Daily Darfur: A Bad Game of Smoke and Mirrors

Khartoum is once again calling for a suspension of the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, arguing that an indictment of Bashir for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and/or genocide in Darfur will further destabilize the region. (As if they aren't already doing enough of that on their own.)

The (hopefully soon-to-be wanted) man of the hour is currently in Cairo, to seek Egypt's help in his effort to suspend the investigation against him. From the AP:

"Egypt has voiced support for the Sudanese government in the past, warning of instability in Sudan if the Hague-based ICC decides to issue an arrest warrant for al-Bashir.

‘The repercussions will be dangerous on Darfur, in particular, and in Sudan in general and on the U.N.-AU peacekeeping forces,' warned presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad after the meeting."

What Mr. Awwad fails to note, however, is that Bashir himself would be the primary source of this predicted instability.

In an apparent gesture of goodwill, coinciding with the Egypt trip, Bashir announced the release of 24 rebel prisoners. From USA Today:

"Justice Minister Abdel-Basset Sabdarat said al-Bashir decided to pardon the 24 prisoners ‘in support of the Qatari initiative.' He did not identify the prisoners.

JEM spokesman Ahmed Hussein said it was not yet clear if those to be released are even members of the rebel group. The group wants the release of its members detained after an attack it launched on the capital in May."

While even the most minor attempt to comply with peace negotiations is a good one, Bashir's gesture is hardly cause for praise, much less for suspending the ICC investigation. If Bashir was really serious and sincere, he would make more of an effort to end ongoing conflict with rebels in Darfur. Until he proves otherwise, Bashir's move must be interpreted according to his reputation --- as a stall tactic, or as the worst game of political smoke and mirrors...which is really so transparent as not to be smoky at all.

Other items of note (a.k.a The Laundry List) ...

In its first annual report, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) reports a "grave deterioration of human rights" in Arab countries. The report references support of Khartoum in its accusations that the Arab League of becoming "more expressive of authoritarian tendencies than any time in the past."

UNAMID is stepping up its protection efforts for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur, according to an announcement yesterday.

Two Sudanese aid workers were killed and four others were wounded in an attack in Darfur this weekend.

In an op-ed for the Arizona Daily Star, high school senior Mickey Jackson calls on President Obama to uphold is campaign promises to end the genocide in Darfur:

"The time for stalling has passed. Obama must place Darfur at the top of his priority list. He must appoint a special envoy, support the U.N. peacekeeping mission and put pressure on the government of Sudan and its supporters in China and Russia."

Representatives of Chicago's African diaspora community express hope for U.S.-African relations under President Obama:

"We're hopeful he will crack in a very meaningful way the big issues -- the wars in Darfur and the Congo, the political situation in the Horn of Africa," said Mukila Maitha of Kenya, president of the United Kenyan Organization. "Just pushing for democratic governments and respect of the rule of law -- he did so as a senator when he addressed the crisis in Kenya. We're hopeful he will continue that type of thing."

The British Red Cross issued a fundraising appeal to assist efforts to treat malnourished children in Darfur.

Finally, check out Martha's post for George Clooney's latest efforts on Darfur.

[Photo: Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir talks to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, not pictured, during their meeting at the Presidential palace in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. The international criminal court, ICC, is expected to issue an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir, for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil) ]