Daily Darfur: Botswana Withdraws Its Welcome Mat

by Michelle . · 2009-06-11 04:17:00 UTC
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Proving that, despite pressure from the African Union, there is no unified "African voice" on the International Criminal Court (ICC), Botswana's foreign minister broke ranks with the party line by telling the BBC that the country is legally obligated to help ensure the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

Botswana's president made similar remarks in April. So, not trips to lovely Botswana for Mr. Bashir.

Meanwhile, a Sudanese news agency announced that African members of the ICC will meet again in October, after participants in a conference in Addis refused to endorse a mass withdrawal from the court earlier this week. Pressure and bully all you want, Mr. Bashir --- it appears that at least some your continental colleagues still place their moral compasses above your saber-rattling.

Quickies

Mohamed Suleiman reports on his blog that government bombing and accompanying Janjaweed-pillaging continues to displace civilians in North Darfur.

Michael has a provocative post up at Humanitarian Relief, on the prospect of three expelled NGOs returning to Darfur:

"If the expelled agencies rush to return, they set a dangerous precedent.  The Sudanese government may well conclude that it can act against aid agencies with impunity, confident that aid agencies will always bow to their demands.

Which raises a fundamental question - at what point does humanitarian action become so neutered that it simply serves as a political tool of the regime in power?"

The head of UNAMID, Rodolphe Adada, met with the leader of the Justice and Equality Movement, Khalil Ibrahim, in North Darfur yesterday. The meeting focused on encouraging the rebels to participate in peace talks with the government of Sudan as "he only way for conflict resolution."

Professor Scott Galer compiled a short (but useful) list of resources on China's ties with Sudan.

[Photo from AP: Bashir is all smiles in Zimbabwe.]

Michelle . has been involved in various activist endeavors, including the Teach Against Genocide pilot campaigns.
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