ICC/Darfur: let justice take its course

Press release in Italian
 
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 1828 (2008) renewing the mandate of the joint UN-African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) yesterday in New York with a reference to the African Union request that the International Criminal Court defer its investigations of Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, against whom ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo formally requested an arrest warrant on 14 July 2008 on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. The peacekeeping mission, which replaced the African Union mission one year ago, has been hamstrung in implementing its mandate because of a lack of personnel, equipment and logistics. 
 
Statement by Sergio Stanzani and Gianfranco Dell’Alba, President and Secretary General of No Peace Without Justice:
 
“No Peace Without Justice is pleased that the UN Security Council did not request the International Criminal Court to defer any action in the case against President Al-Bashir. We are, however, concerned by the fact that this issue was the central factor threatening the adoption of the Resolution extending UNAMID’s mandate. The protection of civilians should not be held hostage to the Sudanese President’s desire to avoid justice, but this is exactly what we have seen over the past several days in New York. 
 
“We are concerned by the fact that the UN Security Council used language suggesting it would consider deferring ICC action in Darfur, which would be harmful to the prospects of peace as it questions the critical role justice has to play in that respect. We welcome that the United States abstained from voting on the grounds that inclusion of any reference to deferring ICC proceedings would send the wrong message to President Al-Bashir and would undermine efforts to bring him and others to justice. We hope that the United States maintains this strong stand in favour of the independence of the International Criminal Court when this issue comes back before the Security Council and we call on other Security Council members to be equally firm in their support for the ICC and their commitment to ending impunity.
 
“It would be illogical for the Security Council to refer the situation in Darfur to the ICC and then tie its hands when the Prosecutor makes moves that are perceived as being politically inconvenient. It is ironic that this discussion was taking place at the Security Council the very same day that Radovan Karadzic finally appeared for the first time before the ICTY in The Hague. The very same discussion about peace and justice and the potential indictment of President Al-Bashir was had when Mr Karadzic was first indicted thirteen years ago, but we have seen that justice is proving to be an integral part of peace in the former Yugoslavia. 
 
“It is also not clear why the international community has consistently failed over the past 12 months to put its money where its mouth is and enable UNAMID to protect the men, women and children of Darfur. We call on member States of the United Nations to fulfil their responsibilities under Security Council Resolution 1769 and provide UNAMID with the full support it needs.
 
“Let justice take its course, without interference from the very same Security Council that set the ICC down the road it is taking. Let justice be served for the men, women and children of Darfur.”
 
For further information, contact Alison Smith on asmith@npwj.org or +32-486-986 235 or Nicola Giovannini on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3913.