Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – It is a “promotional” tour to show the world his own popularity, even in Darfur. This is how international analysts have interpreted Sudan President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to the turbulent region of western Sudan. This is his first visit since a warrant was presented for his arrest upon accusations of genocide and war crimes, by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (see Fides 15/7/2008). The two-day visit of the President has three scheduled visits in three main centers in Darfur: El-Fasher, in the north, headquarters of the UN-African Union joint peace-keeping force; Nyala, in the south, and El-Geneima, in the west.
If the local people give him a warm welcome, Al-Bashir will be given a positive result in terms of a propaganda. The possible incrimination of the Sudanese President has divided the international community. While some of the Western nations support the ICC’s initiative, the majority of the African nations and several other nations like China have expressed their reservations and perplexity at the decision, which could cause negative consequences in the peace process already underway. The African Union has asked that the intended capture of the Sudanese President be left on hold for one year or possible more time.
The leaders of South Sudan, who signed the global peace accord in Nairobi in 2005 with the Khartoum government to place an end to the over 20-year civil war in the southern part of the country, also defend the President. The President of South Sudan and the Vice-President of Sudan, Salva Kiir, have asked in Uganda’s capital of Kampala, where they are visiting, that all eventual penal initiatives in relation to Al-Bashir be lifted so as to allow the President to carry on the peace process between the country’s north and south. According to the Nairobi accords, South Sudan is being governed by a provisional administration made up of ex-guerrillas of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement, awaiting a referendum that should decide whether or not the territory will continue being a part of the Sudan State or if it will be independent. In recent months, tensions between the central government and South Sudan had increased, due to the disputed control of Abiye, an oil-rich region (see Fides 9/6/2008). It is clear that the leaders of South Sudan prefer dialoguing with Al-Bashir, who was the one who signed the accords in Nairobi, as the possible removal of the President by an international arrest warrant could open an internal political dispute in the leadership in Khartoum, and lead to setbacks in the peace process. Moreover, in an eventual struggle for power in Sudan, there could be an attempt to re-launch the debate with South Sudan’s leaders. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 23/7/2008)
