New investigation announced against Sudanese government

UNITED NATIONS – The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court announced he is opening an investigation against Sudanese government officials for what he called systematic attacks on refugee camps in Darfur.

Luis Moreno Ocampo said on Wednesday that his office would also investigate violence against humanitarian workers and peacekeepers in Darfur, including an October 29 attack on the Haskanita military base that left 10 African Union soldiers dead and 1 missing. Rebels were blamed for that attack.Ocampo urged the UN Security Council to demand that Sudan hand over acting humanitarian minister Ahmed Muhammed Harun, who was formerly in charge of security in Darfur and has been indicted for crimes against humanity.He said the investigation would probe “who is maintaining Harun in a position to commit crimes” – raising the possibility of indictments against higher-level Sudanese officials.Ocampo did not mention any names but made clear no one would be immune, not only for harboring Harun but for the latest attacks against civilians.”When will be a better time to arrest Harun? How many more women, girls, have to be raped? How many more persons have to be killed?” Ocampo asked at a Security Council briefing.”What is at stake is, simply, the life or death of 2,5 million people.”Sudan’s UN ambassador warned that any Security Council pressure over the indictments would complicate international efforts to promote peace talks in Darfur and deploy a 26 000-member joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission to the region.”Ocampo exposed his moral bankruptcy …he resorted to fabrications,” Ambassador Abdelmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad told reporters after the meeting.”He came here in our opinion to make life miserable for the peace process.””In no way are we going to surrender our citizens to the ICC,” he added.The conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region has claimed more than 200 000 lives and uprooted 2.5 million people since ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in 2003.Critics accuse Sudan of arming the janjaweed Arab militias that have terrorised Darfur villages – a charge Khartoum denies.The International Criminal Court has also indicted Ali Kushayb, known as a ‘colonel of colonels’ among the janjaweed, and Ocampo demanded again Wednesday that he be turned over.With diplomats busy trying to overcome Sudanese resistance to the UN-AU peacekeeping force, there has been little outward international pressure on Sudan over the ICC indictments.European council members this week circulated a draft statement that would express the council’s ‘deep concern over the failure of the government of Sudan’ to comply with the arrests warrants.But diplomats said China, which has commercial ties with Sudan, was reluctant to adopt the statement.China’s deputy UN ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, warned that “ignoring the overall political situation and simply stressing ending impunity” would “hardly be conducive” to international efforts to resolve the Darfur problem.Ocampo said his office would investigate “a calculated, organised campaign by Sudanese officials to attack” civilians in villages and refugee camps.He cited an Oct.8 attack on the South Darfur town of Muhajeria that left 48 civilians dead, calling it a joint attack by government forces and the janjaweed.Sudan’s government has denied involvement in that attack, calling it fighting between tribes.Nampa-APRebels were blamed for that attack.Ocampo urged the UN Security Council to demand that Sudan hand over acting humanitarian minister Ahmed Muhammed Harun, who was formerly in charge of security in Darfur and has been indicted for crimes against humanity.He said the investigation would probe “who is maintaining Harun in a position to commit crimes” – raising the possibility of indictments against higher-level Sudanese officials.Ocampo did not mention any names but made clear no one would be immune, not only for harboring Harun but for the latest attacks against civilians.”When will be a better time to arrest Harun? How many more women, girls, have to be raped? How many more persons have to be killed?” Ocampo asked at a Security Council briefing.”What is at stake is, simply, the life or death of 2,5 million people.”Sudan’s UN ambassador warned that any Security Council pressure over the indictments would complicate international efforts to promote peace talks in Darfur and deploy a 26 000-member joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission to the region.”Ocampo exposed his moral bankruptcy …he resorted to fabrications,” Ambassador Abdelmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad told reporters after the meeting.”He came here in our opinion to make life miserable for the peace process.””In no way are we going to surrender our citizens to the ICC,” he added.The conflict in Sudan’s western Darfur region has claimed more than 200 000 lives and uprooted 2.5 million people since ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated government in 2003.Critics accuse Sudan of arming the janjaweed Arab militias that have terrorised Darfur villages – a charge Khartoum denies.The International Criminal Court has also indicted Ali Kushayb, known as a ‘colonel of colonels’ among the janjaweed, and Ocampo demanded again Wednesday that he be turned over.With diplomats busy trying to overcome Sudanese resistance to the UN-AU peacekeeping force, there has been little outward international pressure on Sudan over the ICC indictments.European council members this week circulated a draft statement that would express the council’s ‘deep concern over the failure of the government of Sudan’ to comply with the arrests warrants.But diplomats said China, which has commercial ties with Sudan, was reluctant to adopt the statement.China’s deputy UN ambassador, Liu Zhenmin, warned that “ignoring the overall political situation and simply stressing ending impunity” would “hardly be conducive” to international efforts to resolve the Darfur problem.Ocampo said his office would investigate “a calculated, organised campaign by Sudanese officials to attack” civilians in villages and refugee camps.He cited an Oct.8 attack on the South Darfur town of Muhajeria that left 48 civilians dead, calling it a joint attack by government forces and the janjaweed.Sudan’s government has denied involvement in that attack, calling it fighting between tribes.Nampa-AP