October 13, 2008 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir called on Darfur rebel groups to “resort to peace” and work on “reconciliation and healing”.
- Sudan’s President Omer Hassan al-Bashir (AP)
Al-Bashir who was addressing the opening session of the Sudanese national assembly also announced that the ‘People of Sudan’ initiative will be officially launched on Thursday.
The Sudanese head of state also said that the initiative will be coordinated with the Qatari mediation efforts and the joint mediation between the United Nations and the African Union, led by Djibril Bassole.
“Preliminary results of those contacts show that we are in the right direction towards peace” he said.
Al-Bashir who faces a possible arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) said that Sudanese judicial institutions are capable of carrying out their duties saying the move by The Hague based court “increase our responsibility to achieve justice and the rule of law”.
In mid-July the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo announced that he is seeking an arrest warrant for Al-Bashir.
The ICC’s prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. In early October ICC judges have officially started reviewing the case in a process that could possibly drag on to next year. The Sudanese head of state hailed the position of regional organizations which backed him in his conflict with the ICC.
“Our position is clear and categorical in refusing to deal with it [ICC]” he said.
Al-Bashir also stressed that the elections would take place on schedule in accordance with the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the civil war between the North and South.
However he acknowledged that there are “technical requirements” including the census results, demarcation of the border North-South borders, implementing security arrangements for the three peace deals in the South, Eastern and Darfur.
Last month Luka Biong, the southern Minister for Presidential Affairs, told Reuters it would not be feasible to hold the elections because of heavy rains and logistical problems.
But the ruling National Congress Party (NCP) made it clear that they want to hold the elections on time, though they appeared willing to accommodate requests by their Southern partners.
The composition of the elections commission which will oversee the process has been a source of dispute between the two sides causing a delay in its creation.
(ST)
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