IJCentral: International Justice Central

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s reaction to the arrest warrants issued for him by the ICC is telling: nothing in the 20 years he’s been ruling Sudan has grabbed his attention like these warrants charging him with crimes against humanity and war crimes.  He has spouted creative insults: “USA, UK and France are the dirt beneath my shoes” and his intelligence chief Salah Gosh has called for the “amputation of the hands and the slitting of the throats of any person who dares bad-mouth al-Bashir or support” the ICC charges against him.  Al-Bashir’s regime has ordered the expulsion and seized assets of 10 humanitarian organizations including Doctors Without Borders.  He has organized public rallies to show support for him and anger at the ICC, with placards that depict Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo with pig ears. 

All this bluster and bragadoccio against the ICC and the US, UK and France (the 3 members of the UN Security Council that insist that the warrants be upheld) indicates that al-Bashir really is worried.  The Steve Earle song “Way Down in the Hole” that played over the closing credits of The Wire keeps coming to mind.  Al-Bashir is only digging his hole deeper every time he lashes out.  How will the French government react to the expulsion of Doctors Without Borders?  After all, Bernard Kouchner, co-founder of DWB, is now the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Al-Bashir can’t fly out of the country any longer without worrying about his plane being diverted, even if other African countries like Ethiopia have said they won’t honor the warrant, there may be a surprise at 30,000 feet one of these days.  The Court is permanent, and that will be al-Bashir’s bane from here forward.  If the crisis worsens in Darfur due to lack of humanitarian support, how will Sudan look to the world?  How long will al-Bashir find support at home if Sudan becomes ever more an international pariah?  Will China continue to back al-Bashir?  The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, supports the Court’s action to “hold accountable those who are responsible for the heinous crimes in Darfur.”

President Omar Al-Bashir: Took power in a coup in 1989 - harbored Osama bin Laden - presided over civil war with southern Sudan, 2 million dead - presides over destruction of Darfur, 200,000 dead, 2.5 million displaced and dying - accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the ICC - WANTED - going “Way Down in the Hole”...