Sudan threatens genocide over genocide charge

Times:

Sudan promised to turn Darfur into a graveyard yesterday as it reacted with fury to charges laid by an international prosecutor accusing President al-Bashir of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The threat was made by an official in Darfur after Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), called for the arrest of Omar al-Bashir for his Government’s ruthless campaign of violence in the war-torn region.

Outlining his case in The Hague, Mr Moreno-Ocampo said that Mr al-Bashir resorted to the alleged crimes after a rebellion by three ethnic groups in Darfur. He asked the court to issue an arrest warrant before 2.5 million more displaced people died a slow death.

The Sudanese Government responded by staging rallies in Khartoum and El Fasher, the capital of north Darfur, where about 1,000 demonstrators chanted: “We don’t need Ocampo, we don’t need the ICC.” Idris Abdullah Hassan, the town’s deputy mayor, told the crowd: “We say to you, President al-Bashir, that the people of Darfur will go with you wherever you go, and Darfur will be the graveyard for the enemies of Sudan.”

...

A good defense lawyer might have suggested a different chant for the mob. It does reflect the emotional immaturity of those who support Bashir and his government. It is a most unusual reaction to a charge of genocide in history that I am aware of. Usually a defendant starts with something like self defense or it didn't happen, not threatening to complete the job of genocide. Besides being a bully, Bashir is not very smart nor or his advisers.

This should be a real test for the ICC. I will be surprised if Bashir is ever arrested or faces trial unless an outside forces goes in and gets him.

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