UN: Arrest of Sudan's Bashir Could Mar Aid Effort | Newsweek International

A warrant for Sudan president Omar al-Bashir could disrupt aid to the region, says U.N. official.

By Steve Bloomfield | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Jan 16, 2009

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Pre-trial judges at the International Criminal Court are expected to decide in the next few weeks whether to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. As the waiting continues, tensions in Khartoum grow. On Wednesday, Sudanese opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi, who has been openly critical of Bashir, was arrested. If the ICC grants a warrant, aid workers worry about what the repercussions might be to the U. N. relief effort in Darfur, where about 1,000 international staff and 14,000 Sudanese staff are providing aid to more than four million people. Two U.N. peacekeeping operations, composed of almost 30,000 personnel, are also present in the country. John Holmes, the U.N.'s emergency relief coordinator—the organization's most senior humanitarian official—spoke to NEWSWEEK's Steve Bloomfield in Darfur about the threat of violence against aid workers and his fears for the future funding of the humanitarian operation. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: The ICC judges are expected to decide soon whether to issue an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir. What reaction do you expect from the Sudanese government?
HOLMES: Ultimately, they could throw everyone out. It will leave them with a terrible mess and they won't be able to feed their own people.

What conversations have you had with the Sudanese government about it?
We've told them 'we expect you to leave our operation alone' but I honestly don't know what they will do. They will feel obliged to lash out in some way. Some of them are saying 'give the bastards a good kicking'.

There have already been threats made against U.N. officials and aid-agency workers in Sudan. Are you planning to remove staff?
Lots of contingency plans have been made. We don't know when the decision will be made but we expect it will happen some time in January or February. People may be moved out, yes. You can't imagine nothing will happen.

Sudan's allies claim an indictment could have a detrimental effect on the Darfur peace process.
There is no peace process at the moment. Unfortunately very little is happening on that front.

What effect do you feel the Darfur activist lobby has had on U.S. policy?
There is a very powerful lobby in the U.S.: 'stop the genocide'. That's not a description I subscribe to myself.

This brings to mind the blanket of secrecy being placed over Guantanamo Bay. Our government has had interest in Sudan ever since it was discovered way back in the 1980's that Sudan sits on oil deposits that rival Saudi Arabia and very rich deposits of diamonds, emeralds, gold, platinum, etc. Ever since the overthrowing of the Al Mahdi family in the late 1980's the people of the Sudan have been constantly being shifted from one disreputable government to another. I find it interesting that Sudan had been at peace with itself until european and western influences started to come to bear. Its a well known fact that our government has engaged in supporting insurgent groups as is evidenced by US support of the Taliban and Al Qaida against the Soviets in the same sort of action that has drained our economy or the US support of the Contras down in Nicaragua against the Sandanistas. Knowing how important their Islaamic way of life is to many Sudanese people, I find myself wondering WHY the people in positions of power in that country no longer reflect the people who inhabit the land, not even in the way that they dress? For an Islaamic country, all of the pictures of the leaders look like christians or people who identify more with christianity than the traditional way of life of the Sudan. No offense intended, but it seems as if christians have been attacking Islaamic countries ever since the search for the holy grail began hundreds of years ago. The only difference now is that mineral wealth is the new grail.

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Posted By: boscobear @ 01/18/2009 10:58:15 AM

Let's let the UN derail the arrestr warrent and allow al-Bashir to kill a few more thousands of his people You know, if we just follow the UN in this matter, pretty soon he will have killed everyone and then this matter will be solved.
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Posted By: MET9 @ 01/17/2009 2:48:56 PM

This brings to mind the blanket of secrecy being placed over Guantanamo Bay. Our government has had interest in Sudan ever since it was discovered way back in the 1980's that Sudan sits on oil deposits that rival Saudi Arabia and very rich deposits of diamonds, emeralds, gold, platinum, etc. Ever since the overthrowing of the Al Mahdi family in the late 1980's the people of the Sudan have been constantly being shifted from one disreputable government to another. I find it interesting that Sudan had been at peace with itself until european and western influences started to come to bear. Its a well known fact that our government has engaged in supporting insurgent groups as is evidenced by US support of the Taliban and Al Qaida against the Soviets in the same sort of action that has drained our economy or the US support of the Contras down in Nicaragua against the Sandanistas. Knowing how important their Islaamic way of life is to many Sudanese people, I find myself wondering WHY the people in positions of power in that country no longer reflect the people who inhabit the land, not even in the way that they dress? For an Islaamic country, all of the pictures of the leaders look like christians or people who identify more with christianity than the traditional way of life of the Sudan. No offense intended, but it seems as if christians have been attacking Islaamic countries ever since the search for the holy grail began hundreds of years ago. The only difference now is that mineral wealth is the new grail.
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Posted By: ross1972 @ 01/17/2009 10:44:15 AM

The arab street and western muslims need to take to the streets of their nations in protest and demand a halt to this genocide by a muderous racist government.The people of Darfur need to know their fellow muslims will not abandon them to face the military might of the sudanese government alone and stand in solidarity with them.Arab and muslim leaders need to sever all ties to Sudan in protest of this humanitarian catastrophe.Darfur for Darfurians.Stop the indiscriminate killing of civilians in darfur.