Sudan’s President Accused of Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes

By M. Brandon Maggiore
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – International Criminal Court Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told a panel of three judges that Omar al-Hashir, the sitting president of Sudan, is responsible for alleged atrocities in Darfur over the last five years. The three-judge panel will decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir. 

Moreno-Ocampo submitted a report alleging al-Bashir is responsible for 10 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Moreno-Ocampo said that al-Bashir "masterminded and implemented a plan to destroy in substantial part the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa groups, on account of their ethnicity" and that pro-government militias attacked these groups on al-Bashir’s orders. Al-Bashir allegedly gave his subordinates impunity and it is alleged that these three ethnic groups were attacked in their villages and those who fled were pursued into the desert.

Moreono-Ocampo also said he has evidence to show that al-Bashir interfered with international relief efforts by ordering forces to surround aid workers. Moreno-Ocampo said that women were gang raped in camps for displaced people, sometimes young girls were gang raped in front of their parents and that he could not look away.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadig told Reuters news agency that "We consider the indictment of either the president or any other normal citizen of Sudan the same - we don't recognise [sic] whatever comes out from the ICC, to us it is non-existent."

Sudan has said that Luis Moreno-Ocampo is a criminal and that the indictment may stall peace talks in Sudan.

Last year Humanitarian Affairs Minister Ahmad Harun and militia leader Ali Kushayb were indicted by the ICC and Sudan has yet to hand them over to the international court.

The UN estimates that the Darfur conflict has caused the deaths of 300,000 people since 2003 and that more than two million people have fled their homes.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Sudan head accused of war crimes – 14 July 2008

allAfrica.com – Sudan: Court Accuses Al-Bashir of Darfur War Crimes – 14 July 2008

ICC – Press Release: ICC Prosecutor Presents Case against Sudanese President, Hassan Ahmad AL BASHIR, for Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and war Crimes in Darfur – 14 July 2008

New York Times - Sudan's Leader is Accused of Genocide - 14 July 2008

Voice of America - Former Charles Taylor Prosecutor Praises ICC Action Against Sudanese President - 14 July 2008

Wall Street Journal - Sudan President to Face Darfur Charges - 14 July 2008