Daily Darfur: I'm Not a War Criminal...I Just Like My Toys.

by Michelle . · 2009-01-02 09:40:00 UTC
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Question: What is it that the Sudanese government definitely does not need more of?

Answer: Fighter jets.

From Reuters:

"Sudan unveiled on Wednesday new fighter planes and missiles in a parade seen as a show of strength aimed at critics supporting a war crimes case against its president and Darfur rebels threatening more attacks.

The Independence Day show, which displayed scores of Sudanese tanks, anti-aircraft guns, armoured personnel carriers and rocket launchers, was the latest in a string of military exercises the army has organised in Sudan this week.

Analysts say the exercise was designed to bolster President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, accused by the International Criminal Court of orchestrating genocide in the western region of Darfur."

So apparently the plan is to "bolster" Bashir by displaying the same arrogantly violent tendencies that got him into trouble with the ICC to begin with, while still claiming to be committed to peace negotiations (led by Qatar). This is the same split-personality approach Bashir has shown for years, and it always leaves me wondering, "Who do you think you're fooling?" It seems that it would be rather difficult to convince anyone of your genuine engagement in peace talk while still acting like a war-mongering arms-stockpiler.

Unfortunately, "who do you think you're fooling" is less of a rhetorical question that one might hope. A summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) this week issued a statement criticizing the ICC and praising Bashir:

"The leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) concluded a two day meeting in Oman and 'expressed regret to the continuation of the humanitarian suffering in Darfur.'

The summit also 'hailed efforts by the Sudanese government to resolve the crisis and its cooperation with all efforts undertaken for a settlement of Darfur conflict.'"

(I refer you to my 2008 Hall of Shame for my thoughts on this.)

Bashir used this same Independence Day show to tell political parties to prepare for upcoming elections, which he promised will be "free and fair." I don't think I need to tell you why I'm skeptical.

President Bush will meet with the president of the semi-autonomous South Sudan this week to discuss the upcoming elections, as well as other aspects of the still-tenuous 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the long-running North/South Civil War in Sudan.

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