Sudan’s efforts for peace in Darfur discredited by ICC says Ambassador

On Thursday the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Luis Ocampo, released a report to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The report states that ongoing investigations show a continuation of violations in Darfur, now entering its 8th year of the conflict. Ocampo said that the Government of Sudan continue to repress information from the region whilst areas of Darfur requiring aid assistance are off limits to humanitarian organizations struggling to gain access, said the report. Internally Displaced People and refugee camps suffering from food shortages remain a target of random shootings and looting whilst women are frequently vicitmized. Al Campo stated the importance of cooperation between the Sudanese authorities and the ICC. Issuing the arrest warrants to Sudanese officials was the only way to end the conflict. Government reaction Sudan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dafalla al-Haj Osman has repeated that Sudan does not recognize the Rome Statue or the ICC and stressed Ocampo continues to gather misleading information. Sudan’s signature on the Doha Document for Peace (DDPD) calling for a permanent ceasefire and fair security arrangements is a clear example of the government’s desire to reach a peaceful settlement in Darfur said the Ambassador. The government has already began implementing legal procedures to bring those to justice who have committed crimes in the conflict. The Ambassador continued, “Unfortunately, the Attorney General in his report did not give any reference to the Doha Document, which is praised by the UN Security Council as the basis for the peaceful settlement in Darfur”. He believed the reason for issuing the arrest warrant against Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hussein, was to obstruct the peace efforts of the Sudanese government to bring peace and security in Sudan, and to discredit their efforts.