Daily Darfur: Will all the Hypocrites in the Room Please Stand Up.

by Michelle . · 2009-04-27 04:08:00 UTC
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Journalist Wasil Ali of the Sudan Tribune wrote a series of short, pithy messages to world leaders on the International Criminal Court and Darfur which are, in my humble opinion, positively brilliant. My favorites are the note to the Secretary General of the Arab League, regarding AL calls for international justice for the Israeli assault on Gaza:

"So what exactly is your definition of double standards?"

And to Thabo Mbeki, former president of South Africa and current head of an African Union panel investigating war crimes and prospects for peace in Darfur:

"Given that the idea of this panel emerged right after Bashir's indictment last year, could it really be hoped that you will be impartial and trying to devise mechanisms to handle accountability issues or is it simply trying to find a way out to Bashir from ICC prosecution? Also given your statements against Bashir's indictment ‘regardless of whatever facts might be advanced' do you think you are the right person to head this panel?"

Touché.

Quickies

UNAMID officials are set to brief the UN Security Council in New York today, and will appeal for equipment donations for the still-under-resourced peacekeeping force.

The Justice and Equality Movement reportedly reshuffled its leadership to accommodate some 15 Darfur rebel groups that have joined its ranks since January.

Michael covers recent news on the expelled humanitarian groups, some of whom might be readmitted, though with certain unknown conditions. However, while the U.S. is supposedly negotiating the terms of this agreement, a top Sudanese government official told French and British negotiators last week that "these NGOs are not going to be let back into Sudan."

[Photo: Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir (R) meets with South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki, who is heading an African Union panel on Darfur, in Khartoum. The conflict in Darfur has dragged on for too long, Mbeki said Saturday after talks with Beshir. (AFP/Ashraf Shazly)]

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