New prosecutor for crimes in Darfur

Refugee leader ridicules move, says not much will change on the groundMohammed Bishara Dosa, Sudan’s Minister of Justice appointed on Tuesday his deputy Esam El-Din Abdel Qadir Zein as prosecutor for crimes in Darfur.

Zein will replace previous under-secretary Abd Elda’im Zumrawi as the prosecutor.

The prosecutor is required to verify crimes in Darfur according to the resolution set out by the Sudanese attorney general. Zein will be in charge of investigation, detection and representation of the charges before courts for crimes against humanity and genocide or war crimes, in addition to the crimes under the Terrorism Act of Sudan for the year 2001.

‘This is propaganda’

Meanwhile, a leader of displaced people, who does not wish to be named fearing retribution from the Sudanese government, ridiculed the appointment of Zumrawi’s successor.

He told Radio Dabanga, “The new prosecutor won’t do anything, like the previous one. This is propaganda intended to address the international community and to gain time on the proceedings.”

The leader added that if the government were serious and sincere about admitting the crimes committed in Darfur, they should arrest President Omar Al Bashir, South Kordofan Governor Ahmad Harun, and Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued arrest warrants against all three Sudanese leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.