violence' over the charges and threatening UN peacekeepers in the region. The UN Security Council originally tasked Moreno-Ocampo with building a case against the perpetrators of war crimes in Darfur. But some have criticized Moreno-Ocampo's case against al-Bashir as politically motivated and endangering ongoing peace talks in the region. The Arab League and African Union have called on the 15-nation Security Council to block al-Bashir's indictment if it goes ahead. Moreno-Ocampo defended his decision, telling reporters that his job was to 'follow the evidence' wherever it leads. Two people have already been indicted by the ICC - the country's interior minister and a member of the Arab Janjaweed militia - and Moreno-Ocampo is seeking arrest warrants for four more, including al- Bashir. Moreno-Ocampo said he has received 'zero' cooperation from the Sudanese government in his investigation but held out hope that al- Bashir would be brought to justice eventually, even if Sudan, as expected, does not deliver him to The Hague-based international court. 'Realistically, I think he will face justice - I don't know (if) in two months or two years,' Moreno-Ocampo said. 'If he is indicted, realistically al-Bashir's destiny is to face justice.' An ICC indictment means al-Bashir would potentially face arrest any time he travelled outside of Sudan.

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lanceDec 3rd, 2008 - 19:44:56

A president destined to face justice at the ICC.

Sounds very very good.

Some other presidents should be so lucky as to have the same destiny.

Lets hope justice rains throughout the world and we rid ourself of presidents that order mass destruction and killing, especially with jesus-bombs.

The sweet smell of justice (real justice, not jesus-bomb justice) is what brings peace to the earth.

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Professor Naorem Sanajaoba,Gauhati University,IndiDec 5th, 2008 - 11:07:55

ICC chief prosecutor has done the best job under the Rome statute,1998 in seeking arrest warrant of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir.Article 16 of the staute should not be misused since impunity would be awarded to a heinous criminal ,whoever he is.Peace talks could continue after his arrest and prosecution.ICC shall be allowed to operate and the UN-SC should not join pro-genocidal politics.Even Barack Obama has to sign and ratify the ICC statute.Hague invasion Act violates international law and above all, the very foundation of the UN.

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